Goodbye 2008

One more year goes down the memory lane. Reflecting back on it ... now it seems to be a long dream - so many events took place some good, some bad, some big, some small, some highs, some lows, some compliments, some criticisms but nothing could be held on to! Started off with some New Year resolution finally ended up with some thing else in hand. Wanted to achieve something and achieved some thing else :-)

I remember in Yoga Vaisistha, Vaisistha tells a story to Rama - There was a villager in Vindhya hills. Once he was walking in the forest he lost a copper coin (one cent). He was a miser so he began to search for it in the thick bush. All the time he was calculating "With that one cent I shall do some business, it will become four cents then eight cent and so on". For three days he searched unmindful of the taunts of the spectators. At the end of those three days he suddenly found a precious stone! (It was a philosopher's stone.) Taking with him he returned home and lived happily.

Looking back, it's the same realization! A student comes to a Guru looking for a penny goes with a 'cintamani' (wish fulfilling stone) in whose presence and grace...

Lack turns into Abundance,

Misery into Joy,

Tears into Laughter,

Anger into Awareness,

Dispassion into Liveliness,

Restlessness into Restfulness,

Seriousness into Sincerity,

Feverishness into Contentment,

Complaints into Compliments,

Ugliness into Beauty,

Hatred into Love,

Thoughts into Meditation,

Expectations into Acceptance,

Arrogance into Innocence,

Gossips into Satsang,

Ignorance into Knowledge,

Ego into Love,

Thorns into Flowers,

Duty into Seva,

Steams into Teams,

Doer into Hollow and Emptiness,

Greed into Generosity,

Jealousness into Belongingness,

Strangers into Family,

Matter into Consciousness,

Problem into Challenges,

Doubts into Faith,

Darkness into Light,

Complains into Gratitude,

‘Me’ into ‘We’,

'Why Me?' into 'Who Am I?'

Disciple into Devotee,

Bondage into Liberation,

Hell into Heaven,

Silence into Celebration.........

I am sure for all of you too, however this year has been, it will go down the memory lane in Gratitude for the Master!

Wishing you a happy and peaceful New Year!

Love,

Satyajit

Silence, prayers and gratitude to all those people to fought to prevail peace in the world…

Love is blind

Story time...I don't remember from where I got this from :-)

A long time ago, before the world was created and humans set foot on it for the first time, Virtues and Vices wandered bored, not knowing what to do. One day they were all gathered and bored more than ever.

Suddenly genius had an idea and said "Why don't we play hide and seek?" And all of them liked the idea and immediately the mad Madness shouted "I want to count, I want to count!" And since no one else was crazy to seek for Madness, Madness leaned on a tree and started to count 1, 2, 3... And as Madness counted, the vices and virtues went hiding.

Tenderness hung on the horn of the moon.

Treason in a pile of garbage.

Fondness curled up between the clouds.

Lie said he would hide under a stone but he lied and hid at the bottom of the lake.

Passion went to the center of the earth.

Avarice entered a sack that he ended up breaking...

And Madness continued to count 79, 80, 81, 82. All the vices and virtues were already hidden by then except for Love, whom as undecided as he is did not know where to hide. This should not surprise us because we all know how difficult it is to hide Love. And Madness was already at 95, 96, 97 and just at the moment when she arrived at hundred, Love jumped into a rosebush and there he hid out.

Turning back Madness shouted "I'm coming! I'm coming!"

The first one she saw was Laziness, thrown to her feet because he didn't have any energy to hide.

Then she saw Tenderness in the horn of the Moon.

Lie at the bottom of the lake.

Passion in the center of the earth...

She discovered them one by one, finding all of them but one. Madness was getting desperate, unable to find the last missing one until Envy, envious with love for not having been discovered whispered to Madness "You are lacking Love and he is hiding in the rosebush." And Madness took a wooden pitchfork and stabbed at the rosebush and stabbed and stabbed until a heartbreaking shout made her stop.

