Spirituality Articles

SPIRITUAL EDUCATION - (Meaning, Need And Impact)

2011-10-29T12:36:00.000+05:30

“Na Jane Insaan Ki Haalat Kya Ho Gayi Bhagwan,
Kitna Badal Gaya Insaan.”

The above lines in Hindi say, “O God, not known, as to why the condition of man has so worsened that he is totally changed.”

One wonders as to why, in the present era, our values of life have degraded so much though we have advanced enough in scientific fields .Is it not true that many luminaries and successful persons including industrialists ,now and in the past, are/ were not highly academically qualified? They are/ were men of profound wisdom and caliber, morally sound, disciplined, well nurtured, firm belief/ faith in God, determined/ spirited, men of equanimity, endurance and hard work. They reached the summit of their goal of whatever they dreamt. They were neither masters of trickery or deception. A wise and very successful person like Henry Ford of Ford Motor Company said, ‘ Enthusiasm is the yeast that makes your hopes shine to the stars. It is the sparkle in your eyes, the swing in your gait, the grip of your hands, and the irresistible surge of will and energy to execute your ideas.’ One gains all these qualities and morals and ethics with firm faith in God and spiritual education/ knowledge and understanding. All sorts of media ( with illicit news and views ), wrong type of education, wearing skimpy and revealing clothes, drug addiction and consumption of food ( causing obesity, diabetes and heart diseases etc. ) have adversely affected our younger generation. It is deeply felt that only spiritual knowledge can make our life harmonious by blending it with scientific education. Our sectarian outlook has further shattered our lives.

Spiritual education is to develop the ability to delve deeper, expose and exalt/ surge the divinity inherent/ entrapped in human being. It is like an internally taken medicine to cleanse him of his vices. It raises the level of mind to such an extent where worldly enormities get sunk and divinity strengthens the mind and intellect. It enhances, step by step, the realization and severity of peace, thoughts and pure values resulting in total transformation. Spiritual education affords to convert our entire energy into positive, refined and constructive actions. Its effect is not visible in the form of worldly commodities but it becomes means of flow of bliss.

To stem the rot, our old tradition of Guru/ Shishya( Mentor/ Disciple ) education comes to our mind when it was considered a most difficult but important task to remove ignorance and learn about civilization with the help of a True Master. As the views expressed by some educationists and appeared in “ The Times of India” dated September 30,2010, the values learnt in the present-day schools do not work in real life. They quoted these views of Bill Gates ( a school drop-out), Chairman of Microsoft and Robert Fulghum ,an American author who learnt all his values in kindergarten. They concluded that over the years the values imbibed in a child are dependent on cultural influences and family background .Is it not true that many wealthy philanthropists gave a part of their wealth to the needy society, by many ways like charity and education etc. to keep balance by maintaining middle path? It is also sadly reported in the same press on March 31,2009 that in UK over 100,000 Christians sought de-baptism due to non-belief in God. It is beyond doubt the spirituality surpasses religion which is like a steppingstone only.

It is to remind as to what Lord McCauley, the architect of British Domination in India said about India, before the British came to India, that it was not possible to conquer India unless they broke her deep-rooted morality, ethical conduct and the bond amongst all religions. The British succeeded through their” Divide and Rule” policy and by exploiting our weaknesses including different religions.

In the light of above, it is very pertinent to impart spiritual education to the children who can be molded to the right direction at the right moment at the young/ virgin age. Unfortunately, presently they are in the habit of making girl/ boy friendship and also opting for living relationship even before tying the nuptial knot at unripe age which is very dangerous and unhealthy for the society. All life is for receiving proper education and we are still not perfect. We are ignorant of ourselves, our spirit and cosmos. That is why we require spiritual knowledge and how to connect ourselves with Supreme God and His creation. Nowadays people are always demanding something from God without ever thanking Him or pray to Him in fear psycho. It manifests selfish motive. They do not know that God always fulfills the right desires of His ardent devotees without asking.

Before proceeding further, let us know what is good or bad, wrong and right as this topic is also worth discussing for spiritual aspirant. It depends upon one’s quality of mind. One wise man said, “when you are doing something and you fear that someone is watching you, you should not do that thing as it is labeled as wrong.” In the same way, while doing something when your conscious does not permit you as the same carries bad results, you should avoid to do that thing. Swami Vivekananda said, “Anything done in selfishness is bad and the one done with selfless motive is good.” It is not known as to why people, in the whole world, are fighting in the name of religion when the result in the shape of destruction and fear is before them which is also haunting badly due to upheavals taking place .In fact, such people are cruel/ brute and not godly. The education reforms are badly needed at this juncture. Also there is an acute crisis of spiritual leadership/ mentor for guidance in real sense everywhere. Our life is incomplete, unsuccessful and wilting without them.

The spiritual person knows the art of living and purpose of life. He will defend and protect his religion, culture and human values. He is a great motivator and being calm and composed is an embodiment of non-violence and magnanimity. He bears no enmity with anyone, of any religion, caste or creed or country and of high and low status. He is of acumen personality and will not fight over trifling matters. He will remove all sorts of ignorance and lighten up the burden of heavy hearts of others with real knowledge. He is transparent and like an open book. He eats proper nutritious food to keep his body and mind balanced and healthy.

Spiritual education makes one humble, obedient, simple, truthful, trustworthy, daring; an acme of etiquettes with morals and ethics; theist, straight forward, aspirant, precocious person, far-sighted, equanimous, of top-notch values, a productive citizen, confident, virtuous, helpful, vigourous, receives plaudits from all, can cap his emotions/ tempers, not traversing or ingresses upon his limits, takes a lofty attitude, becomes a divine figure, becomes a person of gritty determination. He is free from many ailments with no anger and animosity. He remains fearless, gets sound sleep, increases his will-power, does not lead sedentary life and not be obstinate.

Apart from above said qualities he obtains an insight and is a deep thinker and a personage of knowledge and will utilize, in the best possible way, the splendid moments of life. He will spread the message of brotherhood, love and amity in the whole world. He can heal and caress the people even with human touch and benediction. He feels pleasure even in sufferings/ predicament. He is contented with his possessions.

The students are an asset and hope of the nation/world. The institutions churning spirituality leaning students along with their academic qualifications will enhance their as well as our values and status in furthering the overall development of the nation. We should bear in mind that human life is a unique and rare gift from God and thus we should make proper use of it. With spiritual studies and understanding it does not take much time for the aspiring student to know the reality that God is Supreme and pervades everywhere. Such a student will resign his fate to the will of God. India is still a fore-runner in the whole world as far as spiritual knowledge is concerned though we have fallen back a lot. By instilling and implanting the seeds of all virtues the True Master will lift-up the student in the society.

The student with best spiritual and humanistic education with full of noble and social ideas will turn out to become a diehard social reformer. He will be like a smiling and rocking flower exuding fragrance of love, peace and brotherhood in every corner of the globe. Flowers also feed the soul, being a part of Nature, and he will drink the nectar extracted from all the fragrant blooming flowers of spirituality and efface his all wrong doings. Synthesis of science and religion can make our life comfortable, fearless, peaceful and pious. May spiritual education flourish all over .

Self cleansing for Spirituality

2011-10-29T12:30:00.000+05:30

All religions teach us the importance and imbibing virtues and hence religion conversion does not solve the problem to transform a person. Some people think that visiting the places of pilgrimages or taking bath in holy rivers/streams will wash away our sins. Such acts will only change our moods but cannot reform us as these are mere rituals. The moral and spiritual values are on the wane, recklessly. It seems as if we are sitting on the keg of explosives. To get rid of our problems it is pre-requisite to weed out our vices. We are tossed violently in the wilderness and our life energy is sapped/ drained because of uncertainties and we may be battling the monsters of every kind within ourselves. Bible says that we are living in “the last days” of the present world. The present era would be marked by warfare, disease, famine, earthquake and a breakdown in society. In short, this world, like a foundering ship, is about to sink! To transform for betterment, we should have yearning, determination, discipline and spirit of self-sacrifice through service of mankind. We have to ignite the fire of spirituality and be prepared to undergo blazing heat of vices. The present high paced and burgeoning life has exacerbated many problems. So, we have to clean up our life, full of defilements of vices and adversities of rough times.

God or purity dwells in one’s body. It is, therefore, very necessary to, first, cleanse our inner body as cleansing acts like a score mark/tick mark and cheer about in our life. Every thought, good or bad, emanates first in our mind and if we do not control the unstable (delirium state) mind the situation will take ugly shape. Once controlled and cleansed, it will result in inner glow. Also if we don’t control our sense organs properly, like Rishi Vishwamitra who succumbed to Maneka’s charm, we will earn the agony and displeasure of God. If we go near God and taste His nectar He will help to bring us out of crises/ pangs of distress.

Even the medical doctors give us bitter dose of Neem etc. or advise administration of enemas to cleanse/ overhaul us to purge our inner dross. There is also a dire need of undertaking arduous penance and striving to cleanse ourselves just like the clothes are cleansed in a laundry. Here there is a great need to quote what Sadhvi(monk) Ritambra said citing an example: the sea once asked the river, “why are you meeting me every now and then without any gains as you are full of sweet water whereas I am of brackish one.” The river replied, “I will go on meeting you till I make you also sweet.” Such should be our attitude towards others that our virtues reflect upon/ mirror and leave some dent upon the life of others. At the same time we should become one/ converge, like river with sea, with God and lead harmonious life.

Vices retard our growth and progress in right direction and hence we should not allow them to be the masters of our body and overtake us. Due to several dirty habits we will experience withdrawal from life as they do not lose grip on us so easily. We should have determination to quit them at once. Craving for amassing wealth, materials, and attached forms beyond needs, is insatiable appetite and such desires should be shed off in time to avoid burden later on. These are transitory, illusory and not ever lasting but cause bondage. Our intake of passionate, titillating and untailored food will make our body a breeding ground for all sorts of ills and ailments. Don’t swallow the poison of anger, greed, lust and hatred to become agonized and arrogant but keep such vices at bay as these turn the victim into ashes. Gambling, smoking, drug and alcohol abuse and illicit desires will tempt, pollute/ make murkier, mislead and turn us an addicted person. Alcohol impairs our nerves and faculty of judgment. It may advance our ageing process also. We may fall prey to schizophrenia disease which badly affects and victimizes us from mental disorder involving failures of perception and withdrawal from reality like loneliness etc. Instead of riddance from ills by calming down or coping with anxiety etc., through meditation etc., some people exhume or drown themselves in drinks, pain relievers, sedatives, stimulants and tranquilizers, cocaine, sneaking pills etc. which further cause asthma, heart/ kidney problems and depression etc. Don’t go by the advice of addicted persons who have, generally, vested interest. They will advocate fallacy to give weightage/ importance to their own views.

Apart from above, we should cleanse ourselves from the defilements of adultery, vengeance, jealousy, theft, falsehood, lust, untruth, likes/ dislikes, deception, plunder, murder, slaughter in the name of sacrifice, reacting over the mistakes of others, suicidal thoughts (which is shirking from responsibility), ego (eradication results in flexibility) and words laced /smeared with sarcasm or use of disparaging words or slight as these act as blockade for growth or relationship and spirituality. Never hurt, tease or cheat the underprivileged/ poor and weak/ helpless or harbor ill will as their curse will have very bad effect on the perpetrator.

While it is desired to remove vices from our life, it is also necessary to imbibe virtues to give impetus for purposeful and sublime life. The virtues act as borax does to gold to purify and make it peerless. Purity cannot be achieved with a desire for power, name and fame but by serving the mankind with pure love. The ‘Sufi’ who is pure achieves with knowledge of outer and inner life. Austerities wash away our sins and the virtues set our lives on right path and make amends. Shri Rama was an ideal man of higher status abiding morals, ethics and virtues. People envy the traits of Lord Rama, even now. If we control our senses, nothing will disturb or irritate us. Lord Shiva subdued his anger of poison within himself instead of spreading to others. One should know the art of tolerance, adjustment and of satisfaction in contentment.

The following virtues also make our life beautiful, being antidote against vices: Love, faith, hope, peace, compassion, atonement, non-violence, destress, renouncement and piousness etc.

There are certain other activities which aid and help us to achieve spirituality and improve health. Music helps in quieting our nervous system and communion with God and mystical love due to performing ‘Kirtanas’. Divine blissful music and singing paeans glorifies God. Dance helps to reduce our high blood-pressure. Dance also tones up our muscles and improves posture and loss of body weight/ fat and relief from all sorts of pains. Trance helps in controlling all sorts of our sense organs, especially mind. Skipping meals, very often, reduces the risk of diabetes and heart attack and cleanses our internal system. By performing ‘Havanas’ (sacrificial fires) the fire cleanses the environment, chanting potent hymns and verses from three Vedas (Rig, Sama and Yajur) give exalted effect and ward off evils.

Someone has rightly said as to how many moths have lost their life to know the secret—whether the lamp is for burning itself or for burning others. In the same way we have to burn ourselves in the scorching and blazing heat to know and realize God. To sanctify our life, we have to repent arduously for our wrong doings and make amends. Beseeching Lord for help bears fruit. One does not get peace and enlightenment in the crooks and recesses of mountains. It is not possible to achieve our goal without the help of True Master who is harbinger of God, a guide, crusader, a touchstone, and herald of spirituality and against social evils and a rejuvenator as well. He will lift-up our spirits and provide succor during difficult times. He will act as a rudder in the hand of a boatman (life boat) whose boat is sinking in the ruffled waters and will take him to the banks safely across the river (of life).Also one can gain fruits of spirituality if one reads spiritual literature, attends divine congregations and debates of holy people. These acts will prove like adding cherry to ice cream.

After cleansing ourselves, we should realize that we are the product of God, fully soaked, rinsed and dried in His hue. We will take an upright path and imbibe/ adopt humbleness by repeatedly doing noble deeds. Don’t forget that even Valmiki Rishi was initially a dacoit/ plunderer and due to making amendments/ chastity became Rishi (sage) and penned down holy Ramayana. On cleansing, waste (vices) is to be burnt and buried deeply, never to show its face again. When inner self is cleansed we know the real purpose of our life and our self-esteem gallops. Our relationships and understandings will improve as by this time we know that we have to, ultimately, leave everything in this world which is finite.

