Chintana

December 2020

God’s creation does not bind. That which does so is Jeeva’s own creation.
—Ramana

We alone are responsible for our misery.

How do we bind ourselves? 

The scriptures say:  मन एव मनुष्याणाम् कारणम् बन्ध मोक्षयो: | = Our mind alone is the cause of bondage and liberation. We bind ourselves with our wrong notions.

A man came to Nagarjuna, the great Buddhist mystic, and said, “I would like to meditate, but I am not able to concentrate. Please help me.”

 Nagarjuna looked at the man and said, “Do you love anybody?” The man felt a little  embarrassed. With a little hesitation, he said, “I love only my buffalo. But I really really love her, she is such a beautiful being.”

Nagarjuna said, “That will do. You go and sit inside that cave, and continuously think only one thing – that you have become your buffalo.”

The man said, “I can do it. In fact, I am wondering how you came to know of it, because sometimes I think… I love my buffalo so much that sometimes I think of how it will be if I become a buffalo in my next life.”

Nagarjuna said, “You go, and don’t come out of that cave until I ask you to come out.” One day passed. The second day passed. The third day passed. On the fourth day, in the morning, Nagarjuna went to the man’s cave and called him from outside, “Now please come out.”

The man did not come out. After waiting for a while, Nagarjuna enquired, “What is the matter? Why don’t you come out?” The man responded from inside, “I am trying hard, but I don’t think I can come out. I am so huge and the cave-entrance is so small… and don’t you see my horns? I think I am permanently stuck here!”

Three days, continuously thinking that he is a buffalo, a buffalo, a buffalo… He had auto-hypnotized himself!

The man, having lost all hopes, started weeping.  He said, “Now it seems that I will never in my life be able to get out of this cave. And for three days I have been hungry and thirsty, and now I cannot get out. Help me please. Please do something…”

Nagarjuna said, “I can see it is so difficult. But don’t worry. Do what I say. Now think that you have become a man, and that you are no more a buffalo.”

The man had to think for at least three hours that he was a man and not a buffalo.

And in three hours the buffalo disappeared, the delusion disappeared. He opened his eyes. He came out, greatly relieved, extremely grateful, and fell at the feet of Nagarjuna.

Let us apply the above quote to this incident.

1. He was a man. This was God’s creation.
2. But he imagined himself to be a buffalo. This was his (Jeeva’s) creation.
3. His creation (wrong notion) caused bondage, and made him miserable.
4. Even when he thought he was a buffalo, he was always a man. God’s creation alone is real, not the imaginary creation of the Jeeva.

In the same way:

1. Our nature is Sat-Chit-Ananda. This is God’s creation.
2. But we think we are the body. This is our creation.
3. Our creation (wrong notion) causes bondage, and makes us miserable.
4. In reality we are never bound. It is only an imagination.

The law of nature is – we experience what we strongly believe in. Hence the experience of misery is not because of the reality, but because of our wrong notions.

Bhagavad Geeta says: न अनुशोचन्ति पण्डिता: | = The wise people never grieve, because they are ever in touch with the reality. And the reality never gives us grief.  

Mulla Nasruddin and his wife were lying in bed. They had no children, and the wife was very eager to have a child. As they were about to fall asleep the wife said, “Listen, if we have a child where will we put him to sleep? – because there is only one bed.”

So Mulla slid a little towards the side, saying “We will put him right here between us.”

And the wife said, “And then if we have a second?”

Mulla slid over a little more saying, “We can put him here also.” 

The wife said, “Miserly fellow! And if a third comes?”

Mulla slid over more and was just going to say “Put him right here,” when he fell off the bed with a crash. His leg was broken. He howled and yelled in unbearable pain. The neighbours gathered. They asked, “What happened?”

He said, “This child – who does not yet exist – broke my leg. And when a non-existent child can cause so much trouble, what to say of a real one!”

 He turned to his wife and said, “Excuse me, I don’t want any children. This experience is enough!”

Who broke his leg?  Not the real child, but the imaginary one.

So too, who causes misery to us?  Not the reality, but our wrong notions.

Q=How does the wrong notion ‘I am the body’ make us miserable?

A=Bhagavan Ramana Maharshi says:  वृत्तय: तु अहम् वृत्तिम् आश्रिता:|

The notion that ‘I am this body’ is called ‘aham vrtti’. It is also called as the ego or the ahankara. All the agitations of the mind are because of this wrong notion.

Q=How is ‘aham vrtti’ related to the agitations of the mind?

A= There are millions of demands for the body regarding health, security, self-respect, looks etc. The mind becomes constantly busy worrying about the ‘yoga-kshema’ – the welfare and wellbeing of the body. Hence the cause of mental chattering is ‘I am this body’ notion.

Q=How to stop this chattering?

A=The cause of mental agitation is ‘aham vrtti’. Hence to eliminate agitations, we have to eliminate ‘aham vrtti’.

Q= How to eliminate ‘aham vrtti’?

A= Bhagavan says: Do self-enquiry. When we enquire into the nature of ‘aham vrtti’, we come to know it doesn’t even exist! अहम् अयम् कुतो भवति चिन्वत: अयि पतति अहम् निज विचारणम्| ‘I am this body’ is a wrong notion which has crept in the mind due to lack of self-enquiry.

Q=What are the consequences as a result of self-enquiry?

A= Bhagavan says: अहमि नाशभाजि अहम् अहंतया स्फुरति हृत्स्वयम् परम पूर्ण सत् | With self-enquiry, the ‘aham vritti’ – the false ‘I’- falls, and the real ‘I’ – the supreme Reality – shines forth in its place.

I come to know that I am the supreme Self which is infinite and immortal, all-perfect and all-bliss. The chattering of the mind stops, as there are no more demands or cravings, desires or expectations. The mind rests in eternal peace.

Somebody asked the great Zen master Bokoju, “What do you do? What is your religious discipline?”

He said, “I live an ordinary life. That is my discipline. When I feel hungry I eat, and when I feel sleepy I sleep.”

The questioner was puzzled. He said, “But I don’t see anything special in it.”

Bokoju said, “That is the point. There is nothing special.”

The questioner was still puzzled. He said, “But this is what everybody else is doing –

when hungry they eat, when feeling sleepy they sleep.”

Bokoju laughed. He said, “No. When you eat, you do thousand-and-one things also. You indulge in aimless thinking. The mind thinks, plans, imagines, worries. You are not at all in the present. When I eat, I simply eat. Then there is only eating and nothing else. It is pure. When you sleep you do thousand-and-one things – you dream, you have nightmares. When I sleep I simply sleep, there is nothing else. When sleep is there, there is only sleep. Not even Bokoju exists. When eating is there, there is only eating. Not even Bokoju exists. When there is walking, there is only walking – no Bokoju. There is walking, simply walking.”

Chattering of the mind is bondage. Quietude is freedom.

Bhagavan Ramana Maharshi says: कृत्यमस्ति किम् स्वस्थितिम् यत: | And the Bhagavad Geeta says: तस्य कार्यं न विद्यते| = For the one who abides in the Reality of his own Self after destroying the illusory ego through self-enquiry, there is nothing else to do, for he has attained the highest.

O   M         T   A   T         S   A   T

November 2020

Life is a piece of art which can be made beautiful and polished, chiselled and shaped, by your own careful self-effort – Chinmaya

Reforming oneself is like chiselling a stone to perfection.

i. An unreformed person is just like an unpolished stone – unattractive and unproductive, and hence wanted by none, ignored by all.

ii. Within an uncut stone, there is an unseen beauty waiting to manifest itself. So too, even in the most uncultured person lies the ever perfect Supreme Self waiting for manifestation.

iii. Without a master sculptor, the hidden beauty of the stone remains ever hidden. Without a Guru, a person roams about, life after life, unaware of his infinite nature.

iv. Only when the stone makes itself available (i.e. yielding to the chisel, remaining steady without moving, without cracking) the sculptor can transform the stone. So too, only with surrender and obedience to the Guru, one is transformed.

v. Chiselling is a painful process. So also is the process of self-reformation.

vi. Chiselling is a time-consuming process. Self-reformation is in no way different.

vii. Chiselling only removes, never adds. So too, in the process of self-reformation, there is only the removal of all wrong notions.

viii. Once the process is completed, the erstwhile unworthy piece of stone becomes a priceless treasure. So too, the erstwhile sinner becomes a liberated sage, revered by all.

