PREFACE
Good company inspires good
thoughts. Aura of good person engulfs us when we are in their holy presence.
Words are not essential to be a part of communication with them. I have been
lucky to be in regular company of 2 such noble souls, SARDAR
HABIBSAHEB SYED,
popularly known as NAWAB SAHEB & MR. S. SARDESAI, my colleague who took Sanyas.
Their Aura inspired noble thoughts have urged me to follow a different path.
The path is elaborated in this book. I have been immensely benefited, mentally
& spiritually, from their divine proximity.
This book is regarding my
experiences in following this noble path without deviating from our familial
& routine responsibilities. NAWAB SAHEB has been my guiding light. He has
always guided, prodded & inspired me to the right path. I am grateful for
all he has done to help me.
I have started on a journey. An internal voyage, which only those who undertake can experience the spirituality of it. I have tried to put it in words. This is my attempt to tell & dispel all the doubts I had to face in following this path. I want my friends to avoid these pitfalls & uncertainties. This is my first attempt in putting my thoughts to words. I hope I am able to convey my thoughts properly & coherently.
I was able to relate to good thoughts & deeds because of the values imparted & inculcated in me by my Parents, Mr. PREMPRAKASH HANSRAJ BEDI & Mrs. LEELA PREMPRAKASH BEDI. We are able to hold our head high because of them. More than their teachings, I learned by observing them about things that we should do & especially things we should not do.
Creative urge to write this book came from my late paternal uncle Mr. RAJKUMAR HANSRAJ BEDI. He was a writer par excellence. He was a creative genius who was instrumental in the success of many mega movies & crafting the careers of today’s many superstars. He was a gem of a person. Till his last breath he was worried for the well being of those of whom he knew were facing problems.
In the path I have chosen I hope to achieve at least an iota of what my ideals had. I have chronicled my way of going thru this journey. My first attempt to put it in words may seem only superficial. Some of the thoughts which I have adopted are listed below for reference. I hope you will help me in my endeavor by pointing out the faults so that I can rectify & incorporate the same in future.
This book could not have been possible without the efforts of my colleague & friend Mr.Jayprakash N. Lad (who did all the D.T.P.) and my Cousin Mr.Deepak R. Bedi (who organized the printing process). I am grateful to them for reposing their faith in my ability.
PERCEPTIONS: WHY ME.
Whenever we face
Problems, the first question we ask is WHY ME.
Why am I suffering & facing Problems when I have not harmed anyone & am always Good & Helpful towards others.
The question in itself questions the impartiality of God. When we are blessed with good tidings we feel so elated. We feel God is rewarding us for being a good human being. We feel proud & with that egoistic. That time we don’t give a thought to others sufferings. But when we suffer we question God’s wisdom. When we question God’s wisdom we attribute human traits to God. God is above all this that is why we pray to him.
We judge ourselves by our own yardstick. Our opinion is biased towards others & especially towards ourselves. Our judgement is normally based on what is good & beneficial to us. We forget that God is impartial, very loving & very forgiving. For him all beings are equal. His blessings are based on our karmas. Bad karmas can’t give us God’s benevolence.
God, for our convenience, can be compared to Mother on Earth.
It is widely accepted that, on Earth, Parents are the Representative of God. Especially Mother. Like God, she nurtures, protects & guides her offspring towards the tried & tested path, the Right path, which has withstood vagaries of time. She dotes & pampers her offspring but to keep her wards on the right path she will not spare the rod. The offspring will cry, rave, rant & curse the Mother for the punishment meted out by her for his mistakes –Karma- but the next moment, when he feels okay, he forgets his past Karmas for which he was punished & again starts enjoying himself. Same is the case with us.
Human form is a precious gift given by God to our Atman. It is the highest form of being by which we can be helpful to the society & also uplift our Atman to Moksha. It is like our parents presenting us with a precious gift like a computer. Computer can be used for generating knowledge & growth of our overall potential. How our Parents will feel if we utilize it for all the wrong purposes. They will feel betrayed, cheated, angry & annoyed with us. They will punish us to bring us to the right path.
If our past karmas were good than their anger will be more because, they didn’t expect this from us. Naughty child is expected to trouble everybody & he gets so used to scolding, beating & reprimands that the effect on him is negligent. Whereas a sensitive child is easily hurt & takes any kind of reprimand to heart. He feels that nobody cares for him & his misdeamour didn’t deserve this punishment. Same principle applies to relations between God & his creations.
The Deeds –Karmas- add up to form his image & character for the future. Past record – Karmas - decides the level of punishment meted out by the authorities selected by society to keep us firmly on the right path, i.e. Parent, Teacher, Society, Law & other institutions. The norms which have been set & tested through centuries. These norms have come to be known as customs & traditions by which the qualities of our karmas are categorized.
General norms regarding ideal behavior are listed down from our holy texts & traditions regarding our moral obligations & duties towards the Society at large. When we drift from the stated path then it is said that our Karmas are not good, for us & especially for the Society. Severity of punishment for our Karmas depends upon the laid down norms of what is reasonably acceptable & what is totally avoidable. Repetition of mistakes i.e. regular misdeamour like fights will have lighter punishment than heinous crimes like murder or rape.
In this world punishment for our karmas has been categorized according to the limited knowledge we have. They are a part of the rules & regulations governing the Universe. This knowledge has been gained & imparted to us by the Saints & Prophets. Managing this world is such a hard job than we can imagine management of the Universe.
God is not bound by any religion or faith. He is bound by our devotion & faith combined by our good karmas. Our salvation depends upon our karmas. God has extended a rope to us. One end binds us by our karmas & the other end binds God thru our devotion. Bad karmas will tighten the noose & good karmas will loosen the hold of this world on our atman. Good karmas with devotion & faith towards the almighty will lead to a place near Him. Our Atman will attain the ultimate goal – Moksha.
Karmas – Past & Present – decide the severity of punishment. In this world it is according to our laid down rules & regulation where our body is the sufferer but in the realm of the Supreme Being the Soul – Atman - is the sufferer as it is governed by rules of the Universe whose control is with the Ultimate Creator --God.
God, like mother suffers more, when he has to be severe & metes out punishment for bad Karmas. After all we are a part of God. We suffer for our Karmas but forget our mistakes as soon as we are back to our normal routine. We don’t try to learn from our past Karmas & rectify them. God suffers more because we are a part of him. He wants us to follow the simple path he has laid down for us. He wants us to be near him & attain Moksha.
The simple rule for all Human being is to be Humane, Consistently Humane & not as per our wish & convenience. All creatures & living beings in this world act & react according to their prescribed nature. Human beings are prescribed to act Humane with all beings but Humans rarely do so. Being Humane means loving all creations of God. Our Karmas rarely are positive in this aspect. This way we accumulate negative Karmas. Past Karmas plus Karmas accumulated in this Birth are the cause of our sufferings.
When we say that, when I have not harmed anyone why am I suffering. Who are we to judge our capabilities? We are not perfect. We are prone to a mistake that is why we are humans & not God. But to be aware of mistakes & rectifying them is the humane path. This is God’s way of guiding us to the right path. He punishes us because he wants us to remember our mistakes. He wants us to make amends. Punishment will help us keep in mind the consequences of bad karma. God wants us to be free of Birth cycles & attain Moksha. This can be achieved by clearing the Debts of bad karmas by accumulating good Karmas.
The point, which should be elaborated, is that our Present Karmas are able to clean the bad effects of our Past Karmas. What we call as suffering is actually God’s way of helping us to speed up the process of clearing our debts & to prepare us to be worthy of attaining Moksha. Which means, we will rise above this Human form? We will be free from the cycle of Birth & Death. When our Karmas are bad we fall to a lower life form but when they are good we become eligible for a better life form i.e. above this human form.
So when we say WHY ME we should understand rules & regulations governing this Universe. God is preparing us to be worthy of being elevated from a Human Being to one who will reside near HIM.
To succeed in anything we have to prepare our self to be worthy of that particular thing. To acquire knowledge we have to work & study hard to attain any particular degree or position. For gold to be attractive it has to go through the process of intense fire & severe pounding to acquire beautiful design & shape to attract customers.
In the same way when we want to achieve the ultimate then we should be capable enough to aim for that. We judge our capabilities according to our limited knowledge & perceptions. Our capabilities should pass the standards set by Gods to let Humans be able to get proximity of God.
