CONVERSATION OF KAPILA AND SUMARASHMI ON GRIHASTHA AND YOGA

Sage Kapila teaches Sage Sumarashmi the true path of salvation and attaining of Supreme Lord

After Yudhisthira was crowned as King of Hastinapur, Lord Krishna freed amazing Bhishma from all of his sufferings before his death and asked him to alleviate Yudhisthira from mourning over the lifeless Kshatriyas by the way of advising him on Dharma. Yudhishthira requested his Pitamaha that whilst not harming the living beings, which is the yoga that enables human beings to obtain the six gunas, and both happiness and salvation and he additionally desired to understand which religion is higher between Grihastha and Yoga. Bhishma while emphasizing the authenticity of each Grihastha and Yoga Dharma to be very hard and of good fortune, gave an example of an historical record in the shape of dialogue among Maharishi Kapila and Sumarashmi, who was presented within ‘Gau’ or cow. Let us understand about it quick.

We've heard that in the past, King Nahusha considered the discipline of Vedas to be ancient, and everlasting and thought of seizing a cow for Tvashta visiting his residence. At that time, Kapilamuni, who was mounted in Sattva, was virtuous, generous-minded and knowledgeable and saw that cow who was selected for the Tvashta. Then Maharishi Kapila, simplest once said this much, “Oh Veda! People who do such crime to your name.” At that point, a sage named Sumarashmi entered the cow and said to sage Kapila, “if you doubt the authenticity of Vedas, then on what basis can different scriptures be considered proper? Ascetic, patient, sages with the vision of Vedas and science consider Vedas to be the breathless voice of God who is eternally knowledgeable. Why are you pronouncing contrary words about the Vedas, which are flowed out of the breath of the Supreme Lord, who is without craving, without feeling, selfless and without all forms of beginnings?”

Kapila stated, “I neither criticize Vedas nor do I ever tell contrary things to them. The actions of human beings in various ashrams have an identical cause. A sannyasi can achieve the supreme kingdom or can also go in vanaprastha. Grihastha and brahmachari - both of them can also reap identical fame. The four ashrams are taken into consideration to be the four everlasting paths called Devayana. Which is larger and smaller,  strong or susceptible - these are made as consistent with their fruits. Understanding this, one must start all of the works, this is the Vedic belief. Elsewhere, this principled Shruti is also heard that one has to not even start karma. Because if you do not begin the work of killing and so on., in a Yajna, one does not get the blame and if one does it,  receives great guilt. In one of these situations, it is very tough to understand the strength of the Vedas. Other than the Vedas if any fruit of the scripture describing violence aside from non-violence appears to be seen even by logic or you are experiencing, then tell it truly.


Sumarashmi said, “a person who desires heaven should perform Yajna, this Shruti is usually heard. Therefore a man first begins the ritual of Yajna after visualizing the fruit of heaven. Goat, horse, sheep, cow, bird, rural food and wild food and many others. All things are meals for life. Every morning and evening meal is said to be the meals of life. Animals and grains are the elements of Yajna. Lord Prajapati created these types in conjunction with the Yajna. Then it became him only who made the rituals of Yajna to the deities through these sacrificial materials. Animals, human beings, trees and medicines – all of them need heaven, but except through sacrifice, that substantial heaven can not be reached in any way. The medicine (meals and many others.), animals, trees, ghee, milk, curd, other objects, land, direction, faith and time are the elements of the twelve Yajnas. Rigveda, Yajurveda, Samaveda and Yajamana-these four collectively represent sixteen Yajnas and Garhapatya Agni needs to be taken into consideration as the seventeenth Yajna. In this manner, these seventeen components are named. All these are the components of Yajna and Yajna is the root cause of this world. Ghee, milk, curd, buttermilk, cow dung, leather, hair, horns and toes - all these perform the rituals of the cow. In this manner, each of these things, whatever is prescribed, should be collected.

