36. Prana Vayu – Life Breath, the vital force.

Vayu, the vital breath is regarded as the element of air at a material level. In Vedas it is mentioned that Vayu includes the concept of space or Akasha. Space in motion is air, while air at rest it is ether. These are the two sides of Vayu, which is the unity of air and ether. Ether is the field in which Vayu as a force operates. Vayu is the power through which everything comes into manifestation and into which everything eventually returns. 

Vayu is not just the material element of air and space but the cosmic principle of energy and space that pervades body, mind, and consciousness. The entire manifest universe arises from space and energy which is Vayu at an outer level. At an inner level, Vayu stands for the formless principle of air and space, the invisible Brahman behind the visible world of the earth, water, and fire elements, the realm of name and form. Pranamaya Kosha consists of five types of Vayu namely Prana, Apana, Vyana, Udana and Samana. These are the vital principles of basic energy and subtle faculties of an individual that sustain physiological processes.

Prana vayu draws the universal life-force into the body for distribution, and finally, its expiration. The subtle or gross materials that enter the body are a result of Prana vayu. All sensory perceptions and respiration are due to Prana vayu. It operates the autonomic nervous system of the cervical region, governs the verbal mechanism of the vocal cords, the movements of the gullet and the respiratory tract.

Apana vayu is responsible for the elimination of waste products through the lungs and the excretory system. By controlling the lumbar portion of the autonomic nervous system of the body, it governs the excretory system and its related vital organs such as the kidneys, bladder, genitals, colon, and rectum.

Vyana vayu is present throughout the body and holds all of the parts together. Its work is extension, contraction, and flexion of the muscles, tendons, and ligaments; the stored-up energy of the muscles. This vayu maintains blood circulation in the physical body, and gives the body shape, flexibility, and sensitivity. Since it is all-pervasive it is usually referred to as “Trivikrama.”

Udana vayu is responsible for expression through speech. It is the upward moving energy. It is the natural intuitive force, which separates the astral body from the physical and help in maintaining erect position of the body.

Samana Vayu is located in the navel region it governs the internal balance of the prana and apana vayu. Samana vayu controls the process of digestion and assimilation by directing the secretions of the digestive system, and regulates the organs of digestion; the stomach, liver, pancreas and intestines. Just as oxygen is the supporter of combustion in the material world Samana vayu is to the Jataragni, the digestive fire. Samana vayu influences metabolism and metabolic disorders. Since it is concentrated in a small region and yet has its effect to all parts of our body this vayu is referred to as “Vamana.”

In addition to the five vital forces, the Natha tradition explains the beneficial function and importance of five sub-vital forces called upa-pranas.

The upa-pranas are Naga, Krikara, Kurma, Devadatta and Dhananjaya.

Naga vayu functions are belching and rising of Consciousness.

Sneezing, hunger and thirst are the Krikara vayu functions.

Kurma vayu works the automatic movement of the eyelids while winking, arms and legs while in movement, etc. just like how a pneumatic cylinder works in mechanical world.

Yawning is the result of the Devadatta vayu.

Dhananjaya vayu responsible for opening and closing of heart valves and is concerned with coma, swooning, trance and does not leave until after death. Once this vayu exits the body starts to decompose.  

35. Lighting the lamp of Knowledge.

The Sanskrit word Upanishad consists of three words—“Upa" means "near,” "ni" means "down" and "shad" means "be seated.” "Upanishad" means, "to sit down near the Guru to receive knowledge." The Guru is the personification of wisdom and the Shishya represents a spiritual seeker eager to come closer to wisdom. The Upanishads are knowledge in the form of dialogues between the Guru and Shishya from ages ago which denotes the Parampara (Lineage). This Guru-Shishya Parampara gives the picture of the finite getting close to the infinite as well as the known reaching out to the unknown.

Knowledge has to flow from one to another just like a river, if not it gets vanished or will be stagnant and of no use. Knowledge dispels ignorance. Ignorance and darkness has not got any permanent place. There is no person whom we could say is and will always remain ignorant and there is no place in the whole of universe which we can call a dark place. One spark of knowledge and beam of light respectively can change them. Hence knowledge is likened to a lamp (Deepam). If we want to light a lamp, we need a container, we have to fill it with oil and place a wick in it. We need a flame source to light the wick. Only when we have all four accessories we can light the lamp. This lamp dispels the external darkness. Similarly, to dispel the darkness of ignorance, we need to have vairagya (renunciation), the container; unconditional love, the oil; one pointed concentration, the wick; and Jnana (spiritual wisdom), the flame source.


It is customary to light a lamp ahead of an auspicious event and once it so happened in such event, an ultra modern person who was seated in the gathering asked the distinguished guest lighting the lamp, “Gentleman, why are you using the same old out dated way of stating the function by lighting a lamp using oil, wick, and flame? Why not change according to the time? Why not "ON" a LED light or a CFL Lamp by just operating a switch? Will it not dispel darkness as your lamp does????”


The distinguished guest replied, “Son, you are right the time as changed a lot and every thing has advanced by using science and technology, but the way in which knowledge is transferred from an individual to another has remained the same, just like the flame is brought near the wick of the lamp that has to be lit. Is it possible for a LED or CFL lamp which is glowing to light up another LED or CFL which not lit when brought near it????”

34. Let's be Wise, not just Intelligent ………!!!!!!

Intelligence is a theory that reveals how smart a person is as compared to the next. A person may be intelligent, but at times may display little or even no common sense. For example, an intellectual can give us a thesis on how dangerous it is to step onto a road with little sense for oncoming vehicles, but may do that exact thing by being preoccupied not conscious while talking on his mobile. Wisdom, on the other hand, is life-experience that can be equated to having common sense to not only to share with others but also to use it. A wise man is not a person who has gained profound knowledge while living in a cave but he can be a common person with a lifetime of experiences to share. A wise man would never step in front of oncoming traffic. He would have understood the concept of looming danger consciously and unconsciously. He will never be arrogant and does not have the "it will never happen to me" attitude in life; because he is aware that life is fragile.

Intelligence is mere ability to accumulate facts from outside world and understand concepts at an elevated level. Wisdom is obtained from personal experience. It has got a deeper understanding that events may have a far reaching consequence and helps visualizes the maturity of our judgment. An intellectual is satisfied with what he knows and is proud of his intelligence while a wise man is humble and feels what he knows is less and is eager to learn more. Intelligence is knowing how to create something, Wisdom is knowing when to use or when not to use it.

