147 - What is Shastram? | Swami Tattwamayananda

21st verse: “There are three gates to a hellish life – hellish conditions created from our own actions. These three gates are lust, anger and greed (kamah, krodhah, lobhah). These three should be abandoned.”<br /><br />Every wrong action has desire or lust as its source. Once we have a desire, we direct our senses and energy to fulfill that desire. Not all desires are fulfilled. When the desire remains unfulfilled, we become angry. And then there is endless greed.<br /><br />22nd verse: “The genuine spiritual seeker, who has gone beyond these three gates, who is free from lust, anger and greed, he does things that are good for himself and others. He does not see distinction between himself and others. What is good for him will naturally be good for others.”<br /><br />23rd verse: “Those who act under the impulse of desire and ignore the fundamental principle – to act in accordance with shastram – they will not attain perfection, they will not attain happiness, and they will not reach their spiritual destination.”<br /><br />The literal, dictionary meaning of shastram may be science and theological scriptures. The true spiritual meaning of shastram is that which helps us conduct our life without desire, greed and anger. Shastram is that which helps us conduct our life in such a way that it becomes a blessing for ourselves and others.<br />24th verse: “Therefore this shastram should be your pramanam (authority) in ascertaining what ought to be done and what ought not to be done.”<br /><br />Shastram also means spiritual heritage, accumulated spiritual wisdom, and teachings of great men and women who helped humanity preserve its values. Shastram is the totality of the best elements of human civilization.<br />Civilization was able to preserve those best elements, that sanctity, that tradition because the exponents of these values had no selfish desire, no anger, and no greed.<br /><br />Bhagavata Purana has the following verse: “When honey bees go from one flower to another, whether it is a tiny or big flower, they