Master is Always Here!

A man went in search of truth. The first religious man he met was sitting under a tree, just outside his own village. He asked, ”I am searching for a true master. Please tell me the characteristics of a true master.” The fakir told him the characteristics. His description was very simple. He said, ”You’ll find him sitting under such and such a tree, sitting in such and such posture, his hands making such and such gestures – that is enough to know he is the true master.”

The seeker started searching. It is said that thirty years passed while he wandered the whole earth. He visited many places, but never met the master. He met many masters, but none were true masters. He returned to his own village completely exhausted. As he was returning he was surprised, he couldn’t believe it: that old man was seated under the same tree, and now he could see that this was the very tree that the old man had spoken of ”... he will be sitting under such and such a tree.....” And his posture was exactly as he had described. ”It was the same posture he was sitting in thirty years ago – was I blind? The exact expression on his face, the exact gestures....!”

He fell at his feet saying, ”Why didn’t you tell me in the first place? Why did you misdirect me for these thirty years? Why didn’t you tell me that you are the true master?”

The old man said, ”I told you, but you were not ready to listen. You were not able to come home without wandering away. You had to knock on the doors of a thousand houses to come to your own home, only then could you return. I said it, I said everything – beneath such and such a tree. I was describing this very tree, the posture I was sitting in, but you were too fast, you couldn’t hear correctly, you were in a hurry. You were going somewhere to search. Searching was very important for you, the truth was not so important.

”But you have come! I was feeling tired, sitting continuously in this posture for you. You were wandering for thirty years, but think of me sitting under this tree! I knew some day you would come, but what if I had already passed away? I waited for you – you have come! You had to wander for thirty years, but that’s your own fault. The master was always here.”

* It happens many times in our life that we cannot see what is near, and what is far attracts us. The distant drum sounds sweeter, we are pulled by distant dreams.

A Serious Joke!

Mulla Nasruddin is a Sufi figure, one of the oldest figures of Sufi anecdotes. He is a very serious joker, and if we can penetrate him and understand him, then many mysteries will be revealed to you.

Below is one anecdote from Nasruddin:-

Once it happened that Nasruddin and his friend Sheikh Abdullah lost their way in a forest. They tried and tried to find their way but then evening came, the night was descending, so they had to wait for the whole night under a tree. It was dangerous ground, there were many wild animals, and they had to keep awake because any moment they could be killed.


They tried every way to keep awake, but Mulla was tired, yawning, feeling sleepy, so he said to Sheikh Abdullah, "Invent something, because I am feeling sleepy and it seems impossible now to stay awake. The whole day we were traveling, and I am tired."


Sheikh Abdullah asked, "What should I do?"
Nasruddin said, "We should play a game, a game of guessing. You describe a film actress -- just become the film actress and describe -- and I will guess who this film actress is. Then I will do the same and you guess."


Even Abdullah became interested, it seemed to be a good game. So Abdullah said, "Okay." He contemplated and then he said, "My eyes are like Noor Jahan, my nose is like Cleopatra, my lips like Marilyn Monroe," and so on and so forth.


Mulla Nasruddin became very excited, his blood pressure rose high. Even in the dark you could have seen his eyes, they became so fiery. And then when Sheikh Abdullah said, "Now the measurements of my body -- thirty-six, twenty-four, thirty-six." Nasruddin jumped over to Sheikh Abdullah. Sheikh Abdullah said, "Wait, guess!"

Nasruddin said, "Who is bothered about guessing? I don't care who you are. Quick! Kiss me!"

* The human mind is such -- imagination, desire, passion, projection. You project, you imagine, and then you become the victim. 

And this is not a joke, this is reality -- and this is about you and me.!

Life is a Dream~

You do not exist even in dream. You must sometimes have dreamed a dream within a dream. You dream that you are going to bed, you have fallen asleep and you are dreaming a dream.

There is an old Chinese story: A woodcutter was cutting wood in a jungle. He was tired, so he came down from the tree and fell asleep. He dreamed that nearby lay buried a great treasure of diamonds and gold in huge pots that were lightly covered with dirt. In his dream he thought that he would come at night and remove the treasure quietly.

If he removed it in the daytime he might be caught. Hewas a poor man and the treasure was worth millions. When he awoke, he buried a stick to mark the place and returned home. When it became dark, he went back to the spot. He found the stick in place but the pots had been removed. He went back and told his wife, ”I don’t understand whether I dreamed about the treasure or actually saw it. The stick is there all right, and there are holes where the pots were, so it is certainly not just a dream. But someone has removed the pots.”

His wife replied, ”It must be a dream. You must also have dreamed that you went out at night and saw the stick in the ground, and that there was an empty place where the pots were supposed to be. So go back to sleep and sleep in peace.” But it happened that another man also dreamed that he saw these very pots buried in the same place, and that a woodcutter had buried a stick to mark the place. When he got up from his sleep he ran to the place. He found the stick in the ground and also the vessels underneath!

He removed the pots and brought them home. He told his wife, ”I cannot understand whether I dreamed a dream or I actually saw a vision. Whatever it is, I have brought the pots home. They are proof that it is not just a dream. I must actually have seen the woodcutter burying the stick and therefore I knew where the treasure was.” His wife said, ”The pots are here. That much is clear. But if you actually saw the woodcutter marking the spot, it isn’t right that we should keep this treasure.