Knowing others is INTELLIGENCE; knowing our self is WISDOM.

32. Jivan Mukti --------- Liberation Here and Now!!!!!

Jivanmukta is the one who is liberated while he is still alive. He is liberated from material consciousness which results in dissolving of the inbred mind or false ego to recover his Pure Consciousness. For a Jivanmukta the soul remains in the body without being conscious of it. He disowns the body and mind. Once disowned the body and mind run for a little while and dies just like a fan that is switched off, rotate for some more time and then stops. That is Videhamukti.


An ordinary human is continuously stirred up by illusions (Maya) while witnessing day-to-day life. But a Jivanmukta observes the play of the life through the prism of the Pure Consciousness without any desires, emotional attachment, impatience, prejudices, and agitations of the mind. According to the teachings of the world scriptures there is need to awaken this Pure Consciousness within. This Pure Consciousness which is our true nature can be awakened by fully roasting the seed of Ignorance in the fire of Knowledge. So that the seed does not sprout again. Thus in true sense becoming Jivanmukta is simply getting rid of false Ego and to live a liberated life.


The need to become Jivanmukta has been illustrated by all realized souls and the scriptures. They say Liberation or Mukti is not an after death phenomena. It must be achieved here and now while being still alive! Becoming Jivanmukta also means closing of the bodily Nine Gates (two eyes, two nostrils, two ears, mouth, anus and the genital opening), and opening of the Tenth Gate (Divine Consciousness). While the Nine Gates are open it is near to impossible to enter the Spiritual Consciousness. In other words, the process of becoming Jivanmukta needs separation of the Consciousness from the Material Bondage. It is a total union with one's true nature from which the Jiva (individual) never returns again.


The state of Jivanmukta does not mean committing suicide, abandoning one's duties, remaining inactive, running away from the world, or neglecting one's responsibilities of life. On the contrary, the life of a Jivanmukta is full of actions that are spiritually centered, actions that are sinless, without any selfish motives, actions that do not create new seeds of Karma, and actions that use his bodily powers to serve Lord and his creation. Hence to be Jivanmukta simply means detaching from the mundane consciousness.


Upanishads tells about the quality of Jivanmukta in the following ways:


One, who is awake all the time no matter it is day or night, even though his body takes rest, he remains awake consciously.

One, who is free from affinities and of whom mind is unattached from material objects – whether he performs activities or not.

One, who has not slight conception of being an actor (ego) doing the things.

One, of whom, no one is afraid and he is not afraid from anyone.

While participating in the worldly affairs, he remains in the real identity (soul) and acts like that everything belongs to others.

One, who has equanimity of mind every time and everywhere.

One, who understand and see everything in totality without making distinction in ‘I’, ’he’, ‘you’, and ‘others’.

31. Democracy or Monarchy which is better????

Monarchy is a form of government in which supreme power is held by an individual, who is the head of state; normally he is called as King. His son becomes the king of the state after his death or he can put his father in jail and declare himself King. Normally what a King thinks is right will be the correct justice. In monarchy if King is good everything is fine, if King is ruthless everything is worst. Most important point is that in monarchy people can never throw the King from his throne. Generation after generation one family rules the kingdom. In other sense people have limited freedom, if King likes gambling then gambling becomes legal, if he does not like then gambling is banned. Also in monarchy religious leaders, gurus enjoy best life and status, and people have to follow their views, if not there is a death penalty that will be served.

After all these negativity in monarchy we were introduced to Democracy. This democracy is still being amended it has not reach a culminating point where one can say it is perfect. The biggest drawback with the democracy is that it is very slow and negligent form of government, this is reason for people to say without batting an eyelid that they prefer monarchy and those days under Kings was good. Democracy means where a state ruler is chosen by people by way of voting system. There are different types of democracies. But finally people choose the state rulers whatever form of democracy they have. Democracy is the best form of government but it is in an immature toddler stage, it needs intellectual mature growth.

Democracy unlike monarchy lets everyone to express free and fair. This freedom of express has been misused by a few. Today if we see we find it is not democracy but it is just a number game. With the support of some fringe group one can become a leader and get elected. In our country only 40 - 50% know importance of voting. Once we have 100% voting, we will have the best democracy in the world. More the people get educated more progress can be seen. A real democracy is the one when every individual is protected by state for keeping his views and acting against what he feels is not good to his society. Democracy is not the law for the majority or the protection of the minority it a promise to view all in equanimity. Yet we have several parties appeasing communities and a particular section of the society. This is where our democracy is fully defeated. Here we have got nepotism and caste politics. 


But as Mark Twain says "Politicians and Diapers need to be changed often and for the same reason."


Hail Democracy !!!

30. What we Desire and What we Deserve!!!!

In Katha Upanishad Lord Yama tells little Nachiketa that Preya (Pleasure) and Shreya (Pleasant) approaches a person at every step in life as split roads and he consciously or unconsciously chooses either Preya or Shreya. Shreyas is acquiring possessions by Dharmic means for personal enjoyment as well as for the prosperity of people around him. This is good and preferable. Preyas is acquiring possessions by any means for worldly enjoyment which is materialistic and the person alone is benefited. Preya is that which pleases us and kindles our Ego. Shreya, on the other hand, is neither pleasing nor displeasing - it is simply beneficial to all and is what we deserve as per our Prarabdha karma.


Preya gives immediate pleasure, enjoyment, and satisfaction and usually provides what it promises. But the problem is that it does not and will not last long. Hence Preya lives only for the day or for the moment. Shreya, on the other hand may sometimes be horrid at the beginning but will be of great help at the end, for example, a fitness program is unlikable at the beginning but after days one starts feeling the benefit of it.


Preya is charmingly dressed and the moment our eye catch sight of it, it is hard to take eyes off it. But Shreya wears a modest personality. Even if it is standing right in front of us we fail to notice it. Preya has an excellent salesman spirit and knows what to offer and to whom. It makes the appeal directly to our senses or our Ego. Preya provides passing pleasure but Shreya gives us perennial joy.


Is there a way to get out of the hold of Preya and move towards Shreya?????


