Today, we are witnessing crime and atrocities that are insane, inhuman and unimaginable. Waves of shock hitting our heads, wondering how someone can be so cruel and violent resulting in horrific tragedies… sometimes miles away in countries like Ukraine, and sometimes just next door in hospitals at Kolkata. Is there hope for a better tomorrow?
Is there…?
Yes… for a better tomorrow, ignite the right fire. It is evil thoughts that lead to a destructive word, or a destructive action. It is evil thoughts ruin the fundamentals of good moral conduct. It is evil thoughts block one’s ability to distinguish between what is right from wrong. If we want evil thoughts to be rooted out fully, we must ‘burn’ them with the right fire…
What kind of fire are you talking about?
The fire of right knowledge. The knowledge that arises from within through constant churning of debate between right and wrong, good and bad. This constant churning that happens within us….
It begins in simple but important aspects in life. It begins even before you open your eyes for the day. The churn between ‘do I sleep?’ or ‘do I snooze?’. The churn between ‘do I cook?’ or ‘shall I order?’ The churn between ‘do I let go of something unnecessary because it’s eating away my time?’ or ‘do I hold onto it and let my wavering and unstable mind eat away my limited precious time?’ The churn between ‘do I value a temporary ‘gain’’ or ‘do I work harder for long-term peace of mind?
The churn between ‘do I earn more money to feed my great grandchildren’ or ‘do I indulge in activities for betterment of society, nature etc as service to God?’ The churn between ‘do I go to a pub?’ or ‘do I work on something useful’. The churn between ‘do I pray to God who I think is letting injustice happen?’ or ‘do I understand why there is injustice and my role in it?’ The churn between thoughts like ‘does God exist somewhere out there?’ Or ‘do I become God after certain learnings and meditation?’ The churn between ‘do I view Ramayana, Mahabharatha, Bhagavatham as made up stories to teach us some values?’ or ‘do I view them as history?’
The churn between ‘am I capable of fixing a problem?’ or ‘am I incapable and therefore I wait and watch for someone to fix a problem?’
Hanuman, who lit the fire of knowledge!
Hanuman was waiting for someone to cross the ocean and reach Lanka. He did not realize his potential. He lit the fire of higher knowledge by seeking guidance from and listening to elders like Jambavan. These elders are hithaishi and viswasani:ya, i.e. those who desire the well-being of everyone and are trust-worthy.
Listening to them, he realized his potential. He burnt Lanka that was nurturing evil. He gave life to Ayodhya that was nurturing goodness. He paved the path to a blissful journey along with Rama for everyone.
yatthaidha:msi samiddho::gnihi
bhasmasa:th kuruthe::rjuna! |
jna:na:gnis sarva karma:ni
bhasmasa:th kuruthe: thattha: ||
just as the blazing fire reduces wood to ashes,
the fire of knowledge burns the entire stock of sins
When one performs every karma driven by proper thought, it will unblock the path to the blissful journey. Every activity you do… It can be working in an office, making dinner, or talking to a neighbor, or even taking a bath. This is how one’s life becomes a yajna, worship.
What thought qualifies as proper thought?
God is dwelling in you and in every being in this entire existence. If you believe this firmly, any activity you do will now be qualified. Qualified by this proper thought, your every activity becomes the fire that will root out evil. You will treat your body as a mobile mandir. You will see the entire existence as God’s body.
Neither will you do anything wrong, nor will you tolerate when something is wrong.
If God is dwelling within everyone,
Why are people committing crimes?
A person who does not see the supreme God indwelling in everyone is capable of hurting themselves and/or hurting others in various levels and ways….
That person puts himself over the Lord. He desires for his wishes over the Lord’s will. They are the Ravanas, Hiranyakasipus, Kamsas of the day. They will ultimately get killed. If you do not want to be that person or if you do not want to be a victim to such a person, let the shield of proper knowledge, i.e. the fire of proper knowledge ignite within you so that you stay protected. Additionally, if you let that fire grow properly to an intense level, God will bring down the wrongdoers through you.
Are there any examples in history?
Lord Krushna instructs Arjuna to fight the war and kill the Kauravas because of that very same reason…. Hanuman ignites the fire of knowledge and realizes his potential to act as the instrument of Sri Rama in bringing an end to evilness in Lanka.
Let us all realize our potential, bring down evilness in our thoughts, words and actions through the grace of God. Grow the fire of knowledge such that God blesses us with enough power to pull the wrongdoers down for the collective benefit, thereby ‘guarding’ God’s universal form and keeping ‘it hale and healthy’.
– From the teachings of HH Chinna Jeeyar Swamiji
– 16th August 2024
– Sri Ashtalakshmi Temple, Houston, USA
– Statue of Union Inauguration Celebrations Day 1.
Statue of Union Inauguration Ceremony
at Houston