The end result is that we will kiss the threshold of Lord and make it easy to enter His corridors and reach altar. If our heart and mind do not change for the betterment with virtues and our inner turbulence does not calm down, being a litmus test, this whole exercise will be considered futile. It is possible that the seeker may be labeled as a cynical by the common man but one’s stature will prop up and surge to formidable heights in the eyes of God to reach eternity. On realization one becomes an ardent believer of monotheism and un- corporeal God but most compassionate and powerful. Our virtues and godly wisdom along with prayers of others and God’s blessings/ benediction come in force yielding results in one’s favour and people say ‘WOW’ in astonishment and praise as we are completely redeemed.

Middle path and it's wonders

2011-10-29T12:26:00.003+05:30

Over-slack the strings are mute,
Over-stretched they snap in twang.

The above lines said by Gautam Buddha about music instrument like a lute/ sitar/ harp /fiddle /guitar /lyre/violin played by plucking its strings are very much true and the same principle applies to our life also. Middle path means neither harsh/ cruel nor loose but a cleverly thought over, without haste, way without causing irritation/ ill-will for anyone. It is a tested, feasible, acceptable and most constructive path for achieving success by human beings. It is only the middle path which holds and controls the entire activities of the world maintaining its dynamism. We are plagued with many vicissitudes of life ( like twister, thunder storms and gusty winds ) and have thus to tread our path very carefully and, sometimes, lie low like a weeping willow tree and avoid arguing with others. Remember that time is swiftly changing. It is also necessary to live life unattached with worldly things in the present crowded and tangled world. It may, sometimes, change one’s usual course and meaning like rowing the boat not in the middle of stream/ river or sea when in spate. On doing contrary to this our boat, may be a life boat, will capsize. Sometimes, in spite of treading middle path, we become helpless against Force Majeure. Therefore, one should never, ever forget Lord Supreme but supplicate for His benediction and favours.

Whenever one is in two minds/ bipolar, opt the middle path to avoid pit-falls. One should not be of disordered mood or personality. It is wisely said that one should tread right path even if it is a lengthy one. If you have to cross a crowded road and none budges to your request for giving way/ access, it is better to pass through the openings of straddled legs of persons carefully and meticulously instead of having any reprisal, creating ruckus or opting bellicose attitude. In the same way the water flowing down, from the peaks of mountains to the planes, escapes many blockages through recesses and crevices, as a middle path. Always; ego, anger, jealousy and hatred come on our way to maintain cordial relations. Our life should not stagnate but go on flowing and growing even by facing the ups and downs firmly and diligently. If you wish to vent out your anger on someone, please show it from outside only, otherwise you will burn your heart and wrench and ruin yourself only. Those who keep their life and behavior in equilibrium are always successful and not shattered.

As the parched soil falls apart widely for want of rain and becomes barren/ infertile and unproductive causing drought and hunger, the same is true due to our strained relations.

Even at home the altercations take place causing rift and flare-ups amongst family members. We suffer this malady with low spirits because of our sheer ego or ignorance for not taking middle and careful path and striking a balance which also upsets the social fabric. Sometimes one has to surrender due to unfavourable circumstances to maintain harmonious relations. One should not create un-necessary phobia (fear) which may take gory shape later on, reaching the point of no return. So, please quench such flames of irritation/ disenchantment with love, harmony and understanding. Love is a unique verb, not simply a word of inaction.

Those who do not choose the middle ways pass through the coarse, thorny and rugged situations of life with bruises of failures and never adjust according to circumstances. Someone may misuse one’s naive and humble habits. So, think well before taking any action. Extremism is equally dangerous and full of gorges and someone may take undue advantage of it. In the fit of anger and enmity we may adopt violent ways or play a tug of war to solve our problems and get more and more entangled and fall prey to someone’s drag-net which is dangerous. It is necessary to strike chords to integrate with society and unite the fractious and devastated people.

Even consumption of food and drinks are to be avoided in extremity as this will make you victim of addiction. Thus control of sense organs is very necessary.

By opting the middle path, one’s life becomes smooth and pleasant. The other gains are calming down/ mollifying the frayed tempers, becoming equipoise, not tumbling down in depression and anxiety, free from laziness and not leading sedentary life but switching to reverberating one. Such a person will not crave for any rewards. He will become an embodiment of love and unity and a sought-after person, not a chutzpah. Due to diligent work he will make a mark and in-roads and feel bludgeoned in many spheres of life. If someone gives wings to his ideas he will soar high in his efforts to achieve goal. Middle path enhances one’s professional competence as well and ultimately, he will bask in the glory all round.

The right path/ action should have consensus of all as far as possible. Some require middle way (hot and cold combined) and skillful language in measured tones to chastise them. Our ways should be balanced with convincing views and devoid of evil designs to win the hearts of others. It is a challenging route to success and one should not go astray while dealing with others. One should control sense organs to let pass the whirlwind of difficult circumstances and leave the result to God whose decisions and other dynamics are difficult to understand and interpret. We should form the habit of tolerance, forgiveness and ignoring. We should avoid curt/ blunt/ repressive and offensive words and instead handle the situations carefully, politely and diplomatically. When we don’t agree with someone but, still, wish to maintain our relations intact, we should use the words, “I agree to disagree.” Sometimes, observance of silence also acts as a middle path as it speaks volumes by itself. Tactical brilliance used by King Poras to Alexander, the Great, to get back his lost kingdom was of great value instead of using placating language or surrender to him in despair/ paranoia/ coercion/ rattling or feel broken. Lord Krishna’s discourse to Arjuna, in battlefield, in the form of Gita was a middle path between the pushes and pulls of Dharma (moral duty) and Adharma or emotional tug of war. Equanimity and its importance (including balancing effects in joy and sorrow) is very much discussed in Gita for God realization—Chapters II, VI, XII, XIV.

They say, “Money makes the mare go,” but in our case it is pure humanity, love and selfless service which act as lubricant for moving the cogs of heavy wheels of life. Mind it that a sharp instrument of love chops down/ prunes many evils of our life. If you have realized that you brought nothing in this world and will take back, absolutely, nothing, you have learnt not only the way of treading middle path but the art of living and meaning of spirituality. You were, simply, dancing on the tunes of Lord Supreme. Spiritual path is not a dilly-dally one but well thought over and safe. Be, always, alert and mindful to take the rightful, moderate and balancing path as directed in scriptures, holy books and by the preceptor/ True Master. If you follow God in faith, He will show you the right and balanced path. By blending the honest, precision balanced, sacred and secular lives we can live harmoniously and in a lively way.

Embrace and drench in Humanism

2011-10-29T12:22:00.001+05:30

Humanism (“Manavta”) is concerned with human welfare (compassion, love, sympathy and kindness) with intelligence, rather than relying on religious belief. One should not live life like wild animals. Humanism shows honour, respect and the spirit dwelling in others. It is like drinking from the fount of wisdom. One cannot achieve humanism unless one rises above religion, reformed completely and imbibes spirituality beyond the intricacies of caste, creed and country etc. Keep in mind that the moments given to us by our Lord are worth living and enjoyable for everyone. The secret of humanity lies in selfless service, sacrifice, love and renunciation for the benefit of all. Someone has rightly said that if you wish to change somebody, change your own attitude towards others first. The deeper that sorrow craves into your being, the more joy you can contain. Kahlil Gibran said, “Is it not the cup that holds your tea the very cup that was burned in the potter’s oven.” Keep in mind that earth has no sorrow that heaven cannot heal.

Our future, in the present era and set-up, is obscure (not known, not clear). We are leading completely desolate (bleak and empty) lives, distressed, disarrayed and lack harmony. The time demands from us to provide some succour to the needy so that they live life with dignity. At the same time we should never make them pawn of kindness and they should not feel insipid (lacking loveliness and interest). Don’t push/ kick anyone to the kerb. You have the right to be picky but pick good, worthy and virtuous things/ deeds. God has given you freedom and faculty to pick good or evil.

Always think that you are special and unique, born to serve others. If you don’t possess precious things to part with the needy, your simple and pure but priceless love in devotion will suffice. It is like redeeming the fallen. Swami Ramdas says, “Love cheerfully sacrifices, love willingly suffers.” If you love others, it shows God’s presence in you. It is to move forward for connecting human race. Love is unique and special gift to give to someone. It heals even the festering wounds. Don’t paralyze your future by ducking the love, sympathy and trust you are supposed to repose in others. You will be breaking your spirits of humanity if you think to remain lone and secluded. Frank Tyger rightly says, “A language of love is spoken with a look, a touch, a sigh, a kiss and sometimes a word.”In the same way we should not harm anyone in any form.

Unless you inculcate and imbibe your own virtuous qualities with, first, self-cleansing the ugly dross of vices in you, you cannot achieve your goal. So, aim high in spiritualism to gain humanity which is the form of worshipping God. One should not be disheartened but remain upbeat in one’s endeavours to achieve goal.

Always share your materials, love and affection with the needy to improve their godly and purposeful life. We should remain detached from so many, un-necessary, worldly objects and not become slaves to them or hanker after them but share them with needy to gain happiness. Reciprocate in kindness whenever somebody’s behavior exceeds the bounds of humanity. Rescue/ extricate those who are in horrible trouble spots and deeply sunk in deficiencies and torments in physical, mental or monetary forms. Help and mitigate the sufferings of the needy, weaker and deprived sections (destitute) of the society, sick and infirm without any sort of discrimination. Also, help in providing food items, education and selfless service. Life flourishes by giving. One who neither gives away in charity nor enjoys wealth simply ruins it.

Humanism will turn you into an ideal person as you live for others. A humanitarian considers the whole world as creation of the Supreme Lord and also His presence in every object. He rejoices in the happiness and welfare of one and all and treats the whole world as his family. Humanity results in orderly and cohesive brotherhood in society. With humanism you touch the lives of many and reach the core of their hearts. Also, you will wash away your own sins, are exalted and set on the foot-steps to Heaven.

It is up to us to leave a legacy of humanism which is worthy for our children to follow. It will also leave a big niche in people’s heart when they die. If you are a true humanist God will never abandon you even if you try to rail against Him in distress. He will overshadow your life. Martin Luther King Jr. said, “Life’s most urgent question is: What are you doing for others.” Doing something good for others means eliminating our own ego. In the same way an Urdu poet said, “God has created us to share our sorrows, otherwise He had no scarcity of angels and heavenly bodies to serve Him.”

The author prays God that the wave of humanism should sweep and epitomize the whole world for better and enjoyable life. One requires a luminary/ thinker/ realized souls like sages and seers/ True Master to show the true path.

Bliss lies in Spirituality

2011-10-29T12:17:00.002+05:30

While religion is one’s way of opting life according to one’s upbringing, thoughts and belief, spirituality surpasses the religion. It is an acme of love and magnanimity towards all without any sort of discrimination, helping the needy, service of mankind and considering the woes of others as one’s own. The spiritual person respects the feelings and religions of all and extends his/ her hands for help beyond borders/ barriers, which are man-made, to expand the realm and growth devoid of all sorts of vices. The true spiritualist will try his/ her best to transform the lives of many to lead better and purposeful life brimming with virtues. All this is not possible without external help for churning our mind and to purge its dross. We are riddled with many vices which act as blockade like boulders for our growth. Here comes the role of a True Master who is harbinger of God, a guide and a crusader of spirituality, and will take upon himself the whole burden of your woes if you repose faith in him and follow his commandments/ walk his talk. Apart from this, one can gain the fruits of spirituality if one reads holy books, attends congregations and debates of holy people.
Opting for spirituality in the present era is like swimming against the tides. It is a path of thorns to be treaded bare-footed. We are tossed in the wilderness. It requires a lot of courage and restraint during the transition period while changing from worldly life to spiritual life. We should not forget that rose flower (king of flowers) adorns thorns also, which helps us to understand for pushing our life further during difficult days. Generally, one opts for spirituality when one is jostled after soaking in some bitter and pricking experiences of worldly life which is full of ups and downs. A worldly person is attracted to the chimera and transitory glamours/ flashes of life whereas a spiritualist does not succumb to them but is rather attracted towards Reality. A worldly person is, very often, intoxicated with his wealth, pomp and show and ego while the spiritual person surrenders to God and leaves his worries and fate in His lap for final verdict. Buddha said, “If you want to sacrifice, sacrifice yourself, your lust and all material ambitions which are un-quenchable.”

During the transformation period you will feel sad, dejected, out of main stream of life—full of bland life, disturbed and confused as it is not so easy to get rid of worldly materials and comforts. In the long run when you learn the art of living and its real purpose, the situation will change suddenly for betterment and you will be enlightened when the dark era, which was clouding the vision due to ignorance, brightens up, becomes even and its sweet fragrance starts wafting and flourishing all around, far and wide breaking all sorts of barriers.

The spiritual person, first, tries to win self instead of others. It is vouched and concluded by many visionaries that one can lead happy life if one reduces one’s wants and stops vying with others endlessly. One’s tongue should not titillate with worldly delicacies. He/ she is not afraid of any thief or enemy.

A spiritualist will negate, totally, certain things out of life like glamour, attachment, ego, desires, addiction of alcohol etc., any food or drug that increases sexual desire and pollution of mind, vengeance, anger, expectations of awards, reward, name or fame; greed, stinginess and self-centredness etc. He/ she will imbibe in life celibacy, austerity, sublimity, complete subjugation of titillating sense organs, facing odds of life, always immersing in godly deeds, remaining resilient, propagation of non-violence, maintenance of healthy body and mind and emotionally balanced, remaining flexible, control on language by not lacing the words with sarcasm, spreading peace, love and truth, faith, compassion, tolerance, adjustment, contentment and morals/ ethics, always rendering selfless service(comradeship) without any discrimination/ malice and thinking oneness of whole world etc. etc. One can learn a lot and reach the depths about walking the path of life and spirituality by, very often, visiting the cremation grounds. Our body to which we are so much attached and clung is perishable. It is a lackluster body in real sense.

A spiritualist softens self in the fire and heat of sacrifices and undergoes blazing heat of vices to gain virtues and completely plucks tares from life and advises others also to do the same. He may act as a touchstone. He may not remain a withdrawn personality. One has to keep-up good stature and to achieve the goal there is no necessity to don ochre clothes or smear body with ashes or live in isolation in forests for renunciation or keep tufts of matted hair. There is no doubt that one should try best to live in detached form to gain peace, even while living in the hush-hush of life. Never allow the world to live in you. One can learn a lot and derive benefits from nature and God’s other bounties. The spiritualist can fine-tune self by adopting virtuous points from all the religions and trying not to disrespect other religions.

