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February 2016

Even when threatened with death, don’t give in to dishonesty, deception, lust and passion.  –  Chinmaya

Why should we always stick to the truth, and never compromise with the higher values of life? The reasons can be many.

The Mundakopanishad says:

सत्यमेव जयते नानृतं सत्येन पन्था विततो देवयान: |
(Truth alone triumphs, not falsehood. The path to the ultimate truth is laid down by truth alone.)

Whether one is seeking material prosperity or spiritual evolution, the path is only one: the path of truth.

At the subjective plane also the truthful ones have lots to gain. They are blessed with mastery over the mind, clarity in thinking, peace, contentment, cheerfulness, confidence and courage. For them, meditation is just a cakewalk as they have a mind which is well obedient, disciplined and tamed. For them, the Kingdom of God is thrown wide open for easy access.

Hence the Bhagavad Geeta says:

आत्मैव आत्मनो बन्धु: आत्मैव रिपुरात्मन:|
(Your own mind is your greatest friend as well as your greatest enemy.)

Abraham Lincoln worked in a tea shop during his childhood. One day a lady came to buy 250 grams of tea leaves. Being busy handling many customers, Lincoln by mistake weighed only 150 grams and gave it to her. In the night, while making the accounts of the sales-proceeds of the day, he realized his mistake. Immediately with a lantern in hand, he set out on foot to the lady’s house covering around 3 kilometres.

Hearing the knock, the lady opened the door. Handing over the bag of tea leaves, Lincoln said, “I am extremely sorry! I had taken money for 250 grams of tea leaves from you, but I gave you only half the quantity. Please forgive me for the inconvenience caused.”

Seeing his honesty, the eyes of the lady welled up with tears. She blessed him and said, “My son! You are truthful! God will definitely give the fruits of honesty to you. You will earn a good name in the future.”

The same boy went on to become the President of the United States.

The truthful ones not only gain inner peace but also gain blessings from all. They have a knack of creating heaven even in hell. Moreover, the good they do come back to them in so many different ways.

There was a famous advocate named Munshiram who lived in Jalandhar. Inspired by saints and sages of India, he decided never to take up false cases. Once while submitting a case to the court of law, he came to know that the case which he had taken up was false. Immediately he stopped fighting the case. He was tempted by a handsome fee by the client but he didn’t budge. He received life-threatening calls but he remained adamant in his stand.

His decision to remain truthful caused a lasting effect on his profession and hampered his practice severely. As a result, his income dropped down to one-fourth of what he earned earlier. But Munshi stuck to his principles.

Soon the times started to change. He earned the name of a ‘clean-advocate’ among the circles of lawyers. He started getting a large number of cases which were based on facts. Within a few years he won the hearts of all judges to such an extent that the judges were cent-per cent confident that if Munshiram was handling a case, it must be genuine.

During the later period of his life, Munshiram took sannyasa and came to be known as Swami Shraddhanand and founded the Gurukul Kangari. 

True strength comes not from the outer possessions and positions, but from within. This inner strength can be tapped only when we are upright and pure in all our worldly transactions.

Chandragupta was extremely nervous and worried. He doubted whether his small army could ever face the large army of the Nanda Empire. He approached his Guru Kautilya (Chanakya) for guidance.

Chanakya assured him of his victory and said, “No matter how large an army one might possess, no matter how formidable weapons he may have, but shall certainly meet his doom if he lacks in moral conduct.”

To remain straight forward and truthful in life, one needs tremendous courage and will power. One resigned to God gains these qualifications easily.

Gandhiji used to have prayer assembly every day in his ashram. One day, after the prayer session, an advocate came to Gandhiji and said, “Sir, had you dedicated to the nation the time that you pass in offering prayers to God, you would have done a greater service to the nation.”

Gandhiji smiled and replied, “Mr Advocate! Had you devoted to your cases the time that you waste away in eating food, you would have been able to take up many more additional cases.”

The advocate was very much confused. He asked, “Sir! You must be joking! Food gives energy and strength which is essential for the body to work!”

Gandhiji replied, “So too prayer is the food for my soul. I gain energy and strength from it which I use in serving the nation.”

Whenever we are in any doubt or confusion regarding what/what-not to do, a simple question can make the situation clear: “With this action of mine, will God be pleased with me?”

A man looked at the morning newspaper and to his surprise and horror, read his name in the obituary column. The newspapers had reported the death of the wrong person by mistake. He continued reading the obituary column to find out what people had said about him. The obituary read, “The Dynamite King Dies…” And also “He was the merchant of death…”

This man was the inventor of dynamite. After reading the newspaper, he asked himself, “Is this how I want myself to be remembered?”

From that day on, he started working towards peace. His name was Alfred Nobel and today he is remembered by the great Nobel Peace Prize.

The quote advises us to be honest even in the wake of death.

This is because death is nothing but an illusion. Our existence doesn’t end with the death of the physical body. We continue to exist in our subtle and causal bodies. These bodies are nothing but our vasanas (impressions) gathered in our mind due to our actions.

So the good we do remain with us as good samskaras (impressions) and bless us with peace and bliss even after the end of the physical existence. Hence the insistence never to compromise with the higher values even in life-threatening situations.

O    M        T    A    T        S    A    T

January 2016

By thinking deeply of a noble person of character and love, our minds entertain those thoughts, and this causes what we call a blessing.  –  Chinmaya

The above quote glorifies Satsang – the company of wise – and how it transforms the life of a person.

The need for Satsang has been emphasized in all religions, by all spiritual masters at all times. Bhagavan Shankaracharya in Bhaja Govindam says:

सत्सङ्गत्वे निस्सङ्गत्वं निस्सङ्गत्वे निर्मोहत्वम् । निर्मोहत्वे निश्चलतत्त्वं निश्चलतत्त्वे जीवन्मुक्ति: ॥
 (Through the company of the wise, one becomes detached from worldliness; from detachment comes freedom from delusion; this leads to the realization of the changeless Truth, and thus one is liberated.)

One of the verses Narada Bhakti Sutra says:

महत्सङ्गस्तु दुर्लभ: अगम्य:अमोघश्च |
(To come in contact with a great soul is indeed extremely difficult; it is impossible to know them fully, yet it is infallible in its effect.)

In Shrimad Bhagavatham, when asked to show God, Bhakta Prahlada replies to Hiranyakashipu, “Dear father, there is no other way to know the Lord other than bathing in the dust of the lotus feet of the great devotees.”

In Sapta Prashna Geeta of Tulsi Ramayana, one of the questions asked by Garudji to Kaka Bhushundiji is “What is the greatest joy in life?”

The answer given is: संत मिलन सम सुख जग नाहीं| (There is no joy greater than meeting the saints.)

In the life of all great men, we find that they were all influenced, somewhere or the other, by towering personalities of knowledge and character.

Balakrishna Menon was working as a journalist for a national newspaper called National Herald. He was then in his mid 30’s and had all the typical characteristics of modern youth.