Together with the Ritviks and the Dakshinas, they all perform the Yajna. The yajaman collects all these things and performs the ritual of yajna. All people in the past have been engaged in the ritual of sacrifice in the same way. The previous and greater forefathers have considered a lot of these substances as a part of the sacrifice, so which learned guy will never pick any sacrifice for himself in step with his power.

The ritual of Yajna is his duty - considering that he who performs the yajna without having any choice, he neither knows violence, nor does hatred towards anyone, nor does he start any action with arrogance. Most of these Yajnas described in the Yajna Shastra are systematically used within the Yajna and hold each other. I see the Amnaya (Dharmasastra) said via the sages, in which all of the Vedas are enshrined. Because of the sight of the sentences of the Brahmanical textual content which induces action in it, the learned men do not forget that scripture to be authentic. Yajna has emerged from the Brahmanical part of the Vedas. That yajna is offered to Brahmins simplest. Behind the sacrifice of the whole world, there is always fulfilment. This is the root motive of Veda. That ‘Om’ and ‘Namah’, ‘Svaha’, ‘Svadha’ and ‘Vashat’-these verses are used within the Yajna, and the Yajna of that person gets done.

Rigveda, Yajurveda, Samveda and the prescribed stobhas – these kinds of in which they are a gift, they have the right to be known as dvija in this global. Brahman! You know the fruit that comes from performing Agnyadhan, Agnihotra and Somayaga, and the result obtained by way of acting different remarkable sacrifices. Every dvija must carry out the Yajna without any thought and get it executed. A person who performs a sacrifice with the aid of the heavenly approach attains exquisite heavenly fruit after renunciation. It is positive that neither this world nor heaven is pleasing to such men who do not carry out Yajna."

Kapila said, “Sannyasis who follow the rules of Yama, by taking shelter of the path of knowledge, attain to the Supreme Soul. They consider this visual phenomenon to be mortal. There's no hindrance in his movement in all the worlds. They do not get distracted by way of the temperature and do not bow down to anyone and neither do give blessings. Not only this, even those learned guys aren't bound by way of desires. Unfastened from all sins, being pure and natural, he roams everywhere. They have a firm dedication of their intelligence for the attainment of salvation and the renunciation of everything. They are ready for the meditation of Brahman. Being the form of Brahman, they reside in Brahman most effective. They get those eternal worlds, in which there's a complete absence of grief and sorrow and where there is no vision of Rajoguna (Kama, Anger and so on.). Having attained that supreme gati, what's the need for them to live within the Grihastha-ashrama and follow the religions here?”

Sumarashmi said, “If attaining expertise and becoming established in the supreme Brahman is the ultimate limit of effort, if that is the best movement, then the importance of householder-dharma increases even greater. Because without the assistance of the householders, no ashram can run and neither can it provide the loyalty of knowledge. Other ashrams survive simplest by taking safe haven of the householder's ashram. The householder plays the Yajna, the householder does the penance. Whatever attempt a man makes - anything good deeds he conducts, the root reason for that religion is the grihastha-ashrama. All living beings revel in happiness from the production of descendants.

Kush and many others. Grass, Paddy-barley etc., different medicines originating outside the city and the medicines that are used on the mountain, the origin of all of them is also Grihastha-Ashram because there's the beginning of Parjanya (cloud) from the Yajna there, from which rain is produced and by which weeds-creeper, medicines are developed. Medicines that are life forms. People who are without faith, best subtle vision, restless, lazy, and troubled by means of previous moves, it's far from the ignorant guys who take the safe haven of the path of sannyasa and see the lack of peace in the household.

The eternal restriction of Vedic religion is the benefactor. The brahmin is revered and is respected by all considering the fact that his birth. The Vedas are recited before conception in all three varnas – Brahmin, Kshatriya and Vaishya. Then in cosmic and transcendental works, there is certainly a tendency of these Vedic mantras. During the cremation of the deceased, in reincarnating the body, performing day by day tarpana and shraddha for the dignity of the deceased, donating cows or different animals for the cause of Vaitarni and the bodies are given in the Shradha ceremony. Vedic mantras are also used for immersion in water – the root of all these works is the Vedas.

