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February 2017

When you are born, you must die. Don’t die while living. Live after you are dead. – Chinmaya

All must die. There is no choice. But how to live life – we have a choice. (i) Dead while living OR (ii) Living after death.

(i) Dead while living – They are the ones who live for themselves. A life of selfishness is a dead life. Their life benefits none. Such a life is a waste since it doesn’t help them in their spiritual evolution.

(ii)  Living after death – They are the ones who live for the welfare of all. Even after their death, they live in the hearts of others, in the loving memories of others. The lives of such people, filled with sacrifice and service, become an inspiration for generations to follow.

The Mahabharatha war was in progress. Pandavas were waging a righteous war. Dronacharya had arranged Chakra Vyuha – a circular array of the army.

Addressing Abhimanyu, the 16-year-old son of Arjuna, Yudhishthira said, “Son! As Arjuna is not in station, you are the only one amongst us who know how to pierce that array.”

Abhimanyu said, “O King! Soon shall I in battle penetrate into that array, as taught by my father. I shall not be able, however, to come out if any kind of danger overtakes me.”

Yudhishthira said, “There is nothing to worry. Break this array once, O foremost of warriors, and make a passage for us. Once you enter, we shall follow you protecting you from all sides.”

Hearing these words, Abhimanyu ordered his charioteer Sumitra to steed the chariot towards Drona’s army. Like a lion-cub charging against a herd of elephants, Abhimanyu attacked Drona’s army, and breaking the Chakra Vyuha he penetrated into it.

Meanwhile, Jayadratha, due to the boon received from Lord Shiva, was able to prevent the Pandava army from entering into the Chakra Vyuha. Thus Abhimanyu was totally trapped inside the Vyuha all alone.

In the next few hours, the world saw one of the greatest wars fought between a 16-years-old boy all alone on one side and the mightiest of Kaurava warriors fighting on the other.

The brave Abhimanyu cruised through the Kaurava forces like Lord Death. Amongst the famous warriors, the son of Asmaka attacked Abhimanyu. Abhimanyu, in return, chopped down his horses, the charioteer and the flag. Cutting his bow, he chopped off his two arms and his severed head went rolling down the ground. Duryodhana, who came to take revenge, was defeated miserably. He could return alive, thanks to Drona and others who came to his rescue.

With three other shafts of great sharpness, the mighty son of Arjuna, slew three warriors – Sushena, Drighalochana, and Kundavedhin.

Abhimanyu then attacked mighty Salya with thick showers of arrows. Salya, with straight shafts penetrating into his very vitals, sat down on his car and fainted away. Seeing this, the younger brother of Salya, filled with wrath, advanced against him. Abhimanyu cut off his head and charioteer, his triple bamboo-pole, his car-wheels, his yoke, his shafts and quiver, his flag and every other implements of battle with which his car was equipped.

Dushasana, filled with rage, and uttering a loud roar, rushed against the son of Subhadra and covered him with showers of arrows. Abhimanyu aimed a shaft which fell upon his shoulder-joint and penetrated into his body, like a snake into an ant-hill. Deeply pierced with twenty-five arrows and greatly pained, Dushasana, sat down on the car swooning. He was speedily borne away from the midst of the fight by his charioteer.

Karna, seeing this, boiled with rage and showered arrows on Abhimanyu. In return, the fearless lad cut off the umbrella, the flag, the charioteer, the steeds and the bow of Karna.

Beholding Karna in such distress, his younger brother, drawing the bow with great force, speedily proceeded against the son of Subhadra.  Abhimanyu cut off his head. Karna, pained by the death of his brother and afflicted by Abhimanyu with countless shafts, fled from the battlefield.

Vrishasena, who stepped in next had his charioteer killed and the bow snapped. The mighty Abhimanyu then pierced Vrishasena’s steeds with his straight shafts, upon which those horses, with the speed of the wind, bore Vrishasena away from the battle.

Vasaati, a mighty king, with great roar pounced on Abhimanyu. The son of Subhadra pierced him in the chest with a powerful shaft. Vasaati fell down on the earth, dead.

The mighty Rukmaratha, son of the ruler of the Madra (Salya), challenged Abhimanyu and charged at him. Phalguni’s son, however, chopped off his bow, his right and left arms and his head. Beholding Rukmaratha slain by Abhimanyu, many princely friends of Salya’s son rushed in for revenge. In no time, he cut their bodies into pieces.

Duryodhana was filled with fear, seeing his car-warriors, elephants, steeds and foot-soldiers being crushed. He quickly proceeded in wrath against Abhimanyu. But afflicted with Abhimanyu’s arrows, he had to flee. Seeing this, Lakshmana, Duryodhana’s son, came charging against Abhimanyu. With one arrow, he cut off the head of Lakshmana.

Abhimanyu was then attacked by the son of Kratha. In a short span, the latter’s bow and shafts, bracelets and arms, head decked with diadem, umbrella and flag, charioteer and steeds, were all cut off and felled by Abhimanyu. The mighty Abhimanyu then slew the brave Vrindaraka.  With another sharp arrow, he killed King Vrihadvala, the ruler of the Kosalas.

The son of Subhadra then slew six of Karna’s brave counsellors, along with their steeds and charioteers and cars. With six straight shafts, he then slew Ashwaketu, the son of the ruler of the Magadha, with his four steeds and charioteer. Bhoja prince of Martikavata was the next to attain the abode of Yama. Abhimanyu then slew five mighty warriors – Satrunjaya, Chandraketu, Mahamegha, Suvarchas and Suryabhasa.

Within a short time, the battlefield was covered with the mutilated bodies of the Kaurava army. Chopped off arms carrying bows, maces, swords and shafts were seen scattered. Countless crowned-heads without trunks rolled hither and thither. Smashed elephants, horses and chariots were seen everywhere. Pools of blood all over created a gruesome scene.

Seeing Abhimanyu unconquerable, all mighty warriors – Karna, Kripa, Drona, Ashwattama, the ruler of the Gandharas, Sala, Salya, Bhurisravas, Kritavarma, Somadatta, Vivinsati, Vrishasena, Pratardana, Lalithya, Pravahu, and Duryodhana – came together (against the law of war) and showered diverse kinds of arrows upon him. But Abhimanyu cut all of them in the mid-air before they could reach him. In return, he pierced Drona with fifty, Vrihadvala with twenty, Kritavarma with eighty, Aswatthama with ten and Kripa with sixty powerful arrows.

With no hopes seen, Karna said unto Drona, “Abhimanyu is grinding us all. His arrows are exceedingly fierce. We are unable to stand his prowess. Tell us the means by which we may slay him.” Drona addressing them all, said, “Behold this lion among men, this son of Arjuna. So quickly is he aiming his shafts and so quickly is he letting them off. Indeed, the son of Subhadra gratifies me although he afflicts my vital breath and stupefies me with shafts. Even the mightiest mahaarathis (car-warriors) are unable to match him. I don’t see any difference between him and Arjuna.”

The preceptor then, slowly and with a smile, said unto Karna, “Abhimanyu is young, his prowess is great. His armour is impenetrable. With his bow in hand, he is incapable of being vanquished by the very gods and the Asuras together. There is only one way to defeat him – cut off his bow, destroy his chariot and kill his charioteer. O Karna! If competent, do this. Strike him then.”

Hearing these words of the preceptor, Karna quickly cut off, by means of his shafts, the bow of Abhimanyu. Kritavarma then slew his steeds, and Kripa slew his charioteer. Bowless and carless, Abhimanyu, taking up a sword and a shield, continued to attack. Drona with a sharp arrow cut off Abhimanyu’s sword. Karna cut off his shield. Deprived of his sword and shield thus, he came down, and taking up a car-wheel, he rushed against Drona. The other kings cut that wheel off into pieces.