A spiritual person’s body cells, billions in number, will renew fast and one will become vibrant and live longer. Thus one will embellish life while a worldly person wastes the precious moments of life. A spiritualist will improve the quality of life, his/ her heart is cleansed and becomes light after shedding many unwanted burdens and will experience divine bliss, becomes graceful and attains salvation. One surmounts all problems while leading ‘Satvic’ (pure and unadulterated) life and is connected to God. His/ her life becomes calm, quiet and purposeful instead of stranded one. In short, he/ she is embodiment of renunciation, celibacy, and devotion. It is possible that one day when such a person reaches the summit of spirituality, is found fit to be canonized.

Awful Hindrances on Spiritual Path

2011-10-29T12:14:00.002+05:30

The spiritual practitioner faces many odds and hurdles in life. He has to go through many blazing situations while treading his path. He has to display/ manifest/ pop out his inherent/ latent qualities also for the purpose. Some call/ address such a person as a ‘Sadhu’ as he is an aspirant (‘Sadhak’) to achieve godly knowledge through tiring persistent efforts and practise them in life. History is replete with many sordid tales of saints and seers etc. devoted to this path including Sri Rama, Sri Krishna, Mira Bai, Bhagat Prahalada, Jesus Christ and Rishi Vishwamitra who suffered at the hands of evil entities/ elements only because of sticking to their morals, ethics and principles etc. They also led lopsided lives and removed blockades like small stones and boulders coming on their way.

          The whole world is super glued and trapped in attachment and emotions, for favourable results, which are not real, though desired for the life to move on till it becomes a burden or some prick is felt. Attachment is a link to create and maintain relations. The real attachment and love is towards God which will only create an ultimate and infinite bond which can be achieved through spiritual practices. It is a great challenge, a sacrifice and difficult path to tread by forgoing one’s comforts and enjoyment. The worldly attachment is nothing but an illusion (‘Maya’ ). The attachments to worldly possessions have compelled us to surrender our will and dignity to them. This un-necessary desire always comes on the way of spiritual aspirants. We are stuck-up with worldly comforts in such a way that nothing but strong will is needed to renounce them. To overcome this, it is pre-requisite to control our minds. We all know that death is certain and we have to leave behind everything but we are still busy in amassing wealth and possessions in a big way of which we are trustees only but still our life is unpleasant. We can survive only by developing an art of dying while living.

          It may not be so difficult to get rid of certain things in life but it is extremely difficult to renounce old habits so easily. It is proved, beyond doubt, that hurdles lead us to advancement. Another hurdle for the aspirant is ego which confronts him at every step. Ego is a ferocious and dreadful monster which needs to be removed/ plucked out/ weeded out from the way at the earliest possible. Please don’t forget the egoistic end result of Ravana and Hirnakapisu. To achieve the goal one has to sternly control his sense organs with determination lest they go astray. Also he has to maintain perfect health to live in adverse climate and circumstances. The consumption of non-vegetarian food, alcohol and drug addiction not only eat away aspirant’s body but mind also, which become dull, and do not allow him to tread simple, right and godly path. His food should be simple and a little short of hunger. He has to forgo the opulence of life and may prefer to live in solitude, away from the din of city life and maintain neat and clean character. Also he has to tolerate many odds of life. He may prefer to lead celibacy in life. It is necessary for the spiritual practitioner to cleanse his outer and inner image for which he need not don saffron/ ochre or white clothes or smear body with holy ashes/ sandal-wood paste. He should be master of scriptures and know and be able to explain in detail the meaning, purpose and impact of performing many rites and rituals.

          Some more common and difficult habits to renounce for the aspirant are:- (1) Avoiding use of curt, circuitous and sarcastic language. (2) Discrimination in any form. (3) Joining political forums. (4) Not connecting with God. (5) Not serving people with selfless motive. (6) Not spreading spiritual message to improve the lot of people. (7) Not keeping regular company of saints/ sages and making the mind blunt and impure in the absence of interactive sessions. (8) Devoid of faith and love with God. (9) Criticizing the religion and way of life of others. (10) Encouraging violent and passionate ways. (11) Caring and preferring values of life than truth. (12) Not forgiving the wrong doers, this helps to maintain relations to move on in life. (13) Not being sublime but afflicted of anger.

          Please don’t forget that had Sri Rama not gone to a jungle, in exile and not faced many hurdles, then how Ramayana would have taken a shape of famous epic? Also how people would have come to know about the principles and heroic deeds of Sri Rama?

          We have gained and learnt a lot due to the hurdles faced by the spiritual practitioners in many ways. He maintains good character and discipline and can contain many adversities of life. He will become a possessed man of God and a person of simple living and high thinking. His blessings to people carry grace of God. Such persons help us in protecting our religion, culture, morals, ethics, and righteousness and to lead austere life. He becomes an informidable person to achieve anything. He will extricate us from all the troubles by extending his hands. He acts as a fire-fly (phosphorescent beetle) to provide shimmering light in the darkness of knowledge to the needy. He is a pillar of interfaith amity. The seeker achieves liberation from the cycle of birth and death and concentration of mind by meditating upon the Supreme Lord. He endeavours to enlighten the people and nourishes their minds by disseminating spirituality and divine discourses.

          We should keep in mind that nothing like glamour, name and fame etc. go with us at the time of discarding our body but only the balance sheet of our ‘karmas’ (deeds) , Gita proclaims so. One, who treads the spiritual path, finds the journey very rough, tedious and thorny in the beginning. Once he overcomes these difficulties and hindrances with his grit/ determination, his life turns smooth and enriched and he feels solace and pleasure due to grace of God. Being a person of spiritual mettle he becomes a champion of life. Thus he leaves behind a fulfilled cherished life.

TRANQUILITY ( IN QUEST OF ATTAINING PEACE )

2008-03-23T21:50:00.001+05:30

Man is in quest of attaining peace from the time immemorial for enjoying happy life. It is alluding him as he is continuously searching it outside, in the world. In fact the same is deeply embedded/ entrenched in his inner self and the seeker has to flush / pull out/gouge the inside genius outside and activate it with his energy resources. Unfortunately, some use very crude methods for the purpose unknowingly. Our life is full of quagmire, filth and worldly pleasures. It is human nature to hanker after material opulence wantonly. Unless he satiates himself with desires, which are limitless, he never sits quietly. His wish list is never ending and thus he is drooling and dribbling after them .We must first purify ourselves to get peace, tranquility, health and wisdom otherwise all our best efforts will be mystified to achieve the goal. Also controlling the emotions is very necessary for cheerful mind and healthy body which are the pillars of strength in life. Even our visage tells the inner condition of our body and mind. Lucky are those who are endowed with tranquil mind from birth or are scion from such quality family. Persons of such qualities keep their head cool even in case of any pandemonium and have ability to sort out any imbroglio (embrassing situation ) with cool mind very tactfully and with grace. How beautifully saint cum poet, Thiruvalluvar, from Tamil Nadu has explained this, “The chief blessing is an honourable home –and its crown glory is worthy offspring.” It is mind only which can transform our life and bring heaven on earth and thus it is very necessary to keep it under control. One should be careful when someone is stoking the embers of passion and hatred.

Tranquility is also a foundation of healing and remaining calm, composed and serene, all the times, it is very necessary. We should not forget that all the happenings in our lives are the effects of some causes and are transitory like dreams. Terrorism is the sign of non-tranquility, non-adjustment, un-socializing and inner struggle. It will drive us mad if not controlled timely. In the present uncontrolled and disturbed topsy-turvy life where loud-speakers are blaring beyond limits of 85 decibels (deafening sound), all in the false propagation of religion and politics, it has become very difficult to lead peaceful life. To ward off this menace of noise pollution which leads to many ailments it is very necessary for us to spare few moments in the lap of nature and practice of silence or yoga to give relief to our jangling nervous system.

Every thought emanates from head, so keep it cool and balanced. Hatred , arrogance and ego add fuel to the fire, so avoid them. The warring nations can bring the silence of guns on borders by mutual understanding , respect and opting for tranquility. Attrition and dryness of relations are like devastating fires (inferno) which create peril in our lives. Individually, we should relinquish our cravings for superfluous wants and desires which impede our progress and are the causes of many obstacles and head-aches.

There are many other ways for calming the mind like meditation, silence of speech, breathing exercises, physical exercises, massages of body, sitting in solitude, trance, attending spiritual discourses, taking part in dance, music, art, sight seeing and enjoying lingering sweet fragrance of flowers in gardens or just relaxing. All these activities are very helpful especially in twilight/ crises or disquiet period of life which recharge our depleted batteries of our worried and tiring life.

One should enjoy the glorious spectacles of nature with which one can derive solace, happiness, peace and calmness which is an added advantage. Nature’s miracles are extremely serene, wonderful and stress busting. Lord’s creation can unfold many hidden secrets to us. One can enjoy the sight of fleeting and pealing clouds, sound of howling winds, raving of sea while in the mode of heave and swell and tidal waves playing with one another. Sometimes frolicking on sea sands or lone walking by river/ sea side in undisturbed atmosphere gives much relief to the tired body, mind and soul. Besides, the sight of towering snow laden mountain peaks, moon and twinkling stars lit nights and when the moon is playing hide and seek in the fluffy clouds, rising and setting in of sun give wonderful and nerve calming/ soothing effect. Also by the side of a pool the majestic avenues of rocking trees blooming with fragrant flowers and fruits with rustling sound of breeze passing through them create wonderful scene which exhilarate us. We can unload our worries in the calmness of flying birds in open sky in fascinating/ captivating formations. Have you ever given deep thought as to who is the Omnipotent Power sustaining the huge canopy of sky without any prop and as to how the celestial bodies are activated without dereliction of duty?

Only silent, not disturbed, mind can connect you to God and divine exalted persons who open flood-gates for happiness. When you don’t achieve solutions to your problems, surrender and leave the same to Higher Force to take care instead of irritating and blaming.

Many gains are encapsulated in silence, tranquility and wisdom. One’s wheel of time will glide smoothly. Such a person’s life span will enhance as he learns the art of advancement by facing obstacles. His attitude towards others will change. He will never be pettish or infuriated over trifles/trivial matters and will avoid altercations to tread cautiously, be foresighted and will use balanced and temperate words, not sarcastic or corrosive ones which lead to alienation. He will control obnoxious senses through intellect, not take hurried decisions due to sharp mind and will spice-up his life with rollicking nature. Persons with such qualities are productive ones, not nit-pick and will not vex their minds to avoid enmity. They are free from niggling anxieties and neurological problems or swinging of moods. Tranquility assuages our passionate nerves. With serene mind one will not be distracted from one’s goal in life. Such a person will give ears to the words of wisdom and imbibe them in life. A sound and nourished mind can take care of tumbling body as a person of such qualities is psychologically balanced, will be free from high blood pressure, will get sound sleep and the speed of his heart beat will reduce. He will not remain sluggish and distraught in any manner. He will churn out healthy and beneficial thoughts and will not have bellicose (eager to fight) attitude.

A tranquil mind can rejuvenate body system and increase endurance limits. A calm and quiet person will easily discern between wrong and right, his power of concentration will increase resulting in quality work. Tranquility nullifies the ego. He being not an impulsive person his thoughts will not run amok and he will use the power of restraint in day-to-day matters. Such abilities lead to reasonable and logical attitude. Calmness enhances facial expression and overall luster and beauty including reduction in suicidal tendency. Serene mind and other virtues act as paraphernalia/ ingredients of oblation to silence the simmering fire ignited in our minds to achieve spirituality. Also with silence one can connect oneself within and search answer to many inquisitive questions and problems.

Persons working in Information Technology /BPOs and aviation industry in shifts or irregular working hours which is depriving them sleep in a natural way has added many miseries in their lives like high blood pressure, voice and stomach disorders, vision problems besides infertility due to stress and peevishness. It is very necessary for them to spare some time to release their tensions with the help of meditation, yoga and physical exercises.

A little attention should be paid towards our food habits also. We should consume fibrous food, leafy vegetables, sprouts, fruits and milk for our health and balancing mood—all sensibly. The vegetarian food is antioxidant, immune to many diseases and lowers cholesterol.

We should keep in mind that science and human welfare are interconnected with the same purpose which can achieve nothing without the third link or co-ordination of spirituality which is based on tranquility of mind and other virtues. Peace of mind and diligent ways can lead to non-violent methods to tackle our intricate problems as Mahatma Gandhi did to achieve country’s independence. The lives of such persons are epitomized as of peace. Osho says, “ Talk less, listen only to the essential, be telegraphic in talking and listening.” By doing so one starts feeling purity within him/ her which is a necessary soil for meditation, calmness and wisdom. Calmness and surrender blended with spirituality transform a person into valuable paragon chiselled gem worthy for nation building and getting plaudits. If some cool-headed persons unite and muster courage in the world they can bring peace and pleasure on this earth without raising their hands for fight. All religious and communal zealots will vanish.

Hope, Nothing But Hope

2008-01-10T22:51:00.000+05:30

There is a glimmer of hope even in despair. They say, “as long as we breathe, till then there is hope.” Many of us believe that there is life even after death as the soul never dies till we attain liberation. Our life is purely sustained with hope and positive attitude. We plan our future in the hope of leading comfortable life and accumulate wealth even for our distant future but know not as to what is there in store for us in the near future. Each moment of life is lived in hope only. Achievements can not be made merely in the hope based on illusion or myth but a path to resolutions on firm footings. While aspiring for hope, our body, mind and heart should work in unison. No good can be achieved without hope, firm belief, sacrifice and hard work. Every day medical and scientific marvels take place and other success stories unfold due to this reason. In case hope leads to lust, ill-will and greed it ends in complete disappointment, destruction and disharmony. Anyone bereft of hope is a sick person, neither having faith in himself/ herself nor in others.

Such a person can not overcome the vicissitudes of life including stress. In the current dark era we are, unfortunately, living with estranged neighbours. We should be careful and tactful while dealing with them hoping for the good and welfare of all. Everything is going haywire and disarray causing unrest and violence in the nations, all in the name of religion or holy war. Many innocent people are being massacred which is a foul act and must be boldly condemned and curbed by all. If some enlightened persons/ think-tanks of sensible voices sit together, hopefully, they can bring the ugly situation under control. Only sincere will is required.

We plant trees in the hope of enjoying their fruits and bear children to provide us some succour in the hours of our need but, sometimes, it happens otherwise according to the will of God. The reason why we say, “There is many a slip between the cup and lips.” It is also said, “A drowning man catches at a straw,”-all in the hope of saving one’s life. Here straw is a means of hope when we are in distress.