While the former charms the world with its outer beauty, the latter blesses the world with his inner divinity.

Shah Ibrahim Adam, the King of Bokhara, was overcome with a desire for God-realisation. However, he lived in such luxury that he always slept on a deep mattress of fragrant flowers. One night, when he was going to bed, he heard a noise above him and, on investigation, saw two men roaming about on the palace roof.

“What are you doing here?” he asked them sharply.

“Sir, we are camel drivers and are searching for our lost camels.” They replied. Amazed at their stupidity, the King said scornfully, “How could you ever expect to find camels on the top of a palace?”

“In the same way as you are trying to realise God in your bed of flowers,” was the reply.

The King was shocked. Their reply made him deeply introspective. He abandoned his throne and went in search of saints in his own kingdom, but without satisfaction.

Thereafter he went to India, the land steeped in spirituality and an abode of spiritual giants. He finally reached Kashi, and there he heard of Kabir, the weaver saint. Accordingly, he asked Kabir to accept him as his disciple.

“There is nothing in common between a King and a poor weaver like myself,” Kabir replied, “and two such different persons could hardly get together.”

But the King pleaded with him. “I did not come to your door as a King but as a beggar,” he said. “Again I beg of you to accept me.”

Seeing the earnestness and sincerity of the King, the kind-hearted Mai Loi, the wife of Kabir, also requested her husband to accept him, and the saint gave in to her request.

In a weaver’s house, what could the King do other than preparing the woof and the warp? Six years passed by, and the King did this work without a murmur.

One day Mai Loi entreated Kabir saying, “This King has been with us for six long years, has been eating what we offer him, and has been doing what we order him to do, without uttering a word of complaint. Because of all this, he appears to be highly deserving. So please give him the initiation.”

“As far as I can see, the King’s mind is not yet crystal clear,” Kabir told his wife.

Mai Loi again entreated, and reminded Kabir that what the King had done was a tremendous service to them; and that she could not even for a moment believe that he did not deserve initiation.

“The best way to prove it to yourself is to do what I ask you to do,” Kabir replied, “and thereafter come and tell me what you hear from his mouth. Please go onto the roof of the house, and as the King comes into the street, throw the entire sweepings of the house unto his head.”

Mai Loi did as she was asked, and threw the sweepings on the head of the King.

“If this were Bokhara,” the King said indignantly, “no one would have dared to do this to me.”

Mai Loi returned to Kabir and repeated what the King had said.

“Did not I tell you that the King is not yet ready?” Kabir said.

So another six years passed by, during which the King worked as hard as he had during the first six years.

One day, Kabir said to his wife, “The vessel is now ready.”

“I do not find any difference between the condition of the King six years ago and now,” Mai Loi replied. “He had been ever dutiful and willing, and has never uttered a word of complaint, even on days when we have had a large number of sadhus in the house and there was nothing left for us to eat.”

“If you want to see the difference,” Kabir told her, “you may once again throw the refuse and the rotten rubbish of the house upon the King’s head.”

The next day, when the King was passing the house, she did exactly as she was asked.

The King, now bathed in dust and garbage, stood there undisturbed. With joined palms, he peacefully looked up and said, “May you, the doer of this, live long. May God bless you. Arrogant and egoistic that I am, what else can I deserve other than this?”

Again Mai Loi related the King’s words to her husband. This time Kabir replied, “As I told you, nothing is lacking in him now.”

Kabir initiated the King into the spiritual knowledge, and within a short time, through thorough reflection and meditation, he realised his true Self. Kabir then told the King, “Your devotion is complete. You may go anywhere you like.”

After having received the blessings of his master, Ibrahim Adham returned to Bokhara, but no longer as a King. One day, as he was sitting on the banks of river Tigris, and mending his old torn garment with a small needle and thread, he was seen by his minister, who had gone out hunting. The minister was returning from the hunt, and although he had not seen the King for twelve years and the King was in tattered clothes, he recognised him and asked if he was not Ibrahim Adham. The king replied in the affirmative.

“Your Majesty, I am your minister,” the hunter then told him. “During your long absence, I have trained your children well in the art of warfare, and now my only wish is that you should return to your throne.” The minister then vowed to continue to serve him devotedly.

On hearing this, the King threw his sewing needle into the fast-flowing river and asked the minister, “Can you get the needle back for me?”

“It is not possible for me to do that, Sir,” the minister replied, “but in barely half an hour I can bring a hundred thousand such needles from the city.”

“No. I am interested in my own needle, and no other.”

The minister expressed his complete helplessness, saying, “The water is very deep, the current is rapid, and it is absolutely impossible for me to recover the needle.”

“Is there any other means of recovering the needle?” the King asked. “Or is there any other man who could get it for me?”

“No Sir, I don’t think so. That needle is lost forever.” The minister replied.

The King then closed his eyes, and lo and behold! A small fish came out of the water, holding the needle in its mouth and placed it at the feet of the King.

“What will I do with your kingdom,” the King said to the minister,” when I have become the servant of that Lord who rules over all the worlds, and under whose command is everything that lives in them? He has made me unlimited, like Himself, and you are suggesting I go back to my former kingdom?”

“I am no longer the person I was before. Like the drop merged in the ocean cannot be retrieved, so too this little self has merged in the ocean of Satchidananda. I have experienced the worlds beyond all imagination. And just as you could not get back that needle for me, so you cannot get back that King you lost. Please go, therefore. Let my sons and your good self do as you like. Keep your kingdom with you and leave me alone. This is the greatest service you can do to me. May God bless you…”

‘Bhaja Govindam’ says:

रथ्या-चर्पट-विरचित-कन्थ: पुण्यापुण्य-विवर्जित-पन्थ: ।
योगी योग नियोजित चित्त: रमते बालोन्मत्तवदेव ॥

A Yogi who has perfected himself revels in bliss like a child, or like an intoxicated one. Outwardly, in abject poverty, but inwardly, he rules like a King, having mastered his mind and the senses. How can such a reveller in the infinite bliss of the Self ever be tempted back into the worldly ways?

O   M         T   A   T         S   A   T

October 2020

You are ordinary or extraordinary depending on your attitude towards the situations that you face and how you respond to the challenges in life. – Chinmaya

The attitude of the extraordinary is: “The question is not who is going to let me, but who is going to stop me!”

This is the story of the most successful and ‘the most decorated Olympian of all times’ – Michael Phelps. In Olympic history, in any game, in any country, no one ever has won medals like him. He participated in four Olympics and won 28 medals out of which 23 are gold medals!

(Interestingly, in Olympics India also has won 28 medals, but only 9 out of them are gold. And that too in 100 years, in 24 Olympics, in 57 different events, with more than 100 sportspersons participating in each Olympics!!)

Phelps’ life was not devoid of tragedies and challenges.

He was born in 1985 in Baltimore, the U.S., as the youngest of three children. His parents used to quarrel and fight very often, and this had a very negative impact on the tender mind of young Phelps. In 1994, when he was just nine years of age, his parents divorced, and his father left them and remarried later. This shattered the little boy and he often sunk into depression. He was frequently found sitting alone and crying, unable to find love and peace, affection or attention from anyone.

When Phelps was in the sixth grade, he was diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) – a disease which made a child very restless and unable to concentrate on any subject.  

Swimming, which he had learnt at the age of seven, became a great relief and a blessing to distract his mind from inner conflicts and to exhaust his pent-up energies. He would spend hours together in the swimming pool and this was noticed by coach Bob Bowman. He was quick to notice the hidden talent and tireless passion of this little boy. With the full support of his mother, Bowman started coaching him seriously.

The intense frustration of this boy became an effective tool in the hands of the expert coach Bowman. He directed his energies of unbearable frustration towards achieving noble goals. He trained him harder and harder, all the time inspiring him to dream high and achieve big. He kept inspiring him, “Son, you have all the powers in you. You can break all records. Dream as big as you can dream and anything is possible. Just keep trying…”

These elevating words started working magic in the pure heart of that little boy. The world started to witness the unimaginable talents of little Phelps. Even at the age of 10, he started breaking records in his age group and soon was selected for the national team.

In 2001 World Championship, at the age of 15 years, he became the youngest swimmer to break a world record. In 2004 Olympics in Athens, he won six gold and two bronze medals. Phelps, still a teenager, his performance was the second-best ever at a single Olympics after Mark Spitz, who had won seven gold medals in 1972 Summer Olympics.

