Isa Vasyam Idam Sarvam

।।ईशा वास्यम् इदम् सर्वम्।।

ईशा वास्यमिदं सर्वं यत्किञ्च जगत्यां जगत्।

तेन त्यक्तेन भुञ्जीथाः मा गृधः कस्यस्विद्धनम्।।

The above Shloka is the very first one in Isavasyopanishad.The meaning of the shloka is this – “Whatever is present in this world; that should be filled with the Lord.  (It means - One should be able to see the Lord in everyone and everything.)  You have to protect yourself by sacrificing it.  (Or, you have to nurse yourself by what that is given to you by him.)  You should never hanker after the wealth of anybody.”

The word यत्किञ्च makes us understand that the existent world is completely filled with various things.  They may be even opposites of one another.  For example, both good and bad are included in them.  Still, without any partiality, we must consider that both of them are filled with the Lord. Even a piece of sandal wood starts emitting bad smell when it is kept in the water for a long time.  Yet, when we take it out of the water and start rubbing it against a stone, it starts releasing its original sweet fragrance.  Originally, the water is pure and the sandal wood is also fragrant.  But their attachment for a long time caused a bad smell. Similarly, some people may appear bad due to their attachment with various other things. Yet, every person and everything has a distinctive and divine soul inside.  That divinity belongs to the Lord.  The words ईशा वस्यमिदं सर्वम् very strongly proclaim this truth.

The words तेन त्यक्तेन भुञ्जीथाः make us understand that one should sacrifice such attachment and live comfortably.  If you develop attachment with just one person or one thing, then, it means that you are ignoring the law of the omnipresence of the Lord.  When the law is violated, you deserve punishment in the form of grief etc.  Therefore, if you wish to be away from the punishment, you need to sacrifice.  You need to detach yourself from the remaining.  That is a way of protecting yourself.

The words कस्यस्विद्धनम् do not simply mean the wealth of others but they mean one’s own wealth as well.  So, one should not develop a desire to accumulate the wealth in excess of his needs.  These words remind us the “Yamas” of Yoga – “Asteya and Aparigraha”.

However, one may wonder as how to detach oneself from the remaining world.  He may even feel that death alone can detach a person from the world.  The Shastra gives answer to such doubts and thoughts:  “One should wish to live for hundred years; doing the activities which are accepted by the Shastras.  If you live so, your life is called as detached life and you are not considered for punishment.” – So, there is no need to die to detach oneself from the world.  Living a simple life prescribed by Shastras makes you free from grief.  According to the wish of the Lord, we should live a life span of hundred years. Another way of practicing detachment is, doing the prescribed activities without any expectation of personal benefit.

The people who do not lead such pious life are equal to the people who commit suicide.  Such people will be punished even after their death.  They will be in the dark and blind world of ignorance.  They will take birth as Rakshasas. (Those who consider sense-pleasures are the highest things to be achieved in one’s life.)

So, one should help oneself by finding God in everything and in oneself.  So, the practitioner must practice to find himself in all the living creatures and all the living creatures in him.  Then, he never feels insecurity.  Then, he will be free from all the illusions and grief. The real practitioner can practically experience satisfaction when some other creature is satisfied.   The knowledge of this is called “Vidya.”

However, mere Vidya does not make a person free from every grief.  Similarly mere action of showing mercy on the creatures etc; (Avidya) does not make a person free from his grief.  A person with both correct knowledge and sincere action alone can attain Moksha.  (Freedom from grief)

So, we must desire to find (learn and practice) both Satya (Knowledge) and Dharma (Action) from the Sun (Independent realization) by removing the golden cover (attractive and pleasant activities for self).

हिरण्मयेन पात्रेण सत्यस्यापिहितं मुखम्।

तत्त्वं पूषन् अपावृणु सत्यधर्माय दृष्टये।।

Sadharana-Asadharana Vyavahara Prakarana (Yajnavalkya)

साधारण-आसाधारणव्यवहारप्रकरणम्

    Counter case or Double case should be avoided during the process of a Case:

अभियोगमनिस्तीर्य नैनं प्रत्यभियोजयेत्।

अभियुक्तं च नान्येन नोक्तं विप्रकृतिं नयेत्।।

While a case is under process, प्रत्यर्थी should not file a case against अर्थी without getting himself free from that case.  At the same time, अर्थी cannot file a second case against his प्रत्यर्थी while the first one is still under process.

    Counter case is admissible

कुर्यात् प्रत्यभियोगं च कलहे साहसेषु च।

Counter case can be filed by प्रत्यर्थी in the cases of Assault, Defamation, Robbery/Violence etc.

