Blessings

You can sit anywhere and ask for blessings in your mind, and you will receive blessings.

You may ask me how is that possible.

Tell me, how does Kama Vasana (lust) get aroused just by thinking such thoughts, isn't it? Hormones are then secreted in excess in the body.

How do you get angry? Just by thinking!

How does hatred come? By thinking about others whom you dislike. You think about those who you don't like and your body begins to quiver.

How does fear come? By thinking!

So, if by thinking, lust can come, anger can come, fear can come, hatred can come, then can blessing also not come just by thinking? Are blessings so ineffective, or do you think that you have to work so hard to get blessings? No! You don't need to do anything. Just by thinking you get blessings. This is how it happens.

So, whenever you feel grateful just think that blessings have certainly come along with it.

--H. H. Sri Sri Ravi Shankar ji

The Way Out Of Sorrow

The Way Out Of Sorrow – H. H. Sri Sri Ravi Shankar ji

 

If your are unhappy you better check if one or all of these are lacking: Tapa (penance), Vairagya (dispassion), and Sharanagati (surrender).

 

·        Tapas is agreeing with the moment, total acceptance of pleasant or unpleasant situations.

·        Vairagya means I want nothing and I am nothing.

·        Sharanagati is "I am here for You, for Your joy."

 

If you are grumbling then these are lacking, because when you accept the situation you cannot grumble; when you take it as Tapa you will not grumble; when you come from a state dispassion ("I don't want anything") you don't grumble; and if you are surrendered you will have no complaints.

 

All these three (Tapas, Vairagya and surrender) purify your mind and uplift you in joy.

 

If you don’t do it willingly you will do it in desperation. First you say, "Nothing can be done." Then in anger and desperation you say, "I give up, I want nothing, I have no choice, to hell with it!"

Har Ek Volunteer Zaruri Hota Hai...

Chai k liye jaise Toast hota hai,

Waise har ek volunteer zaruri hota hai.

Koi Sunday morning ko late Follow-Up mein aaye,

Koi Satsang ki bich bhaag jaye!

Ek tere Gyan ko lecture kahe,

Aur ek har chhoti cheez ke liye JGD kare!

Koi nature se ‘Kaffa’,

Koi ‘Pitta’ hota hai,

Par har ek volunteer zaruri hota hai!

Ek ghadi ghadi Seva mail kare, par kabhi kabhi Seva kare,

Ek kabhi kabhi mail kare, aur har ghadi Seva kare!

Koi Gyan ka ghoomta phirta satellite,

Koi din raat rahe Maun mien light.

Koi Butterfly, koi Seva Warrior hota hai,

Par har ek volunteer zaruri hota hai!

Koi junior volunteer,

koi senior volunteer,

Koi DSN volunteer, koi YES+ volunteer,

Koi koi poora seva sambhalne wala irreplaceble Guru Star hota hai!

Koi time se pehle Seva finish kare,

Koi TTC ke just pehle Seva kare!

Koi teacher baane ke liye bheja khaye,

Koi teacher banke bhi khushi nahi paaye!

Koi always Happy, koi Sad hota hai,

Par har ek volunteer zaroori hota hai!

Koi Satsangi aur koi Blue Star hota hai,
Par har ek volunteer Zaruri Hota Hai, JDG BOSS!!!

Love,

S. :-)

Tera May - 2011

We started for Bangalore from Pune at 4:30 PM on Thursday 12th May...

At Devi Puja...morning 10:30...

After a long journey of 17 hours, we seventeen of us reached The Art of Living Bangalore Ashram in the morning. The first thing we did after alighting the bus was -- headed straight for the Devi Puja. Devi Puja had already started; Guruji was already there immersed in Puja. The Yagnyashala was totally packed not even a space for an ant to move. We had to attend the Devi Puja and Satsang sitting on the wall of Yagnyashala :)

[After the Devi Puja, Guruji promised to meet everyone in the evening after the Satsang. Looking at the large crowd, thousands of people and more thousands expected in the evening, it was doubtful if He would really walk the talk]

Devi Puja took away all the tiredness of the long overnight journey of more than 17 hours (840 km)! Yes, charged-up, now we were ready to run after Guruji for His darshan. We stood in the line outside the Yagnyashala waited for Him to come out. Finally, the moment came, Guruji came out sat in the car and the car started moving inch by inch ahead. Well that was not so easy! Hundreds of devotees were jumping/pushing/pulling each other to wish Guruji, one could hear lots of 'Happy Birthday Guruji!!!' greetings as the car moved ahead. Devotees made all the efforts by hook or by crook to wish their beloved One and deliver the birthday gifts that they had got for Him (some had got flowers, some had got sweets, some had got Angavastra and some had got toys!). Suddenly there was not even a space for the air to move through where Guruji's car was supposed to pass.