Take the pots to the king and let him decide.” He was an honest man, so he took the pots to the king’s court where the woodcutter had already lodged a complaint. The king was perplexed. Finally he told them, ”It is very difficult to decide whether you were asleep or awake, so I shall divide the treasure equally between you both, for the pots are very much there.” So he divided the treasure between them. That night the king told his wife, ”A very strange thing happened today: Two men dreamed the same dream.

Now it is difficult to decide whether they dreamed or whether they really saw the treasure. But the pots of treasure were actually there, so I divided them equally between them.” The queen said, ”Go to sleep, you must be dreaming.” For thousands of years this was discussed in China – did they dream it or not? Who actually dreamed? But this is what happens by the time we reach the end of life. All of life seems like a dream. It is difficult to decide whether the stick was really there and whether the pots were really buried;

whether the wife and children ever existed, or friends and foes; whether there was poverty or riches; whether there was conflict and competition; whether we really lost or won, were successful or unsuccessful. At the time of death all events pass before a man like a dream. Did we really live, or was it only a dream? Those who have known say, ”This is a dream dreamed with open eyes.” It is a dream because it has no relation to that which is. This is an intermediary state of imagination; it is merely a thought.

It makes no difference whether you saw it when asleep or when awake. The characteristic of a dream is that it is here one moment and gone the next. At the time of death all is lost. Within this dream you see another dream that is called the ego. You consider yourself the doer, the author of the dreams. You are filled with conceit, which all the world can see; only you do not see it. Everyone else is in the same state, never seeing their own, but seeing everyone else’s ego.

Don't Judge!

There was one Mohammedan Sufi mystic. He used to sell small things in the village, and the people of that village became aware that he had no judgment. So they would take the things and give him false coins. He would accept them, because he would never say, ”This is wrong and this is right.” Sometimes they would take things from him and they would say, ”We have paid,” and he would not say, ”You have not paid.” He would say, ”Okay.” He would thank them.

Then from other villages also people started coming. This man was very good; you could take anything from his shop, you need not pay, or you could pay in false coins, and he accepted everything!

Then death came near to this old man. These were his last words: he looked at the sky and said, ”Allah, God, I have been accepting all kinds of coins, false ones also. I am also a false coin – don’t judge me. I have not judged your people, please don’t judge me.” And it is said that how can God judge such a person?

Jesus says, ”Judge ye not, so ye may not be judged.” (Do not judge others, and you will not be judged.)

* If judgment disappears, you have become innocent. If you don’t divide things into good and bad, ugly and beautiful, acceptable and nonacceptable; if you don’t divide things, if you look at reality without any division, your eyes will come into existence for the first time.

If you divide you will remain blind, if you judge you will remain blind, if you say this is bad and this is good, you will persist in your blindness... because existence knows nothing. There is nothing good and nothing bad – existence accepts everything. And when you also accept everything you have become existence-like.

:)

The Way Out!

Bees seem to have something like human minds, exactly the same kind of stupidity. The doors may be open, but if a bee is inside the room, caught inside the room... and she may have come from the open door but she will try to get out from the closed window. Not only bees but other birds also behave in the same way. Any bird can enter in your room; the doors are open, he has come from the door, but he cannot go back from the same door.

He starts trying to get through the wall, through the ceiling... and the more he tries, the more desperate he becomes, because there is no way to get through the ceiling or through the wall or through the closed window. And in that desperation, frustration he becomes more and more blind, afraid, scared. He loses all intelligence. And the same is the case with human beings.

One day Buddha came into his assembly of the monks. His sannyasins were sitting and waiting for him. They were puzzled because this was for the first time that Buddha had come with something in his hand – a handkerchief. They all looked at the handkerchief What was the matter? There must be something special in it. And Buddha sat on the platform and rather than starting speaking to the assembly he looked at the handkerchief, started tying a few knots in it, five knots in all.

The whole assembly watched – what is going on? And then he asked the assembly, ”Can anybody tell me: is this handkerchief the same as it was before the knots were tied?”

Sariputta said, ”This is a tricky question. In a way the handkerchief is the same because nothing has changed, in a way it is not the same because these five knots have appeared which were not there before. But as far as the inner nature of the handkerchief is concerned – its nature is concerned – it is the same; but as far as its form is concerned it is no more the same. The form has changed: the substance is the same.”

Buddha said, ”Right. Now I want to open these knots.” And he started stretching both ends of the handkerchief farther away from each other. He asked Sariputta. ”What do you think? By stretching farther will I be able to open the knots?”

He said, ”You will be making knots even more difficult to open because they will become smaller, more tighter. ’

Buddha said, ”Right. Then I want to ask the last question: what should I do so that I can open the knots, the tied knots? How I can untie them again?”

Sariputta said, ”Bhagwan, I would like first to come close and see how in the first place the knots have been tied. Unless I know how they have been tied it is difficult for me to suggest any solution.”

Buddha said, ”Right, Sariputta. You are blessed, because that is the most fundamental question to ask. If you are in a certain fix, the first thing is how you got into it rather than trying to get out of it. Without asking the most fundamental and the primary question, you will make things worse.”

