Ten Commandments for Students From Taittiriya Upanishad (Contd)

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This means being just and compassionate in everything one plans or does. This involves paying attention to what is righteous and being ever ready to do what is right. One should not be indifferent in this matter. As a well-known saying has it, 'The most worrying thing in keeping a family or society free from troubles is not the activity of evil people but the inactivity of good people.' So one must be active and subdue one's desire for immediate gain in favour of the ultimate and larger good. Swami Vivekananda said, For the world can be good and pure, only if our lives are good and pure. It is an effect, and we are the means. Therefore, let us purify ourselves. Let us make ourselves perfect.

3. Hold on to Welfare Activities (Kushalan na pramaditavyam)

One should come forward to help the poor, the distressed, the old people, the children and other weaker sections of society. A society becomes strong when there are sensitive people willing to extend help to others. This is what makes life secure and enjoyable. If one does not develop an attitude of help and kindness, he becomes a stinking pool of self-centredness and insensitivity. What if a country or society has wealth but no inclination and method of doing good to its citizens? Welfare of others must be, thus, kept as the goal of all progress and advancement.

4. Acquire Wealth Legitimately (Bhootyei na pramaditavyam)

Upanishads did not preach poverty. They spoke of a healthy and prosperous life. The ideal of renunciation is not the ideal of poverty and agony but learning to help others with whatever we acquire. The Upanishadic society was a prosperous society. It was not a consumerist society but it was full of wealth and means to meet one's needs. That is why the rishi advices that one should not give up acquisition of wealth but, he also cautions, one should do so through legitimate means. When a person earns through illegitimate means, he gets wealth but along with wealth, he also gets fear, suspicion and restlessness of mind. Despite so much of wealth, how many people complain of lack of peace of mind or of even normal sleep and joy in life! Sri Ramakrishna used to advice people to earn well but not to consider earning as an end by itself. When one earns honestly one may not get all the income to fulfil greed and imagined requirements, but one can surely meet one's needs and have peace and joy in life.

5. Hold on to the Worship of Gods and Manes (Deva pitru karyabhyam na pramaditavyam)

This means do not neglect your spiritual practices such as doing japa or prayers and meditation. If one is spiritually strong, one can be always sure of never losing one's calmness of mind which is so essential to face the challenges of life. This means having faith in a Transcendental Truth, in the eternity of the Self. This brings an element of infinity and vastness to life. Or else, what is the fun in being born like any other living being and then dying a 'dog's death'? The great saint Kabir remarked with a tinge of humour, 'When you were born, you cried and others rejoiced. Live your life in such a way that when you die, you rejoice and others cry.' This means living a life of meaning and greatness. Why would otherwise people weep for one at death? Another aspect of this commandment is that we should be respectful to our cultural and spiritual heritage. We should 'progress' in life but not by neglecting or denouncing the time-honoured wisdom our forefathers have left for us in the form our cultural and spiritual tradition. This is what is meant by pitru karyabhyam.

To be continued..