Proud being called an atheist, he once decided to expose the sannyasis in the Himalayas, who, according to him, contributed nothing and were leaches in the society. Swami Shivananda, the founder of Divine Life Society, was a well-known saint in the Himalayas in those times. Menon decided to stay in the ashram for a couple of days and interview the Swamiji to get enough spice for his critical scathing article.

When Menon reached Rishikesh and entered the ashram, he was wonderstruck. For the first time, he saw people working not ‘for happiness’, but ‘out of happiness’. The whole atmosphere was filled with a festive look.  Everyone, without any pay or reward, was seen engrossed in selfless service with faces beaming with cheerful smiles, with hearts filled with love and compassion. Cleanliness, purity and discipline were seen everywhere. Ashramites got up at Brahma- muhurta (3:30- 4 am) and did their spiritual practices like Japa, meditation, yoga etc. Mornings and evenings were spent in bhajans and Satsangs. Smoke, drinks and non-vegetarian food items were unheard of. Menon felt ashamed that he was the only one with a cigarette in hand. 

But as soon as he met Swami Shivanandji Maharaj, all his false notions regarding the saints disappeared like mist. Here was a man – an epitome of knowledge, devotion and dispassion… Here was a man, who despite his successful career as a doctor renounced everything for God… Here was a man, who prostrated to one and all in utter humility seeing divinity in all – be it plants, animals or human beings… Here was a man who hardly had any possession but was the most blissful and content… Here was a man who sang and danced shy-less, glorifying the name of the Lord… Here was a man, who blessed even those who ridiculed and criticized him… Here was a man who despite being a master of Bhakti, Jnana, Hatha, Karma and Raja Yoga, remained as humble as a child… Here was a man who despite having supernatural powers never exhibited any… Here was a man who demanded nothing even when Rajas and Maharajas came to prostrate unto him… Here was a man for whom no job was menial, whether it is cleaning the toilets or washing the wounds of a leper… Here was a man who considered even the rank sinners and criminals as divine… Here was a man who had conquered all weaknesses of the mind and the senses…

Here was a man seeing whom, being with whom thousands were inspired to live a noble life of love and service…

Menon was totally transformed. He never knew a human being could reach such impossible heights. He compared the divine life in the ashram with his disgusting sensuous worldly life. There was a deep sense of regret for having wasted all these years in worthless pursuits. He was convinced that human birth is not just for eating, drinking and making merry, but it had a higher purpose – to realize one’s divine nature.

Menon had come to the ashram to stay only for a couple of days, but could not resist staying a couple of weeks. Even while returning, he got all the books written by Swamiji. Such was the impact of this Mahatma, that Menon was seen again in the ashram, this time not to go back to the world – but to be one with the sannyasa order. He was initiated into the sannyasa order by Swamiji with a new name – Swami Chinmayananda.

Swami Chinmayananda later became the founder of a worldwide organization called Chinmaya Mission, inspiring millions all around the world with his thoughts, words and deeds.

Such instances are many. Mahatma Gandhi who was inspired by the truthful life of King Harischandra became an inspiration for millions to follow the path of truth and non-violence. The son of a servant maid, by serving the holy men, skyrocketed in spirituality to become the great Narada rishi, who in turn produced spiritual giants like Prahlada, Dhruva and sage Valmiki. Ramakrishna Pramahamsa became instrumental in transforming an ordinary college graduate Narendra to the world-renowned Swami Vivekananda; and through him were born patriotic stalwarts and freedom fighters like Subhash Chandra Bose, Bhagat Singh, Chandrashekhar Azad and Tilak.   

In all our Itihasas and Puranas, we find that noble men of purity, character and courage were made the heroes; and through their noble deeds, the eternal values of life were imparted for the generation to emulate.

One among many reasons in the Bhagavad Geeta given by the Lord Shri Krishna to Arjuna to fight the war is:

यद्यदाचरति श्रेष्ठ: तत्तदेवेतरो जन: । स यत् प्रमाणं कुरुते लोकस्तदनुवर्तते ||
(Whatever the great men demonstrate, the others follow it blindly.)

The Lord’s advice was, “Therefore O Arjuna, if you – a national hero with enormous fan-followings – take a wrong step, there will be millions following your footsteps, and thus it will lead to a national disaster. So leaders like you must be extremely cautious.”

A recently conducted research says that psychological problems in the younger generation are on the rise at an alarming scale. What else to expect, when the entire generation looks up to the characterless film stars and cricket stars as role models? When blind are led by the blind, this is but natural.

It is rightly said, “Show me your friends and I’ll tell you who you are; show me your company, and I’ll tell you what your future is.”

O    M        T    A    T        S    A    T

December 2015

Without the spirit of sacrifice, no service is possible. –  Chinmaya

Sacrifice and service are the two by-products born out of the same divine virtue called love. Wherever love is, sacrifice and service follow spontaneously. Service is an expression of our love. Sacrifice tests the intensity of our love.

It was during the days of British rule. Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose had made an appeal that one boy from each family should join the army of Netaji. In the mountainous region of Kohima and Imphal, there lived a seventy-year-old woman with her son. This son also went for recruitment. When enquired by the colonel of the army, he replied, “My name is Arjun Singh, 20 years of age.” Being the only son of his mother, he was rejected. The young boy was thoroughly disappointed. He returned home. His mother was so shocked that she could not take it, and in the process collapsed and died.

Next day, the young boy was seen again standing in the line for recruitment. The colonel was very much pained to learn that Arjun Singh’s mother died of the shock of non-recruitment of her son in Netaji’s army. He learnt that while dying, she had told her son, “I am not your mother; I am only an obstruction on your way. Your real mother is Mother India.”

The colonel offered his salutations to the brave mother of Arjun Singh and recruited him as the captain of the army.

Absence of sacrifice and service simply imply the absence of love.

A wedding speech of a lady in her in-laws’ house:

“My dear members of my new family, I thank you all for welcoming me to this new house. First, I must tell you that my presence here should not change your routine life. Those who used to wash clothes must keep on doing it. Those who cooked food must keep cooking. Those who cleaned the house must keep on cleaning. I won’t disturb anybody’s routine. As far as I’m concerned, I’m here only to eat BUN, have FUN and control your SON.”!!!

It is impossible that a family, community or a nation can ever progress and prosper without the members exhibiting a spirit of sacrifice for the welfare of all.

In 2014 FIFA World Cup football match, Japan lost their match against Greece, but they won hearts all over the world with their incredible gesture after they stayed back, despite their loss, to clean the stadium of all litter as the rest of the crowd filed out. Wearing raincoats to protect themselves against the drizzle, and armed with garbage bags, the 15,000 Japanese fans set an example of true sportsmanship and goodwill, unlike fans in other nations that have been known to resort to vandalism and violence (both in disappointment and exuberance) after a match.

At the end of the match, the defeated Japanese players formed a line and bowed to their fans, in appreciation of their support. The photographs went viral on social media, eliciting responses that hailed Japan as a fascinating example of sportsmanship.

