529. Guru who could Transform Matter in an Instant……..!!!!!

http://www.speakingtree.in/public/spiritual-blogs/seekers/god-and-i/guru-who-could-transform-matter-in-an-instant

Venkanna was an orphan looked after by his maternal uncle. He had to graze cattle all the daylong so that he earns his food from his aunt. His life was miserable yet he had no other option as he was illiterate. One day he happened to see a Saint along with his followers, the compassion on his face of the Guru made him run and fall at his feet. Tears rolled down he did not know what to ask the saint. 

Acharya looked at him with kindness blessed him and asked Venkanna to remember the Lord whenever he was in distress. Venkanna felt a strange sense of peace entering into him. Days rolled by and one day Siddi Masood Khan, the Nawab of Adoni under the province of Ali Adil Shah II of Bijapur Sultanate who was from the Siddi tribe from Africa was passing through that region. His messenger brought a note to him written in Kannada script. Unable to read the local language, the Nawab called out to Venkanna who was nearby grazing cattle and thrusted the note asking him to read the message. A startled Venkanna politely told the Nawab that he was illiterate. The Nawab could not believe that a young Brahmin would be uneducated and suspected that he might be bluffing. He ordered him to read the message failing which he would be beheaded for disobedience. 

Venkanna did not know what to do shivering he remembered the Gurus words and remembered the Lord. Like magic he was able to understand what was written there. The news in the message was about the victory for the Nawab. In the happy mood the Nawab appointed Venkanna as the Diwan of Adoni. 

Years rolled by Venkanna who was now the Diwan of Adoni made efforts to know about the Guru who had saved his life and bestowed him the position at which he was at present. He will know that the Guru was Raghavendra Swamy, the pontiff of Dvaitha Philosophy of Madhva Siddhanta. He told about the greatness of the Guru to his Nawab. Understandably the Nawab was skeptical about Guru and did not accept any authority other than Allah, the Almighty.

Nawab wanted to test the credentials of Guru and see if he was really as good as his Diwan had claimed to be. He asked the Diwan to invite the Guru to his durbar. He asked his men to place red meat in a silver plate and cover it with silken clothes. He offered it to the Guru who sprinkled water from his kamandala (water pot) on the plates. Later the silk clothes covered were removed. The Nawab and the whole durbar was waiting for this moment without battling is eyelids. When the clothes were removed the red meat in the plate had turned into fruits and sweet smelling flowers. The Nawab and the entire durbar were astounded and instantly realized the greatness of the Guru. Nawab felt low of his act and wanted to make amends he was willing to give the Guru anything within his capacity.

Guru told the Nawab he was a Sanyasi a Sarva Sangha Parityagi he needed nothing. But as atonement for his act he wanted Guru to ask for something. Then the Guru finally asked for the village of Manchale on the banks of the River Tungabhadra. Nawab was surprised since that was land filled with rocks and boulders yielding no crops or revenue. But as Guru insisted he gave the land. Today on the very place stands the Brundavana of Sri Guru Raghavendra Swamy. And a pious pilgrimage center for the followers of Dvaitha Mata Siddantha.

Now what was the necessity for Sri Guru Raghavendra Swamy to transform the plate of meat to plate of flowers and fruits? 

Suppose somebody gives us a bucket of soil to eat can we eat it? Yes, we can but we need to convert it to vegetation. We have to sow a seed and wait for months for the soil to get transform into vegetation and one day the whole of the soil can be converted to something which we can eat. Exactly the same way Sri Guru Raghavendra Swamy transformed the plate of meat to plate of flowers and fruits….This is Transformation of Matter. While in natural process transformation of matters is bound to Kala (Time), Desha (Space) and Nimmita (Causation) Sri Guru Raghavendra Swamy being a Spiritual Soul could do it without the binding of the three……..

On this day of Sarvana Bahula Dwiteeya, 343nd Aradhana Mahaotsava is celebrated. It was on this day Sri Raghavendra Prabhu entered into Samadhi 342 years ago.

Rajadhiraja Gurusarvabhouma Srimad Raghavendra Karunaa Samudra Jaya Jaya.

528. The Saint who Spoke from his Samadhi............

http://www.speakingtree.in/public/spiritual-blogs/seekers/god-and-i/the-saint-who-spoke-from-his-samadhi

Sri Guru Raghavendra Swamy is a bona fide Acharya and Saint of the Madhva sampradaya. He preached the philosophy of Dvaitha which emphasizes on complete devotion and surrender to Lord Krishna. Madhva philosophy is based on nine “PRAMEYAS” or a philosophical foundation that begins with Vishnu-tattva being Supreme Absolute Truth.

Sri Guru Raghavendra Swamy the greatest author and preacher in the line of Madhva Tradition was born in the year 1595 and entered into Brundavana (Samadhi) in the year 1671. He scripted many literature to establish Lord Krishna as the Absolute. He highlighted the need to chant the name of the Lord to obtain mental peace. While he was the head of the Sri Mutt in Kumbakonam from 1624 to 1636 he performed many miracles. After successfully completing his work as a pontiff of the mutt he chose to enter “Sajeeva Samadhi”, where a Saint enters into Samadhi while still alive.

