735. How Precious is our Physical Body??????????????

http://www.speakingtree.in/public/spiritual-blogs/seekers/mysticism/how-precious-is-our-physical-body

This physical body of mine is one among the three constituents which is required for my existence, the other two being Mind, and Soul. My Physical Body is the vehicle that helps Mind which is the engine reach the destination powered by the fuel called Soul. To have a smooth journey the vehicle should be perfectly serviced. There is no point in immaculately getting the vehicle serviced and parked in the garage. My Physical Body along with my Mind has an important role to play in my life.

The purpose of life is the realization that I am Soul but due to my over identification toward the Physical Body I tend forget my true identity. This is Dehadhyasa. This is the greatest obstacle to Self-Awareness. To get out of this delusion of identifying myself to the Physical Body the Ancient Seers have analyzed the Physical Body systematically to show that I am not the body but identical to the Absolute. The study helps seekers like me to understand that I am different from all these diverse modifications and that I am the eternal witness of all these. 

My Physical Body is the amalgamation of five elements namely Earth (Prithivi), Water (Apah), Fire (Tejas), Air (Vayu) and Ether (Akasha) and has the seven essences (Saptha Dhatu) in it which are Chyle (Rasa), Blood (Asra), Flesh (Mamsa), Fat (Medas), Bone (Asthi), Marrow (Majja) and Semen (Sukla). And it undergoes invariably six changes in Asti (Existence), Jayate (Birth), Vardhate (Growth), Viparinamate (Modify), Apaksheeyate (Decline), Vinashyate (Decay). All these have value only if the Soul resides in it. Once Prana (Vital Breath) is out of this Physical Body it is just a recycle item. All those glorification I do and the praise I get from others is gone.     

In a village there was a rich business couple who had no heir for their property. After many years of yearning for an inheritor, which did not yield result they decided to do some charity and so thought of building houses for the homeless in the village. They identified a place which was out of the village to build houses. After about a year’s time the houses were ready and they distributed the keys to the homeless, in their deed the whole village had a shelter to sleep at night.

Years rolled by and one day the rich man died. The whole of the village was in grief. People from the other villages started to pour in to pay homage to the great man. The head of the village decided to cremate the rich man with full honors in the burial ground which was outside the village in the evening. The body of the rich man was carried in a palanquin to the burial ground. Ironically when the procession was near the set of houses the rich man donated the sky opened up and it started to rain heavily and the palanquin bearers were not able to move any further. They decided to rest the palanquin until the rain stops in the veranda of a house. The village head went to a house and knocked at the door and an old woman came out. The village head put out the intentions, the old woman said it was not possible to let the dead body into the veranda of the house.

Without any other options the procession went on. After the procession left for about ten minutes, a man from next village came running and asked the old woman standing outside about the funeral procession. The old woman said the funeral procession was on its way and if he goes fast he can catch up with them. The road was slurry with rain water and he was unable to go fast. The man request the old women that he would leave his slippers in the veranda so that he can reach the funeral bare foot early. The old woman tells the man, “Don’t leave your footwear in the veranda somebody may steal them put it inside the house behind the door.”   

A pair of footwear of a person who has life is more worth in this world than a lifeless body………………. And we have people adoring their bodies and have heard of celebrities insuring their bodies and its parts feeling very proud of them!!!!!!

734. What is MONEY???

http://www.speakingtree.in/public/spiritual-blogs/seekers/self-improvement/what-is-money-309093

Is money a currency note nor is it gold, silver and precious metals, or is it liquid fuel, or is it motor vehicles or is it cattle or is it a credit or a debit card? Its just medium of exchange. 

Money has no mechanical strength to pull a truck or electrical current to light up a lamp post or a software data to run the computer. Yes, the mechanical strength, electrical current and the software data are represented by money, but they are not money by themselves.

Money cannot be currency notes. Money is a belief shared by two or more people. The money stuffed in my pocket cannot provide me food in the forest or water in a desert unless there is another person who can trade them to me. Money becomes energetic only if both the buyer and the seller have belief on it. Sometimes even when both the recipient and the giver believe in the money there is no guarantee of the worth the money might provide. A surgeon cannot confirm the success of an operation just because the relatives of the patient have footed the bill for the operation.

Money is a relative term and it is not everything. I know that it has the power to buy and it also provides security in our lives. In reality it will not provide security but gives a sense of security. A little is enough to provide that sense of security there is no need to go on an endless pursuit of money. It is our inability to know when to stop accumulating it which has made us behave as zombies to fill our vault. We have seen many of our political leaders declare their assets. Amazingly only a fractional part of it is what they enjoy and the rest is for others when they pass away.