If we are used to wear dirty clothes our efforts will be to wash it & not make it spotlessly clean. But if we are used to wearing spotless & clean clothes our efforts will be to wash away all the dirt & stains off the clothes.
Dirtier clothes require more vigorous & strenuous efforts to clean it. It is the same with the stains of bad karmas on our soul. We want to achieve the best without any extra efforts. But God has the same criteria for all. When he wants to grant Moksha to a deserving soul he makes sure that whatever flaws are there are first sorted out. His efforts are to cleanse & purify us of our bad karmas.
He is preparing us to be worthy of being close to him. We feel being punished & penalized. Our perception is as per the limited knowledge we have of this world. We have to raise our level to perceive & understand God’s Perception.
For clearing all our impurities he is putting us in the fire to clear our bad Karma’s so that we can be capable of being near him. We should help God by being positive in trying situations. When misfortune befalls we go into negative mould. We start wallowing in self pity. Life becomes a burden. We become irritable, intolerant & an avoidable parasite. This aggravates the situation. We become a recluse. Totally negative. But if we look around we will see many who are facing far better problems than us. Problems which we would not like our enemies to suffer.
When, we feel that nobody can understand or reduce our sorrow than
we should try to understand others problems & help them cope with it. This
way we will be helping our self. Our mind will remain occupied. Instead of receiving
others curse we will receive their blessings. Our negative thoughts will get
converted to positive energy. This way we will be beneficial to the needy &
convert our bad karma to good karma.
Answers lie in KARMIC & AATMIC i.e. INTRINSIC values.
KARMIC- Past KARMA is the deeds which we carry from birth to birth & Present KARMA are the deeds which we accumulate during the present birth. AATMIC -- INTRINSIC VALUE is the basic nature of the SOUL- which we believe is basically noble as it is a part of GOD.
This Intrinsic nature of the Soul is the Guiding thread in all life & comes to the fore only during Human Form. A Person who elevates this INTRINSIC VALUE – Aatmic-- above his Karmic KARMAS raises his Soul to higher/spiritual level. The level of saints & holy persons, which we admire, adore & aspire to emulate by thronging to listen to their discourses & by being near them. If we are successful in maintaining & rising above this state, we achieve MOKSHA.
Karma or Deeds decide our Birth cycle. Birth Cycle, as per beliefs consists of 84lacYoni’s-life forms. From Grossest, lowest form, to the highest Human form. Our KARMA gives our SOUL the HUMAN FORM. The form, which is closest to GOD.
Grade of Karma in this Human Form decides level of Life Form we may fall to. Grossest form of life cells to Beast form to Intellectual Human form. The struggle & sufferings our Soul has to go through till finally we attain Human Form.
Past Karma is the Umbilical cord, which we are born with, & Present Karma is the Seed, which will decide the Umbilical cord we will be attached to in the Future.
Soul is eternal till it rises above the Karmas & merges with the creator.
Our Life is not determined by the Body we are born in but by the PAST DEEDS of the SOUL residing within. The Soul, according to its past DEEDS OR MISDEEDS has passed through many REINCARNATIONS. From lower LIFE FORMS to its SUPREME HUMAN FORM.
Like REINS through Horse’s nostrils, KARMIC & AATMIC Reins Guide our Journey through life. In Human form both have bearing on our life. One end of the Rein is Past Karmas -- carry forward positive/negative of our Soul.
The other end is Present Karmas, which we gain from our Parents Lineage. Our Karma in Human form, Present Karma, decides the future journey of our Soul. The Family/Surrounding, which we are born in, is according to the Past Karma of our Soul. Our Family/Surrounding helps in imbibing in us certain Characteristics that help us in uplifting or elevating our Soul.
The two ends of the Rein are joined by the Aatmic - INTRINSIC VALUE of our Soul. Soul – a part of the Supreme Lord – The God. A part of GOD, which we believe is Pure, Good & sublime i.e. beyond compare the purest of pure.
This Soul has been sullied & spoiled by the negative Karmas of past life. Layers of negative Karmas have hidden the intrinsic nature of the Soul. This has to be heated by the fire of devotion & polished by the power of faith. If the Reins are properly maneuvered, then we rise above this Human form. If not then we again begin the hard climb from the lower life form to the Human form.
From here our Deeds decide the path we may take -- MOKSHA FOR GOOD DEEDS or FALL TO LOWER FORMS AS PER BAD DEEDS.
The Shining example of this is of Lord Ram. Curse on Lord Vishnu & King Dashrath led them to lead life on Earth as ordinary Human beings & suffer to atone for their past Karmas. Their Karma led them to fall to a lower life form to atone for their Bad Karma.
Grade of Karma in this Human Form decides level of Life Form we may fall to. Grossest form of life cells to Beast form to Intellectual Human form. The struggle & sufferings our Soul has to go through till finally we attain Human Form.
Our nature decides the deeds in this life span. Our deeds or characteristic can be classified as slippery, creepy, crawly, beastly, shifty, flirty, greedy, Godly, etc. This basic nature will decide the life form we may fall to in future birth. If our nature has been creepy or slippery then we may take birth in the Reptile / insect Yoni. Beastly nature will give beastly yoni.
IMAGINE OUR SOUL AS A WORM OR INSECT OR REPTILE OR ANY OTHER ANIMAL, FIGHTING & STRUGGLING FOR SURVIVAL.
After so much struggle & suffering, when again we attain Human Form, we again get engulfed by the all Pervasive Illusion – MAYA -- & indulge in the same follies/mistakes.
Those who have allowed Aatmic value of their Soul to the Fore has cleared the thorny path of their Karmas & risen above Birth Cycle to rest in glowing shadow of the Creator.
CHAPTER 3
We are aware of our folly
that is why we throng to
The moment we are out of their reach we again start our routine which is basically selfish & self centered. We forget what was preached. It is remembered only at meetings & gatherings where we try to show off our pious nature & interest in religion. It has become a scoring point in social circles.
The point touted in favour of being self-centered is that this is Kalyug. To survive you have to be strong & self centered. Religious texts & History has proved that self-centered people are cowards & not strong willed. You have to be strong willed to trek on the right path. It is very simple to implement but needs strong convictions to follow.
In fact, we have to start being true to our assigned nature & that is being HUMANE. Other things follow. Being Humane means love for all creation of God. Empathy & not only Sympathy is the base for being Humane. Sympathy is superficial whereas Empathy is feeling from the Heart. We feel the pain & sorrow of that being as if we are actually facing the problem.
When we start Empathizing with others we won’t feel like hurting others physically or hurting anyone’s feeling. This is the first step to being Humane. Being humane means you feel that all of God’s creation is an extension of your own self. We would avoid hurting something, which we feel is an extension of our self. We would love others as we love our self.
Love is the result of such thoughts. We will start loving everything that God has created. Our love can encompass everything in this world & also capture the world beyond. This is the difference between Human being & God’s other creatures. Love, among other Creatures is limited to its surroundings, specific functions & for a limited time span. God has bestowed special powers on Human beings. But, alas, we spend these powers on all the wrong things.
Love is positive energy. Its power is beyond our imagination. In relative terms it is much more than any source of energy which man has developed. I.e. Nuclear, Atom or any other Destructive energy.
Love can yield such a harmonious atmosphere that there will be Faith, Trust, Understanding, Humbleness, Humility & many other Positive vibrations & many other such attitudes, which will bring Harmony in our Lives. The best thing it will do is to curb your worst enemy. Your Ego.
This would be Utopia, a state which is highly unlikely in this world of diversity. But we can make this happen in our own self & try to inculcate this in our family, neighborhood & known Circle. There will be Compassion all around. This harmony will create conducive atmosphere for constructive growth in the family & Society.
All Religion preaches Love & compassion but there is so much hate & bloodshed in the name of Religion. The Leaders who propagate hatred are promoters of their own Sectoral benefits in the garb of Religion. They live by this Negative attitude of spreading hatred among fellow beings & we as fools follow their dictate as if it is in the duty of the Almighty. They live & die by their own standards. Their memory fades as soon as they are out of sight & control.
The World still functions because there are good souls around. Those who have preached Love & Compassion are still alive in the memories of their followers. Fragrance of their pure Soul still attracts devotees. The Pure Soul guides the devotees towards the right path. Faith & Devotion allows us to follow the path shown by the Guru.
The Path, which leads us
towards our ordained goal of being Humane.