Let us not forget – this is the same country which was devastated completely by nuclear bombings a few decades back. Today, thanks to their disciplined, patriotic and cultured citizens, the country is admired all over the world for its achievements in all spheres of life.

Unfortunately, the condition of our nation is quite deplorable.

Listen to what our former President Dr A P J Abdul Kalam has to say to the Indians:

“YOU say that our government is inefficient. YOU say that our laws are too old. YOU say that the municipality does not pick up the garbage. YOU say that the phones don’t work; the railways are a joke. The airline is the worst in the world; mails never reach their destination. YOU say that our country has been fed to the dogs and is the absolute pits. YOU say, say and say. What do YOU do about it?

In Singapore, you don’t throw cigarette butts on the roads or eat in the stores. YOU wouldn’t dare to eat in public during Ramadan in Dubai. YOU would not dare to go out without your head covered in Jeddah. YOU would not dare to speed beyond 55 mph (88 km/h) in Washington and then tell the traffic cop, ”Jaanta hai main kaun hoon? (Do you know who I am?). I am so-and-so’s son. Take your two bucks and get lost.” YOU wouldn’t chuck an empty coconut shell anywhere other than the garbage pail on the beaches in Australia and New Zealand.

“Why don’t YOU spit Paan on the streets of Tokyo? Why don’t YOU use examination jockeys or buy fake certificates in Boston? We are still talking of the same YOU. YOU, who can respect and conform to a foreign system in other countries, but cannot in your own. YOU who will throw papers and cigarettes on the road the moment you touch Indian ground. If YOU can be an involved and appreciative citizen in an alien country, why cannot you be the same here in India?

“In America, every dog owner has to clean up after his pet has done the job; same in Japan. Will the Indian citizen do that here? We go to the polls to choose a government and after that forfeit all responsibility. We sit back wanting to be pampered and expect the government to do everything for us whilst our contribution is totally negative. We expect the government to clean up but we are not going to stop chucking garbage all over the place nor are we going to stop to pick up a stray piece of paper and throw it in the bin. We expect the railways to provide clean bathrooms but we are not going to learn the proper use of bathrooms. We want Indian Airlines and Air India to provide the best of food and toiletries but we are not going to stop pilfering at the least opportunity.

Our excuse? – “It’s the whole system which has to change, how will it matter if I alone change?”

“So who’s going to change the system? What does a system consist of? Very conveniently for us, it consists of our neighbours, other households, other cities, other communities and the government – but definitely not me and YOU!!

“When it comes to us actually making a positive contribution to the system we lock ourselves along with our families into a safe cocoon and look into the distance at countries far away and wait for a Mr.Clean to come along and work miracles for us with a majestic sweep of his hand or we leave the country and run away. Like lazy cowards hounded by our fears, we run to America to bask in their glory and praise their system. When New York becomes insecure we run to England. When England experiences unemployment, we take the next flight out to the Gulf. When the Gulf is war struck, we demand to be rescued and brought home by the Indian government.

“Everybody is out to abuse and rape the country. Nobody thinks of feeding the system. Our conscience is mortgaged to money.

“Dear Indians, The article is highly thought inductive, calls for a great deal of introspection and pricks one’s conscience too.

Let’s ask what we can do for India and do what India needs from us… “

Our humble prostrations to Pujya Gurudev Swami Chinmayananda for having given us the platform called Chinmaya Mission, where we are taught to live honestly the noble life of sacrifice and service, producing more than what we consume and giving more than what we take.

O    M        T    A    T        S    A    T

November 2015

Each of us has to awaken the sleeping saint within us. –  Chinmaya

A saint is the one who has known his true Self. He is the one who has awakened to the great Truth – that he is not the body-mind complex but the pure Consciousness which is infinite and immortal.

The Self in us is equally divine. The only difference is, a saint chose to awaken to the Self, while we chose to remain ‘asleep’ to our own true nature. The result? The saint became godly, and we remain worldly.

There is a touching story about Thomas Alva Edison during his school days.

One day Edison came home from school and gave a paper to his mother. He told her, “My teacher gave this paper to me and told me to only give it to you.”

His mother’s eyes were tearful as she read out the letter aloud to her child, “Your son is a genius. This school is too small for him and doesn’t have enough good teachers for training him. Please teach him yourself.”

After many, many years, after Edison’s mother died and he was now one of the greatest inventors of the century, one day he was looking through old family things. Suddenly he saw a folded paper in the corner of a drawer in a desk. He took it and opened it up. On the paper was written, “Your son is an addled child (mentally ill and confused). We won’t let him come to school any more.”

Edison cried for hours and then he wrote in his diary: “Thomas Alva Edison was an addled child; and by a hero mother, became the genius of the century.”

So too, Mother Geeta considers none of her children as unfit for spiritual awakening.

अपि चेत् सुदुराचार: भजते मामनन्यभाक् । साधुरेव स मन्तव्य: सम्यक् व्यवसितो हि स: ॥

क्षिप्रं भवति धर्मात्मा शश्वत् शान्तिं निगच्छति । कौन्तेय प्रतिजानीहि न मे भक्त: प्रणश्यति ॥
(Even if a rank criminal turns to Me and worships Me wholeheartedly, he must be considered a saint, for, very soon he will become an embodiment of righteousness and will attain abiding peace. O Arjuna! Know for sure that My devotee shall never perish.)

The root cause of all our miseries and sufferings is that we have ignored the valuable teachings of our scriptures. Our scriptures deal with the knowledge of who we are. All the scriptures unanimously declare that we are Sat-Chit-Anand – Existence-Consciousness-Bliss Absolute. Nothing is lacking in us, as we are divinely perfect.

But, unfortunately, due to the neglect of the scriptures, and hence not knowing who we are, we grope in the dark taking ourselves to be the body.

Once a farmer found an abandoned eagle’s nest and in it was an egg still warm.

He took the egg back to his farm and laid it in the nest of one of his hens. The egg hatched and the baby eagle grew up along with the other chickens. It pecked about the farmyard, scrabbling for grain. It spent its life within the yard and rarely looked up.

When it was very old, one day it lifted up its head and saw above it a wonderful sight – an eagle soaring high above in the sky. Looking at it, the old creature sighed and said to itself, “If only I’d been born an eagle.”

Our story is no different.

A 15^th-century ruler of a state in South India once went for hunting.  In the thick of forests, he somehow got separated from his attendants and lost the way.

Finding no way to get out of the jungle, the king felt totally helpless and worried. To his luck, he came across a wood-cutter busy in cutting the trees. With his help, the king came out of the thick forest.

Highly pleased, the ruler rewarded the wood-cutter with a forest of sandalwood exclusively for his use. The wood-cutter was overjoyed.

After a few months, the king happened to revisit that area. But to his horror, he found the entire sandalwood forest almost totally burnt.  He asked the wood-cutter what had happened to the forest.

The wood-cutter proudly replied, “I have burnt all the trees to make coal. The coal, you know, has good value in the market.”!!

How few realize that this human birth is given to realize the Higher, and not to indulge in the lower!

