[Advaita-l] Jagadguru Speaks: Cultivate the Good, Avoid Mean Friends

[S Jayanarayanan]

(Around the beginning of the month, a nugget of Wisdom from the Jagadguru may be posted
on the Chaturamnaya list : http://lists.advaita-vedanta.org/cgi-bin/listinfo/chaturamnaya )
 
 
Man can learn lessons from his life's experience. For example, 
he must not keep company with those who trouble others. It is 
because the troublesome person by nature will not spare anybody. 
He will harm his friends also at times. 
 
Some people find more pleasure in quarrelling with and 
annoying others than pursuing their own interests. That is the 
nature of some people. They are known as mean persons. 
 
उत्सवादपि नीचानां कलहोऽपि सुखायते ।
 
Hence, everyone should examine the character of the person 
before developing friendship. Real friends are those who stand by 
us through thick and thin, during happy times and misfortunes, 
hardships from enemies or while receiving royal favours or 
sharing grief in the graveyard. 
 
उत्सवे व्यसने प्राप्ते दुर्भिक्षे शत्रुसन्कटे ।
राजद्वारे श्मशाने च यस्तिष्ठति स बान्धवः ||
 
The mind of such people will be equanimous and their senses 
pure. Their joy and prosperity will increase by leaps and bounds 
in this as well as the next world. They will always be blessed. 
 
उत्सवादुत्सवं यान्ति स्वर्गात्‌ स्वर्गं सुखात्‌ सुखम्‌ ।
श्रद्दधानाश्च दान्ताश्च धनाढ्याः शुभकारिणः ||
 
We bless all to understand this well and develop the tendency to 
help others at all times.
 
 
June 2016