The Path to the ultimate Goal – proximity of the Almighty. The Path whose steps are Love, Compassion, Sympathy, Empathy, selfless Service, Faith, Devotion, Care & many other Positives. These positives make our journey smooth whereas negative diversions like hatred, Ego, etc. attracts us away from the right path.
The Right Path may look difficult because the Negative diversions have more glitter to attract us. It is said that what glitters is not always gold. To lure gullible people we see that bad things are always attractively packaged.
Youngster or people with
fickle mind get easily attracted to Vices. It is duty of the Family &
especially the mother to guide her ward on the right path. Alas, we may give
all the right guidance but we should also follow the path shown by us. The
child will follow the path, which he sees his elders following. Only Preaching
won’t suffice. We should be seen doing what we preach.
WILL MAKE YOU HAPPY, IF OTHERS
DO THE SAME TO YOU.
In this Progressive world, we are digressing in actual terms. We are getting more self-centered. To satisfy our selfish needs we are coming out of our old family ties & support system which was a cushion in times of crisis & would hand down the legacy of family customs & traditions. Now, being progressive means having nuclear families, where children are left to baby sitters. Mothers have no time to inculcate old family values, customs & traditions.
Nuclear families have come into existence because we are unable to understand & give support to other members. We are not ready to sacrifice our needs for the benefit of others in the family. When our personal needs become more important than the family needs then there are clashes which, leads to separation.
Joint families were the nurseries where traditions, customs & rituals were handed down from generation to generation. Many things, which are necessary to be a good human being, were taught & learned by youngsters by observing it in practice. Like, respect for elders, respect for others needs, compassion for every member of family, adjust according to situations & needs, sharing in joys & sorrow, understanding others needs & view point, giving space from own comfort, absorbing shortcomings of family members in productive channels, etc, etc.
All these qualities are carried forward from the family to the neighborhood & to the society at large. These are good qualities, which makes a person a better human being. He learns to live in a community. Community living means your commitment is to the society & not only to your own self. Self-interest is there till it doesn’t create problems for others. This helps the society to grow in a healthy way. All these characteristics help a person to live a better & fruitful life. Humane way of life.
When we are unable to devout time to our children we compensate by pampering them with material things. From early childhood he learns that joy comes from inanimate objects & money. His growth involves playing with inanimate objects, which may give temporary joy to him but will not reciprocate or respond to his craving for love & understanding. Like what would it have been if he would be in company of his brother, sister, cousin & neighbors. So when he gets bored with one toy he becomes violent with it & breaks it. He starts demanding a bigger toy or an expensive thing to satisfy his cravings.
This becomes his way of life. He becomes intolerant, self centered, egoistic pushy & a loner. He is unable to share his feelings with others, his thoughts as well his belongings. In initial stages he tastes success which adds fuel to the fire of his ego. His inflated ego won’t allow him to open up for dissenting advices. He becomes a loner unable to sustain any relationship. These are the reasons which make him a cynic. He is unable to communicate freely with anyone. He has so distanced himself form his family, parents & spouse, friends & colleagues that he is unable to confide in them.
The scenario is that
acquiring something is of prime importance. We struggle, rave, rant, fight
& demand to want something. After we get what we want, after so much of
mental anguish to self & others, our joy is limited to the satisfaction of
success in acquiring that object & not in the benefits we can gain by using
that thing. When benefits are secondary to your acquiring things we show scant
interest in maintenance of those things. Acquiring things is very simple but to
maintain it, it requires sustained effort. Without maintenance, the once
important thing starts giving trouble. When it starts giving trouble it becomes
a nuisance. We get irritated with it & want to dispose it of to avoid
getting troubled.
We forget that Maintenance is more important than acquiring things. This is true with both material things & relationship also. Maintenance demands patience, understanding, respect & care. Which, alas, we lack in this forward thinking society. We are not taught to show patience & understanding. Wasting time on caring for others is thought to be a weakness. We are taught to grab at opportunities with scant respect for norms like morality & integrity. Lack of maintenance leads to early breakdown. Objects can be replaced by purchasing new objects. Nowadays relations are also treated in the same way. We have seen increase in divorce cases. Children discarding their Parents. We are getting to a situation where there will be no difference in our behavior towards inanimate & animate objects. We will acquire & discard our objects & relations according to our self centered needs. Emotions, obligations & duties will be treated as weakness.
This happens when we don’t share our happiness with others. This is the reason why Family, Society & Community rules & regulations are being discarded. There is turmoil in our society. We are moving to so called high society. We are following advanced culture. The culture where caring for elders is a weakness, self centered is being strong & independent, where your heart is brimming with drugs & dirt but surroundings should be clean, where being faithful to your spouse is boring, where children pass their time sharing beds instead of playing with other kids & if still bored they shoot others for extra excitement.
We fall in this trap when material things start giving us more happiness than feelings of our fellow beings. The above mentioned trend has started in our society. We hear of Parents killing their children, Children killing their parents & grandparents, children raping, robbing, taking drugs & doing all the wrong things which we as parents advice them to avoid. Parents are involved in pursuit of material pleasure where relationship has taken a beating. We are so stressed out that even a minor provocation leads to regular tiffs. These frequent tiffs, then leads to major problems. Violence in domestic life has become a regular feature leading to divorce & in extreme cases bloodshed.
The happiness we attain from material things is for a very short time. The time it takes for a next desire to crop up. As there is no emotional attachment & interaction the time span on attachment to inanimate things is very limited. When we acquire an object we feel we own it & it will give enjoyment when & where we want it. Slowly we become slave of those objects. A time comes when we adjust our time & work so that we manage to have time to enjoy & utilize those material things.
A strong character is required to resist & rise above these temptations. Strong enough to face & triumph over these attractions. Character is groomed from infancy by Family elders & especially mother. We observe how our elders & family members behave in difficult situations. How they react to particular problems. How they solve those problems. How they absorb each others pain & sorrow. These are fertile grooming grounds & even when we do something wrong there are family members to prod us on the right track.
Mother would always like her child to know & take the right path. No mother would lead her child to the path which will take him astray from the path laid down by customs & traditions. Animals & other creatures also guide their off-springs to the path where they can manage to feed & survive according to their natural character. When you teach you should lead by example.
If your grooming is on a strong footing then you are better equipped to handle pressure situations. Situations are same for every body. It depends on how an individual is equipped to handle it. Reaction for same situations will differ from person to person. When your foundation is strong then you are better equipped to handle the situation.
HAPPINESS & SATISFACTION RESIDES
WHERE DESIRES ARE
UNDER CONTROL OF SENSES.
CHAPTER 5
Whenever we deviate from the chosen path, God directs some holy soul to come to Earth & guide us back to the correct path. Every era chronicles a holy presence. Prophets, saints, preachers & holy men have been preaching the same principles since ages. Poets, Writers, Philosophers & Thinkers have propagated & chronicled the same for our benefit.
Holy souls have been teaching & propagating the same ideology since ages. All religions & sects praise the almighty. Singularity of the creator. Love & care towards every creation of the Almighty. Customs & traditions to be adopted for the proper conduct of an ideal life. Everything remains same except our appearances.
We have read about saints & prophets living in various parts of the world. Their culture, their language & their lives have been in various Eras but their thoughts have always been same. Their preaching’s about living an ideal life & singular goal of achieving proximity of the Almighty are so similar that it seems that they have been tutored by the same teacher or they are the same person who have appeared in different eras.
They are not bound by barriers of language, caste, creed, customs, traditions & periods of history. Animals & plants also respond to this language. This shows that language of love, compassion, humanity & oneness is universal. Language is required for communication but feelings are felt & communicated from the heart.
Prophets & Saints have innumerable followers today but in their life time they also had faced severe opposition to their preaching’s. Some were tormented, some were crucified, many were ostracized & driven away from the society. Their preaching threatened the established power center of that time. The power of materialistic comforts & illusions. The power of Maya.
Their faith in the Almighty was unwavering & their soul was so pure that they were least concerned about the physical trauma they faced. Physical trauma was a lesson for others to learn that body is a temporary abode of the pure Atman - soul. We should be more concerned about our Atman than about our outward appearance. Their physical sufferings were much beyond our comprehension but they willingly accepted the sufferings as the will of God. They accepted everything as Almighty’s blessing.