Ramakrishna Paramahansa put it in sublimely simple words. If you want to go East, don’t go West. If you want to lose weight, don’t eat calorific food. If you want to be fit, don’t give up exercise. If you want to get enlightened, stop chasing materialistic wantons.

All that we have to do to accept Shreya is not to fall prey to Preya. Decline to chase money, fame or power at the cost of values or principles. Refuse to indulge the sense gratification. Then soon Preya will pass away into an ethereal shade, and Shreya comes strong and beaming. With Shreya on our side, the battle of life is ultimately won, for it teaches us to put the long term over the short term, the right over the tempting, and the principles over pleasure. Sweetest and most sought from; success to happiness to enlightenment is obtained by staying faithful to Shreya.

29. Consciousness and Conscience - Two birds on same branch

Consciousness is “ATMA” and always understood as awareness alone. In fact, it is the blend of awareness, knowledge, and will power. While lower level of consciousness is associated with mundane world the higher level of consciousness transcends all the physical realms.

Consciousness prevails in all the three states of awareness: the wake state, dream state and dreamless sleep state. We are aware of the consciousness in the first two states but the consciousness that is prevailing at the time of dreamless sleep is self evident, it is aware of not the world around but is aware of the sleep. Hence we claim to have slept well. This consciousness that is self aware and which does not need any other external medium to reveal its identity is called Chit. As we say we had a very good sleep we also mention that we are unaware of what happened in the sleep, this is because of lack of knowledge (Ajnana) if one becomes aware of the deep sleep state he has achieved results in meditation. Meditation is becoming aware of the unaware.


Conscience is “ANTARATMA” and all of us have. It is "the witness within" and is referred to Lord residing within the hearts of all beings. It means when we do something against the wish of our intellect like hurting someone's feelings, cheating, lying, stealing, etc., we know in our Antaratma that it is wrong and sometimes if one is lucky enough the conscience will get the better of them and they will listen to their Antaratma and know what is right. Conscience divides the good from the evil of life. He who has harmony in thought, speech and action, who fears sin and Adharma, who is pious, God-fearing and steadfast, who is balanced and capable of maintaining equilibrium, will have his conscience in an untarnished state.


In the Vishishtadvaita Philosophy of Srimad Ramanuja one of the five aspects of the Supreme is “ANTARYAMI” which is the Lord residing inside us as witness to the things that we do being propelled by the Trigunas and our Prarabdha karma. The Katha Upanishad likens the Atma and the Antaratma to two birds sitting on the same branch (i.e. the heart). Of the two, one eats the fruit and the other is just a witness without eating. In fact this was the reason for the Dvaitha Philosophy of Sriman Madhva to have unfolded. It is the object of meditation for many mystic yogis. Those who believe in this avoid doing wrong and if done will confess to it so that the Antaratma is not found in guilty. “There is no pillow as soft as a clear conscience” says a French proverb.

27. Be Spiritual and also Religious!

We regard spirituality as a vital part of religious experience and equate it with religion, but declining association of religions and the growth of secularism in the western world has given rise to a newer view of spirituality. The terms spirituality and religion both refer to the search for the Absolute. An increasing number of people see the two as separate entities and believe that religion is just one way by which one can experience spirituality. But religion is not identical with spirituality; rather religion is the form of spirituality that happens in civilization. Spirituality is personal realm of thought and experience while the word religious is connected with the public realm of religious institution with official dogmas.

Having said that could it be right to be a spiritualist only! No, it is necessary to be religious since it is the base to spirituality. If spirituality is the branches of the tree, being religious is like the root of that tree. For the growth of the tree the roots are very important. The tree will never survive with its roots damaged. Also the roots of the tree are not visible to the outside world and so also the religious practice of a person is personal and it need not be public. There are many people who practice different religion. And no religion is exempted from positive or negative views. Spirituality teaches tolerance to other religion and the attitude to look in for the best things that are preached in it.

However we are hell bound to find the flaws in other religion in order to uphold our own, is it the way to search for the truth????


Spirituality is the desire that drive a person behind what he believes. If a person has a belief in something greater whether it is a search for Truth, enlightenment or something unnamable, and acts upon that belief in some way like prayer, meditation, acts of kindness, living a life for others, pursuit of higher knowledge etc... Then that person could be seen as spiritual. Many people label themselves spiritual when they have the belief in something greater related to their own religion or dogma. This has made religion a direct opposition to spirituality. Spirituality is a term that includes religion but that also encompasses the human urge to reach out towards the Absolute of which we all are a part.

25. Philanthropy versus Investment

Philanthropism is a private initiative taken up for public interest. It had been a long tradition which was ancestrally flow down to show affection for humanity. A Philanthropist would volunteer activities with devotion of work to a social cause for the benefit of his fellow beings directly or indirectly as well as making the world a far better place.

Philanthropy is a practice of a usually rich society or very profitable companies where they donate revenue to or promote various programs to assist economically under privilege society. It is just not only giving the material things in everyday life but also spend time which is a treasure. There are a good number of ways that philanthropists donate their time by canvassing for charities and making men and women more mindful of what is occurring worldwide. Numerous ventures out in addition to donate their time by offering hot meals, clothing helping children get good education and medical facilities. A few who've expert understanding provide their time by way of helping students who can't afford school fee and school supplies. It was a spirit of good will toward others and their welfare.

In early times, philanthropy was usually prompted by religious faith and helped to assure a reward in an afterlife and the individual would get involved in act of generosity out of desire of those rewards. Today philanthropy has been diminished and the spontaneity of giving is eliminated. We have also brought about a more rational assessment of ability to give as well as the introduced most selfish financial investment methods for future needs. The focus has also shifted from the relief of immediate need to long-term planning to prevent financial mishap in future. With this thought almost every venture is looked as investment and people have forgot what philanthropy is. It would have been better if atleast medicine and education were not included in the list of investment and was nurtured by philanthropists. There should be no parity difference in those sectors.  

In Islam, according to Fataawa al-lajnah al-Daa'imah, commercial insurance of any type is a illegal, as it involves ambiguity, gambling, and unlawful means of wealth hording.

The thought of investments have made an individual so self centered that he thinks of himself and his own family future. The concern of society has no place in his must-do list. There is nothing wrong in thinking of the future of the family but in doing so we have completely forgot that there is an important role that our society expects from us. The individual investment has taken over social responsibility. The result of which the economically under privilege society are unable to get the diagnosing of a disease and getting treatment of which is “the unreachable stars.”

