Time Bound

[Gummuluru Murthy]

On Thu, 26 Jun 1997, Chelluri Nageswar Rao wrote:

>                                         Srim
>
> Namaste!
>
> First let me make a correction in the statement.  I should have said "Act"
> instead of "Pursuit".  Sri G.S.Murty is right when he said, We are not in
> pursuit of anything.  Obviously the word pursuit has different meanings to
> different people.  Now I like to respond to some comments by Sri G.S.Murty.
>
> > One can lead a life of mental renunciation right in the middle of the city
> with all the socalled family responsibilities.
>
> If this statement is made from personal experience, I feel so glad and
> fortunate to be in the company of a person like you who can be be spiritual
> all 24 hours.
>
> >While doing work, or while commuting, or while relaxing spiritual life need
> not be abandoned.......thinking about Paramatma while commuting, meditating
> on Sri Lalita while working......
>
> Permit me to post about a incident that happened back in sixties when I used
> to drive long ways to get to my place of work.  I used to play a cassette
> "GITA" rendered by a well known singer, just to relax a little while driving.
>   One day while listening to Gita, my mind began to concentrate and
> appreciate the meaning of the verse "Patram, Pushpam, Phalam, Toyam...tears
> started rolling down, I started loosing conciousness.  How kind and merciful
> is Lord Krishna when he said that he will accept even a drop of water offered
> with Bhakti.  That kind of kindness I have not seen in this world.  It struck
> the core of my very being. At that point in time I was 100% involved with
> Lord Krishna's kindness and love and I forgot that I am driving.  I came home
> alive only by his grace.  Later I found out that I went thru 2 red lights and
> thank God without an accident.  After this incident, first I gaveup long
> distance driving and secondly I listen to the useless talk on the Radio only.
>  Never again played Bhakti Geetalu (Songs) while driving.
>
> There is a time and place for everything in this world, and whatever we do we
> should try to give 100% although it is not possible without the grace of
> Bhagavan/Bhagavati. Meditating while driving is not a good practice like
> drinking and driving.   That is my belief from PERSONAL EXPERIENCE.   Dharmic
> life does not mean mixingup things that might lead to disaster.
>
> Meditation should be done with Pure Mind.  To attain the purity, like Sada
> said one has to begin somewhere, may be an hour or longer one can afford in
> cool surroundings.    Though meditation appears to be Time Bound in the
> begining, one will reach a point of Now and Here, when time looses its
> meaning and does not exist.  It happens only with sadhana (practice) coupled
> with Daiva Krupa (Gods Grace).
>
> Shubham                                    Nageswar
>

Firstly, so that the List members are in full knowledge, Shri Nageswar
Rao and I know each other for a long time. Shri Nageswar Rao is my wife's
elder brother.

What I am saying is: one need not make a conscious effort to lead a
spiritual life. It comes naturally if our buddhi is pure. Thus, we
become the embodiment of dharma. No pursuits are involved.

Shri Nageswar Rao mentions about incident in 1960's when he went through
red lights listening to Gita. The situation is in no way worse (in terms
of distraction to driving) than people talking on phone while driving,
a very common sight now-a-days. Chanting Shri Lalitha trisathi or Vishnu
sahasranaama while driving or commuting on train gives us humility, an
essential requirement in our understanding ourselves. I am not saying
this is a substitute for concentrated meditation and sandhya-vandanam,
but a very useful usage of the commuting time.

Regards
Gummuluru Murthy
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Yadaa sarve pramucyante kaamaa ye'sya hr^di shritaah
atha martyo'mr^to bhavatyatra brahma samashnute   Katha Upanishhad II.3.14

When all the desires that dwell in the heart fall away, then the mortal
becomes immortal, and attains Brahman even here.
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