* This is exactly what we are doing. We ask, ”How we can get out of our sexuality, greed, anger, attachment, jealousy, possessiveness, this and that?” without asking, ”How in the first place we get into them?”

Buddha’s whole approach is, first see how you get into anger. If you can see the entrance, the same door is the exit; no other door is needed. But without knowing the entrance if you try to find out the exit you are not going to find; you will get more and more desperate. And that’s what people go on doing. In the scriptures, what are you looking for? – solutions. You create the problems – and the solutions are in the scriptures! Why don’t you look at the problems yourself. How you create them?

Why don’t you watch when you are creating a certain problem? And you create every day, so it is not a question that you have to go back. Today you are going to be angry again, today you will feel again the sexual urge: see how it arises, see how you enter into it, how you get hooked into it, how it becomes so big like a cloud that surrounds you and you are lost in it. And then you go to ask others! You are functioning almost like a stupid bee. 

Bees can be forgiven, but you cannot be forgiven.!!!

:)

Knowledge is Trouble

     I have heard about a great warrior in Japan, a samurai, a very famous swordsman: One night when he came tired after the whole day’s fight in the fields and he was just going to fall into bed, he saw a rat. And the rat was looking at him ferociously! The samurai tried to kill the rat with his sword. He was one of the best swordsmen known, but somehow he missed. He hit many times, he broke his sword, and he could not kill the rat. He became really afraid: ”The rat seems to be very mysterious. This is no ordinary rat!”

He started, perspiring – he had never perspired. He had been a fighter his whole life and now a rat had defeated him. He ran out, asked his wife what to do. The wife said, ”You are a fool! You need not kill a rat. Have you ever heard of anybody killing a rat by a sword? You just take our cat inside.” And the cat was brought inside. It was no ordinary cat, it was the great warrior’s cat. She was also trained in many things; she was one of the most famous rat-catchers.She came with all her art, with all her skill.

She tried, but the rat was really extraordinary. He jumped exactly into her eyes! And the cat escaped out. She had never seen such a rat – attacking the cat?! And she was also trembling like the warrior. The warrior said, ”This is too much!” Then the king’s cat was called. She was a master cat, very well-known all over the country; ofcourse, she was the king’s cat. The king’s cat came and she was also defeated by the rat. She went in, tried hard, used all her skill, but the rat was just too much.

Then the king’s cat suggested a cat she knew who was not famous at all. ”You have tried with famous cats, now you try with an ordinary one... just ordinary, plain ordinary.”

The warrior said, ”But what can a plain, ordinary cat do?”

The king’s cat said, ”You just try. I know this cat. She is so ordinary, she does not know a thing. The whole day she sleeps. But there is one thing about her: cats know, the whole country’s cats know that she is very mysterious. The mysterious thing is that she knows nothing about rats, rat-catching, the art, the technique, the methodology, the philosophy – she knows nothing; she has never been to any school or college or university. She is a plain, ordinary cat, but rats are so afraid of her!

Wherever she sleeps... no rat ever enters that house! Just her presence is enough. And she goes on sleeping, and nobody knows when she kills and how she kills.

”Once I went to that cat and I asked, ’What is your art?’ She simply looked at me, and she had no words to say, and she closed her eyes and went to sleep. And I woke her again and asked, ’What is your art?’

”She said, ’I don’t know. I am a cat, that’s enough. A cat is a cat and IS MEANT to catch a rat. What art? What nonsense are you talking about?”’

The cat was brought, and the samurai was not very hopeful because she was really very ordinary, just like any vagabond cat.

She came in, and without any skill she simply went in, caught hold of the rat and brought it out. All the cats gathered together and asked her, ”What is your art?” And she said, ”I don’t know any art. I am a cat! Is not that enough?”

* You have been spoiled. Rats have been around you too much, and you have become afraid of the rats – not only afraid, you have started learning how to catch these rats. You have become very skillful, artificial; you know the know-how and that is your trouble. 

Your knowledge is your trouble.

:)

Paid In Full

A young man was getting ready to graduate college. For many months he had admired a beautiful sports car in a dealer's showroom, and knowing his father could well afford it, he told him that was all he wanted.

As Graduation Day approached, the young man awaited signs that his father had purchased the car. Finally, on the morning of his graduation his father called him into his private study. His father told him how proud he was to have such a fine

son, and told him how much he loved him. He handed his son a beautiful wrapped gift box.

Curious, but somewhat disappointed the young man opened the box and found a lovely, Bhagavad-gita. Angrily, he raised his voice at his father and said, "With all your money you give me a Bhagavad-gita?" and stormed out of the house, leaving the holy book.

Many years passed and the young man was very successful in business. He had a beautiful home and wonderful family, but realized his father was very old, and thought perhaps he should go to him. He had not seen him since that graduation day. Before he could make arrangements, he received a telegram telling him his father had passed away, and willed all of his possessions to his son. He

needed to come home immediately and take care things. When he arrived at his father's house, sudden sadness and regret filled his heart.

He began to search his father's important papers and saw the still new  Bhagavad-gita, just as he had left it years ago. With tears, he opened the Bhagavad-gita and began to turn the pages. As he read those words, a car key dropped from an envelope taped behind the Bhagavad-gita. It had a tag with the dealer's name, the same dealer who had the sports car he had desired. On the tag was the date of his graduation, and the words...PAID IN FULL.