After the 2004 Olympics at Athens, Phelps decided to achieve the unachievable.  He made a brave bold announcement, “In 2008 Olympics in Beijing, I will break the record made by Spitz. I will win 8 gold medals!”

Even the greatest swimmers considered the record made by Spitz as unbreakable. People made fun of Phelps. “What does he think of himself? Is he God or what!” He was ridiculed. He became a laughing stock.

But with every criticism and ridicule, he remained silent outward, but more determined inward. Ian Thorpe, the great Australian swimming legend, whom Phelps considered his icon and role model, passed a comment, “I don’t think Phelps is going to achieve it.” Thorpe’s comment had a terrific impact on Phelps. It was like petrol being poured into a raging fire. His determination became even more fierce.

We are reminded of Ronaldo, one of the greatest footballers. He told his critics: “Your love makes me strong. Your hate makes me unstoppable!!”

From 2004 till 2008, Phelps began his intense practice. It was self-punishing and torturous. If Mark Spitz had trained for 8 hours every day for four years, Phelps trained every day for 12 hours. Totally cut off from the world, without a break on Sundays or weekdays, birthdays or holidays, he kept on practising.

To quote Swami Vivekananda’s words: “Take up one idea. Make that one idea your life. Think of it. Dream of it. Live on it. Let the brain, muscles, nerves, every part of the body reverberate with it. Forget everything else. Then success is sure. All power is within you. You can do anything and everything.”

Phelps did exactly that. Every insult, every word of discouragement showered at him, he wrote it on pieces of paper and stuck it everywhere – on the walls of the bathroom and bedroom, on the wardrobe and on the mirror. These taunting words became the RDX to explode the storehouses of motivation within. Even during those moments of tiredness and exhaustion, he inflamed himself by repeating time and again: “2008 – not 8 medals, but 8 gold medals. Come on. You can. You must… You definitely will…”

The coach Bob Bowman, a strict disciplinarian and a taskmaster, had long back wiped off the term “No” from  Phelps’ mindset. He asked him to practise, with earphones on, with single-pointed focus on his lane – neither left nor right. 

It was then that an unfortunate thing happened in 2007. He incurred a wrist injury – a crack in the bone of the right hand. Doctors warned him, “No practice allowed. Rest is a must to heal. Forget about the Olympics.”

Many voiced their opinion, “Are you mad? You can always try for the next Olympics. Life and health are more important.”

The truth of life is: “If you want something you never had, you have to do something you never did.”

Phelps did something unique. He gave rest to the hands, but meanwhile decided to train only his legs without hands! Thus within a year, his hand recovered, while his legs, trained without the support of hands, became like toughened steel – stronger and swifter! This practice made him almost unbeatable, invincible.

So well said, “While losers find excuses to escape, winners find ways to achieve.”

The 2008 Beijing Olympics started. His fans and foes and the whole world watched with bated breath. “Will he make it?” The events began.  Out of all, the fourth event was a memorable one  – 200-meter butterfly.

The gunshot was heard and he jumped into the pool. An unfortunate thing happened. His goggles cracked. Through the crack, water started leaking into his eyes. The game had already started and now there was no stopping. The gush of water made him literally blind. But thanks to his relentless practice for years, the last 100 meters, though seeing nothing, he swam fiercely, with the guesswork of his past experiences.

And finally after reaching the end-point, when he removed the goggles and saw the scoreboard, he was wonder-struck. He saw-  Phelps= 1.52.03=World Record!

He could not control his tears…

He kept on winning, event after event, gold after gold. None could match his power.

In the seventh event, the 100-meter butterfly, Phelps won by just one-hundredth of a second!

So true: “The law of luck is: The harder you work, the luckier you get.”

And finally, Phelps won the eighth gold medal on Aug 17 in the 4×100 meter medley relay, breaking Mark Spitz’s record of seven gold medals, which stood since 1972.

Ian Thorpe, Phelps’ role model, who had predicted Phelps can’t do it, was in the gallery watching his performance. After the event, Thorpe came and hugged Phelps and said, “I am so proud of you. Never in my life, I have been so happy to have been proved wrong!”

Phelps broke many world records, and he even made a record of breaking maximum world records………..

Many wonder why they don’t progress spiritually as expected. Let us pause a little while and ponder…

If temporary worldly attainments like Olympics demand such struggle and sacrifice, how much more commitment should we expect from us to attain the permanent spiritual attainment!

But here we are, with faithless seekings and lifeless strivings, with sloppy disciplines and sleepy meditations,  we dream to attain the Infinite and the Immortal!

It is well said:

“Many want it to happen. Some wish it would happen. A rare few make it happen.”

O   M         T   A   T         S   A   T

September 2020

Nothing in this world, which is but a two minutes’ dream, is worth worrying. – Chinmaya.

Why take life so seriously? It is no more than a mere dream. To illustrate this point there is a famous story of king Janaka.

One night, finishing all his royal commitments and having had his dinner, Janaka went to sleep. Suddenly he was awakened by the guards. “Your Majesty! We have been attacked by the enemy.”

Janaka quickly got up from his bed, wore his armour, took possession of his weapons and came out of his chamber. The army high-command briefed him regarding the grave situation. A quick plan of action was charted out. Escorted by the army officials, Janaka entered the battlefield. A terrible war broke out.

Very many of his soldiers were killed, and he himself was wounded badly. At last, the bloodiest war was over and Janaka was defeated. He was captured alive, chained and dragged in front of the enemy king.  

The conqueror said, “ Janaka! You have a reputation of being a good king. So I shall not kill you. I will take your empire and you are exiled. Leave my kingdom within 24 hours.”

Janaka, now exiled from his own empire, started walking out. All along the way, people, with the doors of their houses shut, peeped through their partly opened windows to get a glimpse of their erstwhile emperor – wounded and humiliated, tired and exhausted. But none dared to offer him food or drink out of the fear of punishment from the new king.

Janaka wondered at the new turn of events, “Destiny is strange! The emperor of yesterday has become a beggar of today. My own people who had honoured and revered me till the other day, now despise me. I can’t get even a glass of water to drink!”

After a long, long walk he managed to cross the border and reach the neighbouring kingdom. Tired and hungry, he frantically searched for food to keep himself alive.

As luck would have it, not far off, he saw a long queue. Prasad was being distributed in a temple after the arati.

With great relief, he also joined the queue. And finally, when his turn came, to his bad luck, everything was over. Even the last bit of food particle was scrapped off from the cauldron.

The man who was distributing prasad, looking at Janaka’s condition, felt pity for him and said, “You seem to me a good person going through bad times. I will not disappoint you. I have kept a little prasad for myself. I will give my share. I hope that is OK with you.” 

Janaka said in a pitiable tone, “Anything is OK for me, just anything. I am dying of hunger and exhaustion!”

The man brought his share, put it in a bowl and handed it over to Janaka. The erstwhile king, with trembling hands, received it in a great hurry. As he was about to eat, a hungry kite, in an attempt to snatch the food, swooped down in a hasty impatience. The bowl in his hand was knocked down to the floor, and the food got scattered all over in dust and mud.

Janaka could take it no more. Weeping and wailing, he collapsed on the ground.

Janaka jumped up from his bed. He looked around. He found himself comfortably seated on his bed in his palatial bed-room. He was sweating profusely and his heart, pounding heavily.

The guard came running. “Sir! You shouted. You need any help?”

Any other person would have said, “Oh! Nothing to worry. Just a nightmare!”, and would have gone back to sleep. But Janaka entered into a deeply pensive mood. To the guard who was awaiting an order, the king asked in a thoughtful tone, “Is that true, or this true?”

The guard was confused, unable to make the head or tail of what was being asked. The matter was immediately reported to the queen, Sunaina. The queen hurried to the king’s chamber. She asked anxiously, “Is everything alright?”

The king, remaining in a serious mood, repeated the question, “Is that true, or this true?”

The queen stared at the king for sometime and murmured, “What has happened to you? Till yesterday you were perfectly normal!”

Word was sent to the royal physician. In no time he rushed in. He took the pulse, and asked the king, “Sir! Everything appears normal and fine. Are you feeling any uneasiness anywhere?”

The king gave a blank look at the physician, and then mumbled, “Is this true, or that true?”

The gossip-media, waiting to munch upon any sensational news, were quick on their feet. The rumour spread like wildfire: “King Janaka has gone crazy!” 

