October 28, 2012
Pujya Swami Swaroopanandaji kicked off a very interesting series of talks in Singapore. Titled, "14 Spiritual Laws of Success", the talks started on Friday October 25 at the RELC Auditorium in Singapore. The talks go through till October 30th.
The first two laws directly relate to Chapter 2 of the Bhagavad Geeta. They succinctly encapsulate Śrī Kṛṣṇa's teaching in verses 2-11 to 2-28.
The first law according to Swamiji is the Law of Eternity. The Self is Eternal, undying. Swamiji quoted Geeta 2-20:
न जायते म्रियते वा कदाचिन्
नायं भूत्वा भविता वा न भूयः |
अजो नित्यः शाश्वतोऽयं पुराणो
न हन्यते हन्यमाने शरीरे ||२-२०||
na jaayate mriyate vaa kadaachin.h
naayaM bhuutvaa bhavitaa vaa na bhuuyaH .
ajo nityaH shaashvato.ayaM puraaNo
na hanyate hanyamaane shariire .. 2-20..
He is not born, nor does He ever die; after having been, He again ceases not to be; Unborn, Eternal, Changeless and Ancient, He is not killed when the body is killed.
According to Swamiji, the knowledge and understanding of this law, frees us from fear. Swamiji quoted Guru Nanak who refers to the Self as "akal murat", beyond time, beyond death.
The second law is the other side of the coin of the first law. It is the Law of Change. Swamiji said:
मात्रास्पर्शास्तु कौन्तेय शीतोष्णसुखदुःखदाः |
आगमापायिनोऽनित्यास्तांस्तितिक्षस्व भारत ||२-१४||
maatraasparshaastu kaunteya shiitoshhNasukhaduHkhadaaH .
aagamaapaayino.anityaastaa.nstitikShasva bhaarata .. 2-14..
The contacts of senses with objects, O son of Kunti, which cause heat and cold, pleasure and pain, have a beginning and an end; they are impermanent; endure them bravely, O descendant of Bharata.
Swamiji emphasised Śrī Kṛṣṇa's point that when we understand the constantly changing nature of the world around us, we gain a sense of fortitude or forbearance (तितिक्षा titiksha as referred to in the verse above).
Freedom from the fear of change and the fortitude to withstand the vicissitudes of change are a necessary foundation for success in any sphere.
For me the two laws gave rise to an "Ah Ha" moment with respect to Chapter 2. I sometimes say that I have gone through the second chapter of the Geeta a few times. Swami Swaroopanandaji's talks reminded me of Pujya Gurudev's retort to someone else who said the same thing. "You may have gone through the Geeta, but has the Geeta gone through you?"
Hari Om and Namaskaar until the next post
PS: Pictured above is a painting of the Bhagavad Gita from the collection of the Philadelphia Museum of Art
Pujya Swami Swaroopanandaji kicked off a very interesting series of talks in Singapore. Titled, "14 Spiritual Laws of Success", the talks started on Friday October 25 at the RELC Auditorium in Singapore. The talks go through till October 30th.
The first two laws directly relate to Chapter 2 of the Bhagavad Geeta. They succinctly encapsulate Śrī Kṛṣṇa's teaching in verses 2-11 to 2-28.
The first law according to Swamiji is the Law of Eternity. The Self is Eternal, undying. Swamiji quoted Geeta 2-20:
न जायते म्रियते वा कदाचिन्
नायं भूत्वा भविता वा न भूयः |
अजो नित्यः शाश्वतोऽयं पुराणो
न हन्यते हन्यमाने शरीरे ||२-२०||
na jaayate mriyate vaa kadaachin.h
naayaM bhuutvaa bhavitaa vaa na bhuuyaH .
ajo nityaH shaashvato.ayaM puraaNo
na hanyate hanyamaane shariire .. 2-20..
He is not born, nor does He ever die; after having been, He again ceases not to be; Unborn, Eternal, Changeless and Ancient, He is not killed when the body is killed.
According to Swamiji, the knowledge and understanding of this law, frees us from fear. Swamiji quoted Guru Nanak who refers to the Self as "akal murat", beyond time, beyond death.
The second law is the other side of the coin of the first law. It is the Law of Change. Swamiji said:
While, I, the Self am changeless and eternal, everything I see and experience is in the realm of change.He quoted Geeta 2-14:
मात्रास्पर्शास्तु कौन्तेय शीतोष्णसुखदुःखदाः |
आगमापायिनोऽनित्यास्तांस्तितिक्षस्व भारत ||२-१४||
maatraasparshaastu kaunteya shiitoshhNasukhaduHkhadaaH .
aagamaapaayino.anityaastaa.nstitikShasva bhaarata .. 2-14..
The contacts of senses with objects, O son of Kunti, which cause heat and cold, pleasure and pain, have a beginning and an end; they are impermanent; endure them bravely, O descendant of Bharata.
Swamiji emphasised Śrī Kṛṣṇa's point that when we understand the constantly changing nature of the world around us, we gain a sense of fortitude or forbearance (तितिक्षा titiksha as referred to in the verse above).
Freedom from the fear of change and the fortitude to withstand the vicissitudes of change are a necessary foundation for success in any sphere.
For me the two laws gave rise to an "Ah Ha" moment with respect to Chapter 2. I sometimes say that I have gone through the second chapter of the Geeta a few times. Swami Swaroopanandaji's talks reminded me of Pujya Gurudev's retort to someone else who said the same thing. "You may have gone through the Geeta, but has the Geeta gone through you?"
Hari Om and Namaskaar until the next post
PS: Pictured above is a painting of the Bhagavad Gita from the collection of the Philadelphia Museum of Art
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