I am sure the security team had a wonderful time managing all the devotees :D

[A Maha Tyagi or Maha Bhogi will not refuse to accept some mangoes or a cup of milk when they come by themselves. But he will not crave for them.]

The best part to see was, Guruji Himself, like a child He was reaching out from the window of His car and receiving the greeting and gifts from devotees. Just like a child would reach for his birthday gifts. The twinkle in His eye, the mischief in the smile, the joy showed how much He cared for the feelings of His children (devotees).

A perfect example of Maha Tyagi and Maha Bhogi as mentioned in Yoga Vaisistha.

For a moment everyone must have felt as though it was their Birthday :)

[When we stood in the darshan line we were in utter confusion on where to stand, to the right side or to the left of the lane, we had no idea on which side Guruji would sit in the car! We did not want to miss this opportunity to see Him. But as the car came we saw He gave ample time to the people standing on both the sides. The Master always takes care; small mind is always busy worrying :)]

At the Satsang...evening 6:00...

Now it was time to wait for the evening Satsang! Dressed up and all ready once again reached the Yagnyashala. Though we were on time, we were very late in the sense, Yagnyashala was already full. Finally after lots of thought and trying out different places at the back of Yagnyashala we settled for a place where we could see Guruji's chair comfortably. Stage was set, Satsang started waited for Guruji to come...

Finally the wait was over Guruji came and the whole environment charged up! More than ten thousands of people sangs and swayed together, once again there was no place for even an ant to move! Looking at Guruji, it seemed that He was one year younger instead of getting one year older. After few bhajans Satsang gave way for some new album release at the hand of Guruji and some other announcements.

After the announcements Guruji said, "Remember that you are a match stick. The purpose of a match stick is to light the lamps. You know, you strike the match stick and it burns and it lights several candles. Like that so many match sticks in a box can light so many lives. So think you are a super-sized match box. You are here to bring light, wisdom and happiness into the lives of people.

So don't worry about anything, all your little needs and desires will be taken care of, it will all happen. You have to turn and see what you are doing for the world, how you are contributing to this world and how you are enhancing spirituality in the world. This is essential and is very much needed."

Finally the moment came everyone had waited for, Guruji stood up and said He would come down and meet everyone!!!

[Many years back...
Q. "Who is your favorite devotee?"
Sri Sri: "The one who is sitting at back of the Hall!"]

As we were sitting almost at the back of the hall, I thought it would be hours while Guruji would reach the back of the Yagnyashala. Surprise! Surprise! Surprise! Guruji walked straight down to almost at the back of the Hall. He then started moving through the devotees in zig and zag manner. Voila, Guruji seemed to be close to us as never before, hours of wait turned to few minutes!

It was so amazing to watch Guruji, to see Him talking to devotees, receiving their greetings, gifts, flowers, toys, love and affection. As promised He met everyone, stretched to take the gifts from everyone waiting for Him. It was the same energy, enthusiasm, child like mischief and smile that was seen in the morning after Devi Puja. It was no wonder everyone who met Guruji behaved just like a child :)

Q. "Who is your favorite devotee?"
Sri Sri: "The one who is sitting at back of the Hall!"

Heard that before, seen and experienced this today :)

[Master is an embodiment of Patience, Compassion and Love]

As He was moving through the crowd, bhajans were going on. It seemed that Guruji did not want the Satsang team to sing the bhajans in high note, high tempo, which would make the devotees to stand up and dance. This would only make His job more challenging, or may I say challenging for the security volunteers and other devotees! So as the tempo of bhajan went up, He used to cut it down and Himself sing a line in slow tempo just to indicate to keep the tempo low.

Alas! Not so easy, again the tempo would go up in zest of His birthday celebration and again Guruji would cut it down sing in slow tempo just to indicate to keep the tempo low amidst all the pushing/pulling by the devotees. This happened almost five to six times, in fact till the end of bhajan. But every time Guruji would lovingly pitched in and bring the tempo down. And how many times He must have requested devotees to keep seated at their place.

Patience! Compassion! Love! Heard about in the Part I course, demonstrated again and again by Guruji!

[If you cannot see the divine in the form, you will never be able to see the formless divine - Sri Sri]

Well we finished off with our darshan and headed straight to Annapurna for dinner. We had some delicious Birthday food, strolled around the Ashram, and went to see Vishalakshi Mantap. Ashram was looking as beautiful as ever from the top of Vishalakshi Mantap. Ooops! More than one and half hour had passed; we realized that there were still bhajans and noise coming from Yagnyashala! With curiosity we headed towards Yagnyashala, just to see Guruji still meeting people...almost two hours had passed!

Now, who would let go the opportunity to see Guruji once again. So once again stood in the darshan line, in fact the last line He was heading to, which was the line near the stage. We watched Guruji meeting devotee's receiving gifts. Something beautiful happened. Someone gave Guruji a small statue of Ganesha enclosed in a glass container; Guruji took it and carefully handed over it to the volunteer to keep it safely. I could see His eyes stuck watching the Ganesha statue moving from one volunteer to the other then to the other till it vanished from His sight. It was a look of total concern, it looked as though He was totally concerned if that statue was been handled properly or not. As though the real Ganesh was been carried away!

