Sreyas (Good) and Preyas (Pleasant)

Ishwara (God) is there in all the living beings. He is the wire puller in all living beings. He makes the body undergo various trail and tribulations, which actually are a result of merits of the accumulated actions (prarabdham). The body may have to bear insults or praises, live in poverty etc. The life in the body is there until it undergoes all the merits of the accumulated actions that are in store. Once the body is done with destiny(prarabdham) the life moves out.

Ishwara (God) is the adhipathi (ruler) in all beings. The Upanishads contain various hymns and chanting of sages. It is Ishwara (God) who has given them this knowledge. The sages could not contain it to just themselves, they wanted to share. So, they poured their experiences out that are chronicled in the Upanishads.

Bhagawan Ramana Maharishi came to know about death. Again, it is Ishwara (God)who gave him the knowledge of death. Ishwara (God)took over his speech, and through him propounded good words.

These days there are rare people interested in gaining spiritual knowledge. All the time is spent on acquiring worldly pleasures just for the stomach. The sages have propounded the adhyatma (full knowledge of the self) in these Upanishads. They have said people are not interested in spiritual matters. Prayo marga indriyam and sreyo marga are the two goals. One has to discriminate between the two and choose the right one. Working for worldly pleasures and goals is known as prayo marga indriyam (means constant desire to increase wealth). But sreyo marga is that which leads a person to a higher state and ultimately dips in unlimited happiness.

You worship Goddess Laxmi. She not only satisfies your material wants but also gives you spiritual knowledge. All your efforts fall under two categories: preyas and sreyas. Upanishads describe sreyas (good) and preyas (pleasant) are two different purposes that bind a person. Therefore, there is a need to differentiate between the two. The person who prefers preyas will not progress towards life’s ultimate goal but will be pleased enjoying worldly pleasures. Pleasures are always sense-bound. But sreyas is that which leads a person to ultimate happiness, which is the goal of life. So, one should be able to differentiate between sreyas and preyas.