Search
OM SHANNO DEVIRABHISHTYA APO BHAVANTU PITAYE |
SHANYORABHI SRAVANTU NAH ||
Oh Shining Light!
Oh omnipresent, omnipotent God, the Giver of Light!
May You give us that all-pervading bliss.
Oh Shining Light, our true heartfelt desire is to remain happy.
May this bliss also be useful for the spiritual growth and happiness of all.
If we are going to look for that shining light in our lives, and if we are expecting God to grant us happiness, then why are we going against the principles of God? Why don’t we have healthy living habits like sleeping early, exercising, eating nutritious foods, not eating meat or drinking alcohol? Why don’t we spend more time with our families?
Due to ignorance, whims and selfish ways, we sometimes have a difficult time understanding the true nature of reality. At that time, we have forgotten that the foremost principle of the universe is the law of Karma: “As you sow, so shall you reap.” Whatever pain we are experiencing, we caused to ourselves. Headaches, backaches, arthritis, emotional pain, mental pain or depression are the results of not seeing the consequences of our thoughts and actions and of not making ourselves strong in wisdom.
It is our utmost duty to protect our soul, our physical and mental health, and our loved ones, even at the cost of giving up all our personal, selfish goals. We can only drop our selfishness if we bring wisdom into our lives. Wisdom is the single most important requirement for alleviating the pain of mankind. We can attain that wisdom only by coming in contact with good, noble and selfless souls. We can only sustain it by inspiring ourselves daily with good thoughts, good actions and the knowledge of the soul.
If we inspire ourselves, then we will not have to struggle with our minds or any negative, depressed thoughts and trivial pursuits. But, if we don’t practice good things, inspire ourselves and discuss wisdom with wise souls, negativity will creep in and take hold of us. Then we will seek out the company of shallow people who will waste our time in chit-chat and petty gossip.
We should always inspire ourselves with positive thoughts:
I am the light of the soul!
I am a happy, joyous soul!
My heart is filled with light!
I am grateful!
I am content!
I am peaceful!
I have no worries, no problems.
Everything is temporary in this world.
My real self is eternal and indestructible.
The ninth principle of the Arya Samaj states, “No one should remain content with his or her own well-being, but on the contrary, should regard his or her well-being in consonance with the well-being of all.” However, do we really practice this all the time? Sometimes, we want everyone to improve except ourselves, and we forget to set a good example so that others can learn from us.
No one in this world is perfect. At times, we will slip or feel dejected. But the moment we realize that we have turned our “negativity” switch on, we have to immediately turn it off by giving our mind a positive affirmation. Losing our peace of mind, or “blowing our cool” is just like blowing out a fuse in our house. All we have to do is turn the power switch off, replace the fuse, and then turn the lights back on. Similarly, we should not remain depressed for hours when things do not go our way. Instead, we must throw out the thought which is disturbing our mind and replace it with a new, inspiring thought. Then we will truly be able to share our wisdom and good energies with others.
Some people spend their whole life in a coma of depression, self-indulgence, self-involvement, callousness, personal goals, personal hallucinations and personal dreams. And then, at the time of death, they realize their entire life was wasted.
Life does not work around people’s egos, images, or ambitions. Life works at its own pace, according to the law of karma. So, we must constantly be alert and make the best of whatever situation life presents us, being careful not to go against the principles of God.
This Ved Mantra is guiding us to the shining light, to the omnipresence of God’s energy, which is the source of our happiness. It is reminding us that, by our own example, we can be a source of inspiration. We can be a shining light in the lives of our loved ones. When the mind is in that state of inspiration, it sees everything clearly. Then, it reflects the light of God, and it attains a state of permanent happiness, no matter what life brings.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------