Power, as per Vedic wisdom, has three major limitations. They are: Dukhamishritham (it’s filled with sorrow), Atriptikaratvam (it leads to dissatisfaction) and Bhandhakatvam (it makes the possessor its slave). All these limitations makes a person more prone to anger. From anger, comes delusion. From delusion arises failure of judgement. From failure of judgement, comes loss of understanding. And from loss of understanding comes destruction.
Modern history is replete with stories of leaders who have often been overwhelmed by the power they possessed and eventually lost everything to it.
Therefore, Vedic scriptures recommend that a Shakta (possessor of power) must seek silence, vows of austerity, wisdom, study, solace, meditation, retrospection and introspection. When these seven aren’t adhered to, his Shakti leaves him thereby causing his peril. These practises are recommended as they further enhance awareness and forethought, necessary when one has power and must use it wisely. They further serve to be safeguards against the Arishadvargas.
Shakti is also regarded as the mother or Maatrika. There are essentially seven Maatrikas (or Saptamaatrikaas) in the Vedas:
Brahmani: power of creation
Vaishnavi: power of sustenance
Maheshwari: power of destruction
Indrani: power of self-control
Kaumari: power of wisdom
Varahi: power of wealth
Chamunda: power of fearlessness
These Saptamaatrikaas have been revered by Vedic people since time immemorial in pursuit of a power to overcome human pains, propagate truths, sustain wisdom as well as achieve liberation.
Therefore, without inner power, outer power is just an illusion and brings as much danger as prestige. Inner power may not require outer power, but outer power is dependent on the inner power of an individual to sustain itself. True power comes from one’s good karma, in which one becomes a conduit of nature’s energies. Abuse of power is bound to cause peril, not just to the person but his position as well.
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WEALTH
What is wealth? How to attain it? Why are some people poorer than others? Is there a truthful and sincere way to earn wealth?
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Wealth is defined in be to an abundance of valuable possessions or money or resources. In olden times, wealth was associated with the land and labour which consequently produced objects for fulfilling the needs and wants of society. In popular usage, wealth is understood as an abundance of items of transactional value. Unfortunately, in today’s world wealth has become synonymous with money and property. This is the primary reason why a large part of populace suffers unnecessary poverty and the rich often become corrupt.
Vedic philosophy has a phenomenal understanding about the real meaning of “wealth” and abundance in life. They called it Lakshmi. She is not simply the “Goddess” who is depicted in temples across the country. Although the image of the Goddess was certainly inspired by this science, Lakshmi in the true sense is the Vedic science of wealth that enables people to understand, attain and sustain abundance and prosperity, at both outer and inner levels of life.
The word Lakshmi is derived from the Sanskrit terms: lakṣ and lakṣa – meaning respectively “to perceive, observe, know, and understand” and “goal, aim, objective”. The word Lakshmi can be best understood as knowing and understanding one’s goal. Lakshmi finds mention in Rig Veda only once but the related term Sri is common for wealth and abundance. In Yajur Veda and Atharva Veda, Lakshmi becomes a complex concept with plural manifestations.
Vedic teachings define four primary objectives of human life: Dharma (Duty), Artha (Wealth), Kama (Desire) and Moksha (Liberation), to be pursued in that order. Vedic wisdom suggests that an individual must address one’s desires during youth years and it only then possible to become detached and strive towards liberation as one grows old. Though there are exceptions to this rule, however in most cases, failure to fulfil desires in youth tends to cause repression and an over powering urge to enjoy the remainder of life in old age, mostly the clinging to power during retirement stems from this. Liberation is best attained with full renunciation but to renounce one must have first achieved something tangible in the first place. Paupers have little to renounce. Although Moksha is not seriously sought after by many people today; Artha and Kama are eagerly sought by the greater majority of people, often without any concern for either Dharma or Moksha.
