Priorities... Priorities...

Post my blog last Sunday, on drinking water, milk and buttermilk at different times daily, my daughter asked me, “In your dictionary, can anything be more important than food?” (with the Chandler intonation!!)

I replied, well, yes! There is this subhashitam that beautifully encapsulates what one's priorities should be in life –

शतं विहाय भोक्तव्यं सहस्त्रं स्नानमाचरेत्।  लक्षं विहाय दातव्यं कोटिंत्यक्त्वा हरिं भजेत्।।

shatam vihay

0:00

It means –

शतं विहाय भोक्तव्यं - Food should be eaten leaving aside a hundred (tasks on hand)

सहस्त्रं स्नानं आचरेत् - One should take a bath (leaving aside) a thousand (tasks)

लक्षं विहाय दातव्यं     - Donations should be given leaving aside a lakh (tasks)

कोटिं त्यक्त्वा हरिं भजेत् - and one should meditate on Hari (Lord) giving up a crore (tasks)

This shloka uses a bit of exaggeration to drive home the order of importance one should give to certain things in one’s life.

Nourishing the body is important; so even if you have too many things on your hand that need to be completed, don’t compromise on eating properly at regular intervals.  Always find time for nourishing your body as well as mind.

More important than nourishment, is “Hygiene”. Keep a thousand things on hold if you must, but take a bath – cleanse yourself internally and externally – through bathing, yoga, pranayama and basic hygiene routine like cutting hair, nails etc

What’s more important than these two? Something that should be done giving up a lakh of other things that you need to do is “Donation”. With humility about what you have received, pay it forward! Always be a giver – be it money or material things, your time, something in kind, one good turn, few words of solace, and so on. Know that it is worth ignoring a lakh other jobs demanding your attention.

Is there anything that is even more important than “Giving” that should always be done without fail? Yes, Hari-bhajan or prayer. In other words, meditate! Meditation is a good means to have some “me” time, reflect, and surrender. It helps you progress towards being a Seer (द्रष्टा) as against a Doer (कर्ता).

Thus, for a life filled with health, happiness and contentment, go ahead and socialize, play, work, run, dream, build, fall, study, toil all you must, but find time for having your meals on time, maintaining good hygiene, engaging in selfless giving and meditation!