Abhimanyu, pierced all over with arrows, looked like a porcupine. He then took up a mighty mace and rushed towards Aswatthama. He slew Aswatthama’s steeds and charioteers with the mace. But Ashwatthama ran for his life and escaped. Abhimanyu then killed Suvala’s son, Kalikeya, along with his seventy-seven Gandhara followers. Next, he slew ten car-warriors of the Brahma-Vasatiya race, and then ten huge elephants.

 Proceeding next towards the chariot of Dushasana’s son, he crushed the latter’s car and steeds. Both of them with upraised maces began to strike each other. Struck with the other’s mace, both fell down unconscious on the ground. Dushasana’s son, rising up first, struck Abhimanyu, with the mace on the crown of his head, as the latter was about to get up. Stupefied with that powerful stroke as also with the fatigue he had undergone, Abhimanyu fell on the earth, dead. The unrighteous Kauravas, with a great sigh of relief, celebrated his end.

Seeing the astonishing feet of this brave young boy- who fought till death single-handedly against the six mighty car-warriors (mahaarathis) – even the gods showered flowers from heaven. Abhimanyu’s life of courageous deeds will keep inspiring millions, generation after generation.

So says Kabeer,

कबीरा जब हम पैदा हुए ,जग हंसे हम रोये । ऐसी करनी कर चलो , हम हंसे जग रोये||
When we were born, the world laughed and we cried. Do such acts in life, that when we die, we smile and the world cries!

O  M    T  A  T    S  A  T

January 2017

जगत-ईशधी-युक्त-सेवनं अष्टमूर्तिभृत् देवपूजनम् | Bhagavan Ramana Maharshi

(Serving the world with the attitude of serving the Lord itself is the greatest worship of the Lord, Who is the Wielder of the eight-fold forms.)

For the one for whom ‘work is worship’, the manifested world with its eight-fold forms (5 elements, the sun, the moon, and the jeevatma) is the Lord. His service to the beings is worship. For him, no ritualistic worship is needed.

 This story is about Swami Kalyanananda, a direct disciple of Swami Vivekananda.

When Swami Vivekananda gave Sannayasa to Kalyan Maharaj in 1900, he asked, “Well, Kalyan, what have you got to offer to your teacher as Gurudakshina?” Kalyan Maharaj said, “Here I am. I offer myself to you. I am your slave; tell me to do anything and I will do it.”

Swamiji said, “That is what I want. Go to Hardwar. I will give some money. Buy a plot of land, clear the jungle and build some huts. Many pilgrims going to Hardwar suffer and die because they get no medical help. If you find people suffering on the roadside, pick them, bring them to your huts and treat them. Forget Bengal! Don’t come back. Go!”

And so, Kalyan Maharaj went. He purchased five acres of land between Hardwar and Kankhal, by the side of the Ganga canal. With the help of the local people, he made a big hut for the patients and a small hut for himself. Seeing Kalyanji alone, Swami Nischayanandji decided to live with him. Both of them slowly built up the whole hospital enduring very many difficulties. It became popular as Kankhal Sevashrama.

At the hospital, Maharaj made it a point to personally visit 30-40 patients and get to know about their condition, sitting by their side and talking to them with great kindness and love.

One day, looking at the gloomy face of the brahmachari in charge of the hospital, he said, “Look here, you serve in the hospital, where the patients are already ill. You are supposed to cheer them up. How can you do that if you are yourself so gloomy? Therefore go to the shrine and pray first. Then go to the dispensary with a happy, joyous face. How can you brighten them up if you look so sad and sick?”

He would say, “To the temple, you go with fruits and flowers, hymns and mantras. And to the hospital, you go with food and medicine, and a few kind words. Both are exactly the same. What you do in the temple and what you do in the hospital are not two different things.”

One day some people brought a very sick man to the Sevashrama, but it was noon and the hospital was closed. So they left him to his fate on the road outside the hospital. Someone informed the doctor. The doctor, after examining, said, “There is no use taking him in; anyway he is going to die soon.”

The news reached Kalyan Maharaj. He told the brahmachari-in-charge, “Prepare the bed for the patient and bring him in. If he must die, let him die in peace. Ours is a Sevashrama, a place of service. Whether you give him two minutes’ service or two months’ service is beside the point. You have to serve him, that’s all. How can you leave a man to die on the road?”After four hours, the patient died. The dead body was carried to Ganga and the funeral rites were duly performed.

How should we serve? Kalyan Maharaj would say, “Suppose your own brother were in such a condition. What would you not do for him! You must think of others in the same way.”

Most patients who came to the hospital were so poor that they had to work hard for their livelihood. So Maharaj was particular that they be discharged only on fully regaining the health and strength. The reason was that although the doctor might find the patient fit enough to be discharged, his people at home might find it difficult to provide a nourishing diet for him until he became strong enough to work. He would often say with reference to some patient, “Keep him for a couple of days more and feed him well. You may send him home when he is strong enough.” At the time of discharge, the patients were supplied with generous quantities of foodstuffs as well as medicines.

Even in the dead of the night, if Maharaj heard a sound coming from the hospital, he would silently get up and head for the hospital. He would then check the patients without disturbing them, and if they were not sleeping, would ask them if they needed anything. Having made a round of the wards, he would return to his bed. This used to happen 2-3 times every night and Maharaj never told anyone about it. His own health gradually deteriorated from lack of sleep, but he did not mind.

Kalyan Maharaj was a man of imperturbable calmness. He never lost his cool and nothing ever upset him. Once, a patient delirious with typhoid hit Maharaj so hard that he fell down and broke his spectacles. Others nearby rushed to the spot to restrain the man. “Don’t do anything to him. Let him sit down,” said Maharaj, slowly picking himself up. Sitting by the side of the patient, Maharaj put his hand on him, asking sweetly, “Are you alright now?” Then he sent for the doctor to examine him. Others were all agitated but Maharaj showed remarkable composure.

In those days, the local monks of other monasteries called Kalyananandji and Nischayanandji bhangi sadhus (untouchables), because they rendered even menial service to patients. The two swamis had no servants and had to clean the filth at the hospital themselves. So they were never invited to the festival organised by the local monastic community. This was the situation until around 1910. At that time, Dhanaraj Giri, a great monk and abbot of the Kailasa Ashrama (of Shankaracharya Mutt) was in Kankhal for a special function, and all the monks living nearby had gathered for a big feast. Dhanaraj Giri asked the monks, “I had heard that Swami Vivekananda’s disciples are somewhere here. Do you know them?” Someone replied, “Yes, they live close by, but they are no good. They are bhangi sadhus who do all sorts of menial work.”

“Menial work? Where do you go when you become sick? Don’t you go there?” Dhanaraj Giri asked them.

“Yes, we do.”

“So you go to their hospital and receive treatment from them and yet call them bhangi sadhus? Go invite them!” And he sent a monk to bring them.

  Kalyanji agreed to go but Nischayji did not yield. So they didn’t go. Twice the messenger was sent back. But Dhanaraj Giri was equally adamant. He commanded his Secretary, “You must bring them at any cost. Tell them that unless they come, there will be no feast here.”

The two monks, at last, decided to go to honour the invitation from the abbot. As they reached the premises, Dhanaraj Giri himself received them at the entrance, embracing them. He even made pranaams to them! The assembled monks were shocked to see this. Dhanaraj Giri then led them inside and made them sit beside him on either side. He told the gathering, “You think you are all great sadhus. If there are any real sadhus here, they are these two. They lead a sterling life, serving the poor according to the ideal of Swami Vivekananda. That is the ideal for the modern age. They serve you when you are sick and yet you consider them to be bhangi sadhus! Are you not ashamed? When you were babies, who cleaned your filth? Your mother did it. Do you call your mother a bhangi for that?” He scolded them severely and said to the two monks, “Forgive me for all the insults heaped on you!”

 Kalyan Maharaj cared little about money. Once somebody stole five hundred rupees, he simply said, “Well, I think he needed money.” He never worried about people stealing money.