If you cannot see the divine in the form, you will never be able to see the formless divine - Sri Sri

[His Promise]

Finally! Guruji came where we were standing, it was simply amazing to see the same zest and zeal even after more than two hours moving through the crowd, talking to people, handling so many gifts, taking care of so many minds! The same mischief, twinkle in the eyes, love unlimited. By the time He finished He had met more than five thousand people (some said 10,000). Even when He met the last person it was felt as though He was meeting the first person in the day and He could go on like this the whole night.

He had kept His promise -- He met everyone!

"Khethe hain jaab bhagwan apne bhaghato pe kush hote hain, to bhagwan swayam, guru ka roop leke apne bhaghato ko darshan dete hain!"

Haan, Tera Main unnis soo chappan ko bhagwan ne avatar liya!

This was all my peanut sized brain could see in the ocean of events in the magnanimous play of the Divine!

Feel blessed...Nothing more can be said!

Tera Main...

Happy New Year :)

This New Year Wish You a Journey from ...

Disease to Ease

Passion to Dispassion

Dispassion to Compassion

Punishment to Forgiveness

Hatred to Love

Frowns to Smiles

Miser to Giver

Misery to Joy

Demand to Prayer

Ego to Surrender

Discontentment to Contentment

Lack to Abundance

Impatience to Patience

Ignorance to Awareness

Problems to Challenges

Religion to Spirituality

'Kusang' to Satsang

'Bhogi' to Yogi

Ladder to Leader

Imperfection to Perfection

Sound to Silence

Corruption to Belongingness

Complaints to Responsibility

Steams to Teams

Piece of Mind to Peace Mind

Mind to No Mind

Wave to Ocean

Live to Liveliness

Experiencer to Learner

Doer to Witness

Vikalpas to Sankalpas

Sankalpas to Meditation

Meditation to Samadhi

Student to Disciple

Disciple to Devotee

Devotee to Divine

In short Enlightenment :D

Dispassion

It so happened once there was a disciple, the only thing he used to wear was 'langot' rest everything he had renounced. But His Master knew, though the disciple had renounced everything he was not dispassionate. He tried every technique to make the disciple dispassionate, but without any success.

Finally the Master said, I am now sending you to the King Janaka, only He can teach you this and if He fails then no one can teach you. Listening to this disciple got frustrated and said how can a King living in luxory teach about dispassion?

But still His Master persisted and he had to go.

By evening the disciple reached the palace, as he entered the palace he saw King Janaka sitting on His golden throne, which had diamond and precious stones embedded in it. The King Janaka was being entertained by royal dancers and musicians, delicious food was being served. Looking at this scene disciple got more frustrated and said to Janaka, my Master had sent me here to learn dispassion but now I see I am in wrong place. You yourself are so deeply rooted into all these pleasures and luxury, what will you teach me? Hence I wish to take leave.

As the disciple was leaving King Janaka requested him to wait till next morning as it was already dark and it was very dangerous to travel alone in jungle. Having no choice disciple waited. That night the disciple could not eat the food as he had already renounced delicious food. He could not sleep properly because he had renounced sleeping on comfortable bed, he could only sleep on hard floor.

At the dawn King Janaka invited the disciple for bath at the royal river flowing behind His palace. The disciple kept his spare 'langot' at the palace to change after having bath. As they were having bath the disciple saw that palace was on fire and immediately yelled King your palace is on fire, your whole property is being destroyed, all your wealth is turning into ashes! How will your survive in future? Run!

King Janaka was totally unmoved as He walked toward the palace to take corrective action, looked at the disciple, smiled and said 'Hum Khali Haath Aye The Aur Khali Haath Hi Jaayenge, Tum Itne Vichalit Kyun Ho Rahe Ho!' but the disciple could not wait to hear all this. He ran feverishly for his 'langot' that was kept at the palace!

That moment the disciple realized his foolishness, even after renouncing everything he lost his peace of mind just for his one 'langot' and on the other hand King Janaka being amidst of all the pleasures and luxury last night and now on verge of losing everything was unmoved, calm and peaceful; totally dispassionate!

Disciple fell at the feet’s of Janaka...

Dispassion does not mean renouncing the world, nor shunning the enjoyments of life. It simply means living in the present moment. Being free of regrets of past and worries of the future!

What remains is Nothing!

Q: Rain falls plants come and go, when will there be Nothing?

Sri Sri: It is in the Nothing that rain falls. See for something to fall, if everything is filled then Nothing can fall. Rain falls in the Nothing, plants come in the Nothing and they go into Nothing and what remains is Nothing!

If you didn't understand, then never mind it's Nothing :)

Jai Gurudev!