                                              Sri Raghavendra Brundavana at Mantralayam, A.P 

Devotees believes that even today he is still alive within the Brundavana (Samadhi) on the banks of Tungabhadra river in Mantralayam, Karnool district of Andhra Pradesh. He has manifested himself to many people, including Sir Thomas Munro, the then Collector of Bellary who came to confiscate the land belonging to Sri Mutt. Amazingly Sri Guru Raghavendra Swamy answered to the queries in English from within the Samadhi and this incident is preserved as a note in the Madras Gazetteer. It can be seen in letter format: “Extract from Madras District Gazetteer” by W. Francis Esq ICS Volume No 1 Bellary Reprint 1916 by the Superintendent Govt. Press, Madras.

Some of his teachings that he preached before entering into the Samadhi were as follows:

“Without right living right thinking is hard to come. One has to perform the ordained duties according to one's Dharma in life without hankering for the rewards and at the same time offering the rewards to Lord is correct Sadachara (right living). This is real karma yoga.”

“A social activity done for the benefit of worthy people is itself Lord's worship. Every action performed in this life which serves the society is worship. Hence life is precious and even a second that has gone will never come back. Abiding to the Shastras and performing actions by always remembering Him is the highest duty.”

“Always beware of people who merely perform miracles without following the Shastras and yet call themselves Guru. You have seen me perform miracles. These are based on Yoga Siddhi and Shastras. There is no fraud or trick involved in it. These were performed by me only to show that He is great and that such wonderful powers can be attained with His grace. I have never performed it for my personal benefit.”

“Jnana, knowledge is greater than any miracle. Without knowledge no miracle takes place. If one performs miracle without knowledge it is mere black magic. Neither the performer nor the observer is benefited from those acts.”

“Devotion towards Lord is important, but it should not be a blind faith. Blind faith is not devotion one has to accept Him wholeheartedly and only then he will experience Him. Blind Faith is only stupidity.”

Devotees pay obeisance to Sri Guru Raghavendra Swamy with the following mantra:

pujyaya raghavendraya satyadharmarataya ca
bhajatam kalpavrikshaya namatam kamadhenave
 

{Sri Raghavendra who rides on the chariot of truth and righteousness is like a kalpa-vriksha (a desire fulfilling tree) for he always takes care of his devotees' spiritual needs.}

527. The Dance of Goddess Maha Lakshmi in Abundance……..!!!!!

http://www.speakingtree.in/public/spiritual-blogs/seekers/god-and-i/the-dance-of-goddess-maha-lakshmi-in-abundance

A country has a better economy only if there is enough money that is circulating in the market than that is lashed in the banks as deposits. If we do not spend what we earn and put them in the bank then economy is not well. Even the Economic Institutions would like to have more creditors just as they are not satisfied with only depositors. That is how wealth should be viewed at.

Swami Vivekananda had said if a room has ventilation and a window that room will always have enough fresh air. So is it same with the economy of the country as much as we earn we need to spend according to our budget. This will help the earning potential of each individual and help improve all in finance. Inevitably about half of the earning of an individual will go for the routine expenses such as groceries, rent, tax, fee, electricity bills and water bills. And a little of the remaining is kept for future in the name of investment for rainy days, and remaining small portion of the earning is spent on entertainment. When there is a crunch it is this portion of entertainment which is getting the beating for a middle class person.

This month is Shravana and there is a continuous festive season from here starting with “Varamahalashmi Vrata” where Goddess Lakshmi is adored. I feel this festivals, melas and fairs were an arrangement made by our ancients to see that economy is in constant flow. Just as water which is stagnant stinks wealth has to be in continuous flow for the well-being of the society. Economy of a place will flourish only if money is earned and spent. Goddess Lakshmi is called Chanchala for this same reason, She is always in the move and She looks beautiful only if She is in circulation with Her gracious dance moves. When She is in circulation She is with you, me and with all. She is happy to be with anyone She does not discriminate at all. She will never differentiates between a lawful or an unlawful. But it is not right to blame Her for She is just like the food that will satisfy the hunger of the rich as well as poor. She is like the tree which gives shade to a criminal as well as a righteous person. She is like a fire which gives warmth in a cold rainy morning to a healthy person as well as an ailing person. Having said that She enjoys the company of a person who is shedding sweat to get Her.     

She is not only worshipped for Wealth (Aishwarya) and also for Status or Position (Yashas). This status is not that a person earns but it is something which a person is showered with. If a person is the minister, the people in reality bow to the position not to the person. Because if it was for the person then even after his tenure he should have got the same respect, only his sycophants will continue not all. This wealth is also the same as position so it is better not to go behind them instead work efficiently and let it come running behind us.

