Mantra to Improve the Quality of Life

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The Role of Spiritual Scriptures

Todarmal, a famous litterateur of the Jain faith, put his heart and soul into creating a book. His work was well known as ‘The way to Moksha’. At the break of the day, he would start his writing endeavor and would continue until late in the night. He remained aloof from worldly ways and showed no interest in relishing his food. He dedicated himself entirely to his literary work.

One day, at the dinner table, he asked his mother, “Mother, looks like you forgot to add salt to the food today?” His mother smiled and said, “Well, I take it that you have finally completed your book!” Todarmal was astonished at how she had got it right and looked at her with wonder. How did she know that the book was complete on that very day? He had never told her.

He asked, “You’re right, mother. But how do you know?” She said, “My dear, I haven’t been adding salt to your food for the last six months, and it’s only today that you’ve realized it. You were so engrossed in your work. When you sensed the lack of salt, I knew you must have finished your book, that your thoughts could wander to such mundane topics as the taste of food!”

Many writers dedicate themselves to creating high-quality literature, but do readers do justice to their extensive efforts? One can find guidance about almost all the aspects of life in scriptures like the Ramayana, the Mahabharata, the Guru Granth Sahib, the Quraan, the Bible, etc. Even today, these scriptures teach us the virtues of human life. The Almighty teaches about the human virtues through various channels, but most people seldom understand the message.

After attaining the Self-realization, some great souls expressed their wisdom through written words. Their literary works hold the prospect of salvation, holistic development, and world peace. So it’s no less than an art to know how to read these scriptures. One can bring the essential teachings of scriptures to life only when one learns the fine skill of reading and digesting these sublime works.

Why should I read spiritual scriptures?

There are several types of books. Some books are good just for a glance, some deserve a detailed reading, but Spiritual books command respect to be read, contemplated upon, and implemented in life. That’s because they not only change the state of one’s life but also give it direction. As a result, one can realize the aim of their life, which begins to illuminate the dark corners of the mind.

Let us understand the five main benefits of reading spiritual literature.

1. Awakening within

A person was printing a letter that he had typed on a computer. When he reviewed the print, he noticed an error. Mistakenly, he had typed ‘Log‘ instead of ‘Long‘. So he picked up a pen and corrected it on the printed copy. He then took another print. He corrected the error again on the second copy, and then took yet another print. He was baffled to see that the error was still present on the third print. He again made the correction on the printed page and took one more print. Finally, a person, who knew how computers work, told him, “If you want to correct it all for once, correct it in the document you’ve typed on the computer, not on the printed copy.”

People are just as similar; they think it’s not me who needs to change; it’s the others. Reading spiritual literature makes one realize that one has to introspect one’s own thoughts and strengthen one’s character more than trying to correct situations in the outside world. The most important benefit of reading the scriptures is their power to transform the reader’s heart. These scriptures can awaken one from the within.

2. Developing qualities

Just as physical exercises benefit the body, reading is beneficial for the intellect. It is not just an exercise for the intellect, but also develops various qualities and faculties. Spiritual scriptures guide us and instill qualities like willpower, effective decision-making, power of concentration, and consistency. Almost all spiritual scriptures point us to the inner state of tranquil.

While reading scriptures like Ramayana, Mahabharata, we can feel as if these epics are being played out within and around us. Every character from these scriptures is present around us or perhaps within us. The deceitful demons have changed their appearance to lurk around everywhere. Estranged relationships, depression, boredom, jealousy, hatred, anxiety, stress are the demons that harass humankind. On the other hand, these scriptures train us to defeat these demons and fill our lives with love, happiness, and peace, thereby attaining the ultimate purpose of life easily.

In a nutshell, Spiritual scriptures enhance love, happiness, peace, prosperity, servitude, agility, devotion, and the art of expression.

3. Being receptive to nature’s indications

Many may have experienced during testing times that a solution revealed itself while reading a specific quotation or maxim from a scripture. In this way, Spiritual scriptures become messengers. There’s a famous quote that says, ‘Books are windows to the world; we get nature’s indications through books.’ Spiritual books offer the ultimate solutions to challenges that life throws at us.

