Everyone has their philosophies. In the Devi Bhagavatam, even the villain Mahishasur sermons on his ideologies to the Divine Mother. Inferring that Devi was blundering by rejecting his marriage proposal, he relates the story given below, which I have heavily paraphrased.

Mahishasur’s Sermon

King Chandrasena of Simhala had a beautiful daughter named Mandhodhari. When it was time for her marriage, the king identified a handsome prince as a suitable match. Sadly for the king, his daughter loathed the life of a householder and wished to renounce.

A few years later, the esteemed King Virasena of Kosala happened to see Mandhodhari. He instantly fell in love with her. Yet again, the princess refused the alliance on the same grounds.

In a sudden turn of events, Mandhodhari got attracted to King Charudeshna of Madra. Her happy father promptly conducted the marriage rituals.

Unfortunately, in due course of time, Mandhodhari realized that her husband was infamous for illicit relationships. The devastated woman was unhappy with her husband, but she couldn’t return to her parents for fear of defamation. Consequently, she lived as an ascetic in her own home but was saddened.

Mahishasur ended his narration, “Hence, a beautiful woman should never reject good alliances.”

Devi quipped, “Thank you for your kind concern, Mr. Mahishasur. But you’ve reached the wrong counter! I’m the Formless Divine who’s taken a form to end your philosophies. Now tell me, do you want to die or run away to Patala Loka, the world of Asuras?”

After that, we all know the fate of Mahishasur! For the records, Devi stomped him with her feet and killed him mercilessly.

Our Philosophies

All primary Puranic antagonists had justifications for their actions. That included the handsome-looking Shumba, his devoted brother Nishumba, the multi-talented Ravana, and the crafty Duryodhana. Interestingly, some of their arguments contained profound Vedic notions. Still, they were all exterminated by the Divine.

Even the King of Devas, Indra, painted a rationale for one of his unjust acts. He killed an Asura named Trishira, who was practicing austerities for liberation. Nevertheless, Indra was humiliated and dethroned. And he had to go through severe hardships to regain his position.

In short, whether a Deva or an Asura, none were as stupid as those depicted in comic books and television shows. They were all either victims of misunderstanding or guilty of deliberately tweaking the tenets per convenience. Immaterial to whether our ideologies arise from within or due to societal conditioning, our philosophies make or break us.

Moving away from mythology, I’ve come across people who genuinely believe that the Mahabharata, including the Bhagavad Gita, should be set aside for promoting violence. This a classic example of thoroughly mistaking philosophical teachings!

The Four Requirements

To prevent self-deception caused by the scriptures, Adi Shankaracharya emphasized the Sadhana Chatushtaya, the four mandatory qualifications. He made a profound declaration in his Vivekachudamani (Verse 19 onwards). Only those who developed the requirements listed below were ready for the world of Sadhana and the study of scriptures:

1. Viveka, the power of discretion:

If we believe in every piece of information that comes our way, we will dig a massive grave for ourselves! At the same time, rejecting every learning opportunity will get us nowhere. On the path of self-discovery, accepting only what leads us to our truth and rejecting everything else is Viveka. Such discretion comes from a thorough understanding of ourselves.

2. Vairāgya, non-attachment:

Non-attachment does not mean we must leave our current life and become monks! Performing our duties with a sense of objectivity, living a meaningful life, and understanding that everything is temporary is a form of Vairāgya.As the wise say, we must learn to float like a lotus in this muddy ocean called life.

3. Mumukshutva, intense spiritual longing:

Harboring a fierce desire for self-discovery is Mumukshutva. To read the scriptures, a person must also be a sincere spiritual seeker. Such a seeker is so committed to discovering their truth that they aren’t afraid to traverse the oceans for it. If a need occurs, they can even gladly sacrifice all their pleasures and passions for the same.

4. Shat Sampathi, the six acquisitions:

Further, those who wish to truly benefit from reading the scriptures should also cultivate this subset of qualities:

• Shama— some level of equanimity
• Dama — willpower to exercise self-control
• Uparati — desisting mentally from the outer world
• Titikshā — forbearance to endure obstacles
• Shraddhā — faith in the Divine or ourselves
• Samādhān — absorption to revel in our inner world

Think Twice Before Reading

Those who don’t meet the above criteria risk misunderstanding the philosophies of Sanatana Dharma. Sadly, in the current world, such guarded information is readily available at the click of a button!

In this situation, if you truly wish to prevent yourselves from drowning in theology, strive to meet the prerequisites mentioned above. If you aren’t ready for it, you may find these scriptural philosophies making you empty from within and misdirected in the world outside.

If pursuing the “Sadhana Chatushtaya” isn’t your cup of tea, please stick to reading just the Srimad Bhagavad Gita, Puranic scriptures, and the Itihasas — Ramayana and Mahabharata. These were all created for the consumption of the general audience.

Love,
Sri Devi Om