After the shout, Love came out covering his face with his hands and from between his fingers run two threads of blood out of his eyes. Madness anxious to find Love, had took out Love's eyes with the pitchfork.

"What have I done? What have I done?" she shouted. "I have left you blind! How can I repair it?" And Love answered, you can't restore my eyes. But if you want to do something for me, you could be my guide.

From that day on, Love is blind! And is always accompanied by Madness!

Have a great day!

Satyajit

Learning Straight from the Master

Saturday 6, Dec more than thousands of devotees were waiting for Guruji anxiously.

Guruji was supposed to land in Mumbai at 11:00 AM, but His flight got delayed and finally He landed around 3:00 PM and reached the venue (Panvel - Shanti Kunj Ashram) at around 5:00 PM for ‘Vishwas Shanti Yagya’.

No sooner He reached the venue the whole environment changed. Something happened. I could see there was chaos - people stood up, running to have His darshan. It seemed like some powerful magnet was pulling everyone towards Him. At the same time there was sense of peace and contentment all around; I remember Guruji saying in some talk (Astavakra Geeta) when Mahavir used to walk - 20 KM area around Him would get cleansed and violence ceased to exist.

I could sense hearts of all the devotees racing like a jet engine waiting to have a glimpse of Him, I myself haven't seen Him for so many months. He was escorted directly into the mandap in a Mercedes car with all the music and trumpets blowing around, it seemed as though a King was being welcomed, well no doubts :-)

All the devotees were standing to have His darshan. To my astonishment, as His car came I realized He was going to walk through our seating arrangements, well I never expected this was going to happen, a pleasant surprise though! As He was being escorted by Police up to the stage I had a chance to have His darshan. And there my mind went blank... Yes it's nothing new this happens with everyone and somehow He does this magic on everyone even if doesn't looks at them :-)

Finally after lots of hustle bustle - with devotees pushing around, shouts of 'Jai Gurudev!', 'Guruji Guruji!', police shoving the devotees aside helped Guruji reached the stage. A big moment; big relief for the organizers and security police.

Voila, Guruji stood on the stage in His white robes, with a radiant face, twinkling eyes, mischievous smile, long hairs flowing onto His shoulders and head covered as a mark of respect for the holy place looking fresh as ever. He asked everyone to settle down, which devotees were not in a mood to listen as usual. Then He started emotionally blackmailing His devotees saying, those who are sitting in last row are my only devotees, only they love me. Those who will be sitting in last row will get double blessing, people sitting in front will get less and people on the stage will get very very less! But I guess this didn't work either :-)

Finally everyone settled down. I was really amazed to realize how the masters’ life is an example for His devotees. All the while with so much of pushing and chaos going on, Guruji was still smiling and joyful looking at the devotees, not to forget He had been from long journey from Calcutta in plane that was almost 3 hours late then 2 hours drive to the venue. I have heard and read so much about acceptance but seeing Him doing that it really hits the target - no words required to explain acceptance.

Yesterday we were having a knowledge session with Balvinderji, he said earlier the only way of learning was observing the Master, living with the Master, no books were used, and even knowledge was transferred from Master to disciple through listening not in writings. He further said 'You can only teach who you are!'

And Guruji does it so simply, He just teaches us who He is and learn to live like Him! No doubt in His presence everything falls in place soo naturally.

As everyone settled down He realized there was a sofa arranged for Him, but the seating arrangement for the Heads of the organization who had arranged this 'Vishwa Shanti Yagya' were placed down in front of stage. He immediately asked those chairs to be kept on the stage. It was so amazing to see His presence of mind and humility that He made the all the chairs to be arranged such that even on the stage they were kept at same level that of the sofa!

As the chairs and sofa was being moved around, up and down, Guruji said looking at the movement 'Yehi jeevan ka sabhav hai, jo uppar hota hai woh niche ajaata hai, jo niche hota hai woh uppar chale jaata hai!' as He said this there was a big applause. Then He said I will tell you a story, that very moment everyone was all ears to Him, suddenly there was silence like never before, I started recording His voice on my phone.