Physical appearance of Prophets & Saints was part of preaching that we should not be controlled by the senses but we should control them. Pure & clean soul is more important than pleasant appearance. Our time should be devoted towards noble thoughts & deeds. Even after suffering many atrocities their devotion towards the almighty was unwavering. Till today we remember them for their noble deeds. Fragrance of their pure Atman still beckons seekers.
No Religion, No Saint & No Prophet teaches hatred. It is our self interest & interpretation that has created this divide in the society. If only we would be true to our teachings. Like many saints, SAI BABA, was a living God to his followers. His life & preaching was very simple. It is for us to understand that his appearance is a lesson for us that we should not be enamored by materialistic things.
Sai Baba preached that there is only one LORD & we should adopt the principles of SHRADDHA SABURI. SHRADDHA & SABURI means DEVOTION & PATIENCE. Saibaba’s propagation of one Lord Theory negated the conflict between religions. This has been propagated by all previous Prophets & Saints but Saibaba’s preaching gained popularity because it came at an opportune time. Unity between caste, creed, religion & community was required to fight against evil powers.
Today also it is equally relevant. Increased number of devotees is an indication that people believe Saibaba’s teachings. We have become his followers but not his disciples. We are attracted to his teachings till the time we are in his presence & in discussions. We follow every activity regarding Saibaba & Shirdi but when it comes to put it in practice we preach others. We shy away from practicing it ourselves.
One Lord means we are children of the same Creator. Lord has not created religions but it is greed for power that has given birth to many religions. When everything is a creation of one Lord then enmity towards each other means enmity towards the creator. There is only one creator & the Path to reach him is the same but propagators of different religions create conflict in the minds of people. Every religion’s intrinsic value is same. They all teach & practice the same principles. Religious leaders, to gain power, like salesman, try to package their religion as a preferred right holder to the passage to God
Saibaba is a living saint but are we his desired disciples. We go to his temple, pray in front of his idol, we see him adoringly, asks for his blessings & his ever lasting benevolence. But are we deserving of all this? Saibaba’s life should be an example for us to follow. Frugal living & crediting every action to the Almighty was the hallmark of Saibaba’s existence. But the moment we are out of his divine presence we get into our original mode.
We forget that we are nothing. It is the Almighty who has all the strings in his hands. We forget that there is only one God who wants us to practice the virtues of devotion & patience. Saibaba attributed all his actions to the will of God. He never took credit for anything. He would say that like us, he is also one of God’s children. He is nothing special & God loves him as much as he loves every creation.
But the difference between saints like Saibaba & us is the level of devotion. Our devotion is superficial & need specific. We are more concerned about ourselves. Our requirements are materialistic. We feel God should devote more time in answering our prayer. We have not learned the virtues of patience. Patience requires total devotion & surrender. With devotion comes faith & with faith comes patience. Faith, that God will always be good to us.
When things don’t work according to our thinking, than, we lose faith in God. We lose patience & our devotion takes a back seat. But do we think about our capabilities. Are we deserving of Lord’s attention! Is our devotion & faith purer than others? Do our deeds in any way being helpful to anybody. Our problem will always seem more severe to ourselves. But God knows who needs his attention.
We learn that suffering is part of birth cycle. The saving grace should be our thoughts & deeds. Our deeds should be noble & we should never entertain thoughts that we are doing anything. Whatever is happening & what has happened is the will God. We are puppets in the hand of God. The only thing which will help us will be our Good Karma. Our Karmas help people remember our physical attributes. Fragrance of their karmas, have still kept fresh, the images of Gods, Prophets, Saints & noble souls in our minds.
Images of Gods teach us many things. Gods are adorned by all the finery we can imagine of but their attributes are untouched by all this Maya. Their appearance is as we would perceive our beloved to be attired & adorned with. As God’s virtues are untouched by all this materialistic attraction we should also keep ourselves unaffected. Our basic virtues, like Humanity- Compassion-Love, should remain unaffected.
Mahadeva, Lord Shiva, is surrounded by all the vices, evil, macabre & ghastly things. He lords over them. He controls them than being controlled by them. Message he sends out is that senses should be in our control than we being controlled by our senses. When we are in control of our senses, than, we can be master of emotions. Tranquility will prevail when our emotions are stable. They don’t fluctuate according to situations. That is why image of Lord Shiva is of tranquility. Serene Peace in Meditation. That is why he is known as God of the God’s – Mahadeva.
Appearance of Prophets, Saints & Fakirs denotes that physical gratification is of no importance. Birth denotes sufferings. We have to accept our share of sufferings as we accept joy & happiness. We have to raise our level of tolerance & have control over our senses so that we are not easily swayed by situations. Our emotions should be kept under check. We should not be swayed by happiness or go down in suffering.
In all this the main thing is the unwavering devotion & faith in the Almighty. Everything is as per Almighty’s wishes. We are the medium & he is the doer. Faith & devotion, which, whatever he will do, will be right. This total surrender to God gives us the virtue of patience. Patience to wait for God’s will to prevail.
These three things have a
strong bearing in our daily routine. Identification of One Goal (God) gives a
definite direction to our goal. Devotion towards our assigned job gives us an
edge over others. Faith in our ability to satisfactorily fulfill our
obligations acts as an impetus towards success. Faith & devotion gives us
confidence about our capabilities. When we are confident we are assured of
success. When we are assured of success, than, we are prepared to wait for it.
Patience is required to wait for anything. Patience is a virtue which has to be
evolved. Only we can do it.
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LIFE
General Perception is that life is difficult. Life is very simple. There is nothing in life that is bad. It is our thinking which makes thing good or bad. Actually how we react to situations that decides how we live. Our grooming from childhood plays a bearing on how we perceive & tackle situations. A major problem for one can be a cakewalk for other.
The best way to live life is to Live it as simple as possible.
Life is not difficult but we make it seem difficult. First step towards living a simple life is living in the present. Most of our time & energy is wasted in worrying of past & future. We carry the burden of the past & think of the future. This way, our present passes by without our enjoying or living it. We are always away from the present.
Present is the present of God. He wants us to live in the present & enjoy the moment. When we are so engrossed in the present our thoughts are not corrupted by the past or fear/planning of the future. Thus we are in a state of purity where our enjoyment & involvement in that particular activity is seen, observed, experienced & judged from the point of view of that particular activity & not prejudged or prejudiced by our past experience or future fears.
Living simple & in present should be the best way a Human being can live a fruitful & stress less life. This is how God meant it to be, our Religious texts teach us & our Saints preach us. In nature we see this simple principle. They live in harmony. Their life & behaviour pattern revolves around to the immediate needs a situation demands. Their behaviour is according to the expected behaviour assigned to that particular being by God. Erosion we see in nature is mainly man made & not by other creatures.
God has given us the power to think, analyze & plan out our work to make progress in the quality of life - spiritually & materially. This power is mainly utilized in negative pursuits, which makes us slave of our own needs, thoughts & deeds.
We experience the benefits of being in the present when we are engrossed in something which is dear to us – in sat sang or in any activity which is to our liking or any work which we feel is beneficial & important for us. In such a state our concentration is on the work at hand. This improves our level of efficiency, productivity & creativity. In fact we enjoy the state. When we enjoy doing something particular we excel in it & that excellence is obtained without straining ourselves. This is called sweet success. Success without burden of the past or worry of the future.
We should enjoy the present by learning from the past & past should be the guiding light showing the future path. Past is a teacher. Like characters & lessons in a textbook, characters & lessons in life has remained the same since ages. Only appearance has changed.
A teacher teaches from the texts for questions, which have to be answered in the exams. All students are taught the same but it depends on the individual student how he is able to grasp the topic & how much he has learned from it. That determines how you fare in exams. Those who are good learner will excel & those who have wasted their time are the ones like us who most of the time worry of the future & curse the past. This is how we are unable to enjoy our life. Present is wasted in repenting of the past & worrying for the future.
We have read the story of Sheikhchilly. He knew that to cut wood you need an axe. He climbed a tree to cut a branch. He sat on the wrong side of the branch. The result was he fell down with the branch. He had the knowledge to cut wood but was not sure about the procedure to be adopted. This is the story of our life. Sheikhchilly was a fool or a person who felt, in false belief, that he knew everything. If we learn from our misfortune than we are wise otherwise we will repeatedly make the same mistake.
LIFE IS SIMPLE, LIVE IT SIMPLY.