People have absurd ideas regarding saints. According to them, having supernatural powers to cure the sick and to raise the dead make one saintly!

Nasruddin had barely finished his discourse when one of the scoffers in the crowd said to him, “Instead of spinning spiritual theories, why don’t you show us something practical?”

Nasruddin was quite nonplussed. “What kind of practical thing would you want me to show you?” he asked.

The scoffer said, “For instance, show us an apple from the garden of Paradise.”

Nasruddin immediately picked up an apple and handed it to the man. “But this apple is bad on one side. Surely a heavenly apple would be perfect.” said the man.

“A celestial apple would indeed be perfect.” said the Mulla, “But given your present conditions, this is as near to a heavenly apple as you will ever get!!”

Being a saint has nothing to do with the dress one wears, the marks on the forehead or the power one possesses. A saint is the one who has given up all false values of life born out of the identification with the false matter envelopments. Free from all delusions and confusions, he lives a life tuned to the Self. In this regard, even a householder can be a saint.

A devotee, exhausted after climbing the stairs on a steep mountain, once asked a saint, “Why can’t they build the temple on the ground? Why do we have to climb the stairs at each and every temple?”

The saint smiled and said “It is all symbolic. You need to rise above your present egoistic level to reach God. Each step in those stairs is a reminder that you are rising above your level in terms of your envy, your greed, anger, ego and all evil parts of your life. It also suggests that you have to climb the steps one by one; you can’t just jump off from the first step to the last step. The whole spiritual journey is an evolution, and not a revolution. And once you conquer the lower in you, you are face to face with the Highest!”

A handful of wheat, five thousand years old, was found in the tomb of one of the kings of ancient Egypt. Someone planted the grains; and to everyone’s amazement, they came to life!

So too, the great Truth is there, in each and every one of us, as the very Self in us, waiting to manifest in its full glory. It is just a matter of time – every sinner of today is but on the path to become the enlightened sage of the morrow.

O    M        T    A    T        S    A    T

October 2015

Tranquillity is the innate nature of all; it is a self-existent reality. –  Chinmaya

How to know what is our innate nature?

That which is ever available to us, that which can never leave us, that which is never a burden to us, ignoring which we become miserable, is our innate nature. When we are closer to our innate nature, we ‘feel at home’.

For example, existence is our innate nature. Everyone wants to exist; no one wants to die. Even an old man wants to hang on to his dilapidated body. Consciousness is our innate nature, as we are at ease when we are alert and vigilant. Knowledge is our innate nature, as ignorance makes us uncomfortable. Perfection is our innate nature, as we are not happy with our own imperfections. Infinity is our innate nature, as we feel suffocated with all limitations. Freedom is our innate nature, as we dislike bondage. Tranquillity, as the above quote says, is our innate nature. All want to be happy all the time. One can be burdened with sorrow, but never with happiness!

The good news is, being our innate nature as Sat-Chit-Anand, all these are already within us. The bad news is, instead of searching within for these, we are busy seeking them outside.

When the disciple was at prayer one night he was disturbed by the croaking of a bullfrog. All his attempts to disregard the sound went unsuccessful. At last, totally annoyed, he shouted from his window, “Quiet! I am at my prayers.”

Being a saint, his command was instantly obeyed. Every living creature held its voice to create a silence that would favour his prayer.

But now the disciple was all the more disturbed. A sweet inner voice expressed its displeasure from within, “My child, was it right to silence that frog?”

The disciple expressed his wonder, “In what way, O Lord, can the croaking of a frog please Thee?”

The inner voice replied, “In what other way, dear, can a frog offer its prayer and express its gratitude unto its Creator? The frog’s croaking and your praying – are not both these abilities given by Me? Then in what way, My son, is your prayer holier than its croaking?”

The disciple realized his mistake. With an apologetic heart seeking forgiveness, he leaned out of his window and ordered, “Sing!”

The bullfrog’s measured croaking filled the air to the ludicrous accompaniment of all the frogs in the vicinity. As the disciple, in all humility, attended to their sounds, his heart was filled with divine joy, and he experienced his oneness with the entire cosmos.

The greatest challenge in life is not in finding a peaceful place, but in cultivating a peaceful mind, unaffected by peace-less surroundings.

There once was a king who offered a prize to the artist who would paint the best picture on peace.  Many artists tried.  The king looked at all the pictures.  But there were only two he really liked and he had to choose between them.

One picture was of a calm lake.  The lake was a perfect mirror for peaceful towering mountains all around it.  Overhead was a blue sky with fluffy white clouds.  All who saw this picture thought it was a perfect picture of peace.

The other picture had mountains too.  But these were rugged and bare.  Above was an angry sky, from which rain fell and in which lightning played.  Down the side of the mountain tumbled a foaming waterfall.  This did not look peaceful at all.

But when the king looked closely, he saw behind the waterfall a tiny bush growing in a crack in the rock.  In the bush, a mother bird had built her nest.  There, in the midst of the rush of angry water, sat the mother bird on her nest – in perfect peace.

For the prize, the king chose the second picture.  Someone asked why.

“Because”, explained the king, “peace does not mean to be in a place where there is no noise, trouble, or hard work.  Peace means to be in the midst of all those things and still be calm in your heart.”

The one who has discovered peace within becomes totally contented without.

Dr A P J Abdul Kalam, the former President of India, who passed away recently on 27^th July 2015, left behind only the following properties – 2500 books, a wristwatch, 6 shirts, 4 trousers, 3 suits, a pair of shoes and a few thousand rupees bank balance. He remained a bachelor throughout his life. He did not have a fridge, TV, car, air conditioner, or any immovable property. He never accepted any gifts. All the gifts received by him were tabulated and sent to the government’s treasury.

Hence the wise say, the richest man is not the one who is a billionaire and still craves for more, but the one who has a contented heart and needs nothing more.

There once was a woman who woke up one morning, looked in the mirror, and noticed she had only three hairs on her head. “Well,” she said, “I think I’ll braid my hair today.” So she did and she had a wonderful day.

The next day she woke up, looked in the mirror and saw that she had only two hairs on her head. “Hmm…, “she said, “I think I’ll part my hair down the middle today.” So she did and she had a grand day.

The next day she woke up, looked in the mirror and noticed that she had only one hair on her head. “Well,” she said, “Today I am going to wear my hair in a ponytail.” So she did and she had a fun-filled day.

The next day she woke up, looked in the mirror and noticed that there wasn’t a single hair on her head.

“Great!” she exclaimed, “I don’t have to fix my hair today!”

The outer world is unpredictable; hence the peace coming from the world also is undependable. But the inner peace is just a matter of right thinking.

Once a saint was asked, “What did you gain by regularly praying to God?”

The saint replied, “Nothing, but let me tell you what all I lost – anger, ego, passion, greed, depression, jealousy, confusions of life, insecurity and fear of death!!”

Perfection being our innate nature, the answer to our prayers is not gaining but losing, which ultimately is the gain.