Archismata, Barhishada and Kavyavaha Sangnaka Pitra additionally permit the recitation of mantras for the lifeless person’s happiness, peace and fame. Mantra is the cause of all religions. It is only the ones Veda-mantras when calling out and saying that human beings are indebted from the birth of gods, ancestors and sages. Then how can all of us achieve salvation without repayment of those debts by staying in the Grihastha? Lazy sages have attained salvation via renunciation of actions. The brahmin plays the rituals of Yajnas according to the Vedas, he cannot be affected by sins and neither can sin entice him. He might visit the higher virtuous worlds with the sacrifices he executed along with the animals useful in it. Through disrespecting the Vedas, by means of arrogance and deceit, no guy attains the supreme Soul.”

Kapila stated, “For a wise man, there is a regulation for the rituals of Darsha, Poornamas, Agnihotra and Chaturmasya etc. Because they have the significance of Sanatana Dharma. But individuals who, having accepted the sannyasa faith, have retired from rituals and are steadfast, pious and situated in the form of Brahman, satisfy the deities best with the knowledge of Brahman. Those who are located within the soul shape of all beings and see all beings with the Self, who do not have any special status, those who are seeking the footprints of the sensible guy, the deities also trace their motion get fascinated on the direction.

The hands and feet, speech, abdomen and appearance of humans are the four doors. Desire is their gatekeeper. In keeping with the scriptures, with the restraint of those four gates, he attains the four faces containing Rig, Yajuh, Sama, and Atharva- the supreme personality of Godhead by the four methods: Bhakti-yoga, Jnana-yoga, and Karma-yoga and Ashtanga-yoga. A wise man has to no longer gamble, do no longer take cash from others, do not take food prepared by a lowly man, and do not kill all people in anger – by doing this his hands and feet are protected. Do not abuse anyone, do not speak in vain, do not slander or criticize others, be reticent, speak truthful phrases and always be cautious about this - via doing this the door of the senses of speech is protected. Do not fast, but do not eat too much, do not constantly crave meals. Make friends and put as much meal in the stomach as is vital for subsistence – this protects the stomach. Live with his wife, not with a foreign female, do not invite his spouse to make love with him till she has passed her periods, and be dedicated to his only spouse in his heart. By doing this, his Upastha gate can be protected. The wise guy whose presence, abdomen, hands and feet and speech - these kinds of doorways are completely protected. He's absolutely a Brahmin. Whose doors are not secure, all his correct deeds are fruitless, what can be the benefit of such someone by penance, sacrifice and self-contemplation?

The one who has only a loincloth in the name of clothes, not even a sheet to cover, who sleeps without a bed, puts his arms as his pillow and continually remains calm, is considered a brahmin by the deities. The sage who lives alone thankfully amid all the dualities of cold and warmth, and does not think about others, is considered via the deities to be a brahmin. The one who has the knowledge of the impermanence of the complete universe, who is acquainted with nature and its vices, and who has the know-how of the movement of all beings, is considered by the deities to be Brahmagnani. The one who's fearless of all beings, from whom all beings do not fear, and who is the soul of all beings, is considered to be the Brahmin. However foolish humans do not approve of the end result of yoga etc. Except for the fruits of charity and Yajna-karma. Due to not knowing the importance of all those means of salvation, they are only interested in different fruits like heaven and so forth.

But taking safe haven of that Purana, eternal and yogic virtuous conduct, the austerity of the sages who are committed in their duties and deeds gets progressively more intense. Human beings taking marg of Pravritti cannot carry out the Yama-niyama rituals as said inside the sutras of Yoga Shastra. That yogic ethic is non-objectionable, non-verbal. It doesn't get to be defeated by way of lovemaking. Within the Yoga Shastra, karma is said to give the best effects, and progress and is permanent. Even then, human beings of Pravritti marg bear in mind those to be without virtues and unstable. It is very tough to understand the character and the law and order of the virtues which are Yajna. Even after understanding it, it is even harder to perform their rituals.”

