Chintana

May 2018

If you cannot do great things yourself, remember that you may do small things in a great way. – Chinmaya

All cannot do great things. To do great things we need great talents or abilities, power or position, influence or contacts, strength or intelligence. Only a very rare few are blessed with even one of these.

But all of us can do small things in a ‘great way.’

When even the most insignificant things are done with great love, care and attention, with a selfless attitude, as a worship of the Lord, then that way of doing things is called ‘great way.’

Bruhadeeshwara Temple is a Hindu temple dedicated to Shiva located in Thanjavur (Tamil Nadu). It is one of the largest South Indian temples and an exemplary evidence of the greatness of ancient Hindu architecture. Built by Raja Raja Chola I, the temple is a part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the major tourist attractions in South India. It stands today as a monument of the prowess as well as the devotion of Chola monarchs.

Raja Raja was a mighty emperor who ruled during 985 – 1014 AD. The whole South India and Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) were under his sway. He had a large fleet and the whole of modern Malaysia and Indonesia and parts of Burma were being ruled by him. Even at the heights of such power and glory, he held himself humble before the Lord.

The temple construction began by 1003 AD and was finished and consecrated by about 1009 AD. There is an interesting story connected with this temple.

Alagi was an old woman of the city, a very pious, meek and humble devotee of the Lord. She considered herself too low to receive any favour or blessings from the Lord. She loved all fellow beings with sincere warmth and affection. She considered all human beings as manifest forms of God on earth and so she never hesitated to perform little acts of service and help to men, particularly the saintly men.

She knew that the King was building a mighty temple to the Lord. Every day she would go to the temple site and watch the sculptors, masons, carpenters and engineers employed in the construction work. She envied their services and wanted to be of some help in their work. But on account of her old age, they could not employ her. Her devout mind was always seeking some way in which she could be useful in God’s work. Her love for her fellow beings showed her a way.

She had been visiting the construction site quite often and she noticed that the workers were feeling very thirsty and tired during the hot midday hour. She planned to help them at this hour. She took a few pots of buttermilk spiced with ginger, mustard, curry-leaves etc., went to the workers at their work spot and gave each enough cups of cool and refreshing buttermilk. This was very welcoming to them. They were thankful to her for her thoughtful service. The cool drink refreshed them and they were able to continue their work for their remaining part of the day without feeling exhausted.

She was doing this service for a long time. Finally, the finishing stage of construction work was reached. The vimana – a magnificent tower on the central shrine, 216 feet high – was nearing completion.

One day she approached the sculptors and said, “Brothers! I have a small request to make to you. Can you kindly comply with the request of this old woman?” She asked them. The sculptors and masons were all very grateful to her for the kindness she had been showing them for several years and so naturally they would willingly concede any request made by her. So their foreman said, “Grandma, you have only to say your wish. We shall all carry it out with pleasure.”

She said, “I have a large piece of granite stone in my courtyard. I have no use for it. I believe that it can easily serve as the coping stone for the central tower of the temple. You see, I also wish to serve the Lord. Can you bring that stone and use it for the coping? I shall then be satisfied.”

“We shall have it done this day,” said he. He went to her house with a band of workers, found the stone to be quite adequate for the purpose, brought it to the temple, chiselled it and in due time mounted it on the top of the tower.

The construction work was finally finished and the King’s priests fixed an auspicious day for the consecration of the temple. The King, as usual, inspected the work the day before and was feeling happy that the work of building such a majestic temple for Lord Shiva was after all over. He was naturally proud that he was chosen by God as the instrument for such great work. The temple had by then come to be known as the Great Temple.    

Finding everything in order, he gave the necessary last-minute instructions to his ministers for the consecration ceremony the next day and returned to his palace.

During the night, he had the vision of Lord Shiva (Bruhadeeshwara – the Great Lord) in his dream. The Lord said, “O King! I am happy to dwell in the shelter provided by the old woman Alagi in the Great Temple.”

King Raja Raja woke up. He could scarce believe his ears. The Great Lord dwelling in the shelter of the old woman? Had he not built the Great Temple? The conception of the temple, the whole plan, pooling of all resources – human and material, its execution and finish – it was all his and nobody else’s.  No old woman had any hand in it.

But the Lord Himself said so! So it must be true.

In all humility, the King went to the temple and tried to seek out an old woman who had some part to play in the building of the temple. But there seemed to be no such woman. He set his ministers to the task of finding the old woman, whoever she was.

After an elaborate enquiry, they learnt her story. Then they told him that Alagi, an old woman, used to go about among the workers distributing cool buttermilk to them during the hot hours of the day all the several years of the construction work.

At once the King realised that this little service of hers had pleased the Lord so much as to make Him say that she afforded Him shelter!

With folded hands, he sought her out in her little hut, brought her to the temple, honoured her before the public and only then proceeded with consecration ceremonies.

Alagi, humble as usual, bowed before the Lord for the recognition given to her humble and insignificant service and passed the remaining part of her days in the service of God and God’s servants.

People were wonderstruck when they realised how dear the Lord considered her little service. They celebrated her devotion with folklore and legend. The place where she has been living came to be known as the ‘Alagi Gardens’ and the small tank in front of the hut came to be known as ‘Alagi Tank.’ (The site which housed her hut in the 11^th century now houses the city municipal office in the 20^th century.)

When the Lord of our heart is pleased, then we have done our small things in a great way. The small squirrel with its humble service while building the bridge could win the love and affection of Lord Rama. Sudama won the heart of Lord Krishna with a mere pouch of beaten rice.

In Bhagavad Gita, the Lord says:

 पत्रं पुष्पं फलं तोयं यो मे भक्त्या प्रयच्छति । तदहं भक्त्युपहृतं अश्नामि प्रयतात्मन: ||
(I accept even a leaf, a flower, a fruit, or even mere water when it is offered with devotion.)

What touches the heart of the Lord is not what we do or how much we do, but the devotion with which we do. He is touched not by the mighty magnitude we venture, but the unassuming attitude we nurture.

Hence let us focus on ‘great ways,’ not on great things.

O   M         T   A   T         S   A   T

April 2018

Thoughts feed the desires. The desire vitalises each flimsy dream. In a short time, the consequent chaos creates a roaring inferno within. – Chinmaya

Beware of the thoughts; else the result would be chaos within and tragedies without.

In the Bhagavad Geeta, the Lord describes the ladder of fall:

ध्यायतो विषयान् पुंस: सङ्गस्तेषूपजायते । सङ्गात् सञ्जायते काम: कामात्क्रोधोऽभिजायते ||

क्रोधात्भवति सम्मोह: सम्मोहात् स्मृतिविभ्रम: । स्मृतिभ्रंशात्् बुद्धिनाश: बुद्धिनाशात् प्रणश्यति ||
(Thinking about the sense objects brings an attachment towards them. Attachment breeds desire and desire leads to frustration, which in turn leads to delusion. Delusion leads to loss of memory, and with it the power of discrimination is destroyed. In the absence of discrimination, the individual perishes.)

Shree Krishna Vilasa Kavyam authored by Sukumaran (Popularly known as Sukumara Kavi) is diademed as the Crest Jewel among the Sanskrit poems written in praise of Lord Krishna. The poet shot to fame, shining like the North Star in the literary horizon with his only work. But behind this composition, there is a tragic story.

Sukumaran was a wonderful child – obedient, intelligent, humble, virtuous and deeply devoted to his Guru. But his Guru was always harsh and rude towards him.

 The Guru was soft towards all other disciples and never scolded them. He was ever ready to explain again and again to them whereas in Sukumaran’s case lessons were taught only once. But then, Sukumaran was smart enough to grasp the lesson in that single explanation. But the teacher always appeared to be angry with Sukumaran. Even though depressed and deeply hurt, Sukumaran never compromised with his studies. By hard work, he acquired great knowledge in various subjects.

 Years went by. Though he had mastered everything, Sukumaran went on with his higher studies and the teacher too was not inclined to allow him to leave.

One day a grammar lesson was in full swing when Sukumaran raised a doubt. The teacher lost his temper. He began to cane Sukumaran. The pain was unbearable. When it began to bleed Sukumaran ran away from there. He felt deeply hurt and humiliated. “I cannot bear it anymore. Tonight I will take him on,” he decided.

When the negative emotions storm the mind, even the brightest of intellects is paralysed, and the greatest of sins appears justified.   

