Wednesday 21 October 2020
An absolute brilliant write up.... Hats off to the writer
An absolute brilliant write up.... Hats off to the writer
Another perspective of the story of the Hare who lost the race…but..
Actually, everyone throughout the world has kept giving the example of Tortoise…Saying that slow and steady wins the race and emphasizing the value of persistence and dedication.
Well ! No one has ever bothered to ask the Hare his side of the story…
So let me tell you the story from a different point of view…
I met the Hare and sat down with him for a heart to heart talk.
This is what he had to say after we spent the better part of a balmy summer afternoon getting to know one other.
It was a wonderful experience, believe me..
“Yes, I am the hare who lost.
No, I did not get lazy or complacent.
Let me explain.
I was hopping over the meadows near the hills and looked back to realize that the tortoise was nowhere to be seen.
Assured of my healthy lead, I decided to take a short nap under the large banyan tree near the pond.
The anticipation of the race had kept me up all night.
For days, that old silly tortoise had boasted about his ability to plod for hundreds of miles without stopping.
Life is a marathon, he said, not a sprint.I wanted to show him that I could run both far and fast.
The shade of the tree was like an umbrella.
I found an almost oval rock, covered it with grass, and turned it into a makeshift pillow.
I could hear the leaves rustling and the bees buzzing – it felt they were collaborating and even conspiring to put me to sleep.
And it didn’t take them long to succeed.
I saw myself drifting on a log in a beautiful stream of water.
As I came near the shore, I found an old man, with a flowing beard, sitting on a rock in a meditative pose. He opened his eyes, gave me an all-knowing smile, and asked:
“Who are you?”
“I am a hare. I am running a race.”
“Why?”
“To prove to all the creatures in the jungle that I am the fastest.”
“Why do you want to prove that you are the fastest?”
“So that I get a medal which will give me status which will give me money which will get me food…”
“There is already so much food around.” He pointed to the forest in the distance. “Look at all those trees laden with fruits and nuts, all those leafy branches”
“I also want respect. I want to be remembered as the fastest hare who ever lived.”
“Do you know the name of the fastest deer or the largest elephant or the strongest lion who lived a thousand years before you?”
“No.”
“Today you have been challenged by a tortoise.
Tomorrow, it will be a snake.
Then it will be a zebra.
Will you keep racing all your life to prove that you are the fastest?”
“Hmm. I didn’t think about it.
I don’t want to race all my life.”
“What do you want to do?”
“I want to sleep under a banyan tree on a makeshift pillow while the leaves rustle and the bees buzz.
I want to hop over the meadows near the hills and swim in the pond.”
“You can do all these things this very moment.
Forget the race.
You are here today but you will be gone tomorrow.”
I woke up from my sleep.
The ducks in the pond looked happy.
I jumped into the pond, startling them for a moment.
They looked at me quizzically.
“Weren’t you supposed to be racing with the tortoise today?”
“It’s pointless.
An exercise in futility.
All I want is to be here.
Hopefully, someday, someone will tell the world my story.
*That I lost the race but got back my life*
Tuesday 20 October 2020
By the grace and blessings of Pujya Gurudev,
"DIVINE WHISPERS 365 SPIRITUAL QUOTES OF H.H.SRI SRI RAVI SHANKAR ''
has just been launched in the market today, both in paperback and e-book versions on several different platforms (including Amazon, Flipkart, Google Play Store and Pustakmandi).
The book is availble on all Indian platforms and will be available internationally very soon. Do get your copy!
The book is available at the following websites:
Paperback:
https://www.amazon.in/dp/https://www.flipkart.com/
https://www.pustakmandi.com/
eBook:
https://www.amazon.in/dp/
https://www.amazon.com/dp/
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/
https://play.google.com/store/
https://www.smashwords.com/
https://books.apple.com/us/
https://www.gardners.com/
http://store.kobobooks.com/en-
https://marketplace.odilo.us/
https://www.scribd.com/search?
Saturday 17 October 2020
*Who / What is being a Hindu ?*
*Who / What is being a Hindu ?*
A person was flying from JFK New York Airport to SFO San Francisco Airport CA to attend a meeting at Monterey, CA.
An American girl was sitting on the right side, near window seat. It, indeed, was a long journey - it would take nearly seven hours.
He was surprised to see the young girl reading a Bible, somewhat unusual of young Americans.
After some time she smiled and they had few acquaintances talk.
He told her, I am from India
*The girl asked: 'What's your faith?*
'What?' He didn't understand the question.
*'I mean, what's your religion? Are you a Christian? Or a Muslim?'*
*'No!' He replied, I am neither a Christian nor a Muslim'.*
Apparently she appeared puzzled 'Then ?'
*“I am a Hindu”, he said.*
She looked stil baffled. She could not understand what he was talking about.
