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BRIGHT THOUGHTS

Compiled By : Cajetan Fernandes

Each man, devoted to his own duty, attains perfection. How he attains perfection while being engaged in his own duty, hear from me now. He from whom all beings have evolved and by whom all this is pervaded; worshipping that one with the due performance of his own duty, man attains perfection.

In our daily activities, the truth that God pervades everything in the universe is not reflected. Our cravings, our hate, our fear, our jealousy, our envy and the competitive spirit which characterises all our thoughts, words and deeds, are the direct denial of the reality we seem to understand intellectually. Do your duty. Adopt the wonderful life-transforming inner attitude; treat your work as worship of God, service of fellowmen, service of all creatures is worship of God. Realise this and be free; this freedom from ego and desire is perfection.

When a stupid man is doing something he is ashamed of, he always declares that it is his duty.

Sometimes our duties concur with our likes and dislikes; but more often than not, they do not. So one has to be deliberate. This is one aspect of karma yoga. Somebody falls down right in front of me as I am walking. I will not wait for an introduction. I just help. Suppose I think. Why should I help him? I am dressed well, on my way to an important meeting which is to make a significant difference to my life. There is no one else around. Should I leave him to his fate? I cannot do that because I would not like to be left…in a similar situation. So I have to perform a deliberate action. I do my duty without giving in to my likes and dislikes.

The Atman is the only substance of the universe, just as clay is the only substance of a pot. The pot is nothing but clay with name and form superimposed on it. So is this universe nothing but the Self with name and form superimposed on It. Just as waves, foam, and bubbles are nothing but the sea, and are non-different from it, so the universe is nothing but the Self, and is non-different from It.

Knowledge dwells in heads replete with thoughts of others men; Wisdom in minds attentive to their own.

He who goes in search of knowledge walks in the path of God.

He who knows one thing, knows all things; and he who knows all things, knows one.

A man of faith, absorbed in faith, his senses, controlled, attains knowledge, and knowledge attained, quickly finds supreme peace. But the ignorant man, who is without faith, goes doubting to destruction. For the doubting self there is neither this world, nor the next, nor joy.

- Rig Veda X 151.4.5