When the Guru was engaged in his evening prayers, Sukumaran sneaked into the attic with a big granite piece and seated himself on a beam straight above the teacher’s bed. “Let him sleep. I will drop this granite piece straight on his chest. He will die on the spot,” Sukumaran planned everything while hiding up in the attic.

When the teacher had finished his prayers, his wife asked him, “Shall I serve you dinner?”

“No, I am not well, I don’t feel like eating today,” he said in great distress.

The lady could deduce that her husband was unhappy. “What is wrong with you? Tell me,” she coaxed him.

The subsequent conversation between them went thus:

Teacher: “Today I canned Sukumaran harshly. I feel sorry for him. He always used to face my cane silently. But today he ran away from the class. Maybe I was too harsh. My heart is too heavy to eat or sleep.”

Wife: “I have been longing to ask you about Sukumaran. He is so good at studies and gentle in manners. I have not heard of any other boy as intelligent and disciplined as him. He is humble and obedient too. Yet you have been so cruel to him. Is it fair on your part to punish boys of his age?”

Teacher: “You are right! Do you know something? I love him more than our own son. I didn’t pamper him because I was afraid he will turn priggish. Sukumaran is the best student in this school. His mind is like gold. But I also see a few drawbacks in him. I scold him so that I can make him the best!
Wait and see, he will become a great scholar one day! The whole world will be at his feet! But I cannot pardon myself! I cannot even imagine the pain he would have gone through today! I will never punish him again.”

Hiding in the attic, Sukumaran overheard each and every word of the conversation. A deep sense of repentance swept over him. He started crying and when the Master was fast asleep he came down and went to his chamber. But he could not sleep even a wee bit that night.

Burning with guilt, Sukumaran went to his master early in the morning.

The teacher was overwhelmed with joy seeing his beloved student. He embraced him bestowing on him his wholehearted blessings. After a few moments of silence, the teacher spoke, “I was very cruel to you. I know you are hurt. But my dear child, please bear with this old man. I shall never hurt you again.”

Sukumaran pleaded with folded palms, “Sir, you may chide me again; cane me as much as you like. I will be only happy to face anything. I was hiding up in the attic with the evil intention of killing you. I was shocked when I realised that you have got the deepest affection for me. The very thought of killing the teacher is unpardonable. Now that I have sinned by thought and by deed, please lead me on to the right path of redemption.”

The teacher consoled him, “Repentance is the best form of redemption. You have repented from the bottom of your heart. I have pardoned you. What more do you want?”

But Sukumaran said firmly “No sir. That’s not enough. Unless I punish myself I will not have peace of mind.”

There was no way Sukumaran could be dissuaded. At last, the teacher relented in a broken choked voice, “If you are so keen, go to the Brahmana Sabha (the assembly of Brahmins) tomorrow and seek their opinion.”

At daybreak, Sukumaran had his bath. After the morning prayers, he went straight to the Brahmana Sabha. The assembly was in full session. He gave a genuine report of the previous day’s incidents.

“You will have to smoulder yourself to death in burning awn of paddy. This is the only way for your redemption,” the Brahmins passed their judgement.

Arrangements were made immediately. Sukumaran positioned himself neck-deep in a heap of awn, which was set fire at its base.

“However, I must compose a poem in praise of the Lord before shedding off my mortal coil,” decided Sukumaran and began to recite the verses that reflected in his mind as the flames were slowly spreading upwards. (These verses were noted down by his friends and later compiled into a great work, which became famous as Shree Krishna Vilasa Kavyam).

He had reached the 12^th chapter when the flames caught hold of his throat. In a few minutes, he was reduced to ashes.

Thus the voice of a genius was silenced forever. But his memories are alive even today and he will ever be known as the symbol of devotion to the teachers.

(Later the poet laureate Kalidasa made an attempt to complete the composition of Sukumaran. But as he was about to write, he heard an incorporeal voice forbidding him from his attempt, “Don’t try to join plantain fibre to the silk thread.”
The divine voice, comparing Sukumaran’s composition with silk and his own with fibre, put Kalidasa to shame.)

May the Almighty Lord give us the ability to detect and eliminate the negative thoughts before they turn into a roaring inferno.

O   M         T   A   T         S   A   T

March 2018

Life is as light as a feather to one who has renounced his over-exaggerated pride. – Chinmaya

Ego is an entity born out of Self-ignorance. Hence it can only make our life miserable.

Our ego deludes and misleads us, making a boulder of even ordinary situations in life.

The vision of life:

The mind of an egoistic man is like a lacerated wound oozing with pus and blood of negativities like anger, greed etc. When such an unhealthy mind makes contact with the outer world, the result is pain.

Mental wound (ego) + worldly contact = mental disturbance

An egoistic person, being an extrovert, is unaware of his sick mind. He sees only the gross worldly situations and thus blames the world for his misery. According to him, he is a “Perfect man in this imperfect world.”  Like the one who wears dark glasses sees everything dark, a person’s dark egoistic mind makes him believe that except him, nobody is right. Misguided by this ego, he becomes a self-coronated world teacher and his life becomes a mission in setting others right.

Definition of happiness:

An egoistic person is absolutely unaware of the higher joys of life – the joy of cooperation, of service, of forgiveness, of surrender, of devotion, of loving and sharing, of peace and tranquillity.

The joys the ego is aware of are: the joy of defeating, of being praised, of taking revenge, of sensuous indulgences, of belittling others, of gossip, of bossing over others etc. Ego’s definition of happiness is – “Boost the ego, and expand your joy.”

 Whole life the egoistic person beats his own drum of achievements in seeking happiness.

The end result? An egoistic man remains a beggar of happiness. A little praise – he is above the clouds; a little criticism – he is buried underground in sorrow! The key to his happiness is in everyone else’s pocket! Like a football, he is kicked hither and thither. Like a puppet, he is made to dance to others’ tunes. The balloon of his happiness is ever ready to burst at the slightest pin-pricks of life.

For an egoistic man, peace of mind is ever a distant dream.

 Way of Life:

An egoistic person always compares and competes. He compares himself with others around him – be it looks, possessions or positions. He always craves to be the first and the best in all fields. He expects his children to be super-humans excelling in sports, studies and all other extracurricular activities. This puts a lot of unnecessary pressure upon him.

If only he is aware of how much he suffers because of his ego! Wrapped up totally within the spicy encasement of egocentric delusions, soaked fully in the boiling oil of sky-high ambitions, his ego fries him like a ‘pakoda’ over the self-created fire of cut-throat competitions.

His attention is always on what he doesn’t have. Discontentment never leaves him. Gratitude never finds him. Surrendering to God is unknown to him. Not knowing that he is sitting in the Godly train, he burdens himself with the worldly luggage on his head, and vainly boasts himself to be a ‘self-made man.’

His ego doesn’t even allow him to accept old age with grace. Whether grey hairs or wrinkles – he is quick to hide it from public notice, thanks to beauty parlours and saloons. He feels insulted when he is addressed as ‘uncle’ and refuses help while climbing the staircase.  

During conversation:

An egoistic person is like the peak of a mountain; the water of knowledge hardly gathers there. He thinks he knows everything. Even if he becomes aware of his ignorance, his ego will not allow him to admit it in front of others.

Even the little knowledge that an egoistic person has is of no much use to him. There is much show of his erudition and scholarship. If the other person doesn’t agree with him, he turns the discussion into an argument.

He argues – not to know, but to win. He has no patience to listen to the viewpoint of others. Even when he pretends to listen, deep within he is preparing the counter-arguments to defeat his opponent.

Or, the conversation very soon zeroes down to his personal heroisms. He is so full of himself that he wants to talk only about himself. He will go on and on with his adventures and achievements. Many times he forgets that he has told the same stuff to the same person umpteen times!

He is so engrossed about himself that the expressions of boredom and restlessness on the face of the listeners are never even noticed by him. Many times the listener feels more like an unchained prisoner, though externally, out of social obligation, he pretends to be an interested learner!

Soon everyone avoids him and he finds himself suffocating and bored in the self-created prison of loneliness, thanks to his self exaggerated pride.

Decision making:

A wise person makes a decision in life by asking himself: “Do I need it? Will it be useful for me?”

On the other hand, an egoistic person is bothered only by one question: “What will others think of me?” His whole life as though is spent living in the fear of others.