A person who is on the path of spirituality understands this and accepts Goddess Lakshmi as mother who stays with her kid and does not try to tempt her to get her blessings. Varamahalakshmi Vrata is the festival which needs to be celebrated with all the purchases to make the economy flow not in the intention of allure our mother. Why should a kid entice the mother??? 

Lets us just get tuned to her frequency.....and experience the abundance in Her!!!!!

526. Importance and Significance of Varamahalakshmi Pooja

The glory of performing the Varamahalakshmi Pooja is mentioned in Skanda Purana. This is a pooja or ritual to appease Maha Lakshmi, the consort of Maha Vishnu. She is the personification of auspiciousness, prosperity and wealth. The feast is performed on the Shravana Masa, Shukla Paksha Shukravara, that is, the Friday immediately following the full moon day in the auspicious month of Shravana (corresponding to August - September). This pooja is undertaken by the women folk for excellent progeny, great health, and to wish long life for their husbands.

Mahalakshmi is symbolic of eight forces namely SHRI (Wealth), BHU (Land), VIDVAT (Knowledge), PREM (Love), KIRTI (Fame), SHANTI (Peace), TUSHTI (Sufficiency), and PUSHTI (Strength). She is ever ready to grant boons to her devotees so usually referred to as “Vara Lakshmi”.

Representations of Lakshmi are found in Jain and Buddhist monuments, in addition to Hindu temples. Generally thought of as the personification of material fortune and prosperity, she is somewhat analogous to the Greco-Roman Aphrodite or Venus, as she also represents eroticism and is similarly thought to have originally “born of the sea” in her famous myth, as did the goddess Venus.

She is the consort of Maha Vishnu and is paired in all his incarnations. Rama (in her incarnation as Sita), Krishna (as Rukmini) and Venkateshwara (as Kolhapura Lakshmi). In Vaishnava traditions, She is believed to be the Mother Goddess and the Shakti of Narayan.

The appearance of goddess Lakshmi is related to an ancient story. Durvasa, the short-tempered sage once presented Indra, the king of the celestial beings with a garland of flowers which would never wither. Egoistic Indra gave the garland to his elephant Airavata. Sage Durvasa saw the elephant trampling the divine garland and cursed Indra, for he had shown disrespect to the sage. The sage cursed Indra that he and all his followers would lose their power because it had made them so proud and vain. Due to the curse, the demons vanquished the celestial beings out of the heavens.

The defeated celestial beings then went to seek refuge to the Creator Lord Brahma who asked them to churn the ocean of milk, Ksheersagar, to obtain the nectar of immortality. They then went to Maha Vishnu, to seek his assistance. Maha Vishnu took the Avatar Kurma (Tortoise) and supported the Manthara Mountain which served as a churning rod, while the king of the serpents, Vasuki, became the churning rope. The celestial beings and the demons both helped each other in churning the ocean of milk.

Amongst the host of divine gifts which appeared from the ocean, Lakshmi appeared and then chose Maha Vishnu as her consort, as only He had the power to control Maya (illusion). Because of this, Lakshmi is also called the daughter of the sea; since the Moon also appeared from the ocean during the churning, the moon is referred to as her brother. Goddess Lakshmi's traditionally accepted vehicle, the owl which is a bird that sleeps through the day and prowls through the night.

The rituals of worship during the Mahavaralakshmi Vrata differ from region to region in south India, but they all have the same basic format. The performer begins the day with a holy purification bath, and wears clean clothes. The arena is decorated with rangoli. A geometrical design known as mandala is then drawn on the clean surface of the floor. A sacred pot (kalash) is filled with pure water and rice (akshata), topped with a bunch fresh mango leaves, and a coconut smeared with turmeric powder is placed atop. Also, sandal paste and kumkum are applied to the kalash, and a cloth is tied around it before placing it on the mandala. Goddess Lakshmi is then invoked. Fresh flowers and grains are used in the worship, indicating growth and prosperity. Prayers in the form of Lakshmi Ashtottara and Sahasranama are then chanted. Women folk exchange auspicious articles as gifts and food. The function concludes with the singing of several hymns and songs in praise of Vara Lakshmi.

525. Dialogue between Two Thoughts in my Mind this Morning....!

http://www.speakingtree.in/public/spiritual-blogs/seekers/faith-and-rituals/dialogue-between-two-thoughts-in-my-mind-this-morning

Today morning I was recalling the heroics of the Hanuman, the egoless devotee of Lord Rama. He contributes the success of his entire activities comprising of searching, finding and helping His Lord in uniting with Sitadevi, just to the chanting of Rama’s Nama. The modesty in him inspires me to channelize the achievement of whatever I do to Sri Hari. And also he has in a subtle way put sense into me not to go behind material world in one episode that happened after the war. 

After Sri Rama Patabhishekam (Coronation), pleasing with Hanuman’s service and devotion Sitadevi presented a pearl necklace to him. But to her utter surprise, Hanuman separated each pearls, and started breaking them one by one. When he was asked for the reason for his action, Hanuman told that he wanted to find if Lord Rama was in it. His logic was how could a pearl necklace be an object of appeal and interest, when he had Lord Rama in his Heart?