*A common man in Europe or US, knows about Christianity and Islam, as they are the leading religions of the world today.*
*But a Hindu......what?*
*He explained - I am born to a Hindu father and Hindu mother. Therefore, I am a Hindu by birth.*
*'Who is your prophet?' she asked.*
*'We don't have only one single prophet,' He replied.*
*'What's your Holy Book?'*
*'We don't have one single Holy Book alone, we have hundreds and thousands of philosophical and sacred scriptures', he replied.*
*'Oh, come on... at least tell me who is your God?'*
*'What do you mean by that?'*
*'Like we have Jesus and Muslims have Allah - don't you have a God?'*
*He thought for a moment. Muslims and Christians believe one God (Male God) who created the world and takes an interest in the humans who inhabit it. Her mind is conditioned with that kind of belief.*
*According to her (or anybody who doesn't know about Hinduism), a religion needs to have one Prophet, one Holy book and one God.* *The mind is so conditioned and rigidly narrowed down to such a notion that anything else is not acceptable. I understood her perception and concept about faith. You can't compare Hinduism with any of the present leading religions where you have to believe in one concept of God.*
*He tried to explain to her: 'You can believe in one God and you can be a Hindu. You may believe in multiple deities and still you can be a Hindu. What's more - you may not believe in God at all, still you can be a Hindu. An Atheist can also be a Hindu.'*
This sounded very crazy to her. *She couldn't imagine a religion so unorganized, still surviving for thousands of years, even after onslaught from foreign forces.*
*'I don't understand but it seems very interesting. Are you religious?'*
What can he tell to this American girl?
*He said: 'I do not go to Temple regularly. I do not make any regular rituals. I have learned some of the rituals in my younger days. I still enjoy doing it sometimes'.*
*'Enjoy?? Are you not afraid of God?'*
*'No - we are not afraid of God. Nobody has made any such compulsions to perform these rituals regularly.'*
*She thought for a while and then asked: 'Have you ever thought of converting to any other religion?'*
*'Why should I? Even if I challenge some of the rituals and faith in Hinduism, nobody can convert me from Hinduism. Because, being a Hindu allows me to think independently and objectively, without conditioning. I remain as a Hindu never by force, but by choice.'*
*He told her that Hinduism is not a religion, but a set of beliefs and practices. It is not a religion like Christianity or Islam because it is not founded by any one person or does not have an organized controlling body like the Church or the Order, he added.... There is no institution or authority..*
*'So, you don't believe in God?' she wanted everything in black and white.*
*'I didn't say that. I do not discard the divine reality. Our scripture, or Sruthis or Smrithis - Vedas and Upanishads or the Gita - say God might be there or he might not be there. But we pray to that supreme abstract authority (Para Brahman) that is the creator of this universe.'*
*'Why can't you believe in one personal God?'*
*'We have a concept - ABSTRACT - not a personal god.*
The concept or notion of a personal God, hiding behind the clouds of secrecy, telling us irrational stories through few men, whom, he sends as messengers, demanding us to worship him or punish us, does not make sense. I don't think that God is as silly as an autocratic emperor, who wants others to respect him or fear him.' I told her that such notions are just fancies of less educated human imagination and fallacies, adding that generally ethnic religious practitioners in Hinduism believe in personal Gods. The entry level Hinduism has over-whelming superstitions too. *The philosophical side of Hinduism negates all superstitions.*
*'Good that you agree God might exist. You told that you pray. What is your prayer then?'*
' *Lokaa Samastha Sukhino Bhavantu. Om Shanti, Shanti, Shanti,'*
*लोका समस्ता सुखिनो भवन्तु !!! ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः !!!*
'She laughed, 'What does it mean?'
*'May all the beings in all the worlds be happy. Let there be Peace, Peace,and Peace every where.'*
*'Hmm ..very interesting. I want to learn more about this religion. It is so democratic, broad-minded and free' she exclaimed.*
*'The fact is HINDUISM is a religion of the individual, for the individual and by the individual with its roots in the Vedas and the Bhagavad-Gita.*
*It is all about an individual approaching a personal God in an individual way according to his temperament and inner evolution - it is as simple as that.'*
'How does anybody convert to Hinduism?'
*'Nobody can convert you to Hinduism, because it is not a religion, but it is a Culture, a way of living life, a set of beliefs and practices.* *Everything is acceptable in Hinduism because there is no single Authority or Organization either to accept you or to reject you or to oppose you on behalf of Hinduism.'*
*He told - if you look for meaning in life, don't look for it in religions; don't go from one cult to another or from one Guru to the next.*
*For a real seeker, I told her, the Bible itself gives guidelines when it says ' Kingdom of God is within you.' I reminded her of Christ's teaching about the love that we have for each other. That is where you can find the meaning of life.*
Loving each and every creation of the God is absolute and real. '
*Isavasyam idam sarvam' Isam (the God) is present (inhabits) here everywhere - nothing exists separate from the God, because God is present everywhere. Respect every living being and non-living things as God. That's what Hinduism teaches you.*
*Hinduism is referred to as Sanathana Dharma, the eternal faith. It is based on the practice of Dharma, the code of life. The most important aspect of Hinduism is being truthful to oneself. Hinduism has no monopoly on ideas. It is open to all. Hindus believe in one God (not a personal one) expressed in different forms. For them, God is timeless and formless entity.*
*Ancestors of today's Hindus believe in eternal truths and cosmic laws and these truths are opened to anyone who seeks them. The British coined the word 'Hindu' and considered it as a religion.*
He said: 'Religions have become an MLM (multi-level- marketing) industry that has been trying to expand the market share by conversion. The biggest business in today's world is Spirituality.'