Thus, despite his poor economic status, he lives in posh bungalows and roams around in luxurious imported cars. He takes great pride in attending all public functions with his wife on his side wearing diamond and platinum studded jewellery. His children study in prestigious International schools. He is very active on Facebook and Whatsapp, posting photos of his adventures and world-tours. With too much of pomp and show, his whole life is a non-stop attempt to declare to the whole world that he is successful, happy and prosperous.

There is a wise saying: “An egoistic person buys things which he doesn’t want, to impress people whom he doesn’t like, with the money which he doesn’t have”!!

Trying to feed his ever-bloating ego, he is stressed out wondering how to make both ends meet. Soon, he engages himself in all corrupt malpractices and immoral trades to make extra money, not knowing that through such unlawful ways, he is only jumping from the frying pan to burning fire.

He finds great pride in calling himself a part of the ‘elite, cream class of the society.’ He keeps regular contact with the influential and the famous, never forgetting to post the selfies with them in social media. The drink served in the late-night parties becomes the panacea for the day-long egoistic exhaustions.

With parties and drinks, worries and anxieties, diabetes and blood pressure, he looks like a man of sixty, though hardly he has crossed forty.  

In relationships:

An egoistic person has only one philosophy: “Either my way or hit the highway.”

He is a man of extremes. Others opine about him thus: “If he likes you, then he will lick and kill you; and if he hates you, then he will kick and kill you!”

Either way, for the other, death is sure!

He is adamant in his belief system. For him, he alone is right. Hence he forcefully implements it upon his near and dear ones. If they don’t accept his suggestions, then he takes it as an insult and will not even hesitate to break the relationship. He suffocates the life of all who depend upon him.

He is the last person to admit his mistakes and say, “I am sorry.” He will always have innumerable justifications lined up to prove that he was always right.

But when others make mistakes, he will never miss the opportunity to say, “See! I told you!”

If someone hurts him, he is quick to retaliate. ‘Tit for tat’ is his way of life. Revenge alone is the balm which heals his wounded pride. In the process, he creates false friends and true enemies around him waiting for their turn to retaliate.

About people, he is extremely biased. Only his sycophants find themselves in his inner circle. But his critics – even though they may be knowledgeable people or his well-wishers – are mercilessly shown the door. Thus his ego digs for him his grave of self-destruction.

The worst part of the whole story is: Despite that Infinite, Immortal Lord being right there in his heart as his own Self, his ego expels Him out and rules his heart, thus denying him the infinite joy of his own true nature.

What greater tragedy can there be in his life that, in spite of being rich, thanks to his ego, he lives and dies so poor!!

O   M         T   A   T         S   A   T

January 2018

The joy of living is clouded when the seeker has no dynamic goal or ideal. If there is a goal, then life gathers a sharpness, a glow of its own accord. – Chinmaya

The best in us can come out only when we have a noble goal. And very many times, we find our noble goal in the company of the enlightened masters.

January 23^rd happens to be the Samadhi day of Pujya Mataji Krishnabai of Anandashram. Krishnabai was born on 20^th September 1903 as the third child of Venkat Rao and Indirabai.  On the premature death of her husband in 1923, she was very angry with all the gods for having made her a widow. She tried to end her life by consuming heavy doses of opium, but soon her relatives came to know of it and she was brought back to life. She passed her days in intense bereavement, finding no direction or purpose in life. To give her some solace, her relatives took her to various saints.  

In 1928, she came in contact with Papa Ramdas of Anandashram, and in him, she found her Master, her goal, her God. From then on, her entire life was dedicated to the service of her Guru, her beloved Papa, who was all and beyond all. After the first eventful meeting, her spiritual progress was so fast, “like a rocket,” as Papa Ramdas would put it, that she reached the goal in a very short time – in just three years.

Mataji’s sadhana, as directed by Ramdas, was constant chanting of the holy Ram-naam. Her burning aspiration to realise God, the true nature of her beloved Papa, made her scorn all worldly enjoyments. She wanted nothing but God. She was literally God-mad. Nothing in the world would distract her attention. People teased her; some even tried to molest her. Thanks to the blazing purity of her heart – she came out unscathed from the fiery ordeals to which any ordinary individual would have succumbed.

On a Purnima day, listening to the inner call, she left behind all her belongings and came to the Ashram carrying only the clothes she wore at that time. Papa, who was observing a vow of silence, wrote on a slip of paper, “Mother, you have come to your home. This Ashram shall, in future, be your permanent place of residence.”

In the Ashram, before Papa got up early in the morning, Mataji would be up and would first do three pradakshinas of Papa and would place her head at his feet, praying to bless one and all in the universe with realisation. She would then attend to Papa’s needs such as arrangements for bath, breakfast, etc., and then she would go down to do her work in the kitchen. But her mind would always be on Papa.

Mataji would give Papa his bath as he found it difficult to bathe because of rheumatism. While pouring water on his head, her attitude would be that of a devotee performing abhisheka to the Lord.

In all matters, Papa’s word was final. By her behaviour, she taught other devotees also that Guru should be implicitly obeyed. She did not like anybody arguing with Papa on any subject. She would say, “Why do you argue? Do you know more than Papa? Be always humble and submit to what Papa says. That alone will do you good.”

When writing about Papa, if anyone wrote ‘Beloved Papa’ she would immediately correct, “That is not the way you should write. There must always be an adjective showing his attributes like ‘Infinite and All-Merciful Papa’ etc. You should never think of Papa as an individual or as the body. Keep always in mind that He is God Himself.”

Mataji was once asked, “Papa’s body, we know, is also subject to the law of nature and has to perish sooner or later. How can we say he is God?”

Mataji replied, “Papa is not merely this body. Though Infinite and Eternal, Papa is in this body, works through this body which is purified and made divine. You must worship this body also as God Himself, because it is through this body you are initiated, guided, helped and blessed.”

While serving Papa, Mataji would wash her hands several times and ask others to do the same. If it was making Papa’s bed, one had to wash the hands before touching the bed. Then the sheets were removed, mattress lifted to a bench and the cot dusted and wiped with a clean towel, which was then put aside. The hands would have to be washed again before touching the bed.

Mataji would explain, “Any service you do to beloved Papa must be perfect in all respects and everything must be scrupulously clean. You should never be half-hearted or careless or shabby while serving Papa. Hence you should maintain the highest standard of cleanliness, purity and devotion in whatever you do, so that every act of yours becomes a worship of beloved Papa.”

Mataji would observe from a distance the visitor-devotees or inmates of the Ashram and lament, “Look at these devotees! They remove their chappals with their hands and immediately come inside. They touch Papa with their dirty hands. Papa, of course, does not mind these things. In fact, His mind is not on these things at all, except, sometimes, when He expresses jokingly how devotees massaging His legs would blow out their noses with their hands and continue their massage without washing their hands and Papa would laugh. Beloved Papa sees only their devotion, but I am not that kind of a person. I cannot stand such dirty habits.”

Mataji wanted to do all the seva of Papa herself. But when some devotees requested her to permit them to do seva, she would agree as she was anxious that they should also get the benefit of serving Papa and thus gradually many devotees started doing various types of services to Papa such as preparing food, massaging, washing his clothes etc.

Mataji herself did not think anything impossible, at least in her willingness to be of the utmost service to Papa in various ways. When she found that Papa did not have a good secretary, she decided even to learn English, and even to learn typewriting to serve Papa!

In September 1961, Papa had some trouble with the liver, and the doctors suspected that it was malignant. On hearing this, Mataji then and there decided to start a 11-Crore Naama Japa Yajna, praying to beloved Papa himself for his good health. Luckily, the disease was not serious and Papa’s health improved and the pain in the liver became considerably less.

On July 25, 1963, at around 7 pm, when Papa attained Mahasamadhi, Mataji sat beside the body the whole night massaging his feet, refusing to eat, drink or sleep. She was seen frequently weeping unable to control herself. When asked why she should weep so much when she had realised that she and Papa were one and that Papa, being Eternal, had not gone anywhere, Mataji would reply in a choked voice, “I and Papa are one. Yet he had a separate form and I am missing that form. Though all are Papa’s forms, the particular form whose company I had all these years is lost to the sight. When can we see another such form?”