How many times do we miss God's blessings because they are not packaged as we expected?

:)

Different Plates

Once upon a time, there lived a crippled man. This man was married, but he was attracted to the prostitute that lived in the house opposite to his. One day his wife saw him looking very morose. "What's wrong, my dear husband?" she inquired. "Even though I am married to you," he replied, "I am attracted to the prostitute. I am asking you to make an arrangement for me."

So being a very chaste and obedient wife, she wished to fulfill her husband's desire, and she began going to the prostitute's house when no-one was home, and clean there. After a while this prostitute noticed, "Someone is cleaning my house. I am not asking anyone to do this, so I wonder who it could be." So one day the prostitute stayed back, and after some time the crippled man's wife came and began cleaning.

The prostitute approached her and said, "Why are you doing this?" She replied, "My husband is very attracted to you, and he wants to meet with you, but we are very poor, and cannot afford to pay. So instead I am offering some service. The prostitute said, "Very well, send him over tonight."

That night the prostitute prepared a very nice dinner and she served a portion of each of these preparations onto two plates, one of gold and one of silver. When the man arrived, she requested him to partake of the food she had prepared for him. "Please take from the silver plate." she told him. After he had finished all the food on the silver plate, the prostitute told him to take from the gold plate. When he had finished, the prostitute inquired from the man, "Now, was there any difference in taste?"
Surprised, the man replied, "What difference? These are exactly the same preparations, only served on different plates. You must be crazy!" "No, you are the one, who is mad!!" the prostitute replied. What’s the difference between me and your wife? Only the covering is different!!

The man came back to his senses. He begged forgiveness for lascivious behavior from his wife and thanked the prostitute for opening his eyes. Human tendency is to enjoy, but uncontrolled enjoyment will be a real havoc for the society. The jewels of wisdom given by sages show us the right path; guide us to have controlled enjoyment. 

Be content with what is being provided by the providence. Desires are endless. Until and unless we put a voluntary control over these, we will be running after them like animals and will have no peace. Fulfillment of desires doesn’t bring peace but endless chase for fulfilling more desires. Unconrolled desires are the root of anxiety and unhappiness in life. ( Asha hi param dukham nairashayam param sukham– Srimad Bhagavat).

:) 

Hope

The Four Candles:

The four candles burn slowly. The ambiance was so soft you could hear them talking.

The first one said:

“I am peace ! However, nobody can keep me lit. I believe I will go out.”

It’s flame rapidly diminishes and goes out completely.

The second one says:

“I am faith ! Most of all, I am no longer indispensable, so it doesn’t make any sense that I stay lit any longer .”

When it finished talking, a breeze softly blew on it putting it out.

Sadly, the third candle spoke in its turn:

“I am love ! I haven’t got the strength to stay lit. People put me aside and don’t understand my importance. They even forget to love those who are nearest to them .”

And waiting no longer it goes out.

Suddenly...

A child enters the room and sees three candles not burning.

“Why are you not burning ? You are supposed to stay lit till the end.”

Saying this, the child begins to cry.

Then the fourth candle said:

“Don’t be afraid, while I am still burning we can re-light the other candles, I am hope !”

With shining eyes, the child took the candle of hope and lit the other candles.

The flame of hope should never go out from your life…and that each of us can maintain hope, faith, peace and love !!!! 

 :)

A TurtLe StOry

A turtle family decided to go on a picnic. Turtles, being naturally slow about things, took seven years to prepare for their outing. Finally the turtle family left home looking for a suitable place. During the second year of their journey they found a place ideal for them at last!

For about six months they cleaned the area, unpacked the picnic basket, and completed the arrangements. Then they discovered they had forgotten the salt. A picnic without salt would be a disaster, they all agreed. After a lengthy discussion, the youngest turtle was chosen to retrieve the salt from home. Although he was the fastest of the slow moving turtles, the little turtle whined, cried, and wobbled in his shell. He agreed to go on one condition: that no one would eat until he returned. The family consented and the little turtle left.

Three years passed and the little turtle had not returned. Five years...six years... then on the seventh year of his absence, the oldest turtle could no longer contain his hunger. He announced that he was going to eat and begun to unwrap a sandwich. At that point the little turtle suddenly popped out from behind a tree shouting, "See! I knew you wouldn"t wait. Now I am not going to go get the salt."

Moral of the Story:

Some of us waste our time waiting for people to live up to our expectations of them. We are so concerned about what others are doing that we don"t do anything ourselves. Often we wait for people to make , what we think are, mistakes so that we can "get back" at them. Its a mindless and fruitless exercise doing so. You do the right thing without waiting for people to do what you think is their bit... 

:)

Dream!

One night I had a dream

I dreamed I was walking along the beach with God and across the sky flashed the scenes from my life. For each scene I noticed two sets of footprints in the sand, one belonged to me, the other to the God.

When the last scene of my life flashed before us, I looked back at the footprints in the sand, I noticed that many times along the path of life, there was only one set of footprints. I also noticed that it happened at the very lowest and saddest times in my life.

This really bothered me and I questioned God about it “God you said that once I decided to follow you, you would walk with me all the way, but I noticed that during the most troublesome times in my life there is only one set of footprints, I don’t understand why in times when I needed you most you would leave me.” 