24. PRIDE ------------------- a veil to the Soul.

Pride is a sturdy sense of ego associated to some affection that causes one to feel proud and get unrealistic satisfaction. One may be proud of Indian cricket team when they win and take pride in supporting the team. Pride is an outburst of feeling good of a work done which may have benefited the person without regard to the result being helpful to others or not. Pride makes one believe that he is not just good but the best and that he will do his utmost to become better than the best without caring those around him.

Pride is the bottom of all wrongdoings. It causes us to turn away from God instead of turning to Him. All disobedience has pride as its root. All rebellion has pride behind it. The pride that stems from oneself is sin, and Lord hates it because it is a hindrance to seeking Him. ………… Psalm 10:4.

Beauty, Intelligence and Talent are the most natural attributes to pride, but amazingly in recent time’s people who lack those are also prey to pride. One should understand that beauty is not everlasting. The pride of a peacock is the glory of the God. If one has achieved something great by intelligence and talent it can be redone again in future by any other person as it is a mere human venture.

The one and only one who can feel pride is the GOD the Creator, since he is Sarvashaktha “OMNIPOTENT” and he is Sarvatantra Swatantra “INDEPENDENT”. As mere mortals do we have morality to be pride of things that we achieve????

Even in producing a small product in a factory there is involvement of firstly the supplier of raw materials then loaders and then the transporter then the work force in the factory to achieve the target on time. Isn’t it ridiculous if one takes pride of it when all one does is managing the events and it is a team work at the end which makes it possible???? We humans are never independent as we are always interdependent hence we are not eligible to feel pride.

Pride brings disgrace, while modesty fetches wisdom. Pride restricts one from taking failure in stride, the loss of pride takes him to the extreme of committing or threating to commit suicide.

“Naham Karta Hari Karta Tat Puja Karma cha Akhilam” ----"I am not the doer, Shri Hari is the doer, all the actions that I do are His worship”.

22. Are we parenting our children better?????

In recent times there is decline of morality amongst our children and it has reached a state of bother. There may be many social factors that have contributed to this state of affairs but one of the main causes is lack of parenting skills amongst the young parents. Parenting skills is a labour of love but it also requires wisdom and discipline. Nowadays, housework, home cooking, a mother's personal attention to her children are no longer valued and have been superseded by eminent career in the corporate world. Agreed that there is a need for both parents to work and focus on their careers and personal achievements, but in doing so they find it difficult to be good parents because they presume that they don’t have time to guide their children. Morality is not that thing wherein a parent has to spare time and teach them, the way the parents conduct themselves in front of the child is enough for the kid to learn. What is the use if a parent who has told a good story on truth and its benefits at bedtime and asks the child in the morning to answer the mobile and tell the one on the line that is he not present in the house?


Spirituality also has to be introduced to child but not of higher degree like Nirguna Upasana (Jnana), they should be thought of Saguna Upasana (Bhakti) in initial stages. Let us suppose a child has stomach ache it is important to drop a pill that relieves pain into its throat. It is of no use if we read out the name of the pill and the chemical composition of the pill to the child. If we bring up the child in a proper way, yes after some years the child will want to know about the pill and may be its chemical combination also. The child has to be thought about potential energy and kinetic energy before talking about rocket science isn’t it???


We are not molding our children to be good human beings we are preparing them to become money minting machines and would love them to learn software go to U.S, do medicine shift to U.K, become a civil or mechanical engineer get a job in U.A.E. If we think deeply are we not trading our childrens talent to other countries? We incept them with our unfulfilled career ambitions without taking into account what the child is interested in. We have this misconceptions that science and mathematics are the and only subject that will give a career to the child and all the other subjects like History, Geography, Language, Civic, Moral Science are only to score marks and swell the aggregate. History has become taboo to many of us, we don’t want it as we feel it is of no use in future, but those are the subjects which mold the personality of the child.


The parenting skills has to improve and the education system has to change to see our country have a better future with the generation next………… what say???

21. MIND is branded by our BEHAVIOUR.

In our daily life we encounter people with different behaviours some are emotional some practical and some are sensitive. Are these behaviour in us by birth or has it been developed with the events that has happened in the family the circumstances, environment. The answer is No; none of them will influence the behaviour of a person. The spontaneous variations in behaviour may be the result of circumstances but the inbuilt behavioural attitudes are to be analysed and if need be corrected.


A person’s mind is always branded by the way he behaves, we call some emotional or practical or sentimental or sensitive and so on. In fact this behaviour we posses are not permanent though it can be observed that in some circumstances we tend to go according to our behaviour. In the first place as a person looking at another person I have to learn to understand the other person beyond his behavioural attitudes, the beauty of a lotus is felt only if we look beyond the filthy lake isn’t it????


Also as a person we do not set our mind to some particular emotions all the time, because at that time our intellectual part works, for example, however emotional I may be towards God if I receive a banana as “Prasad” I peel off the skin and eat, here the intellect guides me to discard the skin and eat the fruit even though I consider the whole banana is oblation. Likewise we can see a practical person becomes emotional at hospital or at a funeral. And a sensitive person having a good pestering marketing career.


So it all depends on the intellect to correct our behaviour and if we can only listen to it we can lead a better life. Choosing to live a new and different way is a test because it means setting off in a new direction on a road that is unknown - we will not have experienced it ever before, and it takes nerve to start out on that journey. And we find our true nature when we learn to truly nurture our behaviour.

20. Family in Love …………….

Family love is word that is very hard to express. It is very rare to find a person who can put words to describe the depth of love one has towards the members of the family. But everyone will surely realize the void it creates if someone has departed from the family or one who has drawn stakes from the family and gone away. The mothers’ love and fathers’ efforts are the two things that haunt one who has been separated from them.

Unfriendly behavior among family members may crop up due to anger and fury which should not be taken as an indicator of lost love among the family members. These kinds of bitter memories have to be erased and one should learn to move on in the interest of a happy life. Real love has got strength to overcome all difficulties that appear in a family, it helps us to share our sorrows and happiness. It brings out openness and there will be no hidden secrets among husband and wife. Sharing of views and expressing of their intent is also important. In many families wife and husband try to keep their counterpart happy by accepting their way of life even though they are not comfortable with it, this is not the way of showing love. This leads only to a disaster once the fact surfaces.

