Importance of Discrimination (Vivek)
Human body is vivek-prominent (discrimination). Vivek means to know what is essence and what is not (saar and asaar), duty and non-duty properly. Man does not use this vivek, does not value it that is why he is suffering. If he accepts his vivek and conducts his life accordingly then he will be greatly gratified and also gratify others! Scriptures, saints, guru, mother-father etc are to awaken this vivek. They are responsible for waking this and they do it. There is an important thing to know from vivek, concentrate on that.
From ordinary viewpoint, money seems to be a big thing and it is; because everything is bought from money. We buy a lot of things with money and our work is carried out. Because of this money seems to be very important for sustaining life. The life that we are living, we adore it a lot. Even a sorrowful man doesn’t want to die. So for living foodstuff, water, clothes etc. are used. Our life may be sustained, our lifeforce (praan) remains intact, we remain healthy, we become educated - for all this things are essential. For those things only, money is required. For money there is no need of things. Yes, money can be made out of things; but things are very superior to money, by which our life is sustained. Money is used in give and take of foodstuff, clothes etc. So money is not directly required for sustaining life but things are required. So things are more valuable than money.
Even important than things are – living species, humans, animals, birds, trees. They are very useful. By nourishing (nurturing) them we get things that are required in our daily life. So those through whom life is sustained, those species are great. In living species also, cow is very great because cow’s body is very pure and useful, even her cow dung-urine is pure and the dust flying from her hooves is also pure! In all religious rituals, cow’s milk, curd, ghee, cow dung and urine is used. The milk of cow is more pure (sattvik) than that of buffalo etc. and other animals. Those who drive car know that hearing a horn cow takes the footpath, whereas buffalo remains standing on road. Hence, buffalo’s milk is not pure (sattvik) and makes the intellect gross. Even being so useful and pure cow does not have ability to attain Parmatma tattva(God-element). This ability is only in humans. Hence a human is greatest in all the living species. All other living beings, they reap the fruit of their previous karmas and by bearing them they get purified. But in human, there are two things - one is to reap fruits of old sins-virtues and work for redemption. To enjoy favorable and unfavorable circumstances and to get happy-sad is also available in animals. To derive happiness and to get rid of sorrow, animals also make efforts according to their intellect. But what will happen in future- animals and birds are not capable to think over this but a human is.
Human is vivek-prominent (predominance of discrimination). So where my benefit lies and where my harm lies, what will lead me to progress and what will lead me to downfall, what is to be taken and what is to be forbidden, what is everlasting and what is transitory- only human is capable to know all this, not an animal-bird. So even in humans, vivek is valuable. Those who alter their conduct according to vivek, they are great in human beings. Vivek is great so humans taking its support and conducting according to it are also great. Vivek is for what? Vivek is there so that man does good work and not bad, take the essence (saar) and gives-up the non-essence (asaar); do such thing that in present and in future, ours and others, everyone gets happiness. Vivek is primarily awakened in dispassionate humans. Attached and pleasure-seekers are not wise. They only look at present, whereas dispassionate men look at future, consequence.
When human starts giving more importance to things and money, then his vivek is burked. Lord has described 3 kinds of intellect in Gita- Sattvik, Rajasi, Tamasi.
“That intellect which correctly determines the path of activity and renunciation, what ought to be done and what ought not to be done, what is fear and what is fearlessness, and what is bondage and what is liberation, that intellect is Sattvika.” (Gita 18.30)
“The intellect by which man does not truly perceive what is Dharma and what is Adharma, what ought to be done and what ought not to be done- that intellect is Rajasika.”(Gita 18.31)
“The intellect which considers even Adharma to be Dharma, and sees all other thins upside-down, wrapped in ignorance, that intellect is Tamasika” (Gita 18.32)
Sattvik intellect is in few humans. This does not mean that others do not posses sattvik intellect. People who utilize sattvik-intellect appropriately are few in number. Many people have rajasi-intellect. People possessing tamasi-intellect are even more in this Kaliyug; everything looks upside down to them. What is meant by upside-down outlook? Giving more value to money than things and living beings. They only hoard money. For money if they have to lie, deceive, rob, kill, murder etc. then they even get ready to do it! For money they start killing cows. This is an absolute tamasi-intellect. Earning money and protecting it is not tamasi-intellect, but not to think over true-lies, real-unreal, everlasting-transitory, good use-misuse, benefit-harm etc, and to make money by hook or crook is tamasi intellect. After this what will happen? Importance of money will increase. Then money will not be for things but for increasing its count. Things will also become a source for increasing its count. If thousand comes then million, if million comes then billion, if billion comes then trillion- in this manner the desire will keep on increasing. They don’t even think that by earning so much money what are going to do? Neither do they think of good conduct, nor do they think of people, nor do they think of things, only one thing that they think of is to make money and hoard it. By so much hoarding others are getting poor- they don’t even look at it. Even if a sattvik human has less amount of money, he benefits others and he himself is also benefited. But by a tamas human, he himself and others are ruined, even if he has a lot of money.
To spend money and to hoard money- these are 2 parts. In this only part of spending money is useful for self and others. Hoarding inflates ego in us that ruins both – society and us. In society, poverty, conflict, jealousy, hatred, robbery etc. increases which is a cause of society’s ruin. Whatever evil characteristics - conduct are there they all come from the viewpoint of increasing count of money. A person considers himself to be great because of money but in people’s heart he doesn’t hold any respect. At the bottom of their heart, they all disrespect and malign him. Being subdued by money others don’t say anything, this is different, but they don’t have any good sentiments for him. But a viveki (one who discriminates), dispassionate human is respected by world heartily.
Even greater than vivek is Dharma and truth-element. Those who follow the righteous path, they are elevated. Everyone respects them who walk on the path of truth. Ordinary people also respect him, rich people also respect him, Kings also respect him, saints also respect him, and what more to say, those who walk toward the truth even God respects him! So truth turns out to be the greatest. For that truth only vivek is, for that vivek only human is, for a human only thing is and for things only money is.
Human is vivek-prominent. So it is very important for him give respect to vivek, give value to it and whatever is greater than vivek if he spends time on attaining it, then he won’t have to see sorrow even after death. Money, things, people etc. all will remain here only, will not be carried but Dharma and truth-element will not remain behind. By attaining the truth-element one will be at peace forever. Attaining that truth-element is the most important aim-goal of human life. If one does not attain it then his life is not successful.
Eating-drinking, resting, enjoying pleasures etc even dogs, pigs, donkeys do. There isn’t any great glory in it. Great glory is only in attaining God-element, in which ours’ and world’s, in present and future, everyone’s benefit lies. Like Goswami Tulsidasji there have been many great mahatmas, they did their redemption and also redeemed world. By their words today also the world benefits, escapes from downfall, gets peace, comes to know about the path to truth. Such kind of welfare even the richest of rich can never do. So the main aim should of attaining truth. When money also turns to truth, thing also turns to truth, human also turns to truth, and vivek also turns to truth, then progress will happen. If no heed is given to truth but to perishable things and more than things if importance is given to making and hoarding of money then only ruin will happen.
Intellectuals have more influence on society. So it is their duty to give importance to vivek and spend their life in attaining truth-element.