Sumarashmi said, “Lord! How can the authenticity of the Vedas preaching 'do action' and 'leave action', which are two clear paths in conflict, be maintained? And how does renunciation succeed?”

Kapila stated, “you can directly see the fruit of the path of yoga right here through staying on the direction of virtues. However by staying on the route of Karma, the sacrifice which you worship, what direct result is acquired here?”

Sumarashmi stated, “Brahman! My name is Sumarashmi. I have come here with the desire to acquire knowledge. Keeping the desire for welfare, I have presented my words in your service with an easy feeling, not with the desire for debate. A terrible doubt has arisen in my mind, only you could clear it. You said that you could directly see the fruit of the course of yoga right here by staying on the Virtuous route. I ask, what is the most visible end result of the one you worship here?

In whichever ashram, whatever religion is prescribed, that same religion must be worshipped there. At that place. Simply as a boat going to one place is tied to a boat going to another place, if it is taken away via the water, it cannot take anyone to the destination, in addition how our karma-formed boat, certain by the desire of the actions of the previous birth, will bring unintelligible men like us throughout the sea of the universe? Lord!  I have come below your safe haven, you preach to me. There is no renouncer on this global, neither contented nor sorrowless nor diseaseless. Neither guy is absolute without the desire to act, nor without attachment, nor is he completely renounced via movement. You too express joy and sorrow like us. Like all living beings, words, touch and so forth are present and accepted earlier than you. In this way, the human beings of all the four Varnas and ashrams take safe haven of the only happiness in all the tendencies – making it their goal. So in principle, tell what's the renewable happiness.”

Kapila said, "Whosoever scripture, whatever the meaning of which one conducts, he becomes successful in all Pravritti." wherever the ritual is carried out, there may be the attainment of inexhaustible happiness. One that follows knowledge, destroys all his worldly bonds. Pravrtti without knowledge destroys the people by putting them in the cycle of birth and death. You all are smart, and healthy from all sides. However, have any of you attained ekatmata at any point in time? (whilst the life of the unique soul i.e. Brahman is realized everywhere, then it is referred to as the knowledge of ekatmata.) No longer knowing the scriptures in truth, a few human beings have come to be under ego due to being overwhelmed through anger and hatred because of the power of Vitandavada. Due to not understanding the genuine meaning of the scriptures, they are referred to as Shastradasyus (robbers who rob the meaning of the scriptures). They constantly see and keep in mind the method like Sama-Dama and so on to be fruitless. They do not seek knowledge, opulence, virtues etc.. Tamo guna is the largest supporter of these tamoya body men. Hate, lust, anger, conceit, untruth and insanity – these nature-born characteristics are constantly present in individuals who are of that nature only. The restrained, who wish to achieve the ultimate gati, therefore renounces both good and bad after thinking.”

Sumarashmi said, “Brahmin! Everything that I have stated here is propounded from the scriptures. Because without knowing the meaning of the scriptures, one no longer has any tendency to do any work. Anything is just conducted, this is all scripture, such as the Shruti statement. By way of violating the orders of the scriptures, no tendency can be successful, this is the decision of the scholars. All this is against the Vedic words and is unscriptural. Many people are the ones who believe in the genuine. They hold an eye fixed on Ihloka and become independent from the scriptures. The scriptures do not see faults, and they grieve by means of taking safe haven of non-Vedicism, just as we grieve. Knowledgeable human beings like you, like all animals, revel in the objects of the senses. For this reason, the people engaged in the inclinations of the four varnas and ashrams take refuge in the simplest happiness and only want to get it. Among them, humans like us who're ignorant of enlightenment minded in trivial subjects and Surrounded by Tamo. You are successful and efficient in resting so that you have introduced us to peace from the thoughts via telling the eternity of salvation as a universal principle. One who is secluded such as you, yogic, conqueror of deeds and mind, and who can move in all guidelines by resorting to mere alms for the protection of the body or its safety, who has renounced the law of justice and who considers the entire globe to be without being perishable, such most effective a person can take refuge of the Veda-sentences and say that there is salvation. Consistent with the householder's work, which is related to the maintenance of the family and which is the form of charity, self-study, Yajna, child production and constantly behaving in a simple and gentle spirit, a lot of these are very hard for human beings. Even after doing these kinds of deeds, if nobody receives any accomplishment, then the doer is damned. Shame on his work and the hard work that went into it was in vain. If rituals are left meaningless, then it will be atheism and disregard for Vedas; So Lord! I want to hear how the rituals could be done without problems and with the aid of the seeker of salvation.”