On another occasion, Mataji remarked, “I am weeping only because nobody amongst you took advantage of Papa’s presence all those years. How unfortunate! Everybody took things easy; nobody took things seriously. Now that Papa has left, who will light up the path for you as he did?”

After the Mahasamadhi of Papa, Mataji made it a daily feature to have beloved Papa’s book read by someone in Papa’s room and in the bhajans hall. She also made the group sitting in her room chant Ram-naam, and this became a daily routine. When devotees asked her any question, she would reply, always adding that she was just passing on to them what had been taught by beloved Papa.

Mataji was allergic to praise. When praised, she would feel extremely uncomfortable and would try to avoid that person. Once she was heard saying painfully, “When you all praise me, I feel as if many pins are pricking me.”

Pujya Mataji was very happy to possess nothing. So whatever extra things she received over and above her minimum necessities, she would give away immediately. Twice she gave away even half of her sari she wore to two women who were badly in need of them.

Papa casually remarked laughing, “Krishnabai, you are giving away everything. One day, you may give away Ramdas also!” He laughed again and again. Mataji did not speak a word then. But after Papa’s Mahasamadhi, when Mataji was giving the holy ashes to the devotees in small packets, she remembered what Papa had remarked some years earlier in jest.

Mataji did not like the word ‘charity’. She used to say, “If you call it charity, it has a tinge of superiority complex in it, that is, you look upon the recipient as someone below your status as if you are doing a great favour in giving anything to him. That attitude should not be there. You must give to the other person as an ‘offering’ to Beloved Papa and pray to him to accept it. Then it becomes real worship.”

Many times people came to her for money narrating false stories of family tragedies. When she was informed of how she was fooled and cheated, she would laugh and say, “Beloved Papa! What all types of people you bring here!” She would forget the matter altogether without the slightest hatred or regret.

Someone asked, “Mataji! Please tell us how you could progress so fast in spirituality. She replied, “It was all because of Papa’s grace and blessings.”

When again asked, “So many have been striving for God realisation. How is that Papa showered His grace only on you?”

Mataji’s answer was, “Beloved Papa asked me to chant Ram-naam constantly. I did exactly what He told me; rather He made me do exactly as I was told. I only felt that I should obey implicitly whatever he said. I never argued with Him, but implicitly obeyed Him. That might have been the reason He took me into His Eternal Swaroop so soon.”

Again Mataji was asked, “Why are we not progressing then?”

Mataji would say,” You should know the reason yourself. Do you feel that you want Beloved Papa and nothing but Him? Have you started loving Beloved Papa as your own? To get the realisation of Beloved Papa’s Eternal Swaroop is not so easy. It requires the highest type of internal renunciation. You people still cling on to the narrow family circle and consider that the family alone is yours. Unless you expand your vision and mentally accept everybody as yours, how can you be entitled to get that grand universal vision? Beloved Papa will surely give you that vision if you fulfil this condition.”

O   M         T   A   T         S   A   T

December 2017

Infinite is our nature. We have to realise this, and we will find ourselves at our journey’s end. – Chinmaya

Infinite is our nature. What is the proof?
The very fact that we crave for everything infinite only proves that Infinite alone is our nature.

We crave for infinite happiness, infinite love, infinite power, infinite fame, infinite knowledge, infinite freedom, infinite existence etc. We crave for it because it is our nature; which implies that as long as we don’t get it we will never be satisfied.

Hence in Chandogya Upanishad, the Guru Sanatkumara tells his disciple Narada:

यो वै भूमा तत्सुखं नाल्पे सुखमस्ति भूमैव सुखम् |
(That which is Infinite alone is happiness. There is no happiness in anything finite. The Infinite alone is happiness.)

The search for this Infinite is life. This search continues life after life, endlessly. The moment we get it, the beginningless journey is over.

But if Infinite is our nature, why don’t we experience it?
What we experience depends on where our identification is. We experience the properties of the objects we identify with. For example, when we identify with a winning team, we are elated. When we identify with our unhealthy body, we are dejected. When we identify with our brilliant intellect, we are elated. When we identify with our wealthy influential famous relative, we are elated. When we identify with our poor economic status, we are dejected.
In short, our experience doesn’t depend upon what we are, but with what we are identified with.

Now this answers the above question. We don’t experience the Infinite not because we are not the Infinite, but because our identification is with the finite, namely the body-mind-intellect. End the identification, end the sorrow – so say the scriptures.

Why do a majority of us fail in this search for the Infinite?

The Bhagavad Gita says:

यतन्तो योगिनश्चैनं पश्यन्त्यात्मन्यवस्थितम् । यतन्तोऽप्यकृतात्मान: नैनं पश्यन्त्यचेतस: ||
(The wise ones putting forth the right effort sees the Truth as their own Self, while the impure and the unintelligent ones never see, despite all their efforts.)

The reasons for failures can be many:

1. Searching in the wrong direction;  2. Searching with wrong understanding;   3. Searching with wrong purpose;  4. Searching with the wrong attitude;   5. Searching with insufficient effort.

1. Searching in the wrong direction:

The right direction is given by the scriptures like the Vedas, the Upanishads, and the Bhagavad Gita. They unanimously declare that the Truth has to be found within in one’s own heart, as one’s own Self. The attention has to be drawn inward. The truth is none other than the ‘I’ in us. Hence enquiry must be conducted into our true nature.

Modern scientists are also the seekers of Truth, no doubt. They also have these questions, “Where the Universe has come from, what is life” etc. But alas! They don’t have the faith, reverence or regard for the scriptures. Not being guided by the scriptures, they have taken a totally opposite wrong direction – the way outwards.

The end result? Only utter confusion. The Uncertainty Principle of Heisenberg which was formulated and stated in 1927 holds good even today. Whether ‘telescoping’ outside the vast space or ‘microscoping’ into the minutest of atoms, the results remain the same – more questions and even more confusions! – that too at the expense of millions and billions of dollars!!

The Kathopanishad says: 

अविद्यायामन्तरे वर्तमाना: स्वयं धीरा: पण्डितं मन्यमाना:| दंद्रम्यमाणा: परियन्ति मूढा: अन्धेनैव नीयमाना यथान्धा: ||
(Though ignorant, but considering themselves to be wise, such fools grope in the darkness of ignorance. Themselves blind, they lead and guide the other blind ones!)

On the other hand, when Ramakrishna Paramahamsa, an illiterate, half-clad, poor man in some remote village was approached by Narendra (Swami Vivekananda) asking whether he had seen God, the answer was in no uncertain terms, “I see God clearer than I see you!!”

Where have these scientists and the modern rationalist-atheists gone wrong?  Vedanta says, the biggest mistake they have committed is that they deal with only the observed phenomena, totally disregarding the Observer of the phenomena. Without taking the Observer into account, none can reach the Truth because, say the Vedas, Observer alone exists. The observed world has no existence other than the existence of the observer, just like the dream world has no existence other than the observer of the dream.

2. Searching with wrong understanding:

Majority of us have no clarity in life as to what we are searching for.

For example, a superficial analysis of our life’s experiences indicates that whenever our desires are fulfilled, we become happy. Therefore, according to this logic, if we want more happiness, then we must try to fulfil more of our desires.

 The Upanishad says this conclusion is wrong. Finite efforts can give only finite results, and therefore finite happiness.

Finite + finite + finite +….. = Finite alone.

Any amount of wealth, pleasures, fame, possessions and positions are going to be finite. Hence our dissatisfaction will continue, for, what we crave is for the Infinite.

The Upanishad says:

न कर्मणा न प्रजया धनेन त्यागेनैके अमृतत्त्वमानशु: |
(Neither by action, nor by progeny nor by wealth is Immortality gained; instead, it is gained only by the renunciation of the wrong notion about oneself.)

3. Searching with the wrong purpose:

Some people study the scriptures, but with the wrong purpose. They have chosen the scriptural study, not for liberation but to gain some PhD degree from some University.

According to them, “Shankara says this, and Madhava says that. Vedas say this, and Puranas say that. Jainas say this and Buddhists say that.  Hence Vedantic philosophy is also one among many schools of thought, an opinion of some great philosophers!”

Let us make it clear to ourselves. Just like “Fire is hot” is not an opinion but a reality, in the same way, Vedanta is Reality – not a philosophy, an opinion, or a school of thought.

