Katha Upanishad, also known as Kathakopanishad, contains the famous conversation between young Nachiketas and Yama, the god of death. Here are few teachings from the Katha Upanishad.
What is the value of wealth or life, as there are impermanent? So long as death is in power we cannot enjoy wealth or life for the fear of death destroys the zest for living. Teach me self knowledge which is beyond the power of death (I.1.27)
Both the good and the pleasant approach a man. The wise man, pondering over them, discriminates. The wise chooses the good in preference to the pleasant. (I.2.2)
He who is filled with selfish desires and attracted by worldly possessions becomes subject to the law of karma which leads him from birth to birth and so he is under the control of Yama.
One who has not desisted from bad conduct, whose senses are not under control, whose mind is not concentrated, whose mind is not free from anxiety (about the result of concentration), cannot attain this Self.
Smaller than the small, greater than the great, the self is set in the heart of every creature. The unstriving man beholds Him, freed from sorrow. Through tranquility of the mind and the senses he sees the greatness of the Self.
Katha Upanishad
3 comments:
In life one has to be striving for a result that involves money. When one is studying, learning, or gaining skills then this is usually all for a career or job to be financially remunerated for the investment in time and effort to reach an opportunity of employment. If this is not the case then the individual(s) striving is for self interest and pleasure and their is some sort of financial backing for them not to worry about getting a suitably paid job. Going after wealth is not necessarily bad so long as it is kept in control and does not become an overriding aim. If it does become a sole aim and from which one earnings are used to be spent on things that makes one temporarily content then a whole load of new troubles can be created when those pleasing things do not satisfy one compelling one to go further gratifying oneself to get a similar smack as before but needing more money, items, facilities, people etc. to achieve this. Hence if one is renounced in their own way and joins an order sect or movement as a functionary then they usually know that they will get enough to live on and more even, so that they can pursue their career. For this, one has to be a little materialistic and have an idea of financial accounts and records to survive. Even if one live on the charity of others one must know that there will be a continual supply of help from those that are relied upon i.e. that they are engaged in economic acitivty to be able to afford donations to the recepients otherwise that sort of lifestyle is not viable and the recepients will have to modify their mode of living to have a livelihood that sustains them.
To actually progress in education, study, or career and jobs one has to be a little selfish to follow one's priorities to achieve the receipt of wealth. If one is not focussed on this then one will not reach the objective and will be the poorer for it in knowledge, experience and wealth.
All of this should be balanced with spiritualism. This can give one control not to go to excess and for one not to exhibit too much selfishness, ignorance, indecision and rashness but with the caution that one must be aware of how financially secure they are and how they can strive to be even more.
Interesting thoughts. It is giving me new ideas.
I read a news paper of Bangalore three days ago and I was sorry to notice that Bangalore has become suicidal capital in India, mainly because of the influx of youngsters searching espicially in the IT, BT setup with the hope of earning more and more money and attract unmarried girls who are earning for marrying them. Ultimately,they realise they have lost peace of mind as well as balance of mind. To search them they enter into all undesirable acts and lose confidence in themselves. without even bother themselves the purpose of life.Ultimately they find that suicide is the only means to get away from this world. What did they achieve by doing so? It is high time for every one to think themselves the value of life and the eternal truth, that is Brahman.
Gundu Rao BN
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