We often here advice from doctors, teachers, and elders that we should eat well, do exercise and keep fit. There is a cliche here. All that we talk about should be addressed to certain specific group or individuals keeping in mind their condition, circumstance, background and nature of problems they are facing. There cannot be blanket approach in matters of these. There are young and energetic people doing well and definitely, we are not addressing them? There are children and aged groups who have different problems and they need different solutions to their problems. All said and done, we have two different approaches to life- one of sheer enjoyment and the other of sheer renunciation. Life is to enjoy and there is no question about it. Life cannot go on forever and it is definitely a bed of roses all the way. Wisdom lies in knowing the pitfalls. This is a world where we fall into a pit in broad daylight, knowing full well there is a pit! We are careless. This brings us to the need for wisdom.
It has been well stated that one should play and live a joyful life as children and study well and try to know whatever is possible that may help eke out a good living. Childhood upto adolescent stage- primary and secondary school level, goes like this. When boys and girls enter post-matriculation state, whether they continue education or not, will have to learn some trade, do apprenticeship, and start living on their own by their 20s. Thus, the first three stages of seven years each, are over.
From 21 to 28 is a period of attaining good health, physique, and ability to perform some work for self or society and by the fifth stage (29 to 35) one should get settled in life, married or otherwise. It is neither necessary, easy, or good for all to take to renunciation. It is better to take to family way and learn the essentials of life and prepare for renunciation at a later stage, say after seventy! One must live well. But there is a hidden hand, adrushta, destiny, prarabhda karma, and some unseen hand working ine everybody's life. Nobody knows for certain what is ahead the next day! One has to face circumstances as they arise. Probably,very few are lucky enough to sail through!
However, the main problem is not one of how we live, but why we live. It is absolutely essential for everyone of us to know that we all, as jiva, taken a body in the mother's womb due to impregnation of a sperm (would-be father?) in the egg-cell in a woman's womb (who will provide shelter, food and help us grow as a mother)! Soon we, as a sperm (Energy gaining mass and turning into matter such as tissues, organs and body), come out of mother's womb and face the world and forget the purpose for which we got embodied.
The scriptures have made it amply clear that the purpose of life is to attain to 'liberation, emancipation, mukti or moksha. It is purushartha- life based on dharma, attaining the desires and fruits (artha and kamana) and seek finally liberation, moksha, from embodiment. The jiva gets embedded in the mire.It (the jiva) is constantly fed by water and food obtained from soil and thereby inheres the qualities (sattva, rajas and tamas) and struggles through out life to get rid of these. The Law of entropy also says the same thing. Everything should ultimately revert to its previous state! The jiva, a product of energy that got embodied, should revert to its pure state of energy only! Thus there is no other go but to revert to spiritual state from the material existence! But this is not easy.
The jiva, during its sojourn on earth has forgotten its true nature and thus suffers. It needs a guide, a guru, to show the path towards liberation. But, the habits die hard and jiva suffers due to karma klesha, vasana and struggles to get rid of the shackles that bind, such as, moha, lobha, krodha, mada, matsarya, etc.
Hence, its is the craving of the soul that has woven a cocoon around itself and struggles to come out! A Guru will come to guide such a struggling jive provided it cries ardently for relief! But, unfortunately one in a billion amongst the jivas ever hear the inner voice and look for redemption!
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