Wealth & Life!

Maharaj Yudhisthira asked Bhisma: My dear Grandfather, how can one receive the mercy of the goddess of fortune & thus become prosperous in all regards?

Bhisma replied by telling Yudhisthira how Rukmini once had the opportunity of meeting Laksmi-devi. She requested: O Goddess, kindly describe to me those persons in whom you dwell, as well as those who you avoid

In the presence of Lord Krsna, Laksmi replied: My dear Rukmini, I always reside with those persons who are eloquent, active, attentive to their duties, free from anger, grateful, of controlled passions, worshipers of the Supreme Lord and the demigods, and are high-minded

I never reside with atheists, thieves, those of impure habits, or those who speak harshly, are inattentive to their duties, beget unwanted children due to uncontrolled lust, are ungrateful, malicious toward their superiors, or become distressed over trifles & thus are always irritated and angry

I reside with wives who are very devoted to their husbands and I also reside in certain objects such as lotus flowers, virgin girls, ornaments, and the stars in the sky. Of course, I personally reside with Lord Nārāyana, who is the original reservoir of all good qualities. By expanding my potencies, I enrich those persons with whom the Lord is pleased, and it is in this sense that I reside in them

Maharaja Yudhisthira next asked: How should one act so that he can very easily pass his journey through life?

In reply Bhisma advised: Dear King, a person who wants to avoid putting himself into great difficulty should carefully avoid performing three acts with his body-the killing of other living entities, stealing & the enjoyment of others’ wives. In addition, one should meticulously avoid four acts of speech-conversation about sinful activities, the utterance of harsh & offensive words, the advertising of others’ faults & lies. Three acts of the mind should also be rigorously avoided-coveting others’ possessions, disbelief in the Vedas & thoughts of injuring others

Gita says:

asakta-buddhiḥ sarvatra jitātmā vigata-spṛhaḥ
naiṣkarmya-siddhiṁ paramāṁ sannyāsenādhigacchati

One who is self-controlled and unattached and who disregards all material enjoyments can obtain, by practice of renunciation, the highest perfect stage of freedom from reaction

pravṛttiṁ ca nivṛttiṁ ca kāryākārye bhayābhaye
bandhaṁ mokṣaṁ ca yā vetti buddhiḥ sā pārtha sāttvikī

O son of Pṛthā, that understanding by which one knows what ought to be done and what ought not to be done, what is to be feared and what is not to be feared, what is binding and what is liberating, is in the mode of goodness

Another master class from Bhismadeva for all of us

Thoughts? #gameoflife