INTRODUCTION DHARMA THE FAMILY MAN AND THE RENUNCIANT INTRODUCTION official source: The Great Universe: Discourses on Society cross-references: none this version: is the printed The Great Universe: Discourses on Society, 1st edition, version (spelling mistakes only may have been corrected). I.e., this is the most up-to-date version as of the present Electronic Edition. For centuries spiritual and religious leaders have been teaching mankind how to realize the Truth within themselves. Some have instructed their followers to shun the world and its temptations; others have preached simply that individuals must lead moral lives in society to attain eternal spiritual happiness. But very few have ever discussed in detail the mundane spheres of government, politics, and economics. Development in these realms, so it seemed, was not important for the spiritual journey of the individual soul. Shrii Shrii A'nandamu'rti, however, is a most unusual spiritual guide. His view is that this physical, material world is neither an illusion nor a great temptation, but the starting point of our spiritual journey; thus we must develop it even as we develop ourselves to make it a perfect base for spiritual effort. This effort is not the struggle of a few isolated individuals but the task of humanity as a whole. Human society and its institutions should not impede our progress; rather they should be carefully planned and designed to accelerate our march toward perfection. In these discourses, Shrii Shrii A'nandamu'rti discusses all the problems that beset modern mankind -- governmental corruption, economic injustice, overpopulation, crime -- and offers practical solutions for them. Our first step is to realize that the true goal of humanity, the ultimate goal of evolution, is not the amassing of more and more material wealth but the expansion of consciousness. Through proper education and practical techniques of mental expansion, humanity will come to realize that the hoarding of wealth and all the ills of corruption and scarcity it creates, are nothing but the misdirected longing of the human soul for infinite happiness -- a longing which cannot be satisfied by money but only by internal bliss. Thus as human attention and activity is directed more and more toward subtler pursuits such as artistic endeavour and spiritual practice, the selfishness and greed which dominate people's minds today will be replaced by a new feeling of love and brotherhood. As we expand our minds toward the Infinite and learn to share our mundane treasures, we will realize more and more that we are all indeed one humanity, that we are all the sons and daughters of one Infinite Intelligence Who is guiding us all to perfection. Instead of being based on competition and mutual hostility, society will be operated through mutual cooperation and love. We are living in a most unusual time. Governmental corruption is becoming more and more painfully evident all over the world; the over-indulgence of a small segment of humanity and the resultant poverty of the majority is creating an imbalance that is upsetting the world's economy. Today even the wealthy nations are beginning to learn what it means to do without. At this crucial moment in world history, proper leadership is essential. Shrii Shrii A'nandamu'rti speaks of a new kind of leader, a sadvipra or "true spiritual leader." Instead of the most spiritually evolved members of society renouncing the world and seeking their own enlightenment in caves and monasteries and thus leaving the guidance of society to the corrupt politicians, spiritually developed individuals should take on the leadership of the society. Since their goal, developed by regular meditation and uncompromising morality, is only the realization of the Supreme and not any mundane wealth, power or fame, there will be no chance of their corruption. Inspired and guided by them, mankind will accelerate its march toward Absolute Truth and reach new heights of spiritual and material perfection. [filler] You are never alone or helpless. The force that guides the stars guides you too. DHARMA official source: not located. Writers who wish to quote from this discourse (or the fillers) should mention: "The source document or tape for this discourse (or quotation) has not been located." cross-references: The Great Universe: Discourses on Society this version: is the printed The Great Universe: Discourses on Society, 1st edition, version (spelling mistakes only may have been corrected). Whose directions are to be obeyed? One should always follow and observe dharma. It embraces all; no one is distant from it. Therefore dharma will not teach differences, it will not teach distinctions of high and low, it will not teach untouchability. It will, instead, teach fraternity. Why? Because the voice of dharma comes from God Himself. Dharma is to you what water is to fish. What sustains you is dharma. If you leave dharma you die. If dharma goes, everything goes. There is a story about a king who wanted a good market in his capital, but businessmen and merchants were reluctant to come because the city was somewhat unpopular. So the king thought out a plan: he offered to buy all those articles or commodities which could not be sold in the market by evening. This offer attracted the businessmen and merchants, and soon a big market was established. One day a businessman went to the king and showed him an idol of the goddess of misfortune which he could not sell in the market. Nobody wanted to