Is it important to be expressive in showing out our Love????

There is no harm in expressing love but some are expressive and some are not. If someone is not expressive it does not mean there is no love towards the partner. One who has real love will find love as real love is silent and within which all the other love finds speech. There is a love quote which says “If you can’t understand my silence, how can you understand my words.” Love felt from heart is better than one felt from ears and eyes. What say?

19. UNIVERSALISM ........... entire earth is a family !

Ayam Nijah Paro Veti Gananam Laghu Chetasam
Udara Charitanam tu Vasudhaiva Kutumbhakam ||


"This is me and that is a stranger" - is the thought of the narrow-minded, for the magnanimous person, the Entire Earth is a family"

This is a verse from Hitopadesha a collection of prose and verse written in 12 century, for the benefit of teaching our children moral, ethical and emphatically values. If we try to understand this sloka we can realize that this was what made Swamy Vivekananda to address the gathering at The Parliament of the World’s Religions at Chicago, in 1893 as “My dear Brothers and Sisters of America” By addressing the gathering as brothers and sisters Swamy Vivekananda showed his belief in Universal Brotherhood.

Universalism is the ideology which prepares us to tolerate and respect other religion as the religion we are practicing. It also guides us to accept the intent of the philosophies which are to fortify human values. There is a Sufi song which Wadali Brothers sing; the lyricist compares the humans to pigeons. He says “Oh Lord what have we humans done in dividing our religions and separating ourselves in the name of God, a Hindu never goes to a mosque, a Muslim does not enter a temple. Christian is bounded to a church and a Sikh to Gurudwara, Oh Lord; I feel that a life of a pigeon is far better than mine. Once it sits on minaret of a mosque and the next on the gopuram of a temple or on the bell tower of a church and on the dome of a gurudwara”.

Universalism helps in the spread of awareness of unity, the religion of love which roots out the distinctions and differences which are the causes for hatred and violence.

18. Transformation from Within

Out of dissatisfaction or frustration with the things and people around, we wish they would change. Almost everyone wishes their counterparts would change.

In work place boss wants his employers to reach targets while the employee want their boss to be less demanding. Wife wants her husband to listen to her always while husband would appreciate if his wife would not be nagging. Parents want their children to be obedient and children would love if parents are liberal.

Is there a solution to this problem, if we look deep into this problem the solution is in making a difference in our self. Any change has to start with “me.” In fact, the truth is that the major thing that ever needs changing is “me.” The moment we truly realize this, transformation happens within us. So to change the world, we first have to change within.

Once there was a king who was suffering from headache and many of his personal doctors could not cure him. One day a sadhu from Himalayas visited the kingdom and finding out about the king’s headache the sadhu wished to look into the matter. So the sadhu went to the king and gave him some medicine and advised him that his headache would be cure in a week time and in future if the king has to get rid of the headache he has to make sure that what ever he sees should be green in colour. As told by the sadhu king was cured of headache and the king ordered the entire kingdom to be painted green and all his subjects should wear green.

After about a month the sadhu returned back to the kingdom. He was stopped by the gatekeepers and was told by them to wear green dress. The sadhu was surprised and wanted to know about the dress code in the kingdom, when he came to know about the advice he had given to the king. He wondered how foolish the king was to have painted the whole kingdom green instead he could have used green spectacles.

15. Can out of Sight be out of Mind????

Something which is easily forgotten when we can no longer see it is "out of sight, out of mind” says an English idiom. Will this apply for people who share strong bonding? This idiom is created a myth among us that if we don’t see anyone for long time we get them out of our Mind, but the truth is that it may happen to the person who we meet on our jogging track. Maybe after some days we may not see him regularly and forget about him but he is not out of Mind if we happen to see him again we recognize him.

Have we not seen how foolishly husbands order their wife not to see her brothers or sisters so that she will get them out of her Mind, or have we not heard of cunning wives luring their husbands to living separately from his parents and siblings so that he gets them out of his Mind??? And this syndrome has invented micro, mini or nuclear families. Circumstances may only possibly get them out of sight but not out of Mind.

I do not know if this story told by Swami Sukhabodhanandaji in one of the discourse is relevant to the context of the subject. It goes like this; a lady approached a monk and said, "My mother-in-law is creating hell in my life. My husband always nodding his head to what ever she says I would like to get rid of her, Can you help me get rid of her?"

The monk gave her some powder to mix in tea and said there is one condition. "Be very kind and loving to her, when she dies no one will suspect you. She will die after two months. After one month she returned to the monk and pleaded, "I do not want my mother-in-law to die, she has changed she has started loving me of late and is very kind to me nowadays." The monk said, "More than the powder, it is your false love that worked even though it was false she has taken it seriously and started loving you and you have been responding to it."

Though we should practice Unconditional Love, I feel in a family sometimes even if we just act as if we love the consequences will be fruitful. There was a popular hind movie song “Pal Bharke Liye Koi Hame Pyar Karle Jhoota Hi Sahi” even though it is a duet if applied in life it works miracles. But for this to happen one should not be egoistic, adamant and with superiority complex but should be modest, humble and remain minuscule.

14. Supersitions and Rationalism

Off late people are inclined to astrology when they are in trouble to get solace, I would like to clarify that astrology is not for all it is for those who need it, like a clinic where a person feels by going inside and putting his problems before the doctor and taking the prescription he will get rid of his trouble. Let us suppose if the prescription or the doctor fails to treat the person it does not mean whole of the medical science is a failure.

Also it depends on a person’s mentality like if he is not a fatalist then he need to have some means to comfort his woes. To become a fatalist one has to understand the Karma Siddhantha, the Laws of Karma, and to accept the plays of fortune and failure in life which is only achieved in the later stages of life, but at the beginning we have to have some means of catalyst to help us do things in life. It is not wrong to take the help of astrology though it is bad to continue with it in all phases of life.

Further we were both God fear and Moral fear. Well now very few are God fearing and it is not good also to fear God who is like father to us anyway. What is harming the society is that people who call themselves rationalist are eradicating the Moral fear in people which is very very very bad for a harmonious society. We agree that they are some what superstitions but it helped construct a healthy society. People were afraid to put an eye on other people’s property due to the fear of morality but now thanks to these rationalists who behave like Charvakas, the sweet tongued rebels no one is afraid of the consequences.

