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5-Aashram Dharm-2

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5-Aashram Dharm-2
2-Padm Puraan, 3-Swarg Khand, p 387-397

This section is very short - of about 80 pages, p 332-409. The importance of very few Teerth and the duties of four Aashram are given here.


A Grihasth's Dharm

Vyaas Jee said - "A good Brahmchaaree should end his studies by studying a part or all Ved very well. Take the completion bath after giving Guru Dakshinaa and taking Guru's permission. Wear a new Yagyopaveet, shoes, cap, gold earrings etc. A Braahman should not wear any other necklace except golden necklace; s hould always wear white clothes and sweet smelling fragrance. If he has money, he should not wear dirty and torn clothes. He should not use deep red necklace, or shoes, clothes and earrings etc used by others. Marry a worthy girl according to himself. Keep the sacred fire of marriage time alive and do Havan daily for Agni Dev. Go to pilgrimage and take care of his wife and children. He should neither boast of his Dharm among learned people, nor he should hide his sin. He should always follow the conduct according to Shaastra and according to his capacity.

The following are the characteristics of a Braahman, he should follow them as far as possible :-
(1) Kshamaa (forgiveness) - To tolerate bad words for one's ownself, defeat, blame, violence, bondage, killing and consequences created by other's anger is called forgiveness.
(2) Dayaa (kindness) - Who is calm in one's own sorrows and comforts others in other's sorrows is called kindness.
(3) Vigyaan (knowledge) - Ved's six parts, four Ved, Meemaansaa, Nyaaya Shaastra, Puraan and Dharm Shaastra - these are 14 Vidyaa (branches of knowledge). To obtain them is called Vigyaan.
(4) Satya (truth) - Man wins the world by truth. Whatever has happened in whatever way, telling it in the same way is called truth. (Of course one should know the exceptions also).
(5) Dam - Controlling one's Indriyaan is called Dam.
(6) Sham - Clean and clear mind is called Sham.
(7) Adhyaatm - Knowing about A-Kshar, the immortal status, should be understood as Adhyaatm.
(8) Gyaan - By whichever knowledge one knows about Bhagavaan, that is called Gyaan.

This human body is the resting place of Dharm, that is why one should take care of this body, because without this body nobody can know about Vishnu. Even if one feels difficulties following Dharm, then also one should not abandon it, because Dharm is like Bhagavaan, and one cannot abandon Bhagavaan. He should not say bad words about Devtaa, and if somebody says thus, he should not sit with him."

Everyday Conduct for a Dwij

Vyaas Jee said - "One should not kill or trouble any living being, should not lie, and should not speak harsh words to anybody. He should never steal. Whoever steals, whatever small thing, he falls in Narak. Never take any donation from king, Shoodra, fallen person or anybody else. If a learned Braahman cannot manage without donation, he should at least spare the bad people. Braahman and Devtaa's wealth is also called poison. One should never pluck flowers for Devtaa worship from one place and without taking the owner's permission. One can take grass, wood, fruit or flower for worship from others for worship, but they should be taken in front of others otherwise it is considered as stealing).

If somebody is in the way and is hungry and thirsty, then only he can take a handful of Anna (cereal or food) from some farm, otherwise one is not worthy to take that, this is the etiquette. A Dwij falls down from his status if he establishes relationship, or talks with low level people. Even noble people fall to lower level if they blame others, do not do their Karm, do not read scriptures, insult Braahman, lie, enjoy other women, eat uneatable etc. One should not live where many unreligious people live. One should live within one mile range of some river. One should not live with fallen, Chaandaal, fools, and proud people also.

(1) Sleeping on one bed, (2) sitting on one Aasan, (3) sitting in one line, (4) eating food in one plate, (5) eating the food cooked by others mixing in one's own, (6) to do Yagya, (7) to teach, (8) to marry someone, (9) to eat with someone, (10) to study together, and (11) to do Yagya for others together - these 11 activities instigate Varnsankar situations. When people live together or nearby one another, then also their sins penetrate among one another. One should keep away from such situations. Who sit in one line by drawing a border line around them, and do not touch one another, they do not catch Varnsankar characteristics. This line can be drawn by these six things - fire, ash, water, door, pillars, and road; or they can be used to separate oneself from others.