Money is the life force. As a business person I spend time to earn it, so in other sense I trade my time to make money. Time has no limits in the universe and it is infinite but to me it has a definite time. Every moment I am closer to the end of my life span so if I spend money on branded things or irrelevant things then I am spending time that is already past. If I can buy a product which gives the money’s worth I will be saving the time to earn more to pay for the brand name behind the product. If one contemplates on this point then he will become aware of how to place value in and how to utilize the earned money to finding the true meaning of living.

Money isn’t everything, despite it being the life force. That force of course is only what is applicable on an individual level. Being conscious of what I spend my money on and also to whom I give it is a way to respect the power of money and simultaneously have control over it. Power of money is hence user defined. If I have control over my money, my money will have control over my purchases. A decade or so my elders use to say “TIME is MONEY” but in this era after seeing some dumb politicians misappropriating money I think this statement has to be flipped. The idea that “MONEY is TIME” stops me from spending on unwanted things in my life and make me spend wisely……What say?

733.Moral Fear much needed to protect nature and mankind…..!!!!

http://www.speakingtree.in/public/spiritual-blogs/seekers/self-improvement/moral-fear-much-needed-to-protect-nature-and-mankind

Moral fear is that fear which grips a section of people who indulge in unwanted and uncalled for activities that might threaten the well-being of society. This fear was to provide an avenue for that section of people to assess and redirect society's moral values. It was framed specifically to check the morality rate and is usually also used as condemnation of an outrageous behavior shown towards society. In general such moral fear is induced by the older generation to check the svechachara (self will) of the younger generation.

We could see that last fortnight ago when the earth trembled in Nepal some on social media attributed that act of destruction to the Gadhimai Mela where lakhs of buffaloes are sacrificed to appraise the Goddess Gadhimai. Though one cannot relate the two events the moral fear could have gripped and may be the following year there would be no slaughter at all. But those rational thinking people laughed at the coincidental comparison and threw water over the moral fear that had gripped.

A similar earthquake incidence that stuck on January 15, 1935 at Bihar made Mahatma Gandhi who at that time was fight against untouchability in my country to make a statement. He said, “A person like me, cannot but believe that this earthquake is a Divine chastisement for our sins towards our practice of Untouchability.” Mahatma Gandhi knew about Seismic activities as well as Karma Siddantha and its intricacies, yet he wanted to use the incidence to draw out a positive lesson from that tragic event.

Rabindranath Tagore who equally abhorred untouchability along with Mahatma Gandhi and had joined him in the movements against it, however protested against the statement made by Mahatma. He disapproved the interpretation of an event that had caused suffering and death to so many innocent people, including children and babies to something which was a social ethical failure. He also hated the epistemology implicated by Gandhi and he wrote, “It is, all the more unfortunate because this kind of unscientific view of a natural phenomena is too readily accepted by a large section of our countrymen.”

Here the question was not about scientific or unscientific view of an event. Both Mahatma Gandhi and Rabindranatha Tagore were Jnanis who knew about Karma Siddantha. While one wanted to use the event to induce moral fear among the people to curb a social menace the other used it as a skill to prove the unscientific thinking of the other. Was Mahatma inducing superstitions? If yes, what’s was wrong as it was for a good cause to drive out untouchability.

Our ancients asked us to worship trees, it was to protect environment. Had we followed without our rational attitudes, today we would not be sending text messages on WhatApp and Facebook about planting trees to escape from the scorching heat wave across the country. Lakes, Mountains and Rivers were worshiped and they were protected. As this rational thinking set into us we started to dig borewells and the lakes vanished, the mountains were quarried and rivers polluted.

Every prominent personality in my country is a Jnani but I don’t think one has to prove it when another person has given a statement which could benefit the society as a whole. There are many intellectual individuals who even today want to just prove their discriminating power instead of looking at what the prospect of a statement would do to the society………..Am I thinking Right???  

732. A Warrior should not have doubts on Warfare in the Battlefield!!

http://www.speakingtree.in/public/spiritual-blogs/seekers/self-improvement/a-warrior-should-not-have-doubts-on-warfare-in-the-battlefield

A master had poured out the entire knowledge he had to his student who was ready to face the world, yet the student had many questions. One day to make the student who was full of question understand about life on first hand experience basis, he took him to a river in the pretext of answering his questions. After reaching the turbulent river he pushed the student into it. The student was dazed while falling into the river and when he plunged into the turbulent river he struggled to get back to the shore to save his life. At last he made it and after reaching the river bed his master asked the him why he did not bother to ask the questions when he was in the river. The student answered at that time the priority for him was to swim to safety and nothing was in his mind except action.

