Spiritual Message for the Day – Virtue and Sin (Punya and Papa) by Gurudev Sri Swami Sivananda
Baba Times Digest© | 25 March 2015 16.02 EST | New York Edition
Virtue and Sin
(Punya and Papa)
Divine Life Society Publication: Bliss Divine by Gurudev Sri Swami Sivananda
Papa is sin. Punya is virtue. Remember the motto always: "Do unto others as you wish others do unto you". This is the Kasoti or test for virtue and sin. You do not wish to be hurt by others. So do not hurt another person. You wish to be helped by others. So help others. You do not wish to be robbed by others. So do not rob others' property. When you enter the compartment in a train, you wish that others should give you a seat. They should not drive you to another compartment. So, when anyone enters your compartment, give him a seat. Do not drive him away. Hurting another is sin; non-hurting is virtue. Selfishness is sin; helping others is virtue. Robbing others' property is sin; doing charity is virtue. Driving a man from the compartment is sin; giving a seat to a man in your compartment is virtue.
That which elevates you is virtue; that which pulls you down is vice or sin. That which takes you to the Goal is virtue; that which makes you a worldly man is sin. That which helps you attain God-head is virtue; that which hurls you down in the dark abyss of ignorance is sin. That which gives you illumination is virtue; that which causes intoxication is sin. That which purifies your heart is virtue; that which taints your heart is sin. That which gives you peace, joy, satisfaction, exhilaration, expansion of heart, is virtue; that which brings restlessness, dissatisfaction, depression, and contraction of heart, is vice.
Service of humanity and Guru is virtue; mischief-mongering is sin. Faith in God, in the scriptures, in the words of the spiritual preceptor, is virtue; doubting is sin. Loving all is virtue; hating others is sin. Unity is virtue; separation is sin. Independence is virtue; dependence is sin. Brahmacharya is virtue; lust is sin. Truthfulness is virtue; falsehood is sin. Generosity is virtue; miserliness is sin. Oneness is virtue; duality is sin. Knowledge is virtue; ignorance is sin. Strength is virtue; weakness is sin. Courage is virtue; cowardice is sin. To behold the One Immortal Self everywhere is virtue; to see diversity is sin.
That which you are ashamed to do in public is a sin. That which you dare not admit before your Guru is a sin.
Learn to discriminate between virtue and sin, and become wise. The Antaryamin will guide you rightly; hear Him.
Sin is a mistake committed by the ignorant Jiva during his journey towards the Satchidananda abode. Every mistake is your best teacher. One has to evolve through sins or mistakes. Mistakes are inevitable. Some people become a prey to thoughts of sin. They ever brood: "We are great sinners. We have committed great sins". This is a great blunder. Do not brood too much on the past events. Learn the lesson and forget the past. Once you make up your mind to tread the path of Truth, all sins will be destroyed.
There is no such thing as eternal damnation or eternal hell-fire for the sinners.
It is never too late to mend. A good, resolute start in virtuous life will give you peace and happiness. Do it now. Leave off evil ways. Follow the good. Be pure in life. You will attain God-realization.
Steadily resist the promptings of your lower nature. Gradually, it will lose its power over you. You will gain strength. The spirit may pull in one direction and the flesh in the opposite direction. Be firm and courageous. Yield not to flesh. Be strong. Be positive always. Think and feel: "I can do everything if I will. There is nothing that I cannot do". Never give up the hope of realizing God.
Watch every action. Allow not any impure action to stain your body. When anything pricks thy conscience, abandon it. Fight against the tempting power of self-gratification and self-aggrandizement. Overcome anger by love, lust by purity, greed by generosity, pride by humility, falsehood by truth.
Lose the sense of I-ness and mine-ness. Control the mind. Repeat the Lord's Name. Purify every part of yourself.
Paropakarah Punyaya; Papaya Parapidanam: Service of others brings on virtue; harming others is sin. Therefore, serve others. Purify your heart by selfless and humble service of the poor and the afflicted, and make it a fit abode for God to dwell.
Every day is a fresh beginning. Forget your past mistakes and failures. Enter a new life of victory. March on and on. Exert. Purify. Approach the saints. Abandon all anxiety, fear, and worry. Rest in your Centre. Sing Om. Meditate on Om. Realize the Self.
Excerpts from: Virtue and Sin (Punya and Papa) - Bliss Divine by Gurudev Sri Swami Sivananda
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