As none could answer the question of Janaka, it was decided to have a discussion in this matter in the assembly of the learned scholars, thinkers and philosophers. All of them were invited, and they, at the opportune moment, assembled in Janaka’s court.   

It was at this time that the great sage Ashtavakra arrived. All the ones assembled there got up in great reverence, as they already had had a first-hand experience of the greatness of this spiritual giant, in their earlier meeting.

(The story of their earlier meeting went thus: Long back, for the first time Ashtavakra entered Janaka’s court to engage in a discussion. He had eight deformations in his body and hence walked in a peculiar way. The entire assembly, looking at his gait, burst into a peal of laughter. Ashtavakra, in response, gave a sweeping look to all, and then thundered out a louder roaring laugher. All became silent wondering why he laughed.

Ashtavakra then said, “O King! You have kept a bunch of cobblers as your advisors. Like cobblers, they see only the shine of the outer skin, not the glory of the inner Self!” The entire assembly hung their heads in shame. Ashtavakra then defeated all in spiritual discussions, and gave them a taste of his deep wisdom and spiritual illumination.)

The sage was duly worshipped and was seated comfortably by the king. After the exchange of pleasantries, the discussion began.

Ashtavakra: “O king! Your question is – is this true or that true.”

Janaka: “Yes Sir, this indeed is the question which is bothering me.”

Ashtavakra: “Now listen. When you were miserable in that (dream world), was this (waking world) existing in that?

Janaka: “No Sir, this was not present then.”

Ashtavakra: “Now when this is, is that existing in this?”

Janaka: “No Sir, that is not existing now.”

Ashtavakra: “When that was, this was not. And when this is, that is not. Hence O king, neither this nor that is true.”

Janaka (confused): “O Guro, does it mean, then, that there is nothing called truth?”

Ashtavakra (smiling): “Don’t jump to conclusions Janaka! Analyse your experience in even greater detail. Now tell me, were you present in that?”

Janaka: “Yes! I was the one who went through all the miseries. The experiencer must be present in every experience.”

Ashtavakra: “Good! Are you present in this?”

Janaka: “Yes. I experience this. Hence I am present in this.”

Ashtavakra: “O king, you have answered your question.  The proof of Reality is abaadhyatvam satyatvam– that which can never be denied in any state, in any period of time alone is true. You were in that. You are in this. In fact, both this and that are in You! You are the very substratum, the very witnessing Consciousness upon which the play of this and that is happening. Without You, neither this nor that could ever be possible. Hence O king, the Reality is neither this nor that. You are the only Reality. Tat Tvam Asi.”       

O   M         T   A   T         S   A   T

November 2016

Spiritual perfection is not to be created – it is in us already. We have only to remove what obstructs its manifestation. – Chinmaya

Q: Why perfection need not be created?

A: Perfection is our nature. Hence it need not be created. Just like fire need not create heat.

Q: If we are perfect, why don’t we experience this perfection?

A: We don’t experience it because we don’t know who we are. Our ignorance about ourselves prevents us from experiencing this perfection.

Q: Why do you say we are ignorant about ourselves?

A: All of us experience the ‘I’ in us. But when asked to define what this ‘I’ is, we say that this ‘I’ is nothing but the body-mind-intellect (BMI) complex. This is called ignorance about oneself.

Q: Then what is self-knowledge?

A: True knowledge about oneself is called self-knowledge.

Scriptures say that this ‘I’ which we experience all the time has nothing to do with the BMI complex. Rather, this ‘I’ is Consciousness in us which by nature is real, infinite, immortal and blissful.

Q: How can I say I am not the BMI?

A: What belongs to me should necessarily be different from me. BMI belongs to me. Therefore I cannot be the BMI. But ‘I’- the Consciousness, doesn’t belong to me; it is me.

Again, the observer should be different from the observed. Therefore I, the observer-Consciousness, am different from the observed-BMI.

Q: If I am not the BMI, why is that I feel I am the BMI?

A: It is because of identification. When I identify with something, I consider that thing as a part of me. For example, a mother identified with her child considers the child’s joys and sorrows as her own. When I identify with the movie character in the movie, his/her moods become my moods. So too with identification with BMI.

Q: What is wrong with considering oneself as BMI?

A: BMI is finite and mortal, impermanent and perishable by nature. When we identify with the imperfect BMI, we experience imperfection. But when we identify with perfect Consciousness, we experience perfection.

The strict law of the game called life is – we experience what we identify with.

Q: How to gain Self-knowledge?

A: The problem started with our identification with the BMI. So the solution lies in dis-identifying from the BMI and identifying with Consciousness. Any other way to get rid of our imperfection will only be futile.

One day Buddha came into his assembly of the monks. His sannyasins were sitting and waiting for him. Buddha had come with something in his hand – a handkerchief. They all looked at the handkerchief. What was the matter? There must be something special in it. And Buddha sat on the platform and rather than speaking to the assembly he looked at the handkerchief, started tying a few knots in it – five knots in all.

Buddha said, “Right. Now you see these five knots. Suppose I want to open these knots.” And he started stretching both ends of the handkerchief farther away from each other. He asked Sariputta,” What do you think? By stretching farther will I be able to open the knots?”

The confused disciple said,” You will be making knots even more difficult to open because they will become smaller, more tighter.”

Buddha said, ”Right. What should I do so that I can open the knots? How I can untie them again?”

Sariputta said, ”Bhagwan! I would like first to come close and see how in the first place the knots have been tied. Unless I know how they have been tied it is difficult for me to suggest any solution.”

Buddha said, ”Sariputta! You are blessed, because that is the most fundamental question to ask. If you are in a certain fix, the first thing to know is how you got into it rather than trying to get out of it. Without asking the most fundamental and the primary question, you will make things worse.”

“And that’s what people are doing. They ask, ‘How we can get out of  greed, anger, attachment, jealousy, possessiveness, this and that?’ without asking, ‘How in the first place we get into them?’ If you can see the entrance, the same door is the exit; no other door is needed. But without knowing the entrance if you try to find out the exit you are not going to find. “

The way to spiritual perfection is five-fold:

Observe oneself, Detect where we go wrong, Eliminate the erroneous ways of thinking, Substitute it with the right knowledge, and Master this knowledge by practice.

How clearly can we experience this perfection? The Bhagavad Geeta says:

ज्ञानेन तु तदज्ञानं येषां नाशितमात्मन: | तेषामादित्यवज्ज्ञानं प्रकाशयति तत्परम् ||
(In those whose ignorance has been destroyed by Self-knowledge, in them, the ultimate Truth shines as clearly as the sun.)

Bhagavan Ramana Maharshi, one of the greatest seers of our age, was once asked by a journalist coming from the West, “Do you believe in God?” Bhagavan said, “No.”

The man was shocked. He had heard that this man has realized God, and he says he does not believe in God! He repeated the question. He said, “Sir, hope you have heard me rightly. I am asking, ‘Do you believe in God?’”

Bhagavan said, “I have heard you perfectly. I don’t believe in God, because I know. We believe in something only when we don’t know. For me, there is no need for belief. I know the whole existence is divine. Every part of this universe is divine. Every being is divine. Since I know it, there is no question of believing.”

Perfection is already ours. The choice given to us is – to own it or to ignore it.

The masterpiece of Michelangelo (the world-famous sculptor), the statue in the Vatican, is of Jesus Christ lying in his mother’s lap after he was taken down from the cross. This statue was thought to be one of the best statues in the whole world. There is an interesting incident behind this statue.

Michelangelo went to a market where there were shops selling marble. Just in front of a shop on the open ground, there was a big rock – a huge marble rock that had been lying there for years. And he asked, “How much is the price?”

The owner said, “There is no price; it has been lying there for almost ten years, and you are the first person ever to ask about it. If you can take it away, it is yours. It will be enough payment that our grounds are cleared and we can put out other rocks for show. That rock is taking so much space. And every artist comes here; no artist has ever seen any possibility for that rock.”

And Michelangelo cut from that same rock this statue.

When the statue was ready, he invited the shop owner. The man could not believe it. He said, “Where did you get such a beautiful piece of marble?”

Michelangelo said, “This is the same rock that you gave me at no charge.”

The man said, “My God! But you have created the most beautiful statue I have ever seen. How could you manage to think, looking at that ugly rock, that you would be able to do it?”