Master told him, “While you were trying to save your life you had no other thoughts except to reach the shore, so also in your life if there is a lot of work to do, your mind will not let you think. Thoughts are those which beam out of past and hence have only the knowledge of the past it cannot assist the present. Thoughts are useful only for preserving your endurance system and to some extent appraising your theoretical progress; but in the practical arena it becomes a hindrance. A warrior should not have doubts about warfare in the battlefield.”

The student was confused since it was the same master who had a few months ago given a sermon on how we are shaped by our thoughts and he had gone on to say that we become what we think. Now at this juncture he was suggesting that action is more important than thought. Confused he asked the master for a clarification.

The master asked the student, “How did you reach the shore when I pushed you into the river?”

“Master, I knew swimming” pat came the reply from the student.

“How did you learn to swim, my boy did you practice it on the land before entering the water or did you learn after you were in the water?” asked the master.

“Well Master, I have to enter the water to learn swimming” said the student.

“Son, if you had questions like, what if I drown? Will I be able to float? Then those questions would have been the greatest obstruction for you to learn swimming. You cannot say I think I might swim better if I learn to swim on land. The swimming instructor pushes the trainee into the pond and say just peddle to stay afloat. And from there on the lessons for swimming starts.” said the Master.

Master further said, “In our life things are not as complicated as we think. We fail to grasp them in simple nature instead we approach them intellectually which at times is not required at all. Generally in such an approach we tend to think more than necessary which makes it more difficult to understand it. If we try to figure out every movement then we will never be able to move forward. We cannot know and understand what happens every single moment as ours is a limited knowledge. Knowing is something we get after contemplation and this takes a few moment meanwhile another thing to be known is already facing us. So if we wish to live in the present then we should never stop to contemplate on each moment as it happens, we just have to flow through it and experience it”.

The student understood that the master has provided him the strength to live on the path of life. It is time for him to understand that there are no challenges in life but every moment is for him to experience and act accordingly.

731. Faith is the Obligation in Belief!!!!!!!!!!!!

A deep contemplation will let us understand the subtle difference between belief and faith, even though; these two words are used interchangeably. Belief is more often than not in the mind, while faith is in the heart. 

Belief can be taken as a matter of opinion but faith is significantly a course of action on a belief. One can believe in something without having faith in it. Belief has doubt as its immediate person and hence is quite undemanding, while faith has confidence as its immediate person and hence requires commitment. 

There was a tightrope walker who could walk on the tight rope between two fifty storeyed buildings at the height of hundred feet from ground. He was such an expert in the act that thousands of people would watch him perform the breathtaking feat. After walking from one building he would ask his assistant to sit on his shoulder and he would proceed to walk across to the other building. 

After the event the audience, who were amazed and gave him a standing ovation. He asked them whether they believed that he could do such a dangerous act. The audience said, “Yes, we believe that you can!” After a short while he asked the audience again, “Anyone here wants to get on my shoulder?” To that the audience became quite. 

We can believe only what we see. In the above incidence, the crowd believed in the tightrope walker because they saw him perform the feat. But when he asked them “Who wants to get on my shoulder?” everyone remain quite. This is because the crowd had belief but they did not have faith in him. 

This is exactly how we behave when we say we believe in Absolute, we fail to have faith in His act. Just having belief will take us nowhere but even more important is to have faith in Him. The assistant has not only the belief on the tightrope walker but also has faith and hence he surrenders himself to the tightrope walker and all he does is sits still and live the rest to the artist; likewise we have to do our duty and surrender our deed to Him so that He will take care if we have complete faith in Him. ................  Right??

730. Transformation of Matters, Creation and our Attitudes………………

In scientific world we are aware of transformations which are classified as two reversible and irreversible. While explaining this theories science gives example of water condensing to ice and then evaporating as steam in reversible transformation while milk converting to curds is irreversible transformation. In both the cases there were transformations that can be easily distinguished in terms of their state like solid, liquid and gaseous. But there is one transformation that is not felt to the external sensory organs. This transformation happens without transformation exactly like gold becoming ornament, mud becoming pot and iron becoming hammer, etc. 

Even though the ornament has gold in it the ornament has a different name like bangles, necklace, bracelet etc. This transformation has induced the name and form to the existing gold which was and is original state. After many years the said ornaments are re-melted and it goes back to the original state of gold. In fact, from the point of view of the gold, there is no transformation but from the points of view of the ornaments, there is a new creation, existence as well as separateness from original objects called gold. We have to appreciate the knowledge of our ancients for providing the description of the creation. This is the glory of Vedanta. The transformation of things in a transformation-less way. 

