Five Principles Pathway to a Powerful, Peaceful, Moral Society: Sri Sri Swayamprakash Sachhidananda Saraswati Swamiji

Bengaluru: His Holiness Jagadguru Shankaracharya Sri Sri Swayamprakash Sachhidananda Saraswati Mahaswamiji of Divyakshetra Hariharapura has called upon people to religiously adhere to the five principles of Pancha Prana to accomplish the dream of a powerful, peaceful and moral society for universal peace and harmony.

Located in a mesmerizing picturesque spot: He took time in an exhaustive interview to discuss in detail the five principles he has been emphasising to a great extent these days. The Divyakshetra Hariharapura is located at the foothills of the mesmerizing Sahyadri mountain range in Hariharapura village of Koppa Taluk in Chikkamagaluru district, Karnataka. According to the legend, Agastya Maharshi did penance and obtained a pratyakshadarshanam of Sri Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy in Hariharapura.

Make utmost utility of the human life: His Holiness Jagadguru Shankaracharya Sri Sri Swayamprakash Sachhidananda Saraswati Mahaswamiji says, our forefathers have always been pleading with us to make the utmost utility of this unique human life and ensure that we must live to the fullest extent possible to make it a meaningful life. Thanks to God for bestowing upon all of us the extraordinary discretionary power, which we all should make the best use of it and at the same time for whatsoever reasons we should never waste.

A living according to the five principles: If you ask how one can lead a meaningful life, our rishi munis have been vocal about the same since time immemorial. They have called upon human beings to make a living according to the five principles of life. As we are all social animals, just prospering and thriving in an individual capacity alone is not a solace to salvation. Along with his well-being and progress, one should also strive for the betterment of the family, society, country and the universe. To accomplish all these goals, one should also adhere to the age-old moral values, and family customs to do justice to his duties. That is why our ancestors have stressed the following measures:

*Individual progress.
*Well-being of the family.
*Social responsibility.
*Development of the country.
*Overall welfare of the universe.
Human life can attain totality only if one adheres religiously to the above five principles.

Personal upliftment: The first principle is personal upliftment, while there are two aspects involved with it and the first one is materialistic progress. Philosophical development is the second aspect. Only if both these factors are given due importance, there is a possibility of accomplishing the intended goals while consistent efforts are a must to achieve the desired goals. To experience an everlasting truth one should strive incessantly by way of controlling sensual pleasures, mind, thinking, arrogance, distraction and breath.

The well-being of the family: If we feel we have been doing well on the personal front means we need to be grateful to our father and mother, members of the family and relatives. We should never forget their dedication, sacrifice and contribution in enabling us to fulfil our desires, ambitions and goals. Hence, maintaining and preserving family traditions and values should be accorded the topmost significance. Along with the same, it is equally important to ensure that our children and the subsequent generations are also in sync with the age-old practices and traditions which are meant not just for self and family but for the welfare of the whole mankind.

Social responsibility: If we think of sipping Coffee early in the morning we need to be grateful to a variety of people for the same. For instance, we are indebted to five people. Maybe, many of us have forgotten the fact that our very existence is dependent upon the efforts of several other human beings who have been toiling every moment relentlessly. We may be in possession of monetary gains but money is not everything. Let us think of drinking Coffee early in the morning. We drink Coffee in a cup, where does the cup come from; some workers would have worked in a factory to do that. Coffee powder is a result of the efforts of the farmers, milk is again given by the farmers, Sugarcane is again given by the farmers and the LPG gas might have come from somewhere. Just imagine drinking Coffee and all the people who have been contributing to the same. Hence, we owe even our small pleasures to society to a great extent. We should never forget our social responsibility and give it a try to be of help to society in whatever way possible to repay. In case we are not able to contribute to the well-being of the society, at least we must ensure that nothing wrong is done to the society and fellow beings.

Development of the country: Our forefathers have been talking for so long that many of us may not be good-looking to the outside world but that doesn't mean we need not be beautiful internally. All such people will definitely be contributing to the well-being of fellow beings in whatever way possible. So, if you ask where the societal well-being lies it lies nowhere else but in the hearts of every living being. A society can really prosper only if every living human being in it becomes large-hearted enough to be of some help to fellow beings.

The overall welfare of the universe: Mother and Mother Earth are equated with heaven in our customs. The saying also means Mother and Mother Earth are of much more significance than heaven. Lord Sri Ramachandra also advocated the same which we should never forget. We must make a living in accordance with the development of the country in whatever way possible by giving our precious time to the welfare of society, the country and the world. We also believe in the concept of Vasudaiva Kutumbakam and Sarve Jana Sukhino Bhavantu which are unique to Indian philosophy and way of life practised for lakhs of years. This is the greatest contribution of Indian culture to the world and we should enrich our lives by truly living in words and spirits in these directions.

-Manohar Yadavatti