Guruji continued, once there was a King, looking at the world that everything was happening on its own He got a question 'Then what is the work of God?’ He started asking all his ministers, friends, pandits but no one could satisfactorily answer his question. Finally he asked this to his vice minister and said 'If you cannot find the answer to this question by tomorrow morning, you will be sent to prison.' This minister ran around, went through books but could not find any answer. By the evening he started fearing for his life.

In the evening as the minister was moving back and forth in the garden worrying thinking about his faith, a little boy in torn clothes - the gardener asked him, why he was looking so tensed and troubled? At first minister ignored him, but with due pestering from this young one he gave up and told him the whole story about the King gone mad with this question. The little boy immediately said this is so simple I will answer this for you. At first minister said he didn't believe that such a young boy could answer this question as even all the pandits have failed to answer. But the boy pleaded and minister thought anyway he had no choice, he would be meeting his fate tomorrow and there was no harm in listening to this boy. At most they both will be thrown together into prison if something goes wrong :)

Next day they went to the King's palace at first the king got more angry with this and said, how can this little boy in torn clothes can answer my question? But the boy pleaded to just give him 5 minutes to answer his question; finally king agreed and asked him to answer. The young boy said this was not the right way to ask the question. A question should be asked with due respect. The boy said he should be made to sit on his throne first at a higher pedestal than him and he should be sitting down near his feet’s. (Remember Guruji said this is the way Astavakra gave knowledge to King Janaka in Astavakra Geeta).

As the young boy sat on the throne king waited for the boy to answer. But the boy would not speak anything. Five minutes gone, ten minutes gone, fifteen minutes gone and king ran out of patience and asked the young boy to answer him immediately. Finally the boy smiled and said ‘Meine to jawab kaab ka de diya! Aap ko samaja nahi? Yehi to bhagwan ka kaam hai, jo uppar hai usko niche leyata hai aur jo niche hai usko woh uppar uthata hai...jo vinamr hai usko uppar uthata hai...jo ahankari hai usko niche leyata hai...ye kaam bhagwan nirantar karta hi raheta hai!'

There was a big applause following this J

Guruji further said the knowledge that does not makes you humble is no knowledge at all; with this He stressed to be humble in life. But I felt words were not necessary at all as He had already taught us this by His own example practically then and there on the stage itself!

Have a wonderful day!

Love,
Satyajit

Guruji further talked about importance of mantra jaap and taking responsibility, becoming warrior of peace. He stressed everyone should read Bhagwat Geeta also Guru Granth Sahib, Sukhmini Sahib and Dyaneshwari. He also pointed out conversion happening in lots of places in india due to lack of knowledge and respect for our own culture.

Divine

Gur Meri Pooja Gur Gobind

With gratitude in the eternal glory of the Master:

Gur Meri Pooja Gur Gobind
Gur Mera Parbrahm Gur Bhagwant

Gur Mera Deyo Alakh Abheyo
Sarb Pooj Charan Gur Seyo

Gur Bin Awar Nahi Main Thhaon
Andin Japo Guru Gur Naon (Rahao)

Gur Mera Gian Gur Ridey Dhian
Gur Gopal Purakh Bhagwan

Gur Ki Saran Raho Kar Jor
Guru Bina Main Nahin Hor

Gur Bohith Taray Bhav Paar
Gur sewa Jam Te Chhutkaar

Andhkaar Meh Gurmantar Ujaara
Gur kai Sang Sagal Nistaara

Gur Poora Payiaye Badhbhagi
Gur Ki Sewa Dookh Na Lagi

Gur Ka Sabad Na Metay Koiye

Gur Nanak Nanak Har Soye

From Sri Guru Granth Sahib (864)

Phele Arjun To Bano!

