T Ram Sewak

SAJJAN DHARAM

Shri Ram unveils the sixth form of bhakti to Sabari in Shri Ramcharitmanas (3.36)

"chhath dama sila birati bahu karma, nirata nirantara sajjan dharma".

"The sixth is self-control, pleasing conduct, desisting from manifold activities and ever pursuing the conduct prescribed for the pious and noble".

All the five forms of bhakti enunciated earlier enjoin an action by a bhakt. They have an element of external karma. Now, Shri Ram ordains an attitudinal pattern. It is inward- looking. Highlighting the practice of dama, sheel (sila) and vairagya (birati), HE sums it up by directing a bhakt to always follow the path of righteousness of the virtuous.

Dama means controlling and disciplining the senses (the five karma indriyas and the five gyan indriyas). It is part of the journey towards attaining samata (equanimity). Further, a bhakt should practice sheel, i.e., be non-hurting, full of compassion, empathy, and humility. He should also refrain from the varied desire-prompted activities. The nudge is thus towards internal purification and evenness of mind.

This form of bhakti finds resonance in Gita 4.21. There, Shri Krishna says that without too many ambitions, controlling the body and mind (dama), and relinquishing all personal possessiveness, a self-realised man renounces all actions (vairagya) except those necessary barely to maintain his body.

We observe an interesting and progressive pattern in the revelations of the forms of bhakti. From the first, which recommended just being in the company of the saints, we find that the sixth exhorts the bhakt to follow 24x7 the conduct of the pious and saints. But how do these noble souls conduct themselves? The conduct and attributes of such sants/sajjans have been delineated by Shri Krishna in Gita 16.1-16.3 and by Shri Ram in Shri Ramcharitmanas 7.36.

The recommendation to incessantly follow sajjan dharam also reminds us of HIS promise in Shri Ramcharitmanas 1.121 and elsewhere that the purpose of HIS avatar is always to relieve the distress of the bhakt, sant and sajjan./ DAILY WORLD /

Namami Ramam Musings-28

The author is a former electrical Engineer and resides in the Himalayas. He can be occasionally reached at ramam.namami@gmail.com