PHRASES IN THE GITA - 59

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PHRASES IN THE GITA - 59

युक्ताहार , युक्त विहार , युक्त कर्म चेष्टा , युक्त स्वप्न , युक्त बोध ... (अध्याय ६ - श्लोक १७)

யுக்த ஆஹார , யுக்த விஹார் , யுக்த கர்ம சேஷ்டா , யுக்த ஸ்வப்ன , யுக்த போத  ...  (அத்யாயம் 6 - ஶ்லோகம் 17)

Yukta Aahaar , Yukta Vihaar , Yukta Karma Cheshtaa , Yukta Swapna , Yukta Bodha  ...  (Chapter 6 - Sholka 17) 

Meaning :  Right food , right travel (roaming) , right efforts , right sleep and wakefulness ...

Shri Krishna declares that He only will attain Yog , successful union with the Ultimate , who has RIGHT food , travel , efforts , sleep and wakefulness .

What is RIGHT ??  Right for one seems wrong of the other ... That is hence Shri Krishna has not prescribed anything .. He only says Right ... Anything that suits you , anything that benefits you , anything that comforts you .  That is the beauty of Hindu Dharma .  There are no diktats , no commandments , no Fatwas .  There are only suggestions .  This way He gives us scope to think , analyse , conclude and select .  In Religions of Commands , Diktats and Fatwas , if one dares to think , analyse , conclude and select , he is declared anti-Religion and stands chance of being persecuted .

Right food :  Right type ... Vegetarian or non-vegetarian , cooked or raw , spicy or bald taste ...  Right quantity :  Heavy or light ... Right time :  Twice or thrice or numerous times ...  There are so many permutations and combinations ...  Hence , Right may be different for each person .  It depends on age , health , profession, family tradition , climatic features , availability , social or Religious faiths .  There are some general suggestions on food in the Vedas .  Food should not be wasted .  Food should not be critically analyzed and condemned .  Food is Brahman .  Food should be shared .  Food should be prepared as an offering to God and shared .  It should be served with love and affection .  Food should be received as Prasad of God and consumed to heart's content .  Food is seen as medicine for the bodily disease called 'hunger' .  It should have all the six tastes .  It should be prepared with things locally available and suiting local climatic features   Finer details are left the individual .

Do we eat consciously ?  Do we relish the taste and enjoy eating ?  Conscious and Joyous eating , with a bit of analytical mind will definitely help us in finding the 'Right Food' .

Our tradition forbids us from making food an article of business .  But , now food seems to be most lucrative business .  In our tradition even business was guided by Dharma .  But , now food business is probably most adharmik .  GM seeds , patenting of seeds , pesticides , adulteration , pollution , mal-practices in trading , under-weighing , commercial food centers , hotels , unhygienic cooking and serving , excessive use of additives , agents , artificial colours in packed food items , excessive wastage and finally drainage of wealth into medical and drug industries .

Right travel (roaming) :  Excessive walk may not cause so much adverse effect as excessive and fast biking and motoring .

Right efforts :  Amount of effort and quality of effort determine right efforts .  A little bit of planning , an attitude of analyzing and learning from past will surely reach you to 'right effort' .

Right sleep and wakefulness :  Efforts and sleep are in direct proportion .  But , more than physical tiredness , a relaxed and non-worrying mind is more essential for sleep .

A question arises ..  How could these be instrumental in our Spiritual path ?  How could these help us travel closer to God ?  These help in evolution of better consciousness .  These help us win over our likes and dislikes .  These help us in giving a pre-eminent status to 'what is right' rather than 'what is liked' .  These help us in reorienting our senses and also in sharpening our ears to 'Inner Voice' .  Lastly , any travel to Unknown has to begin with the 'Known .