WE COMPLICATE IT.
INSTEAD OF LIVING AS OURSELVES
WE TRY TO BE SOMEBODY ELSE.
CHAPTER 7
HUMANE
The first step to make it simple is to live as God had perceived for human beings. That is, be Humane. Every creature & other life form on this Earth live according to its inborn nature. Humans have been given extra power to think & behave according to situations. Instead of using this power positively for creating opportunities we are using this opportunities negatively by reacting to situations.
Humane means Love & Compassion for all. By all it means all of God’s creation. As we have been blessed with the power of perception we have added responsibilities towards proper utilization of the resources bestowed by God on this Earth/Universe. Our power of perception is utilized by us to annihilate & subjugate others to confirm to our whims & wishes. By this we have depleted our resources, our fellow beings & our own well being.
Ultimately, after suffering through many life forms, we get Human form to redeem ourselves. Power of Perception is a tool given to us by God to uplift ourselves. Most of the time, we use it for negative pursuits.
No special effort is required to be Humane. We have to just show love & affection to all creation of God. When love is the base of our relations our thoughts will be for the betterment of everybody. We will not think of harming any creation of God. This will promote healthy relations within Humans, between humans – animals & humans – nature.
This harmony will benefit the universe. The immediate effect of this harmony will be felt in the family. Harmony in the family will reflect in our interaction with others. We will be more cordial, understanding, accommodating & loving in our interaction with others. From family it will percolate to relatives, friends, neighborhood, vicinity, area, community, district, state, country, world, and universe.
Our contribution to society will be in consonant with what we receive during our upbringing. Strife will lead to strife & disharmony but being Humane leads to being cordial, understanding, accommodating & loving. What we feel within us is what we will spread around.
WHEN SOMEBODY MEETS LOVINGLY
GREET HIM WITH NAMASKAR- FOLDED HANDS
WHEN SOMEBODY MEETS ANGRILY
GREET HIM WITH LOVE.
CHAPTER 8
PATIENCE
Patience is a very very important Virtue. Your level of Patience decides how you react to situations. Better patience will allow you time to think & handle situations on a very balanced keel. This will help you to a better life. We basically react first & think afterwards.
Patience teaches us to analyze situations before reacting to it. Patience helps in developing in us stillness. Impulsive or hurried reaction is always or nearly always fraught with danger of being wrong. Patience teaches us to analyze any situation or emotion in a calm, calculated & measured way. This helps us to systematically plan out our response to that particular situations.
This also helps us to be in control of our senses by which our reactions & emotions are always on an even keel. High fluctuations in emotions are harmful for maintaining good human relationship & also medically avoidable.
Patience is a virtue which teaches us to accept & face trials & tribulations of life in a positive frame of mind. All emotions are relative in concept. Sufferings, pain & happiness are all relative terms. Same amount & same type of sufferings, pain & happiness evokes varied reactions from different persons. This shows your threshold of tolerance.
Those who have mastered or
are on the path of patience will have a better threshold of tolerance than
those who are impatient, irritable & impulsive.
Their response will be based on luck, like firing in the dark. When luck favors it will be bulls’ eye. Those with patience will have measured & calculated response to any situation.
Thus their chances of better
handling a given situation will be more than others.
CHAPTER 9
DEVOTION
Devotion towards our creator & our assigned duties. Devotion gives us a single pointed aim towards our goal. It is said that we should not sail in two boats. It means we should take one task at a time. Whatever we do should have our full devotion then only we can succeed. Divided devotion means lack of interest & faith in the success of that work. If there is more than one task in hand, than, our mind gets distracted. Instead of concentrating on achieving our goal our mind will be distracted on keeping our multiple tasks on target. Time & energy will be wasted in trying to keep the balance.
When our thoughts are fragmented how are we going to achieve success in our assigned vocation. Success of our assigned vocation depends upon how devoted we are towards our goal. Devotion involves faith & it is said that Faith can move mountains. Unflappable devotion demands faith & faith demands determination.
Combination of these three qualities assures success. When we rue that others are prospering but the elements are conspiring to create obstacles in our path of progress, we ignore or try to cover up our own shortcomings.
When we make an example of a successful person we should also try to learn about the efforts that Person has put in & the sufferings he has to go through before he reached that position. Determination to succeed requires total devotion towards the work in hand. The three qualities which determine your success are full faith in your abilities, devotion towards the work in hand & determination to succeed.
Devotion brings with it focused & unwavering concentration, high level of interest in the work in hand, commitment & a sense of attachment. When all these things combine it brings out the best from you. Attachment to anything means personal involvement. Personal involvement will always bring out the best from you. Combination of all these things is an assured recipe for success.
Humane in nature will help in developing lasting relationship. Patience will help in fruitfully sustaining that & devotion will instill stability to it. Devotion requires determination & steely resolve to stand firmly for our convictions. These qualities help better inter personal relationship. For anything to succeed you need a strong bond & relationship.
We pray, go to temples, religious discourses & satsang as a show of devotion to God. But are we really devoted or it is just a façade. Our devotion is up to a point. Beyond that we start questioning God’s existence. We demand proof. We have more faith in tangible things & relations than our Creator. We put more faith & trust in our dear ones when history is a proof that they are fickle minded. Only reason behind this trust is that they can be seen & felt. When they are away then their memory sustains the relationship.
God is not a tangible thing.
Its presence can’t be touched & felt. We have to feel his presence. He is
omnipresent. His presence is visible in his every creation. In flowers, in
fragrance, in nature, in fruits, in their qualities, etc., etc. Every creation
is a part of the Almighty. Without his control this universe will be in chaos. When
we see milk do we see ghee, butter, fat & curd in the milk? Superficially
we enjoy every creation of God but we rarely see the intrinsic presence of God
within. We bow in front of idols & statues but not to the God within us. We
revel in the memory of our beloved & trust their intentions but are not
ready to feel the presence of God around & within us. We are selfish. We
want our problems & desires should be preferentially treated. If not we
start questioning intentions. We are blind to our lack of trust, devotion &
faith
CHAPTER 10
ACCEPTANCE
We should have the attitude of acceptance of things & situations. Normally we resist any change in our routine. Life moves by its own rules & regulations. Life is very beautiful. We should know that, many a times, we are pawns in the game of life. When situations are beyond our control we should have the attitude of the least resistance. This way we will push out all the negative emotions welling up within us. This way we will avoid seeing demons where there are none. We will see things in the right perspective.
Our attitude should be when things go according to our wishes it is good but when it is against our wishes than it is very good because it is according to the wish of the almighty. Whatever comes we should accept it gracefully. We want only good things but to understand the value of good tidings we should also experience things which are not according to our liking. Our thoughts & understanding of things is very limited. We perceive things as per our level of understanding.
Situations beyond our control or which arise without our doing anything to bring about that situation should be accepted as the will of God. We should not resist or manipulate to achieve what we feel is good for us. Presently we will feel happy but in the long run what was destined will prove to be right.
We pray, go to temples & spiritual discourses but when our time comes to show faith in God we feel our thinking is better & it should prevail over destined situation. When we say God willing than, we should have faith in God that he will not harm us in any way.
Resistance leads to negative attitude. When we are in negative mode we see demons where there are none. We approach that thing in such a frame of mind that before we start we have surrendered to our fears. Many a times things which have turned for good are taken for granted that something bad has happened to us just because it is against our perceived notions.
We feel so comfortable in our present situation that any change is not accepted. We start resisting. Resistance uses up more of our energy & efforts. This energy & effort is wasted as no fruitful result is obtained. In fact they act as roadblock to our progress.
Under performance is the first impact. When we lack interest our efforts are laborious resulting in delay in fulfilling a given work. Without knowing the pros & cons of a particular situation, we fret & fume. We assume change will not be good for us. We loose the battle before it starts.
Acceptance will help in
seeing things in right perspective.
When our perception is clear
our approach will be positive.
When we have accepted things
then we start looking up at avenues available to us.
From the available avenues
we can adopt the one which will be beneficial to us in the given context &
which we can cope up with from the present resources available to us.
We start thinking with an
open mind.
We see opportunities where
there were none.
We happily try to grab at
opportunities.
When we are happily involved
in anything we start enjoying it.
Success is assured when we
are enjoying the work in which we are involved.
This enjoyment keeps stress
away.
In today’s life the greatest
achievement for a healthy life is to be stress free.
