This extensive study of true self against the backdrop of Ancient Hindu Literature or Sanathana Dharma brings out some cardinal principles which are of great value for our everyday lives. Ancient texts of the Hindus are by no means just philosophical theories and metaphysical speculations. They contain eternal truths, based on life experiences and deep spiritual expeditions of our ancient Rishis. They cover the summum bonum or the greatest or supreme good, the ultimate goal of human life.

To know Thyself is a spiritual study. Although religions have accepted and advocated it, the Guru Parampara Diksha Mantra as such is beyond all religions. Journey towards knowing the self is a prayer for everyone. Spirituality is not something that distances itself from worldly life. It can be a guide to practical living. It has the force and strength to enrich our lives and keep us on the path of bliss and enlightenment. In this chapter, we will be listing out the invaluable principles of good living that Sanathana Dharma espouses. We shall be recounting the key lessons and takeaways from our ancient texts and their interpretations and elucidations by great masters, Indian and Western.

 Men and women are the crown jewels among God's creations. They are obviously the most evolved of all species. They are meant to lead a life that is much more meaningful than that of animals and other creatures. Unlike the animals, humans are born to achieve much more than mere eating, drinking, sleeping and procreating.

 Men and women are not only rational and intellectual beings, they are also essentially divine beings. Apart from body, mind, intellect and ego, they are endowed with an essential divinity. Human birth is accorded prime significance: Jantunam Narajanma Durlabham - to be born a human is indeed a great privilege.

 The scriptures exhort men and women to lead a holistic life. A holistic life is the life comprising of three components- physical, material and spiritual. Physical life means taking care of one's bodily health. Material life means enjoying creature comforts and worldly objects. Spiritual life means mind control, getting a hold on the sense organs and seeking out enlightenment and the higher purpose of life.

 Spirituality does not mean renouncing everything and departing to the jungles and mountains for doing penance and meditation. The texts make it clear that spiritual life does not mean running away from family, society and worldly responsibilities. It means living with full awareness and enjoying material and physical objects. It means a fine balance between material and physical pre-occupations and spiritual pursuits.

 Ancient Seekers of Sanathana Dharma were not all ascetics and sanyasis. They believed in leading a complete life, a life full of responsibilities and its attendant trials and tribulations. They lived their lives amidst society and yet sought out the meaning of life. What they have written and advocated is not based on a life of renunciation and solitude, but instead on their experiences of a holistic life.

 Worldly material life and spiritual life are not mutually exclusive. It is not choosing between this or that. There is nothing wrong in seeking a good, comfortable life. What is essential to strike a fine balance between various objectives and pursuits. Everyone can and should follow some kind of spiritual discipline even as he or she goes about his or her worldly pursuits.

 The ancient texts do not advocate total abstinence and staying away from all material comforts. One should not lead a life of depravity by shunning the good things in life. The world of objects, material wealth and the goodies of nature are there for everyone to enjoy. Desires and human wants constitute the motor force of every human endeavor. Men and women must work hard and create, nurture and enjoy wealth. At the same time, one must lead a life of balance and restraint

.  There is a lot more to life than frenetically running after desires, attachments, benefits, riches and the like. Material comforts and worldly objects are no doubt essential for a good life. Yet, spending one's entire life in acquiring and accumulating riches and material objects should not be the be-all and end-all of every human being. The sacred texts exhort people to come out of the "I-Me-Mine" kind of possessiveness.

 It is wrong to believe that spiritual pursuits should be taken up at old age, towards the end of one's life. Grey hair, a set of dentures and a walking stick are certainly no pre-conditions for doing a bit of prayers, worship, contemplation and meditation. Spirituality does not necessarily mean spending long hours in meditation and contemplation ignoring worldly pursuits and preoccupations.

 Spirituality means being aware that every person is divine. It means being conscious of the larger purpose of life. It means taking time off the daily rigmarole to spend some time with oneself. It does not necessarily denote seeking out God somewhere outside. It means exploring one's inner self.