Once, a devotee had promised to donate some amount but he didn’t turn up. When a brahmachari suggested Maharaj to remind him, he replied, “Why do you worry about that? We will manage with whatever comes. Today you want to make more collections, increase funds and build more things. And what happens? The mind goes towards that and spiritual life vanishes. You have come here to lead a spiritual life. Struggle for that. That is more important. Don’t worry about funds and buildings. Let people donate if they want; if they don’t, it doesn’t matter.”

There were all sorts of people in the Sevashrama. For example, there was a dumb man who did absolutely nothing other than eating and sleeping. There was another who was mentally deranged and a bit violent too. All were fed, all were taken care of. Referring to such people, Maharaj would tell, “Can’t you give them a little food? Why do you want to turn them out? What will they do outside?”Anyone seeking a shelter was certain to find a place there.

Once, a brahmachari who was sent away from three other ashrams came to the Sevashrama. Though Kalyanji knew his past records, he accepted him. When someone objected, he replied, “The boy has told me his whole story. He has promised to be good here. Good boys are anyway good. But if we can convert such boys, well, that is the best thing we can do. They indeed need our help.”

Eventually, that boy was totally transformed and became an asset for the Sevashrama.

Very many newly joined brahmacharis would stay for a few days and would leave. The reason?- they wanted only study and meditation. At the most they were willing to do some temple work or library work, but not hospital work – like scrubbing the floor, cleaning the bedpans etc. Maharaj told them plainly, “If we want to become real monks, we must be prepared to do everything.” And he practised what he preached.

Swami Vivekananda had told Kalyan Maharaj to ‘forget Bengal!’ After arriving at Kankhal, he never even once visited his native (Kolkata). He stayed and served in Kankhal for 37 years with the attitude – ‘Maanava seva itself is Maadhava seva’ – till his death in 1937, keeping his promise to his Master.

O  M    T  A  T    S  A  T

December 2016

The true sevak should not expect recognition of his work from either the people or from his own organization. – Chinmaya

Who is a true sevak?

The one who serves for the purification of the mind keeping the spiritual values as the guiding principle is a true sevak.

Bhagavan Shankaracharya in his famous composition Vivekachoodamani makes clear the purpose of any action:

चित्तस्य शुद्धये कर्म न तु वस्तूपलब्धये |
(The purpose of performing any action is the purification of mind, and not anything else.)

Such selfless action is a means of liberation, says Bhagavan Ramana Maharshi in Upadesha Saram:

ईश्वरार्पितं नेच्छयाकृतं चित्तशोधकं मुक्तिसाधकम् ||
(Actions when performed as a worship of the Lord without any selfish desires purify the mind and become a means to liberation.)

Before undertaking any task, a true sevak asks himself: “Will it evolve me spiritually? Will it please my Lord? Am I truly selfless?  Will others benefit from this action? Will my mind become pure? Am I heading towards liberation? Am I secretly seeking appreciation from others for my good work? Am I compromising with higher values of life? Am I becoming a slave of my mind and the senses? …”

Expecting praise and recognition is natural when we serve. The above quote says this is not the way of the wise. There are many reasons.

The result of any action is determined by an infinite number of factors. Our part is very small in deciding the result. Hence truly speaking, we don’t deserve the credit.

Pujya Gurudev was invited for bhiksha by a prosperous and pompous family. While having lunch, the lady of the house kept bragging about her culinary skills, “Swamiji, carrot halwa is my speciality… and you will love my salads…  this tomato curry is prepared by me…  that potato dish I made!”

Gurudev remained silent for some time, and then asked her, “And who made tomatoes and potatoes?”

The lady was humbled to silence.

Truly speaking, we don’t deserve any praise or recognition because everything belongs to Him alone.

One day, Saint Tukaram, one of the four chief saints of Varkary community of saints, was sitting in his shop. A poor man came to his shop and asked about the price of rice. When the rate was told, the poor man began to leave. Tukaram asked, “Brother! Why are you returning empty-handed?”

The poor man said, “Tukaji! I of course have to buy rice, but its price is beyond my reach. My family has been starving for the last two days. I had thought that I shall be able to buy some rice with whatever little money I have with me.” Saint Tukaram became very sad to hear this. He said, “Brother! Take as much rice you need and pay whatever you can. How can I see a single child of my village starving so long as my shop is here?”

“Tukaji! You are an angel,” saying this, the poor man stepped forward to touch his feet. Tukaram said, “No no! I am an ordinary human being. There will be no difference between an animal and a human being if one fails to understand the problems of the other. If at all you wish to touch someone’s feet, then go and touch the feet of Vittalji, who has blessed me with prosperity to run this shop.”

Many times we hear people saying, “I did so much of service for that organisation, but they did not even say a ‘Thank you.’” A person who craves for recognition remains ever at the mercy of others for happiness. Comments passed by others can make or mar his day. Hence seeking recognition is nothing but courting slavery.

A person who seeks recognition misunderstands his sycophants to be his friends, and his benefactors to be his enemies.

A saint was giving a talk on Bhagavad Geeta. During the talk, to give examples of dishonesty, along with many other examples, he also mentioned how the doctors of the modern-day make money by cheating the patients.

Within a few days, the saint received a letter saying, “Swamiji, my name is Dr So-and-so. I was really pained to hear how you criticized the doctors of modern times. You speak as though all swamijis are perfect. From now on I will never attend your talks.”

A recognition-seeker listens and thinks with a coloured mind and therefore misinterprets every situation. Due to this egoistic approach, he is never able to arrive at the actual truth of any happening. With a mind which is biased, he is unable to see things clearly and impartially. Since craving for recognition is opposed to knowledge, a seeker of knowledge should never entertain this craving.

For a seeker of liberation, the mind’s craving for recognition is a symptom of a greater disease called ego.

A sannyasi once came to the ashram of Mahatma Gandhi seeking an opportunity to serve. At this, Gandhiji said, “Ashrams are meant for people like you. But you shall have to give up your ochre robes before you decide to become an ashramite here.”

Hearing this, the sannyasi was annoyed. But restraining himself he asked, “But may I know the reason why I should do so?”

Bapuji replied, “See, the problem with the people in our country is that, the moment they see someone in ochre robe, they begin to worship him. Because of this ochre robe, that they will not accept your services. Therefore anything that causes impediments in our way must be done away with. Who will allow you to do menial jobs if you are clad in ochre rob?”

The ochre robe and spiritual knowledge – both are meant for liberation. But even these means of liberation can become a cause of bondage when adulterated with the desire for recognition.

Madhusudan Saraswathi, a Vedic scholar and an authority in scriptures, in his younger days, used to conduct debate and defeat great scholars of his times. One day, after defeating a famous opponent in the debate, he was returning back home with joy when a saint asked him, “Son, after winning, do you feel elated?”

Young Madhusudan replied, “Yes Swamiji!”

The mahatma asked, “Who is feeling elated – the Self or the ego?”

The young monk became thoughtful. He started thinking within himself, “The Self cannot feel elated because it has nothing to do with the victories and defeats of the body- mind complex. The body-mind-intellect (BMI) cannot feel elated because they are inert in nature. Then who is feeling elated? 

“It is the Self identified with the BMI which feels elated. That means it is the ego which feels elated. But ego is the product of ignorance. Hence this elation is the sign of ignorance.

“What a pity that through my elation, I am glorifying my ignorance, my forgetfulness of the Self!”

The joys of honour and praise, awards and rewards are nothing but sweet poison. It is sweet because in the beginning we relish being praised. This praise boosts the ego. The bloated ego craves for greater recognition. For such a pampered ego, even a little insult or disregard becomes extremely painful. This pain is nothing but poison. Again, caught in this vicious cycle, one becomes bound to the endless cycles of births and deaths. Hence the end result of this craving is poison alone.