O    M        T    A    T        S    A    T

September 2015

Each shock is yet another knock to add to our spiritual stature. –  Chinmaya

It is said:

When God pushes you to the edge of difficulty, trust Him fully. Because two things can happen –

Either He will catch you when you fall.

Or He will teach you how to fly.

Ranganna was an illiterate poor man who worked in a temple. His job was to ring the bell during the temple services. The villagers fondly used to call him ‘GhantaRanganna’.

As the years passed by, the temple became very famous. Devotees from all over the world started visiting the place. It became one of the major tourist destinations. Money started pouring in and the authorities soon decided to upgrade the facilities, comforts and conveniences of the temple in a modern, fashionable and state-of-the-art way. 

With the increase of foreign visitors day by day, the authorities decided to appoint qualified educated temple staffs in all departments. One day a circular was sent to all staffs of the temple that they must learn English as early as possible or they will have to resign and go. Worried Ranganna tried to learn English by approaching the learned ones. He tried as best as he could but unfortunately, nothing entered his head. Needless to say, he was shown the door by the strict authorities.

Poor Ranganna sat at the doorsteps of the temple not knowing where to go, what to do. He knew that his beloved Lord would never forsake him. He thought a lot but nothing struck his head.

Tired and depressed, he felt like having a cup of tea. He walked searching for a tea shop. There were shops selling flowers, fruits, puja items, pictures and idols of God etc. but he could not find any tea shop after walking over a kilometre.

He felt, “Poor devotees! How much they have to suffer just for a cup of tea!”

The next day he set up a small tea stall near the entrance outside the temple. As the days passed, his wife also joined him and brought small tiffin items.

SoonRanganna’s shop became busy with customers. To accommodate more people, he had to renovate his little tea shop to a canteen, and then to a full-fledged hotel. Seeing the growing demand from the people, the erstwhile hotel was upgraded to a five-star hotel and then further up to a seven-star hotel. With experience and money at hand, the income generated was further reinvested in starting similar such seven-star hotels in various parts of the country in posh localities. Within a few years, Ranganna became an internationally known figure in the business community.

One day he had to sign an important deal with another big business firm. When the Director of the firm saw that Ranganna was using his thumb impression to sign the deal, he was shocked. He asked in disbelief, “Sir, despite being illiterate, you could establish such a big business empire! Where would you have reached if you had learnt English!!”

Ranganna smiled and replied, “I might have remained even today GhantaRanganna!!”      

When things go wrong and tragedies strike, we in our immaturity blame God – as though we are wiser than the Creator of the universe!! How can we insignificant creatures ever understand the purpose of the Omniscient Lord?

In this world, nothing happens without a purpose, and He knows it well.

Dr.Stephen, a well-known doctor, was once on his way to an important medical conference in another city where-in he was going to be granted an award for medical research he had recently done.

He was very excited to attend the conference and was desperate to reach as soon as possible. He had worked long and hard on his research and felt his efforts deserved the award he was about to obtain.

However, two hours after the plane took off, the pilot announced that there was a problem with the plane and that they were going to make an emergency landing at the nearest airport. Afraid that he wouldn’t make it in time for the conference, Dr Stephen immediately went to the help desk as soon as the plane landed and explained to the woman at the desk that he was expected to be at a very important conference and that he needed to know the immediate next flight to his destination. She told him that there was nothing she could do to help him as there wouldn’t be another flight to his destination for another ten hours, but suggested he rent a car and drive down to the city as it was only four hours away.

Having no other choice, he agreed to the idea despite his hatred for driving long distances. Dr.Stephen rented a car and started his journey. However, soon after he left, the weather suddenly changed and a heavy storm began. The pouring rain made it very difficult for him to see and he missed a turn he was supposed to take.

After two hours of driving, he was convinced he was lost. Driving in the heavy rain on a deserted road, feeling hungry and tired, he frantically began to look for any sign of civilization. After some time, he finally came across a small tattered house. Desperate, he got out of the car and knocked on the door. An old woman opened the door for him. He explained his situation and asked if he could use her telephone. She told him that she didn’t have a phone or electricity but that he was welcome to come in for some food and something warm to drink as he had completely lost his way and that it would take him some time to get back on the right road.

Hungry, wet and exhausted, the doctor accepted her kind offer and walked in. The woman told him to help himself to some food and hot tea on the table and then excused herself to finish her prayers. Sitting on the table sipping his tea, the doctor watched the woman in the dim light of candles as she prayed next to what appeared to be a small baby cradle. Every time she finished a prayer, she would start another one.

Feeling that the woman might need help, the doctor seized the opportunity to speak as soon as she finished her prayers and told her that he hoped God would answer her prayers. He then said that he noticed that she had been making a lot of prayers and asked if there was something she needed that he could get for her or help her with. The woman smiled and said that God had answered all her prayers except one. She said she didn’t know why God hadn’t answered this specific prayer yet but perhaps it was because of her weak faith.

The doctor asked if she didn’t mind telling him what she needed. Nodding her head in approval, she said that the child in the cradle was her grandson. She said that the child had a very rare type of cancer and that all the doctors she had seen were unable to treat him. She also said that she had been told that there was a doctor who specialized in the type of cancer her grandson had, but there was no way for her to get to this doctor as he lived very far from her; so she has been spending her days and nights praying to God to help her find a way to get to Dr Stephen – the doctor who could treat her grandson.

Upon hearing her words, tears began to flow down the doctor’s cheeks and He said, “God is great! There was a malfunction in the plane, a thunderstorm hit, and I lost my way; and all of this happened because God did not just answer your prayer by helping you find a way to get to Dr Stephen, but He brought Dr Stephen to your house. I am Dr Stephen.”

Tears streaming down his cheeks, the award did not seem too great for him.

Why do the airports see more affectionate kisses than the wedding halls?

Why do the walls of the hospitals hear more sincere prayers than the walls of temples, masjid and churches?

The human mind has a very bad habit – taking things for granted. When we lose a thing we realize the value of that thing.

Nothing belongs to us. Whatever we have are gifts from God. These gifts are given so that we may grow in our love and gratitude for God. But when things are taken for granted, the possibility of developing a loving relationship with God is shut off.

The shocks and knocks in life is a gentle reminder –that sans God we are nothing, that we have nothing, that we know nothing, and that we can do nothing!

Such a humble soul who has realised his insignificance becomes fit to enter the kingdom of God, where he is made aware – that he is Everything!!

O    M        T    A    T        S    A    T

August 2015

To discover difficulties in every opportunity is the nature of the failures, while to discover opportunity in every difficulty is the nature of the successful. –  Chinmaya

Our attitude determines how we handle situations in life.

Whenever a situation/challenge/obstacle prop up in life, the mind gets ready to face the situation. The thought patterns generated in us to respond to this challenge is what is called as attitude.

A mind with negative attitude imagines the possible failures, fears the insult of defeat, exaggerates the intensities of pains and difficulties en route, questions the possibilities of success and seriously doubts one’s own self-confidence.

