RAMAYANA 3.50.19

• Global Organization of Hindus

  RAMAYANA 3.50.19
  One should lift only such weight as will not exhaust one beyond a limit. One should eat only such food as will easily digest.
  Who will engage himself in such action as will get him neither dharma nor reputation nor lasting fame and which will only result in physical exhaustion?
  
  यत्कृत्वा न भवेत् धर्मो न कीर्तिर्न यशो ध्रुवं।
  शरीरस्य भवेत् खेदः कस्तत्कर्म समाचरेत् ॥
  
  Yatkrutwaa na bhaveddharmo na keertirna yasho dhruvam
  Shareerasya bhavet khedah kastatkarma samaacharet
  
  [Context: Jatayu’s advice to Ravana to refrain from abducting Sita. This is going to cost him dearly, something which he will not be able to bear.]

  

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
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  Global Organization of Hindus

  "Tthrough the worship of Maha-Kali, Maha-Lakshmi, and Maha-Sarasvati, we worship Mula-Prakriti, Adi-Sakti in her cosmic dance-form of transformation, prosperity and Illumination. In the beginning, what happens to a Sadhaka? There is a necessity of self-transformation. It is all hardship, rubbing and cleaning, washing, sweeping, etc. That is the first stage through the worship of Maha-Kali, who brings about a destruction of all barriers. Then what happens? There is tremendous prosperity. You become a master and a progressive soul commanding all powers, getting everything that you want. This is the second stage. In the first stage, it looked as if you were a poor person, having nothing, very weak. But, when you overcome this weakness, by removing the barrier of Tamas, you become prosperous. Nobody can be as rich as a Yogi, you know. He can command all the powers. By a thought he can invoke all things, and this is Goddess Maha-Lakshmi working. WhenMaha-Kali has finished her work of destruction of opposition, Maha-Lakshmi comes as prosperity. A great Yogi is also like a royal personality, because of his internal invocations, though unconsciously done, of cosmic powers. When prosperity dawns, it looks as if the whole universe is a heaven. In the first stage, it looked like a hell. Afterwards, in the second stage, it looks like a heaven, when Maha-Lakshmi begins to work. But this also is not sufficient. Knowledge should dawn. It is not heaven that you are asking for. You want the realisation of Truth. Sarasvati will come for help and a flood of light on Truth will be thrown and you will see things as they are. There is no enjoyment, prosperity, richness, wealth or any such thing. It is Truth unconnected with yourself in the beginning, but later on inseparable from yourself. Thus, from opposition to prosperity, from prosperity to enlightenment, and from enlightenment to Self-realisation do we proceed. So, these are the truths esoterically conveyed to us in the Mantras of the Devi-Mahatmya."
  ~~ From THE ESOTERIC SIGNIFICANCE OF THE DEVI-MAHATMYA
  By SRI SWAMI KRISHNANANDA