 Spirituality means shutting oneself from the cacophony of worldly chatter and going in search of inner peace. It means an effort to stop chasing material objects and to take off on a voyage of self-discovery. It means exploring the world within ourselves. It means taking a little time off every day to discover our true self.

 Spirituality and religion are two different concepts. Religion is a matter of faith in a particular God. It means attachment to a particular religious order. Religion implies your external acts and a public posture. One professes his or her religious attachment by praying at temples, churches and mosques, participating in rituals and ceremonies, worshipping idols, wearing bodily marks and appropriate dresses and visiting pilgrim centers.  Spirituality, as distinct from religion, is a private and personal affair. It does not show off. It is not attachment and conformity. On the contrary, it denotes an inward journey and implies seeking an innate bliss.

 Spirituality does not involve following a fixed prescribed path. As per the Sanathana Dharma scriptures, one can choose the path depending upon his or her temperament and conviction. It can be a path of devotion, path of meditation, path of knowledge or path of action, or a combination of these. That means it offers 'different strokes for different folks'.

 Spirituality is communion with the Supreme Being, a God of one's choice. Rather, it is a communion with that Supreme Power that lies within every being. The goal and purpose of human life is to realize the divinity that lies within us.

 God Supreme resides in the cave of every human heart. Call it Brahma, Isvara, Narayana, Atma Rama or Atman. That is what Jesus Christ said, The kingdom of heaven is within you". That is why the human heart is called Brahmapuri, abode of the Lord. The ultimate aim of human life is to seek and realize that God Supreme who lies in every human heart. That is the mukthi marga or the way to salvation.

 The God Supreme, according to holy texts, is not a God in the religious or conventional sense. The Vedic God is not a He or a She with a form, face and attributes. This God Supreme is the God Principle, the Ultimate Truth or Realization. This God is not a He or She, but It. It is the Supreme Power that drives the world and impels all beings to live and act.

 This Supreme Power dwells in every being as Atmajyoti, the Inner Light. To see the Atmajyoti and perceive this Inner Light is to become a Self-Realized person, to achieve Pure Consciousness, to understand the Ultimate Truth and to become unified with the Divine Supreme.

 When that happens, the entire perspective on this worldly life undergoes a change. People get transformed. They become realized, more aware, more informed and enlightened in the true sense of the word. Their outlook is one of Vasudaiva Kutumbakam, the world is my family. They come to be at peace with themselves, fellow beings and the nature around.

 The veil of maya or the world of projection gets lifted. Men and women stop running after vasanas or desires and attachments. They move closer to the God Principle that is described as Sat-Chit-Ananda. Their state is one of Eternal Bliss. God holds them in close embrace. As Vedanta declares, "they will know that by knowing which everything else becomes known"

.  Such spiritual enlightenment, although eminently desirable, is no overnight happening. To attain that state one must inculcate certain spiritual discipline from the early age. It is a step-by-step journey. As one climbs higher and higher, one becomes more informed, more enlightened and of course, more blissful.

 The journey should begin early. A bit of prayer, a bit of worship, a bit of reading scriptures, a bit of contemplation and regular practice of meditation is all that it takes to make life much more meaningful and experience the essential divinity that resides in every one of us.

 No special qualifications and preconditions are imposed for a spiritual seeker, except sincerity and commitment. Even a sinner can become a saint. The scriptures do not decry and condemn a wrong-doer, but instead exhort him or her to turn a new leaf and walk the path of virtue and righteousness. And the path itself is not difficult to traverse.

 It is here that mantras, prayers, japa and meditation assume their significance. A spiritual traveler should look out for such prayers and mantras which help him or her in his or her concentration, contemplation and meditation.