Being stress free will bring a healthy glow to our personality because we will be seeing & living life in a better light.
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CHAPTER 11
POSITIVE
Positive attitude towards individuals & situations always helps in understanding things in the right perspective & gives strength to cope with it. Instead of wasting energy on negative aspects we can channelize the same in the desired directions. This will help us finish the desired work consuming less energy & time. When we are positively inclined our interpersonal relationship is on a better keel. Instead of wasting we save on energy.
Being positive means keeping an open mind. We can see opportunities where there are none. The other side of being positive is being negative. Negative frame of mind will always bring out fault in others. We will observe & perceive to observe only bad points in others. When we are able to see only faults then how can we have any meaningful progress.
Positive frame of mind will show you ways & opportunities where there seemed none. Positive mind is a cool & stable mind. Any situation handled in a cool & stable way has a better chance of success than in a troubled negative way.
The story of a thirsty crow is the best example to show the power of accepting things & being positive in a difficult situation. His cool & stable mind in handling a difficult situation created an opportunity to succeed.
We know the story of the thirsty crow. He saw a jar of water with very little water. He was very thirsty but could not reach the water. It was a very hot day & he could not see any other source of water. This was his only opportunity.
He could have lost hope but he accepted the situation with a positive frame of mind. He saw an opportunity. He thought & devised a plan to quench his thirst. He was ready to put in hard work. Willingness to plan & happily work hard assures success. He searched around for pebbles to bring the water level up. His efforts bore fruit. He quenched his thirst.
This story is from old days. That is why emphasis is on acceptance, positive attitude, hard work, no wastage, consumption as per need & care that the same jar be carefully used so that others also can benefit from it. These are very good virtues which everybody should inculcate in self & pass on to their children. These virtues will help our children to cope up with life in a better & healthy way. When children start adopting these virtues our society will benefit & be a better place to live in.
But alas, in today’s world, we teach our children to be aggressive & self centered. The crow in today’s story will not search around for pebbles or worry about scarcity of water or the jar. He will be worried only about his thirst. He will see the water level. Break the jar from that point & quench his thirst. To quench his thirst he needs very little water. He breaks the jar & spills the water. He will not think that for quenching his thirst he has wasted lots of water & broken the jar. Both could have been of paramount importance to others like him.
SINCERITY FILTERS OUT THROUGH EYES,WHEN THOUGHTS. DEEDS & SPEECH ARE IN SYNC WITH OUR ACTIONS.
CHAPTER 12
PRECONCEIVED
We should avoid having preconceived notions. When we have preconceived notion our judgement is normally biased. When biased, our judgement gets blurred. Blurred judgements are rarely right. Wrong judgements waste our energy.
When we deal with open mind we let our judgement to be based on facts presented than be led by our preconceived notions. Open mind allows us to let all aspects of an issue to come to the fore before deciding. Preconceived notions will let in only those points, which we want.
Preconceived notions are normally based on hearsay. Somebody’s experience becomes our basis of judgement. Our mind gets conditioned as per that person’s experience, bad for bad or good for good. This is not true in most of the cases.
Experiencing is a relative thing. It varies from person to person & situation to situation. One persons experience will not be same as other persons. Thus we should avoid forming an opinion based on other persons or our own prejudiced opinions.
Sometimes preconceived notion warns & cautions us about lurking hurdles or danger. This is true, only if the inbuilt qualities of that particular thing of situation are such.
In inter personal relations it is not advisable. We should have an open mind. We should treat every person & situation as special. Then only we can start on an even keel. Every person has good qualities & this should be the basis of our interaction. We feel touchy & irritable when anyone talks rudely or misbehaves with us when we are under stress. Same should be true when dealing with others.
Basis of our interaction should be that nobody in this world is 100% happy or without any problems & everybody has a good side to him. This will help us start on a positive note. This will also help us understand the mental turmoil or tension the other person is going thru. Success depends on putting your right foot forward & the first step plays a vital role.
CHAPTER 13
OBSERVE & ABSORB
We should try to absorb more. We can absorb more when we let in more. We should speak less & hear more. When we speak less, we have time to collect our thoughts. We will weigh pros & cons before committing anything. This way our every word will be measured & to the point. For that, our mind should be free of preconceived notions & thoughts.
It is said that a loose & uncontrolled tongue creates more enemies than any other weapon. It is like a loose canon. Its consequence is worst than its remedy. Before we could understand its repercussions it is too late to make amends.
We should learn to wait till the full impact of the situation unfolds & is understood by us in the right perspective. When we act in haste, our response is normally on half knowledge. We are more prone to make mistakes.
When we observe & listen we gain in knowledge. We see & perceive more than others. This helps us to give a measured response to any given situation. Our response will be based on facts. Our response will be based on other person’s point of view, thoughts & intentions.
It is said that still waters run deep. Still minds run deeper. In fact it is beyond measure. It can handle, manage & come out trumps of any difficult situation. Situations which would seem impossible or highly improbable to our state of mind.
Many a times our thoughts & words do not give a right picture of our intentions. This happens when we are agitated. In such a state we are prone to be incoherent. Incoherence leads to misunderstanding as we are unable to properly convey our thoughts & actions. This is a disaster scenario if the other person is also of the same nature.
Person with a still mind would
be able to gauge & handle the situation.
CHAPTER 14
LOOK WITHIN
Our main purpose in life is pursuit of happiness. Happiness comes from within. Nobody in life can come & give us or force us to be happy. Those who are close to God or feel we are one with God are the most satiated being. A person who is satiated is happy from within. His happiness is not depended on material or external things.
Happiness radiates when we are happy from within. This is positive energy. It energizes us & the atmosphere around us. This happiness reflects in our happy demeanor. Our smile evokes a smiling response from others. We can spread happiness around us.
We feel that real happiness comes from animate & inanimate objects. We feel happy when we gain ownership of a coveted thing or in achievements of near & dear ones. But is this happiness lasting & permanent. Happiness & joy over possession of a particular materialistic thing is temporary. It is optimum at the point of gaining possession & slowly tapers out with time.
As happiness of that particular object tapers out a fresh desire rears
its head.
This cycle continues. The happiness of last desire gives birth to a craving of a new desire. In the process we forget that happiness gained is temporary but the sufferings, anxiety, tension & hardship we had to go through, till we were able to satisfy our craving, continues from one object to another.
We should realize that emotions & experiences are relative in
concept.
One person’s perceptions will differ from other persons. Level of happiness, sorrow, sufferings, desire, pain, etc, differs from individual to individual. Same object or pain will evoke different response from different individuals.
Quality or quantity is not the measure for happiness. It is our level of contentment which measures our happiness. Happiness which shifts from object to object & desire to desire can never be lasting. Lasting contentment can be achieved when you have gained the ultimate.
The truth is that there is no ultimate satisfaction in material objects. Satisfaction of one desire will give birth to another desire. A desire, supposedly, better & of higher level than, the previous one.
So is the case with sufferings. There is no creature or creation of God which is suffering free. Threshold of suffering differs from individual to individual. How we take it is important. Best way is to accept our problem. Acceptance is the key to reduce sufferings as time is saved in finding a solution for it.
As happiness & sufferings are relative terms it is difficult to define the ultimate or the worst. Being relative it differs from person to person & situation to situation. Our inner strength defines our capacity to cope with a particular situation. How we react to situation determines our level of contentment.
Our inner strength is the real flag bearer of our character. It determines how well equipped we are to handle any situation. A good fighter or boxer is not the one who hammers his opponent but the one who can better absorb the hammerings. The one who can better withstand sufferings is the one who can sail through smilingly.
The best example of this is our Father of the Nation. Mahatma Gandhi’s
physical appearance belies the fact that he took on the might of the South
African Government & the
Same way we can also defeat our enemy if we are ready to face it rather than worry about it. Most of our problems are in our thoughts. Slightest problem triggers negative thoughts which cascades into an avalanche of unfounded worries. Positive thought propels us to finding solutions rather than waste time. It gives us strength & self belief that we can withstand any crisis.
Positive attitude gives us strength to withstand blows of hardship. When we are able to sustain the blows we reduce its effectiveness. This way we are able to reduce the intensity of our sufferings. This can be a guiding light for others to follow. This attitude percolates down to our children, family members & persons who get associated with us.