God replied “My precious child, I love you and I would never never leave you during your times of trials and suffering. When you see only one set of footprints, it was then that I carried you.”

~!

Brahma Jnaanavali

1.asangOham asangOham asangOham puna: puna: 

sachidAnandaroopOhamahamevAhamavyaya: || 1 ||

Unattached, unattached, unattached am I, again and again; of the nature

eternal Existence-Knowledge-Bliss am I: I am That. That am I, which is the

irreducible, immortal, endless factor.

2.nityaSuddhavimuktOhamNirakarOhamavyaya:

bhoomAnandaswaroopOhamahamevAhamavyaya: || 2 ||

Eternal, ever pure, ever liberated am I, formlessness my only form; of

nature I am all pervading, homogeneous mass of ‘Ananda’ (Bliss) am I: That

am I, which is the irreducible,immortal, endless factor.

3.nityOham niravadyOham nirakarOhamachyuta: |

paramAnandaroopOhamahamevAhamavyaya: || 3 ||

Eternal, flawless, formless, irreducible am I, of nature Supreme Bliss am I: I

am That. That am I, which is the irreducible, immortal, endless factor.

4.SuddhachaitanyaroopOhamAthmaramOhameva cha |

akhandAnandaroopOhamahamevAhamavyaya: || 4 ||

I am of the nature of pure Consciousness and I revel in my own Self; I am by

nature of unbroken ‘Ananada’: I am That. That am I, which is the

irreducible, immortal, endless factor.

5.prathyakchaitanyaroopOham SaantOham prakrute: para: |

SaasvtanandaroopOhamahamevAhamavyaya: || 5 ||

I am of the nature of innermost light of intelligence; I am the peace that

lies beyond nature; I am of nature ever abiding ‘Ananda’: I am That. That

am I, which is the irreducible,immortal, endless factor.

6.tathvatheetaa: paraathmAham maayAtheetha: para: Siva: |

maayatheetha: param jyOthirahamahamevAhamavyaya: || 6 ||

I am the Supreme Truth that lies beyond all other truths. I am the Supreme

Siva, ever across the frontiers of delusion (maya: that which is not); I am

the Supreme Light: I am That. That am I, which is the irreducible, immortal,

endless factor.

7.naanAroopavyateetOham chidakarOhamachyuta: |

sukharoopasvaroopOhamahamevAhamavyaya: || 7 ||

I am different from the multiple names and forms: pure knowledge alone is

my form; I am the imperishable; I am of nature joyous: I am That. That am

I, which is the irreducible,immortal, endless factor.

8.maayatatkAryadehAdi mama nAstyaeva sarvadA |

svaprakasaikaroopOhamahamevAhamavyaya:|| 8 ||

Never, never have I the delusion or the delusion-produced stuffs, such as

body, etc; I am of the form of self-effulgence: I am That. That am I, which

is the irreducible, immortal,endless factor.

9.guNatrayavyateetOham brahmaadeenam cha sakshyaham |

anantAnandaroopOhamahamevAhamavyaya:|| 9 ||

I am without the three (gunas), mortal qualities ( sAtvic, rAjasic, tAmasic

qualities); I am a Witness of the very Creator (and the Trinity); I am the

form of endless ‘Ananda’: I am That. That am I, which is the irreducible,

immortal, endless factor.

10.antharyAmisvaroopOham kooTasth: sarvagOsmyaham |

sarvasAkshisvaroopOhamahamevAhamavyaya:|| 10 ||

I am of the form of the Inner Ruler; anvil like, changeless and all-pervading.

I am the Witness of everything. I am in my real nature (none other than the

Supreme Self). I am That.That am I, which is the irreducible, immortal,endless factor.

11.dvandvaadi sAkshiroopOhamacalOham sanAtana: |

sarvasAkshisvaroopOhamahamevAhamavyaya: || 11 ||

I am of the nature a Witness of all pairs of opposites; motionless, permenant,

in my form.I am the Eternal Witness of everything. I am That. That am I,

which is the irreducible,immortal, eternal factor.

12.prajnaanaghana aevAham vijnAnaghana aeva ca |

akartAhamabhOktAhamahamevAhamavyaya: || 12 ||

I am a dense mass of Consciousness; I am a dense mass of knowledge too; I

am (ever) a non-doer; I am a non-enjoyer I am That. That am I, which is the

irreducible, immortal,eternal factor.

13.nirAdhArasvaroopOham sarvAdharOhameva cha |

aaptakAmasvaroopOhamahamevAhamavyaya: || 13 ||

In my real nature, I need no other foundation or support or substratum, but

at once I am the foundation, support or substratum for all things and beings

(all names and forms); I am of nature self-contented, self-sufficient (in that

I have in me all my desires fulfilled): I am That. That am I, which is the

irreducible, immortal, eternal factor.

14.taapathrayavinirmuktO dehathrayavilakshaNa: |

avasthaathrayasakshyasmi ahamevAhamavyaya: || 14 ||

I am beyond the three agonies (subjective, phenomenal and cosmic); I am

different from the three bodies (the gross, the subtle and the causal); I am

the witness of the three states (the walking, the dreaming, and the

sleeping):I am That.That am I, which is the irreducible,immortal, eternal factor.