Hope for success should be integrated with sincere endeavour. Being hopeful and confident helps to develop the surge and tide over the ups and downs of life. Such persons always sift the positivities out of negativities and carve niches for themselves in this world and the hopeless and distraught dig graves for their own burial during their life time itself. They are fully aware that when one door of dark house closes, God opens another bright house for our welfare. Change is the law of the nature. Our freedom fighters, due to sincere wish and hope, achieved great heights with sacrifices to get us independence and freedom from the shackles of foreign powers. They succeeded in their cause.

Optimistics are decisive and confident and can not be easily bogged down. They convert dreams into reality. With sincere efforts and hope one can overcome many debacles of life. The hopefuls rise from rags to riches. They recover early even from worst dreadful diseases, their will-power upbeats and thus their life expectancy enhances and becomes stable, colourful like a rain-bow. The hopefuls become ambitious and resolute to venture into new and daring projects, are assertive, take every opportunity as a challenge and accomplish any thing. When successful they are exuberant, perky and bouncy and set shining examples for others to follow. We can not remain without mentioning the recent difficult and successful feat of 41 years old highly spirited astronaut, Sunita William, who remained in space shuttle, Atlantis, for a lengthy period of 194 days-18 hours-58 minutes and landed on earth on June 23, 2007 at 1:18:47 hours (IST) in USA. She achieved this goal with radiant outlook due to God’s grace.

On the contrary, people in despair lead shattered, solitary, and puzzled life with many behavioural deficiencies and loss of sleep and peace. This attitude only results in tearing their life apart.

The hopefuls see and enjoy the grace of God and remain cheerful while the hopeless see this world full of misery. Lord may not appear in physical form for the rescue of His devotees but He appears in transcendental form for the same purpose. When we completely lose hope and everyone starts kicking and booting us and blaming us without application of mind our only hope is Lord Supreme who always shows His strength and presence through miracles. The enlightened do good to others as one lamp lights others in firm faith and hope that Lord will descend in some form for the help and rescue of innocent victims. In hope only we are inching towards godly acts day-by-day. Those who are connected with Him due to their sterling activities receive His grace without asking and their faults and sins committed unknowingly are singed. Everything is uncertain in our life. It is only hope that keeps us going. Everybody knows that one day he will perish and he is quite unaware about the day and time of such an event taking place but he is still living in hope and is trying to earn name, fame, wealth and materials. This is totally a false hope. Whether the Egyptians and the other rulers/ opulents could avail the benefits of materials they got buried with them at the time of their death in pyramids? In hope we search solace in the places of worship. An arch devotee leaves fate in the hands of God unconditionally. Even if he/ she fails to get reward/ justice of his/ her pray he/ she will not blame God but say, “I accept Your dispensation.”

When hope is lost, everything is lost. Nothing remains in our kitty. Only hopefuls nurse the ambition of rising to the top rung of society. Life should not be dull, drab and drag but full of hope, verve and joy and each rising day is full of hope, trials and tribulations for us. It is left to us to pick-up diligently the virtues and avoid vices, all in firm faith in God to bless us peace and happiness. If we use perverted minds, it will create war and turbulences amongst us. To hope and desire of hankering for materialism and wealth beyond limits and needs is nothing but greed which makes a person corrupt, lethargic, weak and fearful. Contentment results in supreme happiness. Unmindful hopes cause downfall and destruction. So, if you aspire for success light the spark of hope, nothing but hope. One who has hope, has everything. The bird, Chatak, does everything in utter hope and patience, to let the first drop of rain water fall in its bill to quench its year long thirst.

Animating Holy Flowers

2008-01-10T22:46:00.000+05:30

The flowers are of different sizes, mesmerizing designs and colours. Some flowers are of flamboyant colours, while some are dull and some have different colours on the same plant just like our different types of life in the members of the same family. The ultra violet rays of luminous sun help in portraying different colours and leaves. The culling of flowers in the garden add to our joy.

The names of the flowers are many like rose, lily, daisy, morning glory, sun flower, marigold, daffodil, tulip, lilac, lotus, plasa ( Kinshuka) , bougainvillea and May flower etc. Some of these flowers do not emit fragrance. The plasa flower is sylvan type while bougainvillea is a tropical climbing plant with bright coloured leaves surrounding flowers of different colours. Tulip is a perennial flower of different colours while lilac gives fragrant flowers of white and purple colours foliated with decorative leaves.

Though rose is the king of the flowers lotus has special significance in Hindu mythology. It grows in quagmire but still remains above water surface. In the same way the divine persons/ saints even living in the vicious world still remain virtuous and are beacon light for us. Also like the qualities of the lotus flower they distinguish between good and bad, wrong and right and are the embodiment of sweetness and love. It is believed that Lord Krishna's navel resembled like a petal of lotus. One whose hands, eyes and feet bear an icon of lotus petals is considered auspicious, divine and revered most. Lotus is regarded as a symbol of purity and possesses self-cleansing properties. It is also eco-friendly. The water droplets rolling off a lotus leaf carry away contaminating particles.

As said in the beginning the flowers are used on all auspicious and inauspicious occasions. These are widely used during worship / sacred offerings, making garlands and bouquets. At the time of marriage these are used in the form of festoons and greeting and welcoming the marriage party/ guests or strewn under the feet and a bed of roses for the young couple with a festive look. Flowers are offered to someone on success for encouragement. These are hooked in the crowns and hair locks (mops)/ braids or tresses of ladies for grace. The petals are strewn under the feet of saints/ sages and celebrities etc. as a welcome gesture or are showered over them. The stages are bedecked with flowers at different occasions. Flowers are offered on someone's birthday as well.

Some people offer a flower to their beau as a token of love on a particular event and gifts, greetings and flowers are exchanged on Valentine Day.

We place a flower on the plaque/ epitaph of a dead person's grave/ tomb knowing not that the soul has already left for somewhere else. In the same way candles are lit, wreaths are placed and floral tributes are paid on the graves/ monuments of the martyrs to commemorate the Day with singing of requiem/ elegy.

Floral designs are made on the walls of drawing rooms of many royal houses and the fresco of domes/ churches/ temples/ mausoleum etc. as an elegance. The flower vases with variety of flowers or the trays containing lilac become the grace of centre tables to upbeat the depressed mood.

The moment we think of flowers, our heart starts blooming with joy. The captivating flowers can animate the sick and sad. A garden full of flowers gives us hunky-dory view and we drown our sorrows atonce as the flowers smile and make us smile too. The flowers are romantic and mood lifters. The pleasant smell assuages the jangled nerves of weary souls.

The flowers bloom during rainy season, winter and spring like our young age and are captivating, magnificent and soul stirring but when they are wilting and dwindling they are like our old age, full of worries. Here we should not forget what Shakespear had said, " Sweeter the flower, more obnoxious when it is decayed."

Flowers create love, peace and harmony. Offering flowers in love and appreciation melts away misunderstandings and attrition. This act results in a sense of bonhomie. Lord is a Caretaker( like a gardener) of His garden( creation) . We should kneel before Him for gaining His grace.

Hope, Nothing But Hope

2008-01-10T22:43:00.000+05:30

There is a glimmer of hope even in despair. They say, "as long as we breathe, till then there is hope." Many of us believe that there is life even after death as the soul never dies till we attain liberation. Our life is purely sustained with hope and positive attitude. We plan our future in the hope of leading comfortable life and accumulate wealth even for our distant future but know not as to what is there in store for us in the near future. Each moment of life is lived in hope only. Achievements can not be made merely in the hope based on illusion or myth but a path to resolutions on firm footings. While aspiring for hope, our body, mind and heart should work in unison. No good can be achieved without hope, firm belief, sacrifice and hard work. Every day medical and scientific marvels take place and other success stories unfold due to this reason. In case hope leads to lust, ill-will and greed it ends in complete disappointment, destruction and disharmony. Anyone bereft of hope is a sick person, neither having faith in himself/ herself nor in others. Such a person can not overcome the vicissitudes of life including stress. In the current dark era we are, unfortunately, living with estranged neighbours. We should be careful and tactful while dealing with them hoping for the good and welfare of all. Everything is going haywire and disarray causing unrest and violence in the nations, all in the name of religion or holy war. Many innocent people are being massacred which is a foul act and must be boldly condemned and curbed by all. If some enlightened persons/ think-tanks of sensible voices sit together, hopefully, they can bring the ugly situation under control. Only sincere will is required.

We plant trees in the hope of enjoying their fruits and bear children to provide us some succour in the hours of our need but, sometimes, it happens otherwise according to the will of God. The reason why we say, "There is many a slip between the cup and lips." It is also said, "A drowning man catches at a straw,"-all in the hope of saving one's life. Here straw is a means of hope when we are in distress.

Hope for success should be integrated with sincere endeavour. Being hopeful and confident helps to develop the surge and tide over the ups and downs of life. Such persons always sift the positivities out of negativities and carve niches for themselves in this world and the hopeless and distraught dig graves for their own burial during their life time itself. They are fully aware that when one door of dark house closes, God opens another bright house for our welfare. Change is the law of the nature. Our freedom fighters, due to sincere wish and hope, achieved great heights with sacrifices to get us independence and freedom from the shackles of foreign powers. They succeeded in their cause. Optimistics are decisive and confident and can not be easily bogged down. They convert dreams into reality. With sincere efforts and hope one can overcome many debacles of life. The hopefuls rise from rags to riches. They recover early even from worst dreadful diseases, their will-power upbeats and thus their life expectancy enhances and becomes stable, colourful like a rain-bow. The hopefuls become ambitious and resolute to venture into new and daring projects, are assertive, take every opportunity as a challenge and accomplish any thing. When successful they are exuberant, perky and bouncy and set shining examples for others to follow. We can not remain without mentioning the recent difficult and successful feat of 41 years old highly spirited astronaut, Sunita William, who remained in space shuttle, Atlantis, for a lengthy period of 194 days-18 hours-58 minutes and landed on earth on June 23, 2007 at 1:18:47 hours (IST) in USA. She achieved this goal with radiant outlook due to God's grace.

On the contrary, people in despair lead shattered, solitary, and puzzled life with many behavioural deficiencies and loss of sleep and peace. This attitude only results in tearing their life apart.

The hopefuls see and enjoy the grace of God and remain cheerful while the hopeless see this world full of misery. Lord may not appear in physical form for the rescue of His devotees but He appears in transcendental form for the same purpose. When we completely lose hope and everyone starts kicking and booting us and blaming us without application of mind our only hope is Lord Supreme who always shows His strength and presence through miracles. The enlightened do good to others as one lamp lights others in firm faith and hope that Lord will descend in some form for the help and rescue of innocent victims. In hope only we are inching towards godly acts day-by-day. Those who are connected with Him due to their sterling activities receive His grace without asking and their faults and sins committed unknowingly are singed. Everything is uncertain in our life. It is only hope that keeps us going. Everybody knows that one day he will perish and he is quite unaware about the day and time of such an event taking place but he is still living in hope and is trying to earn name, fame, wealth and materials. This is totally a false hope. Whether the Egyptians and the other rulers/ opulents could avail the benefits of materials they got buried with them at the time of their death in pyramids? In hope we search solace in the places of worship. An arch devotee leaves fate in the hands of God unconditionally. Even if he/ she fails to get reward/ justice of his/ her pray he/ she will not blame God but say, "I accept Your dispensation."

When hope is lost, everything is lost. Nothing remains in our kitty. Only hopefuls nurse the ambition of rising to the top rung of society. Life should not be dull, drab and drag but full of hope, verve and joy and each rising day is full of hope, trials and tribulations for us. It is left to us to pick-up diligently the virtues and avoid vices, all in firm faith in God to bless us peace and happiness. If we use perverted minds, it will create war and turbulences amongst us. To hope and desire of hankering for materialism and wealth beyond limits and needs is nothing but greed which makes a person corrupt, lethargic, weak and fearful. Contentment results in supreme happiness. Unmindful hopes cause downfall and destruction. So, if you aspire for success light the spark of hope, nothing but hope. One who has hope, has everything. The bird, Chatak, does everything in utter hope and patience, to let the first drop of rain water fall in its bill to quench its year long thirst.

DON’T CHANGE YOUR FACE, BUT INNERSELF

2007-10-06T15:49:00.000+05:30

We have taken birth as a human being with great difficulty. It is a rare chance granted to us by Almighty God based on our past ‘karmas’ (deeds) and to mend our faults with virtues in the present life. We should keep in mind that we can not escape the sufferings for what our hands have wrought and thus we should try our best to reach the abode of Divine God (Elysium) by attaining virtuous and meritorious qualities diligently. Removing vices from our life is like dusting off our domestic articles for more clarity and benefits or like weeding out the chaff (evils) from grains. Shakespeare had rightly said that lilies that fester smell are far worse than weeds. We are mired in materialism and amass wealth to the fullest of our greed which distorts or dissipates our progress in real sense. It is true that our body is nothing but like a container of typical shape , made asymmetrical/ disfigured by us, full of blood, water, bones and other filth etc. and once the energy (soul) in it quits it, it starts decaying and emanating foul smell the reason why it requires complete overhaul by ridding it of all sorts of evils (vices), which are secreting poison, to churn out the truth (virtues) to receive grace and bliss of Lord to straighten/ iron out the wrinkles of our life. Also our body including its sense organs work like a machine which requires regular control and maintenance for its proper and trouble free function.

One who is successful in such endeavoures wins half the battles of life. We blame God or luck for the faults/ sins committed by us and hardly try to rectify ourselves to enjoy bliss. We have started worrying for the global warming, imbalances in climate, electricity, food and water shortages and never think for the reasons of going against the nature and misuse of science and technology which are the root causes of this tragic state of affairs due to polluted minds.

We adopt different methods to look stylish, sharp featured and sexy by undergoing beauty, smile, and face lifting and enhancing treatments. Cosmetic surgery has helped such glamorous and pleasure seeking persons by removing scars, blemishes, wrinkles of their body parts or shaping curvaceous body structure but all these are unnatural and decepting ways of blossoming oneself. Some adorn and dress-up with garish make-up and by wearing beautiful, sumptuous, revealing, gaudy and sexual clothes laced with frills and spangles sprinkled with perfumes along with designer jewellery and pearls just to attract and corrupt others or be noticed and impressed upon which is a sad and fake reflection of inner self. One will display the virtues outside only if one treasures them inside. His/ her spirits will uplift, face sparkle and he/ she will feel the thrill of life.