He said, “I have not done anything. It was just that Jesus cried out to me, ‘Michelangelo! I am encaged in this rock. Make me free!!’”

The sculptor doesn’t add anything new. He only chisels out what is unnecessary. So too, the hidden divine perfection in us becomes manifest when we use the chisel of self-knowledge to chisel away the wrong understanding about ourselves.

O  M    T  A  T    S  A  T

August 2020

We think something is wrong with the outer world.; something is wrong with the Creator. The fact is Creator is supplying us with the best possible things. It is our unintelligent behaviour which is spoiling it. – Chinmaya

The Corona crisis continues, and there is a widespread concern among the masses regarding future uncertainties. Hence it becomes imperative to understand the spiritual perspective of the whole scenario.

In the Bhagavad Geeta there is a famous verse:

यदा यदा हि धर्मस्य ग्लानिर्भवति भारत । अभ्युथानमधर्मस्य तदात्मानम् सृजाम्यहम्||
(Whenever there is a decline in dharma, and an ascend of adharma, I manifest Myself.)

When a manufacturer designs a device, he thinks of all possible situations which the device might have to go through in the field of its operation. Hence the device is designed with an intrinsic protective mechanism by which it is capable of dealing with all possible emergencies. Such a device then becomes an intelligently designed one.

 Whenever (यदा) there is a crisis, then and there तदा) the protective mechanism comes into play and does the corrective measures. This ‘yada – tada’ relationship is found in all intelligently designed devices.

For example, whenever (yada) there is a sharp spike in the current or voltage, then and there (tada) the fuse wire is blown out and the device is protected.

Whenever there is a power failure, the elevators are designed to halt at the nearest floor with its back-up power supply. Likewise, computers are designed to store the unsaved files and shut down smoothly in the wake of an unexpected power failure.

Whenever (yada) there is an accident, then and there (tada) the seat belts and airbags become active to save the life of the traveller.

This vast creation of the Lord is also an intelligently designed one. Hence a ‘yada-tada’ relationship exists in this creation too, so says the above verse.

Let’s pay attention to our own body.

Whenever dust enters into our eyes, tears wash it away. Yada dust…tada tears! Tears don’t come all the time. It comes only when there is an emergency. Tears, without hurting the eyes, wash away the dust particles; and once the job is done, they withdraw themselves to the background.

In the same way, when dust enters the nose, sneezing happens. Whenever there is indigestion in the stomach, loose-motion happens. Whenever there is a fracture in the body, swelling happens to protect that part from further injury. When the body runs out of energy, hunger rings its alarm; and when it runs out of the water, the panic button called thirst gets pressed. There are such countless instances where the body functions in ‘yada-tada’ relationship.

We must indeed be grateful to the Lord for taking care of all the complicated functions of the body. We are able to fulfil our responsibilities in the world, only because there is Someone constantly at work, without a break, even at night, even in sleep. If we were given the responsibility of keeping ourselves alive, none of us would be alive even a moment!

 Amazing indeed is this divine creation called body where infinite intelligence of the Lord is seen even in small day to day happenings! mÉzrɳÉÌmÉ cÉ lÉ mÉzrÉÌiÉ qÉÔRû:- though we see, we fools don’t notice them.

Just as in the microcosm (body), this ‘yada-tada’ relationship is seen in the macrocosm (cosmos) as well. The Lord says in the above verse, whenever the functioning of this cosmos is messed up, I manifest Myself to set it right.

Corona Virus is, from a spiritual standpoint, such a divine manifestation.

We must say that this pandemic has struck us at the right time – a time when we all were busily exploiting the natural resources to the extreme… a time when industries were indiscriminately pumping chemical wastes into the rivers, and polluting the atmosphere with its poisonous fumes… a time when vast forest reserves disappeared to become commercial malls and skyscrapers… a time when mother earth was at the mercy of short-sighted politicians who, with their greased palms, sanctioned any environmental violation… a time when it was predicted that all the natural resources on this planet would be depleted in another 50 years… a time when very many species – animals and birds – had already become extinct… a time when the ecology kept giving warning signals of danger one after the other – such as ozone layer destruction, tsunamis,  floods, the global warming, and the melting of ice in the polar regions – but all fell into deaf ears… a time when even the international organizations for environmental protection became a helpless and mute witness to ongoing tragedy…  a time when we were helplessly watching ourselves cutting the very branch we sit upon…

At such times, indeed an Avatar was essential – an Avatar which would put a brake to this unhealthy, uncontrolled, and unintelligent indulgent materialistic ways of living.  Now that the human-beings had become helpless, an Avatar – a Power from the beyond- was an unavoidable necessity.

And that Avatar appears to be Corona.

Interestingly, the virus has been named as COVID. In Sanskrit, COVID means the one who is wise, experienced, an expert, an all-knower. Indeed, a perfect name for the Lord!

It is not necessary that Avatars must come only in human form. The Lord can take any form. He takes form according to the need of the hour. He took the form of a turtle to give a stable base to Mandara mountain while churning. Varaha avatar was taken to uplift earth from the waters of the deluge. Narasimha avatar was the result of the complicated conditions put forth by Hiranyakashipu. Vastra avatar appeared when Draupadi was in trouble in the evil assembly. Vishwa-Roopa avatar appeared on the battlefield to instil confidence in Arjuna.

Now the Lord decided He must appear as a virus!

May be He wanted to humble the pride of mankind bloated in pride of their scientific advancements. He wanted to show how insignificant and powerless human beings are who could not even resist the onslaught of a tiny little virus which doesn’t even weigh a milligram!

For the countries boasting of their atomic weapons,  an atomic creature has become the cause of sleepless nights!

And what were the after-effects of Coronavirus?

The reports say that within a few days the mother nature started showing the signs of healthy revival. Rivers became clean. Air quality considerably improved. Animals and birds celebrated the noise-free, pollution-free, and human-free environment. Various diseases related to air pollution reduced. Road accidents reduced drastically.

Lazy unhealthy habits like ‘eating out’ vanished. Aimless wanderings in malls and streets ceased. When maidservants were barred from entering the apartments, all couch-potatoes became busy cooking and washing, cleaning and mopping.

Corona taught people to live with the bare minimum, and to remain contented in it. Many became philanthropic, distributing food to the poor and needy, and experienced the joy of selfless service. Even street dogs were well-taken care.

The future uncertainties made prayers of the devotees more sincere and intense.

All were grateful to doctors, policemen, and others who were risking their lives in serving others even in such difficult times. Spiritual seekers found it a golden opportunity to withdraw and to go within.

It appears that Corona has taught us all the important spiritual lessons of life – to have control over the mind and the senses, to remain contented, to live in gratitude, to serve others selflessly, to surrender unto God, and to offer regular prayers unto Him!

Indeed, in all ways, Corona has become a blessing in disguise.

The world’s best brains are working hard, day and night, 24/7, to bring out a vaccine. Surely the vaccine will come, but only by His Grace. And only after He has achieved what He has intended to achieve.

Our prostrations unto that All-Compassionate, All-Knowing Lord whose ways, though unknown and mysterious, are always for the good of all!

O   M         T   A   T         S   A   T

July 2020

Why should tools worry about how the technician is going to solve the problem and do his job. Be a mere tool in His hands. – Chinmaya

Being a tool in His hands means total surrender. It means total acceptance without complaining, with a deep conviction that He does what is right and what is best, and thus allowing His will to work through us.

Gauranga was the original name of Sri Krishna Chaitanya. He always marvelled at the good fortune of the flute of Krishna. It was near to Him and dear to Him. It enjoyed the bliss of the touch of divine lips and hands. At times it would rest in His waist-cloth. He longed to be near and dear to the Lord as the flute.

One day he prayed to the Lord, “O Lord! Will you tell me the secret of coming near You and becoming dear to You? How fortunate is that flute!”

That night Lord Krishna appeared in his dream and said, “Gauranga, if you want to be transformed into an instrument like the flute through which my breath flows and Divine music emanates, examine the flute. The flute is hollow; nothing is inside. When I blow my breath into it, it flows freely into it, producing enchanting melodies.

“So render yourself hollow. Let your heart be rid of all passions and worldly desires. Then I shall certainly make you My instrument. But beware! There should not be any trace of ego or attachment in you, because that would prevent My grace from flowing into you. I bless you, Gauranga.”