I was recently listening to Narad Bhakti Sutras, Guruji has narrated a beautiful story - how Krishna became charioteer of Arjuna and Guruji also emphasized the presence of Master in one’s life, thought of sharing it here. Hope you enjoy it J

Guruji said Krishna was lying in the bed and Duryodhana came and sat at His head [little egoistic; who would sit at His feet’s]. Krishna knew that Duryodhana had come but acted as though He didn't knew and kept His eyes closed :-) After sometime Arjuna came and sat at Krishna's feet’s. Both Duryodhana and Arjuna had come to ask Krishna to be on their side in the war.

After sometime Krishna opened His eyes and looked at Arjuna [when you are lying down and wake up whom you will see first? One who is sitting at your feet’s! Isn't it?] Welcomed him 'O Arjuna when did you come I didn't know?' As though He never knew :-) He greeted Arjuna and then asked, what is that you want? Why have you come? As though He didn't knew that too :-) Then Krishna turned to Duryodhana and greeted Him with affection and asked 'Oh you have also come...good. What do you want?'

Krishna gave them a choice, He said either you keep all my army, all the battalions OR Me. He further said, see I won't fight! So one of you choose, either choose Me or my army. So Arjuna thought and said Krishna I just want You. Duryodhana thought what is the use having Krishna when Krishna is not going to fight and His army won't be with me, so better to have Krishna's army. So Krishna's army was with Duryodhana during the battle and Krishna was with Arjuna.

And we all know who won! These ways are incomprehensible.

This story came a thunder bolt to me, it made me realize, though we also sit at Masters feet’s like Arjuna we act like Duryodhana, instead of asking for the Master Himself, His Presence, His Grace all the time we keep on asking for material things most of the time :-)

Guruji further said 'In the presence of the Master your heart definitely opens up either today or tomorrow, it's infallible you cannot miss it ... years and years of meditation cannot take you there which one moment of Grace can!'

I remember in one of the question answer session someone asked Guruji 'Mahabharat mein Krishna ne Arjun ko apna asli roop dikhaya...Aap muje (haame) kaab dikhaoge?' Guruji simply smiled and said 'Phele Arjun to bano!'

Love,
Satyajit

I Promise!

If I had to promise you something, what would it be?

I can't promise that you would always be comfortable...
Because comfort brings boredom and discomfort.

I can't promise that all your desires will be fulfilled...
Because desires whether fulfilled or unfulfilled bring frustration.

I can't promise that there will always be good times...
Because it is the tough times that make us appreciate joy.

I can't promise that we will be rich or famous or powerful...
Because they can all be pathways to misery.

I can't promise that we will always be together...
Because it is separation that makes togetherness so wonderful.

Yet if you are willing to walk with me,
If you are willing to value love over everything else ~

I promise that this will be the most rich and fulfilling life possible.
I promise your life will be an eternal celebration,
I promise you I will cherish you more than a king cherishes his crown,

And I shall love you more than a mother loves her newborn.

If you are willing to walk into my arms,
If you are willing to live in my heart,
You will find the one you have waited forever....

You will meet yourself in my arms...

I promise.

--His Holiness Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

Tumko ho pasand wohi baat kahenge...

Hope you had a wonderful Diwali vacation. I enjoyed my Diwali staying at home doing some gardening, cleaning up my room, keeping my stuff in right place and avoiding unnecessary phone calls :)

Well I was fortunate to attend Art of Living 'Diwali Pahat' satsang in presence of Swami Pragyapad ji. Amol ji led everyone into beautiful satsang with his enchanting voice. After the satsang Swami ji was asked to share few knowledge tidbits. Smiling, He said being Advanced Meditation Course teacher He is happy being in 'Maun' (silence). But how could we let Him off the hook so easily, with our due persistence, He shared few Guru Stories which were never enough!

I would like to share one of the stories He mentioned, hold on, here it goes...