It is very often observed that the faces of some people look like moving corpses indicating as if they are crushed under the heavy load of sorrows. They don’t know that every moment in life is a gift from God with a changing phenomenon. Nothing remains ever green and every thing is transitory. One who has taken birth will bloom/ flourish if nursed and nurtured well right from mother’s womb, sucked/squeezed, drained, dwindle and die over a span of time as every one has come in this world with a return ticket. In short, we are finite entities. Only our deeds will leave the imprint here in this world. The time is running out to mend our ways and cleanse our inner selves.

Hardly people fathom the truth. The wicked derive pleasure by aspersing the right thinking people like saints, sages, clerics and pastors etc. and harbour trumped up allegations and misleading complaints. We should be very conscious from such people. Here we quote two beautiful lines from different devotional songs sung by Hari Om Sharan and Mohammad Raffi respectively in Hindi which say:
1) “Man ka phirae na, manka phirae”
(One does not change the heart but twirls only the beads)
2) “Ujle tan par maan kiya, man ki mel na dhoi”
(One is proud of outer clean body; he has not cleansed the mind).

We should not allow our life to become a roller coaster. If we don’t care purging our inner dross/ scum in time we will be caught in snares unawares and fall sick, mentally and physically. We should never hoodwink others and our selves with our vices. It is extremely necessary to root out the sluggishness of corruption., lawlessness, plundering, misuse of religion, ego, selfishness, inducement, back-biting, peevishness, rancour, vilifying (speaking ill of), bragging (boasting), thanklessness, cunningness, envy and hypocrisy etc. from our life to create a flawless society otherwise we are bound to lead murkier life, nowhere to go , cornered from all sides. Imbibing vices is like spinning cob-web around us from where it is very difficult to extricate our selves later on.

Only with purity of heart we can eschew our inner and outer conflicts. It is, therefore, very necessary to shake off vices and completely cleanse ourselves with truth, forgiveness and other virtuous qualities for our purposeful life and liberation. Our sweet language can absolve many intricacies of life. Lord will help us at every moment of our turmoil provided we follow His commandments. In defying Lord’s will we face nature’s fury very often as a curse.

As said above our inner purification and transformation is needed.Vices are good recipe for our destruction only. Cleansing is like rejuvenating our body system for maximum output otherwise we will cripple our lives soon. Generally we detoxify our inner selves by taking some purgatives, and purify the blood through dialysis by filtering it with the help of a membrane. Treatment and purification of water is done by several means for making it potable. In space shuttle even the urine is made potable by recycling method. It is very necessary to control our fickle mind to achieve the virtues and never become its (mind’s) servant. This is possible only with the help and discourses of sages, saints and seers etc.

One will become real gentleman/ lady or a crest jewel of society only through reforming and squeezing out the vices from inner self. This is the only way to get clean chit of our character from Benign Lord and experience the joy and symphony of life which lies in peace and harmony. Be careful from the antics of some so called saints who misguide and cheat you, all in the name of religion devoid of humanity. The real purpose and meaning of life they (so called saints) are themselves quite ignorant of. If we don’t change our attitude for enriching life then the uncertainties will be lurking over our heads for ever.

CLIP THE WINGS OF “I”

2007-09-26T20:30:00.000+05:30

We always use the alphabet ‘I’ for self in capital form purely due to our ego. For the same reason we never use ‘i’ even in between the sentence. While addressing the gathering we stand erect as ‘I’and use ‘I’many times just to demonstrate our importance and eulogize our fineries due to ego. During young blooming age we walk in strutting posture but later on due to dwindling old age bend ourselves. Similarly we should understand the meaning of ‘I’ and ‘i’. When we write ‘I’ we first draw like a stick or vertical bar ‘1’ and then to make it glorious add a crown at its top like ‘T’ but still not satisfied add a foundation to its bottom like ‘I’ to make it further strong symbol of ego. We are smitten with pangs of ‘I’ness but still keep it close to our chest. Have we forgotten that our life is finite in this world? Perhaps not yet.

Osho says that nowadays head has become exploiter due to ego. While ‘I’ fires salvos of pride, ‘i’will utter flowery words of peace and happiness. ‘i’ness does not denote undermining of self but a first and right step in reaching the flights and heights of godliness. This way many ‘I’s will follow you submissively without making any differences in caste, religion, creed or country etc.
The author quotes the eye-opening lines of Swami Vivekananda, an illustrious son of Bharata, about quashing the pangs of our ego, “The more we sink the ‘little self’, the more God comes. Let us get rid of the little ‘i’ and let only the great ‘I’ live in us.” We should admire the tenets of Nirankari Mission whose followers bend themselves and touch feet of one another in reverence and to vanquish the ego to the core. Ego adversely affects our faculty discriminating between good and bad/ right and wrong etc. and social bonding to keep us going on.

If you shrug off ‘I’ness , God will reveal to you. When you use ‘i’ in place of ‘I’, you look naive and small as an innocent child bereft of ego and receive love of God. When one descends from ‘I’ to ‘i’, he can easily be moulded/ groomed like a child. This way one behaves and acts like a naive and sincere person. In the state of ‘i’ness one can easily control one’s sense organs and protect oneself from many onslaughts and miseries of life. Also one will not have cynical mind and evil design against any one. We also defuse many internal and external tensions. With ‘i’ness one’s spoken words will not be harsh and not act as destructive weapons. Such a person will take off big load from his head. Opting ‘i’ness promotes the spirit of detachment and friendship with all, peace and love all around with no attrition of any kind. ‘i’ has to swallow the pride of ‘I’ by clipping its fake wings on both sides. The wide gap between high and low can easily be filled up or reduced after understanding the real meaning of ‘i’ness.

Demonstration of ‘i’ as ‘I’ smacks dominance. ‘I’ denotes ego and hanging over to it you can not earn love and grace. We, with ego in our head, snub/ bog down others. Also egocentric tendency divides humanity.

When we make two pieces of ‘I’ as ‘-I-‘ (an upright post with a horizontal bar) it becomes a symbol of Lord Jesus Christ called ‘CROSS’ showing His crucification, revered by all. When you become ‘i’ in reality and there is none to protect and help you, God, your darling, will come to your rescue in some form without your knowledge. Also your mind will be charged with purities. On the contrary, with ‘I’ness in mind, your life will become dog like. When purified, eye of the ‘i’ will meet the eyes of Benign Lord. Divine love emanates from the time we forego ego of ‘I’ness. Also such a person will always be with God directly communing with Him and by serving His mankind. He will never play God. ‘i’ness makes us sublime, God fearing and not vindictive. A person opting for ‘i’ness will leave his/her fate in the hands of God and face onslaughts of life without wavering.

If ‘I’ and ‘i’ adjust, live together in an amicable way and at least smile sometimes, life will become heaven on this earth itself. We should lead our life laughingly and not become a laughing stock. We are short lived and our relations are also short lived, then why to differentiate between high and low like ‘I’ and ‘i’. Inequality is creating animosity amongst people. We should be realistic and not harsh. We should raise the status of lower strata of people. There should be complete transformation. O man time has changed; you also change and come down to reality.

ANIMATING HOLY FLOWERS

2007-09-26T20:29:00.000+05:30

Flowers are used by us from cradle to pyre/ grave in different forms at different occasions. These are ornamental and intricately crafted by Mother Nature. Flowers have fascinating and attractive power for recharging our lives. The whiff emanating from them has maddening effect on our nervous system. The swirling fields of mustard flowers in yellow colour are feast to our eyes. One beholds and is stunned with the natural beauty, pristine greenery, the fluttering butterflies and humming of bees sucking nectar from flowers in the lap of nature enhance the serene environment. The flowers are symbol of peace and their offering is an expression of our love and friendship to someone. Planting flowers in the side ways of boulevards give festive look to the passers-by and the buds and flowers appearing on trees are the symbol of hope for bearing fruits. The singers have given different meanings of flowers by rightly saying that the graced ones (by Supreme Lord) have got flowers in their kitty while those with bad luck have received thistles only based on their actions. The dictionary defines ‘flower’ as the best among a group of people.

The flowers are of different sizes, mesmerizing designs and colours. Some flowers are of flamboyant colours, while some are dull and some have different colours on the same plant just like our different types of life in the members of the same family. The ultra violet rays of luminous sun help in portraying different colours and leaves. The culling of flowers in the garden add to our joy.

The names of the flowers are many like rose, lily, daisy, morning glory, sun flower, marigold, daffodil, tulip, lilac, lotus, plasa ( Kinshuka) , bougainvillea and May flower etc. Some of these flowers do not emit fragrance. The plasa flower is sylvan type while bougainvillea is a tropical climbing plant with bright coloured leaves surrounding flowers of different colours. Tulip is a perennial flower of different colours while lilac gives fragrant flowers of white and purple colours foliated with decorative leaves.

Though rose is the king of the flowers lotus has special significance in Hindu mythology. It grows in quagmire but still remains above water surface. In the same way the divine persons/ saints even living in the vicious world still remain virtuous and are beacon light for us. Also like the qualities of the lotus flower they distinguish between good and bad, wrong and right and are the embodiment of sweetness and love. It is believed that Lord Krishna’s navel resembled like a petal of lotus. One whose hands, eyes and feet bear an icon of lotus petals is considered auspicious, divine and revered most. Lotus is regarded as a symbol of purity and possesses self-cleansing properties. It is also eco-friendly. The water droplets rolling off a lotus leaf carry away contaminating particles.

As said in the beginning the flowers are used on all auspicious and inauspicious occasions. These are widely used during worship/ sacred offerings, making garlands and bouquets. At the time of marriage these are used in the form of festoons and greeting and welcoming the marriage party/ guests or strewn under the feet and a bed of roses for the young couple with a festive look. Flowers are offered to someone on success for encouragement. These are hooked in the crowns and hair locks/ braids or tresses of ladies for grace. The petals are strewn under the feet of saints/ sages and celebrities etc. as a welcome gesture or are showered over them. The stages are bedecked with flowers at different occasions. Flowers are offered on someone’s birthday as well.

Some people offer a flower to their beau as a token of love on a particular event and gifts, greetings and flowers are exchanged on Valentine Day.

We place a flower on the plaque/ epitaph of a dead person’s grave/ tomb knowing not that the soul has already left for somewhere else. In the same way candles are lit, wreaths are placed and floral tributes are paid on the graves/ monuments of the martyrs to commemorate the Day with singing of requiem/ elegy.

Floral designs are made on the walls of drawing rooms of many royal houses and the fresco of domes/ churches/ temples/ mausoleum etc. as an elegance. The flower vases with variety of flowers or the trays containing lilac become the grace of centre tables to upbeat the depressed mood.

The moment we think of flowers, our heart starts blooming with joy. The captivating flowers can animate the sick and sad. A garden full of flowers gives us hunky-dory view and we drown our sorrows atonce as the flowers smile and make us smile too. The flowers are romantic and mood lifters. The pleasant smell assuages the jangled nerves of weary souls.

The flowers bloom during rainy season, winter and spring like our young age and are captivating, magnificent and soul stirring but when they are wilting and dwindling they are like our old age, full of worries. Here we should not forget what Shakespear had said, “ Sweeter the flower, more obnoxious when it is decayed.”

Flowers create love, peace and harmony. Offering flowers in love and appreciation melts away misunderstandings and attrition. This act results in a sense of bonhomie. Lord is a Caretaker( like a gardener) of His garden( creation) . We should kneel before Him for gaining His grace.

LIFT-UP THR’U SPIRITUAL AWAKENING

2007-09-26T20:27:00.000+05:30

Our life is in shambles in the present era. Almost everyone in all countries is stirred up and fighting aimlessly in the name of religion or for some other cause. In fact they do not believe in the principles of religion and ‘Dharma’ (absorption) and are much confused. There is an attrition even in the same community and blasphemous talks and acts are galore .We have trampled under our feet all the tenets of brotherhood and coexistence. While religion is a way of life, Dharma is what we imbibe or follow. Dharma without humanity and virtues is meaningless. God has given the faculty of thinking and discernment only to human beings but we hardly use our intellect, the reason why we are at loggerheads with one another and at cross-roads with daggers drawn. It is a proven fact, beyond doubt, from the time immemorial that the baby’s growth and intellect starts grooming from the day he/ she enters mother’s womb depending upon the ongoing attributes and thoughts of the mother which should be noble and pure in making the child a responsible citizen.

To achieve our goal we should ignite the spark of spiritual awakening in the young minds to flourish in future and start uninterrupted flow in life. Without faith in ourselves and in God we can not achieve any thing. The saints/ sages and the enlightened souls are beacon lights to show us the door of spirituality but it depends upon our own endeavour to enter it. God’s existence can be observed in every speck devoid of myopia or perverted mind. He makes Himself visible in the form of creation which should be studied in detail and depth. Lord has sustained our lives without discriminatory mind. We all enjoy His bounties equally but fail to acknowledge Him. Every thing in the world is temporary and myth except Ultimate Truth (God), then why not to tread right path to imbibe virtues and enjoy life. We should not forget that the trials, tribulations and miseries in our lives are heckles/ pushes to awaken our spirituality but we should probe the reasons of our faults and put an end to them forthwith to avoid further damage.

Apart from above we should be clear that we have to face the consequences of our Karma or deeds to sanctify and liberate our souls and our birth is an opportunity granted to us by Lord to singe/ mystify our vices and sins. The author is aghast to learn from the press report dated August 25, 2007 that a noble soul like Mother Teresa who saw life’s misery/ pangs from close quarters and served the poor, hungry and disabled felt dryness, darkness and loneliness in her life and felt no presence of God whatsoever. Had she understood the meaning of Karma theory she would not have felt so. The explanation therein is abundantly clear.

As said above spirituality, virtues, humanity and values of Karma which are sine qua non should be nurtured right from the beginning as these are the stepping stones or opening chapters for awakening us in our lives. The main hurdles for the spiritual advancement are: ego, rancour, anger, jealousy, brooding over the dead past, argumentation, limitless crave for materials, hypocrisy, pillage, cheating, consumption of alcohol and boasting etc. while the main virtues are: forgiveness, charity, selfless service, use of sweet language, surrender to Heavenly Father, compassion, love, reposing firm faith in God and godly persons, restraint, tolerance, sense control, maintaining positive attitude, universal brotherhood and self-confidence etc.