 Meditation is one discipline that is of singular importance in man's quest or search for divinity. The texts and spiritual masters all over the world have recognized and advocated it for every man and woman as a part of their daily routine. It helps one cultivate a mind of stillness. It helps one experience that Great Silence that is enormously refreshing and rejuvenating.

 The benefits from regular meditation are manifold. It is known to work beneficially on the physical, mental, emotional and also spiritual planes. Meditation improves the texture of your thoughts. "The you that comes out of meditation is superior to the you that goes in. Regular meditation helps in slowing down the thinking process.

 Mantras are powerful combination of carefully selected words. The combination of words and their prescribed method of chanting make the mantras much more than mere prayers. They permit deep concentration, intense contemplation and regular meditation. The sound vibrations so generated from the chanting of a mantra create an overall beneficial impact on the chanter.

 Scriptures declare that let one mantra be common to the entire mankind- Samano Mantraha. Let there be one universal prayer. That one mantra, prayer hymn is universal well-being which is most subtle mantra of the inner sound of human creation.

 The utmost significance of Guru Diksha Mantra arises from the fact that it is not a mere simple prayer for any physical or material benefit.t is an intense prayer, the highest meditation for the greatest enlightenment and bliss that men and women can aim for.

 All men and women are equal and the Vedic texts declare that men and women belonging to every section in the world have equal access to scriptures, mantras, eternal truths and the fruits of ancient wisdom. There is no justification for any kind of restrictions and exclusions. Not for the Guru Diksha Mantra or any other sacred text.

 Human body is the vehicle for any attainment, spiritual or otherwise. A healthy body with a healthy mind is a sine qua non, a must, for any sadhana or meaningful spiritual pursuit. That is why there is much emphasis on pranayama or proper breathing, yogic exercises, proper food and mind control.

 Good, healthy and Sattwik food as described in the texts is very essential to every person, including a spiritual practitioner. The spiritual traveler should be conscious of what he or she eats, how much he or she eats and what impact it will have on the body. When it comes to right food, both extremes - indulgence and abstinence – are bad and not recommended.

 Mind control is one aspect that has been repeatedly emphasized in spiritual texts all over the world. Without the conditioning of the mind and the control of senses, no attainment is conceivable. Learn to keep your mind calm and free from all kinds of turbulences or disturbances. Not easy, yet absolutely necessary. For, a turbulent mind is a sick mind.

 Men and women have no control over the world outside. Things happen of their own accord. You cannot wish away whatever happens. You can, however, strengthen your mind and learn to cope better when things turn out to be bad.

 In life, there are no truly convincing answers to certain vexed and perplexing questions. Why is a person born poor or weak or deformed? Why do promising people die in the prime of their youth? Why do good and noble persons suffer? Why is there so much misery, hunger, hatred and violence in this world? There is no religion, no science, no philosophy that provides convincing answers. If at all, they are explained away as 'accidents of life' or a 'quirk of fate'.

 Hindu philosophy with its doctrine of Karma and the theory of Re-Birth, tries to provide some answers which though not totally convincing do offer some kind of explanations to the travails and miseries people undergo without seeming to deserve them. It says that one must bear the unpleasant happenings stoically as the effect of actions in the previous birth.

 Human life is a function of cause and effect. You and you alone are responsible for what you enjoy and what you suffer. Whatsoever a man or woman sows, that shall he or she reap. You do good and reap pleasant consequences or do bad things and pay for them, if not in this birth, certainly in your next birth.

 Things from outside cause no harm. It is your feelings and desires which erupt from within, endlessly and insatiably, that are the cause of all harm and misery. Your mind and the evil thoughts that emerge goad you to do undesirable actions and land you in trouble. It is only your mind that breeds lust, anger, hatred, revenge, jealousy, malice, avarice, etc. Control your mind, refine your thought, keep a check on your senses and indulge in righteous action.

 The scriptures accord a position of immense value to awareness, consciousness and knowledge. It is knowledge that purifies, elevates and liberates - Na Hi Jnanena Sadrusham. Nothing is equal to knowledge. The holy texts assign a higher weightage to to jnana or knowledge and contemplation rather than any kind of rituals, ceremonies or offerings.