15.dugduSyau dvau padArthA sta: parsparavilakshaNau |

dugbrahma duSyam mAyaethi sarvavedantaDindima: || 15 ||

There are only two things in the whole world (all things in the universe can

be brought under these two headings); the subject and the object (the

enjoyer and the enjoyed, or the experiencer and the experienced, or the

seer and the seen) and they are among themselves the most contrary. Of

them the subject (brahman) is the enjoyer or the experiencer or the

seer and the object is mere delusion; thus roars Vedanta.

16.aham sAksheeti yO vidyAdvivichyaivam puna: puna: |

sa aeva mukta: sO vidvAniti vaedaantadindima || 16 ||

Through knowledge and repeated discrimination one comes to realize that

one is but a ‘Witness’. Such a one, established in the ‘I am the witness

consciousness’ is the liberated wise man, so roars Vedanta.

17.ghaTakuDyAdikam sarvam mruttikamathramaeva cha |

tadvadbrahma jagatsarvamiti vedAntadindima: || 17 ||

Pots, mud wall, etc., are in essence nothing but the mud in which they

have been shaped!So too, the entire world of phenomenal objects is

nothing but the Supreme Truth, so roars Vedanta.

18.brahma satyam jaganmithyA jeevO brahmaiva nApara: |

anena vedyam sachastramiti vedantadindima: || 18 ||

Brahman is Truth, the world of objects and beings is false, and the

egocentric sense of separativeness (jeeva) is itself in fact nothing other

than Brahman. That by which this Truth is known is the truest science, the

Science of sciences, thus roars Vedanta.

19.antharjyothi: bahirjyothi: pratyakjyothi: parApara: |

jyothirjyothi: svayamjyothi: aatmajyoti: SivOsmayaham || 19 ||

Within am I Light, without am I Light, deep within the depths of myself am I

Light,beyond the Eternal…Beyond! Light of lights, the self-effulgent Light,

the Self’s own Light…Siva am I… Auspiciousness am I (as there is me none

of the sorrows or limitations or tears of life). I am That: I am That.

!~

Great Sayings in Vedas

This is an attempt to collect some of the Great Sayings in our Vedas:-

1. “Avichara- krito Bandhah, Vicharena Nivartate”- All bondage is due to either total lack of thinking, incomplete thinking or wrong thinking. It can be removed by right and complete thinking. (Tatva Bodham).

2. “Tat Doore, Tat-u-Antike” – It is distant and it is near. This alone can be the definition of the All-Pervading Atman. (Isavasya Upanishad-5). India is not only here, not in Delhi or Kolkata alone; it is there in Cape Comorin and in Mumbai also. The State called India is all-pervading, as far as the frontiers of this Country define it. Similarly, the Pure Consciousness, the Supreme reality, being all-pervading, it is at once near and the most distant.

3. “Sishya Papam, Gurum Vrajet” – For all the sins created by his students, the Guru is morally responsible . (Neethi Sastram).

4. “Yogah, Chitta Vrithi Nirodhah”- Yoga is the control of thought waves in the mind. (Patanjali).

5. “Dharmo Rakshati Rakshita” – Dharma will protect the one who protects Dharma. (Artha Sastram).

6. “Satyam Bhootahitam Priyam” – What is good and likable for all beings, by thoughts, speeches and actions, is Satyam(Truth). (Periyaval)

7. “Yadhe Chhasi Tadha Kuru” – Act as you choose. This is what Lord Krishna says to Arjuna at the end of His Gita Upadesam. (Gita: 18-63).

8. ” Raja Rashtra Kritam Papam ” – All the sins created by the people of the State will go to the Raja “. (Neethi Sastram).

9. “Muhurtham Jwalitham Shreyo natu Dhumayitam Chiram” – It is better to flame forth for one instant than to smoke away for ages. The context is- it is better to have such brilliant men like Vivekananda who lived for only 39 years and Adi sankara who lived for only 32 years.

10. “Shrutim Pashyanti Munayah” – The Rishis just saw the Vedas. They have not created them.

11. “Nishekati Shmashanantam” – From the womb to the tomb, a man has to undergo performance of 40 Samskaras. The first one ‘Nishekam’ and the last one ‘Cremation’ both are done with Agni as witness.

12. “Ksheene Punye Martyalokam Vishanti” – On the exhaustion of your ‘Punyams’, you will be pushed back to Earth. This is the limitation of Karma Marg.

13. “Gayatrim Chhandasam Mata” – Chhandas means Vedam. Gayatri is the mother of all Veda Mantras.

14. “Yogasya Prathama Dvaram Vak-nirodha” – The main entrance to the Yoga Empire is through ‘Silence’.

15. “Trividham Narakasyetam Dvaram Nashanam Atmana” – There are 3 gates which lead to the hell called ‘Atma Nasham’ – They are Kama, Krodha and Lobha (Lust, anger and greed).

16. “Athatho Dharma Jijnasah” – Let us therefore start the enquiry of Dharma.The Poorva Mimamsa (Karma Kanda) starts with this ‘Sutra’.

17. “Athatho Brahma Jijnasah” – Let us therefore inquire into the Brahman.The Uttara Mimamsa (Jnana Kanda) starts with this ‘Sutra’.