As the charity begins at home so is the case for instilling spiritual values by the elderly to the youngsters at home. The valuable advice of the saints and the mellowed straightens many tangles of our lives and help in transforming us from gross body to subtle body. Even the blind famed singer of his times, Sur Das, by opening his inner divine eye sang melodious, animating, spiritual awakening and soul stirring songs in praise of Lord Krishna and sanctified his life. Attending spiritual interfaith congregations and healthy debates are of much help. Also company of realized souls gives an added advantage.

If we sink in spirituality bit by bit we will start enjoying the fruits of our lives. We have to face the result of our Karmas, any way, but having faith in God makes it easy for us to sustain our lives in a lively way. More the problems for us to face, more the opportunities to wash out our sins. Spirituality causes thaw in our relations with others which is necessary for amicable coexistence. Lord may appear to us, unknowingly, in physical form (anthropomorphism) or transcendental form in some garb to rescue us from our worries. No one has been able to understand His mysteries.

The one who prays, has faith in God and acts according to His commandments during pleasure times feels less sorrows and pangs when faced during difficult days. He becomes sublime and is purified.

Spirituality is the shaft of light which dispels ignorance. We can lift-up our body, mind and spirits through spiritualism. The blind medical nurse, Helen Keller, rightly said, “The best and most beautiful things in the world can not be seen or even touched. They must be felt with the heart due to Lord’s grace.”

Life without embellishing with virtuous qualities and saying goodbye to the devilish instincts is impure and bland. Let us sow the seeds of love and spirituality, Lord will take care in fertilizing and fructifying it. While praying for our own welfare we should beseech the Lord for the same for others also. While braving the tides of vicious world we, generally, land in breakdown state but imbibing spiritualism there is complete breakthrough. Once one reaches the echelon of spirituality one is one with Supreme Lord.

Sant Nirankari Mission is one of the platforms for bonding people of all walks of life, removing ego and inspiring Lord’s vision which is a divine service. Let us become the role-models for others to emulate.

Let all of us seek refuge, kneel before Him to the hilt in prayer and drench to the core in the glory of infinite Benign God.

Diplomacy and it's Verve

2007-09-06T19:01:00.001+05:30

The author lost his parents at a very young age and thereafter braved many adverse currents of life from time to time. He did not come across saints/ erudites or well wishers who could guide and put him on the right path. Due to lack of diplomacy which is a skill and tact in dealing with people he suffered a lot and feels that lucky are those who are instilled with this art of handling people with the help of parents and learned souls. This small treatise is the nut shell of his experience and advice etc. to become a beacon light for others in odd situations.

Persons of straight forward nature, sometimes, in anger hurl salvos of curt and harsh words on others which leads to disharmony, unending and simmering of cold war of hearts or under-current of tension which is dangerous for the individual and society. It should be avoided at any cost. It is better to lose an argument than a person. It is a sign of one’s skill. Hatred, jealousy, ego and rancour simply rebound on us with double the force.

Wishing well the opponent melts away even the strongest ego. Appreciating and encouraging someone doing worthy jobs does the same trick.

Lord Buddha had realized long ago that misery is the result of our wrong actions and reactions the remedy of which, according to him, lies in social and equipoise behaviour. It is a reality in the world which if can not be totally kicked out can be diminished to sufficient extent with alertness, tact and skill.

If we blend diplomacy with spiritualism and virtues we can get better result and we will sail smooth life. If we change our innerself instead of changing our face and resolve/ imbibe persistently the virtues in day-to-day’s life we will blossom and spread fragrance of our deeds everywhere. Unfortunately we don’t change our attitude because we have been nurtured so. The task of diplomacy and tact is as difficult as searching a needle in the hay-stack. We should not forget that vision with discernment is to see the things invisible. Besides, whatever is ordained in our life can not be avoided or blotted out but we can, surely, minimize the evil effects by taking some precautions. Also secret of success is in learning from the lessons of failures. Life is like walking on the edge of a razor. One should know when and how to knock and hit to achieve our purpose waiting patiently for the occasion conducive to one’s advantage. This is also the way to weather our crises. Such a person is having a hold and command of his own mind and other sense organs.

Sometimes the attrition and war is thrusted on us and thus Lord Krishna, through His discourse to Arjuna, in the battlefield of Kurukshetra, urged him to fight and not shirk his responsibility for the sake of protecting the principles of Dharma though the Lord tried His best to avoid war. The awkward situation can be avoided/ delayed with tact, through silence or unhurried thoughts. Also one can adopt a middle and safe path while dealing with others as Gautma Buddha got a cue from a song being sung by some women when he was in penance for enlightenment in a forest. The song was like this, ‘ Do not tighten the wires of the lute, they will break. Do not leave the wires loose. There will be no music.’

A person with skillful qualities will not use brazen ways to suit his fancy or open taboo topics or concoct stories to malign others. He will try to make all conceivable efforts to avert the ugly situation by not using adulation, underhand dealings or uncivilized methods. He will think for a while before leap to avoid becoming a laughing stock. Sometimes he has to do only a cosmetic exercise by telling a lie or to save someone’s life provided the act does not harm or hurt someone to a considerable extant. By applying diplomatic channels one can avoid many vicissitudes of life which helps in warding off vitiating the atmosphere and arch rivalry keeping the dead past much behind. We should not forget that a soft word turns away wrath but grievous words stir up anger. Sometimes to avoid abrupt flare-up the elders or wise people have to take the onus of the cause of the problem in their stride.

A tactful person will not weave a complicated web of malice around himself. His actions and policies will be conditioned with bubbly bonhomie nature making friends and well wishers all around. He will try to soft-pedal to patch up and assuage the differences between the rivals instead of creating sharp divergences. Such a person will remain limpet(rock like) to his position and will never invoke wrongful ways to quench his own power thirst. He will not be agonized under a small pretext and he will use well crafted language avoiding sarcastic one and will remain assertive instead of remaining hostile.

To become a real diplomat one requires enormous qualities some more of which are discussed further. A well nurtured person will neither treat anyone contumely nor transgress his limits under any circumstances. He is considered as a credible crusader and minion for people’s cause and will never usurp their rights. He is redeemer and flicker of hope of the fallen and will not be considered as a tout but a prolific achiever. He will take every step carefully exercising care and restraint and also find a way to circumvent the law. He will be capable of beating many odds in life and may try to make foray into his profession, prove his mettle and catapult to fame soon.

Only good will betide to such qualitative person and he will earn kudos and bag many accolades of others. He will hardly receive cold shoulders from others but his sincere and strenuous efforts will cut ice to resolve intricacies. One will not feel that he is rudderless and in very awkward situation he may try quid pro quo formula to settle the matter amicably to avoid fissures. He will never be considered as an inconvenient person by his employer and will remain etched in the hearts and minds of his colleagues for eternity. The knotty issues will be kept open to resolve at an appropriate time and try not to reach the dead end. He will never slam a door over difficult situations as he knows that, probably, he has to come back. At every success he will open a new bubbling champagne bottle. To conclude, a person bereft of diplomacy becomes a rolling stone and has no place in this world of today. Be careful, enjoy life and fly high.

Tuhi Tu

2007-08-28T23:57:00.000+05:30

Dadu Dyal was a cotton spinner/ Carder (called Pinjara or Dhunnia in Hindi) by profession. One day, during spinning, when he lent his ears, while passing the shuttle, back and forth over the strings of his instrument/ card ( called Pinjan in Hindi ) , heard the sound / hymn of “Tat Sat, Tuhi Tuhi” ( It is stark truth that You are the Only One ) emanating from the strings. This repeated sound touched his heart and mind and he started worshipping Almighty God after hearing this melodious tone, earned Lord’s merits and, ultimately, became His true devotee. In the same way, once you start treading the path of spirituality, have craving, devotion and dedication you will see Lord’s presence everywhere and interpret/ infer/ imply every sound as of His own due to the change in the angle of your vision.

Were the gopis and cows of Vrindavan not attracted towards the melodious and reverberating divine tunes of the Flute Player, Lord Krishna, and heard the same in rapt silence and attention? Even the sound of a chugging train will be pronounced by you as of the Lord Supreme pleasing to your ears and giving some worthy message. Remember what Sai Baba of Shirdi used to utter very often, “Sab ke Malik ek hein”(God is the only Ruler of us all) . You can also produce any desired sound with any meaning praising the Creator of this world even from a reed/ shehnai/ lute or harmonium etc. Such should be the impact of Lord’s presence everywhere in your mind. It is your love, sweet words, language and faith which matter for attraction and bond and not the particular way and language of your expression.

It is not out of place to mention here that Saint Ravi Das ( Guru of Mira Bai ) was a cobbler, Saint Kabira was a Muslim weaver of Kashi, Dev Rishi Narad Muni was the son of a maid-servant and Brahma Rishi Valmiki was a robber. They reached the zenith of spirituality after coming into contact and influence of the divine souls. History is replete with such personalities.

One requires a true preceptor to guide us, shake us and put us on the right path in helping control of our senses which behave like an unbridled horse running amok hither and thither. For this purpose the incarnation of divine souls have taken place in the past and shall continue to do so, from time to time, otherwise we will remain in pitch darkness of ignorance and falsehood. Also we will never learn the art of living with purpose or bonding to Perfection being trail blazers of non-believers.

Ponder a while, look around and you will surely find marvels and bounties of Lord Absolute everywhere and in every speck. Lift your eyes towards the sky to find fluffy clouds wandering here and there, pealing sound of convective clouds on a rainy day and birds soaring in typical formations. Think and observe the bird Cataka wandering and chirping ‘Piyu- Piyu’ in search of precious first drop of cloud-burst. We can learn from it about the extant and suffering for love, longing and restraint.

Turn your attention to the heave and swell of ocean waters and its dancing and colliding waves producing soothing melodious songs. Sometimes the moon is in contortion/ crescent form and its cooling light is strewn wonderfully in corona radiating all round when in full bloom. Think, whether there will be any life on earth without Sun shine! In lush green gardens the twinkling of glowing worms and zillion butterflies gives hilarious and enchanting sight. The different shapes and bursting flaming colours of plants and flowers with multiple fragrances exhibit splendour and wonders of the Benign Lord. The soothing and gentle breeze is panacea for all our troubles and helps in releasing tension of our nervous system and detoxifying our bodies due to which we find ourselves completely in calm, spectacular and tranquil atmosphere. If this is not a paradise here itself then what else is this! All this provides peace to our weary eyes and mind. It looks as if the excellent abode of God has descended on earth to give us complete solace, peace and bliss. It is left to our wisdom to seize the opportunity, enthral , rejoice and celebrate in the glory of the Ruler of Creation, the Heavenly Father.

Let us revert to the qualities of our true guides who help us in reaching and aligning with our Gracious Father by narrowing down the gap between us both. Such divine souls do not differentiate between religions but stress upon virtues and humanity. Their body, mind and intellect are in unison. They act like touch-stones for resurrecting and transforming the lives of others and inject wonderful colours of humanity. The fully transformed persons will start admiring all pervading Lord and act according to His commandments as they, now, possess discerning vision. Even a glimmer of Lord is full of hope and sets life aglow.

Allow the Supreme Lord a permanent seat in your body to help and guide you throughout life. Once the seed of spirituality starts germinating in our heart it will definitely grow, mature and bear fruit provided we moist it with faith to the core. We should always be intoxicated with His divine nectar. We should bow, kneel and prostrate before Him for blessing us beautiful, wonderful and precious life. Chanting His holy name results like a bath of purification of our mind. We should be immersed in Him in such a way that our every heart-beat, cell, tissue and hair filament should produce the sound of “Tuhi Tu”. Remember the words of the Sikh community who chant Lord’s name through their slogan: “Jo bole so nihal, Sat Sri Akaal” (whosoever chants His name will be redeemed, Truth is infinite and everlasting). The famous saint Kabira also said in one of his couplets: “Har ghatt mein mera sayan, khali ghatt na koe” (my Lord pervades everywhere, there is no place without Him) .

When our defiled mind and vision become crystal clear and we are completely drenched in His hue we enjoy the bliss of our Holy Father , Lord of Mercy and gain internal strength. Our all desires will be satiated. He can be found everywhere, in office, factory, field or farm as King Janaka found Sita, through Lord’s blessings, while tilling the land. Sita proved herself as an impeccable and faithful consort of Lord Rama. We should not forget as to how Lord Shiva saved the life of Markandey (who chanted Maha Mrityunjay Mantra) from the clutches of Yama, Lord of Death.

We conclude from above that the Supreme Ruler of Heaven and Earth and Guardian of our life is manifested in everything and everywhere and if we are deprived of His mercy, bounties and endowments what will happen! Those who bond with the Real Gem and Truth dispense with their own identity even. We should not encircle and entangle ourselves with the worldly web but seek complete freedom by walking on the path leading to His abode. We should dedicate our lives in His service. We should anoint, adorn and allow Him to dwell in our hearts and illuminate our inner self with His presence. We must always say / mumble, “You are both my father and mother, my trusted ‘Sakha’ (colleague), Refuge and Redeemer”. Have we not observed that even the gods (including Mahadeva, Lord Shiva) in deep concentration / communion and praying someone more powerful to them! It clearly shows that there is some omnipotent Supreme Lord running the whole world so efficiently and without any let-up. He is no other than Lord Nirankar , or give Him any other name. When a person reaches such an exalted state he / she dances and sings in Lord’s glory and is on the right path of achieving salvation.

Kudos to You , my Lord. Have mercy on all of us. You are the only one.

Charity and Sacrifice - Why and How

2007-08-12T13:23:00.001+05:30

Hands that give are holier Than the lips that pray.

By undertaking pilgrimage to holy places and participating in ‘Satsangas’ (congregations) one leads towards charity, individually, combined or by some other way which is very much desired for the needy and down-trodden for their upliftment. Pilgrimage without imbibing virtues will remain and mean only some distance covered and journey undertaken without purpose. No doubt holy places give refuge to the weary souls, make us humble and help in enhancing our spirituality. Charity is an act of great sacrifice, graciousness, piousness, nobleness, compassion, forgiveness and one of the virtuous qualities for absolving one’s adversities. One who gives charity feels the pinch of problems of others as his/ her own. Happiness and grace multiplies by sharing with others.

