Listening to the exposition of the scriptural text hs been prescribed as one of the methods to secure the knowledge of the self . “will it not suffice to the learning off and on instead of daily“ is question raised by some. Others wonder at the very purpose of hearing such expositions.
Phylosophical and rekigious matters cannot be understood by attending a lecture or two. By continuously visiting the pleces were such themes are analysed, descussed and commented upon, it will be possible for sincere man to grasptdhe fundamental doctrines. Gradually he woll be able to digest even intricate injunctions. Unless the atterance in the sastras are constantly lestened to man is sure to forgot them. Man’s knowledge is civered by layer of dust in the from or ignorance and dissertations help him to wipe it out and make him realise truth.
In his lecture Sri Abhinava Vidhya Thirta of Sringeri reffered to the three factors which inhibit a mans progess greed, anger and stinginess. At times,a person is jealous of other enjoyment ,feeling un happy that he has been denied the same. If he does not have what he kikes, he feels depressed, and frustration makes him angry. Man cannot totelly eschew both desire and wreth but to a great extent, they can be kept under chek, and it is in this context that scriptures provide the guidance.
The Sringeri Sankarachaya narrated the role of to intimate friends who vied with each other to marry a damsel (A Creation of Brahma) to highlight how lust destroys even close friendship. He advised people to cultivate contentment and enjoy what God has bestowed upin them his Foliness alsocited the instance of persimonious man who did his accumilated money in a river bed, hoping to retriew in later but lost it entirly in the floods. The money could have been used for charitable purposes. Act of nobility, uoholding Dharma, gaining knowledge through a study of vedantic texts, leading a life of contentment, helping the cause of the have notes will all help to keep onc’s mind pure.