On the contrary, a mind with a positive attitude is filled with enthusiasm, courage and confidence. It gets filled with the ideas of ‘how it will work’ rather than how it won’t. Never bored of patient waiting and never afraid of risky undertakings, it looks forward to the ways of succeeding and the possibilities of winning.

What determines our attitude? 

The mind takes the shape of that which it constantly meditates upon. Consistently entertained thoughts become natural to us, and after a long period of time become our attitude.

A famous writer was in his study room. He picked up his pen and started writing: “Last year, I had a surgery and my gall bladder was removed. I had to stay stuck to the bed due to this surgery for a long time.

The same year I reached the age of 60 years and had to give up my favourite job. I had spent 30 years of my life in this publishing company.

The same year I experienced the sorrow of the death of my father. And in the same year my son failed in his medical exam because he had a car accident. He had to stay in bed at hospital with the cast on for several days. The destruction of the car was another loss.”

In the end, he wrote: “Alas! It was such a bad year!”

When the writer’s wife entered the room, she found her husband looking sad, lost in his thoughts. From behind his back, she read what was written on the paper. She left the room silently and came back with another paper and placed it on the side of her husband’s writing.

When the writer saw this paper, he found this written on it: “Last year I finally got rid of my gall bladder due to which I had spent years in pain. I turned 60 with sound health and got retired from my job. Now I can utilize my time to write something better with more focus and peace.

The same year, my father, at the age of 95, without depending on anyone or without any critical condition met his Creator. The same year, God blessed my son with a new life. My car was destroyed but my son stayed alive without getting any disability.”

In the end, she wrote: “This year was an immense blessing of God and it passed well!”

 Same incidents, contrary viewpoints!

Success or failure is determined, not by the outer situations, but by the nature of our mindset.

A traveller narrates his interesting experience:

“I was waiting in line for a ride at the airport. When a cab pulled up, the first thing I noticed was that the taxi was polished to a bright shine. Smartly dressed in a white shirt, black tie, and freshly pressed black pants, the cab driver jumped out and rounded the car to open the back passenger door for me.

He handed me a laminated card and said: “I am Wasu, your driver. While I am loading your bags in the trunk I would like you to read my mission statement.”

Taken aback, I read the card. It said: “Wasu’s Mission Statement: To get my customers to their destination in the quickest, safest and cheapest way possible in a friendly environment.”

This blew me away. Especially when I noticed that the inside of the cab matched the outside – spotlessly clean! As he slid behind the wheel, Wasu said, “Would you like a cup of coffee? I have a thermos of regular and one of decaf.”

I said jokingly, “No, I’d prefer a soft drink.”

Wasu smiled and said, “No problem. I have a cooler up front with diet Coke, lassi, water and orange juice.”

Almost stuttering, I said, “I’ll take a lassi.”

Handing me my drink, Wasu said, “If you’d like something to read, I have The Hindu, Times of India, Economic Times and India Today.”

As we were travelling, Wasu handed me another laminated card, “These are the stations I get and the music they play, if you’d like to listen to the radio.”

Wasu told me that he had the air conditioning on and asked if the temperature was comfortable for him.

Then he advised me of the best route to my destination for that time of day. He also let me know that he’d be happy to chat and tell me about some of the sights or, if I preferred, to leave me with my own thoughts.

“Tell me, Wasu,” I was amazed and asked him, “have you always served customers like this?”

Wasu smiled into the rearview mirror. “No, not always. In fact, it’s only been in the last two years. My first five years driving, I spent most of my time complaining like all the rest of the cabbies do. Then I heard about the power of choice one day.”

“Power of choice is that you can be a duck or an eagle. If you get up in the morning expecting to have a bad day, you’ll rarely disappoint yourself. Stop complaining! Don’t be a duck. Be an eagle. Ducks quack and complain. Eagles soar above the crowd.”

“That hit me right,” continued Wasu. “It is about me. I was always quacking and complaining; so I decided to change my attitude and become an eagle. I looked around at the other cabs and their drivers. The cabs were dirty, the drivers were unfriendly, and the customers were unhappy. So I decided to make some changes. I put in a few at a time. When my customers responded well, I did more.”

“I assume that has paid off for you,” I said.

“It sure has,” Wasu replied. “My first year as an eagle, I doubled my income from the previous year. This year I’ll probably quadruple it. I am getting busier day by day as my customers call me for appointments on my cell phone or leave a message on it.”

The choice is ours: to quack like ducks or to soar like eagles.

When written in Chinese the word ‘crisis’ is composed of two characters — one represents danger and the other represents opportunity. What we see depends on our attitude.

In short, the law of life is simple: whether we think ‘we can’, or we think ‘we can’t’ – both ways we are right.

O    M        T    A    T        S    A    T

July 2015

Accept. Surrender. Let Him be the charioteer of your life. –  Chinmaya

We are but unpolished stones in the hands of the Master Sculptor. Chiselling is painful and the stone has no choice. Let us endure all hardships keeping this in mind: every knock – He has a purpose behind; every blow – He has a bigger picture in mind.

This is the story of Arunima Sinha, the first female amputee to climb Mount Everest.

No doubt, the best steel has to come from the hottest furnace.

On a fateful day, 11^th April 2011, she was travelling from Lucknow to Delhi in the train to appear for CISF exam. A group of robbers, around 4 or 5 of them, tried to snatch her bag and gold chain. It was a general compartment and none bothered to intervene. She fought back bravely, but they threw her out of the running train.

 Unfortunately, at the same time, another train was passing on the adjacent track. She banged into that train and then fell on the rocky tracks. Both trains passed. Her left leg was cut off. Her thigh was hanging with the jeans, blood flowing profusely. Bones of the other leg were all broken and had come out. Her spine was left with three fractures. All night she kept shouting in pain on the tracks, but none was there to rescue her. The small rats on the railway tracks gathered to chew on her injured legs.

The whole night passed. For 7 hours she remained there unattended. In the morning some villagers saw her miserable plight and immediately took her to Bareilly District Hospital in UP. But in the hospital, there was neither the blood nor the facilities for anaesthesia. The doctors and the pharmacists themselves donated a unit of blood each and the leg was amputated without anaesthesia to save the patient. Her pain was unimaginable.

When it was known that Arunima was a national volleyball player, she got better treatment in AIIMS Trauma Centre in Delhi due to the intervention of the Sports Minister. In the meanwhile the media carried all twisted stories – ‘Arunima didn’t have a train ticket and jumped off a train’, ‘She was rejected by her family’, ‘Arunima attempted suicide’…

Silently she and her family endured them all.

It took her 4 to 5 months to recover. But she had decided never to give up the battle of life. “If not volleyball why not mountaineering – life’s most difficult game?” The inner fire to achieve something in life remained inextinguishable.

But her new fancy had two major hurdles: first – to get training under proper guidance, and second – to get sponsorship for a huge amount of 50 lakhs!  

