||Shri Suktam||

Shlok 8

I shall, by their grace, destroy that distressing poverty which is first born in the form of hunger and thirst, (i.e., which prevents the advent of prosperity). Dispel every form of want and insufficiency from my house.

Poverty, trust and charity

Poverty:

Something I was thinking about yesterday, at home, is how God is never outdone in generosity, whether material or social or spiritual. Because of the economic unease we’re all facing, I was frankly thinking of the material – hanging on to jobs, my friend finding a job, how we’ll pay for home heating oil this winter, affording college for my sister – and I remembered that my wife and I have always believed it and found it to be true: when we give from our own need, it never goes unrewarded. Well, someone from you argue that how it will be rewarded. That’s where Sri Suktam is needed.

You cannot become rich if you acquire wealth; you also need to work on removing anomalies and insufficiency of life. Otherwise, there are strong chances that acquired wealth gets vanished in no time. In short, by saying “Dispel every form want and insufficiency from my house”, Rushi wanted to convey message that, one should also work on improving life by all means. Money or materialistic wealth is not everything a person needs to be wealthy as their value can decrease at any time e.g., stock exchange. What we need to acquire is permanent wealth in the form of blissful life, morals and principles, generosity when needed so that we can get help when we need.

Trust:

We forget, sometimes, that if we trust – really, just trust (that’s harder to do, and less simple, than it sounds) we will receive “what we need.” We may not get a penny more than that. But we will see our needs met, and perhaps part of what we “need” is to learn how to manage ourselves on less, how to cultivate thrift, how to resist the urge for immediate gratification. How to save, and to work toward goals? How to be patient? We are not very patient, anymore. We don’t like to

wait for what we want. Our society has been very spoiled and “me” oriented for a while, now. Everyone buys themselves whatever they want, when they want it, and – because of the easy credit (which helped get us into this mess) and our addiction to it – we have forgotten how to wait, how to practice that “old-fashioned” virtue of self-denial.

Charity:

Charity is a great form of dispelling unwanted wealth (which ultimately brings sickness and poverty) and helping those who are in need. By that way, you will have blissful life and also your wants will be limited. I’m going to remind them of what I remembered: God is never outdone in generosity, but you need to be generous yourself, if you want Him to outdo you. Even in these frightening times – perhaps especially in frightening, vulnerable-feeling economic times – it is important to be generous to others – families, especially extended families in need.

My learnings:

1) Expel unwanted need which can create poverty in future

2) Charity is the best to dispel our unwanted needs to get credit which can be used in future with interest rate.

-Taral Sharma

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Shri Suktam Series:

Article 1: Linking broken links – Economics, Life and Happppppppppiness!

http://vediclearnings.com/2008/11/17/shri-suktam-new-learning-series/

Article 2: Connect the dots to enlighten!

http://vediclearnings.com/2008/11/24/shri-suktam-new-learning-series-2/

Article 3: Respect, Thankfulness and Glorious life

http://vediclearnings.com/2008/12/01/shri-suktam-shlok-1/

Article 4: Unlimited wealth, unfailing objective and universal mother

http://vediclearnings.com/2008/12/08/shri-sukta-shlok-2/

Article 5: Strength, bravery and Sprightliness

http://vediclearnings.com/2008/12/15/shri-suktam-shlok-3-certificate-of-wealth-acquisition/

Article 6: Bliss, content, lotus and Balanced life

http://vediclearnings.com/2008/12/22/shri-suktam-shlok-4-bliss-content-lotus-balanced-life/

Article 7: Protection by Magnanimous & Blazing Wealth!

http://vediclearnings.com/2008/12/29/protection-by-magnanimous-blazing-wealth/

Article 8: Unconditioned & unlimited nature

http://vediclearnings.com/2009/01/05/unconditioned-unlimited-nature/

Article 9: National Spirit

http://vediclearnings.com/2009/01/12/shri-suktam-shlok-7-national-spirit/

Om is one of the most chanted sound symbols in India. It has a profound effect on the body and mind of the one who chants and also on the surroundings. Most mantras and vedic prayers start with Om.

