June 12, 2026
nanvarthā vitatānarthāḥ saṁpadaḥ santatāpadaḥ
bhogā bhavamahārogā viparītena bhāvitāḥ (39)
VASIṢṬHA continued:
When one is knocked about by the troubles and tribulations of earthly existence and is “tired of all this”, he seeks refuge from all this. I shall describe to you the progressive stages by which such a person reaches rest and peace. Either on account of an immediate cause or without one, he turns away from worldly pursuits (the pursuits of pleasure and wealth) and seeks the shelter of the company of a wise person. He avoids bad company from a very great distance.
The blessings that flow from the company of holy men are incomparable to any other blessings. The holy man’ s nature is cool and peaceful; his behaviour and actions are pure. Therefore his company promotes peace and goodness in everyone who seeks it. In his company one loses fear. Sinfulness comes to an end and one grows in purity. Even the love and affection that the gods and the angels possess are nothing compared to the limitless love that flows from the holy ones.
When one engages oneself in the performance of right action, his intelligence rests in peace and reflects the truth like a perfect mirror. It is then that the meaning of the scriptural declarations becomes abundantly clear. The wise man radiates wisdom and goodness. Then seeking to free himself from the cage of ignorance, he flies away from pleasure towards the unconditioned bliss.
It is a great misfortune to pursue pleasure. Although the wise man rejects them, they create some uneasiness in his heart. He is supremely happy, therefore, when he does not find himself in pleasurable situations. The sages or yogis and perfected ones approach such a wise man. But the wise man does not value even the gifts of psychic powers or knowledge that they bestow upon him. He seeks the company of enlightened beings. In their company he dives into the truths of the scriptures. It is the characteristic of these enlightened ones to raise others to their own level.
The wise person gradually abandons all selfish actions and the endeavour to gain wealth or pleasure. He gives everything away in self-sacrificing charity. O Rāma, remember that even hell is not so painful as the suffering caused by selfish activity. Wealth is the source of endless misfortune, prosperity is perpetual adversity, enjoyment of pleasure is enduring disease. All these are misunderstood by the perverse intellect. In this world, contentment alone is the best medicine, the best tonic and the greatest good fortune. The contented heart is ready for enlightenment. First turn away from worldliness, then resort to satsaṅga, enquire into the truth of the scriptures, cultivate disinterestedness in pleasure and you will attain the supreme truth.