When the study is taken up in this way passively with a purely academic interest, without any importance given to living the life mentioned in the scriptures, then such a study will never benefit us. It can at the most give us a profession with a greater pay scale. There are very many professors in famous universities who have mastered the scriptures, who can quote the Vedas and the Upanishads, but are without even an iota of the experience of the immortal blissful infinite Self. Like the donkeys, they carry the burden of the scriptures but are nowhere benefitted by it!

4. Searching with the wrong attitude:

Many a time our sadhana itself becomes an obstacle. We become so proud of our spiritual disciplines that we tend to develop a “holier than thou” attitude.

Our sadhana should, on the other hand, make us more humble and down-to-earth. The Scriptures insist that the spiritual practice must be undertaken with the attitude of surrender, humility, gratitude and devotion unto the Lord.

5. Searching with insufficient effort:

Greater the goal, greater is the effort demanded from us. We must allocate sufficient time for prayer and meditation, study and contemplation if we desire to reap the rich rewards of peace and happiness, joy and contentment.

When we study the scriptures, we gain clarity in thinking. When clarity comes, we value the goal. When we value the goal, we have time for it and we work hard for it. Only then do we get it.

O   M         T   A   T         S   A   T

November 2017

Every individual has the right to walk the spiritual path. – Chinmaya

According to the above quote, if all have the right to practise spirituality, then why in scriptures it is said that a Brahmana alone has the right to practise spirituality?

To answer this question, a detailed analysis of the caste system becomes unavoidable.

According to the scriptures, human beings are divided into four castes: Brahmana, Kshatriya, Vaishya and Shudra. These divisions are made based on 1.Guna   2.Karma   and 3.Jaati

1. Based on Jaati:
Jaati means birth. So if a person is born in a Brahmana community, he is called Jaati-Brahmana; another person is Jaati-Shudra because of being born in a Shudra family.

Now, who is superior among the four Jaatis?

The scriptures say that by birth, none is superior. Just because a person is born in a particular family/caste, he doesn’t become superior/inferior. Hence by Jaati/birth, all are equal.

2. Based on Karma:
Karma means profession. Based on one’s profession four divisions can be made.

a) Karma-Brahmana:

They are the intellectual class in the society. They have a sharp intellect and therefore they have been blessed with the ability to think deep in a particular subject. They become the think-tanks in any organisation. The philosophers, the research scholars, the teachers, the scientists, the engineers, the doctors, the lawyers – all belong to this category.

b) Karma-Kshatriya:

They are good organisers. They are able to inspire people for the chosen task. They have a charismatic personality and great leadership qualities. They are successful as politicians, as executives, as army officers and so on.

c) Karma-Vaishya:

They are the people who are very good at finance. They are good fund-generators. Handling money is in their blood. They convert the bankrupt organisations into profit-making ones. They know when and where to invest. They become successful businessmen.

d) Karma-Shudra:

They are the people who have neither the deep-thinking ability, nor the leadership quality, nor the profit-making capacity. But they are blessed with a strong physical body. Hence they form the worker-class serving the above three through their physical labour in farming, construction work and other such services.

Now, who among them is superior?
The scriptures say that none is superior. All are equal. All four are necessary for the smooth functioning of any system – be it a family, a community, an organisation, or even a nation. We need people who can think deeply and plan the project; we need people who can execute the well-thought-out plans; we need people who can provide monetary help for project-execution, and we also need people who can physically toil at the worksite to transform the plan on the paper into a solid physical reality. Among the four, even if one section of the society becomes unavailable, the whole project will fail to materialise.

Hence all four categories of people are equally important in any society.

3) Based on Guna:
In scriptures, three gunas are mentioned: Sattva, Rajas and Tamas.

Sattva stands for peace/purity, Rajas stands for activity and Tamas stands for inactivity.

Based on the gunas, the classifications are as follows:

a) Guna-Brahmana:

Their personality can be represented as S>R>T. That is, they are the people who have maximum Sattva and minimum Tamas. Hence they are pure, selfless, loving, compassionate, cooperative, humble and virtuous. They have a peaceful and cheerful mind. They have the right understanding of life.

b) Guna-Kshatriya:

Their personality make-up is R>S>T. In them, Rajas dominates, and next comes Sattva. They are highly active and restless. But since Sattva backs Rajas, they are selflessly active. They work hard for the welfare of all.

c) Guna-Vaishya:

They have the personality in this order: R>T>S. Rajas makes them highly active. But since Tamas backs Rajas, they are selfishly active. The only question they ask before any work is “What will I get?” They work hard for name, fame, power, position and everything else that helps them boost their ego.

d) Guna-Shudra:

Their personality can be described as: T>R>S. Since Tamas is predominant in them, their first preference is always to sleep or idle away the time. Lethargy, carelessness, laziness, forgetfulness, inadvertence etc. can be found in them in abundance. Unless the boss is behind, they hardly work. They work only in choiceless conditions and only for meeting the basic necessities of life. They are the dull and stupid ones in the society who, because of their wrong understanding of life, harm others and in the process harm themselves too.

Now, who among these four is superior?
No doubt Guna-Brahmana alone is superior. A Guna-Brahmana has a Sattvic, pure mind – an instrument which is necessary to realise God. Hence he is next only to God and therefore the most worshipful among all the four.

A person may be a Jaati-Brahmana but a Guna-Shudra. Another one may be a Jaati-Shudra but a Guna-Brahmana. An IAS officer who is corrupt is a Karma-Brahmana, but a Guna-Vyshya. A corrupt politician is a Karma-Kshatriya, but a Guna-Shudra. A lazy poojari (priest) in the temple is a Karma-Brahmana and Jaati-Brahmana but a Guna-Shudra.

The scriptures don’t ask us to change our Jaati or Karma. We need not change our caste or profession. But everyone must strive to become Guna-Brahmanas.

Shabari and Sant Chokhamela were Jaati-Shudras. Purandaradas and Tukaram were Jaati-Vaishyas. Ambareesh, Meera Bai and Arjuna were Jaati-Kshatriyas. But all of them, through their single-pointed devotion for God became Guna-Brahmanas.

Everyone has the choice to become Guna-Brahmana, irrespective of their caste, creed, nationality, religion, gender or profession.

Everyone has the right to walk the spiritual path. But not all are eligible to walk the spiritual path. To become eligible, one should become a Guna-Brahmana – a pure-hearted one.

May we make ourselves eligible to walk the path of spirituality by becoming Guna-Brahmanas – the pure-hearted ones – and thus be a Brahmana in the true sense of the word mentioned in the scriptures.

O   M         T   A   T         S   A   T

October 2017

To the student of Vedanta, the Guru is the embodiment of his goal. – Chinmaya

How should one look upon one’s Guru?

Bhagavan Shankaracharya starts His literary classic Vivekachoodamani by prostrating to His Guru and describing him thus:

सर्ववेदान्तसिद्धान्तगोचरं तमगोचरम् । गोविन्दं परमानन्दं सद्गुरुं प्रणतोऽस्म्यहम् ||
(My prostrations to my Guru – Govinda Bhagavadpadacharya – who is not the externally perceived body, but who is none other than Lord Himself, the ultimate Truth, the supreme Self, the very subject matter of Vedantic scriptures.)

In Guru, the disciple sees the words of the scriptures coming alive. Through his Guru, he comes to realise that the goal pointed out in the scriptures is not a mere idealistic state, but it is something which can be lived and experienced. Hence the company of a living master becomes a great inspiration for the spiritual seekers.

After taking Sannyasa deeksha from Swami Shivanandji Maharaj, the intense desire to learn the scriptures from a competent teacher took Swami Chinmayananda to Swami Tapovan Maharaj – a great Tapasvi, an erudite scholar and a famous mahatma of his times.

Very few seekers could remain with Swami Tapovanam as he was a strict disciplinarian and an embodiment of austerity. During the winter season, he would stay in Uttarkashi, and in the summer season, he would pack up his begging bowl and one set of cloth and climb higher to Gangotri to avoid the flood of pilgrims.

Gangotri was totally removed from the comforts of civilisation. Nutritious food, warm clothing, adequate shelter etc. were unavailable there. One attached to worldly pleasures could never remain there for long. The glory of the place was that it could render the mind naturally peaceful. The place was well suited for contemplation and meditation. Therefore Chinmaya braved the difficulties without complaint as he had an intense desire to study and understand the philosophy of Vedanta.