All auspicious actions begin with Om. It is even used as a greeting – Om, Hari Om etc. It is repeated as a mantra or meditated upon. Its form is worshipped, contemplated upon or used as an auspicious sign.

Om is the universal name of the Lord. It is made up of the letters A (phonetically as in “around”), U (phonetically as in “put”) and M (phonetically as in “mum”). The sound emerging from the vocal chords starts from the base of the throat as “A”. With the coming together of the lips, “U” is formed and when the lips are closed, all sounds end in “M”.

The three letters symbolize the three states (waking, dream and deep sleep), the three deities (Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva), the three Vedas (Rig, Yajur and Sama) the three worlds (Bhuh, Bhuvah, Suvah) etc. The Lord is all these and beyond.

The formless, attributeless Lord (Brahman) is represented by the silence between two Om Chants. Om is also called pranava that means, “that (symbol or sound) by which the Lord is praised”. The entire essence of the Vedas is enshrined in the word Om. It is said that the Lord started creating the world after chanting Om and atha. Hence its sound is considered to create an auspicious beginning for any task that we undertake. The Om chant should have the resounding sound of a bell (aaooommm).

Om is written in different ways in different places. The most common form symbolizes Lord Ganesha’s. The upper curve is the head; the lower large one, the stomach; the side one, the trunk; and the semi-circular mark with the dot, the sweetmeat ball (modaka) in Lord Ganesha’s hand. Thus Om symbolizes everything – the means and the goal of life, the world and the Truth behind it, the material and the Sacred, all form and the Formless.

(Photo courtesy: profile.myspace.com)

Coconut is one of the most offerings in a temple. The coconut is broken and placed before the Lord. It is later distributed as prasaada. We also offer it on celebrations of weddings, festivals; on purchase of new vehicle and on ceremony of new house, road or bridge. It is also offered in the sacrificial fire whilst performing homa.

The fibers covering of the dried coconut is removed except for a tuft on the top. The marks on the coconut make it look like the head of a human being. The coconut is broken, symbolizing the breaking of the ego. The juice within, representing the inner tendencies (vaasanas) is offered along with the white kernel – the mind, to the Lord. A mind (white kernel) thus purified by the touch of the Lord is used as prasaada (a holy gift).

In the traditional abhishekha ritual done in all temples and many homes, several materials are poured over the deity like milk, curd, honey, tender coconut water, sandal paste, holy ash etc. Each material has a specific significance of bestowing certain benefits on worshippers. Tender coconut water is used in abhisheka rituals since it is believed to bestow spiritual growth on the seeker.

The coconut also symbolizes selfless service. Every part of the tree -the trunk, leaves, fruit, coir etc. is used in innumerable ways like thatches, mats, tasty dishes, oil, soap etc. It takes in even salty water from the earth and converts it into sweet nutritive water that is especially beneficial to sick people. It is used in the preparation of many ayurvedic medicines and in other alternative medicinal systems.

The marks on the coconut are even thought to represent the three-eyed Lord Shiva and therefore it is considered to be a means to fulfill our desires.

(Image courtesy: http://i.pbase.com/u25/dannysmythe/upload/40709058.Coconut.jpg)

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     Is this the time to go back? Most of us will answer it as “not really” if they don’t know the content. But, we would suggest that this is the right time to go back. Yes, after leaving a rote and contingent life for more than two decades i thought of going back. It is known that such reverberating adventures are not always favorable but at the same time meaningless enliven life will lead us to academic Alzheimer’s disease. I don’t say that nobody knows every answer of the questions that they come across in their life. But it takes time to find them ranging from seconds to centuries.  At the same time, we want a key that opens almost every locks and that search ends in our ancient literature. And, while mentioning mentoring ancient literature we mostly end up around universal mentor – “Srimad Bhagwad Gita”.

     Besides me, I found two young imprudently wise pundits who shares the same idea and will keep creatively stubborn like me alive. This blog is collaboration of our work and also an enduring commitment to our culture. Filtration of our souls until it gets immortal would be the highest compensation we can expect with it.  This is probably the homework which is undone since birth and we hope to finish before getting involved in its revolving interest rate.