--- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, "Rick Archer" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > > From: FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > On Behalf Of authfriend > Sent: Friday, February 15, 2008 1:50 PM > To: FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com > Subject: [FairfieldLife] Selfless Service (was Re: Deepak Chopra)
[snip] > Wrong hogwash. The point is not that there's The effort that is made according to the shaastra, that is puNya (meritous action) which gives rise to earthly advancement and mokSha (salvation). However much purushhaartha (effort) is needed for a task, that much effort is to be made. However much puNya (meritous action) is needed in order to cross bhavasaagara (sea of experience), without that puNya it is not possible to get to the other side. If someone has a thirst for a sera of water then how can their thirst be quenched with a chhaTaaMka (a sixteenth sera) of water? Certainly, by reading holy books you can become holy. Studying the Gita, the Ramayana etc gives puNya (merit). But by reading, the amount of puNya acquired is not enough to cross bhavasaagara (the ocean of experience). I am not negating the value of reading holy books - you should read; but by studying alone one's duty is not finished, you should obtain its value. You should make an effort to apply what is written, in the form of work, only then can it be completely useful, and then abundant puNya will be accumulated. If you wish to be saved from downfall then escape from sin, don't make any effort to do anything contrary to the shaastra; escape from sin and do meritous action - this the way to progress. Guru Dev [Shri Shankaracharya UpadeshAmrita kaNa 43 of 108] http://www.paulmason.info/gurudev/UA_Hindi.htm#kaNa_43