At the end it is better to be innocent than becoming ignorant and spread things one doesn’t know!!!!

13. Greed and Jealousy creating CHAOS!!!!!!

The reason for all the chaos is not the outcome of doings of unintelligent or unemotional people. The real hindrance to happiness is that we have forgotten how to live content with what we have. Contentment is like a precious pearl. Whoever procures it at the expense of 10,000 desires makes a wise and happy purchase.

Gautama Buddha in his four noble truths declares that there is suffering and misery in life and the direct cause of it is desire or craving. People with passionate qualities are never satisfied with their position or possessions they always seek to accumulate more and more and enjoy flaunting what they have. In this way they lose the power of thought and power of emotion which are the two important parts for the integral way of living.

In the Bhagavad Gita, Arjuna asks Krishna what impels a person to commit sin against his will. Krishna replies that desire and anger, born of passionate quality, are enemies that eat our Atman. They obfuscate wisdom like smoke covers fire.

Aristotle says, "I count him braver who overcomes his desires than him who conquers his enemies; for the hardest victory is over self." Desire is unquenchable. Once desire is born, it knows not how to die. Desire, when transformed into aspiration, helps life soar into the highest liberation, and supreme salvation does not seem so out of reach, after all. All people desire what they believe will make them happy. If a person is fully content with Self, we can only conclude that he is engaged with another, more eternal state of happiness that is called Bliss.

12. Can Materialism give us all the comforts????

An object in possession hardly ever retains the same charm that it had in pursuit. Why it is that human mind is not able to enjoy the experience of a thing for which the person had struggled to get. The reason is that the comfort is not in the materialistic thing which we are in pursuit, but it is the state of mind. If there is nothing at all I can sleep on the floor, if there is a mat my mind says on the mat, if cot on the cot. This mind always asks for something better and makes the body plunge into hardships to get it. It is not that we should live without comforts at all. Our mind should never become a slave to it.


Comforts also make a person physically lazy. Let us suppose a person will have a drive to buy a car this will be his ambition, unfortunately what happens is that after buying instead of he driving the car, the car drives him; i mean he is so used to the vehicle that he forgets that he was living without it. Same thing with all the gadgets he possesses. And most important observation is that once he has possession of what he needs his interest is shifted to the other. The most awkward mentality is to be unique he wants all that is one and only; let it be a brand new product or an antique piece. Isn’t this a kind of disease?????


Then do we have a cure for it: YES, here are some of the prescriptions.


Simple living, High Thinking.


That man is the richest whose pleasures are the cheapest.


Reduce the complexity of life by eliminating the needless wantons of life, and the labors of life reduce themselves.


Learn to live a life of honest poverty, if you must, and turn to more important matters than transporting gold to your grave.

11. Difference between Positive Thought and Right Thought.

Positive thought is the first step to put forth something once the Conscious Mind has conceived the idea of a desired deed. A thought is like blue print before the task is accomplished, every deed is done twice once in the Mind and then practically. Positive thoughts transforms into belief in ones Mind through autosuggestion, sending a clear mental picture of the desired deed to the Subconscious Mind.

Right thoughts are spiritual process carried out by the Intellect. In the spiritual mind our desired deed is transferred to Intelligence. Intelligence will deliver to our Subconscious Mind the knowledge necessary to accomplish the deed. Subconscious Mind does not think, it just responds to the thoughts that it receives from the Conscious Mind. Our Subconscious mind manifests to us anything that we ask for, whether it is good or bad. Therefore, we must direct it correctly through Right thinking.

An incident will illustrate the difference between Positive Thinking and Right Thinking:

It so happened that a group of friends were traveling in a bus to a hill station on a bright sunny day and the bus was going up the hill. The sight of the valley down was enchanting and one person asked the driver to stop the bus as he feels the beauty of the nature has to be captured in his camera. The person gets down the bus and goes to some distance when a big boulder came rolling down the hill and crushed the bus. His entire group of friends and the driver of the bus were killed. If the person or any of his family members think and thank his stars for being saved because he was lucky to be out of the bus, maybe it can be Positive thinking. But the fact or Right thinking is that the big boulder came crushing on the bus because the bus had stopped there at the moment because of him, had he not asked the driver to stop, the bus was traveling and maybe nothing like this would have happened.Let us not go into the logics of Karma here.

Positive thoughts take only the willingness and desire to act and think better in expectation of a joyful mood, while Right thoughts take full commitment to wellness and is inclined more to practice of the Truth.

10. Isn't the desire to be desireless still a desire?

Desires should never be a habit; As Sharadha maa has said we have to have higher desires in spirituality. 

“Desiring to be desire less is also a desire right???"

NO,

We can explain it this way:

A shape object resembling a thorn is required to remove a thorn stuck in the foot. And after removing the same we throw away both of them. Higher desires (Spiritual) are required to eliminate the Lower desires (Materialistic) and then after enlightenment both are not required. 

Being Desireless doesn’t mean one should reject the fortunes that come in the way if he deserves. We have seen many of us who desire but don’t deserve. Desire is good to be ambitious in life but not craving.

We have seen how a child behaves when it sees chocolates. It eats a couple, and then stuff one in the pocket and tries to stuff more in the other pockets. The child is in frenzy. This is called feverishness which is to satisfy our senses. As an adult we may not have this feverishness for chocolates but what are chocolates for a child is materialistic comforts for an adult. When such feverishness for objects is missing, we really enjoy the object of senses. We have to experience and enjoy but without craving for it, knowing that the joy comes form within us. The object is only a mere reflection. We can enjoy only when we understand that the joy is within and not in the object outside. This is a little profound and it clicks to a mature mind.......What say?????

9. Maya and Illusions

What is Illusion?

Illusion is one that can never be accepted as a perceived image as the information gathered by the human brain to give a percept does not allay with only one. And the human brain is confused for some time to understand the two percepts and then project it to the Mind.

In the figure we can find a person with a spectacles, now just by tilting the head to the left we will find a word LIAR, now the human brain constructs a world inside our head based on the percepts and sometimes tries to organize the information it feels best and in other times it tries to fill in gaps this is the way human brain works on the basis of an illusion.