Now when this thought came in my mind there was another thought that surfaced and has a counter attack to the first one. The dialogue between the first thought and the second thought when on like this:

First Thought: Hanuman has set a good example by preferring devotion to materialism.

Second Thought: But, to lead a life in society materialism is necessary. Money beats everything and with money the sense of security is swanked.

First Thought: Of course money is needed for survival and can be earned for the need. Money has to be earned in a limit but devotion should be unlimited, money can buy only gross matter but it fails in dealing with subtle issues. 

Second Thought: Like???

First Thought: Recently one of the politician could not be saved even with so much money he had.

Second Thought: But there are many instances where even a person who was pious could not be saved, so do I conclude that as money is useless so is devotion to Absolute.   

First Thought: Hmmmm... You have a point there.

Second Thought: So you agree that just as amassing money gets you nothing so does devotion get you nothing.

First Thought: I would not look at it that way. A rich man or a poor man can come out of the hospital alive if he is predestined to. Money or his prayers might have nothing to do. It is merely his destiny which will play a major role at that time.

Second Thought: That makes both money and devotion the same ---useless.

First Thought: Tell me, can a person who has amassed money carry it with him afterlife. Is it possible for him to transfer his existing bank account and unaccounted wealth to his next life????

Second Thought: What a silly question? definitely not!!!

First Thought: Amazingly devotion to Absolute spills on to his next journey. All actions that are performed at subtle level get imprinted making a strong impression and travel along with the subtle body. The memories of such actions become part of the self. Money stays back but devotion becomes your nature and hence it does not leave you. Like how sugar does not lose its sweetness even when its solid state is converted into liquid state so does devotion remain in your nature.    

Second Thought: Any proof?????

First Thought: Yes, that too from the voice of the Lord of the Universe in Bhagavad-Gita Chapter 6 verses 43. Lord Krishna replying to Arjuna’s doubt as to what might happen if a seeker dies when in the middle of Spiritual Practice, the Lord says thus:

O, scion of the clan of Kurus! He (seeker) will regain the spiritual discernment of his previous birth, and then he will strive harder (in the next birth) than ever for perfection.

The Second Thought just faded away........!

524. Relationship is nourished by Trust.....

http://www.speakingtree.in/spiritual-blogs/seekers/self-improvement/relationship-is-nourished-by-trust

Any relationship thrives only on the trust and understanding. Lack of understanding and lawful separation of couples from a marital relationship has become a regular feature that some in this generation are facing. If deeply introspected we can pinpoint that the main reason for it is the short of belief among each other. Failure of trust is when the belief is over ruled by the words of the other person. Assumptions play a lot of role, once the trust on the individual is lost.

There is this episode in Mahabharata which throws light on how one should perceive a relationship:     

Duryodhana's wife Bhanumathi and his close friend Karna were playing a game of dice. The stake between them was substantial. As the game progressed, it was evident that Karna was winning and Bhanumathi was losing. Karna could not suppress his delight. Just then Duryodhana entered his queen's chamber. Karna had his back to the door while Bhanumathi was facing it. Seeing her husband coming, she was about to stand up out of respect as was the custom in those good old days. As she was just rising, Karna, thinking that she was trying to get away from the embarrassment of certain defeat in the game, snatched at her drape, studded with pearls.

Tugged at by Karna's powerful hands, the thread snapped and all the pearls rolled on the floor. Queen Bhanumathi was stunned and did not know what to say or do. She was afraid that, for no fault of hers, she would be misunderstood by her husband because of Karna's offensive and insensitive behavior. Bhanumathi was immeasurably upset. Seeing her shocked state and sensing that something was wrong, Karna turned round and saw his friend Duryodhana. He was also deeply shocked and distressed beyond words. Here he was, in the royal chamber, playing a game of dice with his friend's wife and, as if this was not enough, he had the audacity to catch her at the drape, thus embarrassing and endangering her chaste reputation. He stood dumbfounded and transfixed. Surely, Duryodhana would not tolerate such immodesty. He readied himself for the inevitable punishment. Both Bhanumathi and Karna had misjudged him. He had implicit faith and great love for his queen and greater was his faith on his friend Karna.

Trust in friendship & marriage must have poured in fear, emotions, and stopped flow of thoughts........in the minds of all the three at that time. Some of us face such situations at some point of life with reference to our better half. We either lead them to loss of trust in friendship or marriage or both. Duryodhana was indifferent in the above case. He said he would pick up all the pearls and join them together, while he wanted both Bhanumathi and Karna to continue with the game.

Lessons of life are always there for us, do we understand them................?????

