Eight fold path

Mahabharata Vanaparva section 1-2 

Sri Sadgurubhyoh Namah

Pandavas were followed by the people of the kingdom hearing that pandavas will be leaving for forest and exile. The brahmanas praise the virtues of Yudhistir and refuse to go back to city. Yudhistir expresses his inability to take care of them. Brahmanas say 'We will take care of our food, and live with you in forest'. Yudhistir cannot accept that the people are put to hardships, he sits down weeping at his situation. As he was grieving, a rishi Saunaka well versed in vedas, and sankhya system addresses Yudhistir and says "countless fears and griefs are suffered by ignorant people every day, but not the wise. You are wise and you contain the knowledge that is capable of providing against all evils. Men like you should not grieve upon getting impoverished or any harm coming to their friends. Listen to the knowledge, this life is made up of bodily and mental agonies. Disease, contact with painful things, hard toil and desires of objects, these four constitute bodily suffering. Disease can be alleviated by medicine. Mental agony causes bodily disfunction also, hence doctors first address mental grief to treat a person. As mind attains peace, body follows suit. Raaga/Affection/Desire is the root cause of all mental sorrow, root of misery and fear. and it is from affection that springs desire for all worldly objects. If a small fire is kept at the hollow of a tree, the tree is destroyed. Similarly a small amount of affection (desires, raaga) can destroy all peace of mind. From raaga springs desire, and from desire springs the thirst for worldly possessions. from that sinful thirst, all anxieties spring forth and it is the same thirst that makes one do sinful acts. Wealth is the cause of miserliness, boastfullness, pride, anger, anxiety. One should not mind its loss. You should renounce your desire for worldly possessions and wealth".

Yudhistir replies " I am not having avarice for wealth. I require it to support my followers. those who cook for themselves are eating sin. A householder should provide seat, resting place, food, water and sweet words to guests, wayfarers, brahmacharis and yatis. A householder should scatter food on street morning and evening for animals and insects, and only after providing food to dependents, one should take part in the remaining food (known as vighasa). Such is the morality that is enjoined on a householder. What is your stand on acquiring wealth by such a householder who performs visvedeva sacrifice daily".

Saunaka says "It is by the desire of acquiring merit and a place in heaven after death, the ignorant also perform many meritorious deeds. The wise perform actions without 'Abhimana' (sense of doership) for emanicipation. The Vedas enjoin one to act, but to renounce the doership. Yajna(performing sacrifice), study of scriptures, charity, penance, adhering to truth (speech and act), kshama(forgiveness), mind and sense control, and renunciation of desires, these eight form the true path. All the gods like rudras, marutas, and adityas attained god-hood by performing actions without abhimana (sense of doership). So you also perform all actions without motive and strive to attain success in yoga."

Hari Om

Atmajyothi in guruseva