Here gold is the one which is eternal and does not get altered even if it is a ring or bracelet or necklace exactly in the same way in the very existence of ours we have our name and form. Some of us are lawyers, doctors, engineers, actors depending upon our abilities and capabilities. At the same time some are mild, while some are harsh, some are tolerant, some are arrogant and so on. Yet as the ring or bracelet or necklace is basically gold, we all living and non living are “THAT” imperishable source and are same at the core. 

That source from which we have come is immeasurable “APRAMEYA” and unchangeable “ADHOKSHAJA”. In the Vishnushasranama we find these words Aprameya in 248th and Adhoksaja is the 415th. 

It is mentioned in Mahabharata Uttara Parva “Adho na kshiyate jaatu yasmaat tasmaat adhoksajah”- meaning: He is Adhokshaja because He undergoes no degeneration from His original nature. Yes, that which does not undergo any change or that which is free from degradation or decay is only “BRAHMAN” 

In the Bhagavad-Gita, Lord Krishna says, “I pervade this entire universe in unmanifested form; all being arise from me but I have nothing to do with any of them – Look at my glory O Arjuna’. 

Just as it is the glory of gold that exists in varieties of ornaments in forms and names, so is the glory of Lord Krishna that is in different names and forms of humanity; but the misconceptions of each form has nothing to do with Him. We people suffer because of our own misconceptions which are the fallout of the attitudes we posses. The only solution to the problem is to recognize our true nature and mend our attitudes. 

What Say??????

728. Rules are to be followed, it should neither to be breached nor braced!!

http://www.speakingtree.in/public/spiritual-blogs/seekers/self-improvement/rules-are-to-be-followed-it-should-neither-to-be-breached-nor-braced

It is impossible to imagine a society where every person has a same level of thinking. Theoretically it is very fine to have a place like that but practically it is a little weary. If every person has the same idea where is the place for diversity and variety? Agree that there would be harmony but one has to accept that there would be no ecstasy as well. When the whole lot has the same ideas numbers does not matter.

Nature has designed us in such a way that we all think differently so that each thought can play and active role in surging us forward. That nature which has created us so has amazingly not induced in us the ability to appreciate the diversity of thoughts. Every one of us has this quality of considering the thought of others as erroneous if not always rarely in any case.

Let us consider a simple example: Though Lord Krishna tells in Bhagavad-Gita that there are four paths for liberation. A person who is treading a particular path finds his path superior and all the other three paths to be inferior. It may be said that those who have read Bhagavad-Gita and not understood it fully have this notion. Even Lord Krishna stated that every individual is born with different nature hence a single path is not suitable for everyone. Therefore one must choose the path based on his nature rather than blindly follow the path of others. This is a statement of adjustment made by Him.   

Such statements are made as a rule to see that people do not take anything for granted and conclude what they think is right. In modern society there are rules and regulations for every instant keeping with the interest of the society. Those who breach the set rules are punished for going against the interest of the society. If we think these rules and regulations are to balance the welfare of the individual as well as society, some use them as Anukula Shastra (Convenient Scripture) while some take it too seriously and stick to them as if they were born to upholding them. In that regard they try to enforce their ideologies on others which might seem to be hard going at times. Finally if breaching the rules is bad, taking it too serious and making others life uncomfortable is also not appreciable.

There was an ancient temple in a village which was near a historic monument which attracted many foreigners. After visiting the monument the tourist would visit the temple also. As the foreign tourist never mind wearing shoes into their place of worship even here some would walk in with them. The temple authorities had a sentry posted outside a temple to make sure that no ones enter the temple with shoes. A board was also place which read "Please leave your footwear here". The sentry religiously followed the rules and ensured that everyone removed their shoes before entering.

One day a local come barefooted from home which was near by. Sentry stopped the person and said, “Leave your footwear before you enter the temple”.

The man was shocked he rechecked his foot and said, “Bhaiya, can’t you see that I have come barefoot?”

“Sorry gentleman, Rule is a rule for local as well as foreigners. I cannot allow you, if you wish to enter in the temple go home put on your shoe and remove it here before me. Only then you are eligible to enter in the temple.”

