[Chaturamnaya] Jagadguru Speaks: Keep Sastra as Life’s travel Guide

[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 )
 
 
Sastra is an indispensable guide in man's journey of life. Its very 
object is man’s welfare. Adherence to it will give comfort here and 
hereafter. It gives guidelines even in matters beyond the 
comprehension of the mind. It teaches only what is beneficial. 
“शास्त्रं हित शासनात्‌” goes the saying. 
 
However, people lament, “These Sastras are a hindrance to our 
freedom; they restrict us in so many ways.” But that is not true. 
Sastra never treats man as a slave and order, “This must be done; 
this must not be done.” It only points out what is good for man and 
what is not, thereby indicating the particular relation that subsists 
between the ends and means. That, too, with concern for his 
welfare. Accepting or rejecting it is his choice. 
 
शास्त्रादेतावदेव भवति, इष्टसाधनमिदम्‌ अनिष्टसाधनमिदम्‌
इति साध्य साधनसम्बन्धविशेषाभिव्यक्तिः । प्रदीपादिवत्‌
तमसि रूपादिज्ञानम्‌ । न तु शास्त्रं भृत्यानिव
बलान्निवर्तयति नियोजयति वा |
 
So says the bhashya. It dispels man’s ignorance as a lamp dispels 
darkness. 
 
This is what Bhagavan says in the Gita: 
 
तस्माच्छास्त्रं प्रमाणं ते कार्याकार्यव्यवस्थितौ |
 
Man’s welfare lies in properly understanding this and keeping 
Sastra to blaze his trail.