Gauranga woke up excited early in the morning. He knew well that the surest and the most effective way to make one’s heart pure is to sing bhajans. He equipped himself with a pair of cymbals and a drum. He walked along the streets of the city singing bhajans. But there were a few persons in the city who did not like to be disturbed from their sleep early in the morning and they decided to put an end to this ‘Nagara Sankeeratan’.

One day, they seized the drum and broke it into pieces. Gauranga was not in the least upset but just said, “O Lord! Let Your will be done. Perhaps You do not approve of my drum beats. That is why it has been broken.”

The next day when Gauranga was going about singing bhajans, some men came and snatched away the cymbals. Gauranga exclaimed ecstatically, “O Lord! Perhaps you are not quite pleased with the way I play the cymbals. I am glad that I have got rid of them.”

He went about singing bhajans and clapping hands. He continued this singing for years together. This one sadhana relieved him of all traces of attachments and egoism. He reached a stage where just an utterance of the name of Krishna would throw him into a trance. There was nothing in Gauranga’s mind except Krishna Consciousness. Hence he came to be called Krishna Chaitanya by his admirers and ardent followers.

Once we have surrendered, we have no right to question and to grumble.

“God! But why?” is not the way of the one who has totally surrendered.

A Devotee went to the Guru and said, “O Guro! I have totally surrendered to the Lord. But my questioning mind is still not at peace.”

The Guru said, “If the mind is questioning, then your surrender is questionable!”

The true sign of surrender is measured in terms of how much the mind reacts to the ups and downs of life. Greater the reaction, lesser the faith in God; greater the inner disturbance, lesser the surrender.

Meera was a great devotee of Lord Krishna from her very childhood. She never desired or aspired for anything other than Lord Krishna. Yet she did cherish one desire – to install her beautiful idol of Lord Krishna in a temple of marble. She wondered whether her one wish would ever be fulfilled.

In course of time when she grew into a beautiful maiden she was married to Maharana of Chittorgarh. Meera at that time, having just stepped into teens had hardly any anticipation of marriage or married life. So her love for Krishna went with her to Chittorgarh.

There she requested her husband to build a temple for her idol. Maharana did build a marble temple for Lord Krishna to please his wife. Meera’s joy knew no bounds. Her wish was fulfilled at last.

Meera spent all her time in worshipping Lord Krishna and singing bhajans. Most of the time, she was in the temple. That made Maharana furious as he felt that his wife was ignoring him. So he ordered the closure of the temple. Thus Meera was prevented from entering the temple. She was shocked and sad beyond all measure. She did not know what to do.

When the mind questions the Lord’s will, it is immediately disturbed!

She turned to Krishna for solace. And she received the answer from within. She said to herself, “Why should I feel sad for the closure of the temple? Maharana could close this temple because it was built by him. But how can he close the doors of the temple of my heart where dwells the Lord? That is the temple built by God and the real abode of God. Let me reach Him there.”

She felt as though the Lord was telling her, “Why go out? Seek me within.”

Thus Meera considered it as Divine will the closure of the external temple. And before long, she found Him in her own heart!

A devotee knows that (i) Either He will solve the problem; or (ii) He will make him capable of solving the problem; or (iii) He will make him capable of enduring the problem. Hence a devotee is free from all worries.

Once Jnanadev and Namadev were walking through a forest. They were tired and thirsty. They found a well, but the water was deep down and the well was very steep. Now how to get the water?

Jnanadev had yogic powers. He turned himself into a bird, flew into the well, reached the water, drank it, and quenched his thirst.

Namadev had no such yogic power, but only intense devotion to the Lord. Thirsty though he was, his thoughts were in God alone and he got immersed in the chanting of His name. He was drifting into ecstasy and was in pure bliss, as if tasting the sweetness of God’s love.

Just then, the waters from the depths of the well rose up and started overflowing. Namadev, then, without any effort, drank the water and quenched his thirst.

God Himself gives whatever His devotees urgently need.

A lady, who used to efficiently manage a big orphanage, was once asked, “How do you do run this whole affair so efficiently without any worry?”

The lady replied smilingly, “I have made an agreement with God – that I will work, and He will worry!!”

How foolish it is to say, “I did, I achieved, I helped, I earned, I donated…”The world belongs to God; so too the body, the talents, the abilities, the field of action, the life, the inspiration, etc. In what sense, then, can we arrogate to ourselves of any achievement?

Rahim used to write poetry dedicated to Krishna. Tulsidas came to know about the unique behaviour of Rahim. While giving alms to the poor, Rahim gave with extreme humility. While giving, he kept his gaze downwards towards the earth. Tulsidas promptly wrote the following couplet and sent it to Rahim:

 ऐसी देनी देंन ज्यूँ  कित सीखे हो सैन | ज्यों ज्यों कर ऊंच्यो करो   त्यों त्यों निचे नैन ||
(O Great One!, from where have you learnt this amazing way of giving? As your hands rise to give, your eyes look down.)

Completing the couplet which Tulsidas wrote, Rahim replied in extreme humility:

 देनहार कोई और है   भेजत जो दिन रैन | लोग भरम हमपर करे   तासो निचे नैन ||
(The Giver is someone else, giving day and night. The world has a misconception that I am the giver. So, I lower my eyes in embarrassment!)

O   M         T   A   T         S   A   T

June 2020

So long as our attitude is purely materialistic and selfish with no touch of spirituality, nature will continue to be disturbed by our actions. It is an echo. Nature is only echoing our behaviour. If we don’t change, nature will make us suffer. – Chinmaya

Nowadays everywhere, there is only one topic of discussion – the Corona Virus Pandemic. Lakhs of people are getting infected all over the world and thousands are dying every day. There are panic and unrest everywhere.

How did it all start?

The virus is believed to have originated from the wholesale seafood market located in Jianghan District, Wuhan, Hubei province, China. Its lanes are narrow. Here around 120 different kinds of mammals, animals and birds are kept in the most unhygienic environment with poor ventilation. These animals are tightly squeezed together in cages, and these cages are stacked one above the other. Hence often these beings are found drenched in excrement falling from above. These unhealthy conditions make them prone to various illnesses. The sanitation is dismal with garbage and filth piled on wet floors.

These animals are mercilessly and openly slaughtered, brutally skinned and deliciously eaten, and their skin carries a very high price in the cosmetic market. The beings include bats, venomous snakes, crocodiles, dogs, crabs, camels, ostriches, donkeys, wolf puppies, peacocks, worms, rats, rabbits, porcupines, cockroaches …

There is hardly anything which is not available in this market!

A Chinese citizen was asked, “Any animal which you don’t eat?”

He had to think hard! After a long pause, he said, “We eat everything!”

What is wrong with non-vegetarianism?

The human body is designed to be a vegetarian. So say the scriptures. So says modern science.  Nature has never designed our body to digest animal flesh. Hence canine teeth are not given to us.

The digestive juices in our stomach are milder compared to that of the carnivorous animals. Hence our intestines are designed to digest only fruits, roots and vegetables and not flesh or meat of any kind.

Also, our intestines are 25-feet long, compared to the lions and tigers, which are only 5-feet in length. This means the meat we eat remains in our body for a longer time. These undigested meat rots and putrefies in our body and can lead to various diseases.

Also, the violent method of killing creates fears and anxieties in these animals. These negative emotions create lots of poisonous toxins in their body. These toxins, which are not destroyed while cooking, enter in us when we eat them. These toxins, in turn, create varieties ailments in our body.

Hence meat-eating is absolutely unhealthy for human beings.

The epidemic, which showed its first symptoms on 1^st December 2019, soon spread in China, and in no time, out of China.

To date, there has been no vaccine invented to prevent this virus attack.

Where have we gone wrong?

The above quote answers it all.

Scriptures teach us to perform Pancha Maha Yajnas – the fivefold duties, and one among them is Bhoota Yajna.

In Bhoota Yajna, we are advised to take care of all other beings. We are asked to feed them and be kind towards them. Our ancestors knew that for the smooth functioning of the cosmos, all beings have an important role to play – be it animals, birds or insects.

Being the crest and crown of creation, being the most evolved among all beings, it is the duty of mankind to look after the welfare of all beings. As Sadhu Vaswani has said nicely, these birds and animals are our younger brothers and sisters. This Mother Earth belongs equally to them as it belongs to us. 

Is there a relationship between our behaviour and the nature surrounding us?