729. Destiny and Free Will………

http://www.speakingtree.in/public/spiritual-blogs/seekers/self-improvement/destiny-and-free-will-517190

Destiny is relevant to me as it is the sum total of the results of my past actions. Absolute is just the dispenser of the fruits of those past actions; hence it is me who can be pointed to as the creator of my own destiny. Free-will is what I exercise now to all those actions that I intended to do. So Destiny is because of my Past Karma while Free-Will is my present Karma.

Can my Free Will caste its influence on my Destiny?

Yes and No, Yes when the intensity of the Free-Will is more than the Destiny and No when the Destiny is more powerful than my Free-Will. Destiny is Adrista to me as I cannot see what is in store for me. Free-Will is what I know I can do and the consequences thereafter.

Is Destiny an obstacle to my Free-Will?

No, though it is not possible to achieve exactly what I want from my Free-Will, it is not correct to say that Destiny is an obstacle to my Free-Will. Hence Lord Krishna says, “You have right to perform Action, but you are not entitled to the fruits of those actions.”

But then sometimes the actions which my Free-Will do yields exactly as I want it?? How?

Who knows what the Destiny was in store for me maybe it wanted me to have the exact result. So my only interest should be to exercise my Free-Will and perform action.

Now if Destiny is all deciding then why should I perform action at all? Why not just simply sit quite and do nothing waiting for the Destiny to unfurl itself?

I cannot just simply sit doing nothing. No Living being can just sit doing nothing even plants and animals do something for their growth. Like Photosynthesis in plants and Sleep, Eat, Enjoy and Defend (SEED) in animals. I am a Human I too need to get involved in some kind of activities.

Will not my Free-Will which is my present Karma ensure Destiny in future?

Any action involves a Doer carrying out an activity. Or in other words, action is an egocentric act in which the Doer, as an ego is always present. Thus this doing involves a Doer thinking himself as a Doer in action. So as long as there is a Doer, he is entitled for the result of those actions and hence he will be the enjoyer too. This includes not only the physical deeds but thoughts as well. Since thoughts are nothing but deeds on a mental plane.

Now if I perform actions without the notion of Doer-Ship then the fruits of those actions are not mine. Thus my Free-Will will not incur fresh resultant fruits. This is the reason why Lord Krishna advises Arjuna to participate in the war and not to worry about its outcome. Since the outcome of the war is already predestined.

Is there any proof for this statement?

When Arjuna had the vision of the Lord as Cosmic representation, he could see the great warriors including Bhishma, Drona, Karna and all the sons of Dritharastra rushing into His mouth with their heads smashed. This in fact made Arjuna to remain as Nimmita Matram (just as an instrument). These were the exact words of the Lord “nimmita matram bhava savyasachi” which were very significant. The whole world is moving according to the plan of the Absolute Consciousness. To make that plan operational there is a need for substance and my Free-Will fills the gap by becoming the instrument.

727. Relating or Relationships which is more important??

http://www.speakingtree.in/public/spiritual-blogs/seekers/self-improvement/relating-or-relationships-which-is-more-important

I became a bit health conscious after experiencing lower backache. I started walking at the park near my house early mornings to reduce weight. On one such session a middle age person coming from opposite direction extended his hand with a broad smile on his face. I took his hand and shook it; the person felt my grip too strong. He later realized that I was not the person whom he thought I was. “I know you have confused me with someone else you know.” I said. The person agreed and smiled again, but as a fine gesture he said my handshake was very firm and he liked the grip. I too smiled at him and we both parted away. I happened to see him the next day and for the whole week we confronted each other. On Sunday we had a little chat on the park bench and we got to know each others profession and occupation.

A month back I did not even know who that person was and now just a mistaken handshake made us both to relate to each other. From this incident I understood that there is no necessity to have and maintain a relationship to relate to a person. Relating is spontaneous as against relationship which is destined. There are many relationships in our life we have and maintain like father-son, mother-daughter, brother-sister and even the most important husband-wife. In some case these relationships have been maintained without relating to each other. Now a question arises what is more important is it to relate to each other or just maintain a relationship?

Why do we fail to relate with those with whom we have a relationship? A father and son are not in talking terms so are brothers, and even worst are some husband and wife even though living under the same roof do not relate with each other.

The only two words to keep a relationship healthy is “Adjust” and “Compromise.” We have been hearing this for ages but we do not know when to adjust and when to compromise. Also we do not know what to adjust with and what to compromise for. As far as I understand Life is a combination of both adjustment and compromise. One has to adjust when someone wants to be with him very badly and he has to compromise with them with whom he would want to be with very badly. 

If it is a little confusing let us look at it this way. We have seen people advising a girl to adjust with his drunkard husband. Is it right for the girl to adjust with a drunkard, no because the husband prefers alcohol to his wife. If the drunkard husband wants his wife, he will have to compromise and shun his drinking habit.