One should not develop quarrel with others without any reason; keep away from arguments; never tell about a cow grazing in other's farm; never say harsh words to anyone; never live with a person who tells one's matters to others; never attract anybody's attention to rainbow, aura around the Sun, fire appeared from arrow, the Moon and gold; never oppose many people; and whatever behavior is not good for oneself, never behave in that way with others. Never create obstacle in any work related to Devtaa and Braahman; never boast oneself; and never say bad words for others. Who say bad words or insults Devtaa, Rishi and Ved; no upliftment is found for them in Shaastra. Wherever these are insulted, one may keep quiet, or not reply anything, or go away from there.

As a person should not argue with bad people, he should not argue with learned people also. Never mention sinners' sins to others. Who are blamed falsely, when they weep and tears fall from their eyes; those tears can bring many kinds of calamities to those people who have blamed them. Many kinds of grave sins can be rectified but not the "blaming others falsely".

Never look at the rising Sun and Moon without any reason; in the same way one should never look at the Sun and Moon while setting, their shadow in water, when they are covered with clouds or are in the middle of the sky. Never look at a naked man or woman; or one's fasces and urine; or a coupling couple; never talk while passing stool; never look at the face of an angry elder person; never look at a loose and mad elephant; never look at other's plates when one's own food is finished; do not eat food with your wife; do not look at your wife while she is eating food, or sneezing, or yawning, or even is just sitting in her own joyful mood.

One should never jump over anything, or put his foot on anything; never be angry with anyone; never spare a son or disciple to get educated; and never insult dignified people. Never dig earth with one's nails; never make a cow sit forcefully; never leave a person alone who has been with you for some time while looking for a place to stay or taking food; never go over the fire; never play with snakes and weapons; never travel with people who have no etiquettes; never use one's body parts as musical instruments; never hit water by hand or foot; do not learn Mlechchh's language.

Never break nails, beat one's thigh, draw line on ground, rub body parts; do not eat anything keeping in one's lap; do not gamble; do not sit with unclean mouth; do not read while walking; do not wake up a sleeping person; keep away from a pyre's smoke; do not sleep in a lonely (abandoned) house; do not clean feet by rubbing them together; do not wash somebody's feet in a Kaansaa pot; do not sleep, travel, study, cast a look, or take bath or food in an unclean state; do not spread one's legs towards Devtaa, Braahman, cow, air, fire, king, Sun or Moon. One should not touch Devtaa's idol or picture, or do chanting Devtaa's songs with unclean mouth or when in an unclean state. One should not tell about the death of one's own dear person.

While trading one should not tell wrong price of the commodity or weigh it more. Do not break the vow, never cut a tree grown in a temple or in a cremation ground. Never trouble anybody through water, air and sunlight (they are life givers). A learned person should not stand while eating and should not laugh while talking. Do not stay in water for long time. Do not talk to other women. Who is not worthy to do a Yagya, never do a Yagya for him. Neither walk alone, nor walk in a great crowd. Never pass temple keeping it on your left; never sleep in a temple; never travel with a sick man, Shoodra, and a fallen person. One should not eat uneatable and undrinkable things."

Daan and Dharm in Grihasth Aashram

Vyaas Jee said - "A Braahman should not eat Shoodra's food. A human being takes birth in the same Varn whose food is in his stomach at the time of his death. One should not eat oil seller's, cloth washer's, liquor seller's, singers and dancers', ironsmith's, goldsmith's, clay pot maker's, painter's, son of the woman who has taken another husband, hunter's, sick man's, doctor's, officer's, atheist's, miser's, sinner's, trader in weapons, and crying man's food. One should not eat food from a person who has married while his elder brother is still unmarried; from a remarried man or woman; mixed with anger or insult. A human being's all sins reside in his food, so who eats such person's food, he eats his sins.

One can eat food of one's slave, cow rearing person, barber, labor who works on farms, and who has surrendered. One may pay a little price for their food. Things cooked in oil, Sattoo, remnant of sesame seeds after extracting their oil, and oil can be taken from Shoodra. One should not eat eggplant (brinjal or aubergine), lotus stem, onion, garlic, carrot, raddish, pumpkin, and Laukee (white gourd). One should not take salty things and buttermilk with milk. One should not eat the food fed with bad feelings, smelled by dog or cow, touched by crow or cock or a leper, spoiled with insects or worms, given by a sick man. Do not drink liquor.