523. Brother-Sister Relationship grows stronger with Nag Panchami.....

http://www.speakingtree.in/public/spiritual-blogs/seekers/faith-and-rituals/brothersister-relationship-grows-stronger-with-nag-panchami

Celebrated on the fifth day of the Hindu calendar month of Shravana is Nag Panchami the day dedicated to Snake god. On this day women take oil head bath and perform pooja to a snake carved out of stone or go to an ant hill where the snake has inhabited and offer obeisance to it. But I feel that the essence of this festival is forgotten but the practice of pouring milk into the anthill is observed. The focus should have been on the relationship between the brother and sister which is the significance of this festival. Instead of nurturing the inhuman activities of pouring milk to anthill and instigating snake catchers to catch hold the hundreds of snakes and defang them in a most cruel way for the devout to worship in the name of tradition.

What does the tradition say??? it says to revere the snake and not to harm it and cause problem for its peaceful existence. Snakes are good friends to farmer they would not let the rats eat away the crops.

Women offer milk, cotton garland, turmeric powder, vermillion, flowers and soaked till seeds and sugar to the stone image of a snake that is ok, the same should not be done to the anthill. Anthills are places where snakes take shelter, would it be comfortable if our shelter is splashed with milk and sticky sugar syrup.

On this day a very few ignorants pour milk in the anthill, while some women pray for the well being and for the prosperity of their brothers. Some even observe fast on this day for the sake of their brothers. They strongly believe that by doing so, brothers are protected from all kinds of dangers and troubles. Brothers in turn lavish their sisters with beautiful gifts. This festival also strengthens the bond of love and affection between sisters and brothers.

Why was the worship of Snakes traditionally made relevant to strengthen the Brother-Sister Relationship?? I do not know but I think the ancient seers could have visualized the DNA double helix structure which resembles the Cosmic Serpent and made it a symbol for the relationship. Amazingly science also agrees that I share my DNA with my sister and not my wife.

It is said that one can choose friends but not relatives. As relatives are not chosen but they happen, but then there is a twist to this statement. In any relationship we can always choose to be friends with our relatives also and most suited for this is the Brother-Sister relationship. This is a very complex relationship which includes in it an amalgamation of compassion, competition, benevolence, and jealousy. All these emotions overlaying each other and hence the parents are usually sandwiched and do not often realize what is happening. They are amazed and unable to comprehend how when the two fight each other, in a short time will get together to fight with parents. It is a unique relationship which lasts for a long period and should last for a long period.

Nag Panchami is one such festivals which bring the siblings together, even if the sister is been married and is with her in-laws and make them remember those funny events when they spent together. 

522. Happiness: Can Anyone tell me where I can find it???

http://www.speakingtree.in/public/spiritual-blogs/seekers/self-improvement/happiness-can-anyone-tell-me-where-i-can-find-it

Suppose it is a hot summer day with scorching heat and you are walking in a city which is very new to you and you feel very thirsty. There are no shops for you to get a chill mineral water bottle just then an old friend confronts you and offers you a refreshing cold glass of lemonade. How do you feel when you see the glass? What will be your feeling then, do you term it as happiness or pleasure? Some say pleasure while other says they are happy. Though there is a link between these two feelings, there is a subtle difference between them. Sometime one stir up the other, but they are never the same.

Pleasure is feeling which dependents on our five senses and mind, while happiness is independent of the five senses and mind. Happiness is ingrained in our Self.

Many a times we get confused between pleasure and happiness. Pleasure is a good feeling that is felt when our senses are sated, to make our sense satisfied we have to depend on circumstances, objects, events and people. Happiness is not so, we need not depend on anything to attain it and also it is not something far away and unattainable. It is ingrained and an inseparable part of our Self which is veiled by our thoughts, desires and worries.  The understanding of adepts down the ages has been that happiness is inherent in our Self and not something to be gained anew. All that is necessary for us to do is to realize it.

How???

By just being indifferent to it…The story below might help understand better.

Once there was learned soul who had arrived from Himalayas. The citizens of the place mostly peasants gathered around him seek his blessings and listen to his sermon. But the learned soul would not open his eye and come out of the seat of silence for the people to shoot their questions for him to answer. Day passed by he was so very much to himself that the people thought that this learned man knew too very much and that started regarding him to be their savior and interestingly to so happened that things began to fall at place and everyone were find solace since this learned man came to that place. The news of the learned man reached the king of that province and the king came to meet the learned soul. The bowed to the learned man with reverence and asked, “O Enlightened Soul, I often wonder what happiness really is. Can you please disclose to me the secrets of happiness?”
 

The Learned man who rarely talked just gave merciful glance upon the King and said, “O King, happiness is like a butterfly.” The King was confused by the obscure answer. “I did not understand” said the King. The Learned Soul smiled, “Very soon, O King, it will be revealed to you.” The sage then closed his eyes and went back to his seat of silence, leaving the king perplexed about the mysterious wisdom he just heard.
 

A few days passed by and the King was taking a stroll along with his queen in the royal garden. His eyes fell on a beautiful vibrant colored butterfly which was resting on a leaf. As soon as he spotted the butterfly the words of the learned soul echoed to him, “happiness is like a butterfly” he went near the leaf carefully to catch the butterfly. As soon as was about to catch it the butterfly it flew away and sat on another plant. The King did not give up he was determined to catch it he followed the butterfly. Amazingly for him each time he was near to it the insect flew away and sat on another leaf, flower or a plant.

