The root cause of a person's suffering is their pride. Even if someone makes a sacrifice, they can still get caught up in their own pride. What is the point of such a sacrifice? It is pride, or ego, that should be sacrificed. That is where true happiness and bliss are found.
concept
Silence
Across world spiritual traditions, silence refers to a state of stillness and quiet contemplation. Many traditions converge on the idea that silence is essential for inner growth and self-reflection. However, they diverge in their approaches and interpretations, offering unique perspectives on the role and practice of silence.
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Quotes
The mind does not become tranquil until it is connected to the ever-peaceful Supreme Being.
There the eye does not go, nor speech, nor the mind. We do not know, we do not understand, how one could teach it.
न तत्र चक्षुर्गच्छति न वाग्गच्छति नो मनः ।न विद्मो न विजानीमो यथैतदनुशिष्यात् ॥ ३॥
Even if you are the greatest sinner, you can still overcome sin through wisdom.
A man endowed with sattva is quiet and peaceful.
Among those who discipline I am the rod of discipline; among those who seek victory I am statesmanship; among secret things I am silence; and I am the knowledge of the knowing.
दण्डो दमयतामस्मि नीतिरस्मि जिगीषताम् | मौनं चैवास्मि गुह्यानां ज्ञानं ज्ञानवतामहम् ||१०-३८||
That moves, yet does not move; it is far away, yet it is near; it dwells within the heart of all, and yet it is also outside everything.
तदेजति तन्नैजति तद्दूरे तत्समीपके । तदन्तरस्य सर्वस्य तदु सर्वस्य बाह्यतः
Sacrifice, vows, austerity, charity, repetition of mantras, and pilgrimage — those who perform these without understanding the truth of the Guru wander about in ignorance.
यज्ञो व्रतं तपो दानं जपस्तीर्थं तथैव च । गुरुतत्त्वमविज्ञाय मूढास्ते चरते जनाः
He becomes emancipated who neither accumulates merit nor demerit, casts off past karma, destroys his body's elements to attain a tranquil soul, and transcends all dualities.
It is to be restrained just so far — until it comes to dissolution in the heart. This is knowledge and this is meditation; all else is elaboration of books.
तावदेव निरोद्धव्यं यावद्धृदि गतं क्षयम् । एतज्ज्ञानं च ध्यानं च अतोऽन्यो ग्रन्थविस्तरः
And what people call 'the long sacrificial session' is really the life of sacred studentship, for it is through this life of studentship that one finds the protection of the real Self. And what people call 'the vow of silence' is really the life of sacred studentship, for it is only by finding the Self through this life of studentship that one truly reflects on it.
अथ यत्सत्त्रायणमित्याचक्षते ब्रह्मचर्यमेव तद्ब्रह्मचर्येण ह्येव सत आत्मनस्त्राणं विन्दतेऽथ यन्मौनमित्याचक्षते ब्रह्मचर्यमेव तब्ब्रह्मचर्येण ह्येवात्मानमनुविद्य मनुते
O fair-faced one, those liberated at the level of piṇḍa are free, those freed at pada are free, those freed at rūpa are free — but those who are liberated beyond rūpa are truly free, without a doubt.
पिण्डे मुक्ता पदे मुक्ता रूपे मुक्ता वरानने । रूपातीते तु ये मुक्तास्ते मुक्ता नात्र संशयः
Just as the image of a crystal is seen in a mirror, so in the Self shines the bliss of pure consciousness — know this as 'That I am.'
स्फटिकप्रतिमारूपं दृश्यते दर्पणे यथा । तथात्मनि चिदाकारमानन्दं सोऽहमित्युत
She said, 'Revered Brahmins, you may count it much if you escape from him with a bow of homage. None of you will ever defeat him in debate about Brahman.' Thereupon Gargi Vachaknavi fell silent.
सा होवाच ब्राह्मणा भगवन्तस्तदेव बहु मन्येध्वं यदस्मान्नमस्कारेण मुच्येध्वं न वै जातु युष्माकमिमं कश्चिद्ब्रह्मोद्यं जेतेति ततो ह वाचक्नव्युपरराम ॥ १२॥
And likewise he said to the Pratihartr, 'Pratihartr, if you sing the Pratihara without knowing the deity that belongs to it, your head will fall off.' At this they stopped and sat in silence.
एवमेव प्रतिहर्तारमुवाच प्रतिहर्तर्या देवता प्रतिहारमन्वायत्ता तां चेदविद्वान्प्रतिहरिष्यसि मूर्धा ते विपतिष्यतीति ते ह समारतास्तूष्णीमासांचक्रिरे
O thou whose eyes are shadowy with kohl, / O thou whose slender figure works my Dole, / Whose locks with musk are laden, art thou dumb, / That thus with Silence thou shouldst rend my Soul?
Dissolving the Self in the supreme Self — as pot-space in the great space — by its undivided nature, be forever silent, O sage.
घटाकाशं महाकाश इवात्मानं परात्मनि । विलाप्याखण्डभावेन तूष्णीं भव सदा मुने
But when, after the morning recitation has begun, the Brahman-priest does not speak before the concluding verse, they perfect both tracks, and neither is neglected.
अथ यत्रोपाकृते प्रातरनुवाके न पुरा परिधानीयाया ब्रह्मा व्यवदत्युभे एव वर्तनी सꣳस्कुर्वन्ति न हीयतेऽन्यतरा
Just as travelers stop at various places, the senses become still with the dawning of wisdom.
जह ¡ तह ¡ रहे पथिक थकि नाना, जिमि इ¯द्रिय गन उपजे ¡ ग्याना
May Lord Rama rule over this city, assisted by his Guru, councillors and brothers. And may we die in Ayodhya with Lord Rama as still our king.
गुर समाज भाइन्ह सहित राम राजु पुर होउ, अछत राम राजा अवध मरिअ माग सबु कोउ "मय् श्री राम रुले ओवेर् थिस् चित्य्, अस्सिस्तेद् ब्य् हिस् गुरु, चोउन्चिल्लोर्स् अन्द् ब्रोथेर्स्.