 If you want to understand what is beyond our mind and intellect, take recourse to the scriptures or holy texts - Shastrameva Sharanam. True knowledge leads to Parisamapthi - the end of your quest. It is the ultimate accomplishment.

 Unlike religion, there is no fixed path in the spiritual journey. Everyone finds the Ultimate Truth his own way. You create the path as you go along. You can have Guru or a master whose hand-holding can only be up to a point. And, Hindu scriptures encourage the seeker to question and ascertain rather than accept everything blindly.

 The scriptures exhort every human being to celebrate life. Human life is a divine gift. It is a wonderful opportunity. Enjoy your communion with fellow beings, fellow creatures and the nature around you. This world of ours is, indeed, splendid.

 Be active in the world of phenomena. Vedas assert that life is to be lived in its fullness. The life of action and service is as much a part of the recommended path as contemplation and the search for higher knowledge.

 The journey from the womb to the tomb is long, fascinating and eventful. People progress from stage to stage in the four stages of their lives - Brahmacharya, Grihastha, Vanaprastha and Sanyasa. Human life has a span of one hundred years and everyone must do what is appropriate at every stage of his or her life and lead a complete, holistic life.

 Vanaprastha and Sanyasa are the last two stages of one's life. That is when abstinence and renunciation are recommended. They come after men and women cross fifty or so. Till then, people have to be a part of this world of objects partaking everyday happenings with a full sense of participation and involvement. Be a good son or daughter, husband or wife, father or mother and useful member of society.

 In this world of turbulence and frenetic activity, always be conscious that peace, contentment and joy are within you. No need to seek them anywhere outside. The kingdom of heaven is within you. Seek real happiness that comes from within. It should not be conditional. Don't tell yourself "If this happens, I will be happy". Learn to be happy, no matter what happens. That is the quintessential message from the texts.

 Service to fellow beings is given high weightage in the scriptures. This body is meant to be used for the benefit or service of those in need. Paropakarartham Idam Shariram. Make it a point to make everyone who comes into contact with you happy. Spread happiness.

 Ancient texts distinguish between momentary pleasure and eternal joy. Pleasure that comes from chasing the objects of the world is transitory and short lived. But the joy that comes from your being in conscious harmony with yourself, your destiny, your fellow beings and the world outside is eternal and incomparable.

 Thoughts make people what they are. Good thoughts lead to good actions and vice versa. And good thoughts can come to us from any source. Keep your mind open and welcome them. That is what the quote from the Rig Veda proclaims - "Let noble thoughts come to us from every side".

 Guru Parampara Diksha Mantra is a profound prayer because it has the power to transform men and women into enlightened, virtuous and blissful individuals. It generates a feeling of well-being. It is a highway to the highest knowledge. It leads the sincere and committed practitioner to Atmajyoti or Inner Light, Brahmajnana or Supreme Knowledge and mukthi or liberation. It paves the way to Good Living.

 Good living is a holistic concept. It means celebrating life. It means living life in full. It is an admixture of physical, material and spiritual components.

• Living in control of our senses and not pursuing desires in a senseless frenzy. It means practicing self-restraint.
• Indulging in good thoughts, good words and good deeds.
• Being aware of the larger purpose of human life and realizing the divinity within every one of us.
• Seeking happiness from within and being in a state of bliss.
• Living in harmony with fellow beings and nature at large.
• Being action oriented and serving the needy people.
• Pursuing knowledge and enlightenment.
• Recognizing the value of eternal truths. For a spiritually enlightened person, every day is a celebration.
• Being aware of the rich treasure of ancient wisdom and deriving its full benefits.
• Recognizing the value of prayers, mantras, contemplation and meditation.

Good living also means making some room in our everyday lives for a profound prayer like the realizing the Self.