18. “Aho Niranjan” – O!, I am taintless, Serene- The Mavellous Self. This is how King Janaka expressed his “Joy of Realisation” on hearing the teachings of Sage Ashtavakra. You can tell this to yourself everyday morning, as soon as you wake up, just to boost up your own morale. It serves as ‘Inspiration’ whenever one undergoes depression.

19. “Shraddha-Bhakti-Dhyana-Yogad Avaihi “ – Through Faith, Devotion and Meditation alone, you can know the Truth yourself. (Kaivalya Upanishad-Mantra 2 ).

20. “Me Nasti Kinchana, Athava Me Sarvam” – In fact, one way, nothing belongs to me; or in another way, everything is mine only. This is said by King Janaka in Ashtavakra Gita.

21. “Katham Jnanam Avapnoti” – Teach me this, O Lord, how can knowledge be acquired ?. The famous ‘Ashtavakra Gita’ starts with this Shloka. King Janaka is requesting Sage Ashtavakra.

22. “Ananda-param-anandah, Sah Bodhah Tvam Sukham Chara” – You are that Supreme – Consciousness- Bliss. With this in mind, live happily. This is what Ashtavakra tells Janaka.

23. “Mana eva Manushyanam Karanam Bandha-mokshayoh” – Mind alone is the cause for the state of Bondage or Liberation in man. It is upto us to use this mind for our liberation, by properly controlling it. (Upanishads).

24. “Brahmaveda Brahmaiva Bhavati” – The knower of the Brahman becomes Brahman. (Mundaka Upanishad).

25. “Bhavana Tanavam Moksha, Bandho hi Dridda Bhavana” – Thought- reduction is freedom; Thought-assertion is Bondage. The seeker must learn to rise above his desire-promptings. There is no other escape. (Yoga Vasishta).

26. “Jnana-Hino Gurus Tyajyo” – Reject an incompetent and an ignorant Guru. Apart from knowledege, the essential qualification for a teacher is his own inner awakening, accomplished by the 3 means- of indifference, of equanimity and of logical reasoning. (Guru Gita). According to Ashtavakra, “Brahma nishtatvam”- the direct experience of the Self- is the most valid qualification for a teacher.

27. “Sukshmatvat-tad-Vijneyam” – Because of its subtlity, it (the Infinite Self) is ever incomprehensive. (Gita: 13-15)

28. “Nanavaptam-avaptavyam Varta eva cha Karmani” – Nor is there anything unattained by Me; yet, I engage Myself in action. (Lord Krishna in Gita:3-22). The Man of realisation has nothing to gain for Himself by undertaking an activity; nor, has He to lose anything by not doing. Yet, He is seen to be constantly engaged in various programmes of service.

29. “Dritiyat- vai Bhayam Bhavati” – The perception of the other is, indeed, the source of all fear. (Brahadaranyaka Upanishad)

30. “Samatvam Yoga Uchyate” – Evenness of mind is yoga. Equanimity within is spiritual life. (Gita: 2-48).

31. ” Yogah Karmasu Kausalam “ – Yoga is the dexterity in action. ie. Efficiency and dexterity in action is spiritual life. (Gita: 2-50)

32. “Yadrichha Labha Santushta” – He enjoys that “whatever comes to him unasked” (Gita:4-22). The wise one sits happily, sleeps happily, moves happily, speaks happily and eats happily.

33. “Sarva-arambha Parityagi, Gunatitah sa Uchyate” – Abandoning all undertakings, he is said to have crossed beyond the gunas. (Gita:14-25). The Man of Perfection has no vanity of ‘doership’.

34. “Atrana-atmanyaham iti Matir-bandhah” – To identify the Self with the ‘not-self’ – this is bondage of man. (Vivekachudamani: V-139)

35. “Kasminnu Bhagavo Vijnate, Sarvam Idam Vijnatam Bhavatiti” – Sire, what is that knowledge by knowing which all other knowledges become known. (Mundaka upanishad). The Self is “Knowledge of all knowledges”.

36. “Kshurasya Dhara Nishita Duratyaya Durgam Pathas-tat-kavayo Vadanti” – Like the sharp edge of a razor is that path difficult to cross and hard to tread-thus say the wise. (Katopanishad)

37. “Yato Vacho Nivartante, Aprapya Manasa Saha” – The Realm of Reality is there from where the mind along with speech returns disappointed. (Taittiriya Upanishad).

38. “Purnasya Purnam-adaya Purnam Evava Sishyate” – From the Whole, when the whole is negated, what remains is again the Whole. (Upanishadic Shanti Patha).

39. “Pasyamu-achakshuh sa Shrunomy-akarnah” – I see without eyes; hear without ears. (Kaivalya Upanishad, Mantra-21). The Wise-man, in his Self-Realisation, has ended completely his sense of doership and enjoyership.

40. “Na-abhinandati na Dveshti, Tasya Prajna Pratisthita” – Who neither rejoices nor hates, his wisdom is firm. (Gita: 2-57).

41. “Lokan- nodvijate cha yah” – And who cannot be agitated by the world. (Gita:12-15).

42. “Nirdosham hi Samam Brahma” – The Supreme is the flawless state, the same everywhere. (Gita: 5-19)

43. “Yat Chittam Tanmayo Bhavati Purushah” – Whatever springs in mind, man expresses it. (Yoga -Vasishta).