He said few years back when Guruji used to have free time, Guruji was humming a Hindi movie song, and I guess most of you will know this one. 'Tumko ho pasand wohi baat kahenge...' Swami ji said Gurudev was continuously humming only the first line of the song and all the other teachers with Him were singing the next line in their mind. This went on for 10-15 minutes.
Then suddenly Guruji asked everyone 'Do you know the next line of this song?', before even Guru ji could say anything everyone went up together 'Tum dinko agar raat kaho to raat kahenge...’ And Guru ji said NO, it is not like that. I have made a new line, and He continued it is 'Humko jo ho pasand wohi kaam karenge...!' And everyone burst into laughter :)

Swami ji said, through this Guru ji stressed on coming from the space of yes mind. Coming from the space of acceptance and then doing SKILLFULLY whatever has to be done at that moment.

Swami ji said most of the problems in life are there due to our talking (words) whether someone likes or dislikes it. So He said always come from the space of yes and then skillfully getting the things done the way we want, instead of getting into conflict. He went on giving few more beautiful examples...but as you know 'Tumko ho pasand wohi baat kahenge...Humko jo ho pasand wohi kaam karenge...!'

Love,
Satyajit

News Flash: Sri Balvinderji is now Advanced Meditation Course teacher, so don't miss doing the 20th Nov Advanced Meditation Course with Him.

Light of Knowledge

Recently listening to Asta Vakra Geeta, Guruji narrated a story emphasizing how celebration dawns in life with the light of knowledge (Master). Please read beyond words else you will miss the whole boat :-)

A man was crossing a dense forest in the dark cold night. As the time went by, his batteries grew feeble and the light of the torch dim. He could barely see the path. Suddenly he came across a serpent standing in the middle of path, on seeing the long dark serpent the man stood there afraid like a statue for the snake to move away. But it seemed that the snake was very adamant, neither the snake moved nor allowed this man to cross the path. The man stood there in the jungle shivering and trembling for the dark night to pass as his batteries were running away, waiting for some one to come and help him!

Well his prayers were soon answered, there came a person with a much powerful torch, and showed the man what he perceived as snake in the dark night with feeble torch was just a rope lying in the path. No sooner this person led him with the powerful torch - the dark cold frightful night disappeared, the serpent vanished, the day dawned, flowers blossomed, birds started chirping, dew drops sparkled in the morning sunlight, the man had reached HOME and there was celebration (DIWALI) all around!!!

Hope you got it. Have a safe and happy Diwali :-)

Love,
Satyajit

StairWay to Heaven

It’s story time J

Once it happened in Tibet, a new temple was built in a village so they needed a Master to take charge of this temple and guide the people of this village. The people of village sent message to main Master and requested Him to send one of His disciples for the newly built temple.

The Master selected ten of his highly learned disciples and sent them off to the new temple. All the other people who were watching the proceeding got confused as to why the Master had sent ten people when only one was required. They inquisitively inquired to the Master. Master just smiled and said nothing.

All the ten disciples set off to the temple, which was around nine villages far off. After few weeks news came back to the Master that the one disciple that He had sent has reached the village and they were very grateful and happy. This news again shocked the people as ten were sent how come only one reached, what happened to the others?

All the people went back to the Master and requested Him to solve this puzzle. The Master looking at their confusion smilingly revealed the flow of events...

As the ten disciples reached the first village, they were welcomed by a business man. Business man requested the first disciple to marry his daughter; he said an astrologer had suggested him to marry his daughter off to the first person entering this village in the morning. The business man was richest in the village, had only one daughter who was very beautiful, the first disciple could not ignore the offer and accepted it; as he thought if he rejects this offer some one from the other nine disciples would definitely accept the offer. Also this gave him opportunity to enjoy all the pleasures of life. So he requested the other nine disciples to move forward with their journey and confirmed he would stay back and got married.