Compromise is to let go something be it a horrible habit or stupid out-dated dogmas in order to create some kind of balance in a relationship. It could become compulsory since the relationship may demand it, or more often than not, because of major ego clash. There is nothing wrong to lose something small to gain someone whom one loves to be with and feel proud and brand themselves “BAAZIGAR.”

To Adjust is a deliberately chosen act which is triggered by our free will. This act may make things better by creating a perfect amalgamation to the relationship. It could become obligatory since the relationship may demand it, or more often than not, because of narcissistic attitude. There is nothing wrong to mould oneself according to the situation by blending with someone who loves to be with and feel proud and brand themselves “JADUGAR.”

One need not be a Baazigar or a Jadugar when there is lots and lots and lots of Pyaar in the Ghar……..What say?????

726. Being Normal is a Mindset…..!!!!

http://www.speakingtree.in/public/spiritual-blogs/seekers/self-improvement/being-normal-is-a-mindset

To be normal like everybody is what everyone living in society will be aiming at. There is nothing wrong at trying to be normal, but one has to understand that the word normal is just a mindset. Hence wanting to be normal is just a delusional, paranoid perception of inadequacy that lends to a behavior that sometimes may turn out to be self demeaning. Here an individual who is attempting to be normal will make himself look abnormal. So the bottom line is that the most abnormal thing in this world is the desire to be normal.  

The deeper meaning of being normal is to do what the most of them do, so it’s a norm irrelevant of whether it has merits or demerits to its credit. The highlight is that this normality depends on majority. This majority created normality is the problem. When I was young I had read a statement “It’s difficult to be honest in a corrupt situation and corrupt in an honest situation.” The situation which is mentioned in this statement has its strength in the majority. This normality which has been accepted by the majority has made us thick skinned and insensitive.    

Now the society in general has accepted corruption as normal. This majority accepted normality has elevated those who were “Need based Greedy” to “Greed based Needy.” It is very natural to think about our own survival as even that thought is also normal and it too has the support of majority. So normally taking bribe and indulging in corruption is a norm. If so, why make a law to curb corruption instead let us reward the most corrupt individual with highest honors. It is quite natural for us to appreciate those who excel in certain field as a part of encouragement.

Having said all these I find it quite amazing when I hear people talk and gossip about individuals who have amassed disproportionate assets. They accept that greasing is normal for getting things done faster yet have that uneasy gesture when they hear about a person who is corrupt. Now the confusion is if one does not accept that which is normal how does it remain normal?

This majority affiliated normalcy has gone to such an extent that it is made many of us think that its normal for a celebrity to drink and drive over people, for a developer or a builder to encroach a lake or a gazing land to build skyscrapers, for a bookie to use a wonderful game to make money through betting, for an N.G.O to be used as smoke screen for stalling any development projects and the list goes on and on and on and on.   

The final realization is that doing which is normal just allows me to fit in. It just puts me in a situation where I might feel that I have done what everyone else does on regular basis. In this process I might have sympathizers and supporters but I do not realize that I am abnormal doing so. As seen in the photo what is normal to a spider is chaotic to a fly. What many could be presuming anything to be normal need not be normal to me…I need to use my intellect which is the higher than mind to decide if it is normal or not…What Say?

727. Avaricious Materialism is an Hindrance to Spiritual Seeker..

http://www.speakingtree.in/spiritual-blogs/seekers/self-improvement/avaricious-materialism-is-an-hindrance-to-spiritual-seeker

A Snake Charmer once caught a venomous snake and kept it in a basket. With an intention to subdue it completely and get it under his control he did not feed the snake for a few days. The poor thing was starving in the basket and its energy had almost drained out. It so happened that the Snake Charmer had left his hut and there was a rat which was happily playing on the basket. The Snake which heard the rat jumping on the basket playfully requested the rat to help it come out of the basket. The rat knew that once the snake is out of the basket it would kill and swallow it so was reluctant to help the snake. The snake mesmerized the rat by luring it with its hypnotizing words of praise. At last the rat fell for the sweet words of the snake and began to bit the basket to make a hole so that the snake can slip out of it. Even before the hole could be completed the snake which was hungry sprang out of the basket and stung the rat with its poisonous flanges and swallowed it. Then it crawled out of the hut and on the way it spotted the Snake Charmer returning back to the hut and bit him too killing him instantaneously. 