Lakshmi, or wealth, is best understood in her 8 forms, namely:
Adi Lakshmi (Primary wealth): No matter how, where and when you are born you have some wealth and resources with you. Primarily this is your health, family, culture and education. Vedic teachings say that you must first be aware of what you have, then understand how to build on it for further wealth. If you do not understand what you already have – you will never understand what you need to get or how to achieve it. We often find that people who complain, cry and curse their “fate” remain losers in life. Those who work without complaints or qualms, on the other hand, make great strides and go far, regardless of the poor circumstances they may have come from. Adi means first, so the first step for wealth is to understand yourself, then the people and things immediately around you.
Dhana Lakshmi (Monetary wealth): After understanding the resources around you, you are better placed to make the use of them to generate a product or a service which will help you achieve monetary gains leading to Dhana Lakshmi, so that you are not dependent upon anyone and have time and resources to do what you want.
Dhanya Lakshmi (Wealth of Grains): With money, you buy the necessary food to give you physical strength and vitality for greater efforts in life.
Veera Lakshmi (Wealth of Courage): With your strong body, knowledge and money by your side, to attain greater abundance in life you must have courage and be willing to exert yourself. It takes great courage to attain something which people around you consider you incapable of achieving. By having knowledge, food and money with you already, you are in a better position to attain the wealth of courage.
Gaja Lakshmi (wealth of power and prestige): Through the appropriate application of knowledge, money, food and courage – the wealth of power becomes accessible to you. This power can be social, political, intellectual or even spiritual, allowing you to influence the world for good or bad.
Santana Lakshmi (wealth of offspring): With knowledge, money, food, courage and power you are in a better position to take of others and gain a following: to have and adequately care for a progeny (Santana) in the broader sense of the term. It is only by having the right progeny that you can create a sustainable family as well as a supportive society, allowing your influence in the world to be perpetuated. Therefore, you seek Santana Lakshmi.
Aishwarya Lakshmi (Wealth of affluence and endowment): Having a following it becomes necessary that you provide them with adequate resources to secure their future. You can be a helpful benefactor using the wealth that you have acquired. For this you ask and work towards Aishwarya Lakshmi. You can help bring the wealth of Lakshmi to others.
Vijaya Lakshmi (Wealth of victory): Once you’ve attained the previous seven aspects of Lakshmi, you are in a great position to pursue anything in life and Vijaya Lakshmi is all by your side in your pursuits. You can overcome all opposition and go beyond every obstacle. You can even conquer your own desires
In Lakshmi’s iconography, she is either sitting or standing on a lotus and typically carrying a lotus in one or two hands. The lotus represents reality, consciousness, karma (work, deed), knowledge as well as Self-realization – the desired goal that you wish to unfold. The lotus, a flower that can blossom in dirty water, symbolizes purity and beauty regardless of the good or bad circumstances in which it grows. It is a reminder that wealth and prosperity can bloom even in difficult surroundings. Therefore, if you so desire you can create wealth even in an economy where opportunities are bleak, and chances of success seem dim. And you can achieve an inner sense of abundance regardless of your circumstances. Such is the wisdom of
Vedic wealth – Lakshmi.
15
VEDIC WISDOM
What is it?
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Vedic Vigyaan, often mistranslated as science, is Wisdom. Wisdom is that which comes essentially with retrospection and constant meditation on knowledge with relation to life experiences. It is not solipsism, where only personal experience is valued; rather it is essentially practical knowledge. It enables one to find balance and peace of mind amid all the chaos and confusion in the world outside. Wisdom is the ultimate objective of Vedic knowledge. Wisdom is also the end of suffering.
Vedic Wisdom is not some extreme philosophical or metaphysical subject. It is a very practical one.
It is only through wisdom that one realises that one is the Atman, housed in the body for an amount of time and going through certain experiences that on the surface seen to beyond control.
The Vedic wisdom suggests that all beings – animals including – are potentially divine; that they are in essence pure conscious energies. And each has the right to determine their destiny by actions. That only by the sum of right actions that right destiny can be brought.