As the remaining nine disciples reached another village, King of the village welcomed them and asked one of the disciples to become his minister. King's 'pandit' had died recently and he was looking for someone to replace him. The second disciple immediately agreed as the offer was lucrative; the position was good and respectable. He asked the other eight disciples to continue with their journey and he stayed back in the palace.

So one by one they kept dropping off, some got caught up in money, some in position, some in small little pleasures and so on...in the end only two of them remained.

Finally when the two were close to the village they had been traveling for, they had to wait in nearby village for the night. While giving sermons in the nearby village one of the person from the crowd stood up and argued with them about the philosophy they were teaching. This led to a heated debate and one of the disciples said to the other...please you go ahead, I will not be coming; I need to wait back and make this person realize that what I am speaking is correct.

So finally one disciple reached the temple!

Hence it is said 'Jab Dus Nikalte Hain, Tab Koi Ek Paunchta Hai' (When ten start on the path only one reaches). In the book The Way of Grace [http://www.srisri.com/home.htm] somewhere Guruji has mentioned the stair way to heaven is very slippery, that sums up the above story, good luck to you and me also :)

What goes around comes around

There was a poor Scottish farmer. One day, while trying to eke out a living for his family, he heard a cry for help coming from a nearby bog. He dropped his tools and ran. There, mired to his waist in mud, was a terrified boy, screaming and struggling to free himself. Farmer Fleming saved the lad from what could have been a slow and terrifying death.

The next day, a fancy carriage pulled up to the Scotsman's farm, and an elegantly dressed nobleman stepped out and introduced himself as the father of the boy Farmer Fleming had saved.

"I want to repay you," said the nobleman. "You saved my son's life."

"No, I can't accept payment for what I did," the Scottish farmer said, and at that moment, the farmer's own son came to the door.

"Is that your son?" the nobleman asked.

"Yes," said the farmer.

"I'll make you a deal. Let me take him and give him a good education. If the lad is anything like his father, he'll grow to be a man you can be proud of."

And that he did. In time, Farmer Fleming's son graduated from St. Mary's Hospital Medical School in London, and went on to become Sir Alexander Fleming, the discoverer of penicillin.

Years afterward, the nobleman's son was stricken with pneumonia, and penicillin saved his life. The name of the nobleman? Lord Randolph Churchill, His son? Winston Churchill.

Mysterious Ways of Master

Hope you had a great time last week; I enjoyed the Navratri Advanced Meditation Course with Rishi Nitya Pragya ji.

After doing few DSN courses with Him it was pleasure to do an Advanced Meditation course with Him. As usual He bound everyone in His spell of Knowledge, Satsang, Devotion and presence of mind. His in-depth knowledge and study of Mind, it's working and taming it was really amazing! Truly amazing teacher, we got to learn lots of things; He left everyone totally rejuvenated, inspired - hollow and empty!

Rishi ji is one of the senior teachers to be with Guruji from the very beginning, having learnt directly from the Master Himself. Like Rishi ji, one of the other senior teachers Swami Pragyapad ji once mentioned His learning with Guruji.

Here it goes ... Swami ji said during building of Vishalakshi Mantap (beautiful meditation hall in Bangalore ashram) and the Am-phi Theater (beautiful satang place in front of Vishalakshi Mandap) He was waiting for Guruji for some directions on how to go about some final finishing touches to be given. When Guruji returned from tour, Swami ji asked Guruji how He wanted it to be. First Guruji didn't show any interest, finally Guruji directed Swami ji how He wanted things to be. After the suggestions Guruji went away on tour. Few weeks later when Guruji returned, Swami ji showed Him how the things have come out to be.

Swami ji said looking at the work done, Guruji said it was looking so ugly and asked Swamji, who had asked Him to do it that way? Guruji was looking from all the angles and complaining that it was looking ugly. Swami ji said He was totally taken aback, but could not argue with Guruji. Guruji kept Him reminding of the ugly work for sometime!

After a day or two Guruji again looked at the work and started appreciating it, saying it was looking very good...very beautiful and was very happy with it. And left Swami ji totally confused once again!

