499. A Cat for a Stop Signal…….

http://www.speakingtree.in/public/spiritual-blogs/seekers/self-improvement/a-cat-for-a-stop-signal

Today morning I was driving to my factory and the early cold morning had less traffic on the road. There was a slight mist with weather being chill I enjoyed the ride. All of a sudden a young man wearing a leather jacket on a two wheeler zoomed past my vehicle. With less traffic on the road at that hour I thought the youngster might be having thrill putting the machine to the extreme assault. Soon I heard screeching sound accompanied by burning smell of rubber. I noticed the young man had stopped his vehicle as he had seen a cat crossing the road. He then looked back and waited for my vehicle to pass.

I looked at him and as I went past his bike and drove on. Again he overtook my vehicle, and then at the signal junction he jumped the signal light though the red light was on. I wondered how this young man could stop his vehicle when he saw a cat cross the road but did not have the traffic sense to stop when he had to at the flash of red light at a signal. Is superstition gripping him MORE than the traffic rules I was wondering???  

Superstitions have had never been base of our rural culture. We have of course accepted Shakuna Shastra (omenology) by Sage Garga which is a science about knowing what might happen from the indications provided by nature logically. Just as we have modern meteorological department which predicts the variations in environment. The cat crossing the path might have been one such indication which was in practice long back where a person was warned not to venture into the area where a cat crossed his path. He was cautioned about plague, the deadly disease which was spread by rats. The traveler would avoid entering such a locality if he found a cat crossing his path as the rats were the favorite food of cats.

Now we have cats reared in the house as pets and there is no fear of plague also. Yet this old superstition is followed and the vehicles are stopped for a while at the sight of a cat crossing the path while traffic signals are jumped. This is the irony …………what say??????    

Swami Vivekananda says

“I would rather have every one of you be rank atheists than superstitious fools. There is no mystery in religion. Mystery mongering and superstition are always signs of weakness. These are always signs of degradation and of death. Therefore beware of them; be strong, and stand on your own feet.”  

497. Stay away from Both the Ends and Sink in Middle Path...

http://www.speakingtree.in/public/spiritual-blogs/seekers/self-improvement/stay-away-from-both-the-ends-and-sink-in-middle-path

Every human being has the intellect and the instinct to guide in deciding what has to be done and what not to be done. In spite of these two acting as the banks on the either sides, at times the river of desire tend to breach and over flow. “Desire is the root of all suffering” says one great philosopher and the modern thinkers feel “Desires motivate us to our goal”.  Now with the two thoughts which will suite to appropriate context is the million dollar question. We sometime stick to one of them and take on a course of action which end up making our life miserable.

There was this young man who was bewildered and he went to his father to get things cleared. This is how the conversation went on:

Son: Papa, is desire good or bad?

Father: If the desire in you is doing good to you but causing harm to others it is bad. Even if it does not harm others if they are in limits they are good.

Son: Generally what I desire for will be for my good, I may or need not think if it is causing harm to other.

Father: Thinking about yourself is one extreme which does not take you anywhere. If every individual thinks like how you do, what is the meaning of living in a society? As you are important so should others also be to you.

Son: But, papa as I think of myself if others also think about themselves and do their living then everybody will be in the safe line. Isn't it?

Father: No son, you are wrong if every one think the way you do it will be going to one extreme and not taking the middle path.

Son: What is this extreme and middle path now, Papa?

Father: When you desire to eat your favorite dish do you over eat just because you like it or do you eat to your satisfaction?

Son: Yes, I eat till I am satisfied I do not over eat.

Father: Even though it is your favorite dish you cannot eat more than you can, like wise there is limit for everything, if the limit is extended the problem starts. Normally there are two extremes in everything we perceive, and nurturing these extremes causes misery and even downfall. It is only in middle path there is a balance.

Son: Could you please clarify, Papa”         

Father: Have you ever gone to a music concert? Have you seen the guitarist adjusting the strings of the guitar?

Son: Yes I have seen him do exactly that.

Father: If the strings are too loose or too tight the guitarist finds it difficult to produce good music, Right? The strings need to be adjusted to be not too loose or too tight. Exactly in the same way we need to follow a middle path. Mind likes to go to the extremes always; ego could be one of the reasons. Our ego wants us to be elite. It always flip-flops from one extreme to another to be unique. There is no fault in desiring. While your body has needs and your mind has desires. If you do not blame your body for the needs you should not blame your mind for desires. But the only required intelligence is to keep those desires in a limit. Desires are neither good nor bad if they are in limits. 

Son: Thanks Papa, limit is the middle path I understand.