Each morning the students began the day with a bath in the icy waters of the Ganga, a feat that caused excruciating pain to the human body, but woke it up for the morning class at 6.00 a.m. like no other exercise could. The students then assembled in front of the cedar hut of Swami Tapovanam. The class began with a prayer chanted in unison by the teacher and the students to attune themselves to the omniscient God Principle and to invoke the best effort from both the teacher and the taught.

The first text taken was Panchadashi. This lengthy text gave Chinmaya clear understanding of the fundamentals of the scriptures as well as the Sanskrit terms used in scriptures. Swami Tapovanam would read out one verse of the text, then give the equivalent meaning in Hindi. Word by word, he explained the Sanskrit, giving the rules of grammar and the meaning as well as possible misinterpretations of the meaning. He would follow with commentary and often an example to illustrate the meaning. As the Guru spoke in Hindi, Chinmaya would meticulously translate in English because he wanted all his notes to be in a language familiar to him. While other students did not dare to question the Guru, Chinmaya would put so many questions to Swami Tapovanam. He would not willingly move on to the next topic until every doubt on the present subject was removed by the teacher.

There was no electricity for reading and no talking was allowed among the students. According to Swami Tapovanam, talking was a waste of time and that no one had any time to waste in the great pilgrimage to the Divine Goal. With the exception of the class time, if the students ever approached him while he was sitting on the veranda of his hut, he would chide them: “What are you doing hanging around here? Don’t waste a minute. You go, do your own reflection. It’s all in you.”

With the setting sun, Chinmaya would retire to his humble shelter – an old cow shed, walled in only the north side to hold back the drifting snows in the winter. The straw-thatched roof was so low that Chinmaya had to stoop over when inside. He would spend long, cool nights contemplating upon the words of his Guru, meditating on the truth revealed. In this manner he would pass his days, delving deeper and deeper into the Truth hidden within oneself.

As the cold winter winds would begin to blow, around October in those altitudes, the group would undertake the journey back down to Uttarkashi. Only Chinmaya would accompany Swami Tapovanam on the return trip as the other students would go to another pilgrimage site en route. As the Guru and student stopped in the shelters along the route, the student would cook the food and serve his teacher. Following the course of the Ganga, as she slips through the mountain valleys, they would walk along conversing in their native language, Malayalam.

Swami Tapovanam was such a pure soul that he saw God in everything. Along the way, he would stop and point out the majestic scenery. “Look at those clouds, Chinmaya! So beautiful is all of nature. How can anyone not believe the grace and beauty of the Lord when they see His form manifested in this wonderful world of nature?”
Try as he might, Chinmaya could not see what it was that Swami Tapovanam was seeing in those clouds.

Chinmaya later wrote about those blissful days with his teacher:

“When we used to move back and forth from Uttarkashi to Gangotri, Swamiji would stop abruptly in the trail, alert and thrilled, tense and silent. I watched him: now lost in wonder at the snow peaks, now aghast at the thundering laughter of the Ganga in her panting speed. Even a long-tailed tiny bird fluttering across the path was sufficient to tickle Swamiji into a visible rapture. At these times he would stand still, bathed in a vivid glow of joy, whispering silently his homage to the Creator.

“In the early years of my study, he had once stopped en route to point out a spot in the distant sky where the golden colour had suddenly changed in a mighty stroke of an inscrutable artistic inspiration into a blue splash! On another occasion, he cried out to me, ‘Why can’t the man see the Divinity behind the ecstatic Artist who has painted this inspired beauty?’

“I could fill up a big volume with the instances when he took such effort to point out to me the scenes from the divine play of the Creator – a crab returning to its hide-out or a spider weaving its web under our feet, leaves dancing in the passing breeze while embracing an open flower bud, the mighty pines secretly whispering and nodding to each other in an eloquent rhythm, the majestic peaks of snow-capped mountains divinely glistening above the lower hills, here an insignificant bull, there an uninviting herd of tired sheep, elsewhere an ugly rustic singing a disgusting tune with a joyous abandon – at a thousand such instances he rejoiced and laboured to direct my attention to SEE.

“But Alas! Immature, unpoetic and intellectually sophisticated as I considered myself to be then, in all these instances I must have sadly disappointed him in all my blindness.

“But I sensed what he felt, for I felt the warmth of his ardour, the thrill of his ecstasy, the serenity of his mad joy. I often watched his breathless expectancy, his trembling lips and his eyes welling with tears, as he stood dissolved in a visible divine harmony with nature. At such inspired moments, an unearthly tranquillity used to descend around him in which I have vividly basked many a time.”

These are the rare moments when the seeker craves from the depth of his heart, “If only I could see what my Guru is seeing! When will the day come when I start experiencing what my Guru is experiencing! O Lord, please bless me, that I also may become what my Guru has become!!”

This is the greatest blessing from a teacher – that through his life divine, he kindles a desire in us to experience the Truth Divine.

And the law of life is – we must get what we intensely desire.

O   M         T   A   T         S   A   T

September 2017

If we can allow an uninterrupted and faithful flow of His will, He shall ever keep us in His hands and never leave us even for a moment. – Chinmaya

The above quote is the experience of all devotees of all religions across the world. He takes care of the ones who surrender unto Him.

This incident is from the life of Swami Ramdas who was a well-known saint from Kanhangad (Northern Kerala). He laid great emphasis on chanting the name of the Lord. His Ishta devata was Shree Ram and he saw Ram everywhere and in everyone.

While he was leading a life of a wandering monk, he happened to stay in a room in Mangalore for some time provided by the devotees. An interesting incident happened here.

At around ten o’clock in the night on a rainy day, a strange-looking individual entered his room. Clothed in rags and his hair dishevelled, he had with him a small bundle suspended on a rough palm stick. He looked like a mentally derailed person. He came in and sat near Ramdas.

“May I rest here tonight?” he asked. Ramdas said he was most welcome. For Ramdas, all were none other than Lord Ram Himself. The stranger sat on the mat and opened his bundle which contained a bizarre assortment of small bits of cloth in varied colours. Taking out the rags he scattered them on the ground. Then looking at Ramdas he gave a merry laugh.

 Ramdas thought to himself, “O Lord! You come in wonderful disguises!”

After a while, the stranger gathering up the scraps remade the bundle. Next, approaching Ramdas, he started loudly singing some devotional songs in Kannada. Then looking at the cloth worn by Ramdas, he abruptly stopped his music and asked, “You see, my clothes are old and worn out. Would you not part with one you are using, for me?”

Ramdas at once divested himself of the cloth and handed it over to him. The visitor carefully folded it and laid it beside him.

In an imperious voice, he spoke next, “Now let us sleep. Reduce the light. Mind you, don’t put it out.” Obediently Ramdas carried out his bidding. He laid down himself pretending to sleep, and Ramdas followed suit. Five minutes had not elapsed when he sprang into a sitting posture calling on Ramdas to do the same. Ramdas yielded. The light was made brighter.
“I have yet to demand something more,” he said.
“Everything in this room,” Ramdas replied, “is Lord Ram’s property, and since you are He, you have a right to it. You may freely ask and take.”
Meanwhile, Ramdas had covered himself with the other spare cloth.
“I need also the cloth you have just put on,” and he stretched forth his hand. Without a word, Ramdas surrendered up the second cloth.

Some minutes passed and he said, “I have a need for a water pot. If you have no objection, you may give the one over there,” pointing to the vessel in the corner of the room. Emptying the pot of its water, Ramdas passed it on to him. Then he asked for the mat, the deerskin, the lantern, the umbrella, the spare langoti (loin-cloth), one after the other, at almost regular intervals. Everything was given to hi

Whenever Ramdas gave away things to this stranger, he did so in a spirit of delightful spontaneity. With a rising emotion, he addressed the visitor, “O Lord! Thy tests are wonderful. Everything is Thine and Thine alone.”

At this, the visitor broke out into his usual offhand laughter. He demanded also a few religious books which were in the room. All articles were tied up in a cloth and formed a pretty big bundle.

Later he said with a note of warning in his voice, “Look here. You have given me many valuable articles. It is possible that when I am gone with them, you might regret your folly. What say you?”

“No, not at all,” quickly responded Ramdas. “Since you are taking away your own things, Ramdas has no cause for regret.”