Daan

Now I tell you about Daan Dharm. This was told by Brahmaa Jee to Rishi. Giving money or anything to a worthy person is called Daan (donation). Daan is of four types - Nitya (daily), Naimittik (for some purpose), Kaamya (with wish), and Vimal (clean). Vimal Daan is the best among all Daan. To give something daily to a Braahman who has not done any thing for the person, without any desire, is called Nitya Daan. Whatever Daan is given to a learned Braahman to pacify sins, is called Naimittik Daan. This is also a good Daan. Whatever Daan is given with a wish - to have health, wealth, children etc, that is called Kaamya Daan. And whatever Daan is given with a religious mind, without any wish, just to please Bhagavaan is called Vimal Daan.

Whenever one gets a worthy person, he must donate him something according to one's capacity. Whatever remains from one's family, one should donate only that thing. If something is donated before that, that Daan doesn't give Daan's fruits. One must donate to a person who studies Ved, or who belongs to a noble family, or who is polite, or who is a Tapaswee, or who is a poor. Bhoomi Daan (donation of land) is the greatest Daan. Only Ann Daan can be compared with it. Who donates Vidyaa to a religious Braahman, he goes to Brahm Lok. Who donates Ann to a Grihasth Braahman, he attains good Lok.

--If, on Vaishaakh Poornimaa, after taking bath, one keeps fast, and worships 5 or 7 Braahman with black sesame seeds and honey with the feeling that Dharm Raaj will be happy with that. This destroys his all sins committed in the whole life.
--If, on Vaishaakh Poornimaa, somebody donates a pitcher full of water along with Ann and Ghee, he becomes free from all kinds of fear.
--If, on Maagh Amaavasyaa, somebody donates anything to a Tapaswee Braahman in the name of Vishnu, his all sins committed in seven lives are immediately destroyed.
--If, on Krishn Paksh Ashtamee, or Chaturdashee or Amaavasyaa, somebody, after taking bath and feeding a Braahman, worships Shiv, he never comes back in this world.
--Who keeps fast on Ekaadashee and feeds Braahman on Dwaadashee, he attains Parampad. Shukla Paksh Dwaadashee is Vishnu's Tithi, so one should worship Vishnu by all means on that day.

Whatever Daan is given in the name of Vishnu and Shiv, its fruit is eternal. Whoever wishes to worship whoever Devtaa, he should worship Braahman in his name, this pleases that Devtaa. Devtaa live on the basis of Braahman's body. Where Braahman are not available, there Devtaa live in idols. Idols give fruit very late, so one should worship Braahman only.

Who Should Worship Whom

Who wishes for prosperity, he should worship Indra
Who wishes for Brahm Tej and Gyaan, he should worship Brahmaa Jee.
Who wishes for health, he should worship Soorya.
Who wishes for wealth, he should worship Agni.
Who wishes for Siddhi of Karm, he should worship Ganesh Jee.
Who wishes for Bhag, he should worship Chandramaa.
Who wishes for strength, he should worship Vaayu.
Who wishes for Moksh, he should worship Shree Hari.
Who wishes for Yog, Moksh, and Divine knowledge, he should worship Mahaadev Jee.
Who wishes for all enjoyments and various knowledge, he should worship both Shiv and Vishnu.

Who donates water, he gets contentment.
Who donates oil, he gets good children.
Who donates lamp, he gets good eyes.
Who donates land, he gets everything easily.
Who donates gold, he gets longevity.
Who donates silver, he gets beauty.
Who donates a house, he gets good house.
Who donates clothes, he goes to Chandra Lok.
Who donates Anna, he gets wealth.
Who donates fruits, vegetables, drinks, he is always happy.
Who donates medicine, oil and food, he gets good health, longevity and happiness.
Who donates umbrella and shoes, he does not suffer in Yam's path.

Donation made on Vishuv Yog, on change of Ayan, on solar and lunar eclipses days, and Sankraanti days is eternal. Donation made in Teerth places, in temples, in rivers, in forests is also eternal. There is nothing greater than Daan in this world.

 

 

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Created by Sushma Gupta on 3/15/05
Contact:  sushmajee@yahoo.com
Updated on 05/10/13