Father: Desire is like a pinch of salt that enhance the taste, more of it or less of it would spoil the taste of the recipe. And it is one ingredient which is not put with measurement; it is as per your taste.

496. Seize the Opportunity but in a Right Way!!!!

http://www.speakingtree.in/spiritual-blogs/seekers/self-improvement/seize-the-opportunity-but-in-a-right-way

If I take advantage of the situation that is offered to make something worthy out of it I will be branded an opportunist. There are four major approaches to make a decision. They are intentional, impulsive, procedural and opportunistic. While the first three are taken in a right spirit for accomplishment of a task, opportunistic decision is seen in suspicious manner. Opportunism is not a plan but a method. Opportunism has the place in the mind as the same way as the ambition has. If ambition has the privilege of getting a positive tag why is opportunism given a negative tag? If those who complain about opportunism were more opportunistic then they would not have raised their voice against it. It is due to misconception that opportunism is in general referred to as a negative sense. Although if the advantage of some opportunity is utilized without caring if it could affect others, then it is wrong and has to be condemned. There are positive ways of being an opportunist and this process does not exploit anybody or will never cause harm to anyone.

The word opportunism is many times misused and is associated with the act of a person irrespective of his intent. One cannot blindly accuse anyone of opportunism even though there is selfishness in the act. For example, if a person applies for a post in the government office he cannot be called an opportunist. If he uses nepotism to get the post then he is an opportunist to the core. 

Going to a shopping mall to purchase the necessary things is positive opportunism; trying to loot the shopping mall at the time of riot is negative opportunism. So in general there is a positive and a negative opportunism. If a person has a negative opportunistic approach, he often ignores the valve of honor or dignity in him. There are rules of conduct in society which are created to make everybody have a fair play, if a person searches for any loop hole to take any kind of advantage over the others, and then it is opportunism.

Opportunities are all the same but the way one takes advantages of it can be many. It is always better to welcome opportunities through the most respected front door, than of using a back door entry. Opportunity that comes through back door may well get us the necessary advantage but it will not be in a position to soothe our soul. With the tendencies of taking advantage from a negative opportunity we will fall in the whirlpool of corruption. And then finally corruption breeds corruption in that corruption causes opportunistic behaviour. This behaviour causes a feel which intensifies the belief to be uncaring towards society, which in turn favors corruption and the vicious cycle continues forever.

Even the Absolute provides His grace through opportunities, it so happened that a fisherman who believed that even for a grass to move there has to be His grace once was stuck in his boat in the middle of the ocean at the time of a great cyclone. The boat was about to sink and fisherman was to go down with it. He prayed for the Lord to save him. After a few moments a chopper hovered in the sky and dropped the swing ladder. The fisherman refused to climb the ladder saying he wanted Lord to save him. After much of persuading the chopper left and a motor boat arrived even then the fisherman refused the help. The boat sunk and the fisherman was drowned. He met the Lord and questioned Him why He did not come to save him when he was in distress? The Lord replied, “Son, I had come twice first in the form of the pilot of the chopper and the second time as the captain of a motor boat, you failed to recognise me.”  

495. When Atheist, Ritualist & Spiritualist confronted the OTHER......

http://www.speakingtree.in/public/spiritual-blogs/seekers/science-of-spirituality/when-atheist-ritualist-spiritualist-confronted-the-other

There were two friends one an atheist and the other who believed in ritualistic worship, they sat on the park bench and the atheist took one disastrous event which killed many theists to poke at his friend. And the argument went on for an hour as the ritualist put out his best to convince his friend. 

A spiritualist, who was sitting at the other end of the same bench and listening to them, intervened. He said, “Gentlemen, I have been listening to you both and find that the friend who is a non-believer has a point. I believe that unknown energy is doing something which I cannot comprehend, but sometimes even I feel at least those who believe that energy as God should have saved since they had kept trust on Him. At the same time I would like to tell my atheist friend that it was not the matter of belief or not believing which is the yard stick for a person to die.”

Turning to the person who had been defending the ritualistic worship the spiritualist said, “Sir, you know that He is present everywhere but you stick to worshiping idols as if God is present only in it. This act of yours has clouded the essence of what Vedas have told. It is this worshiping of idols which has kept the devotees in dark, because you think He is Omnipresent and yet confine Him in the four walls of a Sanctum. I will tell you a situation so that you get the point clearly. A young man was brought to the city by his relative and got him a job in the tailoring shop. The owner of the shop put the boy to stitch buttons to the shirt. After about five years the relative visits the boy at the tailoring shop and finds him fixing the buttons but the difference was he was sewing with gold thread. The situation is no better here what idol worshiping to you, is sewing buttons is to the boy. Just as the boy sewing with the ordinary thread earlier had now started sewing with gold thread, you who had adored the idols in temple with flowers; now adore them with gold jewelry, and I see no difference in both. This idol worship will never stop and you people will never come out of obsession to adore non living objects.”