This is a story told to kids at kindergarten giving a moral to it saying never help a wicked person as he is sure to cause harm to you. Well, for those tiny kids this moral is so sufficient but as a spiritual seeker it gives me a different perception to look at what the story has to offer me to learn from it.

Here the Snake Charmer is the Spiritual Seeker who always carries a basket, the Sadhana Prakriya (Spiritual Practice). The Snake Charmer finds the snake in the form of unfulfilled desires and wantons. He wants it to have it under his control and puts it in the basket without feeding it with the Vishayaasakthi (excessive attraction to materialism). This snake which even though has lost its energy uses the rat (mind). The materialism praise the mind saying it is capable of achieving anything and it hypnotizes it by using words like will-power, self-confidence and instigates it to run after materialism to fulfill all its sense gratification. If the self inspiration and self motivation was to achieve something to elevate it would be a worth appreciating venture but unfortunately it is with the avaricious intent and not to excel in life hence it is to bind the Jivatma (individual self) to Samsara (cycles of birth and death) and entrap it.         

When the Spiritual Seeker is diverted a little bit just like our Snake Charmer who walked away from the hut for a short while. The unfulfilled desires and wantons approach the mind and lure it to break away from the Sadhana Prakriya. The mind falls for the always changing and charming materialism and starts to make a dent to the Sadhana Prakriya by cutting through it. The unfulfilled desires and wantons once out of the Sadhana Prakriya start to devour the mind. Then once it has fed satisfactorily upon the mind, it will then finish of the Spiritual Seeker also.         

So beware of Avaricious Materialism in the form of the snake which will swallow the mind in the form of rat and subsequently finish the Spiritual Seeker in you ….!

725.What is it that which we really need from the Absolute?

http://www.speakingtree.in/spiritual-blogs/seekers/god-and-i/what-is-it-that-which-we-really-need-from-the-absolute

The needs of every individual vary according to the season, region, reason and eon. There is no one in this world who does not want anything if asked to make a wish for. There is a wrong notion among some of the believers that prayer is an application to Him. Every time they enters a place of worship they have an application of their wantons. There is nothing wrong in seeking Absolute as they say “the cry of the child alerts the mother to breast feed it”.  But then He is Omniscient (Knower of all) does He not know what we need is the question. Yet it is our duty to let Him know what we need and to give it or not is His game plan.

What is it one individual may need wealth? An expensive and luxurious car? A spacious mansion? Power? Status? And the list goes on and on. And there is not end to the list of wantons. And these flippant pursuits that we are after do satisfy the urge to be happy for that very moment. What is that thing which when got could deliver endless ecstasy? Which is that thing that when obtained and bestow contentment to us? How is that thing which can bestow us unlimited bliss obtained?  

A seeker approaches Absolute to get his unfulfilled ambitions and untold desires be fulfilled. There are divergent reasons for the desire to crop up in us and our aim is to reach those goals. But what are the priorities and which is the first and foremost to be attained is the job of the intellect to decide. If the intellect is questioned it will give us the correct decision which does not make us regret later. Which is the right one? Which is the one that the intellect may guide us to? 

There is an incident in Mahabharata which answers to these questions accurately and firmly.
 
Kurukshetra war was inevitable even with the intervention of Sri Krishna and the preparations for the D-day were on. Shakuni advised Duryodhana to go and get the help of the Yadava dynasty, so he goes to Dwaraka. When Duryodhana arrived at the palace he finds Sri Krishna sleeping. There were two chairs in the chamber one near the head of the Lord and the other near the foot. Duryodhana know for his pride and arrogance wished to sit on the chair near the head of the Lord as he felt disgraceful to sit on the other chair. On the other side Arjuna too decided to talk to Sri Krishna and get the support from Him. He also arrived at Dwaraka, went to the Lord's chamber and found him asleep. He took up the chair that was near the Lords feel and waited for Him to wake up.
 
In due course, the Sri Krishna woke up. Arjuna who sat near his feet was obliviously the first person He saw. As He turned to get up His eyes fell on Duryodhana. The purpose of their visit was made known to Him. However, He asked them what He could do for them. Both answered that they had come to request for His assistance in the ensuing war. Sri Krishna said that they had placed Him in a difficult predicament by asking for the same thing, but He could not deny either of them. So He offered them two options - one, He Himself would be on one side alone and He would not touch any weapon; and on the other side He would offer His entire armed forces.

He told that Arjuna had the first right to choose between His two offers. Why? Sri Krishna gave two reasons, firstly He saw Arjuna first that is why he should be the first to choose; secondly Arjuna was younger to Duryodhana that also places him on the first place to choose for.

