SANYAM (SELF-CONTROL)

Sanyam is a great penance and root of all penances. ‘Drishtipootan nyasedpadan, wastrapootan jalan pivet; Satyapootan wadedwakyan, manahpootan samacharet.’ One should walk after seeing the path well and drink water after being assured that it is pure. Speak sentences after being fully acquainted that it is true and act after deeply thinking its pros and cons. Samyak may be treated similar to sanyam. Thus, you reach near Buddha’s preaching. Sanyam never forbids any action, rather teaches to do appropriately and thus equals to samyak. When one falls ill, he is advised to take light suitable food and take rest. In my childhood, I have seen the fever patient being kept in long fasting. We felt too much hunger and begging food but grandfather did not allow. Mother willed to give but, due to fear of father-in-law, she dared not. Sanyam indicates towards self adopted appropriateness; not self punishment. We avoid baantar (allergic things).
When you lead sanyamit jeevan (self-controlled life), you accept and act which cannot harm you in any way and which supports your mental and physical progress. Bapu’s (Gandhijee’s) three tutor monkeys are famous. One has shut its mouth, another ears and the third its eyes. ‘Bura mat bolo, bura mat suno and bura mat dekho.’ Do not speak, do not hear and do not see bad things. This is nothing but having control while speaking, hearing and seeing. One should only speak, hear and see goodness of others. Only see, speak and hear badness of yourself to be self purified. ‘Nindak niyare raakhiye, aangan kuti chhabay; Bin paanee saabun bina nirmal kare subhaay.’ The critiques should be kept nearer by giving them residential facilities. They purify your habits without water and soap.
Bapu gave another mantra (formula) for self control and to get independence. ‘Ahinsaa (non-violence), satya (truth), asteya (not to steal), brahmcharya (to search the almighty), asangraha (not to store too much), shareershram (physical labour), ashwaad (to eat without enjoying tastes), sarvatra bhay varjanah (fearlessness); sarvadharmee samaanatwa (secularism), swadeshee (nationality) asparshbhaavnaa (untouchability)’.
Enjoy the world appropriately like medicine. If you take more medicine than prescribed, it will harm you and sometimes will kill you. “Ishavasyamidan sarvam yatkinch jagatyan jagat; Ten tyakten bhunjeetha maa gridhah kasyaswiddhanam.” Buddha’s samyakatwa should always be remembered. Samyak bhojan (appropriate eating), samyak shayan (appropriate sleeping), samyak vani (appropriate speaking) and samyakatwa (appropriateness) in every action is the theme.---------------Ohm Namo Bhagvate Shree Ramanay.