*I am a Hindu because it doesn't pre-condition my mind with any faith system.*
*In Hinduism we don't have any managers of god.*
*Some say "Be Muslim".Some say "Be Christian". Vedas say "Be Human".*
*Some say "Follow Prophet".Some say "Follow Jesus". Vedas say "Follow Your Conscience".*
Some say "God is over 7th Sky". Some say "God is over 4th Sky". *Vedas say "God is with me, within me".*
Some say "God tests". Some say "God punishes". Some say "God forgives". *Vedas say "God supports".*
*Hinduism is the original rather a natural yet a logical and satisfying spiritual, personal and a scientific way of living a life.*
*Hinduism is not a religion,its a culture,a way of life.*
*We need to take pride in our ancient culture and vedantic wisdom inherited through Rishis and Spiritual Masters.*
Make Right Moves with Robust Mind
https://www.freepressjournal.in/weekend/make-right-moves-with-a-robust-mind
Gurudev's Navratri Message from Satsang
Gurudev's Navratri Message from Satsang
"There are some things you can do, you do them. And some things you cannot do - and the things that you cannot do, by thinking about it, it doesn't make them happen, you only make yourself miserable.
We get miserable looking at others behaviours - you cannot correct everybody and everything on the planet. Whatever you can do, you do and let go, in letting go you experience samadhi.
Offering all the good qualities and bad qualities you have to the Divine Mother, you get into deep meditation.
So, this is the time to take that deep inner spiritual rest.
Our mind is tired with desires and cravings, with do’s and don'ts, rights and wrongs. All these things are getting into our head and we get into a mess.
This is the time to just drop everything. And when we can drop everything and repose in ourselves, then samadhi, deep meditation happens.
And that is the basis of all success in life.
Here (during Navratri) we pray to the Mother Divine and say ‘whatever is right it is your job to maintain it and whatever is wrong it is your job to correct it. I'm neither here to correct anything or desire anything, you know what is best for me’.
With this feeling of offering the past, the present and the future at the feet, to the infinite power, we repose in ourselves - that is Navratri.
We give deep rest to our mind, our soul - because our soul is longing for rest - it’s tired with
all these cravings, all the rights and wrongs and concepts that we are struggling with in our life.
So, enjoy the Navratri celebrations."
@srisriravishankar
@thebangaloreashram
@artofliving
Monday 12 October 2020
Such a lovely verse by Laura Edwards:-
Such a lovely verse by
Laura Edwards:-
If the mountain seems too big today
then climb a hill instead;
If morning brings you sadness
it’s okay to stay in bed.
If the day ahead feels heavy and your plans feel like a curse,
There’s no shame in rearranging,
don’t make yourself feel worse.
If a shower stings like needles
and a bath feels like you’ll drown;
If you haven’t washed your hair for days,
don’t throw away your crown!
A day is not a lifetime.
A rest is not defeat.
Don’t think of it as failure,
Just a quiet, kind retreat.
It’s okay to take a moment
From an anxious, fractured mind.
The world will not stop turning
While you get realigned!
The mountain will still be there
When you want to try again
You can climb it in your own time,
Just love yourself till then!
ReplyForward |
Friday 9 October 2020
DO YOU KNOW HOW MANY DEITIES ARE MENTIONED IN GAYATRI MANTRA?
DO YOU KNOW HOW MANY DEITIES ARE MENTIONED IN GAYATRI MANTRA?
There are 26 gods in gayatri mantra
That is why it’s called the mother of all mantras
*OM*
Tat- ganesh
Sa- Narasimha
Vi- vishnu
Tu-siva
Va- krishna
Re-radha
Ni - lakshmi
Yam- agni
Bha- indra
Rgo - saraswati
De- durga
Va- hanuman
Sya- prithvi
Dhee- surya
Ma- Sriram
Hi-seetha
Dhi- chandra
Yo- yama
Ya-brahma
Na- varuna
Pra-Lakshmi and Vishnu
Cho-hayagreeva
Da- hamsa
Yaat - tulasi
Gayatri has fire in the face,
Brahma the creator in forehead,
Vishnu the protector in heart and
Siva the destroyer on top of head.
So its a combination of all Gods.
Goddess Gaythri confers the boon of Intelligence, Protection as Savithri and Learning as Saraswathi.
Gayathri is therefore called Sarvadevata Swarupini.
Saturday 3 October 2020
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