The room was now almost empty. Being monsoon, it began to rain heavily. The night had advanced and it was about 3 a.m. Ramdas had nothing on except the loincloth.

“Yet one thing more,” the stranger said.

“You may demand anything,” replied Ramdas. “Ramdas has dedicated his entire life to thee.”

“Pass me the kaupeen (loincloth) you are wearing,” he asked calmly.

It was beyond any doubt for Ramdas that God Himself was here to test him. Ramdas with perfect nonchalance born of complete surrender loosened the kaupeen from his otherwise naked body to offer it to him. But before Ramdas had removed it outright, the stranger stopped him with his hand saying, “No, no, you may retain it. I need it not.” He then eagerly asked, “Can you follow me?”

Ramdas lost no time in replying, “By all means.”

“Not now. Some other time,” he said and prepared to start.

It was now raining in torrents. In one hand he held the lantern and in the other the umbrella, and the palm pole flung across his shoulder with the bundle suspended on it, at his back.

Standing on the landing steps he flashed a parting shot. “What do you think of me? I am not mad. I am not,” he said with great emphasis.

“You are He, you are He…” gasped out Ramdas, his throat fully choked with emotion.

The stranger descended the steps and walked away.

Ramdas returned to the room and the moment he sat down on the floor, he was lost in a deep trance.

It was broad daylight when he recovered from the trance. He beheld quite a crowd swarming at his door. The news had been conveyed to them by the servant who was bringing for Ramdas his morning milk and fruit. They assumed that a thief must have absconded with all the missing articles from the room. They inquired of him how it all happened.

Ramdas only replied, “Lord Ram provides through one form and takes away through another.”

 This brief and enigmatic explanation did not, of course, satisfy them. So he had to give out a detailed account of the incident of the previous night. All listened to the story with breathless interest. One of them suggested that the rogue should be hunted down and captured.

“For what fault of his?” asked Ramdas. “He has taken only his own things. “There is no law on earth,” added he, “that can punish him for it. He is not a rogue. He is Lord Himself.”

An irrepressible smile lit up the faces of all who heard him. They seemed to have understood him and quietly dispersed. Before noon the same day, the devotees with all kindness and love furnished the room afresh, so that it looked again as if nothing had been removed from it.

It is the Lord’s promise:   न मे भक्त: प्रणश्यति | (My devotees shall never perish.)

If we have not experienced the loving care of the Lord, if, during trials and tribulations, our faiths crumble and we grumble “Why Me?”, then let us take an honest look at ourselves – the depth of our devotion, the sincerity of our surrender, and the intensity of our faith. With a half-hearted approach to spirituality, we have only ourselves to blame.

Millions throng the temples, the mosques, the churches and the gurudwaras all over the world. This itself is the proof that generation after generation, people have experienced His grace, His guidance, His protection, His consolation and His peace.

Why not make Him the first priority, than seek Him as the last resort?  

O   M         T   A   T         S   A   T

August 2017

Self Realisation is the experience of love in its absolute nature. Realise thy Self. – Chinmaya

Whom do we love the most?

We love ourselves the most. This is an undeniable truth.

Brhadaaranyaka Upanishad says:

आत्मनस्तु कामाय सर्वं प्रियं भवति | (Everything is dear for one’s own sake.)

But based on our understanding of who we are, love can be classified under two types.

If we mistake ourselves to be the BMI (body-mind-intellect), then the love we have for others is called relative/selfish/conditional love.

If we know ourselves to be the supreme Self, then the love that manifests in our heart is called absolute/selfless/unconditional love.

Relative love: It is nothing but selfish love. I get, therefore I love. No gain, no love. It is of the nature of ‘love because of’. For example, because the other person is rich/influential/beautiful/useful, there is love. This being the love among relatives in most cases, it is rightly termed as ‘relative’ love!

A family in Kerala was puzzled when the coffin of their dead mother (Ammachi) arrived from the US. It was sent by one of the daughters.

The dead body was very tightly squeezed inside the coffin, with no space left in it. When they opened the lid, they found a letter on top addressed to her brothers and sisters:

“Dear Kunjumon, George kutty, Alice and Kunjumol,
I am sending Ammachi’s body to you, since it was her wish that she should be cremated in the compound of our ancestral home in Kerala. Sorry, I could not come along as all of my paid leave is consumed.

You will find inside the coffin, under Ammachi’s body, cans of cheese, 10 packets of chocolates and 8 packets of badam. Please divide these among all of you. On Ammachi’s feet, you will find a new pair of Reebok shoes (size 10) for George Kutty. There are also 2 pairs of shoes for Anumol’s and Alice’s sons. Hope the sizes are correct. Ammachi is wearing 6 American T-Shirts. The large size is for Kunjumon. Just distribute the rest among yourselves. The two new Jeans that Ammachi is wearing are for the boys. The Swiss watch that Rima wanted is on Ammachi’s left wrist. Ammachi is wearing the necklace, earrings and ring that Shanta Grandma had asked for. Please take them off her. The 6 white cotton socks that Ammachi is wearing must be divided among my nephews. Please distribute all these fairly.
Love, Beenamol.

PS: If anything more is required let me know soon as Appachen (father) is also not feeling too well nowadays.”

In Bhaja Govindam, Shankaracharya talks about the nature of conditional love:

यावत् वित्तोपार्जनसक्त: तावन्निजपरिवारो रक्त: । पश्चात् जीवति जर्जरदेहे वार्तां कोऽपि न पृच्छति गेहे ||
(As long as one is an earning member of the family, he is loved and respected in the family. But when he becomes old, he is ignored by everyone.)

Absolute love: This is of the nature of ‘love in spite of’. While relative love is based on the ignorance of the Self, absolute love is based on the knowledge of the Self. After Self-realisation, one knows that all beings – birds, animals or human beings – are nothing but one’s own Self packed in different bodies.

Self–knowledge transforms self-love to Self-love, selfish love into selfless love. You love because there is none other than you.

In the ashram of Bhagavan Ramana Maharshi, animals and birds were treated as equal as humans and they were always addressed by their names. Sick animals were brought to Bhagavan and kept by him on his couch or on the floor beside him until they were well. Many animals had died in his arms.

Bhagavan used to say, “We do not know what souls may be tenanting these bodies and for finishing what part of their unfinished karma they seek our company.”

It was a regular ashram rule that at meal-time the ashram animals were fed first, then the beggars who came, and last the devotees. He never referred to an animal as ‘it’ but always as ‘he’ or ‘she’. “Have the lads been given their food?” – it would be the ashram dogs he was referring to. “Give Lakshmi her rice at once.” – it was the cow Lakshmi that he meant.

A devotee once asked him: “If we clear our dining leaves so scrupulously, the dogs, cats, monkeys, rats and the ants will starve.”

Bhagavan answered: “Well, if you are so compassionate, why not feed the animals before taking food yourself? Do you think they relish your scrapings?”

The ancestress of most of the ashram dogs was Kamala, who came to Skandashram as a puppy. The devotees tried to drive her away, fearing that she would litter the ashram with pups year after year, but she refused to go. A large canine family did indeed grow up, but they all had to be treated with equal consideration.

On the occasion of her first delivery, Kamala was given her bath, painted with turmeric, decked with vermilion on the forehead and given a clean place in the ashram where she remained for ten days with her pups. And on the tenth day, her purification was celebrated with regular feasting. She was an intelligent and serviceable dog. Bhagavan would often depute her to take a newcomer around the hill. “Kamala, take this stranger round”; and she would guide him to every image, tank and shrine around the hill.

There was a small pup in the ashram. He was always near Bhagavan and often used to sit on his couch also. One day, the pup urinated on Bhagavan’s couch. The attendants were very angry and were about to beat the pup. But compassionate Bhagavan came to the rescue and defended the pup, “The puppies should be treated like small children. Do you get angry if a small human child had done it?” As Bhagavan got up to clean the place, the attendants felt ashamed and they cleaned the place themselves.

A dog used to sleep next to Bhagavan, and there were two sparrows living at his side in the Hall. Even when people tried to drive them away they would come back. Once Bhagavan noticed that the dog had been chased away. He remarked: “Just because you are in the body of a human you think you are a human being, and because he is in the body of a dog you think him a dog. Why don’t you think of him as a mahatma, and treat him as a great person? Why do you treat him like a dog?”