Spiritual books are often opened for guidance and closed with happiness and obtainment.

By reading books, one can realize one’s flaws and get guidance to overcome them. For example, when a person is insensitive towards physical health, some books they read emphasize the importance of physical health for attaining success in life. One may get a key to harmonize their relationships or learn about the laws of nature. One may become wise by learning about money, and learn about the importance of charity. Someone may get pointers to control their anger, while some may understand how to be liberated from all the sorrows of life.

4. Attain complete success through the power of contemplation

‘Just as diamonds remain worthless pieces of coal without cutting and polishing, great spiritual scriptures are mere ordinary novels without the power of contemplation.’ Contemplation is a habit that propels one to the summit of sustainable success. Spiritual scriptures conveying the highest truth remain mere ordinary novels, if not contemplated on. A ‘Contemplation break’ is thus advised while reading the scriptures. Readers should contemplate the reading they have done so far in this break.

How do you contemplate a spiritual scripture while you are reading it? Do you see the characters as symbols of the ways of life? Or do you see the story as imaginary story of miracles? If you can implement its underlying teachings in your daily life, it can be said that you have read it in a true sense. Otherwise, such great work is yet another story you happened to read.

5. A door to emancipation

There are three kinds of readers. The first read to forget. They are the ones who read the scriptures just for spending their spare time and leave it at that.

The second kind is the ones who read and bloat. Many people read the scriptures only to show off what they know. Their ego gets bloated like a balloon by thinking, “I read it all, and now I know it all.” You can hear them quoting from the scriptures, but rarely implementing the teachings. They mistake information for knowledge.

The third kind of readers is those who read and get immersed. They read with the right approach and get fully engrossed in reading. Some readers read the scriptures so thoroughly that they become one with the knowledge. It permeates their feelings, thoughts, speech, and actions. As a result, reading scriptures opens the doors of salvation for such readers.

Having understood the importance of reading spiritual scriptures, let us now consider how to read them.

• Read with a direction

When one reads the scriptures without any direction, it is as good as not reading it at all. Reading without direction is of no use. Many people read the Bhagvad Gita, the Quran, the Bible, Dasbodh for years together, but there is no major transformation in their lives. That’s because they haven’t been clear about the purpose of reading these scriptures. You get no benefit if you are reading just for being a poser. So remind yourself of the motive while reading scriptures.

• Prepare a plan and implement it

There are four types of books.

1. Some books are meant for a flick-through. You use your eyes.
2. Some books are to be recited, meaning you speak it while reading.
3. Some books demand intellectual faculties in addition to eyes and speech. You read, and you also think about it.
4. Some books are such that you use your eyesight, speech, and intellect while reading and plan to implement the message in your life.

It would be best to use the fourth way while reading spiritual scriptures. Stop where you need to and contemplate, write down the understanding. Prepare an action plan during your contemplation if you want to break free from any negative disposition.

• Read from the beginning and read till the end

Some people start reading from any random page of the book. As a result, they do not give full justice to the book. So, start reading right from the ‘How to read the book’ section. Some people are not interested in the book’s preface and might conclude that the book is not of much use. We cannot delve deep into the subject with this approach. Some books demand you to know about references to specific points made in the book and the basic premises to the topic. Hence, a book should be read from the beginning, the preface, and following the stipulated order.

• Create your new book

Underline the parts you think are most important, thereby creating your new book in doing so.

• Reading more than once

The parts that you did not underline could also be important. So, don’t put the book away after reading just once. Read it multiple times to increase your level of consciousness. You may like an answer when you read the book first, but you may like another while reading the next time. Every time you read, your level of consciousness rises. You get different answers each time. Otherwise, people stick to the answers they get for the first time and regard them as the ultimate answers. So, to uncover new teachings, reading multiple times meticulously is important.

Reading spiritual scriptures meticulously, raises your spiritual quotient till you meet a true Guru. They can guide and lead you from darkness to light, from ignorance to knowledge, and from bondage to ultimate liberation.