What is then the root cause of one’s suffering? It is one’s own actions brought on by thought patterns. The thought patterns find their roots in the Arishadvargas, which in turn finds its root in the feeling of being a small entity in creation. This feeling of lack of power, but a desire to grow, is the key to all problems. Should one then not want to expand or want to grow in a metaphorical sense? This is not possible, as all human life is a desire for connection to something larger. New parents and new lovers are ideal examples, one finds greater joy when connected to another being, becoming a part of something larger than a singular limited existence. All acquisitions are also a means to expand our limited identity; most owners of cars say, they see their personality in their vehicles. This greater cause then becomes the impetus for the growth of self. Yogis too have this desire; they connect with everything and everyone. The entire world is then their family. Their consciousness then enlarges beyond their existence. Because they understand that at the core we are only consciousness, there is only One, and the feeling of powerlessness is transcended.
What about the common man, is there hope for him?
Is there a means by which the natural impediments and lack of power can be addressed? Yes, it can though the many processes of Yoga, with the aim of becoming a Yogi.
What is the benefit in becoming a Yogi? One gains a better perspective on life not just in the spiritual sense but also materialistically. One understands about problem solving, governance, about power, wealth and what constitutes each.
But these are just hints into what the Vedas have to offer.
The questions that might follow include:
It is true? Can I really always be happy? Can I gain material and spiritual success in a definite way? Is there a method or process I can follow? Has it been done many times before? Can it be individualised to me? Is success guaranteed?
To this the Vedas answer: YES
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Practicality of Vedic Wisdom
Is it possible?
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People often say that in theory Vedic wisdom is good but question if it’s practical? If it was impracticable, it would not have survived. The Vedic wisdom, therefore, must be intensely practical for us to be able to follow it in our day to day lives.
Shvetaketu was the son of Aaruni, a sage, a recluse. Brought up in the forest he once visited the city of the Panchaalas and appeared at the court of the king, Pravaahana Jaivali. The king asked him, "Do you know how beings depart hence at death?" "No, sir." "Do you know how they return hither?" "No, sir." "Do you know the way of the fathers and the way of the gods?" "No, sire." Then the king asked other questions. Shvetaketu could not answer any of them. So, the king told him that he knew nothing. The boy went back to his father, and the father admitted that he himself could not answer these questions. It was not that he was unwilling to answer these questions. It was not that he was unwilling to teach the boy, but he did not know these things. So, Shvetaketu went to the king and asked to be taught these secrets. The king said that these things had been hitherto known only among kings; the priests never knew them. He, however, proceeded to teach him what he desired to know.
In various Upanishads, we find that this Vedic wisdom is not the outcome of meditation in the forests only, but is also the thoughts and insights gained by people who were involved in everyday life, the common man. We cannot conceive any man can be busier than a monarch, a man who is ruling over millions of people, and yet, some of these rulers were deep thinkers.
Everything goes to show that this philosophy must be very practical; and later on, when we come to the Bhagavad-Gita it is the best commentary we have on the Vedic philosophy — curiously enough the scene is laid on the battlefield, where Krishna teaches this philosophy to Arjuna; and the doctrine which stands out luminously in every page of the Gita is intense activity, but in the midst of it, eternal calmness. This is the secret of work, to attain which is the goal of the Vedic seers.
Inactivity, as we understand it in the sense of passivity, certainly cannot be the goal. Were it so, then the walls around us would be the most intelligent; they are inactive. Clods of earth, stumps of trees, would be the greatest sages in the world; they are inactive. Nor does inactivity become activity when it is combined with passion. Real activity, which is the goal of Vedas, is combined with eternal calmness, the calmness which cannot be ruffled, the balance of mind which is never disturbed, whatever happens. And we all know from our experience in life that that is the best attitude for work.
