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Chapter 5
- Sri Sankaracarya declares
A man should be non-dual in feelings, rather than in dealings (Tattvopadesa).
An Important Fact Pertaining to Equanimity
Now-a-days, people talk a lot, about equanimity. But it must be understood in the right perspective. Equanimity, is not child's play but an embodiment of God. The Lord declares, "Those, whose minds get rooted in equanimity, overcome the world (birth and death) and realize the Absolute (God)" (Gita 5/19). This state of equanimity, is attained when others' pleasure and pain, become a striveis own pleasure and pain. The Lord declares, "0 Arjuna, he who through the likeness of the self, sees equality (equanimity) everywhere, be it pleasure or pain, is considered a perfect Yogi" (Gita 6/32).
A striver, attains equanimity when he is engaged in removing the suffering of others, in the same way, as he gets engaged promptly in removing his own suffering.
Explaining the marks of a saint, Tulasidasa declares 'Saints feel happy and sad in the happiness and sadness, of others' (Manasa 7/38/1).
So long as, a man desires pleasure, he cannot attain equanimity, in spite of his best efforts. But, when he has a keen desire to provide comfort to others, to do good to them, and he thinks of their salvation, he becomes equanimous. A striver, should begin such activity, with his family. He should try his best to remove the suffering of his parents, wife, sons and other near and dear ones, even if he has himself to suffer. By doing so, he will attain peace. Similarly, he should try to remove the suffering of others. By doing so he will be thrilled with joy. We should serve, those to whom we are not attached or we should renounce our attachment for those, whom we serve—the result will be the same.
Saint Tulasid"asa in the Manasa declares, "Laksmana serves Lord Rama and Sita with the same zeal, as that with which, an ignorant man serves his body" (2/142/1). It is not wise to serve one's own body, because even an animal does so. A mother-monkey, loves its young one so much, that it does not leave the youngone, even when the latter dies. But, when someone gives it any eatable, it eats itself, without giving it to its young one. Even if the young one tries to eat, the mother scares the youngone away, as long as attachment is there, equanimity is out of the question.
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