The choice is ours – enjoy the sweetness of recognition, boost the ego and die as a mortal; or escape the temptation, dissolve the ego, and become immortal.

O  M    T  A  T    S  A  T

October 2016

If by studying the scriptures, one can become a sannyasin, by counting the King’s money one must become a billionaire. – Chinmaya

The above quote reminds us of a famous Subhashitam:

पुस्तकेषु च या विद्या परहस्ते च यद्धनम् | समये तु परिप्राप्ते न सा विद्या न तद्धनम्||
(When in need, neither the knowledge in the book and nor the money in others’ hands is going to help.)

Counted money belongs to others; possessed money alone belongs to us. So too, gathered knowledge belongs to others; digested knowledge alone is ours.

Gathered knowledge is mere bookish knowledge; digested knowledge is experienced wisdom.   Gathered knowledge makes one informed; digested knowledge makes one transformed.    With gathered knowledge, one continues to negatively react; with digested knowledge, one learns to positively respond.    Gathered knowledge is etched only in one’s memory whereas digested knowledge becomes a part of one’s personality.    Gathered knowledge strengthens the ego; digested knowledge dissolves the ego.    Gathered knowledge may help us gather the outer riches; digested knowledge helps us experience the inner riches.  Gathered knowledge keeps us bound even after death; digested knowledge gives us liberation even while living.

 The above quote is in no way discouraging us to study the scriptures.

Study of the scriptures forms an important part of spiritual sadhana. The scriptural study gives us the clarity regarding what is the goal to reach, how to reach it, what are the obstacles en route, how to tackle those obstacles, what are the signs that we are progressing in the right direction etc. This guidance is very much necessary for any spiritual seeker.

But once having gained the information, one must actually walk the path; else all this information becomes futile. Studying the map alone will not do. One must actually visit the place as well.

Therefore the Upanishad says:

ग्रन्थमभ्यस्य मेधावी ज्ञानविज्ञानतत्पर: | पलालमिव धान्यार्थी त्यजेत् ग्रन्थमशेषत: ||
(Having studied the scriptures, an intelligent student intent on acquiring knowledge and wisdom should discard the scriptures altogether, just like one who seeks rice discards the husk.)

Nourishment comes from rice, not from the husk. In the same way, it is only the experiential wisdom which will benefit us, not mere bookish knowledge.

A devotee asked a Mahatma, “Swamiji, how many scriptures should we study? There are so many of them that even an entire lifetime will not be sufficient to study them!”

The Mahatma asked a counter-question, “How many mirrors do you need to see your face?” The confused devotee replied, “Only one Swamiji!” The Saint smiled and replied, “Scriptures, my child, are also like mirrors. The physical mirror shows you your outer physical face, while the scriptural mirror shows you your real face, your real nature! Hold the mirror in the right position, and you see your face. Study of even one scripture in the right way will take you to your real Self!”

The Upanishads say:

गवामनेकवर्णानां क्षीरस्यापेकवर्णता | क्षीरवत् पश्यते ज्ञानांङ्गिनस्तु गवां यथा ||
(The cows can be of various sizes and shapes, breeds and colours, but the colour of the milk is one; so too the knowledge is one though expounded by varieties of scriptures.)

Scriptures are like the torchlight. It shows the way; but to reach the destination, one has to walk the path. Walking without lighting the path is as wasteful as lighting without walking the path.

Many times, the scriptures meant to liberate us themselves may bind us! Our vast learning may create arrogance in us, and we are more interested in showing off our learning and gaining some worldly praise and honour than in improving ourselves through the teachings of the scriptures.

Hence Bhagavan Shankaracharya says:

वाग्वैखरी शब्दझरी शास्त्रव्याख्यानकौशलम् | वैदुष्यं विदुषां तद्वत् भुक्तये न तु मुक्तये||
(Loud speech in a steam of words, the efficiency in expounding or commenting upon the scriptures, erudition – these bring only a little joyous, material satisfaction to the scholar, but they are inefficient to liberate him completely.)

Nan In was a great Japanese Zen master. One day a University Professor approached him with a desire to attain the knowledge of Zen. Nan made him sit with due honour, and the Professor went on talking for a long time indicating his vast knowledge, scholarship and erudition. Nan just kept listening and did not speak.

This went on for long and it was tea-time. The servant brought tea for them and Nan In began pouring it in a cup from the kettle. He continued pouring the tea in the cup until it began spilling over the edge of the cup. Seeing this the scholar said, “What are you doing Sir? The cup is already full!”

“Like this cup,” Nan In said, “you are full of your own opinions and speculations. How can I show you the Truth unless you first empty your cup?”

The true sign of knowledge is humility. Knowledge without humility is nothing but ignorance in the garb of knowledge. It benefits neither the possessor nor the listener. It is like the plastic fruit with a deceptive reality, beneficial to none.

Once Chaitanya Mahaprabhu was travelling by boat with a friend of his childhood days, Raghunath Shastri. Shastri was an erudite Sanskrit scholar. It was during those days when Chaitanya Mahaprabhu had written a great book on Logics. He had worked very hard on the book. While travelling, he showed the book to Shastri. Shastri went through the book in all minute detail. As he went through the book, he lost the lustre of countenance and his eyes welled up with tears. Seeing him depressed, Mahaprabhu asked why he was upset.

Under the pressure of insistence, Shastri opened up, “Dear friend, you will be surprised to know that I too have written a book on Logics. My book is a result of years and years of hard work. I had thought that my book is the best in the world, and hence would bring great name and fame to me. But in comparison to this book, my work is nothing. Mine is as insignificant as a lamp in front of the brilliant sun.”

Hearing this, Chaitanya Mahaprabhu said, “You are depressed for such a small thing? All right! I am going to offer my manuscript to Mother Ganges now.” Saying this, Mahaprabhu tore his manuscript into pieces and threw them into the river Ganges!

Bhagavan Shankaracharya warns all seekers:

शब्दजालं महारण्यं चित्तभ्रमणकारणम् | अत: प्रयत्नाज्ज्ञातव्यं तत्त्वज्ञै: तत्त्वमात्मन: ||
(Commentaries on philosophies constitute a thick jungle in which a roaming mind may easily get lost, in its own delusion. Therefore true seekers of Brahman should, through right efforts, come to experience the real nature of the Self.)

Pujya Gurudev Swami Chinmayananda used to say, “Mere putting sugar into the coffee is not enough; you must stir it; then alone coffee tastes sweet. So too, unless our personality has become sweet, our study of scriptures has not yet served the purpose.”

O  M    T  A  T    S  A  T

September 2016

None gets bound by one’s possessions; it is the mental slavery to our possessions that shackles us. – Chinmaya

Possessions don’t bind us. Only attachment (mental slavery) to possessions bind us.

Therefore, attachment alone leads to bondage, not possessions.

A group of devotees came to PujyaGurudev Swami Chinmayananda and lamented, “Swamiji! We are all samsaris having wife and children, possessions and positions; we are bound by hundreds of worldly responsibilities. What is the way out?

Gurudev, who was the founder of Chinmaya Mission and managing hundreds of Mission centres world over, replied, “If possessions are the measure of one’s bondage, then I must be more bound than you all!!”

Bondage is measured not in terms of one’s possessions, but in terms of one’s attachment towards it.

There is an ancient story.

A man who had gone out of his town came back and found that his beautiful house was on fire. Many people were ready to give the double price for the house, but he had never agreed for any price, and now it was just burning before his eyes. Thousands of people had gathered, but nothing could be done. It was too late. So he became very sad.

Just then his son came running and whispered something in his ear, “Don’t be worried. I sold it yesterday and at a very good price ― three times. The offer was so good I could not wait for you. Forgive me.”

Father said, “Thank God! It’s not ours now!” The father was relaxed and became a silent watcher, just like thousands of other watchers. In fact, he started enjoying it just like everybody else in the crowd.