Kapila stated, “Sumarashmi! There is proof for all the worlds. Consequently, the Vedas were not omitted. Types of Brahman should be understood - Shabdbrahman (Vedas) and Parabrahman (Sachchidanandghan Paramatma). Someone who's properly-versed in Shabdabrahman (having turned out to be purified through the rituals of Vedokta deeds), attains the Parabrahman. The body of the child which the parents give birth to via the method of the idea, they perform the rites of that body of that child. In this manner one whose body is purified via Vedic rites, he's eligible for knowledge of Brahman.

For those who, considering their dharma (duty), carry out such rituals without any sort of desire, the fruit of that yajna isn't always recognized by the Vedas or the history. It is observable and all of us see it with our very own eyes. Those who renounce what they've received, shunning all varieties of greed, who are free from miserliness and intuition, and thinking that is the great manner to use wealth, supply charity to the worthy souls, never take safe haven of sinful deeds and are constantly engaged in the way of Karma Yoga, their thoughts obtain Siddhi and they get a firm determination about the supreme Brahman in the shape of pure knowledge. They do not get angry with anyone, they don't have any blame, They live far away from ego and matsarya, they have got allegiance within the way of knowledge, their birth, deeds and learning-all three are pure and they are ready for the benefit of all beings.

In the past, many brahmins and kings have emerged as such that, while staying in the householder's ashram, without sacrificing their respective karmas, they have been systematically engaged in them with a selfless spirit and had an equal vision of all beings. They were simple, Happy, knowledgeable, dedicated to the direct fruits of the Dharma, had a natural mind and had faith in both Shabdabrahman and Parabrahman. They used to purify their thoughts by following the vital rules and had been prepared to carry out the rituals together even if they fell in difficult and inaccessible locations. Those erstwhile men who performed non-secular rituals in a union were only happy in it and did not need to make any form of atonement. They were considered very ambitious simplest by way of taking safe haven from the reality. They did not sin at all, and even while the event of death was present, they did not use deceit in the matter of religion. For those whose heart is weak, sins are committed by them and for them, a provision of atonement has been made. In this manner, many brahmins used to perform yajna in the past. They were wealthy, pious, virtuous and successful in the know-how of Vedas. Those learned men, being freed from the bondage of desires, used to worship God through Yajnas every day. Those sacrifices, the study of Vedas and different activities were performed according to the scriptures. They'd given up lust and anger. Their deeds were very difficult to bring into practice for others. In their heart, in due course of time, understanding of scripture and satsankalpa used to rise step by step. They were greatly well-liked for their excellent deeds. They were natural-minded, easy, peace-loving and self-righteous by means of nature. All Their precise deeds were going to give the end result of salvation. Their penance had taken a extreme shape. They practised awesome virtues and got the end result of the ancient, everlasting and imperishable Brahman.

How many people are unable to practice the slightest subtlety in religions. In truth, Vedok's ethics and faith are free from objection. There's neither pride in it nor there is no defeat. In the earlier times, when all of the Varnas were born, there was no disharmony in the situation of the ashram. Thereafter the identical ashram was divided into four components. The nice men enter all those ashrams by regulation and observe their dharma and achieve a splendid state. Some of them attain the best status with the aid of leaving home (that is, being a sannyasi), a few by taking safe haven of Vanaprastha, some by staying as a human householder and some by taking celibacy ashram and following that ashrama dharma. At that point only those dwijas seem within the sky in the form of light, just like the constellations, many stars in exceptional places of the sky - they all have attained this infinite position thru contentment, such as the Vedic principle.