Bhagavad Gita says yes. यज्ञात् भवति पर्जन्य: (= from yajna comes the rain.)

When we live on this planet with an attitude of Yajna Spirit, nature functions with perfect harmony.

What is Yajna Spirit?

 Yajna means sacrifice. Yajna Spirit means sacrificing oneself for the welfare of the totality. The Yajna Spirit is the right attitude to living life.  When we live a life of sacrifice and service, pouring out our God-given talents and abilities for the welfare of all, performing all our duties as a worship of the Lord, as an expression of gratitude towards Him, without ego and egocentric desires, not in a spirit of competition but in a spirit of co-operation – then that attitude is called Yajna Spirit.

In the Chinmaya Mission pledge, Pujya Gurudev has introduced Yajna Spirit thus, “Producing more than what we consume and giving more than what we take…”

Wherever people live harmoniously with such an attitude of Yajna Spirit, rain happens. Rain represents all natural phenomena that support life on this planet. Rain represents the smooth and efficient functioning of the cosmos. It means a perfect ecological balance.

Hence the functioning of the cosmos is deeply connected with the way we live our lives.

It is said in Mahabharat, that when Yudhisthira was ruling the kingdom, righteousness prevailed everywhere. Like the King, people were truthful, good-hearted and service-minded. There was no corruption or dishonesty of any kind.

And how did nature respond to this goodness of mankind?

It is said there was no disease of any kind in the kingdom. Natural calamities were unheard of. Seasons changed in perfect order and rhythm. There were perfect rain and perfect shine. The rivers turned perennial and the trees became fruit-yielding throughout the seasons. The rich flora and fauna added beauty to mother earth. There were prosperity and plenty everywhere.

When Pandavas were hiding during the ‘ajnaata vaasa’ – the one year of exile, Duryodhana sent his army in search of Pandavas. Interestingly, the command given by Duryodhana to his armed forces was: “Wherever you find plenty and prosperity, search there intensely. Because wherever this Yudhisthira goes, prosperity just follows his footsteps!”

The Lord in the Bhagavad Gita advises mankind – परस्परम् भावयन्त: श्रेय: परम् अवाप्स्यथ |

(=cherishing each other, may you attain the highest good.)

This is the loving advice of the Lord to all human beings, “May you live in Yajna Spirit. May you worship the cosmic forces by living a life of sacrifice and service. They, in turn, will bless you with material prosperity and spiritual evolution. Thus may you attain the highest good, i.e. liberation from this birth-death cycle.”

On the other hand, the Lord shows great displeasure against people who don’t follow this teaching.

The Lord says: अघायु: इन्द्रियाराम: मोघम् पार्थ स जीवति = Such people who live a sinful and self-centred life steeped in sensuality, indeed they live in vain.

भुञ्जते ते तु अघम् पापा: ये पचन्ति आत्मकारणात् = Those selfish people who ‘cook only for themselves’ verily eat sin!

Coronavirus appears to have emerged from the wrath of the Lord. Let us admit our mistake of living a life unbecoming of human beings.

After the Coronavirus attack, people, throughout the world are adopting the Indian ‘Namaste’ posture! In our culture, we greet each other not by hand-shakes, ‘Hi’s, and hugs, but by saying Namaste.

Namaste means -नम: ते  = prostration unto the Lord in you.

Namaste is a beautiful way of saying, “You are Divine. The Supreme Lord resides in you. Hence you are worshipful. It doesn’t matter what your gender, religion or nationality or even character is. I prostrate to the Divinity in you.”

Lord is none other than the Consciousness in each one of us. Hence all living beings are the different manifestations of the same God. No doubt why the Lord says in the Gita – भूतानामस्मि चेतना = I am the very life principle in all beings.

How great is our culture! A culture that teaches us to respect and revere every living being seeing the one Lord in them! A culture that makes every being a vehicle (Vahana) of gods and goddesses and asks us to love them, protect them and take care of them!

If only we had practised ‘Namaste’ in the true sense of the term, we would not have been seeing these terrible times!

What a contrast! Other cultures see ‘food’ and ‘business’ in all beings and our culture teaches us to see ‘God’ in all beings! How fortunate we are to have taken birth in this holy land of saints and sages that has taught us to see God in all and to love all!

O   M         T   A   T         S   A   T

March 2020

Submit to the will of the Lord and draw a lesson from every event. – Chinmaya

The omniscient Lord knows all. He does what is good for all. Hence the best attitude is the attitude of surrender.

There is a beautiful story in the Quran.

Once, Prophet Moses was addressing the people of Israel. Somebody from the crowd asked, “Who is the most learned man among human beings in the world?”

Moses believed that there was no other man on earth who could possibly compare with him in knowledge. Hence he said, “I am the most learned.”

The Lord cannot stand pride in His devotee. The all-knowing Lord, the Indweller of all, realising that Moses was puffed up with pride, decided to teach him a lesson in humility.

The Lord instructed Moses thus,  “Cross over the river that flows past your house, and meet the fakir who you will find on the other side. Then go with him and do whatever he wishes you to do.”

Moses, obeying the command of the Lord, crossed the river, and soon found the fakir of whom he had been told. He was known as Hazrat Khizr.

 “The Lord told me to come to you and to obey your commands, whatever they might be,” Moses told the fakir.

“That is all very well,” replied the fakir. “But frankly speaking, I am not at all certain that you are worthy enough to receive the teaching the Lord wishes me to give you.”

Moses felt that this was not only untrue but also an insult. Nevertheless, he did not reply angrily.

“The Lord has ordered me to obey you, Hazrat Khizr,” he said, controlling his irritation. “Whatever you command, that I will do. I will not raise any objection.”

“Very well,” said Khizr. “Please do not object, then, to whatever I do.”

Khizr then started to walk along the bank of the river, followed by Moses, and before long they came to a place where some small boats were moored.

“Who owns this boat?” Khizr asked the local people pointing at a boat.

“A very rich man who lives in the city over there,” was the reply.

Khizr pointed to another boat and asked, “And this one?”

“Please do not touch that boat,” he was told. “It belongs to one of the most important men in our city.”

“Who is the owner of this one?” he said as he pointed to yet another.

“You can use that boat if you wish to.” the people said. “It belongs to some poor people who are of no importance.”

On hearing this, Hazrat turned the boat upside down, and stamped on it, with the result that some of its wooden planks were broken.

This seemed like outrageous conduct to Moses.

“Are you in your senses?” He burst out, in spite of himself. “Why should you break a boat, and that too the one belonging to the poor ones! It is indeed a cruel act. You should never have done such a thing.”

“Do you remember your promise?” Khizr asked him. “You told me that you would not object to anything I might do.”

Moses, controlling himself with great difficulty, apologised for his sudden outburst. “Please pardon me, Hazrat,” said Moses. “You are right. I should have said nothing.”

The two men then continued their walk along the river bank and after a mile or so they came to a village in which there was a deserted and half-ruined house. One wall was little more than rubble.

“We must repair this wall,” Khizr said. “I will go and get some water, and we can then mix it with earth and build up the wall.”

This was done, and when the wall was finished it was evening and both of them were tired and hungry. Since the house they had repaired was deserted, no one came to offer them anything to eat or drink, and as a consequence, they lay down to rest and sleep with empty stomachs.

“Hazrat, it was very foolish to repair the wall of a deserted house,” said Moses. “Nobody is going to benefit from this house. We could have chosen a dilapidated house where poor people stay. At least they would have benefitted from our effort. Also, then, they would have offered food and drink to us. But look at us now. We are tired and hungry, and there is no one here who will give us anything.”

The murmuring and complaining went on and on for some time. At last, Hazrat had to break his silence.

He said, “Did I not tell you that you cannot be patient with me?”

Moses became silent. But it was gradually becoming unbearable for him to put up with the seemingly stupid actions of Hazrat.

The journey continued.  On the way they found some boys playing with each other. Hazrat caught hold of one boy and hit him very hard. The boy died on the spot.

Moses could not believe what he saw. This was the limit of his patience. He yelled at Khizr in total disbelief, “What have you done! You have killed an innocent boy ruthlessly! Are you a demon in human form?”

Moses went on lamenting, “O Lord! Is this the holy man You want me to learn from? He is an embodiment of stupidity and cruelty! How can I obey and submit to such a devil? Where have You brought me, O Lord!”