Then the second son came running, and he said to the father, “What are you doing? You are smiling ― and the house is on fire?” The father said, “Don’t you know, your brother has sold it.” The son said, “We have taken only advance amount; not settled fully. I doubt whether the man is going to purchase it now.”

Again, everything changed! Tears which had disappeared came back to the father’s eyes; his smile was no more there; his heart was beating fast. The ‘watcher’ was gone and he was again attached.

And then the third son came, and he said, “That man is a man of his word. I have just come from him. He said, ‘It doesn’t matter whether the house is burnt or not; it is mine. And I am going to pay the price that I have settled for. Neither you knew, nor I knew that the house would catch on fire.’”

Again the joy was back and family became ‘watchers’!

Actually, nothing was changing! Just the feeling that “I am/am not the owner of the house!” made the whole difference.

Greater the attachment, greater the bondage.

What do we mean when we say ‘being bound to the world’?

Any bondage expresses as helplessness, as lack of freedom. For example, when a person is tied to a pole, he experiences physical bondage.

Physical bondage is easy to understand; but in spirituality, we talk of psychological bondage – a bondage at the mental level which is subtler and deeper.

Bondage expresses as worries and anxieties.

Businessmen worry about their success in business initiatives. Students worry about their marks in the exams. A mother worries about her new-born child. This world being full of uncertainties, it is natural that we worry about everything. But it is bondage because though we dislike worries, we still keep helplessly worrying!

Greater the attachment, greater the fear.

Bondage expresses as our inability to see things as it is.

After living together very many years deeply attached to each other, when, say, the husband dies, the wife is not able to accept the reality. The lawns and the gardens, the shops and the streets, the chairs and the sofas – everything reminds her of her husband.

Greater the attachment, greater the delusion.

Bondage expresses as our inability to live up to our values and ideals.

It is said that the Great Wall of China was built to prevent intrusion from the enemies outside. But in the history of China, intrusion happened thrice within 100 years. How? The enemies bribed the guards at the entry gates!

Greater the attachment, greater the compromise.

Bondage expresses as our inability to check the negative thoughts.

Attachment to any thing, being or situation of the world is sure to bring in these negative thoughts – anger, lust, greed, hatred, jealousy etc.

A terrorist caught alive was heard saying, “All non-believers in Allah should be killed. This is my mission of life.” Unfortunate indeed! He has kept himself fuming in a perpetual self-lit fire of hatred, revenge and anger.

Greater the attachment, greater the negativities of the mind.

Bondage expresses as our inability to see the bigger picture of life.

Often parents go to watch their child perform in the drama played during the annual function of the school. The parents forget the happenings at the central stage of the drama, where kings, queens and ministers play their part. Their entire attention is upon their own child playing the role of a guard doing nothing in a corner of the stage! In the mobile-phone’s recorded-video of the parent, this child is in the central screen!!

Greater the attachment, narrower the vision.

Bondage expresses as our lack of control on our own mind.

The chain-smokers, the drug addicts and the drunkards are all classic examples.

Greater the attachment, greater the helplessness.

Bondage expresses as our inability to take the right decisions in life.

Though Dhrtarashtra was aware of the wicked deeds of his son Duryodhana, he could not punish the latter because his intellect was blinded by the love for his beloved son.

Greater the attachment, greater the malfunctioning of the intellect.

Bondage expresses as our inability to learn from others.

When we are attached very much to our ideas and ideologies, we tend to argue rather than to discuss. We refuse to listen to what others have to say; we are more interested in proving than in improving ourselves.

Greater the attachment, greater the inability to learn and evolve.

Bondage expresses as being a victim of situations.

When we are very much attached to our ego, praises and criticisms from the outer world is magnified a thousand times, and they determine our mood of the day. We become a helpless puppet in the hands of others; others carry the key of our happiness in their pockets.

Greater the attachment, greater the slavery.

Bondage expresses as our inability to know our true nature.

Being identified with our body-mind-intellect (BMI), we fail to know our infinite, blissful and immortal nature.

Greater the attachment, greater the ignorance of the Self.

Bondage expresses as our inability to gain liberation.

Being bound to the BMI, we go through the cycles of birth and death indefinitely.

Greater the attachment, greater the difficulty in gaining liberation.

The root cause of bondage is attachment, and not possessions as such.

Hence the wise say, “Spirituality has nothing to do with the atmosphere you live in. It is about the atmosphere you create within.”

O  M    T  A  T    S  A  T

August 2016

The Lord does that which is best for us always. Even sorrows mould us into better beings. –  Chinmaya

The above quote is meant for practice. The way to practice it is to keep the mind cheerful and undisturbed at all times. A disturbed mind is sure proof that the above teaching is forgotten.

Arthur Ashe, the legendary Wimbledon player was dying of AIDS which he got due to infected blood he received during heart surgery in 1983. He received letters from his fans, one of which conveyed, “Why did God have to select you for such a bad disease?”

To this Arthur Ashe replied, “50 million children enrol themselves to learn tennis;   out of them, 5 million learn tennis;   500 thousand among them learn professional tennis;   from them, 50 thousand come to Circuit;   5 thousand reach Grand slam;   50 reach Wimbledon;   4 reach the semifinals;   2 reach the finals;   and when I was holding the cup in my hand, I never asked God “Why me?” So now that I am in pain how can I ask God “Why me?”

Let us stop this “Why me?” business; instead let us learn to focus our attention upon the hidden blessings which every unfavourable circumstance brings along with it.

In the early years around the turn of the century, a scientist worked on barometers, in the city of Geneva, Switzerland. Part of the research was the routine task of recording the atmospheric pressure under different conditions of weather and temperature. The various readings were noted down on sheets of paper.

He had laboured on this research for over 20 years. A huge stack of his papers was on his table – twenty years of painstaking records which he had accumulated.

At about this time his maidservant of many years took a week’s holiday, leaving a substitute in her place. On the very first day, the scientist went out for his usual evening walk. On his return, he found the familiar mass of old papers missing from his desk. In their place were kept fresh, clean, white blank sheets of papers.

He asked the new maidservant, “Where are my papers which were kept on the desk?” The maidservant explained, “O those old papers? I was cleaning your room sir, and I found so many of those old soiled and stained papers cluttering your table and gathering dust. I have thrown them into the fire and kept new clean sheets of paper for your use.”

Twenty years of labour and research confined to the flames! It was enough to make the gentlest of men angry! But not this man – for he had learnt that there is always a divine purpose for everything that happens.

He did not scold the maidservant. All he said was, “Thy Will be done, O Lord!”

All problems start when we mistake ourselves to be the string-pullers of the cosmic show forgetting that there is an all-powerful, all-knowing, all-pervading Lord at the helm of all affairs.

 The thought occurred to the king that sparrows ate tons of corn which could be saved for human consumption. He announced that a prize would be given for each dead sparrow. The people became hunters and soon there were no more sparrows in the country. The king rejoiced in his great victory.

Barely a year had passed when the king was told that, in the absence of sparrows, caterpillars and locusts had eaten the crops. The king realized the great blunder he had committed and now imported sparrows from abroad to take care of the crops!

The choice is always given to us – whether to seek guidance from God, or to be on our own. The right choice can make an ocean of difference.

A man went to his Guru, complaining of utter fatigue and exhaustion. “Swamiji, I just cannot cope anymore,” he complained. “Please help me!”

The Guru took him to an inner chamber, where there were two clocks on the table. Both were ticking away merrily. One was a clock that needed to be wound every day; the other was connected to the mains with a power cable.

“This clock will keep ticking for no more than 24 hours,” said the Guru, pointing to the first one. “After just one day, it will slow down and begin to lose time gradually. I have to come in every morning and wind it up to keep it going, or else it will soon come to a stop.”

He pointed to the electric clock. “This one, you can see, is connected to a source of high power, and with the energy from that source, it keeps going on and on.

The man stared at the two clocks unable to understand what the Guru was saying.