As the two friends kept listening to the spiritual person talking, an old man came from nowhere and started talking to the spiritualist who was giving the sermon all the while. 

The old man said to the spiritualist, “O wise man, why do you target idol worship? If I have to go by the analogy you have just now mentioned about the boy in the tailor shop, it is the boy who has to be reprimanded for not using his skills and the knowledge he has learn in the shop to promote himself to the tailor level. What has the job of sewing the buttons got do here? While it was the inefficiency of the boy to scale the ladder to evolve further, why do you criticize the position? That position of sewing the button has to be there after all it is a tailoring shop, it is the elementary level there. You are not given the sewing machine and a pair of scissors on the first day. Like wise do not criticize Sagunopasana (Idol worship), it is the inefficiency of a seeker to transcend to Nirgunopasana (Mental worship) which is of concern."

Talking so the old man left with the three pondering over what he had said..... Can I call the old person an AWAKENED MAN ?????? 

494.Looking at the Pleasant Moments the Problem has to offer...!

http://www.speakingtree.in/public/spiritual-blogs/seekers/self-improvement/looking-at-the-pleasant-moments-the-problem-has-to-offer

I had come home to have lunch yesterday afternoon and my mobile rang. It was the supervisor from my factory.

“Hello” I said.

“Sir, there is some problem in the first machine, we have stopped it.” He said.

“Why, what happened?” I asked him.     

“There is a crackling sound in the fly wheel of the press and there is friction at that place so the shaft is heating up.” He said.

“Look if there is continuous flow of lubrication oil over there. I will be coming soon.” I told him and hung up. After finishing my lunch I rushed back to the factory which is fifteen minutes drive from my place.

As I was on my way I had at least ten to fifteen thoughts that flashed continuously in a gap of few minutes. What might have happened? Had the shaft worn out? Has something worst happened to the machine? If there was a break down how many days might it take to set it right? What have I got to do about the daily delivery schedule? Does the finished product dispatch get hampered? And then I stopped at traffic signal. In front of my vehicle was a two wheeler and a young lady on pillion was carrying her daughter, I think, about two years old on her lap. The kid was holding on to a thread which was tied to a helium balloon on the other end. The balloon had a pleasant pink colour on it and the kid was watching the balloon and I could see happiness in her eyes. It was nice to look at the pleasant face of the infant.      

The traffic signal light turned yellow and I started the engine. All of a sudden the kid lost grip of the thread and wind took the balloon away from the little girl. I expected the kid to scream and cry.

No! I was wrong; the kid turned its head and watched the balloon sail high skywards excitedly. There was a smile on her face which was evident of the happiness which was much better that when it was holding the thread of the balloon.  

Was the kid not worried that the balloon had slipped away from its grasp? Did it not consider it a loss? Why was it so thrilled looking at the balloon go skywards? I questioned myself. Here is what I learnt, even if the kid was to cry it would not get that balloon back. It just enjoyed the sight of the balloon float high. I told myself let me go to the factory and face the problem as it is. There is no point in thinking of the pros and cons before looking at the magnitude of the problem.

I reached my factory and we dismantled the flywheel of the press and as I had anticipated we found that a small cotton waste had blocked the flow of lubricating oil causing friction and hence there was the crackling sound and heat generated in that part. After about two hours of overhaul, the machine began to operate smooth and better than before; the delivery schedule for tomorrow was not obstructed. There was a sigh of relief, relief not only because the machine was functioning but also for having the overhaul done which gave the machine an extended smooth running life.   

And as we were closing the factory in the evening I thanked the kid for putting sense into me. Everything is revealing by itself without an iota of doubt, if the door of my perception is cleansed I can see it happening. More importantly I can witness the pleasant moments in those revealing phase. I need not worry about a problem all I have to do is to look for the pleasant moments the problem has to offer me and enjoy them…….am I Right????? 

493. Nandi & Kedarnathji have a chat after the Himalayan Tsunami…

http://www.speakingtree.in/public/spiritual-blogs/seekers/god-and-i/nandi-kedarnathji-have-a-chat-after-the-himalayan-tsunami

The breaking of Kedar Dome and breaching of the Charbari Lake is said to have been the cause of this “Himalayan Tsunami” which devastated the holy town of Kedarnath. After this tragic event the holy town now resembles a ghostly town. When everything was silent and still Nandi who is facing Kedarnathji spoke to his Swami thus:

Nandi: Swami, why this Tandav Nritya (Dance of Destruction) by you now?

