Synonyms:

karmana–by work; eva–even; hi–certainly; samsiddhim–perfection; asthitah–situated; janaka-adayah–Janaka and other kings; loka-sangraham–educating the people in general; eva–also; api–for the sake of; sampasyan–by considering; kartum–to act; arhasi–deserve.

Translation:

Even kings like Janaka and others attained the perfectional stage by performance of prescribed duties. Therefore, just for the sake of educating the people in general, you should perform your work.

Synonyms:

tasmat–therefore; asaktah–without attachment; satatam–constantly; karyam–as duty; karma–work; samacara–perform; asaktah–nonattached; hi–certainly; acaran–performing; karma–work; param–the Supreme; apnoti–achieves; purusah–a man.

Translation:

Therefore, without being attached to the fruits of activities, one should act as a matter of duty; for by working without attachment, one attains the Supreme.

l l Shlok – 2 l l

Tamaavaha jatavedo
Lakshmimananpagaminim
Yasyaam hiranyam vindeyam
Gamasvam purushanaham

Translation:

O, Agni, the great fire-god, with the blessings of Mahalakshmi, wealth and prosperity, gold and cattle, horses and useful animals, family and children and every type of prosperity will come to me. By the arrival of Goddess Lakshmi in my home, the prosperity will be imperishable. Health, friends, knowledge, everlasting peace and finally freedom — all these types of wealth will be mine by the arrival of the Universal Mother, Lakshmi, into my home.

Unlimited Wealth, Unfailing objective & Universal mother

Unlimited wealth (Indian ‘gold’):
I think we all read about golden hisotry of India. Still, I am 100% sure that nobody knows the fact that i am about to justify. Archeologists studying history of India concluded that India might have been inhabited around at least the Middle Pleistocene era, somewhere between 200,000 to 500,000 years ago. Prehistoric era of India existed from Stone age, Bronze age, Iron age, Vedic period, Mahajanapadas, Persian and Greek invasions, The Maghadas, Early middle kingdoms – ‘The golden age’, Late middle kingdom -’The classic age’, The Islamic sultanate, The Mughal era, Post Mughal regional kingdoms, Colonial era and the Indian independence movement up to Independence & partition. Out of that, whole world had seen stone age, bronze age and iron age, but only India had seen the Vedic period and its extension in the form of Mahajanapadas, Persian and Greek invasions, the Maghadas and Early middle kingdoms – ‘The golden age’. This was the time of our cultural and intellectual enlightenment. At the same time, Nalanda University was founded and Sanskrit was the language of communication. After Golden age, people started invading India for all purposes. The reason of invasion was prosperity. The golden age does not mean we were having ‘Gold’ everywhere. But, this means our intellectuality was like gold; pure and precious. Yes, there are possibilities that with those values and intellectuality we would have gained prosperity and this wealth have been used as �Gold� collectively. Again, Wealth does not mean money but it is different facets of happiness. If at all money is the wealth, than UAE (with precious oil) and South Africa (with gold mines) are the wealthiest countries of the world. But, recent research shows that USA (who owes more than any country) is the wealthiest country of the world.

Nalanda University

Goddess Lakshmi who shines like gold, yellow in hue, gold & silver garlands and moon, which shows the description of having wealth and becoming wealthy. And, health, friends, knowledge, everlasting peace, freedom, gold, silver, wealth, prosperity, horses, other useful animals, family, children and every type of prosperity – are examples of wealth which can be gained by arrival of Lakshmi at our homes which is portrayed in this description of second shlok ( Check above). Wealth is subjective and having wealth in your preference makes you happy and contented. It is also observed that both the ends of economic pendulum are unhappy. Maslow’s hierarchy principle ( Click here for more about hierarchy principle )shows importance of materialistic life to people across every aspects of economic scale and confirms the ideas of Sri Suktam. Research had also shown that poor and middle class people are emotionally salient and mentally stable compared to rich people. At last, Becoming rich without understanding wealth is like inviting uninvited problems.

Unfailing objective:
Lakshmi in Sanskrit is derived from its elemental form “LakS,” meaning to perceive or observe. This is synonymous with “LakSya,” meaning aim or objective. Lakshmi is thus goddess of the means to achieving objectives, including prosperity in the lives of mankind. So, Lakshmi means achievement or objective whic is unfailing. It reminds me of Arjuna and its manner of looking only at the eye of fish.

Universal mother:
We call Lakshmi a universal mother as mother is the one whom we can ask anything anytime and who is always ready. Also notice that, ‘Shall’ is used in shlok translation instead of ‘will’ because we think ‘we have to’ or ‘we will’ get everything we want. Significance of it is because of the presence of unfailing objective (Lakshmi) and its consideration as all types of wealth which includes but not limited to useful animals, family and good men. So now it can be read as, ‘I shall win every form of wealth including cattle horses due to unfailing goddess of wealth.’

When unfailing objective (Lakshmi) is on our side than which financial market can dare to scare us. Again, we all know that being poor and filthy rich are bad but being indecisive regarding the required wealth is the worst. Think twice friends; don�t repent for what we had already lost. Remember, �Life always gives us second chance but it�s mostly the last chance�.

Stay tuned for the Shlok-3 next week.

Synonyms:

na–never; eva–certainly; tasya–his; krtena–by discharge of duty; arthah–purpose; na–nor; akrtena–without discharge of duty; iha–in this world; kascana–whatever; na–never; ca–and; asya–of him; sarva-bhutesu–in all living beings; kascit–any; artha–purpose; vyapasrayah–taking shelter of.

Translation:

A self-realized man has no purpose to fulfill in the discharge of his prescribed duties, nor has he any reason not to perform such work. Nor has he any need to depend on any other living being.

Synonyms:

yah–one who; tu–but; atma-ratih–takes pleasure; eva–certainly; syat–remains; atma-trptah–self-illuminated; ca–and; manavah–a man; atmani–in himself; eva–only; ca–and; santustah–perfectly satiated; tasya–his; karyam–duty; na–does not; vidyate–exist.

Translation:

One who is, however, taking pleasure in the self, who is illuminated in the self, who rejoices in and is satisfied with the self only, fully satiated–for him there is no duty.

Synonyms:

evam–thus prescribed; pravartitam–established by the Vedas; cakram–cycle; na–does not; anuvartayati–adopt; iha–in this life; yah–one who; agha-ayuh–life full of sins; indriya-aramah–satisfied in sense gratification; mogham–useless; partha–O son of Prtha (Arjuna); sah–one who does so; jivati–lives.

Translation:

My dear Arjuna, a man who does not follow this prescribed Vedic system of sacrifice certainly leads a life of sin, for a person delighting only in the senses lives in vain.

Synonyms:

karma–work; brahma–Vedas; udbhavam–produced from; viddhi–one should know; brahma–the Vedas; aksara–the Supreme Brahman (Personality of Godhead); samudbhavam–directly manifested; tasmat–therefore; sarva-gatam–all-pervading; brahma–transcendence; nityam–eternally; yajne–in sacrifice; pratisthitam–situated.

Translation:

Regulated activities are prescribed in the Vedas, and the Vedas are directly manifested from the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Consequently the all-pervading Transcendence is eternally situated in acts of sacrifice.