“You must connect yourself to God – the Source of the highest, purest and the best energy in the Universe,” said the Guru. “Then you will not have to be pushed from outside. No one will have to wind you or give you a boost. You will draw all wisdom and energy of the Universe through your connection with God, and nothing can stop you!”

O    M        T    A    T        S    A    T

July 2016

ध्यानमूलं गुरोर्मूर्ति: पूजामूलं गुरो: पदम् | मन्त्रमूलं गुरोर्वाक्यं मोक्षमूलं गुरो: कृपा ||… Guru Geeta

The above quote is a famous verse from Guru Geeta. A Guru’s role in our spiritual journey from ignorance to wisdom is emphasized in this verse. The spiritual evolution happens in five stages – reverence, surrender, learning, transformation and gratitude.

Dhyana-moolam Gurormoorti:–

First time when we come across a spiritual master, we see nothing special or great in him externally. Hence we wonder why people admire this man so much! By God’s grace, we get more and more occasions to be with the master. As the days progress, we find that we are helplessly attracted to the master, not knowing why. Soon we discover that in the company of the master we experience a divine peace unknown to us till then. We also find that in the company of the master, the cobwebs of confusion in us regarding life is disappearing day by day.

As our mind gets purer, we start seeing innumerable virtues in the master hidden from us till then – his undisturbed peace even amidst tragedies and failures, his unconditional love and compassion for all, his uncompromising attitude with regard to spiritual ideals, his love for God, his humility and simplicity, his depth of knowledge, his clarity in thinking, his purity of intentions, his impartiality in decision making, his dispassion towards worldly pleasures, his control over the mind, speech and the senses, his maturity in handling different situations, his selflessness – all these create a deep reverence in us for the master.

In the master, we start seeing a divine perfection rarely seen in others around. A time comes when the master becomes our inspiration, our object of wonder, our ideal in life. From then on, he is no more a mere spiritual master, but he becomes our Guru – the one whom we have chosen to follow all through our life unquestioningly.

Pooja-moolam Guroh padam: –  

The ego in us never surrenders to anyone so easily.

But seeing the greatness of this master – who, despite his vast wisdom, power and glory, is so simple and humble – we come to realize how insignificant we are in front of this man of perfection. Our ego is humbled. Soon there arises an intense desire to learn from him and be like him.

Water always flows from higher to lower plane; electricity from higher to lower potential; so too knowledge can flow only from the higher to lower. Hence in our tradition, a seeker of knowledge approached the teacher with prostration. In prostration, the lowest in the teacher (feet) comes in contact with the highest in the taught (head). Greater the humility, greater is our ability to learn.

A Guru’s strength is Self-knowledge and it is this knowledge upon which he ‘stands’. Therefore we worship Guru’s feet or paadukas as a symbolic representation of revering this knowledge.

Thus when we are totally attuned to him in all humility and reverence, faith and devotion, we become prepared to receive his teachings. When the Guru sees this total receptivity in us, knowledge starts flowing from him, just like milk flows from the udder of the cow which is eager to feed her beloved calf.

Mantra-moolam Gurorvaakyam: –

 Words coming from Guru are not mere words; they are mantras.

Traditionally, only the statements from the Vedas are called mantras. None dares to change the Veda mantras, even if it appears meaningless, redundant, illogical or grammatically incorrect. Being the words from God, the Veda mantras are given the highest status by all the spiritual masters.

So too the words of the Guru are mantras for the disciples. Guru being a shrotriya (well-read in scriptures) and a brahmanishtha (having the experiential knowledge), he employs scriptural methods of teaching. His words, being soaked in his own subjective spiritual experience of the Divine, carry tremendous power to inspire and to transform.

The Guru thunders, “Aham Bramhaasmi (I am God); Tat twamasi (You are also That); O Children of Immortality! Arise!! Awake to your Infinite nature!!! ”

The disciple wonders, “How can I – this miserable imperfect finite creature – be God? How can this solid world, seen so clearly through my senses be unreal?? Illogical! Ridiculous!! Unbelievable!! Blasphemous!!!”

But for a true disciple, his Guru’s words are mantras. His unshakable faith in the teacher guides him from within, “If my Guru has said it, then it must be right. He can never misguide us. My Guru can never be wrong. Must be I am wrong.”

The disciple approaches the Guru again in all humility with a silent prayer, “O Teacher! Please be gracious to me by clearing my doubts. I don’t question to challenge, to show off or to test you. I question only to clear my misunderstandings. My questions are only an expression of my inability to understand and not your inefficiency to teach…”

Thus we – the disciples – gain the knowledge from the Guru. Through shravanam (listening to the teachings from the Guru) we gain the information. Through mananam (reflection upon these teaching and clearing all doubts) the information in us becomes conviction. Doubt-free knowledge is called conviction.

The process of gaining knowledge is completed only when this conviction becomes transformation in us. The knowledge should become one with our personality. As Pujya Gurudev used to say, putting sugar in the coffee alone is not enough, it should get dissolved and make the coffee sweet. Similarly, the Self-knowledge in us should make our personality sweet.

This is done in the third stage called nidhidhyaasanam. Here, by constant meditation upon the scriptural truths, the habitual error is eliminated. For very many births, we have identified ourselves with the BMI (Body-mind-intellect). It takes time to replace this misunderstanding with the right understanding that our nature is Sat-Chit-Ananda.

After a long period of sadhana, when we have digested this knowledge completely, when we are able to respond to all situations based on this knowledge, when this knowledge has become effortless in us, when it has become a part of our thinking and behaving, then alone we say the knowledge has transformed us.

Moksha-moolam Guroh krupaa: –

With the final awakening, we, with tears of gratitude, recollect our spiritual journey, “O Lord! Now I understand; You are my own Self who has appeared as my Guru in human form. Guidance came from You, inspiration came from You, strength to persevere came from You, and now, at last, the final beatitude has also come from You alone!

“I did nothing O Lord; You did everything! How can I ever thank You for what You have done to me! Namo namah Shree Gurupaadukaabhyaam…”

What remains, in the end, is only gratitude…

O    M        T    A    T        S    A    T

June 2016

Religion becomes dead and ineffectual if the seekers are not ready to live its ideals. – Chinmaya

Every religion contains two aspects – the philosophical and the ritualistic. Every ritual symbolizes a spiritual ideal. Every ritual – be it worshipping an idol, the cross or the crescent – is but a gross visible dramatization of a deep subtle philosophical truth.

But many a times, people get engrossed in the ritual so much so that they forget the spiritual message. They worship the idol but forget the ideal. Such a religion which loses touch with the higher ideals and remains merely ritualistic and mechanical, becomes dead and ineffectual, says the quote.

This story is about one of the greatest saints of Karnataka, Kanakadasa. Once he went to have darshan of the Lord Sri Krishna at Udupi. It was an era when discrimination on the basis of caste was at its peak. The brahmin priests did not let him enter the temple as he was from a low caste. Using abusive language, they turned him back.

A dejected and sad Kanakadasa returned to his hut. He took his tamburu and started singing songs in praise of the Lord. He did this for weeks camping outside the temple and cooking his own food. With a heart burning with an intense pain of separation, he pleaded to shower His mercy and grace on him.

And lo! There was a sudden earthquake. The western outer wall crumbled, and a few slabs of stone in the inner wall of the sanctum sanctorum cracked open. The idol of Sri Krishna which was originally facing east turned around and faced Kanakadasa, who was sitting absorbed in samadhi on the western side of the temple.

With tears streaming down his face, Kanakadasa beheld the idol of his Lord beaming at him. The brahmins who had denied entry to this great devotee were shellshocked to see this wonder. They came running and fell at his feet seeking forgiveness. Even today, the idol of the Lord Sri Krishna in Udupi temple faces west. The crack that appeared on the wall of the sanctum sanctorum has been replaced with a window (commonly called as “Kanakana Kindi”). Devotees visit this temple to behold the Lord who had turned around, away from the priests blinded by manmade distinctions of caste, to show His beautiful image to His dear devotee who had nothing but pure unadulterated devotion for Him.