Swami ji thought for few days on why Guruji would have acted this way; first disapproving His own directions, indirectly blaming Swami ji and then after some time praising it Himself. Swami ji said - in life if something goes wrong we immediately blame others or people blame us and we start arguing and complaining instead of taking responsibility. Here, He said there was no way I could have argued with Guruji. He had no choice but to take that in-stride instead of arguing and complaining.

A big lesson learnt. Guruji has given all the knowledge in courses, books and talks but He does conduct practicals now and then to solidify knowledge learnt whether He is physically present around you or not :-)

I remember in one of the Asta Vakra Geeta CD, He says situations have been created for you to live the knowledge ... practical!

In Tibet there is a saying 'Dus nikalte hain tab koi Ek paunchta hai...!' (When Ten people start on the path only ONE reaches...!). I guess out of the ten only ONE succeeds the practical exam of the divine, others have to give the same exams again and again...event after events, birth after births. There is a beautiful story attached with this saying, will blog it some other day. Have a great week ahead and happy Dassera!

Love,
Satyajit

Say YES

I remember listening to one of the Guruji's talk, where Guruji narrated an incident that happened during the time He was with Maharishi. Guruji said, often Maharishi would give the instructions put all the chairs this way on the left side and after a while He would say why is it on the left side?

No one could argue saying You only told us to put it there! Maharishi would argue that He has not said so...And there was no way to win over Maharishi...

You have to simply accept and say YES. Guruji said it was training to really say YES to whatever it is.

It was very hard training. He would get angry for having followed His instructions, He would say put the chairs on right side and you put it there and you would get scolding for nothing. In either way you will be scolded!

I have heard Guruji saying if you suffer in the ashram, you will never have to suffer outside in the world. Yes all the buttons are pushed in the ashram to make you button proof, leaving you with only YES to whatever it is :-)

It seems the purpose of Divine is to get you to the state of YES, it doesn't matter where ever you are ashram, house, office, movie theatre or on the cross!

Love,
Satyajit

Journey from Head to the Heart

There is a story in Puranas, Sita during her exile in forest was asked by the wife's of Rishis to identify who her husband was among the Rishis. Rama Himself was present there as a Rishi. Sita denied each one of the Rishi who came in front of her. And the story goes, when Rama came she simple bowed down her head and remained silent.

This story seems to have lot of meaning in it. As per analogy Sita is the mind and Rama is the Self. For the Mind to find out who the Self is, it starts with what the the Self is NOT! As in Asta Vakra Geeta Guruji says a seeker starts his/her journey with 'I am not this(body)' 'I am not this(senses)' and so on. And finally when the Mind come to the Self it becomes NO Mind, then only silence prevails. In fact for the Mind to reach the Self it has to become no mind! Bowing down of the head simply signifies dissolving of the mind into the heart.

If we look at this with perceptive of Seven Layers of existence taught in Art Of Living Part One course the Mind is the third layer and Self is the seventh. Self cannot be known from the level of thoughts i.e. the Mind as Guruji had mentioned in one of His knowledge sheet.

You can only know yourself in silence that's why we have Advance Meditation Course. Well during Navratri Gurudev Himself goes into silence for some days, I guess just to set an example for us!

Love,
Satyajit

Dhambhadikam Tyagyam...

As I said last time I remembered an incident with Guruji, when I had gone to Bangalore last year to meet Him. A small incident with lots of learning :-)

We all had gathered to meet Guruji at Vrundavan and He was supposed to meet everyone individually. After waiting feverishly for an hour or two Guruji came and to my surprise He was talking and meeting with everyone except me! The more I would do some gesture to grab His attention, the more I was ignored! And finally He left without meeting even looking at me.

God! I was totally upset and didn't know why would a Master totally ignore His devotee? As Guruji always says a Master cannot even ignore a non-living object, so it's very difficult and painful for a Master Himself to ignore His devotee. Have I made some mistake? Did I do something wrong? I was left with no wonders but just questions, didn't even have my dinner that night!

