Sai message for the day

[Guest guest]

There are two great epics, the Ramayana and the Mahabharata besides

the eighteen puranas. The puranas deal with various appellations and

attributes of God in story form, which constitute a major part of

Indian mythology. They convey to the entire humanity a universal

message on all aspects of life. Kindly tell us the main principles

embodied there in for us to practice in our daily life.

 

Sage Vyasa who composed all the eighteen puranas conveyed their

essence in two sentences. `Paropakarah punyaya' and `Papaya

parapidanam.' It is also said, `Paropakarardham idam s'ariam,' the

body is not given just to eat, sleep, drink and die. The body is not

given to us just to be selfish. God has blessed you with a body to

serve others. After all, what is there to be so attached to and

possessive about this body? It is nothing but horribly foul and dirty

faecal matter, urine and blood. It is purely temporary and with this

body do you want to get everlasting results? How is it possible? How

can you experience eternal bliss with the body?

 

Youth passes off like melting ice, clouds and mist. So, the body is

like a water bubble. It is designed and gifted to render service to

the poor and needy and definitely not merely for food and drink,

because birds and beasts, flies and insects also secure food and

drink. What is so extra-ordinary about you? It is enough if you don't

harm anyone else. It is the greatest help you can do. Vyasa said,

serving others is punyam, or merit. It means you shouldn't hurt

anyone by thought, word and deed. Then what is papam, sin? Harming

others in anyway is sin.

 

There is another meaning to this Paropakarah punyaya (the ordinary

interpretation being service to others). Param means God. Upa means

near and karah means joining. Paropakarah means coming close to God.

Therefore, the greatest help you can do is to take others close to

God and yourself coming close to God. This is possible through good

deeds and good thoughts. Then the second statement papayapare padanam

(in the ordinary sense it means that harming others is sin) also has

another meaning. Param = God, Pida = One God viewed as many. The sum

and substance of the statement is that it is a sin to think of one

God as many. It amounts to thinking of plurality or multiplicity in

the divinity.

 

There is only one atma spirit/soul in everyone. But if you fragment

it into pieces and experience diversity, it is a sin. I very often

tell my students that the essence of all the eighteen epics is –

Parpakarah punyaya, " Hurt Never Help ever ` papayapare padanam'.

These two are enough for practice in your daily life, and achieving

liberation.