Pujya Gurudev used to say, “Shastras are always right; it is only the Shastri who is wrong!”

Vittalpant was a Sanskrit scholar and religious minded. He had taken sannyasa; but seeing the deplorable condition of his wife Rukmabai, his Guru Sripad Yati (Ramanand Swami) instructed him to go back to householder-life. Obeying his Guru, Vittalpanth resumed his householder’s life.

Nivritti, Jnanadev, Sopan and Muktabai were born to Vittalpanth and Rukmabai eventually. But the brahmins refused to perform the thread ceremony of the sons claiming that children of a sannyasi were prohibited by the scriptures to have thread ceremony. As an act of atonement, the parents gave up their lives in the hope that the brahmins may out of pity perform the thread ceremony of their children.

Jnanadev with great hopes then approached the brahmins of Alandi to fulfil his father’s wish. Though the brahmins assented, they wanted them to bring an authority letter (certificate of purity) from the Brahmins of Paithan. The four children, therefore, went to Paithan.

All the children of Vittalpanth were well versed in Vedas and scriptures. Reaching Paithan they recited the Vedas before the brahmins but were stopped as they were not entitled to recite the sacred Vedas owing to their father’s wrongdoing.

To prove that anybody could recite the Vedas, Jnanadev made a buffalo continue to recite the Vedas from the point where they were asked to stop! Struck with wonder and recognizing their spiritual learning and greatness, the brahmins gave them the required certificate of purification.

It is indeed a shocking fact that in the history of mankind, religious fanaticism has killed more people than every other kind of organized crimes.

Chokhamela, another great Marathi saint lived in near Pandharpur in Maharashtra in the 14th century. He was born in the lower cast called Mahar. The Mahars were supposed to remove the dead animals from people’s homes and farms and dispose them off beyond the village limits. Chokhamela worked to eke out a living but through his every waking moment he had the Lord’s name on his lips. Chokha used to constantly chant the name of Panduranga and clean the temple premises daily.

However, he was not allowed to enter the sanctum sanctorum due to his birth in the lower cast. One day someone questioned the futility of his devotion to Lord, as he would never be able to see God. Humiliated and deeply hurt Chokha abstained from taking food and wept inconsolably when Panduranga appeared before him, embraced him, took him inside the temple and talked to him.

The temple priest was outraged as he felt that the temple was desecrated by Chokha and ordered him to stay across the river Chandrabhaga. Chokha’s pleas fell on the deaf ears and at last, Chokha went to stay across the river. However, Lord started to visit Chokha daily and both of them used to take lunch together.

One day the priest was passing by Chokha’s hut when Chokha was taking lunch with Panduranga. Soyara (Chokha’s wife) was serving. The priest could not see Panduranga as his mind was impure. Soyara spilt the curd on Panduranga’s yellow silk robe by mistake. Chokha exclaimed, “Oh Soyara! You have soiled Panduranga’s dress!” The priest felt it was a deliberate attempt by Chokha to show his devotion and slapped Chokha across his face.

Later he bathed in the river and ferried across the river. Inside the sanctum sanctorum, the priest was stunned to see Lord Vitthala’s swollen cheek! He went to Chokha, asked for his forgiveness and requested him to pacify the Lord. Later Chokha’s prayers alone could pacify Lord Vitthala.

A religion dies when the non-essentials become important and the essentials are ignored. It becomes ineffective when the ‘pointer’ is valued more than the ‘pointed’ when the letter is followed but the spirit is forgotten.

The head of the family while doing the puja found that the pet cat of the house was eating the Naivedyam kept for the Lord. Hence before commencing the puja he would cover the cat with a basket to prevent its mischief. Years passed by. The head passed away and the son continued the tradition of worshipping the family deity. The son remembered how father used to tie the cat before beginning the worship. Assuming it to be part of the ritual, he brought a cat from the neighbourhood as their pet cat was no more. Over a period of time chasing the cat and covering it became the most important part of the worship!!

When thus the orthodox religion decays with its superstitions and confusions, a spiritual giant comes up to clean up the mess. Every spiritual master faces these three stages: ridicule, opposition and acceptance. How many obstacles Pujya Gurudev had to face from the orthodox class for expounding the scriptures in English and for giving the knowledge of the Upanishads for the general public!

In the flow of time, even the holiest of religions with all its great ideals gather scum. Great saints and sages incarnate time and again to re-interpret the ancient scriptures and to revive the religion, and if needed create a new religion, so that they become the guiding light even in the modern times.

O    M        T    A    T        S    A    T

April 2016

Temperance is the law of all spiritual students. –  Chinmaya

Temperance means moderation. Being moderate means to avoid extremes.

Bhagavad Gita says:

नात्यश्नतस्तु योगोऽस्ति नचैकान्तमनश्नत:। न चातिस्वप्नशीलस्य जाग्रतो नैव चार्जुन||
(The one who eats too less or too much, and sleeps too less or too much, spiritual practice is impossible for him.)

Again, Gita says:

युक्ताहारविहारस्य युक्त चेष्टस्य कर्मसु। युक्तस्वप्नावबोधस्य योगो भवति दुखहा||
(The one who practices temperance in everything – eating sleeping, recreation, and all other activities – for him, spiritual practice becomes the remover of all sorrows.)

Temperance is but another name for control over the mind and the sense organs.

A man of no temperance becomes an instant repellent in the eyes of all.

Once in a meeting, the speaker, an old politician, went on and on, non-stop. People started leaving one by one. At last only Mulla Nasarudin remained.

The speaker being very happy with Mulla thanked him, “I never knew you loved my thoughts, my philosophy so much!”

Mulla said, “No No. You got me wrong. I am the next speaker.”

Being without self-control, a person without temperance tends to do/say the wrong thing at the wrong time in the wrong measure to the wrong person at the wrong place in the wrong way.

The pilot was welcoming the passengers on the plane shortly after take-off.

“Thank you for flying with us this morning. The weather is…..”  Then suddenly he started screaming while he was still on the loudspeakers: “Oh my God! Ohh my God!! Ohhh… my… God…!!!”

 A ghostly silence reigned. He got back on the microphone and spoke to the passengers: “I sincerely apologise for the incident; but I just dropped a very hot cup of coffee on my lap…you should see my pants.”

 One passenger screamed, “You should see our pants!!”

When temperance is practised only at the sense organ level, it is called ‘dama’. At the physical level, there is control, but at the mind level, there is suppression.

The father saw his son sitting on top of another boy in the front yard.

“Why are you pinning Ramu to the ground like that?” Shyamu’s dad demanded.

“He hit me in the eye.” said the son angrily.

“How many times,” reprimanded the father, “have I told you to count up to a hundred before you lose your temper?”

“I am counting to a hundred, “Shyamu replied, “but I am sitting on him, so he’ll be here when I am through with counting.”

When the self-control is at the mind level, it is called ‘shama’. This is temperance in the true sense. For the one who has mastered ‘shama’, ‘dama’ is but natural.

The philosopher Diogenes was dining on bread and lentils. He was seen by the philosopher Aristippus who lived in considerable comfort by fawning on the king.

Said Aristippus, “Learn subservience to the king and you will not live on lentils.”

Said Diogenes, “Learn to live on lentils and you will not have to cultivate the king.”

Only a man of temperance can remain free from the wayside temptations and reach the chosen goal.

The Lama of the South sent a request to the Great Lama of the North for a wise and holy monk to train the novices. To everyone’s astonishment, the Great Lama sent five monks instead of one. To those who enquired he said cryptically, “We will be lucky if one of them gets to the Lama.”