After some days when I came back to my senses :-) I was listening to 'Narada Bhakti Sutras' a beautiful talk given by Guruji and there came the answers to all the questions!

Here is how Guruji explained it all "Dhambhadikam Tyagyam...Drop your feverishness for attention, see when there is love, behind love also come wanting-ness of attention. Do see this? Some one loves you very much and they don't simply give much attention to you that doesn't mean that they don't love you, but you crave for attention, even a child, say a child will be playing happily and moment some guests come, they (child) come around and show that they are somebody, they bring all their things they want attention. They think you are going to forget them. They will not allow you to talk to the guests!

You will wonder what has happened to this boy he was sitting in the corner all the time playing, and when the guest came he should also come with his books pencil papers and show you tell you and explain you...have you seen this?

The craving for attention! You want attention from everybody, people whom you love, you feel only if they give me attention then they love me, that is the expression for love for us. This is a mistaken notion! You know many times you are very close to somebody you don't give to much attention to them because you take it for granted that they are part of me. You take it for granted that they understand you very well so there is no need to give them attention. You give attention to somebody who is new. But then often it happens that person feels neglected and then they start behaving in a very funny manner. Do you see this happening? Craving for attention … ooh I was not attended, Pandit ji didn't ask me whether you had lunch or not he asked to somebody else....to experience divine love drop the ego and wanting-ness of attention ... Abhiman Dhambadikam....

Ego is the only obstruction to experience divine love I am somebody … I am someone … I have done so much … I am not being attended … I am an old devotee, I have been known for the past 4 yrs - 5yrs. But, I have not been attended!

Craving for attention you have to drop and your ego show off business too … you don't need to show off..."

Listening to this, then and there the 'Aahhoo!' happened. And that very moment I realized my attention seeking ego had already dropped that very day, if your Master Himself doesn't look at you, then from whom else would you crave for attention :-)

Dhambhadikam Tyagyam...I know it would have been difficult for Him also but lesson learnt was immensely valuable! The ways of Masters are mysterious; well I would say my Master Himself is mysterious :-)

That's all for now, lots of Guru stories and pearls of wisdom waiting for you! Have a great week ahead.

Love,
Satyajit

Importance of Sadhna, Follow-Up and Satsang

I know you are doing great and it is the same here! As I began to write this knowledge sheet, an interesting incident came to my mind, which happened last year, when I had been to ashram to meet Gurudev. That incident had made a profound change in my life! Well, hold on I will tell you about that next week :-)

Last week we saw how awareness is very essential along with knowledge, else it is just like a needle (knowledge) without thread (awareness), which cannot sew anything but pricks you a lot! That's where all these practices and sadhana comes in! Yoga, Sudharshan Kriya, Meditation heightens our level of awareness, makes our life like a flower, colorful (celebrity), without weight (ego), delicate (sensitive), whether seen or unseen (talking or being in silence) keeps spreading the fragrance (joy, happiness, smiles) around!

Knowing all this we find ourselves having no time to do our daily sadhana forget about follow-ups and Satsangs! Once someone asked Guruji:

Q: How does one adapt something to like the Sudharshan Kriya breathing technique or the Art of Living? Given we have hectic schedules, we rarely manage time for our families and friends.

Sri Sri: It is just like personal hygiene. Whatever work one has, however busy one is, one takes time to brush their teeth. No body says hat they have no time to brush teeth. In the same way if you do Kriya and a little bit of Pranayam for 15-20 minutes, it brings so much alertness in you, it brings so much energy in you. So your time becomes a good time, it becomes quality time.

Wow, that was a very simple answer I never thought in that way. Like Gurudev keeps on saying meditation is just like a bath for the mind! Well that's why we have a Guru in life to make things simple :-)

That's all for now, see you at the Satsang and follow-up, have a great week ahead!

Love,
Satyajit