Satya, Tapa, Yagnya & Daan
H H Maa Purnananda
Picking up from where we had left in May’20 article; is it not very important to get the mind properly cleansed at the earliest and clear-up the mess and prepare ourselves to deserve the blessings of God? let us continue to contemplate towards the same direction.
In a conversation between Dharm guised as a bull and Prithvi guised as a cow, which was overheard by King Parikshit as given in Sreemad Bhaagwatam by Bhagwaan Sree Vedvyaas, the seeker is made to understand the importance of the four legs for a firm moral and ethical foundation of human existence. These four legs are Satya, Tapa, Pavitrata & Daya. Dharm, the bull had lost three of these four legs and hence was unable to walk with only one leg of his left! Any guess, which of the four would he be having left with, at the onset of Kaliyug?
Satya, Tapa, Yagnya & Daan, these words are often used by people whenever they talk about anything related to some kind of spirituality or religion. Lack of proper understanding leads the person nowhere; though he may think that he is progressing in spirituality! Unfortunate indeed! Having said that, a sincere pursuer of spirituality need not at all get disappointed regarding his spiritual pursuit. But, as I would have mentioned number of times, surely it would be advisable to pursue it under the guidance of the Guru. To drive-in this fact in the understanding of the seekers, the Mahaapuraan-s authored by Sree Vedvyaas throw light on the four mentioned above, by means of anecdotes and numerous episodes; one such has been mentioned above.
Even though the Holy Works of great Seers, if read with proper insight, reveal the worthy ways of handling one’s own human life, usually they are either rejected by people or are accepted as a part of the tradition in households. Any which way, the true import of the precious Words would not be understood or accepted sincerely for one’s own inner evolution; for which they were actually presented to human society.
So let us try to understand from the given anecdote as to how is it that our Shaastra-s are so relevant in today’s scenario. The Puraan says that the only leg left of Dharm, the bull, in Kaliyug, is of Satya; why, because Satya, the changeless Truth is indestructible! In other words, even if not recognised, acknowledged or lived in the worst scenario, yet Truth remains unchanged as It exists eternally. Therefore, the Guru guides the students to hold on to Truth under all circumstances.
The Puraan says that by the end of Krityug or Satyug, the bull lost Tapascharya, its first leg, by the end of Treta Yug, it lost Pavitrata, the second leg and by the end of Dwaapar Yug, Daya. So, Kaliyug is left with Satya alone, and that too, not many would like to hold on to it due to almost nil practice of Tapa, Yagnya and Daan, which could have helped the humans in bringing dynamic evolution due to Tapa, in maintaining morale of Pavitrata and in extending a hand of Daya towards the fellow-beings. Instead, man has trapped himself in the mess of worldly, delusive net of wants, desires, violence, vulgarity and what not!
If man anyway wanted to lead a life of sensual pleasures, then why fake any religion? Why sell spirituality for material gains? Why run to places of worship when in crisis and yet have the audacity to defy and defile God? Why?
Let us not fall in the category of those who are not sufficiently sincere towards their acceptance and reverence for the Shaastra-s, the Guru Parampara and the Supreme Reality.