This illusion was created since there were two in the one picture. The human brain has to struggle out to find out the perfect percept to deliver it to Mind. Like wise there is only one Absolute Brahman and He alone is true (Satya). The materialistic world we live in is not real (Asat), or it is only vyavaharika satya.

What does vyavaharika satya mean? Let us suppose we dream of winning a brand new car in a lottery and driving it, though we experience the drive once we are awake there is no car. Did we not experience the car drive in the dream is it not true? Yes, it was true, if so then where is the car? This is vyavaharika satya. Sri Sri Shankara says that appearance of this world is due to Maya—the illusory power of Brahman—, which is neither Sat, nor Asat.

As for the “falseness” of this world - first let us make it clear that Advaita does not claim that this world is false. It only says that it is illusory. Let us pause a minute here and go over the rope and snake analogy. A man sees a coiled rope in insufficient light and thinks it to be a snake, and is therefore afraid. Later, when he sees it again with the help of a light source, he recognizes it as a rope, and realizes he was in error when he thought it to be a snake. However, till he realizes that this object of perception is not a snake, he harbors the illusion that it was a snake i.e. he was under the influence of his own ignorance about the true identity of the thing, and was therefore under "mithyatva". The same "snake" is later, at the moment of realization, understood to be a "rope". Similarly, we humans’ think this world has an independent reality, and assumes that the pleasures, joys, frustrations and miseries we experiences here are somehow "real". It is this that is "mithya".

8. Mind Control

The mind, (manas) is controlled by intelligence, (buddhi) and has control over our sense organs, (indriyas). If our sense organs are horses of a chariot, the mind is the leash that is held by intelligence, the charioteer. The chariot will move in the right direction only if the charioteer has control over the horses through the leash. The mind is like the supervisor in the factory of life, and directs the sense organs. The mind does a wonderful job of carrying out directions, but it is not supposed to be the key decision-maker in the factory. Key decision making is the job of intelligence. If intelligence is clouded, then the mind has a habit of listening to whoever is speaking the loudest in the factory (Indriyas).

There is conflict between intelligence and mind that is judged by our consciousness. This is never seen in animals. Let us suppose a landlord who happens to leave his house for a few days orders both his housekeeper and the dog not to go out of the house in his absence. Even though both have violated the order, the dog has no inner conflict and sleeps happily, but the housekeeper is sleepless. He feels guilty and is also ticked off for not following orders. The mind should always listen to intelligence and order the sense organs, and then there would be no conflict of mind and intelligence. When we say we have a disturbed mind then we have done something that our intelligence does not want us to do.

7. Consciousness as Seer

Viveka (Wisdom) is like the “butter” which is extracted from the “cream” of Buddhi (Intellect) which in turn is got from the ocean of milk called Manas (Mind). Wisdom is to be aware of the differentiation between the seer (the one who sees) and the seen. 

What is seen and who is the seer?

If the eye is the seer the objects around is the seen. Similarly, to the mind, the eye is seer and the sense organ of vision is the seen. For Chaitanya (Consciousness), which is the seer, the mind becomes the seen. Thus Consciousness is the ultimate seer which experiences without the help of other entity, this non dependent Consciousness alone is the witness. Does a lighted lamp which in a dark place, need the help of another lamp to confirm its presence.

In darkness a beam of light is required for us to know if a person exists, but we need no light to know our own presence. The flame in the lighted lamp has no shadow and so also the Consciousness which is also referred to as Brahma Chaitanya has no silhouette. Consciousness is self-aware of its existence. But this non dependent Consciousness has a reflected consciousness which is ego that is projected due to the reflecting medium called the Mind. The mind is a subtle form of energy that has no consciousness of its own but acts as a conscious entity due to ego. This ego is of limited consciousness and acts as the observer, knower and the experienced. Identification of the reflected consciousness with the world and getting attached to the likes and dislikes is called Samsara (Life). The only way to overcome ego is to shun Karttatva Bhava (Doer-ship). The ego is the “I” ness present in mind where thoughts, feelings and experiences circle. Once this reflected consciousness is withdrawn from the mind and merged with the non dependent Consciousness -- then the non attachment to the body and the mind is achieved. We require a proficient Guru and uninterrupted sadhana to know which this reflected consciousness is.

Once a King announced a reward of 1,000 gold coins to whomever who could fetch the diamond necklace which his daughter lost. A beggar was walking along a polluted river. He saw a spark in the river and when he looked close he saw the diamond necklace. He decided to try and fetch it so that he could get the reward. He put his hand in the filthy river to grab the necklace, but somehow could not get it. He took his hand out and looked again and the necklace was still there. He tried again. But strangely, he still missed the necklace! He came out frustrated and started walking away, feeling depressed.

Then again, he saw the necklace, right there. This time he was determined to get it. He decided to plunge into the river. Although it was disgusting, he plunged in and searched everywhere for the necklace. Just then, a Sadhu who was walking by saw him, and asked him what the matter was. The beggar didn’t want to share anything with the Sadhu, thinking he might take the necklace and get the reward. Being compassionate, the Sadhu again asked the beggar to tell him the problem and promised that he would not tell anyone.

The beggar gathered some courage and decided to put some faith in the Sadhu. He told him about the necklace and how he tried and tried to get it, but kept failing. The Sadhu then told the beggar that perhaps he should try looking upward, toward the branches of the tree, instead of in the filthy river. The beggar looked up and was surprised to see the necklace dangling on the branch of a tree. He had been trying to capture a mere reflection of the real necklace all the time.

6. Advaitha and Dvaitha Philosophy

The eternal Self is the ultimate phase, like gold, while the name and form of an individual is like that of gold jewellery. Some may not like the making of the jewel but the gold that is in it is not inferior. The face value of a currency note is the same even if it is soiled. Every individual is the same like gold and the intrinsic value of a currency note. This is what Sri Sri Shankara tries to convey through the prism of Advaita philosophy.

The Dvaita philosophy of Sriman Madhava endorses the need for every individual to live life in a way that enables one to take out or forge an attractive jewel out the gold or clean the currency note so that it become new and crisp. Both these great exponents of philosophy of Advaita and Dvaita, have really said the same thing but in different ways. Sri Sri Shankara asks us to see others in the same perspective as we see ourselves. Sriman Madhva explains to us that even though others see us in the same perspective as they see themselves, it is righteousness to live a quality life.