It is for us to decide what is good for us, positive or negative. Nobody can force us to adopt any attitude. When we see life around us we see that every creation is acting according to their assigned duties. Trees, animals & other creatures behave as per their assigned duties. Human are the only ones who are most of the time in pursuit of being somebody else. In this our sufferings are increasing & our life is getting more stressful.
In pursuit of happiness & to prove that we are superior to others we waste ourselves after self aggrandizing activities. Most of our time is wasted in acquiring materialistic things & trying to emulate others. We are never in the present. Either we rue the past or fear the future or run after materialistic objects or envy the achievements of others or try to be like someone whom we grudgingly admire & envy.
We have lost sight of our divine assignment to use our intellect for spiritual upliftment & betterment of all creation of God. We have lost sight of that. Our pursuit has been for material benefits. To gain that we have been slowly but systematically eroding the ecological balance. The balance between human & other creations of God.
Every creation of God has an assigned duty. In life & death they dutifully fulfill that. Animals & other creature are useful in death also. After death they become somebody’s food, raw materials for decorative items, essential ingredients for preparation of medicines, etc. Plants & trees are rich source of spices, medicines, fruits, vegetables, shelter, oxygen, wood as raw material for many varied purposes, etc... Every part is useful. They give back more than what they get.
What are humans useful for? While alive we waste ourselves in pursuit of material benefits. In the process we harm & hurt everything around us. We have destroyed nature. We have annihilated many animals & other creatures into extinction. We feel self is of paramount importance. Whatever done to feed that belief is right. We feel happiness comes from acquiring material things because we can feel & touch our source of joy. We impart the same thinking to our children. We have wasted our life & we are doing the same to our children’s life.
Our life was of no use to anybody & after death our body has become a source of worry. We wasted this opportunity to get close to our creator. The moment we die our near & dear ones make immediate arrangements to cremate or dispose off our body. They fear that our body will decay & spread foul smell. They fear that we will haunt them as ghost. The ones with whom we had blood relations are now eager to get rid of our body.
Body is a temporary abode of our soul. Soul is eternal. Its body is allotted according to its Karma. It is said that good karmas touch souls. Bonding between souls is eternal. There are no boundaries of relations involved. In today’s world I feel trees are the noblest creation of God. Everything about them is in some way or other useful to the atmosphere, humans & other creatures. They are source of food, medicines, shade to rest, wood to build many things, oxygen, etc. They are useful while standing & also when they are cut down.
We should learn from the
plant kingdom. Giving is their sole Karma. Their very existence is for the
benefit of others. They bear silently, they give silently, they suffer
silently, they shelter silently & they protect silently. My
humble thoughts suggest that plants & trees have grown from the mortal
remains of noble souls or it seems that they are some saintly souls who have
been unable to gain moksha. They are trapped on this Earth. Their noble deeds
did not deserve lower life forms but fall short of upliftment. That is why
saints gain enlightment under their influence.
CHAPTER 15
BE WITH YOURSELVES
In our hectic schedule we are so stressed out that we have no time for ourselves. We don’t get proper rest, proper diet, proper exercise & we are unable to communicate properly with people around us. We work, we earn & we do so much of hard work for the benefit of ourselves & our near ones. But are we able to do justice to any of the above goals?
Actually we don’t have the time to think about it. That is the general line which is offered as excuse. But the real truth is we don’t have the inclination to admit that what we have got into is not what we had bargained for. We try to fool ourselves. By the time we realize our follies it is, normally, too late.
We struggle to overcome many hurdles, suffer innumerable hardships & try to save for the future by sacrificing our present. But when future comes it brings with it ill health & other related problems. We had sacrificed our present for the future & now we are unable to enjoy that also.
We can avoid this situation. If only we are able to give some time to our self. Initially, only 5 minutes is required in a day of 24 hours. Any time & any posture will do. Only thing is that we should feel comfortable doing it. Silence, darkness & seclusion helps in keeping our concentration on target. These requirements should not be an excuse for you to avoid implementing it. Inclination & desire should override any doubts or excuse to avoid it.
These 5 minutes we are not giving to anybody but to ourselves. It is for introspection. We will be alone with ourselves & our thoughts. When we have the time to ourselves our mind will not sit idle. It will run helter skelter. Mostly it feeds our already inflated ego. We should guide it towards what we have planned these 5 minutes for.
We should replay that day’s events. We should try to replay every minute detail. Till the time our thoughts are organized our thinking on those issues will be biased & in a manner which will suit our end. Sometime or days will go to get our thoughts in an organized & dispassionate manner.
Once we start getting our thoughts in a dispassionate manner than we will automatically start analyzing our actions & behavior. This analysis will be clinical. It will tell us what was wrong & what was right. This analysis will be from our inner self. All our actions, deeds, thoughts & response will be under the scanner of our inner self. Our mind & our heart may misguide us but what comes from the soul will always be right. Soul is our gift from God & guidance from the almighty will always be right.
Initially it will feel inappropriate because what we are used to is what we see around us. Our thought process is based on our exposure. In due course of time we will realize that the thought we had rejected as impractical was the practical solution for that problem. Than we realize that what comes from within should not be ignored.
We will be able to diagnose our shortcomings. We will understand why we
get stressed & irritable. Why we are unable to perform our duties
optimally.
Why our interpersonal relations suffer. Why we are unable to relate to issues & situations. Why we are unable to enjoy like others. These are the problems which become the cause of our ill health, depression, sufferings & failure. When we have found the source of the problem than it becomes very easy to be free of them.
Step by step we can organize ourselves & be rid of the cause of our sufferings. The earlier we start the better it will be for our future. We will be able to live a fruitful, zestful & healthy life. A sample of our daily routine will be able to illustrate it better.
Stress is the biggest source of our wasted energy & ill health. Deadline to reach office on time is the main culprit & it sets the tone for the rest of the day. It is also the main villain of the family. Anxiety & stress are constant companions from the time we get up to the time we reach office.
When we analyze it than we come to know that time is the main cause of all this anxiety related stress. We can easily avoid all this by time management or getting up earlier than usual. We will have spare time. Spare time gives us more & better options. Cordial interpersonal relations within & outside the family. This well-being will help us & the society in general.
Like this we will observe that most of our problems are of our own doing.
Little understanding & slight modifications in our thinking will help us to live a better life. Only thing is that we have to accept our faults. This time of introspection helps us to accept our faults & see things as they are.
These 5 minutes is like going to the battle, acceptance of our faults is like half the battle won & implementing the changes for self improvement is winning the battle. All the virtues which are elaborated above can be easily achieved by this introspection. When we start achieving these virtues we are, step by step, annihilating our greatest enemy – OUR EGO.
Innumerable benefits are reaped from these 5 minutes of introspection. The best will be our positive outlook towards life. We will rue the time we had wasted in pursuit of wrong priorities. These 5 minutes will automatically start getting extended & we will progress from introspection to meditation.
Time will come when less time is required for introspection. Because our life is more organized & stress free than before. Introspection will lead to meditation & meditation to bliss. Only thing is we have to be sincere & diligent in our efforts. Minor gains should not be our goal.
NOBODY CAN CHANGE YOU.
WE CAN’T CHANGE ANYBODY. ONLY WE
ON OUR OWN CAN CHANGE OURSELVES.
CHAPTER 16
ERASE YOUR EGO
Mankind’s worst enemy is its Ego. Ego isolates us from
everybody. It makes us incapable of maintaining relations. Limits our thoughts.
Pampers our drawbacks & degrade advising relations. Ego makes you a pauper.
Bereft of any meaningful relation, thoughts or beliefs. Ego limits our thinking to ourselves only.
Everything starts & ends with “I”.
I am doing this. I have done that.
I have given this. I will give that.
I am earning. I am providing for all.
I am always right. Fault lies with others.
I am innocent; others are conspiring, etc., etc.
These & many more such statements we commonly hear from egoistic persons. This is the enemy that resides within us. It feeds our pride & self-interest that is why it is acceptable to us. It seems to raise our status in front of others. It starts from minor things & rises to control everything around us.
Family & persons over whom we have some influence are the immediate sufferers. Slowly it percolates down to everybody around you. To avoid any conflict, our well-wishers support or go along with our ego trip. This initial success bolsters our misplaced confidence. We feel that we are right that is why others are supporting us.
It becomes a habit. From minor issues we graduate to everything. We don’t
care for anybody’s opinion. We feel what we think & opine is always right.