If such pious souls ever once more come or take birth inside the karmic-powered yonis of the world, then they do not bask in sinful activities with regards to that yoni. In an equal way, simplest a brahmin who is ready in the service of the Guru, who is celibate, determined and yogic may be excellent. Other types of brahmins apart from him are considered to be low-grade brahmins. In this way, precise or inauspicious actions determine the title of a person accordingly. Whose passion and hatred craving has long gone out of mind, who's natural from outside and whose mind is concerned in well-being, in keeping with those philosophical men, the whole thing had become Brahmaswaroop due to the influence of infinite knowledge of Brahman and expertise of scriptures.

Sama, Dama, Uparati, Titiksha, Shraddha and Samadhan, which are the Upanishad-Vidya this is associated with the Brahman, are common to the people of all Varnas. But most effective those who are self-aware and austere-Siddha celibate, are usually capable of doing the means of that dharma. It is contentment whose happiness is the root, whose renunciation is the nature, which is said to be the safe haven of knowledge, in which the mind of salvation - the attitude of realization of Brahman is continually vital - That sannyasa-ashram form of religion is the Sanatana. There is ultimate welfare for all the wanderers who go on this route; however, the weak one – due to no longer controlling the mind and the senses, who are incapable of its means, sits here restlessly. One who's pure from outside and inside becomes free from worldly bondage by studying the Brahmapada.”

Sumarashmi requested, “Brahmin! Individuals who experience only via the money acquired, individuals who provide charity, those who use that cash in yajna and those who do self-study or who take shelter of renunciation, who amongst them is the first to triumph over the heavenly global after dying?”

Kapila stated, “All such possessions are auspicious for those who have manifested themselves through the virtues of sattvik, but none of them has been capable of getting the happiness that is in renunciation.”

Sumarashmi requested, “Lord! You're knowledgeable and householders are virtuous, but you're currently rendering the cohesion of all the ashrams in devotion. In this manner, due to the confusion of the unity and separation of know-how and action, the exact distinction between them is not understood. That's why you please inform me about it in a right and accurate manner.”

Kapila said, “Karma is the purification of the whole and subtle body, however knowledge is the ultimate shape of motion. While the passions of the thoughts are burnt via actions, then one becomes mounted in the know-how of the spirit. Mercy, forgiveness, peace, non-violence, truthfulness, simplicity, obedience, nonarrogance, Shyness, titiksha and sama-these are the paths of attainment of Parabrahman Parmatma. One should apprehend via the mind the determination of the actual result of the action. The Gati which is attained from all sides, that's peaceful, contented, pure and knowledgeable, is called Paramgati. One who knows the Vedas and the supreme Brahman precisely is referred to as a Vedaveta.

The clever guys recognize all of the subjects. Because in Veda, the whole lot is prestigious. Whatever is there and what isn't, the repute of all has been given in the Vedas. The simplest belief of all of the scriptures is that anything that is visible is present in Pratitikala, but isn't there whilst it is interrupted in the state of the best expertise. In the eyes of the wise guy, Brahman, the true form, in the beginning, middle and end of this international. That Brahman is attained only after giving up everything. The same factor has been fixed in all of the Vedas. He is thrilled with all and hooked up in the upvarga (moksha) by means of his blissful form. Therefore that Brahman is true, calm, the known soul of all, the immovable-worldly form, the form of whole happiness, the best of welfare, the excellent, the unmanifest, of the starting place of all and imperishable. Like that sky, all guys with knowledge-eyes of the Asanga, the imperishable and the ever-uniform Tattva, realize through the auspicious manner of radiance, forgiveness and peace. Salutations to Parabrahma Parmatma, one who's inseparable from Brahmavetta.”

Ref: Mahabharata book Shanti Parva

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