Swadhyaya - Swami Brahmeshananda

Swadhyaya or study of scriptures, holy books and noble literature is greatly stressed in all religious traditions of the world. The Bhagavad Gita enumerates swadhyaya as one of the austerities of speech—vagmayam tapas (Ch. 17.15). In the Vedic tradition a spiritual aspirant is supposed to read the Vedas everyday: vedo nityamadhiyatam, and never to be careless in study: Swadhyanna pramaditavyam. At the very outset of his ‘Ten Verses for Overcoming Evil Propensities’, the celebrated sage Vidyaranya gives a routine for what scriptures must be studied by a person aspiring to destroy his evil tendencies, in the morning, noon, evening and night. In Jainism, the study of scriptures, swadhyaya, is considered one of the six internal austerities and is clubbed with meditation.

Once Swami Yatiswarananda advised as follows to a disciple: Always try to live at the spiritual level. But it may not always be possible. In that case, live at the intellectual level. If even that is not possible, live at the physical level by remaining engaged in wholesome activity in a spirit of worship to God.

Swami Yatiswarananda has advised us to make such a strong habit of deep study that we must feel uncomfortable if we are not able to study some day. He himself, in his turn, was advised by no less a person than Swami Brahmananda to develop a habit of deep study and to write one article every week.

Swami Saradananda too had advised Swami Nikhilananda to develop a habit of study, for, a time might come when he may not be able to remain always engaged in physical activity due to the incapacity of the physical body.

© "The Vedanta Kesari" (March, 2003) published by Sri Ramakrishna Math, Mylapore, Chennai 600 004. Website: www.sriramakrishnamath.org. Reprinted with permission.

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