5. Is Comparison required to better our life???????

Some well-wisher posed this question and stirred my thoughts. Is Comparison required to better our life? Yes or No! Comparisons are in matter of money or socialization.

Comparison can be broadly classified as
1) Financial comparison
2) Social comparison

Financial comparison is with the intention of betterment of our self and family and all it needs is to better our earnings or if we have good earning to spend in a way that we are on par with others. In all this exercise we in a way want others to think that we are happy. Because if I were to be contented and be happy with what I have got I would not have compared myself with others.

Social comparison is process whereby we learn to get along with and to behave similarly to other people in the group, largely through imitation as well as group pressure. Social comparison is with the intention of betterment of our life with others and all it needs is to keep in good relationship with people around us. For this to be achieved we have to share our views and accept others views, and being so others are happy for us. They miss us the moment we leave their company they yearn for it.

4. Result Oriented Living

I was told about Result Oriented Living, “To keep the world’s mouth shut be result oriented” they say. Well I had read many literatures where I perceived that result are secondary and doing work is important. Also the quote from Ralph Waldo Emerson” Reward for a thing well done, is to have done it” this is in fact one of my best quote.

Now, after listening to Result Oriented Living I went into contemplation on this issue as I was skeptical about it. Then I had this thought about the Silk Worm, people keep these worms in farms and feed them with finely cut mulberry leaves with the result of getting silk cocoon. And if we look at the other worms in the farm they are just wiped out using pesticides. Yes, world respects those who are result oriented people.

3. DESIRE: fulfilled or not is dangerous.

Desire works in one of two ways. 

Once a particular desire is born there are only two possibilities: either desire is not fulfilled or it is fulfilled to our satisfaction.

If our desire is not fulfilled, we are agitated and annoyed. When anger takes over, frustration slips in and we feel envious. Envy makes us feel jealousy when, for instance, someone known to us or very close to us have achieved something that we were yearning for since a long time. This will cause loss of peace in our mind, hence our elders used to advice us to first deserve and then desire.

If our desire is fulfilled, then there is the emotion of elite for having what others do not have. This feel of elite makes us think we are unique and all that we got by desiring is ours. It makes us forget that the entire things in this earth belong to the Lord who created them and we are here to get some benefit out of them and pass it onto our next generations. Ultimate reality is the we do not even own this physical body of ours which we are obsessed with.

When we attain what we seek, we develop attachment towards them. this attachment makes us greedy. In an effort to fulfill the greed we often tend to take refuge in untruth and unlawfulness. Again there is loss of peace in our mind. 

Now is it good or bad to desire for?

Desire is just a feeling that tells us that we are missing something in our life. In fact desire can actually be quite a good and necessary part of our life, for example desire for knowledge, to help others and or for a harmonious living all positive traits to becoming the person you were meant to be; what I consider as a divine human.

Desire is not the enemy to a happy and balanced life. It is not a hindrance to experiencing a higher self. In fact, desire can often be the motivational for all that greater awareness. It is not desire that is bad; it is the lack of will to check and balance that desire which can turn a healthy emotion into a self-destructive one. It is when desire is driven by the ego that we start to undermine the righteousness part in our desire.

If our desires are well within the limits of Dharma (righteousness) and if we keep a check and maintain a steady balance by asking where the limit to our desires is, then we need not worry about its path and pace. It is okay to desire if we make sure the “desire” that we want is in line with the person we truly want to become. Only then can we truly find happiness and enlightenment. Happiness does not come from having everything under the Sun but it comes from having the things that hold upon to the Simple Truth.

2. Concept of GOD

There is nothing to be achieved or attained in God consciousness. It is not something outside; it is all here within us. If we think we should go towards God who is somewhere away from us then that idea has no meaning. Again if we say “within us “somewhere at the back of the mind we sound “not outside”. Neither up nor down, inside nor outside, here nor there none of these notions apply to the Omnipresent God. 

It is impossible for a human mind to remain a human mind and at the same time understand God. Only God’s mind can understand God. Only when the human mind is so relieved of its Ego then it becomes God’s mind and that mind is capable of understanding God. With such a mind it is possible to live blissfully in this beautiful world.

We read in Srimad Bhagavatam 10 Cantos that in Krita Yuga during Narasimha Avatar young Prahlada tells his father Hiranya Kashyapa that Sriman Narayana is every where in every thing. And Hiranya Kashyapa hit the pillar with his mace and out emerges Narasimha. 

In Treta Yug at the time of Sri Rama Coronation, Sita devi gives Hanuman the pearl necklace, Hanuman starts searching for Sri Rama in it and say he cannot find Rama in it. When people around asks him if Sri Rama is inside him, Hanuman tears of his chest to show Sri Rama in it.

In both the incidences which are described in Sriman Bhagavatam there is a huge contradiction. While one of the devotee of Sari Hari perceive him everywhere there is another who believes Sri Hari is in him and nowhere else. Such is the concept of God, God is just the state of MIND.  And we need to have His grace for Him to be in our Mind always and this is all the prayer is all about. Now as it is important for us to think of Him always it is also important for us request Him to have us in His Cosmic Mind also.

Kulashekara Alwar one of the adherent devotee of Sri Hari says in Mukundamala thus:

maj-janmanah phalam idam madhu-kaitabhare                   mat prarthaniya mad anugraha esa eva                     tvad bhrtya-bhrtya-paricharaka-bhrtya-bhrtya bhrtyasya bhrtyam iti mam smara lokanatha    

Meaning: "O Supreme Lord of all, slayer of the demons Madhu and Kaitabha! Please be merciful to me and grant my prayer that You may remember me as a servant of Your servant's servant, a servant of such a servant of Your servant's servant, a servant of a servant of Your servant's servant, and a servant of Your servant's servant servant." 

1. Talking: a way to Express

A lot of trouble in the world would disappear if people talk to each other instead of talking "about" each other. Talk is the only way to express our intent and get other persons content. In the process of letting our intent known we use comparison or examples as content, unfortunately the content takes the important place than the intent. If the content is taking seriously the value of the intent is lost. Intelligent person will ...try to concentrate on the intent than on the content. It is important to be the first to talk, in Ramayana Sage Valmiki writes about Sri Rama as "Hitha Bhashi" and "Purva Bhashi" (One who talked in a pleasing manner and one who would start a conversation).