    Penalty

मिथ्याभियोगी द्विगुणमभियोगाद्धनं वहेत्।।

When the filed complaint is denied by प्रत्यर्थी by मिथ्या उत्तरम्, but is proved by अर्थी, then, प्रत्यर्थी  has to pay the charged amount to and the same amount to the King as well.  However, if the complaint of अर्थी is proved to be a false one, then, अर्थी has to pay double the charged amount to the King.

    उत्तरम् / Judgement must be immediately given in the following cases:

01	When a murder takes place either by a weapon or by poison
02	When theft takes place
03	When a person is beaten/abused
04	When a cow is stolen
05	When a stern sin is committed
06	When a crime is forcefully committed at the time of losing life/money
07	When a woman is involved in the case

साहसस्तेयपारुष्यगोभिशापात्यये स्त्रियाम्।

विवादयेत् सद्य एव कालोsन्यत्रेच्छया स्मृतः।।

In other cases, उत्तरम् can be given within the agreed time of अर्थी and प्रत्यर्थी or सभ्यः and सभापतिः।

    Body language of the true guilty party/liar:

देशाद्देशान्तरं याति सृक्किणी परिलेढि च।

ललाटं स्विद्यते चास्य मुखं वैवर्ण्यमेति च।।

परिशुष्यत्स्खलद्वाक्यो विरुद्धं बहुभाषते।

वाक्चक्षुः पूजयति नो तथोष्ठौ निर्भुजत्यपि।।

स्वभावाद्विकृतिं गच्छेन्मनोवाक्कायकर्मभिः।

अभियोगेsथ साक्ष्ये वा दुष्टः स परिकीर्तितः।।

01	कर्मविकारः Nervousness In Actions	1.1  Unnecessary movements from one place to the next 1.2  Licking the edges of the lips
02	कायविकारः Nervousness In Body	2.1 Sweating on the forehead 2.2 Face becomes pale 2.3 Biting lips
03	वाग्विकारः Nervousness In Speech	3.1 Voice becomes unclear 3.2 Awkward stumbling in speech 3.3 Uncertainty in giving statements
04	मनोविकारः Nervousness In Mind	4.1 Giving improper reply to others’ questions 4.2 Hesitation to look straight into others’ eyes

          A wise/experienced person can easily judge whether the above body language of a person is natural or caused by nervousness of being a culprit or being a liar; being a witness.

    The following are also considered guilty and deserve punishment:

01	01.1  One who takes independent decision in a disputed case 01.2  One who does not seek the consent of the king 01.3  One who turns the case in his own favour by using his might
02	One who runs off before the judgement is given/before the case is closed
03	Summoned by the king but does not say anything in the court

    If one law is contradicting another:

अर्थशास्त्रात् तु बलवद्धर्मशास्त्रमिति स्थितिः।

स्मृत्योर्विरोधे न्यायस्तु बलवान् व्यवहारतः।।

Generally, Dharmasastra is stronger than Arthasastra.  If two laws are contradicting each other, then, that law is to be enforced which is supported by “nyaya”, as it was supported by our noble ancestors.

A Dharmasastra declares that, a person cannot be excused if he deliberately kills a Brahmin. 

कामतो ब्राह्मणवधे निष्कृतिर्न विधीयते। 

However, an Arthasastra declares that it is not an offence even if a Brahmin with great knowledge of Vedanta is killed, if that Brahmin is an आततायी। 

आततायिनमायान्तमपि वेदान्तपारगम्।

जिघांसन्तं जिघांसीयात् न तेन ब्रह्महा भवेत्।।

Thus, there is a contradiction between these two laws of Dharmasastra and Arthasastra respectively.  However, our noble ancestor, “SriRama” killed Ravana.  Ravana was a Brahmin, but, he was an आततायी। So, this is an exceptional case according to व्यवहारः।

Who is an आततायी?

अग्निदो गरदश्चैव शस्त्रोन्मत्तो धनापहः।

क्षेत्रदारहृतश्चैतान् षड्विद्यादाततायिनः।।

The following six are considered as आततायिनः।

01	अग्निदः	One who tries to burn a person/house
02	गरदः	One who tries to kill by giving poison
03	शस्त्रोन्मत्तः	One who is fanatical with a weapon in his hand
04	धनापहः	One who robs others’ money
05	क्षेत्रहृत्	One who occupies another’s land
06	दारहृत्	One who abducts another’s wife