One should not accept charity from atheists and those having sense gratification for the purpose of maintaining sanctity. Some of these charities are compassion, land donation, material charity, charity of cow, charity of maiden, donation of limbs after death, education, charity for peace and charity for food which is the most pious service to the poor and needy. In fact charity given to a needy person for education is a permanent one as it removes one’s ignorance. Knowledge and wealth are God’s gifts which must be shared with others to enjoy and fructify. Charity of education is given in secrecy as education and intellect cannot be stolen, being hidden treasures, and is helpful even when one does not possess money. An educated and learned person does not possess destitute qualities and he is not an encumber on earth. Some prefer secret charity without revealing their names, as they believe that their left hand should not know what the right one gives.

Blood donation to save some one’s life is also a supreme act in the service of mankind. For the infertile couple the donors of eggs and sperms can help in conceiving and giving new lease of life to the dismayed and emotionally shattered people. Those who have absolutely nothing to give can at least devote their precious time for the benefit of the needy. With charity of love which is instilled in us by the parents, saints and erudites by drenching us with nectar of love we can inculcate brotherhood and friendship towards all irrespective of caste, creed, colour, sex, religion and underprivileged etc. and reinstate them into the main stream of life otherwise they will be alienated from mankind and society. This also gives them emotional support. In short, charity is nothing but service to the needy. It is marvelous act and the donor is placed in heaven on this earth itself.

We should contribute and share our possessions with others as the trees, rivers, seas and mountains do without discrimination. Charity is a trust, which should not be considered in terms of cash or kind in quantity. Even the road does service by leading us to our desired destination without expecting any reward . Unfortunately, we share our grief with others but not our comforts and possessions. God is ’Giver’ Who always fills our treasures with His bounties and marvels. His treasures are full upto the brim. He takes care even of the tiniest creature. By giving away in charity it dissipates and checkmates our craze for amassing unnecessary wealth and helps in preventing many discomforts and vices of our life. It also stops allurement of unworthy ambitions and wants.

Learn that the whole life is giving, that nature will force you to give. So, give willingly. Sooner or later you will have to give up. Besides the attitude of giving leads to spiritual progress whereas those of taking to a great fall. It is believed that charity or donations sanctify the earnings of the donor. Thus one elevates one’s soul and gets salvation. It is also said that God manifests in different forms before His arch devotee, like food for the famished and consolation for the helpless etc.

Charity given with pomp and show stains its true purpose. The purity of hands is based on the charity given and shared through them with generosity. What we give to the poor, in fact we give back to Lord due to His grace .We are giving this gift of God to the weak, unhealthy, illiterate or broken-hearted, inferior and suppressed. We get satisfaction and Lord’s blessings only when it reaches the real needy otherwise its purpose is lost in case the receiver becomes dependent for ever and does not try to stand on his / her own feet.

A renowned diplomat and author of Artha Shastra, Acharya Chanakya (Prime Minister of Chandra Gupta Maurya), had rightly said that we should remain within our limits even while giving charity otherwise our stocks will dwindle and we will be left with nothing except worries.

It is proved beyond doubt that one who gives in charity without expecting anything in return is benefited in health and long life. Such persons remain free from blood pressure, heart disease etc. and get peace of mind due to God’s grace and blessings of the receivers and also due to their changed positive attitude towards life. The giver also gets contentment. Such a giver never tires in his virtuous actions and his treasures never exhaust but are always replenished by the Supreme Lord in a mysterious way. Also we should give as one lamp lights up many other lamps (for removing ignorance) without losing its own light. Charity is also like an intellect, the more we use the more it sharpens, strengthens and breeds. Charity is a penance for inner purification. It is the way to God realization.

Divine Quest --- Step by Step

2007-07-29T22:31:00.000+05:30

The designers, scientists, inventors and researchers etc. know fully well that they do not achieve their goal without, first, nurturing dreams/ perception about it, then conceiving/ devising, shaping/ imprinting from every angle, producing and making certain changes for gaining desired results. They are really visionaries. Similarly, the seeker of Truth has to do a lot of spade work with trials, tribulations and pit-falls.The track is not easy. There are many road blocks on the way. He may meet atheists, infidels/ pagans, theists and idolaters/ iconoclasts or even fetish worshippers on his way causing all sorts of confusions in his mind. Once he has come across the right erudite to show him the right path towards divinity all the stumbling blocks will automatically clear from his way. He may still be in conflicting notions about the existence of Supreme Power in formless or in specific configuration. At this juncture he has to bake himself, first, in spirituality, virtues and righteousness to understand and know the Absolute Reality.

Once the novice is determined to reach his goal and is injected to purify himself by purging his inner dross he may start visiting holy places to chasten himself. Once entering His corridors and relishing divine thoughts there is no question of deviation of any kind. If a visit to a holy place (a place where God is realized) is for pleasure sake then the visitor is simply called a tourist but a visit for delving deeper for knowing and approaching Divine to achieve virtuous qualities to redeem oneself the same can be termed as a pilgrimage. To start Bhakti Yoga (yoking with God) one has to look within oneself after aligning with divine places and men.

During visits to temples and holy places and on contact with divine souls who prove as touch-stones one may again start thinking whether to believe in icons of gods and goddesses or in the unseen Supreme God whose marvels and bounties are freely available to us and scattered all over as a breath taking spectacle universe in the form of rivers, mountains, wind, Earth, sun, moon, flower and vegetables etc. He becomes a person of inquisitive nature with intention of churning Truth. Slowly and slowly his all doubts are cleared and he starts believing that visits to holy places which are sanctified are the “stepping stones” to know the Ultimate. It is now clear to him that the icon/ statue was hidden in the rock. The craftsman/ sculptor has simply brought it out by chipping off the extra material surrounding it. He has also understood about the presence of God everywhere when He in the form of Narsimah emanated from a pillar to rescue His arch devotee, Prahalada. He, now, believes that the temples are meant for sprouting Bhakti (service to God) in aspirants. Once an aspirant is imbued in Bhakti everything becomes crystal clear to him about the Creator and His mystical creation. He concludes that the temples are shelters for refreshing the minds of the weary souls imbibing deep faith, solace and reverence. They are also the symbols of truth, intellect and bliss. According to Hindu reckoning the importance of temples have become necessary from Yuga (era) to Yuga, especially in the present Kali Yuga (era of darkness) when the vices and degradation of lives are dominating very heavily. The temples are the dwellings of gods and faith where the icons are consecrated with sacred paraphernalia and by chanting Vedic mantras (mind freeing)/ hymns by the saints/ priests and installed in reverence with great pomp and show. People worship God/ deity and regular prayers take place as prayer heals our deep mental wounds.

The visitors to the temples might have often observed the installation of a tortoise in the form of an icon in front of a temple which shows that like tortoise we should shed ego, tread lowly and surrender to deity. It is to be reminded here that tortoise or “Kurma” was incarnation of Lord Vishnu. It is a crustaceous (hard shelled) and plaston (lower soft abdomen) creature. It is capable to withdraw its senses from sense objects as it draws its limbs within the shell being flexible and is firmly fixed in perfect consciousness. We can learn a lot from it. Its mention is found in Gita—2.58.

The precincts of holy places are completely charged with Vedic mantras reverberating everywhere reverence and effect of visits of holy people with their sermons and religious fervour. The passers-by bow their head to the temple/ holy place and kow-tow before the deity’s altar. Our wishes are fulfilled and our life starts fructifying. One may also start communicating directly with Lord and place woes before Him for absolving. During pilgrimage on foot, like warkaris of Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu , from place to place, in droves, sing, dance and spread the message of love, peace and harmony on the way. Frequent visits to holy places calm down our nervous system which is good for our well being. We have also heard the devotees singing devotional/ melodious songs and dancing skillfully while scintillating and thrilling on the jangling sound of cymbals and trinkets and pounding the ground with feet accompanied with sweet rhythmic tunes on musical instruments, all creating mania for those present and soothing/ rejuvenating their tiring nerves and muscles.

When we are face to face with Lord/ deity and our tears start rolling on face incessantly due to outpourings it is construed that our sins are singed in repentance and we may be granted boons. This is also a sign of humility and admittance of our guilt. We should remember that the soul has no rainbow without the tears in our eyes. At the same time tears shed in desperation can cause upheaval. Only the penitent’s sins can be washed away. Thus we start believing that whatever happens in our lives happens with His will only.

At later stage when more knowledge dawns on the devotee he starts thinking that there is another omnipresent, imperishable and assimilated in the whole world Supreme Power commanding and managing the day-to- day affairs of the world so efficiently. He also starts believing that anointing and reverence of the deities is beneficial. Also it is necessary to take help of the masterminds/ saints etc. who shed light instead of our groping in the darkness and remain in illusion. Now you are at higher level of spirituality and you need not search God in temples. Parmahansa Yogananda has rightly said, “I bow to myself within myself. When the consciousness of God comes, you realize that He is within yourself, not merely somewhere away in heaven or in nature or in temples. You find Him within your heart and within your soul.” Also God says in Gita : VII-2 & 7,”After knowing Me nothing else remains to be known. Also, nothing else exists except Me.” Once we surrender to Him completely He will never shoo off or boot us out. He will bless and transform us and we will bask in His glory. We are completely yoked with Lord and every thing looks mundane, myth and glossed. Besides, we believe that this world is only a tavern for us and we are simply trustees of every thing here. In this belief we remain unattached to every thing.

This article will remain incomplete unless we know a little more about the benefits and results of spirituality. With change of attitude we revolutionize our life and may display remarkable agility in steering day-to –day activities and thus tend towards getting blessings of parents, elders and the preceptors. The high spirits make you young, vibrant and matured. You consider the problems of others as your own and devote yourself towards love and service leading to liberation and earn merits of Lord. Your compassion turns your divergences into convergences. You dissolve your lust, attachment, greed, anger, ego, attrition and other vices. Your sedentary life is left behind and the sufferings and obloquy will vanish as by this time you peg your worries on Supreme Lord and the preceptor. The luck starts opening up and you, suddenly, get much more than your desires and expectations. Thus our selfless service and virtues emancipate us completely. Some one has rightly said about God, “When I see You , nothing else remains to be seen and when You see me, the whole world strangely looks at me for Your generosity.”

Buoyant Mind No More Tears

2007-06-25T21:34:00.000+05:30

One can not imbibe steadfastness and buoyant spirits unless he has peace of mind within himself blooming with love. His positive approach in life will boost self—esteem and he has to leave the past dead. His success depends upon taking every challenge as a passion and never to curse his luck but look perkier. Such a person arrests every moment of life for best use and casts magic spell on others to pull them along with him. The life of such a person will be like swirling fields with changing seasons and strutting water streams with giggling and crackling sound. His activities of life are stressed on ‘Karma’ (actions) as to be remembered and emulated by others as he is forward looking with fervent hope at every step which is the basis for our moment—to –moment life breath and is elated at every success and he is never tired or disillusioned at failures. He is open, receptive and flexible to the new ideas and odd situations. He is not incorrigible, impudent or rancour but always prepared to absorb the shocks and ups and downs of life and ever prepared to support and help others in their hour of need. A person with such sterling and lofty qualities does wonders in organizational matters and will buster the evil impulses of others and is capable of puffing off / blowing off all the worries of mundane life and is contented and thankful to Almighty for His divine grace, bliss and bounties.

The neurons in brain are triggering and brimming/ revitalizing quickly with dormant energy and wisdom provided we take necessary steps to make our life ever fresh and spick and span by nourishing it. Consuming fibrous and nutritious healthy food helps us in doing so to avoid constipation which is one of the main causes of our swinging moods. Such a food also helps in strengthening our stamina and immune system. Keeping ourselves mentally and physically busy and strong is another way to stay lethargy at bay. Divine knowledge, attending spiritual discourses, participation in devotional songs and dances etc. boost our buoyancy to achieve God realization and also suicidal thoughts and attempts can be avoided.One should keep company of younger persons, relax often and get sound sleep with regular activities due to which we can achieve best results. Love and affection for all and praising the deserving for worthy cause can upbeat our mind and that of others. One should keep some leeway and flexibility in every dealing. We should not strike the wrong chord but be balanced, analytical and discerning while taking important decisions.

A person with above qualities is disciplined one and his mind does not agitate, which helps in concentration. He will be fascinated with life and the Supreme Lord, the Creator. He will easily come out of the whirlpool of life by avoiding attrition and fostering love and tolerance and adjust according to circumstances and keep at bay many ailments. Being a spirited person he scales down new peaks in life and iron out many wrinkles. This type of attribute adds fragrance and luster to life. He is swift in mending his fences to be in tune to transform his opposites who possess biased, contaminated and perverted minds. He may become a moving force to educate and reform people for enjoying real purpose of life, not allowing boredom to touch and ruin life and may, very often, take emotional upheavals and anxieties of others to his stride, not leaving anything to fate but will stand up again and again against odds to achieve desired result. Thus he will lead life without compunction.

The buoyant person is a mighty intellect, psychologically upbeat and possesses balanced disposition. He will prove himself as a motive force and being vibrant mobilize others’ opinion to mould them for the welfare of the society. He can prove himself as a striking example for others being a beacon light. He is able to detoxify his own as well as of others’ drosses to improve the power of sustenance and to live bubbling with verve, tolerance and will remain composed, thus rejoicing in every obstacle. He is capable to revitalize even those living in sedentary life. Such persons are fit and proper to create harmony, love, peace and order everywhere. Persons of same wave length become friends and share their pleasures and sorrows. These qualities are also extremely helpful in warding off diligently many hard-hit chronic and contagious diseases like arthritis, cancer, depression, diabetes, blood pressure, heart attack and allergy etc.

A cheerful , confident and optimistic person is uplifted with humanity and shining like a bright light and not smothering like a wilting wick. He will enjoy worthy life while serving others and be devoid of ego to remain in full esteem.He is committed, determined and wholesome person and will act as a locomotive to pull along the dimwitted. Even the blind, deranged, handicapped/incapacitated etc. will not suffer in his company. He will change the world with the help of his ilk by adding spice to their life. A few such persons can transform the whole world into a paradise. It is incumbent on our part to join the company of such people as they are achievers and will bring forth healthy, happy and friendly society. Let us keep in mind that in case buoyancy blends with spirituality then wonderful results are expected. On attaining spiritualism and virtues one will feast his eyes on Supreme Lord as gaining such a wisdom surpasses all the pleasures of life and also one becomes illustrious.

In conclusion, the author asks the readers whether they wish to shed tears in despondency and wail hysterically or like to be buoyant and uplifted ?