Now, how we can work if we do not have the passion which we generally feel for work. It’s only with experience we find that it is not true. The less passion there is, the better we work. The calmer we are, the better for us, and more amount of work we can do. When we let lose our composure, we waste energy, shatter our nerves, disturb our minds, and accomplish very little work. The energy which ought to have gone out as work is spent as mere feeling, which counts for nothing. It is only when the mind is very calm and collected that all of its energy is spent in doing good work. And if you read the lives of the great workers which the world has produced, you will find that they were wonderfully calm men. Nothing, as it were, could throw them off their balance.
That is why the man who becomes angry never does a great amount of work, and the man whom nothing can make angry accomplishes so much. The man, who gives way to anger, or hatred, or any other passion, cannot work; he only breaks himself to pieces, and does nothing practical. It is the calm, forgiving, equable, well-balanced mind that does the greatest amount of work.
There are two tendencies in human nature: one to harmonise the ideal with the life, and the other to elevate the life to the ideal. It is a great thing to understand this, for the former tendency is the temptation of our lives. We think that we can only do a certain class of work. Most of it, perhaps, is bad; most of it, perhaps, has a motive power of passion behind it, anger, or greed, or selfishness. Now if any person comes to preach to me a certain ideal, the first step towards which is to give up selfishness, to give up self-enjoyment, I think that is impractical. But when a man brings an ideal which can be reconciled with my selfishness, I am glad at once and jump at it. That is the ideal for me.
So to with practicality. What I think is practical, is to me the only practicality. The difference between weakness and strength is one of degree; the difference between virtue and vice is one of degree, the difference between heaven and hell is one of degree, the difference between life and death is one of degree, all differences in this world are of degree, and not of kind, because oneness is the secret of everything. All is One, which manifests Itself, either as thought, or life, or Atman, or body, and the difference is only in degree. As such, we have no right to look down with contempt upon those who are not developed exactly in the same degree as we are.
Condemn none; if you can stretch out a
helping hand, do so. If you cannot, fold your hands, bless your brothers, and let them go their own way. Dragging down and condemning is not the way to work. Never is work accomplished in that way. We spend our energies in condemning others. Criticism and condemnation is a vain way of spending our energies, for in the long run we come to learn that all are seeing the same thing, are approaching the same ideal, and that most of our differences are merely differences of expression.
There may be weakness, says the Vedic wisdom, but never mind, we want to grow. Disease was found out as soon as man was born. Everyone knows his disease; it requires no one to tell us what our diseases are. But thinking all the time that we are diseased will not cure us — medicine is necessary. We may forget anything outside, we may try to become hypocrites to the external world, but in our heart of hearts we all know our weaknesses. But, says the Vedic wisdom, being reminded of weakness does not help much; give strength, and strength does not come by thinking of weakness all the time. The remedy for weakness is not brooding over weakness, but thinking of strength. Teach men of the strength that is already within them. Instead of telling them they are sinners, the Vedic wisdom takes the opposite position, and says, "You are pure and perfect, and what you call sin does not belong to you." Sins are very low degrees of Self-manifestation; manifest your Self in a high degree. That is the one thing to remember; all of us can do that.
Never say, "No", never say, "I cannot", for you are infinite. Even time and space are as nothing compared with your nature. You can do anything and everything, you are almighty. These are the principles of ethics, but we shall now come down lower and work out the details. We shall see how this Vedic wisdom can be carried into our everyday life, the city life, the country life, the national life, and the home life of every nation. For, if a religion cannot help man wherever he may be, wherever he stands, it is not of much use; it will remain only a theory for the chosen few. Religion, to help mankind, must be ready and able to help him in whatever condition he is, in servitude or in freedom, in the depths of degradation or on the heights of purity; everywhere, equally, it should be able to come to his aid. The principles of Vedic wisdom, or the ideal of religion, or whatever you may call it, will be fulfilled by its capacity for performing this great function.
Essentials of Vedic Wisdom for Blissful Living Page 9