Arjuna promptly prayed to Krishna and asked Himself to be on the side of the Pandavas. Duryodhana heaved a sigh of relief and took Sri Krishna's entire forces. Sri Krishna granted their requests. Duryodhana was very happy that Arjuna did not ask for Krishna's armies, otherwise what he would do with Sri Krishna who would not touch any weapon in the war. With these choices we all know who won the war.  

“We have to seek Him, not ask for the things He can give us.”

If the Lord gives us everything in the Universe but withholds Himself from us, we gain little. But if we seek Him, we get not merely Him but all that is His!

What say?

724. Being what I am is better than wanting to be Others...

http://www.speakingtree.in/public/spiritual-blogs/seekers/self-improvement/being-what-i-am-is-better-than-wanting-to-be-others

There is nothing wrong if I admire someone who has excelled in a certain field and trying to take the good from that character and emulate them for my excellence. There are many who have role models like Mahatma Gandhi, Mother Theresa, Swami Vivekananda and so on. What is there for me to follow in them? Is it the way they lived or the way they were? There is a difference between becoming what they are and following what they do. If I am following Mahatma Gandhi that does not mean that I need to look like him wearing only dhoti and holding a stick in my hand. That would be like I am taking part in a fancy dress contest. Truthfulness, simplicity and equanimity was the subtle virtues the great man had and I need to look in to achieve those traits instead of behaving the way he is on the outwardly look. 

It so happened that a frog lived in the pond adjacent to a temple. It was happily croaking one rainy morning synchronizing with the other frogs in the pond. It watched the temple priest offering Prasadam to the cow in the street. This visual let the frog thinking, “What life is this, if I was a cow people would have fed me.” Before it could end that monologue a dog appeared from nowhere and started barking at the cow which took to heels. 

Seeing this, the frog had a change in its thought now it wished to be a dog. While it was thinking and wishing, a small boy threw a stone at the dog and chased it away. This scene made the frog decide that human life is the best as it is the only species which has the authority over others. The little boy went to the temple platform and slept, the frog was watch the boy who was sleeping then a fly started pestering the boy and he had to move from there.


Now the frog started thinking if a small fly can bother a human then it was better to be a fly and so now, it wanted to become a fly. As the frog was contemplating on this the same fly flew past it and by instinct, without its own conscious the frog stuck out its tongue caught the fly and gulped it.Within a fraction of a second that fly was now in its stomach then the frog realized that being what it is now is the best of all.


If I am not satisfied with myself I cannot be satisfied if I am others also. There is a continuous desire to become someone else other than our self. The best person is the one you see when you stand in front of a mirror. Even though I try emulating all the good things from others it has to be me alone to practice them, so unavoidably I have to be me……Happy to be ME……….  Am i right?????

723. Is Maturity Directly Proportional to the Chronological Age??

http://www.speakingtree.in/public/spiritual-blogs/seekers/self-improvement/is-maturity-directly-proportional-to-the-chronological-age

I used to feel that Prabuddha Tatvam (Maturity) is a quality that is obtained with age, and now I understand that I was wrong. The routine belief is that the older one grows the more mature he is. To some extent this is true, but there are some instances where a few adults are very immature, while modern younger kids are much more mature in terms of the need to survive in this world. Those immature people are not only childish (note: not childlike) but are not self-reliable they need the support of alcohol or drugs to help them comes to the point of admitting.

Also we have imagined that the experience in our life will get us maturity. Yes, this is also true; but if we give a though to what we do with our experience we will know if we are matured enough or not. Maturity doesn't mean we accept or generate the ability to analyse the mistakes that happen by us. Rather maturity calls for the ability of staying away from making the same mistakes again. To sum it up I feel that maturity is the stage where analyzing of a mistake stops and the one is made up his mind not to get into the same situation again. Maturity does not mean experience only, but experience is one of the ways to get matured. It is a responsibility of our thought word and deed and development of ability to manage anger and know about the art of settling differences without hurting others. It also gives us lesson on patience and pours in the secret behind the readiness to pass up instant pleasure in favor of the long-term bliss.

Mature person has a lot of humility; he does not fall back to tell that he does not know when a much younger person than him is telling something on a subject which he really does not know. At the same time if he is referring to a subject to a much older person to him who is listening, he does not have the attitude of “I know it, don’t you”.      

A Mature individual is the one who has mastered the art of living in harmony. He lives with that which cannot be changed and has enough courage to change that which needs to be changed. And most importantly he does know the difference of the two also. He has the ability to make a decision and stand by it while an immature spend his entire life discovering endless possibilities to the solution and come up with nothing at all.