Pujya Bhaishri

Love is the basis of life. It is not possible for any living being to live on material objects exclusively. People and material objects are both necessary for living. Each has its intrinsic value. A society in which people love each other and make appropriate use of materialistic objects is a healthy society. While a society in which material objects are valued more than people and where people are used or misused for material gains is a sick society.

A life in which people are central while objects are of peripheral importance is a divine life. While a life in which material objects are of central importance and people are of peripheral significance is indeed a materialistic life. Both people and material objects are essential to life. But people should be valued more than the material objects. Very often we lose the correct perspective of understanding the value of both at a given situation. At that time remember this. Objects are for people but people are not for objects.

Whatever material belongings you may have, they cannot provide any direct satisfaction or happiness to you. You derive happiness through other people only. Your bungalow, cars, clothes, jewelry, etc. are of significance only when other people see them, admire them or feel envious of your belongings. Just think about it. If you were all alone in this world, then you would be the owner of everything. All buildings, shops, cars, clothes, land everything would be yours. But would you be happy if you had no one by your side to appreciate and admire your possessions?

Therefore people are more important than objects, wisdom more important than people, love more important than wisdom and God more important than love. Hence give utmost importance to God.

                                                                                                                                  ...Bhaishri

Hari smaran! Do you really know what you want out of life? What is the purpose behind your day-to-day activities? In Sanskrit it is said, ‘Sukham me bhuyaat, dukham, me maangbhut’ i. e. Let me be happy, let unhappiness not come to me. All living beings crave happiness and want to avoid unhappiness or pain. Still, very often, although we wish to be happy, happiness eludes us, and although we try to avoid unhappiness, it continues to manifest in our life. Why does it happen so? The answer is that our efforts to be happy are misdirected. We expect lasting happiness from that world which itself is temporary and ever changing. We believe that the worldly objects of pleasure will make us happy when in reality they themselves are ever prone to destruction. Man forever is in futile pursuit of these materialistic objects. His greed for hoarding and enjoying such objects keeps him on the run and in due course exhausts him completely. There are two types of greed: One, for amassing wealth and the other for relishing the pleasures one has amassed. Yet, ironically man is never satisfied from the pleasures he enjoys. He forever wants more and more. This is the greed related to the manifestation of sensual desires. Greed is the progenitor of sin. It is to fulfill such cravings that man indulges in sinful acts and behavior. All crimes that are committed in the world emanate from two desires, the desire for money and the desire to indulge in sensual pleasures. To earn money and become rich is the natural instinct of every human being. There is nothing inherently wrong with it. Wealth earned with intelligence and hard work is not a sin. Earning money by unethical means is a sin. Therefore, the Indian Rishis devised an ingenious system, adhering to which we can earn money without committing any sins. They are the four ‘purusharthas’ (endeavours) : Dharma (Righteousness), Artha (wealth), Kama (pleasure), Moksha (liberation). ‘Purusharsheh Aksharyate’, Purushartha is that which is desired by all living beings. Thus the desire for money and pleasure of the senses is natural. Hence, the sages advise that Artha (desire for money) and Kama (desire for sensual pleasures) should be fulfilled within the limits of Dharma (righteousness) with an aim towards Moksha (liberation). Then they become useful in life. Hence Dharma is given top priority. Money should be earned ethically and through righteous means. Do not pursue illegal or wrongful monetary dealings. Earning money through deception, theft, and extortion or by injuring another being is a sin. Such sinful illegal gains will never bring peace or happiness. Similarly, always enjoy sensual pleasures within the limits of righteousness (Dharma). Kama enjoyed righteously has been described by the sages as something sublime. The offspring begotten by such Kama is Dharmapraja. It facilitates the continuation of family lineage and worldly affairs. But the Kama enjoyed against the rules of Dharma is sinful. It is ‘aasuri’ (demonic) and adulterous. It will not bring satisfaction but only misery and bondage. Think for yourself. Do you want joy, happiness and peace in life? Do you want liberation? Then earn money righteously and be generous with your wealth. Distribute it amongst those who have not. Give it to the poor and the needy. This will bring you happiness. It may be in your capacity to earn money but you cannot establish lordship over it. You can become its master only when you are able to give it away to others at will or renounce it altogether. ‘Mochanam mokshaha’ is when an individual gives away his belongings to others. Only then is he truly liberated. Donating means that I withdraw my right from this wealth and accept your right over it. The moment someone gives away, he renounces his right over it and thus becomes liberated from it. Hence people who have renounced wealth are addressed as ‘swami’ (master). No rich man is called swami. Earning money and enjoying kama within the purview of Dharma will lead you to liberation. You will be liberated even while living in this world. This way you will achieve the four purusharths (endeavors) prescribed by the Rishis: Dharma, Artha, Kama, Moksha. God will bless you and you will get lasting peace, happiness and joy. You will find God in this life. If we all realise this crucial Truth, our blind and futile rush for worldly objects will end and we will be lead towards liberation. 

With prayers for the spiritual well being of all, I pray to God to shower his grace and blessings upon you all.

You may be living in a bungalow which costs Rs.50 lakhs, driving in a car worth Rs.8 lakhs, wearing costly clothes, precious ornaments, wrist watches etc., Despite all these, let me assure you, that you cannot be labelled as materialistic. Living in luxury surely is not a sufficient reason to be labelled as materialist. For if that were the definition of being a materialist then the greatest materialist should have been Lord Krishna himself, because he lived in golden Dwarka, a golden palace. He used to eat from golden plates and dishes and wear the costliest clothes and ornaments. 

Can we say then that Lord Krishna's life was materialistic? Our traditional thinking says that one can be totally spiritual even while enjoying all the luxuries of life, e.g. living in a palace, driving in fancy cars, wearing expensive clothes and jewellery, etc. The only condition is that all these objects should be for our use, rather than due to our cravings for them. This is a very fine line of distinction and it has to be always kept in mind, since it is capable of converting a life from heaven to hell and vice-versa. Objects are necessary for human beings, but human lives should not be meant for objects. A person who believes that people are meant for objects is truly materialistic. Where objects are meant for people, I would not call it a material existence however luxurious it might be. I would still call it spiritual living. 

When Lord Krishna was about to leave for 'swadhaam' he was totally unattached to Dwarka. He had no qualms of leaving it. Instead he warned Uddhav and asked him to convey to the dwellers of Dwarka that it will get submerged into the sea in seven days and that they should leave it and move elsewhere. Lord Krishna had no kind of attachment whatsoever. 

Remember, one should utilise the materialistic objects but remain unattached to them. Don't get bound by the worldly things around you. Don't become like a fly, which sits on honey and gets stuck to it, instead be like a fly, which sits on sugar, which is as sweet as the honey but is unable to bind the fly to it.