“Leave me and go away,” said Khizr when he had finished. “It is quite evident that you are unfit to be in my company or to receive my teaching.”

This was absolutely agreeable to Moses, for he had seen no purpose whatever in the things that Khizr had done, and had learnt no lessons from them.

Moses decided to part ways.  After packing up, he came to meet Hazrat to bid farewell. He told Hazrat, “I have decided to leave you, Khizr,” he said, “but before I do so, I have a final question to ask you. Please tell me why you did these strange things.”

  “Listen,” said Khizr. “Here are my reasons for doing what I did. I broke the boat that belonged to the poor people because a king with a large army will soon pass through this region. He and his soldiers will take away all the boats except the broken one. The poor ones can easily repair it, and make a great deal of money ferrying the people across the river.

“The wall that we repaired was part of a house that belongs to two little orphan children, and inside the wall, there is hidden a treasure of jewels and gold. This treasure belonged to their righteous father who is no more. The Lord wanted to protect the treasure until these children grow up and become mature. When the children come of age, they will have the house and will find the treasure.

“The boy who was killed had all criminal tendencies latent in him. His parents are great devotees of the Lord. Had he been alive, he would have tortured his parents and would have created a hell of sufferings for the whole village. It was the will of the Lord to eliminate him for the welfare of all. Very soon the Lord is going to bless the devoted parents with a virtuous child.

“Whatever I have done, it was only according to the instruction of the supreme Lord. I do nothing on my own. He commands and I implement it without questioning. Who am I to go against His will? I do what pleases Him, not what pleases me. I am a mere instrument in His hands. Hence I am free from the fear of criticism and insult, guilt or remorse.”

 Khizr became silent.

Moses was filled with deep regret for having misunderstood Hazrat and for having abused such a holy man. With tear-filled eyes, Moses bowed before him in utter humility, and said, “Sir! In my ignorance, I misbehaved with you. I sincerely beg your forgiveness. I am truly grateful to you, for you have humbled the pride in me, and have taught me what true surrender is. Please bless me…”

The ignorant ones say, “Which God? Mine will be done!” The wise say “Thou Lord! Thy will be done!” The former suffer and repent. The latter relax and rejoice.

Let’s surrender. Only then can the omniscient Lord guide us and lead us out from this abode of illusion to the abode of Truth.

O   M         T   A   T         S   A   T

February 2020

The Lord is in our own heart. To deny Him is to deny ourselves. You may leave Him, but He will not leave you.  – Chinmaya

The above quote is something which devotees all over the world belonging to all religions have experienced time and again. The Lord does such ‘Leelas’ that even the hard-core atheists have transformed into His greatest devotees!

This is an incident narrated by a famous cardiac surgeon in Baroda, Dr Shailesh Mehta. Dr Shailesh Mehta is so famous, even to get an appointment with him, one has to wait for at least one month. He cuts at least 10 hearts physically everyday. He has got hundreds of doctors in Ahmedabad, Baroda and Rajkot. He is about 80 years old and he narrated an incident that changed him completely.

On 21^st of Dec, 2008,  a couple walked into his office with a small child of 6 years old girl. Junior doctors had made a report and the child’s heart had a problem. Being a senior doctor, he looked at the file for a moment and he could easily make out that the case was bad. The heart had been completely clogged with blood and nothing could be done about it.

He explained the situation to the parents, “I am very sorry. The situation is quite bad. We have only two options now. One is, to make the child undergo the operation immediately. It is already quite late. But I should warn you that the success rate is only 30%. That means, even if I operate the child, 70% chances are that the child may die on the operation table.”

“But,” continued the doctor with a grim pause, “ if you don’t make her undergo this operation, she will not survive beyond 3 months. It has come to that stage.”

 These words from the doctor were too much for the parents to bear. What could the parents do? They cried their hearts out. Controlling the emotions with great difficulty, the father of the girl said, “Sir, we will take the chance. Please do the operation immediately.”

 The child was admitted to the hospital. The date was fixed. Six days before the operation the child was admitted to a ward for preparatory tests. The mother stayed with the child.

Everyday, the mother would pray and make the child say prayers. She would put Vibhooti (sacred ash) on the child’s forehead and would encourage her to pray sincerely. She would say, “ My dear child! God is with you. There is nothing to worry about. Hold on to Him. His blessings can do wonders. Is there anything that God cannot do? You are safe in His hands…”

This prayer continued everyday. Looking at the cheerfulness of the mother and the child, it appeared that they were more confident of success than even the doctors themselves!!

Finally came the day when the operation was to be performed. All the doctors came to the operation theatre, made all arrangements and waited for Dr Shailesh Mehta, who came in the end, wearing his sterilized coat, cap, mask and gloves.

Everything was ready. Dr Mehta saw the 6 years old on the operation table, lying down. As the doctor looked at her innocent face, a disturbing thought passed by his mind, “Poor girl! Now she appears so cheerful and alive, but by the end of the surgery she may not even survive!”

He just patted on her back to encourage her and said, “ Don’t worry my dear! You will be alright!” The child looked at him and said, “ I am not worried, doctor. But I have a question to ask. May I?”

The doctor replied with a smile, “Sure dear one! what is that which bothers you?”

The child said, “Doctor, everybody is telling me I have to undergo open-heart surgery. Does it mean that you will open my heart completely?”

 The doctor laughed aloud and said encouragingly, “Don’t worry dear! You will never experience the pain. I will give you medicines for it. You will not even know that the operation is being performed. We all are with you. Don’t worry.”

The girl said with a smile, “ Sir, I am not worried. My question is not about pain also. I am confident that my Lord will take care of me. My question is, are you going to open my heart completely? Because my mother keeps telling me every day that God resides in the heart. When you open my heart kindly watch Him carefully; and then when I am all right, describe His nature to me. I want to know how He looks like!”

 The doctor did not know how to respond. He himself was more of a believer in Science than a believer in God. He was not a man who believed in prayers and miracles. Hence, after a moment’s silence, he said okay, just to cheer up the girl.

The operation started. Forty-five minutes passed by. Not even a drop of blood was coming into the heart. The heart-run machine was on, and slowly the pulse rate was coming down. The blood pressure also came down and the doctor knew it was the end of it. It was clear the child would not survive.

He told his junior doctor, “Sorry. We could not save the child. Let’s stitch everything and wind up.”

It was at this time that he remembered what the child had asked.

For Shailesh Mehta, the operation was nothing new. He had been doing this for the last 40-45 years. But those last words of the girl made the doctor extremely emotional. He could not control his tears.

He did something which he otherwise would have never done…

His hands, soaked in blood, folded in prayerful posture as he uttered these words, “God! All my knowledge, all my skills as a doctor have come to an end; and I know I cannot save this child. But the child, her mother and everybody believe that You are in the heart. If You are there, only You can save the child. It is beyond me now…”

Dr Shailesh Mehta was in tears – a rare sight which made other doctors wonder. They knew this doctor as a tough man, as a rational man, never as a man of prayers or tears.

Tears made him unable to see. Dr Mehta asked the nurse next to him to remove his spectacles. The nurse pulled out his spectacle and he wiped his tears. As he remained in silence with closed eyes for a few moments, not knowing what to do, he received a nudge from the doctor next to him, “Sir! Blood has started coming into the heart!”

It was one of the most unbelievable moments in Dr Mehta’s life!

At once the heart machine was switched on and the operation began which continued for the next 4 and a half hours. All the arteries of the heart were cleaned. At the end of the operation, Dr Mehta exclaimed with an unusual sense of fulfilment, “Operation is successful. This child will survive at least 60 years without any problem!”

The family was very happy. They thanked the doctor profusely from the depth of their hearts. Before departing the cheerful girl approached the doctor with great curiosity and asked, “Sir! Did you see God?”

The doctor, with tears trickling down, gave her a tender hug and said, “Dear one! He is not the One to be seen through naked eyes, but the One to be experienced in a humble heart! I could. You too can…”

This incident changed Dr Mehta. Every time he narrated this incident, he would cry bitterly like a child. He would say, “I have become cultured now, and it is this child who has made me cultured.”

Earlier he was so confident of his skills and knowledge. Now he has a picture of God in his operation theatre. Before every operation, he would go and stand before the photograph and would pray, “ I am a small man. With whatever little knowledge and skills I have, I can only try my best. But now I know. It is Your blessings that make all the difference. My humble prostrations to You…”

O   M         T   A   T         S   A   T