Adjustment---A Means Of Transformation

2007-06-09T19:20:00.000+05:30

Adjustment is an important subject of social sciences. Adjustment culminates to unity and strong bond between people which is very necessary for the advancement and existence of society and the country. This is one of the sterling virtues, whosoever adopts it sails the boat of life smoothly and happily and can even face boldly the holocaust fatigue. It is a give and take affair. The dictionary meaning of adjustment is to alter slightly, become used to a new situation and harmonize.

Adjustment / reconciliation is an integration/ fructification and non-adjustment is decadence. The visionary adjusts even during difficult situations as one believes that dawn comes after dark and all phases of life are passing ones. A life of adjustment is an ideal one as one uses diplomacy / restraint / accomodation and is not provoked. With an attitude of adjustment all strings of rancour will loosen converting into bond of love, service, righteousness and universal brotherhood. In this spirit even the mightiest and the weakest may live together in complete harmony.

One may prefer to lose a fight or negotiate skillfully and will clear out all misunderstandings with others. One’s inside tug will vanish,the person stops drifting aimlessly and will become adaptable. One with such qualities will become humble, generous and extinguishes arrogance. The life becomes benign, completely streamlined, vibrant/ upbeat and fine-tuned. To err is human. The attitude of let go acts as a balm. One should not, always, stick to one’s own guns. Even with a small gesture of adjustment one earns the pleasure, good will, confidence, harmony and faith of others. Adjustment amongst young and old with wide generation gap is the necessity of the day.

Since one’s hatred is quelled due to adjustment the stress is reduced and the resultant is harmony in every direction. The family life becomes fruitful , joyful , cohessive and blossoms which is purely based on sacrifice ,tolerance, and mutual love. Since the emotions are controlled , the heart and mind work in unison with a desire to live peacefully. The fickle mind stabilizes and one casts off ego and never feels that he/ she is indispensible. Besides, due to change of attitude, sometimes, one becomes partner of somebody’s wealth, grace and virtues and victor of own trials and tribulations.

With adjustment one learns the art of handling people and with due consideration and tact even the knotty and puzzling problems can be solved. The discard and conflict turn to accord, denial to acceptance. In case the situation does not change, a person of consideration will change according to the circumstances as the tortoise does. The situation is not always according to our wishes. One’s language becomes sweet, rigidity melts down and he/ she is accepted by all, everywhere in cozy atmosphere. The argumentation is refrained and one becomes very conscious while dealing with others, especially with sensitive persons. Such a person becomes endear of all, animosity to none and is never stubborn, violent, disgruntled or proud. Saint Rahim has said,” Do not snap the thread of love by a jerk; once snapped, it can not be rejoined without a knot.” This saying is true about adjustment and faith also.

The mutual faith , respect, consideration and tolerance are deep rooted. He/ she will never denigrate/ contradict any religion, sect, caste, creed and country to avoid attrition and pitfalls which antagonize at a little pretext. We should avoid the awkward situation as we do while we meet a person walking from the opposite direction in the same clime. Unfortunately, fomenting insurgency, terrorism and communal/ racial hatred is on rise in the whole world disturbing the social fabric of life. The spirit of tolerance is vanished and values of humanity are degraded. This has also led to alienation of the society. Though the transformation needs a lot of sacrifice and self-denial but, no doubt, adjustment bridges many wide gaps.

There are many disadvantages for those who do not adjust and are not flexible in life. Their faculities do not function properly and they blame their luck, God or someone else for short-comings. Such persons start considering themselves as unworthy and may fume and fret on flimsy grounds. They become offensive, unfriendly and with such type of temprament ruin their innerself with blazing fire of hatred and revolt. He/ she may form habits of nitpick, peevishness and may thus fall apart from people at a small pretext. Also such habits create confusion in one’s mind making indecisive and switching tracks of mind off and on which , ultimately,derail the life. They may use curt and unbridled language resulting in a fire-brand /
ballistic personality whereas a little care and diplomacy can avoid war. Non adjustment causes a great loss and disappointment.

Adjustment has amazing healing powers as such persons do not live in repulsion, will not have any adversary but all well-wishers. Since such a person is cordial he/she may believe in theism and build pantheon for all. Persons of such qualities are insulated from outside and inside upheavals of life and thus relish the life under all circumstances treating pleasures and pains alike and annihilating the passions and anger. Adjustment makes a person obedient and trustworthy of elders, saints, preceptors, superiors and God.

The art of adjustment tends to the favour of others instead of vested interests. This is also one of the right paths leading to service of mankind, spirituality and liberation. With adjustment and sensual controls one will not be drowned in negativities. Such people are never inimical and their actions result in the reunion of broken hearts as the technique has a yoking effect. The pure heart with adjustment irrigates the seed to yield the harvest of universal amity. Adjustment does not mean that one should bear the onslaught of un-necessary criticism or wrong actions/ utterances of someone. Forebearance is necessary but to certain limits. It is strongly advised not to compromise/ cave in before the evil designs, forces and against one’s principles/ compulsions not leading to fair results. It is better to act according to one’s inner voice and rationale/ logic with perfectly cool mind and heart.

Sublime Life, Only Way Out

2007-06-07T23:45:00.000+05:30

We are living in a crowded environment infested with many vices in the form of ‘ifs’, ‘buts’ and ‘whys’ etc., all causes of irritation and argumentation. Our body is made up of virtues and vices picked up throughout life time. It is necessary to root out the vices, inhumanity, evils and imbibe virtues to nourish the vital parts of our body to lead healthy, smooth and tranquil life. The words ‘ifs’, ‘buts’ and ‘whys’ etc. are like a grit, when not removed from shoes (life) immediately, will hurt us grievously throughout life and retard our speed. These are like speck of dust in eyes, always irritating. Also these are like thorn in our feet pricking with excruciating pain. Thus we should pick up these tares and weeds from our life to avoid crippling and dampening of spirits. Mind it that every body has to face the result of one’s own deeds, individually. No body else is responsible for it. So, we should root out the same to avoid sedentary life. If we are not alert and don’t care to keep at bay the vices, in time, they may take ugly shape later on and take away charms of our life. Life granted to us is a wake-up state with no room for laziness. Help yourself out of yourself, said Swami Vivekananda. So, get up soon from your slumber. Mark Twain has aptly said,” It is your human environment that makes climate.”

Let us throw little light on our main vices. These are lust, ego, attachment, greed, selfishness, anger, envy, argumentation, laziness, vie with others, prejudices, unbalanced vision, antagonizing others, subservient to some one etc. A person inflicted with vices demonstrates that he lacks implicit faith and vision in every thing and his life is purposeless and full of chinks and doubts leading him to nether world after slowly shrinking his life. Vices intrude into our lives in the shape of bumps and potholes from time to time because of our carelessness. These are of many types and sizes to be rooted out before they raise their hydra head any time engulfing our lives. All sorts of pinching thistles must be removed otherwise life will become distraught instead of dazzling. A person with such a disqualification will be of instable nature and not self-confident.

On the other hand a person imbibing virtues thrives in life as virtues are like hemming life with spangles and studding with glittering gems for smooth, healthy and progressive sailing. One can achieve sterling qualities only by, sincerely, forsaking vices. Some of the virtues are compassion, peace, love, humility, forgiveness, determination, contentment, control and command over senses, God realization, up-liftment of society, interfaith, brotherhood, concentration, unselfish and immaculate nature, discernment, restraint, positive attitude and hope which is foundation of life, etc. Virtues chasten our character and sanctify the soul making our present and future life worthy. To achieve this purpose our up-bringing should be perfect like segregating stones and chaff(vices) from wheat etc. by winnowing and screening. The virtuous people resign everything to fate with firm faith in Almighty’s decisions. They earn by fair means only for livelihood, help the needy and act judiciously in every action and dealing. Such persons use pleasing and crafted words in their language. Their attributes are pure only bringing real happiness and peace. Such a character takes one to the realm of God leaving sweet memories in this world.

First of all we have to detoxify ourselves from the dross of our vices in our body. The only way to remove vices completely from our life is to resolve every day, with will power and pure mind, for doing so. By imbibing this habit persistently and focusing energies, like charging the batteries of our life, off and on, will do the trick for smooth run. Removal of ‘ifs’, ‘buts’ and ‘whys’ etc(vices) remove many curls of our life and iron out the wrinkles.

One should not forget the famous adage,” As you sow, so shall you reap.” When God dwells inside you, your all deeds will automatically strengthen up. Also God has given us this precious life and if we have not realized Him with our virtues and discernment then we have achieved absolutely nothing. Discernment between good and bad is like observing and recognizing the two sides of a coin, obverse and adverse to minimize our worries with foresight. With virtuous qualities our life will become melodious. Tulsidasa says in one of his couplets, “ The fools follow vices of Mahabharata instead of virtuous examples of Ramayana.” At whatever stage of life we are, it is still time for us to tighten our loose ends so that we spring forth with hope. We should not nurture the false dreams and get trapped in our self made snare where extrication becomes difficult. Also we should not visualize the problems before hand without any base and reason and act in negativity. Wait patiently to plan till the time comes for you to “cross the bridge.” On the contrary, due to our virtues, Lord’s propitious hands will ever remain on our shoulders. If we accumulate only the virtues in our life we may not carry the unbearable heavy load of vices at the fag end of life. A great and famous laureate and visionary, Shri HanumaPoddar, has rightly said, “ Diseases can not be uprooted by medicines and hospitals alone. Eradication of disease is possible only through control of senses and purity of mind which ensure our physical, mental and spiritual health.” Virtues and good character are the peerless gems of our life. Our bland and barren life will start blooming. The direction of our thinking and life changes for betterment. It is possible that one may become an apstotle of change/ transformation. Pray God for your wisdom and sublimity.

Surrender, Wander Not

2007-06-06T22:20:00.000+05:30

Surrender does not mean that we have accepted/ submitted our defeat due to weakness or fear and knelt down to some one in repentance. On the contrary surrender means that we have accepted the protection of Lord, preceptor or an exalted soul in unflinching faith, reverence and without inquisitive mind for spiritual solace and strength. It is an antidote to many pitfalls of life.

The sense organs of one who surrenders are perfectly under his control and he adjusts himself according to the circumstances. Such a person thinks that every thing including his body belongs to Supreme Lord. He will always chant Lord’s name and ever remain under His sway. An idea of love does not sprout in our mind without total surrender which melts away our ego to the core. We know as to what Hanuman achieved due to his untainted love, faith and surrender causing supreme sacred bondage to Lord Rama.

The surrender should be like Daropadi who in the court of Kauravas was being disrobed and her modesty was at stake in the presence of many kings who were of no help and finally her supplication to Lord Krishna brought mysterious results in rescuing her from her gruelling experience.

The faith and surrender should be like Mira Bai who said,” Mere to Girdhar Gopal doosra na koi “ (no one else is dear to me except Lord Krishna).When we realize the mistakes/ sins committed in past we should surrender to God and beseech Him in remorse for annihilating/ singeing our faults and live the rest of our life eschewing hypocrisy in His service and that of mankind leaving fate to His mercy. Amazingly, we completely surrender our life to the surgeon while on the operation table but not to Supreme Lord in whom even the surgeon depends and believes.

There are certain preconditions for surrender. One should have no attachment to worldly things. To achieve best results we should shake off our ego, remove tares of life and become pious in nature. We should become determined persons, not rigid ones. Surrender should be with body, mind and wealth. Repentance and atonement are pre-requisite for surrender with no further hostilities. This act sanctifies life and the inner shutters of life are wide open for entry of wisdom. One never criticizes and slanders the belief and religion of others. As an aura of places of worship commands respect the devotee bows his head to all religious places which are made on rocky foundation of faith. The devout kisses the feet of sages and Lord and becomes a possessed and intoxicated person completely drenched in spirituality. The virtues cause fillip to his goal of surrender. Once he attains these qualities the Benevolent Lord will Himself dwell in his heart as the birds make their nest on the trees of the garden and the butterflies are
attracted towards beautiful and fragrant flowers by themselves.

After surrender to Lord even the impure and infamed becomes pure of sterling quality and be one with Him. His all animosities and pangs of life will disappear after the breakage of all worldly fetters. Once the appalling conditions improve he is at peace with himself as his tempers soften
automatically. He becomes an acme of love of one and all. One who surrenders to Lord gets His unequivocal protection and Lord will intervene during his difficult times without asking as His propitious hands will always remain on devout’s head. Lord will revive His devotee to life even when he is sinking. Such a noble soul will leave every thing in the hands of God and his life will become hunky-dory, earns bliss and is redeemed.

Man is very heavily infested with ego and without removing ego from our life we will never surrender to God or godly souls. Ego is a complete road-block for our progress. Some one has rightly said,” Whenever I climb up, I am followed by a dog called “EGO” to pull me down.”One who distinguishes between ‘i’ and ‘I’understands the true meaning of ego and tries his best to vanquish it. He rises above the intuition of revenge, grudge and hatred. We have often seen an icon of tortoise installed in front of a temple which reminds us that we should never appear before the deity flaunting strutting posture but should tread lowly and withdraw our senses from sense objects like this creature which is very flexible and is fixed in perfect consciousness. The qualities of tortoise are mentioned in Gita also.

Sometimes we surrender every thing, falsely earlier considering as our own, only after realizing Him through our impeccable love and devotion. If we don’t have any material for surrender to Lord at His altar, better kneel down before Him and open our heart with tears welling from eyes in repentance and take His refuge. A word or two in His glorification/ lavishing praise of His bounties are sufficient, even for our own purification.

We wander hither and thither in search of God but ultimately we get enlightenment within ourselves and once we achieve the result the whole ignorance is swept away. One gets stunning results when one follows the commands of Supreme Lord or preceptor as they wide open the chest oftheir wisdom and their grace will continuously shower on such an ardent devotee. Once when one wraps around oneself His spotless protective sheet/ blanket one not only feels safe but is satiated also in every respect. This is also a way of getting salvation. Surrender, sacrifice, love, compassion and adjustment make it possible for us to entertain cordial relations with others.

The devotee who surrenders stops using prefixes/ suffixes of status before/after his/ her name. Let us take you back to Kalinga war fought around 264/265 BC between King Ashoka of Maurya Dynasty and King Bindu Sara of the State of Kalinga, Orissa. After seeing a great blood-bath King Ashoka turned to a pathetic state and surrendered himself to Buddhism which teaches non-violence, peace and love. Even Mahatma Gandhi imbibed these virtuous principles.

May the message of surrender dawn on all so that we live joyfully. Also the author humbly requests the readers not to wander about and swallow the worldly dust but focus their energies in knowing the Supreme Power and drool over Him. Besides, live life with Lord’s strength.