When she shared with people her dream to conquer Everest, everyone thought she had gone crazy. They did indeed try to put some sense into her, “You can never do mountaineering. One leg is artificial and the other has a rod. Have you lost your mind? Your spine also has fractures. You’re mad; forget this and take up some job and quietly spend your life.”

But she remained undeterred. Her family was her backbone. They approached Madam Bachendri Pal, who had climbed Mount Everest in 1984. Madam said, “Arunima, even in this state you could think of such a difficult challenge like Everest! That means you have already conquered it in your heart. Now it’s just for the sake of other people.”

Training and sponsorship – all got done. On 1^st April 2013, she started her ascent to Everest. To reach the mountain from road head to base camp, it took her 3 hours while others took only 2 minutes. Her right leg’s bones were not yet healed, her left leg was a prosthetic; the stump was all red; all the wounds were still fresh. Her leg used to bleed if placed forcefully.

Seeing her condition, Sherpa refused to take her fearing the risk to his own life. But others somehow convinced him. They were six people in the group. The climb began. Up till the rocky areas, there was no problem. As soon as she reached the green and blue ice, her artificial leg started slipping over the ice. Breaking the ice and making holes, she moved forward.

 It was all fine up till Camp 3. But further up, the climbing became extremely difficult, dangerous and fiery. She could see dead people in front of her eyes. In the night, wherever her head-light went she could only see dead bodies. As the anchor was in the same rope, she had to step over the dead bodies to move forward. When the going gets tough, the tough get going! With an iron heart, she went on, all the while whispering within, “O Lord! If at all I succeed, I dedicate it to these comrades of mine whose dreams remained unfulfilled.”

Right after Hillary Step was Everest summit. When she reached the Hillary Step, her Sherpa gave her a huge shock, “Arunima! Turn back! Your oxygen is running out!!” But she was adamant and kept moving forward. Sherpa vehemently insisted, “Don’t be stubborn. You still have the rest of your life; you can always try again and eventually climb Everest. Let’s return!”

In life, such moments of temptations come to all – to give up at the final moment. How many of us slip just when the cup meets the lip!

But she turned a deaf ear to him. She knew how difficult it was to raise that much of money and to get the sponsorship. This chance would never come again. It was a do or die situation. She intuitively knew that the Supreme Lord Who had kept her alive amidst great tragedies had a reason.

Needless to say, in about one and a half hours, she was on the top.

On 21^st May 2013, at 10:55 am, having reached the summit after 52 days of non-stop battle against all the odds, with tears of gratitude, she wrote a small message thanking the Almighty on a wrapped cloth and pressed it in the snow.

As she was climbing down, her oxygen completely ran out and she was on the verge of collapse. Coincidentally a British climber was coming up and he had 2 oxygen cylinders. Because of extremely bad weather, he threw away one of them and started going back down. Sherpa went down quickly, carried the cylinder and fitted it on her back. He said, “Arunima, you are so lucky that you got oxygen here. Definitely, God wants you to stay alive.”

As she was coming down pushing her heels into the ice, her entire prosthetic leg came off in one whole piece. The temperature was minus 60 degrees centigrade on Everest. Her hand wouldn’t bend, and it had started bleeding. It had already turned red. (Any limb turns red, blue and black in three stages. If it turned black then it has to be amputated.)

Grabbing the rope with one hand, and grabbing her artificial leg with the other, she started to drag herself down. After reaching a rock, they stopped, opened the leg and fixed it, and then started again.

Camp 4 to the summit and back – the distance is 3500 feet. People generally took 15-16 hours to climb it. It took her a total of 28 hours to climb.

Everyone had assumed that Arunima won’t return alive. When she reached the base camp again, everyone exclaimed in shock, “Unbelievable!!”

In 2015, the Indian Government awarded her Padma Shree for her remarkable feat. She dedicated it to Lord Shiva and Swami Vivekananda for being the inspiration of her life.

He knows the path; He knows the destination. On the road of life, let us surrender our chariot of BMI (Body-Mind-Intellect) to the Master Charioteer, and reach without delay the state of Ever-Rest, our own true nature.

O    M        T    A    T        S    A    T

June 2015

Be cheerful within, and loving and peaceful outside. –  Chinmaya

A cheerful mind is the greatest treasure one can possess in life. None can loot away this treasure from us without our own consent.

A newly appointed salesman, after working for a few days returned back to his boss and complained, “Sir, I want to quit this profession. I can’t stand it any longer. The insult is too much to bear.”

The boss gave a loud laugh and said, “Dear, I have been in this profession for the last 20 years but never have I been insulted even once. Yes, people have asked me to get out, they have slammed the door on my face, they have kicked me out of their houses, and they have even thrown my briefcase out to the streets… but insult? Never !!”

How I feel is determined by what I think. Ensure positive thoughts, and you will remain choicelessly happy. But the majority of us think that the condition of our mind is determined by the outer happenings.

In a small school, a drawing teacher was showing the students the art and the craft of painting. And he said, “It is such a delicate phenomenon. You look at the painting.”

And they said, “Yes, we can see a man with a sad face.”

The painter went to the painting and just gave one or two touches with his brush and the whole painting changed – the face was smiling. And because the face was smiling, the whole complex of trees and flowers and stars now had a different effect. Everybody was impressed; the teachers were impressed… parents had come; they were very much impressed.

Just one small boy was not interested. The painter asked, “Are you not interested?”

He said, “I am interested. But this is not something great; my mother does it every day.”

The painter was amazed, “What do you mean? Is she a painter?”

The boy said, “She is not a painter. But I go home smiling, and with one slap the whole world changes into tears. My mother knows better. Without a brush, without colour, just a hit and everything changes; the whole world changes.”

In tragic and painful situations, the peace and tranquillity of our mind go for a toss and we, therefore, conclude that the happenings of the outer world decide our state of mind. But the fact is that our state of the mind is determined not by the ups and downs of the outer world, but by the nature of thoughts that we entertain in our mind.

A great psychoanalyst had become very old but still, he continued to practice six, seven, eight hours per day, listening to the patients. He had a young disciple, an apprentice, who became tired after three or four hours – listening to nonsense, neurotic obsessions and fixations – the same thing again and again.

He asked his old master one day, “How do you manage? – Because I see you as fresh in the evening as in the morning when you come to the clinic. You are as fresh as when you go – seven, eight hours of nonsense. You never get tired. I get tired after two, three hours – and I am a young man!”

The old man laughed and said, “Who listens?”

One has to be constantly alert not to allow the worldly garbage to enter the mind. Constant vigilance is the price to be paid to remain in this blessed state of cheerfulness.

A cheerful mind not only creates heaven within, but creates, even in hell, an environment of joy and peace.

A doctor entered the hospital in hurry after being called in for an urgent surgery. He answered the call as soon as possible, changed his clothes and went directly to the surgery block.

He found the boy’s father pacing in the hall waiting for the doctor. On seeing him, the dad yelled: “Why did you take all this time to come? Don’t you know that my son’s life is in danger? Don’t you have any sense of responsibility?”