The group had been on the roads some days when a messenger came running up to them and said, “The priest of our village has died. We need someone to take his place.” The village seemed to be a pleasant place and the priest’s salary was princely. One of the monks was seized with pastoral concern. “I don’t deserve to be a Buddhist,” he said, “if I did not serve these people.” So he dropped out.

Some days later they were at the palace of a king who took a fancy to one of them. “Stay with us,” said the king, “and you shall marry my daughter. And when I die, you will be the king.” The monk was drawn to the lustre of the throne. So he said, “What better way to influence the people of this kingdom than to be a king? I don’t deserve to be a Buddhist if I did not seize this chance to serve the interests of religion.” He too dropped out.

One night, in a hilly region, the monks came to the solitary hut of a pretty girl who gave them hospitality and thanked God for their presence. Her parents had been killed by mountain bandits and the girl was all alone and very fearful. Next day, when it was time to leave, one of the monks declared, “I shall stay on here. I don’t deserve to be a Buddhist if I did not show compassion to this girl.”

The remaining two finally came to a Buddhist village and were scandalized to find that the inhabitants had abandoned their religion under the influence of a theologian of another religion. One of the monks said, “I owe it to these people and to the Lord Buddha himself to win them back to the faith.”

The fifth monk eventually got to the Lama of the South.

The temper of our temperance is tested during temptations.

Music cannot flow when the veena strings are tied too tight or too loose. Life cannot survive on the planet when the sun is too far or too near, or when gravity is too strong or too weak. Restless work and workless rest – both make the body sick. Actionless thoughts are unproductive while thoughtless actions are counter-productive. A big smile and no smile – both create misunderstandings among people. Temperance is the law of life everywhere.

So says the subhashitam – अति सर्वत्र वर्जयेत् | (Avoid extremes everywhere at all times.)

The spiritual seekers are advised not to have a dull (tamasic) mind or a restless (rajasic) mind, but to cultivate a noble (sattvic) mind.

Hence the advice of the Lord to Arjuna is:  नित्य सत्त्वस्थो भव| (Be ever rooted in sattwa.)

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March 2016

Every surrender unto God is an elevation in the status of the soul. – Chinmaya

What is the significance of surrender in spirituality?

Supreme Self identified with the illusory body-mind-intellect leads to a non-existent entity called ego. It is this illusory ego which is the source of all our sufferings.

This ego makes us believe that we are limited, miserable creatures of destiny. Under its influence, we feel discontent and incomplete. It is this ego which projects the world as the source of all happiness. Under its sway, we become greedy and lusty, inferior and jealous, arrogant and foolish. This ego, always carrying the regrets of the past and the worries of the future, never allows us to remain in the present. Ever expressing distaste towards the company of the holy, it keeps the individual in the darkness of ignorance forever. The one possessed by the ego-ghost knows not what is devotion or dispassion. Under ego-intoxication, we tend to justify all our vices and find fault with others’ virtues. This ego is the cause of our being the slave of our mind and a slave of this world. This ego ensures that we are tied to this wretched world of birth and death, pains and sorrows, disease and old age. When this ego rules the kingdom of our heart, the poor Lord, though eager and desperate, has no entry within.

The only way to destroy this ego is to surrender completely unto the Lord and allow Him his rightful place – the royal throne of our heart.

The Lord has His own sweet ways of training us in cultivating the attitude of surrender. The general sequence of events can be summarized as follows:

1) We have a problem;   2) We become painfully aware of the problem;   3) We try to solve the problem using our best abilities and resources;   4) We fail miserably in trying to solve it;   5) As a last resort we surrender to God;   6) In a mysterious way we arrive at a solution;   7) When we retrospect, we realize that we have arrived at the best solution and that whatever has happened has happened for the good;   8) Our faith and devotion for God become further intensified;   9) Soon turning to Him for everything becomes a habit;   10) Over a period of time, surrender becomes natural to us and we become perfect instruments in the hands of the Divine in spreading the message of peace and happiness.

A construction supervisor from the 16th floor of a building was calling a worker on the ground floor. Because of the noise, the worker did not hear his call. To draw attention, the supervisor threw a 10 rupee note in front of the worker. He picked up the note, put it in his pocket and continued to work.

Again to draw attention the supervisor threw 500 rupee note and the worker did the same. Now the supervisor picked a small stone and threw on the worker. The stone hit the worker. This time the worker looked up and the supervisor communicated with him.

God too wants to communicate to us, but we are busy doing our worldly jobs. Then, He gives us small gifts and big gifts. We just keep them without looking from where we got it. We are the same, just keeping the gifts without thanking Him. We just say we are lucky. He gives and forgives; we get and forget. And when we are hit with a small stone, which we call problems, then only we look up, surrender and communicate with Him!

Surrender to God makes life smooth and easy.

A businessman was late for his flight. He reached the boarding gate just before it closed. Sweating and out of breath, he scanned his boarding pass at the counter and quickly made his way to the plane. Arriving at his seat, he greeted his companions for the next few hours: a middle-aged woman sitting at the window, and a little girl sitting on the aisle seat. After stowing his bag above, he took his place between them.

After the flight took off, he began a conversation with the little girl. He found it strange that such a young girl would be travelling alone, but he kept his thoughts to himself and decided to keep an eye on her to make sure she was okay.

About an hour into the flight, the plane suddenly began experiencing extreme turbulence. The pilot came over the PA system and told everyone to fasten their seat belts and remain calm, as they had encountered rough weather. Several times over the next half hour the plane made drastic dips and turns, shaking all the while. Some people began crying, and many- like the woman in the window seat – were praying intently. The man was sweating and clenching his seat as tightly as he could. He would scream “Oh my God!” with each increasingly violent shake of the plane.

Meanwhile, the little girl was sitting quietly beside him in her seat. Incredibly, she didn’t seem worried all. Then, just as suddenly as it had begun, the turbulence ended. The pilot came on a few minutes later to apologize for the bumpy ride and to announce that they would be landing soon. As the plane began its descent, the man said to the little girl, “You are just a little girl, but I have never met a braver person in all my life! Tell me, dear, how is it that you remained so calm while all of us adults were so afraid?”

With an innocent smile, she said, “My father is the pilot, and he’s taking me home.”

The one with faith is always at peace. Hence they say, “No God, no peace; know God, know peace.” But our questioning intellect won’t budge that easily.

In a mother’s womb were two babies. One asked the other: “Do you believe in life after delivery?” The other replied, “Why, of course. There has to be something after delivery. Maybe we are here to prepare ourselves for what we will be later.”

“Nonsense,” said the first. “There is no life after delivery. What kind of life would that be?” The second said, “I don’t know, but there will be more light than here. Maybe we will walk with our legs and eat from our mouths. Maybe we will have other senses that we can’t understand now.”

The first replied, “That is absurd. Walking is impossible. And eating with our mouths? Ridiculous! The umbilical cord supplies nutrition and everything we need. But the umbilical cord is so short. Life after delivery is to be logically excluded.” The second insisted, “Well I think there is something and maybe it’s different than it is here. Maybe we won’t need this physical cord anymore.”

The first replied, “Nonsense. And moreover, if there is life, then why has no one ever come back from there? Delivery is the end of life, and in the after-delivery, there is nothing but darkness and silence and oblivion. It takes us nowhere.” “Well, I don’t know,” said the second, “but certainly we will meet Mother and she will take care of us.”

The first replied “Mother? Do you actually believe in Mother? That’s laughable. If Mother exists then where is She now?” The second said, “She is all around us. We are surrounded by her. We are of Her. It is in Her that we live. Without Her, this world would not and could not exist.”

Said the first: “Well I don’t see Her, so it is only logical that She doesn’t exist.”

To which the second replied, “Sometimes, when you’re in silence and you focus and listen, you can perceive Her presence, and you can hear Her loving voice, calling down from above.”

Let’s begin the journey of life with faith remembering this beautiful quote, “Faith is the belief in what you do not see, and the reward is you see what you believed in.”

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