Kedarnathji: Nandi, you know I stand for destruction but this time it is not me, it is my wife who sits on my top the reason behind such devastation. My devotees say there is always is fight between my two wives, the one on the top and other on my lap. That is not true they care for each other. My wife on the top (Ganga) could not tolerate the exploitation of my wife on my lap (Prakruti) by mankind. She has just sent them a warning signal for illegal constructions. Human greed has to stop.

Nandi: But the construction that had come up there was to aid your devotees, my Lord?

Kedarnathji: We have been here since many ages and witnessed the change. Of Late devotees want to rush to my abode and stay here wishing to wash off their sins and get back to accumulate again. There was no need for them to stay here and cause lot of hard ship to my other devotees, as it is the shrine is close for six months. Some are becoming over possessive towards me out of ignorance.

Nandi: Is it not their devotion towards you, Swami?

Kedarnathji: No Nandi, one who has my glimpse and lets the one behind him to have my darshan is my devotee, I reside in him. Even my brother Balaji is facing the same problem with His devotees down south at Tirumala. They may also cause stampedes to happen, ages back devotees would not stay here overnight but now they have built hotels, resorts by damaging the sensitivity of the Ecology. No longer does this holy town remains as a pilgrimage center it has become a holiday destination.   

Nandi: Swami, I heard some calling you stone hearted to have let your devotees die.

Kedarnathji: Nandi look at the rescue operations there, do you see those people who are climbing the chopper holding their belongings; instead they could have accommodated two more of them. They only think of themselves and their belongings. Ages ago people were not so they would value life more than belongings. It is this greed for survival over others life that has made this tragedy. Look at people using the situation to exploit the victims. They are killing themselves they do not have moral fear also.

Nandi: But Swami you say you help those who help themselves?

Kedarnathji: Nandi, you are quizzing me, when I meant I help those who help themselves I was talking of the mental level not physical. Physically one has to help others, devotees had to have sent those who are aged or physically weak first in the chopper. Humanity is the one which leads to Divinity.    

Nandi: Will people learn for such catastrophes my Lord?

Kedarnathji: No Nandi, even now after this tragedy there will be only mudslinging and blame game. And man does not like to go to the roots of an event and accept that it is only his greed that is the sole reason for all this. Except for those who have lost their near and dear ones everyone else will forget of this event and more projects will be sanctioned in the name of development. And then again mankind will sit on the time bomb waiting for it to explode.

Nandi: Is development bad???

Kedarnathji: (has a laugh) Nandi, which came first your horns or your ears. Just because your horns are stronger than your ears, it does not mean it came first.  

Nandi: But then why should innocent pilgrims die what about those who caused destruction to nature?

Kedarnathji: Those who were killed in the catastrophe had only endured the fruits of their past deeds. Those who are done with their present deeds will also get the appropriate fruit for their actions.....Do not worry it is just the Karma (Destiny) at work...    

Nandi went into contemplation as the flash from the camera of a journalist shrink his pupil……..

492. Corrupt Practices: from Need based to Greed based!!!!!

http://www.speakingtree.in/public/spiritual-blogs/seekers/self-improvement/corrupt-practices-from-need-based-to-greed-based

People can be in need of things they already have or for things they don’t have. In most cases the first type that is need to have what they already have is quite common. When I say it is common it does not mean that it is a positive human attribute, but it is experienced more. In this form which is greed based need a person wants things so desperate than he doesn't care about being a good human being and thus end up cheating others to obtain them. This is what drives most of our politicians and shady businessmen to cheat people whom they are supposed to serve. They use their power and status to exploit them to improve their own style of living.

Needs are more and necessary so with a small salary it is hard to run a family, thinking so a first division clerk in a office extends his hands to accept bribe to push a file or do some favor. This is the need based greed and he is in need of what he does not have. Some may sympathize with the person but what might start as need based greed will end up as greed based need after a few years. In both the cases it was need which was the starter. A thought that a need can be satisfied with greed is a wrong approach. The right approach is to be satisfied with the needs that can be fulfilled with resources available in terms of salary or payments.

Needs can be unending if listed and a life lived through greed can never lead to any kind of satisfaction. Amazingly satisfaction is a must in order to find happiness in a family. Satisfaction got from a greed based life style can be temporary and lasts only for a short while. By the time one need is satisfied there is another need which disturbs and this seems to be never ending.