 

The King now took it up as a prestige issue and did not want to accept the inability to catch a butterfly that too in front of his queen.  An hour passed by, the king frustrated by his unsuccessful attempts, reconciled and sat on the bench in the garden exhausted. As he closed his eyes to relax, he felt a slender itch on his arm. Slowly he opened his eyes, the same butterfly which was all the time dodging him was now rested on his arm. King was amazed to look at the creature on his arm and just then a unique realization surged forth in his mind, “Yes the Learned Soul was indeed right. Happiness is like a butterfly, for when I intensely go after it, it eludes me and when I least expect it, it comes to me and hugs me and caresses me playfully.”

521. Pearls of Wisdom from a Sufi Saint…………!!!!

http://www.speakingtree.in/public/spiritual-blogs/seekers/self-improvement/pearls-of-wisdom-from-a-sufi-saint

It so happened that a group of young men were debating and discussing among themselves as to which is to be preferred Knowledge or wealth. Majority of them felt knowledge has to be preferential. When they fail to come to a conclusion they met a Sufi Fakir living near Dargah Khwaja Gharib Nawaz, Ajmer Sharif. They wanted to know from him how knowledge was better than wealth. They requested him to give them the reason why knowledge should be preferred to wealth.

The Sufi Saint closed his eyes and for a moment sat in silence and recollected what Ali bin Abi Talib (radiallahu an) who was the first cousin of the Prophet Muhammad (salallahu alayhi wasalam) had answered when asked the similar question and then started talking thus:

“Knowledge is the inheritance of the Seers, while Wealth is the legacy of the Samrats. As the Seers are superior to the Samrats Knowledge is superior to Wealth.”

“Wealth has to be guarded by you, but Knowledge guards you. Therefore, Knowledge is better than Wealth.”

“If Wealth is distributed it reduces, amazingly if Knowledge is shared it amplifies. In this regard Knowledge is greater than Wealth.”

“Wealthy person has many enemies than well-wishers; a knowledgeable person has well-wishers and no enemies. Therefore Knowledge is safer than Wealth.”

“Due to his Knowledge a learned man has a wider outlook and is generous while a wealthy man due to his love for money is mean and so a miser. So in such circumstances Knowledge is advanced than Wealth.”

“While Wealth is constantly exposed to the danger of being grabbed by someone, Knowledge cannot be stolen. In this regard Knowledge is good for safe keeping than Wealth.”

“While hoarded Wealth has the problem of legal tender as the time passes, Knowledge gains in depth and dimensions as time passes. Therefore Knowledge is favored to be handled than Wealth.”

“Wealth does not recognize the virtue and stays with a person while Knowledge enters a person only if he practices virtues and thereafter if he fails it disowns him. Hence Knowledge is chosen one than Wealth.”

“Knowledge illuminates the mind, while Wealth pushes it to darkness. Therefore Knowledge is ideal than Wealth.”

“It might be possible to gain Wealth through Knowledge, but it is hard to gain Knowledge through Wealth. Hence Knowledge is supreme than Wealth.”

“Wealth is limited and one can keep account for it but Knowledge is infinity and one cannot keep tab on it. That is why Knowledge is preferred to Wealth.”

“Knowledge is always superior, better, greater, bigger, advanced, good, favored, chosen one, ideal, supreme, and preferred to Wealth, because Knowledge induced humanity and humility to say to Almighty; we adore you, we are your servants. While Wealth stimulate in Samrats and Sultans the vanity which make them claim to be greater than Almighty.”

The group bowed down the Enlightened Soul for providing the insights on Knowledge and left, filled with Knowledge. 

520. An Evening Chat with God!!!!!

http://www.speakingtree.in/public/spiritual-blogs/seekers/god-and-i/an-evening-chat-with-god

It was a hectic day at my factory I had very little time to take a break, but at the end of the day it made me satisfied that the day’s work was smooth. There was nothing to worry about the unfinished tasks for the day. I came home had my evening tea and then my eyes closed for a while, I could visualize this conversation happening inside:

“I would like to place as few question before you, my Lord” I said.

“Do you want me to answer your questions?” Absolute asked.

“Yes, but only if you have time” I quipped.

He smiled and said “I have transcended the time, I am eternity.”

“You are eternity but why have you put me in the time limits”? I asked.

“Who said you are not eternal, just come out of your Body and Mind index you are also eternity.” He said.

“Please Lord elaborate.” I requested.

Absolute explained, “When you were born you had no limit of time and as you grew you got bored with your childhood and rush to be a grown up adult and then when you reach old age you yearn to get back your childhood. These changes in phase are for your Body not for your Mind or your Self. You fail to comprehend this Truth.”

“O Lord, please let me know am I upholding your expectations as a human being.” I asked.