44. “Atmano Mokshartam, Jagat hitayacha” – For the salvation of one’s soul and the welfare of the world. (Vivekananda)

45. “Ekam Sat, Vipra Bahudha Vadanti” – The Truth is one, the wise call it by many names. (Upanishads)

46. “Sarve Santu Sukhina, Sarve Santu Niramaya” – May all beings be happy, may all beings be free from fear.

47. “Nama Sivaya cha Sivataraya cha” – Salutations unto Siva- the auspicious one; unto Sivatara – the one than whom none more auspicious can exist. (Sree Rudram).

48. “Sakaram-anurtam Viddhi, Nirakaram tu Nischalam” – All which have form are false; the formless is the changeless. (Ashtavakra Gita). The world of names and forms is only the imagination(Vikalpana) of the total-mind. It has no existence whasoever. The Self is Undisturbed, Profoundly Peaceful and ever -Formless.

49. “Tathatma – jnana-hinatma Kalo Jnasya na Labhyate” – Thus to the Man-of -Wisdom, there is no time when He is not aware of the Self-in-Him.(Yoga-Vasishta).

50. “Na Tvaham, Teshu te Mayi” – I am not in them; they are in Me. (Krishna says in Gita: 9-4)

ShivManasa Pooja

Rathnai Kalpithamasanam,Himajalai snanam cha divyambaram,

Naana rathna vibhooshitham mruga madha modhanvitham Chandanam,

Jathi champaka bilwa pathra rachitham, pushpam cha deepam Thada,

Deepam deva dayanithe pasupathe, hrud kalpyatham gruhyatham.

I offer you an imaginary throne made of precious jewels,
I offer you bath in the water of melted snow from the Himalayas,
I offer you holy silken cloth to wear,
I adorn you with very many precious jewels,
I offer you musk and sandal,
I offer you Bilwa and Champaka flowers,
And I offer you the holy lamp,
But all these I offer in the portal of my mind,
Please God who is merciful and who is the Lord of all beings,
Accept my offerings and bless me.

Souvarne nava rathna Ganda Rachithe, pathre Grutham Payasam,

Bakshyam pancha vidam Payo dadhiyutham, rambha phalam panakam,

Saaka namayutham jalam ruchikaram, karpoora gandojwalam,

Thamboolam manasa maya virachitham Bhakthyo prabho sweekuru

I offer you Ghee and the sweet payasam in golden vessel ,
Decorated with nine type of precious gems,
I offer you five different dishes made of curd and milk,
I offer you panakam made of sweet fruits,
I offer you tasty sweet scented water to drink,
I offer you the lamp made of camphor along with tinkling bells,
And I offer you betel leaf and nut,
But these are offered by my mind with utter devotion to you,
So Lord Kindly accept and bless.

Chathram Chamarayoryugam vyajanagam, chaa darshakam nirmalam,

Veena bheri mrudanga kahala kala geetha nruthyam thada,

Sasthangam pranthi sthuthir bahu vidha, hyethat samastham maya,

Sankalpena samapitham thava vibho , poojam gruhana prabho.

I offer you a pretty stage,
I offer you couple of decorative fans,
I also offer you shining mirror,
I offer you Veena, kettledrums, Mrudanga and a very big drum,
I offer you song and dance,
I offer you full prostration,
I offer you several types of prayers,
But all these I offer you my Lord, in my mind
So Lord kindly accept this my worship.

Aathma thwam Girija Mathi sahacharaa, prana sarreram gruham,

Pooja theey vishayopa bhoga rachana, nidhra samadhi sthithi,

Sanchara padayo pradakshina vidhi, , sthothrani sarva giraa,

Yadyath karma karomi thathad akhilam, shambho thavaradhanam.

My soul is your temple my lord,
My activities are thine attendants,
My body is thine home,
My acts to please my senses are thine worship,
My act of sleep is the deep meditation on thee,
All my walks with my feet are thine perambulations,
What ever falls from my mouth are thine prayers,
Oh Lord, everything I say and do are thine forms of worship.

Kara charana krutham vaak kayajam karmajam vaa,

Sravana nayanajam vaa maanasam vaa aparadham,

Vihithamavihitham vaa sarva methath Kshamaswa,

Jaya Jaya katunabdhe sri Mahadeva Shambho.

Please pardon Oh lord
All those acts committed by me,
By hands, by action, by body or
By hearing, by my sight, or by my mind,
Whether they are proper or improper..
Victory oh victory, Oh, ocean of mercy,
Oh, The greatest of Gods and Oh benevolent one.

~

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It is very important to understand other's hunger, their happiness...

Please check below link to view Award winning Short film. it wont take more than 7 min. A must watch!!!

Spring!

A haiku:

FULLY RESTED,

I OPEN MY EYES;

SPRING.

These beautiful haikus say so much without saying anything at all.

FULLY RESTED -- utterly relaxed,

I OPEN MY EYES -- and My God! the spring has come all over.

The spring comes with your relaxation -- he is talking about the inner spring. Thousands of flowers suddenly start blossoming. You are filled with fragrances of the beyond.

But be relaxed. And when you are utterly relaxed, in that restfulness become a witness and the spring is always there, ready to surround you from all directions.

:)