There was a beautiful lake a few kilometers away from my factory and once in a while I used to go around the lake which had duck and swans in it and in evening times it was a beautiful sight. The land price shot up in Bengaluru after 2005. There was enormous invasion of builders and developers who encroached lakes and barren land. They started constructing apartments and developed and sold individual sites. I was surprised to see that this particular lake was not encroached and immediately the ruling government put up a 12 feet chain link fence and made foot path around it for evening walkers to benefit the best. After some 4-5 years the area surrounding the lake started fetching good price and the adjacent farm land owners sold their land to developers and a good five to six apartment blocks started their construction.

Some of the apartment had the name “LAKE VIEW” and their promotion advertisements highlighted the lake. The buyers fell for the enchanting sight of the lake and booking went on in a spree, by the time they finished the construction and sold it there was not even a drop of water at all in the lake thanks for the bore wells dug by the builders. When there was a lake it was obvious that the surface water was abundantly available the greed to have bore well to tap the ground water left the lake dry. Here the need of water could have been satisfied with a well was there a necessity to go for a bore to satisfy the needs? Why is it our needs would not have been satisfied with surface water why is it we need to tap ground water is a million dollar question. This is how corrupt practices go from need to greed. If one appraise the need it will be followed by greed…..  Am I right????? 

491. From Cha Me to Idam Na Mama...................!!!!

http://www.speakingtree.in/public/spiritual-blogs/seekers/mysticism/from-cha-me-to-idam-na-mama

In the Sri Rudram Chamakam (Vedic Chant) every word ends with “Cha Me” (grant me) it is literally asking for the fulfillment of wishes and in the Agnihotra Mantra which invoke Sun at the Sunrise and Agni (fire) at Sunset, we have “Idam Na Mama” (This is not mine) it is chanted when offering. In Sri Rudram a seeker make a polite wish to the Lord and while making an offering to the Lord in the Agnihotra Mantra the seeker says that whatever he has to offers Him is not his.

If the seeking is small the offering has to be huge, even nature does the same; for instance this earth takes a small seed in the same as lines as “Cha Me” but when it is time for it to give back it says “Idam Na Mama” and offers everything it has without being selfish. “Cha Me” is common factor; as everybody wants but only few give back that which they have.

Why should one offer with the thought of “Idam Na Mama”?

This very thought of “this is not mine” will stop one from getting involved in the stress and strain that is engrossed in it. Here is a story which can throw light on how the feel of “Idam Na Mama” can lessen the burden on a person’s mind.

There was a King who looked after his subjects very well and there was no problem what so ever in his land. As time passed trivial problem started pouring in every day and the King had to resolve them. He was getting old and felt his son was too young to find solutions to those problems. This thought was posing trouble; he was tense and lost sleep. He always thought what would happen after him. In search of a solution to this problem he went to his Kula Guru (Preceptor of the Clan) and said, “I am getting weaker day by day and am unable to rule the kingdom, my son is too young to take over what should I do? Gurudeva.”

Kula Guru said, “If you are unable to find person who can rule the land, then I suggest you to hand over the kingdom to me, I will handle it.”

King was very much pleased he said, “By all means I am ready.”

At that very instant taking the water from the kamandalu, the King poured the water from his hand to the hands of the Kula Guru symbolizing the exchange of the power. 

King stood up to leave. “Where are you going?” asked Kula Guru.

“I will go far away from this kingdom and live a life of a commoner.” said the King.

“What are you going to do for a living?” Kula Guru asked.

“I am ready to accept any job that come my way.” said the King.

Kula Guru told, “If you are ready to do any job, come and work for me. I have a huge kingdom and I cannot run it, I need a person who has a good experience and I find you very suitable for the job.”

King said, “Oh Yes! I am for it, I accept the job.”

Kula Guru said, “Good, start you work from this moment rule the kingdom on my behalf. Do not forget that nothing is yours and you are on payroll.”

King accepted the job and started ruling the kingdom on behalf of his Kula Guru. After some months Kula Guru came to the palace and asked the King, “How are you now? Do you still have tensions? How is your life going on?”

Gleefully the King replied, “Very happy Gurudev, I resolve the problem the whole day and have a peaceful sleep at. Nothing is mine. I only do my duty.”

“You are the King and you are doing the entire administration job I have not stepped into the kingdom for many months now. The reason that you are not stressed is because you own the responsibility of the kingdom only when you look at it and it is no longer in your memory because it is not owned by you anymore as you perceive this kingdom to be mine since the moment you gave it to me.” told the Kula Guru.  
 
Simply consider Him as the sole proprietor by saying “Idam Na Mama” and do your work sincerely, then all the tension will just vanish………!