Re: Single Householder
hariḥ oṁ
~~~~~~
namasté
Originally Posted by
fem_phoenix1109
Namaste Is there a way to make my household whole without that other half?
You are already whole ( bhūman¹) - now the quest is for you to recognize this. This then fills the entire home.
Now this dharma, it too is whole and sattvic. But if you needed to find its essence what would that be ? Let me offer you this:
Dharma is that which upholds/supports. Let's take it one step deeper. For humans , it is the performance of actions in an ethical manner that not only supports the individual but society as a whole. For the jñāni ( he that is established in the Self) this dharma performance supports society and the universe at the same time. This is when it is performed perfectly. So before the re-recognition of the Self, one does dharma the best one can by the various scriptures. And there are so many rules and laws.
Yet if one can keep what bṛ́haspáti offers ( discussed below) one is well served and is acting within dharma.
If one is looking for direction regarding dharma, then the mahābhārata can be one's support. We look to the śanti parvan, section 60, you will find that bhīṣma-ji offers the ordinances ( or vidhi¹) for the 4 orders varṇa of men. He also talks of the 9 vidhi that are common to all.
Now this śāsana (teaching) of bhīṣma-ji goes on for many chapters and is a delight to read. Yet for me there are a few instructions that become the essence of the teaching (śāsana). Let me offer one of them.
This is found in the aṇusāsana² parvan (section CXIII or 113). Yudhiṣṭhira now asks questions to bṛ́haspáti (some also write vrihaspati) ' absence of injury, the observance of yajña, meditation, etc. - which one of these (he asks) are filled with the greatest merit for the individual? ' Bṛ́haspáti talks of the merits of these virtues, yet says the following:
One should never do that to another which one regards as injurious to one's own self. He continues and says , this in brief is the rule of dharma.
Just prior to this statement bṛ́haspáti says, that the person who regards all creatures as his own self, and behaves towards them as towards one-self laying aside the rod of chastisement and completely subjugating his wrath, succeeds in attaining to happiness.
This is the crux of dharma...
iti śivaṁ
words
- bhūman - whole , abundance , fullness
- vidhi - ordinances, a rule , formula , injunction , ordinance , statute , precept , law
- bhīṣma and why its a perfect fit.
- bhīṣma means terrible , dreadful , as k.d. gupta informs us; it was a most rigid vow bhīṣma takes for his entire life.
- Yet if we look at this word as a composite bhī +īṣma we find it more insightful. bhī is defined as to fear, to put in a fright. But who is bhīṣma putting in a fright to? To īṣma. Who is this īṣma ? It is another name for kāmadeva . Bhīṣma gives fear to kāmadeva by taking this vow for his full life.
And who is this kāmadeva ? none other then the god of love, some say passion and desire.
- aṇusāsana - The brilliance of this word aṇusāsana parvan shows the great command of the language by vyāsa-ji ( also known as Kṛṣṇa Dvaipāyana )
This word can be seen in a few ways:
aṇu+sā+sana : aṇu = finer +sā =knowledge + sana = presenting, gain, acquisition. Hence the section (parva) presenting finer knowledge.
- anu + śasana : anu = after or afterwords + śasana = killing. Hence the section (prava) after the war
यतस्त्वं शिवसमोऽसि
yatastvaṁ śivasamo'si
because you are identical with śiva
_
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