[Chaturamnaya] Teachings on the Vijaya Yatra -- Dharma is Man's Friend

[S Jayanarayanan]

The Sringeri Jagadguru went on a Vijaya Yatra last year to several places in South India -
blessing the people, worshipping at various shrines, offering spiritual advice, etc.
Here are some of the instructions that HH gave followers.
 

http://vijayayatra.sringeri.net/namakkal-march-10-2012/

Namakkal: MARCH 10, 2012

At Namakkal

On the evening of 10th March, Jagadguru Shankaracharya Sri Sri Bharati Tirtha Mahaswamiji
arrived at Namakkal and had Darshan of Kannika Parameshwari temple. In His Anugraha Bhashanam,
the Jagadguru said that we regard people related to us or our friends as those who will
help us in times of difficulty. But the Shastras opine that a person’s true friend is
none but himself – “आत्मैव ह्यात्मनो बन्धुः” {aatmaiva hyaatmano bandhuH}. The Shastras say that it is
only one’s own Dharma that brings about some transformation in the situation. And the fruits
of one’s own actions are beneficial only if the actions are Dharmic. Thus Dharma and Adharma
are indeed man’s real friend and foe. And since both Dharma and Adharma are put forth into
action by man, man is his own friend or foe. Hence one must never attribute one’s own joy
or suffering to be the result of others but to one own’s actions. The Shastras hence say
that happiness and sorrow are not bestowed upon us by anyone, and to think so is foolishness -

सुखस्य दुःखस्य न कोपि दाता ।
परो ददातीति कुबुद्धिरेषा ॥
{ sukhasya duHkhasya na kopi daataa .
paro dadaatiiti kubuddhireShaa .. }

Lord Rama was Dharma personified – रामो विग्रहवान् धर्मः {raamo vigrahavaan.h dharmaH}. The Lord needs
nothing. He is ever fulfilled and bliss-personified. Then why must even the Lord adhere
to Dharma? It is only to show others the importance of Dharma that the Lord in His incarnations
such as Sri Rama adhered to Dharma. That is why the Pattabhisheka Sarga of Yuddha Kaanda
of Valmiki Ramayanam describes that everyone had the name of Rama on their lips -

रामो रामो राम इति प्रजानामभवत्कथा ।
रामभूतं जगदभूत् रामे राज्यं प्रशासति ॥
{ raamo raamo raama iti praGYaanaamabhavatkathaa .
raamabhuutaM jagadabhuut.h raame raajyaM prashaasati ..
(Valmiki Ramayana 128.102)}

The Jagadguru expressed joy at being in Namakkal after 24 years and blessed the gathering.

On 11th March, the Jagadguru had Darshan at Lakshmi Narasimhaswamy temple and at the
Anjaneya Swamy temple.