Give Heartfelt Thanks For Everything - Swami Bhoomananda Tirtha
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16/03/2020.
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Of the many qualities or virtues enriching human life, gratitude is foremost. In fact, it is indispensable. The first note of gratitude is naturally towards your parents who gave birth to you and brought you up fondly. We are living on earth, breathing air, taking in nutrients and everything that nature has to offer us, free of cost. Our gratitude to nature should lead us to preserve our environment, and bequeath the same to future generations.
Gratitude implies that we deal with all natural resources tenderly, with a sublime, sensitive and spiritual heart. Our cultural tradition as well as scriptures ask us to do so. Any response to the contrary smacks of ingratitude on the part of individual as well as society, and the costs would be high, too.
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Our inheritance does not stop with the body. We have a cultural and intellectual heritage that we need to appreciate and be grateful for. To our sages and seers, who we refer to as maharishis, who, with the power and grace of austerity, evolved and imparted such a lasting treasure, our gratitude is more filial than the gratitude we feel for our parents.
Our pancha maha yajnas are expressions of immense gratitude to departed souls as in pitru yajna, devas, ascetic seers in rishi yajna, contemporary humans in nriyajna, and elements in bhoota yajna.
Explaining how yajnas are indispensable for humans, the Bhagwad Gita says that Prajapati, the Creator, enjoined yajna or sacrifice on humans as a means to be fruitful and prosperous.The same gratitude extended further goes to the devas. Propitiate devas with yajnas and get amply blessed by them in return, says Krishna (Gita 3.11).
Life on earth is a communion of assorted beings, each of which has its place, relevance and contribution in the overall existence and prevalence of creation.
It is wrong to think that materials offered to a blazing fire alone constitutes yajna. Yajna is a devout expression of gratitude, a sublime quality enriching the human mind, which exterminates selfishness and possessiveness that tends to contaminate the performance. In this, gratitude becomes express and fulfilling. Greed, rivalry, competition, all leading to diverse malpractices, corruption and favouritism in public and private life alike, thrive only in the absence of the yajna spirit.
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Yajna or sacrifice in essence is any act done without delusional clinging. Our whole life is transformed into a most rewarding yajna, provided we can be free of delusional clinging to whatever we do. Life and its activities must be a free, natural expression of oneself, no matter where he is and what his pursuit is.
Any individual, group or society becomes resourceful and creditable only when they incorporate the right insight and pursuit of gratitude with prudence and perseverance. Devoid of gratitude, human life degenerates, leading to downfall. Gratitude has a deep, comprehensive bearing on our life, the environment and the countless generations past as well as future. It should include nature as a whole, and also the invisible cause and Source of visible creation.
"It is good to feel gratitude to the great Source, and to treat this gratitude in the form of a strong and regular commitment. A civilised society will become great only when it reflects sufficient gratitude to its senior citizens as well as preceding generations. Gratitude has its relevance to individuals, homes, societal segments, administration and all those who deal with these."
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16/03/2020.
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#Introduction :
Of the many qualities or virtues enriching human life, gratitude is foremost. In fact, it is indispensable. The first note of gratitude is naturally towards your parents who gave birth to you and brought you up fondly. We are living on earth, breathing air, taking in nutrients and everything that nature has to offer us, free of cost. Our gratitude to nature should lead us to preserve our environment, and bequeath the same to future generations.
Gratitude implies that we deal with all natural resources tenderly, with a sublime, sensitive and spiritual heart. Our cultural tradition as well as scriptures ask us to do so. Any response to the contrary smacks of ingratitude on the part of individual as well as society, and the costs would be high, too.
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## Rich heritage :
 |
Our pancha maha yajnas are expressions of immense gratitude to departed souls as in pitru yajna, devas, ascetic seers in rishi yajna, contemporary humans in nriyajna, and elements in bhoota yajna.
Explaining how yajnas are indispensable for humans, the Bhagwad Gita says that Prajapati, the Creator, enjoined yajna or sacrifice on humans as a means to be fruitful and prosperous.The same gratitude extended further goes to the devas. Propitiate devas with yajnas and get amply blessed by them in return, says Krishna (Gita 3.11).
Life on earth is a communion of assorted beings, each of which has its place, relevance and contribution in the overall existence and prevalence of creation.
It is wrong to think that materials offered to a blazing fire alone constitutes yajna. Yajna is a devout expression of gratitude, a sublime quality enriching the human mind, which exterminates selfishness and possessiveness that tends to contaminate the performance. In this, gratitude becomes express and fulfilling. Greed, rivalry, competition, all leading to diverse malpractices, corruption and favouritism in public and private life alike, thrive only in the absence of the yajna spirit.
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### Spirit of sacrifice :
Yajna or sacrifice in essence is any act done without delusional clinging. Our whole life is transformed into a most rewarding yajna, provided we can be free of delusional clinging to whatever we do. Life and its activities must be a free, natural expression of oneself, no matter where he is and what his pursuit is.
Any individual, group or society becomes resourceful and creditable only when they incorporate the right insight and pursuit of gratitude with prudence and perseverance. Devoid of gratitude, human life degenerates, leading to downfall. Gratitude has a deep, comprehensive bearing on our life, the environment and the countless generations past as well as future. It should include nature as a whole, and also the invisible cause and Source of visible creation.
"It is good to feel gratitude to the great Source, and to treat this gratitude in the form of a strong and regular commitment. A civilised society will become great only when it reflects sufficient gratitude to its senior citizens as well as preceding generations. Gratitude has its relevance to individuals, homes, societal segments, administration and all those who deal with these."
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