Two ways to approach life — श्रेयस्, प्रेयस्
The propitious and the pleasing
In sanAtana dharma, there is no division of good and bad. We do not have a good way and a bad way of life. Life is life. The options to approach it are left to the individual. They are described by the Lord of Death — “Yama” in kaThOpanishat.
It was an interesting discussion between nachikEta, a young boy who wants to attain the eternal, and the lord of death who terminates the life span of beings. When nachikEta asks for eternal and supreme bliss as a boon, Lord Yama offers him a lot of worldly wealth and enjoyments. But nachikEta rejects the offer saying that all those worldly enjoyments and wealth are temporary. He persists in his wish to attain eternal bliss.
“Sreyas and preyas are the two options every individual eternally have; Having taken a closer examination of these two, the ‘discriminating one’ chooses the path that leads to eternal good (called Sreyas) and others take the path that is pleasing (preyas) and thereby come to me repeatedly again and again.” Said Yama, the Lord of Death.
Sreyas, looks to be difficult to tread, leads to higher and higher realms of prosperity leading to the eternal. The real wealth which is not lost with the falling of the body is attained by the path of Sreyas.
Preyas on the other hand looks pleasing to take but eventually leads to temporary fulfillment of finite desires. All that attained in the path of preyas will be lost at the event of death.
So, the choice ultimately left to the individual having understood the implications of taking each of those approaches to life.
Choose your path wisely….
Inspiration to this post: (Added on 7th aaradhana of Swami Virajeshwara Saraswati on 13th June 2021)
