Ati Sarvartra Varjayet

 Ati Sarvartra Varjayet

This Sanskrit phrase translated into English means excess of anything should be avoided. How very true but so difficult to maintain by human beings. We are creatures of passion and passion leads to excess whether in love, pleasure, violence, hate or even food. Yes we are also creatures of logic but how many times do we let logic prevail over passion. 

So human race has seen so many invasions done for money, murders for love, hate crimes and even gluttony. Yes I consider that an excess too. 

Ancient wisdom taught us to use moderation in everything, to maintain a balance between pleasure and work, to find what Buddha called Madhyam Marg or balanced way of life. 

We are ambitious, intelligent and courageous. The human spirit is indomitable. That is why we made such progress in science and technology, we built gigantic monuments like pyramids 3000 years ago, we even conquered space. Because we are passionate but this same passion created immense misery for people who were subjugated after an invasion of their land, their homes devastated and more important their culture destroyed. We even had hundred years of holy wars where two religions fought for supremacy on land. 

So should we stop being passionate? Stop our continuous struggle to improve our life? Not at all but we can control our tendency to overdo things. Maintain a balance between zeal and apathy, love and lust, work and pleasure, even between enjoying food and being a glutton. That is in fact a topic for another blog. 

This phrase has so many aspects that it’s difficult to discuss in one blog but I would love to hear if you indulge in any excess or you have conquered any? For me food is my weakness and I often overeat though I balance it with fasting once every week. 

Do you think we should take this discussion further? Please share

Your thoughts.

Be happy and safe. 

So be it !!!