Those around us should agree otherwise they should be shunted out of our inner
circle. The worst sufferers are our family members & well wishers.
It is difficult for them to blindly allow us to fall into the trap.
Dissent is taken as an affront. A challenge to our authority. Ego is hurt. When we feel our authority is challenged we become more assertive & autocratic. We try to suppress dissent by force or by coercion. When we forcefully try to hold something it either slips out, like sand, or breaks like any fragile thing.
Relationship is the first victim. It is hard to hold any kind of lasting & fruitful relationship. When we feel, except self, all others are at fault than how can understanding prevail. People will start avoiding us because they will think it is better to avoid than get into conflict.
An egoistic person is easily manipulated & history is a proof that they have been manipulated by vested interest. An egoist person is a loner by heart. His ego doesn’t allow him to trust anybody. To cover the vacuum left by well-wishers he surrounds himself by sycophants. Ego is a shield for him to cover his shortcomings.
Self-seekers who desert him in the time of crisis surround a successful egoist person. When he needs them the most there would be no one to help him. Sycophants feed his hunger of self-aggrandisation. It gives us a false pretence of protecting our self-esteem. There is a very thin line between self-esteem & ego. Ego is totally self centric. We get so blinded by our self-interest that we are least concerned about its effect on others.
Self-esteem is totally different from our ego. Self-esteem is something where a person’s reputation is as per accepted norms of the society. Where every individual is a unit of society. What is acceptable to society is acceptable to us. If our deeds are not in agreement than we should & will get reprimand from others. We should gracefully accept our mistakes & rectify them.
But in normal course we take it as an insult. Our ego is hurt. We are not ready to accept our mistakes but try to justify them by pointing out others fault. In our daily routine our ego is so inflated that we get very agitated if anybody asks us to do something over & above our routine duty or behaves differently from our perceived notion. We take it as an affront. We loose our cool, get agitated, start arguing, fret & fume.
What we gain by all this - stress. Negative energy. Why? Just because we had some notion of right & wrong! Who are we to judge? Our judgement will be biased because our thoughts will be in our favour. What is prodding such behavior from us? Nothing but our Ego. When our every action is dictated by our ego than how are we going to act level headedly.
To progress on the noble path, the first thing we have to divest ourselves of is our Ego. Ego denotes all those qualities & virtues, which a person should shy away from. People talk about Sanyas – forgoing everything on the path of spirituality. They have a wrong notion of foregoing things. Sanyas should be of all our vices & not of our obligations, duties & responsibilities. There should be stillness of thoughts & basic nature. Ego evokes turbulence in our lives. We waste time in keeping the turbulence in check than utilizing it in constructive progress.
It is very difficult to accept our mistakes. Ego is the biggest hurdle to cross. It should be the first hurdle but as it is very difficult to cross, we should go about it in a step-by-step way. We should not get discouraged. First, we should try to inculcate the virtues stated above, in our nature. This will help us in fighting the ogre of ego. Instead of getting defeated, we will be prepared to fight the enemy. First signal of ego is that we don’t want to accept that we have a problem. We give innumerable excuses than accept our fault. This should act as a warning signal. When we are prepared we will succeed. We will defeat Ego. Self esteem & self respect will prevail.
Ego is like a big boulder blocking our path. Single handedly it is
impossible to move & without moving it our path to progress is blocked.
Simple physical effort will bear failure. We require basic changes in our
present nature, set of tools, to find strength to fight it. We need to accept
the fact that, to improve, we must remove this obstacle - Ego. Then only we
will get the impetus & will power to work at removing this Ego boulder. It
is nearly impossible to win at one go. Slowly slowly we should chisel away at
our drawbacks. Then when it comes to the final push it would be comparatively
easier. We will win.
CHAPTER 17
Atman is the power of God. Body is the medium thru which we can be seen to do our assigned duties. Karma – Deeds are the qualifying actions which will decide our progress on the path of life. Our Atman’s goal in life is proximity to God. Good karmas will uplift our Atman nearer to God but bad karmas will throw us to live as lower life form.
Atman is the Truth. It is the real resident of this universe. Our body is the temporary abode of the Atman. Atman remains the same but our body changes as per our Karmas. We like fools are engrossed in taking care of the body when our Karmas should be for purification of our Atman.
Atman wants to be free of this Earth’s law of birth cycle. But what God had provided us for our betterment we are using that for our degradation. Heart was meant for interaction with fellow beings & is said to be closest to the thoughts of Atman – Soul. Mind was provided for rational thinking, for pursuit of knowledge & for betterment of everybody. They were meant for our progress but we are utilizing them to regress. They were inbuilt to help to improve.
Senses, which were provided for improvement, have been utilized for destruction, manipulation, accumulation, to subjugate & annihilate other beings rather than be helpful to all. Deeds which touch the heart strings –soul – are the hardest to forget. Good deeds evoke positive emotions with lasting powers & bad deeds evoke negative emotions of hatred which beg to be forgotten.
It is like computers. They are great tools for knowledge, progress, information & implementation for betterment of mankind. It has memory, it is fast, it is accurate & it is helpful in many ways but they are controlled by us. Difference between man & computer is that man has inbuilt system to control it whereas computers don’t. They don’t have heart & mind like us. They can’t feel & think independently. Man utilizes them as he wants it. That is why computers are notorious for all the wrong uses.
Due to all this technology developments, we say, Earth has become small. We can reach, communicate & relate to people in a jiffy. But is this really true? Instead of opening out we are getting isolated by all this gadgets. We are more engrossed in watching TV, browsing computers, playing games on mobile phones & computers, meeting people on the Net & talking on the phone. We rarely interact with real people. Interpersonal interaction has started getting extinct. Guests, friends & relations have started becoming avoidable pest.
Even our homes are all wired up with latest security systems which make
us a prisoner in our own homes. God has also become a victim of this fad. We
say God is omnipresent. He is everywhere & in everything than why we keep
him enclosed in
Man is endowed with unlimited power which is invariably utilized for destructive purposes. Person of good karma emits positive energy which attracts. Karma’s can be fragrant or it can be stinking. It is for us to decide whether people turn up their noses in disgust or breathe in the fragrance of good karmas.
This society & system is still effective because more good people, than bad people, abound in this world. Vices are more visible that is why we feel that that is the right way. Substandard goods have to be packaged attractively to capture customer’s attention. Same way with vices & bad habits. Youngsters & fickle minded people are easily ensnared by it if they are not properly guided by the elders.
We should have a level headed approach to life. Our thoughts should be:
Be true to yourself.
Satisfaction comes from within.
Only we can change ourselves. It is impossible to change everybody in the
world. When we start feeling that others are at fault than we should change
ourselves.
Avoid anxiety & stress at the time of Eating & exercising.
Relax.
Accept faults. Accept mistakes.
Be humane. Everybody makes mistakes. We are human.
Nothing is bad in this world.
Nobody is bad in this world.
Nobody wants to harm you.
We should not harm anybody.
Karma is the key to open the gates of Moksha.
Relax. Our attitude will decide the quality of life we are living.
Accept criticism gracefully & praise cautiously.
Be humble & let ego go for a tumble.
I have read a story which befits what I want to state here. God has provided us a golden opportunity. We can waste our life in worrying or enjoying it OR using it for upliftment. It is unto us how we use it.
STORY.
In ancient times there was a
state where the Ruler – Raja was selected from the common public. This exercise
was done every 5 years. Once selected, the Raja, would rule for 5 years &
than he was exiled in a dense jungle. The jungle was full of wild animals &
the Raja would die within few days. There was no escape. Every 5 years the same
drama would repeat. Those selected to rule would either devote full 5 years in
enjoyment or spend their 5 years worrying about their impending death. One
Raja, who had just completed 5 years of rule, was being taken to the dense
jungle for exile. The Raja seemed very relaxed & in a jovial mood. The
attendants who were taking him to exile were unable to understand this. They
thought that the Raja was not aware of his fate. They informed him. The Raja
laughingly informed them that he was not a fool to waste 5 years in worrying
about his fate. He was aware of his fate so he had planned it in advance. He
had appointed his trusted aides, to work secretly, to clear the dense jungle
& build a
Life is like a File in our hands. Organized filing reduces many complications. If it is filed properly & systematically then in future, when we are stuck for answer, it can be used for easy reference. Unorganized life-file is always fraught with delays, tensions & avoidable complications.
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