“You ask me if I am happy the way you are behaving.” He asked with a little louder voice.

“No, Lord I just want to know if I am living life as you had anticipated.” I clarified.

“Do you call your life a living; you work so hard and skip meals to see that you do not starve. You earn money losing your health and finally spend that which you have earned hard to restore your health. You are so preoccupied with the future and do not relish the present. You live as if you never die and die as if you never lived. Do you call this a living”? He asked.

“Oh Lord, then am I doing a blunder by living so.” I asked.

“Not only have you dear, but most of the human sect does the same.” He poked.  

“Then Lord please I request you to guide me as you did to Arjuna in the Battle field, as you directed Moses at Mount Sinai, as you did guided Hussain at Karbala.  

Absolute reached out for my hand and held it with His, there was silence for a while. And then He started to reveal His views on how I have to lead my life.

“First you have to understand that you cannot expect anyone to love you. All you can do is behave in such way that they love you.

Then learn that it is not good to compare yourself with others as there is so vast difference in what you deserve and what they deserve. There might be much more than you desire but never less than what you deserve.

You have to learn to forgive and forget as forgiving add more to your virtue. By forgiving you remember very less and you are relieved, instead if are not forgiving you remember a lot and get tensed.

It is very easy to dig into profound wounds of those whom you hate while it takes eon to heal them.

You are not a rich man if you have the most; you are rich only if you need the least.

There is no use of having lots of people, who love you dearly, what matter most is even if you have a few you should be able to express and reciprocate to their feelings.

Understand that even if the conceptions are same the perceptions can be different.

I have provided enough for all your need but not for your greed. Greed based need or need based greed both do not have my approval. What starts off as need based greed ends up as greed based need.

Work as if you might die the next day but in terms of making money think you have another day.

Son, these are very little and subtle matters, if you practice all that is said immensely you will have self-realization and the intuition will reveal more to you” He said.

“Thank you, My Lord for all the good words and providing me solace.” I said humbly.

Absolute smiled and said, “Just be aware that I am with you ... always.”

Just as I could come to terms with what I had been visualizing my cell phone made its presence felt…………………!

519. Who is your GOD???

http://www.speakingtree.in/public/spiritual-blogs/seekers/god-and-i/who-is-your-god

Once a Sadhu (Adept) from Himalayas came to a village and sat in the seat of silence under a Banyan tree at the outskirts of a village. The radiance in the face attracted some of the ongoing public. They went near him and took his blessings. The news of the arrival of the Sadhu from Himalayas at the outskirts of the village spread like wild fire and the whole village flocked to have a glimpse of the Sadhu. One evening the villagers squatted down before the Sadhu expecting a discourse from him. For a alone time the Sadhu was closing his eyes, some of the villagers gathered courage and asked him, “Oh, Holy Sage, will you kindly tell us which God or Goddess do you adore?”

Sadhu calmly opened his eyes and said, “Rig Veda declares, ‘Ekam Sat Vipra Bahudha Vadanti’- meaning: ‘Truth is one, learned people call it by different names’. So, according to me to adore that Truth it really does not matter whom I worship.”

But this answer did not satisfy the villagers so one of the villagers said, “We have many Gods and Goddesses with different names. There are endless discussion and debates to decide who the best among them is. You have meditated in Himalayas so you would be the perfect person to tell us whom you would prefer.”

The Sadhu sat thinking for a while and then said, “Before answering your question I would like to tell you all about an incidence that happened which my Guru told me from his real experience in life.

“There was a small village by the side of River Ganga. The river was the source of water for drinking bathing and washing for the village. Once a peculiar type of germs contaminated the water of the river as a result of which the villagers fell sick. Due to the illness the villagers’ memory started to fade and they were unable to recognize things.

The Sarpanch (Head of the Village) made a plan and called all the villagers and said, ‘Brothers and Sisters, this disease is making us forget everything before it is too late and we get completely detached from this world, let us write the names of all things over them. It will help us remember them.’ 

And as told by the Sarpanch the villagers started writing names on all the things they found.

As time passed the disease took an ugly turn and the villagers started forgetting the use of the things they had named. Again the Sarpanch ordered the villagers to write the brief application of the item which was named so that they could read them and make use of it.

Now the Sadhu from Himalayas said, “It so happened that my Guru went to that village after he heard of the dreadful disease. Before the villagers’ memory was completely lost, he gave them a portion of herbal medicine he had made from the roots of some medicinal plants in Himalayas. The portion worked well and the villagers’ memory started to become sharp. After getting back their memory completely, they were astonished to find every thing in the village had a name tag and a brief note on how to use them. Thereafter, when they came to realize what actual had happened and how they had named all the things and written down how to use them, the whole village burst out with laughter.