The doctor smiled and said, “I’m sorry, I wasn’t in the hospital and I came as fast as I could after receiving the call. And now, I wish you could calm down so that I can do my work.”

“Calm down? What if your son was in this room right now? Would you calm down? If your own son dies now what will you do?” said the father angrily.

The doctor smiled again and replied, “I will say what Job said in the Holy Book – ‘From dust we came and to dust we return, blessed be the name of God.’ Doctors cannot prolong lives. Go and intercede for your son, we will do our best by God’s grace.”

“Giving advises when we’re not concerned is so easy,” murmured the father.

The surgery took some hours, after which the doctor went out happy, “Thank goodness! Your son is saved.”

And without waiting for the father’s reply he carried on his way running. “If you have any question, ask the nurse!!”

“Why is he so arrogant? He couldn’t wait some minutes so that I ask about my son’s state,” commented the father when seeing the nurse minutes after the doctor left.

The nurse answered, tears coming down her face, “His son died yesterday in a road accident, he was in the burial when we called him for your son’s surgery. And now that he saved your son’s life, he left running to finish his son’s burial.”

There are only two types of people in this world:

The one who wakes up with a smile saying: “God! Good morning!”

And the others who wake up saying, “Good God! Morning?”

The choice is ours.

O    M        T    A    T        S    A    T

May 2015

Be regular. –  Chinmaya

Most of us are regular – in being irregular!

Why do the scriptures insist upon regularity?

Our mind has the ability to form habits – good or bad. Once trained, it becomes its nature to keep doing that thing.

All our addictions – tea/coffee, newspaper, non-vegetarianism, internet, gossip, television, attachments to people, smoking, drinks – are nothing but the results of regularity. If the mind can form such unhealthy addictions, why not make it an addict to something good and noble? Yes, it is possible. How? Be Regular.

With regular flow, the water cuts deep channels even through hard rock. An iron piece rubbed to a magnet constantly becomes a magnet. So too, a person regularly thinking of God becomes God. Indeed, the key to success is regularity.

Prayer, meditation, Japa, Yoga, Pranayama, study of the scriptures, attending satsangs, engaging in selfless service – do it regularly and soon we will find these positive addictions difficult to overcome. We become a fish out of water when even for one day we miss any of these from our daily schedule.

Little Sanju had lost both his parents in a terrible accident. But he was fortunate that he had a sweet grandmother to shower on him so much of love and affection that he never missed his parents.

The grandmother was a very religious lady. She would get up early in the morning at 5 a.m. and after freshening up, would go to the nearby Krishna temple. While making the garland for the Lord, she would chant the stotrams of various deities. After the puja is over, she would partake the prasad, do several rounds of pradakshina around the temple and then alone would return back home. This remained her morning routine throughout her life.

Sanju also, out of a sheer desire for being with his grandmother, would get up early and join her. He would help her in making garland, and would chant the stotrams along with her. The pure mind of that little child memorised all these divine chantings with the utmost ease.

With time, the grandmother could see the changes that were happening in her teenager grandson. Sanju took pride in questioning everything including the existence of God. He would mock the customs and traditions of the ancestors. He loved cornering his grandmother and making her speechless. Often he would make fun of her ‘blind faith’ and would boast himself of being a rational being, modern and educated, scientific and non-superstitious.

Years passed by. Age had caught up with the grandmother. She had fallen ill and was lying on the bed for many days amidst tablets and medicine bottles. One day she called Sanju and said lovingly, “My child, it seems that my time for departure has come.” After a brief silence, in an anxious tone she asked, “As a parting gift, may I ask something from you?”

Sanju went near her, sat at her feet and said, “Grandma, you have been my all in all from my very birth. Why ask anything? I am already yours.”

Grandmother held his palm and pleaded sweetly, “Then promise me that you will not miss going to the temple even one day and tell at least a “Hello” to Krishna… Won’t you do it for my sake?”

Sanju could not break the heart of his loving grandmother. He agreed, though reluctantly.

Hearing his assurance, the old lady became a little relieved. Now she became silent. Intuitively she felt that the time has come to depart. She stopped talking and withdrew herself from all extrovertedness. Her body became stiff, eyes rolled up, and chanting the name of Krishna thrice with a deep breath, she left forever. But that benign smile of fulfilment ever remained, playing on her lips.

 Those last moments with his grandmother left a deep impact upon Sanju. He had never in his life seen anyone facing death with such calmness, such grace.

He deeply missed her presence. Even the thought of her absence pained him very much. As he watched the body being burnt in the cremation ground, all the unforgettable sweet memories of being with her paraded in front of his tear-filled eyes. 

“What a divine lady! “, he admired. “How many times did I hurt her with harsh words… But she forgave everything. Never did she get impatient with my immature behaviour. Never have I seen her getting angry with anyone. She loved all. She treated everyone as a manifestation of Krishna. Never have I seen her complaining or grumbling, gossiping or talking ill of others. Chanting the name of the Lord, she endured all with a sweet smile. It is indeed amazing how she won the hearts of even her opponents by blessing them and praying for them! Selflessness was in her very blood. She found the greatest joy in giving, in loving and in sacrificing…”

Tears of repentance welled up in his eyes as he recollected how he looked down upon her with contempt and disregard for being illiterate and not being worldly smart. He realised that though illiterate, she was as the most cultured among all. Her divine way of living was enough proof for him to believe in the existence of a divine God.

While returning from the cremation ground, he was a totally changed man. Needless to say, his grandmother had become a role model for him to emulate for the rest of his life.

Sanju was true to his promise. As a reverential tribute to his beloved granny, he would daily go to the Krishna temple at 8 a.m., stand in front of the Lord, and say with tearful eyes, “Krishna! I have come…”

Years passed by. Job, marriage, house, children – Sanju was becoming busier day by day with his worldly commitments. But never did he swerve even once from his morning commitment. Even when he was out of station, he would mentally visualize his going to the temple at 8 a.m. and would mark his attendance in front of the Lord.

On a fateful day, Sanju had to go out for urgent work. He took his bike, and in a hurry didn’t bother to wear the helmet. He drove the bike unusually fast. At a sharp turn, he lost control over the vehicle and met with a major accident. Some kind-hearted people took him to the hospital. As the case was serious, he was immediately admitted to the I.C.U. Due to serious brain damage, he was lying unconscious.

The grief-stricken relatives gathered outside the I.C.U, worried and anxious. Doctors expressed their apprehension regarding his survival. They opined that unless he regained consciousness, nothing could be done.

The entire atmosphere was filled with gloom. The tensed relatives spent the entire night with no sleep. It was already the next day morning and Sanju was still lying in a coma. The hope of his survival was fading away from the minds of even the die-hard optimists.

At exactly 8 a.m., everyone gathered near the I.C.U heard a loud cry, “Krishna, I have come!” The surprised doctors and relatives stormed into the I.C.U. The sight they saw moved their heart. They saw Sanju, still unaware of the world, sitting on his bed with folded palms and whispering, “Krishna! I have come, Krishna! I have come…”

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