The respect he showed to animals and birds was most striking. They were served food first like some respected visitors and if they happened to die in the ashram, they would be given a decent burial and a memorial stone.

The devotion which the ashram dogs had towards Bhagavan was remarkable. They would not accept any food unless Bhagavan himself had partaken of it.

A white dog named Jackie lived at the ashram for many years. He didn’t play much even as a puppy; instead, he sat at Bhagavan’s feet on an orange cloth that had been provided for him. He would sit for hours and stare at Bhagavan’s eyes. Whenever food was passed, Jackie would not eat it right away. Instead, he would watch Bhagavan’s face and would only eat after Bhagavan began to eat.

One day, a stray dog entered the ashram. Jackie began to bark. Bhagavan gently chided him by saying, “You just close your eyes. If you do this you will not be able to see the dog.” Jackie obeyed at once. Because he always behaved in such an exemplary fashion, he was always very well looked after.

During Jackie’s last days, he was very sick. Bhagavan arranged a soft bed for him and attended to his wants very affectionately. After a few days, he grew weaker, and was emitting a bad smell. It made no difference to Bhagavan’s attention to Jackie. Bhagavan used to take Jackie in his arms, and holding him to himself, caress Jackie lovingly. Jackie died peacefully in Bhagavan’s arms.

The Ishavasya Upanishad says:

यस्तु सर्वाणि भूतानि आत्मन्येवानुपश्यति । सर्वभूतेषु चात्मानं ततो न विजुगुप्सते ||
(The one who sees his own Self in all beings and all beings in the Self, he becomes incapable of hating any one.)

With Self knowledge, one gains the vision of oneness. This vision of oneness is the root of all virtues. When all become virtuous, there is peace and harmony in the world. A peaceful world is a heaven upon earth.

Hence, says the quote, realise thy Self – for one’s own liberation, and for the welfare of the world.
आत्मनस्तु मोक्षार्थं जगत् हिताय च |

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July 2017

Don’t search for the ideal person. Instead, search for the ideals in every person you meet. – Chinmaya

A perfect person is called an ideal person. He is perfect at all levels of personalities – be it physical, emotional, intellectual or spiritual. An ideal person is an impossibility. None ever was. None ever will be.

But the scriptures speak of “the man of perfection”?

Yes. But here, a man of perfection does not mean a person who has perfected his BMI (Body-mind-intellect). It only means he no more identifies himself with the imperfect BMI. He knows himself as the Self which is perfect.

As Self we all are perfect. As BMI we all are imperfect. Scriptures call him a man of perfection who knows him to be the perfect Self different from the imperfect BMI.

Hence never search for an ideal person with an ideal BMI, because there is none.

Spiritual seekers, in their initial years of bubbling enthusiasm, end up committing this mistake. They go for ‘Guru Shopping’ in search of an ideal Guru. Obviously, the result is only a series of disappointments.

Very many have returned empty-handed despite being in the holy presence of great personages. They complain, “That mahatma smokes hukka; that means he has not conquered his mind… This sadhu uses harsh words, which is against the scriptural teachings…  That saint likes rice and not chappatis, which means he has not gone beyond his likes and dislikes… This sannyasi is a non-vegetarian… That mahatma asks for donation… This one eats too much… That one talks too much… Hence none of them is perfect.”

Pujya Gurudev used to take snuff (tobacco in the form of a powder for breathing into the nose) as he had an incurable medical problem. Someone asked Gurudev, “Swamiji! You talk of mind control, this and that. But you yourself are addicted to this stuff called snuff!”

Gurudev paused for a moment, and said, “Congratulations! You have reached up to here (pointing to his nose). Don’t stop here. Raise yourself a little more and try to reach here (pointing to his head)!!”

With our measuring rods designed from our little superficial study of the scriptures, we go around the world to measure the depth of these mahatmas. Ourselves sunk in the slush of selfishness and sensuality, we roam around trying to identify the fit ones deserving our certificate of holiness!

A mind preoccupied with fault finding never learns from others. Hence even the association with the wise becomes ineffectual and unproductive.

The above quote says – instead of searching for the good person, search for the goodness in every person. There is always something to learn from everyone.

In Shreemad Bhagavatham, a mendicant lists down 24 Gurus from whom he learns lessons of life. He reflects, “Learn the virtue of patience from the earth… Remain unattached like space…  Flow like Ganga, purifying and sanctifying others… Remain unpolluted, like fire… In service, be like the sun and the moon… Be contented and relaxed, like python… Be still and calm, deep and profound, like the ocean… Falling into the illusory tempting fire of worldly attractions can be suicidal, like moth… Hoard things and suffer like a honey-bee… The attraction for the opposite sex can make us regret, like elephants… Lack of control over the tongue can be fatal, like fish… We become what we meditate upon, like worm becoming a wasp…”

Thus Mother Nature herself became the Guru for the mendicant.

The hunt for the “ideal person” is also the cause for the majority of family problems.

A woman came to an ashram and said, “Swamiji! My family life has become a complete mess. Please help!” Swamiji enquired, “What is the matter?”

She said, “Swamiji, it is all because of my husband. I am so unfortunate to marry him.”

Swamiji asked, “What is the problem with him?”

She said, “He is not giving me any happiness. He never takes me for any outing. He listens only to his mother. He is not bothered about the family at all. I am reduced to a mere servant maid in my house… I think I must seek a divorce.”

Swamiji remained silent for some time and then said, “Now tell me something good about your husband.”

The lady lamented, “Absolutely nothing!”

“Ok. Does he smoke or drink?”

“No.”

“Is he in a relationship with any other woman?”

“No.”

“Does he take care of the needs of the family?”

“Yes.”

“Is he affectionate and caring towards your children?”

“Yes.”

“Do children love him?”

“Yes.”

“Does he beat you?”

“No. But Swamiji he behaves harshly when he returns from the office.”

Swamiji explained patiently, “Amma, please try to understand his state of mind. In the office, he might have been bogged down by the work pressure. There are innumerable reasons to get disturbed in an office. Isn’t it your responsibility to give him peace when he returns from the office tired and exhausted due to the day’s work? Speak to him sweetly, listen to him patiently and serve him some refreshments of his choice. Then he will never be harsh to you.”

The woman was listening attentively. Swamiji smiled and said, “Amma! The problem is not with him. It is with you!  You expect your husband to be perfect, as in movies. There are so many virtues in him, and still, you don’t see any of them. Your attention is only on what is lacking in him. Now, tell me some ten good things about him.”

The woman became contemplative. She had never thought in this direction before! And as she started thinking about her husband in this new perspective, her attitude also changed towards him. As she narrated all wonderful things about him, the bitterness left her and she was in all admiration and love for her husband.

We ignore what has been given by the Lord and hanker after what is missing. If only we pay attention to what is good in others, life would have become a continuous celebration!

Sant Tukaram was coming home from the field with a bundle of sugar cane. On the way, the passers-by asked for a cane, and he distributed it freely. By the time Tukaram reached home, he had only one sugar cane. Seeing this, his wife Jeejabai got angry as she knew the nature of her husband. She snatched the cane from her husband and thrashed him with it. In the process, the cane broke into two. Tukaram smiled and said, “What a nice thing you have done! Now we have two pieces to share amongst ourselves!”

Life’s joys don’t depend upon what we have; it depends upon how we look at what we have.

A boy with his parents was travelling in their car. Father was driving and the son was sitting at the back. Dad was driving very carefully.

After a few minutes, a modern car overtook their car. Son told his father, “Dad, that car went ahead of us. Please use the accelerator to overtake that car.”

Dad replied smiling, “Son, it is not possible. Our car is not capable of going that fast.” Within a few seconds, another car went ahead of them. Son got annoyed by it and told Dad to press the accelerator.

Dad replied in anger, “You are only seeing cars which are going ahead of us. There are many cars behind us. If we try to catch up with those cars in front of us, we may end up doing damage to our car.”

Son replied, “Dad, you compare me with other smart kids and keep telling me to be like them. If I try to be like them, I might end up hurting myself right? You are only seeing smarter kids than me. You are not seeing kids who are behind me.”

The relationship gets strained and harmony disappears from the family when our expectation from others becomes idealistic.

We have come to this world to improve ourselves. Let us, therefore, imbibe the ideals seen in others. Because at the time of death, what comes with us is not the ideal person, but the ideals imbibed from the person.

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