Sadhu continued, “Look, my children when one is under the influence of the worldly illusion (Maya) he starts losing the identity of his Consciousness, hence he starts calling God in different names. If one drifts far away from Consciousness, he loses the ability to understand the omnipresence of God. Hence he depends on the names and forms. If your Mind (Manas) gets aligned with your Individual Consciousness (Jiva Chaitanya) and your Individual Consciousness with the Universal Consciousness (Brahma Chaitanya), there is no necessity of giving different names and assume different forms of the one and only God.”

518. Are we using Technology or letting the Technology use us????

http://www.speakingtree.in/public/spiritual-blogs/seekers/wellness/are-we-using-technology-or-letting-it-use-us

Aldous Huxley an English writer writes that the things we love most are ones that destroy us. We are obsessed with material objects. Our belief is that our possessions provide us the comforts. Hence we are attached to our possessions. In order to hold on to those possessions our modern lifestyle has become faster, more complicated, and diverse.

Materialism, technology, and attachments are all interrelated. With technology we presume to match the speed of time and hope to be connected with the world at all times. Email, TV, smart phones, social networking sites allow us to get plugged to the world, which is a great prospect by itself, but on the whole we have become more dependent on these things. We have forgotten that we had survived without them say about 20 years back.

Our lives have accelerated ever since the technology has challenged a race with us. Newer generations are already finding it difficult to relate to their kids, who enter a completely different world than their parents. This may cause a failure of our moral infrastructure. Already people have being identified with their material and social selves much more than their spiritual selves. Moral instinct is fast fading away, and nothing is taking its place as a spiritual guide. Cell phones, message texting, video games and computer games have become a necessity in life for most youngsters. About 120 cases of “Mental Health Condition” have been reported at the Services for Healthy Use of Technology (SHUT) clinic of National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences (Nimhans) in Bengaluru, due to PUBG addiction in the last three months. Amazingly many urban school going children are exposure to such technology very early. This has in fact become a reason for school violence, bullying, dropout rates, concentration deficit disorders and the loss of traditional values. Unfortunately many parents and family members feel left out and left behind unable to connect in a meaningful way with their youngsters. While some parents become helpless and just watch their young one go their way, others simply throw up their hands, unable to understand what is going on and what to do. 

Bedtime stories, fairy tales and religious books had once played a central part in connecting with children but now that precious one-on-one communication has been lost since technology has taken center stage. Technology in fact can actually enhance the communication level between a parent and a child if used in the correct sense. The internet is window to the world and getting information from the internet is like trying to quench the thirst by drinking from a fire hydrant. Use of technology is precious and has to be used in accordance with our social, professional, and personal values. But are we using it that way????  

517. Euthanasia is to stop the suffering. But suffering of whom???

http://www.speakingtree.in/public/spiritual-blogs/seekers/mysticism/euthanasia-is-to-stop-the-suffering-but-suffering-of-whom

Euthanasia, some call it good death while some say it is no better than physician assisted suicide. According to Hindu scriptures, helping an individual to end a painful life is a good deed by fulfilling moral obligations. But by helping to end a life that has to endure suffering as the fruits of the past life deeds one is disturbing the synchronous cycle of death and rebirth.

Suffering is to be endured with because it is what I need to bear with for the deeds in my previous birth. I should never ask “Why me?” simply because I did not asked so when I had enjoyed the pleasures. Pain and pleasure are to be equally experienced if I know that they are the resultant fruit for what I had done. I need to accept them with open hands as I am the doer and I need to be the enjoyer as well.

Once a donor visited an old age home to view and make some donation. The in-charge of the old age took the gentleman around to show how the old age home was managed and maintained. After having a look at the office, garden, kitchen and ward they went into a room of an old lady in a vegetable state.

The in-charge said, “We have to feed her and clean her she is in this state for more than a year. She is undergoing the suffering and we pray Him to end the suffering. The staff who are here and I take care of her we do it as the duty commanded by the Lord above.”

After signing a cheque and handing it over to the in-charge and walking back to his car the donor told to the in-charge, “Sir, I do agree with you that it is the fate of the old woman in the vegetable state to suffer but she does not feel it any more the more sufferers are we, who think she is the sufferer. Suffering does not confine to one person alone, the people around also undergo it and it is the design of the Karma such and so”. 

The in-charge went into contemplation after that he never said that the inmates were suffering.

An individual has two trust worthy friends in life, one is Knowledge and the other is Death. Knowledge is something that is beneficial and a requirement in life, while Death is inevitable sometimes even unexpected.

Euthanasia is not an act of sin but it is worldly attachment which causes it to be looked upon as an act of sin. We have heard and read of many who have voluntarily stopped taking food and medicine when they sense that their existence needs an end. Vinayak Damodar Savarkar the activist, politician, poet, writer and playwright who was responsible for many reforms in Hindu culture refused food, water and the medicine which were prescribed to keep him alive and he died on the 25th day on February 26 1966. When there are few who can consciously decide on issues like this some are not so fortunate they live it for the relatives and the physicians to decide, but the unanswered question is what is the degree of suffering which makes one eligible for Euthanasia? More importantly is it the degree of suffering in the patient or the intolerance to look after the sick which decides?????