What sacrifices have you made in life?

Sacrifice has been considered to play a very important role in human life. In fact, we have to sacrifice our first breath to take the second breath. Sacrifice is not just an act, but it is an emotion. It separates us from worldly attachment and also becomes decisive in the development of our personality. It is said in the Shanti Parva of Mahabharata that ‘there is no happiness like sacrifice.’ Swami Ramtirth also says that ‘there is no other power in this world except sacrifice.’ Not only humans but even God himself could not achieve fame and glory without sacrifice. The name of Lord Shri Ram is considered supreme as the epitome of sacrifice. Respecting his father’s orders, Lord Ram gave preference to going to the forest by renouncing the kingdom. Before stepping towards exile, he was just Ram, but after the completion of exile, he became famous as Maryada Purushottam. The person who can sacrifice his happiness for the benefit of others rises above the ordinary man and becomes a great man. Only such great men become the means of welfare of society, country and creation.

I have also sacrificed some things in my life. First of all, pride. If a man has to sacrifice in this era, then the biggest sacrifice should be of his ego. Only that man is simple by nature who always desires to acquire knowledge. Many times, under the influence of ego, a person insults elders, saints, and Brahmins. Ego is the main reason for the destruction of a man’s life. Sacrifice of ego is the biggest sacrifice in life.

Another sacrifice – I stopped imitating other people. Earlier I used to get sad sometimes looking at others. A person’s life is his own, he has to decorate it himself. We cannot live by imitating others. In society we have to spend some time with others but when we are in our home, then only our mind is with us. At that time we get the support of our sadhana only. And when we have to live with the sadhana of our mind then why should we not make our mind such a Kalpavriksha, such a Kamadhenu, that the thoughts of our life can become fertile.

The third thing I renounced was lying. Although I used to lie sometimes, there was one time when I felt very embarrassed because of it. That is why I believe that everyone should act in life according to truth and faith.

The fourth thing I renounced was greed. Because only the right balance of enjoyment and sacrifice enables a man to attain worldly happiness and spiritual bliss. Our Vedic Rishi culture also preaches the balance of enjoyment and sacrifice. Greed binds a man and sacrifice paves the way to salvation. Excessive involvement in pleasures makes a man’s thinking selfish and petty.

To renounce anything in life does not only mean to deny material pleasures. Suppressing the emotions arising in the mind, the restlessness of the mind and all kinds of desires is also a kind of sacrifice.