A less known but important responsibility

Responsibility – a word that starts bothering everybody as the age progresses and becomes intense after having family and assuming professional positions that demand greater responsibilities of making tough decisions and carrying on operations and delivering results efficiently and on time.

The scope of responsibilities, for most of the time, is known to span family, profession and civic duties. Yes, it is very true. The duties towards all these are of high priority and have to be performed diligently. However, there is also a greater responsibility for every human being. This responsibility is usually less known and it gets less attention. And that is - maintaining the name of the lineage that one belongs to and helping ancestors to progress and liberate through the bonds of birth and death. They say that a person, whether man or woman, can, by their devotion, help their ancestors, from past 42 generations, to achieve consummation and to liberate from bonds of birth and death.

To execute this responsibility one need not do any gigantic task. What is needed is devotion to Guru who is a form of Lord Dattatreya. Shri Gurucharitra, storybook of Guru of Gurus, was written by Shri Saraswati Gangadhar. It is considered as fifth veda by Maharashtrians. It is an authentic book that explains duties for men and women.

Reading these stories with devotion is in itself a service to Guru. However, reading of Shri Gurucharitra has some restrictions. A strict routine observing control on thoughts and action is needed while reading Gurucharitra. To simplify this requirement Shri Vasudevanand Saraswati aka Tembe Swami summarized Gurucharitra in Saptashati Gurucharitra Saar so that it can be conveniently read or listened to by all. Reading or listening to the stories in this book purifies the mind and puts one on the path of liberation.

One who wishes liberation for self and their ancestors should consider reading, or listening to narration, of this book with utmost devotion.