buy it, for it would mean ruin to him and to his family. The king, bound by his offer, bought the idol and placed it in his palace. That same night he saw a woman weeping. When he asked her why, she told him that she was the goddess of good fortune and that she could not live in a place where the goddess of misfortune was also living. The king said that he was helpless and could not remove the idol: he was bound by dharma. So the goddess of good fortune left the palace. Then the king saw a gentleman, who told the king that he was the god of good fortune and could not live in the palace after the goddess of good fortune had left it. The king expressed his inability to help him, so the god of good fortune also left the palace. After him several large and small gods living in the palace left it for the same reason, but the king told them all that he was bound by dharma. Then the king saw another person. When he inquired, the person said that he was dharma and he could not live in the palace after all the gods had left it. The king said that it was for dharma that he had kept the idol in the palace, it was for dharma that he had given shelter to the goddess of misfortune. Under these circumstances, dharma could not leave the palace. Dharma could not deny the king's statement, so he agreed to continue to live in the palace. Soon after this, all those gods who had left, quietly entered the palace from the back door. Even the god and goddess of good fortune returned, hiding their faces. You should always try to protect dharma. He who protects dharma is, in turn, protected by dharma. [filler] Morality is the base, intuition is the way, and Life Divine is the goal. [filler] Everything in the world has been created by God. Human dexterity lies only in creating physical mixtures or chemical compounds; human beings cannot create anything original. From white ants to elephants -- all have been created by Him. Thus everything in the universe is His incarnation. There is no one small or big, no one is hateful All are the sons and daughters of God. [filler] In the transitional period of civilization, honesty in individual life is a prime necessity. We shall have to remain ever-vigilant that the darkness of petty self-interest does not shroud this supreme human treasure. With the extinction of honesty, civilization too will not survive; the long sa'dhana' of the human race will go in vain, and all intellectual achievements will become meaningless. [filler] Marching ahead is life. Crushing the pebbles of hindrances and obstacles with a stroke of your feet, disdaining the frowns of winds, tornadoes, meteors and roaring thunders, and rendering all superstitions to ashes without any second thought . . . march on and on. God is with you. Victory is yours. THE FAMILY MAN AND THE RENUNCIANT official source: not located. Writers who wish to quote from this discourse (or the fillers) should mention: "The source document or tape for this discourse (or quotation) has not been located." cross-references: The Great Universe: Discourses on Society this version: is the printed The Great Universe: Discourses on Society, 1st edition, version (spelling mistakes only may have been corrected). Once there was a great king who by his benevolent rule had gained such affectionate respect that he was called Janaka, which means "father." A certain yogi who had been receiving instructions from his guru, was told that for the completion of his lessons he should go to learn from King Janaka. The yogi was dismayed that he, a monk, a renunciate, should be directed for spiritual guidance to a mere family man, and a king at that! Yet, in due respect to his guru, he went to King Janaka who was reclining upon his throne, chewing betel nut. That yogi was quite relieved when King Janaka requested him to rest for some hours before coming for his consultation. Shortly thereafter, having just completed his bath, and having hung out his underwear to dry, the yogi noticed that the capital city was being besieged from all sides, that fire was leaping from building to building outside the castle. Concerned that his underwear might be scorched, the yogi hurriedly went to save it. While grabbing for it he happened to observe King Janaka standing on his roof. Having given the command to his servants and soldiers to save the town, the king was now standing calmly on the rooftop, not deviating even slightly from his mental composure. In utter amazement the yogi realized that before him was a true spiritualist -- a king who had less attachment for his kingdom than the yogi for his underwear. From that moment on, he accepted King Janaka as his second guru. You see, as far as spiritual elevation is concerned, there is no difference between the householder or family man, and the renunciate. It is really a question of sincerity in spiritual practice. But the task of the family man is more difficult: he has to serve both his small family and his Universal Family. For the renunciate there is only the Universal Family to serve, but the family man must always maintain a balance between his small family and his large Family. He cannot neglect either one. But I must add, that for him in whom the spirit of dedication to the Universal Family has arisen, the path of renunciation alone is suitable. A family man cannot serve the Universal Family 100 percent; he must attend as well to his small family. To dedicate oneself completely to the service of the Universal Family, one must follow the life of a renunciate.