Art of War to Art of Living - Chapter 9

Chapter 9 THE GOLDEN TRIANGLE TOUR “Travelling - it leaves you speechless, and then turns you into a storyteller.” — Ibn Battuta A couple of days later Xiao Ming was at the buffet table, when she noticed a new group of tourists head into the dining room. From the looks of them, they seemed American. Her guess was further confirmed when the gathering took a table next to hers, within earshot. In spite of her best efforts not to, Xiao Ming couldn’t help overhearing their conversation. They seemed to be planning a short trip around Delhi. Xiao Ming felt that she was on the cusp of achieving something out of ordinary after her expedition to the Buddhist shrines. Not that she had attained enlightenment - there are no quick fix solutions on this path, unless a person is born blessed with Divine qualities, but that was something she did not believe in. She always operated on the premise of logic and demanded proof for everything. The only exceptions in her life were her attachment to her mother. Despite being a strong atheist, her mother prayed fervidly to celestial objects especially when Xiao Ming fell ill as child or when her father was suffering from exacerbated bouts of COPD. Xiao Ming was hopeful that Anav would be in Delhi to guide her further. Unfortunately, the Chennai man remained elusive and silent. And this disappointed her and she felt lonely for the first time since her trip had begun. After her customary workout in the hotel gym and a swim in the pool she appeared absolutely fit and radiant. She was browsing through some books on Buddha in the hotel lobby and was struck by a quote by Buddha, “If you want to be strong, learn to enjoy being alone.” As she was processing this mentally, someone tapped on her shoulder. Xiao Ming turned around, not sure who it might be. She was absolutely wide-eyed and literally screamed and brought down the house, when she saw who it was. “My goodness, Jane! Is it really you? What a pleasant surprise!” Xiao Ming could barely control herself. Jane too was joyous and they hugged each. Jane had been Xiao Ming’s roommate at university. They had shared a wonderful rapport during their student days. The two maintained contact for a while, but in the sands of time the contact slowly ebbed. In unison they were to say, “What the hell are you doing in India?” Jane laughed, “Our strategic partner and your adversary.” “Ha! You use them, we established contacts ages ago,” was Xiao Ming’s repartee. Xiao Ming learnt that Jane and her three friends had been travelling across the swathes of India and the final expedition was a trip covering Delhi, Jaipur and Agra - popularly called the Golden Triangle circuit. Jane introduced Xiao Ming to her partner Michael and another couple. Soon the American and the Chinese were busy catching up with each other. The American was stupefied to hear about Xiao Ming’s travails and the transformation that had ensued. By the time Xiao Ming completed her tale it was pretty late in the evening. Meanwhile Jane’s friends and her partner had dropped by at the restaurant. “Well, Jane I feel cheated,” Xiao Ming concluded. “Mike, she will join us for the trip. And please do not say no,” Jane called out to Michael. The statement surprised Xiao Ming too. Before she could react, Jane hushed her with a stern look. Michael paused for a while and then acceded to the request. *************** The next morning the American quartet and the Chinese woman undertook a voyage across the capital city under the cover of salubrious weather conditions. “The romance of the city is as old as the classic colossus, The Mahabharata, during which period the town was known as Indraprastha. This is where the Pandavas are believed to have established their kingdom during the times of Lord Krishna,” the guide apprised the tourists. “Oh, you mean the Lord of Krishna consciousness - ISKON,” one of the American backpackers was to say much to Xiao Ming’s surprise. She was a person who scarcely believed in Gods. The usual image of Americans was that of a people totally ignorant of anything other than their reality. “My granddad who lived in India for several years had narrated stories of Hindu gods, especially those of the scion of Ayodhya, Rama and of Krishna who was the arbiter between two warring cousins,” Jane said. The guide was indisputably impressed. “Indians rejoice in their religion quite like we celebrate our democracy,” Jane added. “You don’t believe in any supernatural power, am I right, Xiao Ming?” Jane asked her friend. “I am not so sure any longer. Maybe I’m in search of one. Perhaps I will discover one by the time my Indian odyssey terminates,” the Chinese added. “My grandad always said that there’s a rich tapestry in Hindu religion. During his diplomatic and journalistic sojourn in India he covered several important events in India. He always spoke with wonder about the pluralistic culture of India, a culture which embraces various thoughts and religions, a country where innumerable religions flourish. He had a ring side view of the failed socialism in India, rise of the extreme right wing. He always said that words like secularism and pseudo-secularism were frequently bandied about in India,” Jane added, as she realised that she had got carried away. Her knowledge of India received unabashed admiration from the others in the pack, including the guide, driver and the attendant. The guide quickly referred to a small notebook, where he seemed to be scribbling down a few important points to be flaunted in presence of his next bunch of tourists. Xiao Ming had to take the conversation to Buddhism and Buddha. “What did your grandfather think of Buddha and Buddhism, Jane?” “Well … as per my grandfather’s book India Unravelled, Buddhism shone like a star in the firmament of religions, before it was lost in the quagmire of failings which were exhibited by Brahmanism and left the shores of the land of its birth.” Jane relayed as a matter of fact. “Over the centuries, eight more cities mushroomed adjacent to Indraprastha. These were Lal Kot, Siri, Dinpanah, Quila Rai Pithora, Ferozabad, Jahanpanah, Tughlaqabad and Shahjahanabad,” the guide announced, wanting to take charge from the American lady. The tourists were savouring the capital and its glorious past. Singular among the dynasties that made Delhi their capital were the Tughlaqs, the Khiljis and the Mughals, each adding to make it a melting pot of diverse cultures and heritages. “You see this city is a window to India, which helps to discover an entire new country, brimful of magical stories and wondrous experiences,” spoke the guide with gusto, as he felt obliged to throw in his two bits of historical knowledge to match Jane’s knowledge of India. “And respected guests, you will thoroughly enjoy lip-tickling Mughalai cuisine. It is spicy and hot. And you will relish the succulent meat,” he added. The Americans and Chinese were on trade turf war, but that did not deter an animated conversation on a variety of subjects over dinner at Tipples. The discussion ranged from ancient China in particular on Taoism, Daoism, the military strategist Sun Tzu, Communism, thereafter market Communism and Buddhism to American capitalism and the enormous wealth in the USA, among others. The quartet from America was dumb-struck hearing about the Virtual Buddy app and the confiscation under the Great Fire Wall Policy pursued by the Chinese Communist Party. Xiao Ming’s mind immediately rewound to the dinnertime discussions at the same table two weeks back. She had been discussing Buddha, the app and Xuan Zang with Anav and Ramesh. “Xiao Ming, you appear to be a much happier person among the opulent Americans and meditative in the company of the new Indian friends. I am feeling sleepy, will catch up later,” Lu Yao texted. It was late in Shenzhen. ******************** The following day there were several pit stops at prominent tourist spots across the city. Whenever the guide faltered, Jane quoted from India Unravelled. As shadows lengthened and the weather turned cold, the tippers spent time at the tranquil and sublime samadhi of the apostle of peace, Mahatma Gandhi. Despite the crowd, silence pervaded Rajghat. This was the Kushinagar moment for Xiao Ming, while the Americans reminisced about Martin Luther King, Jr. and John F. Kennedy. The evening was spent watching the son et lumiere at Red Fort before retiring to their opulent hotel. The show was riveting, as it traced Delhi's tumultuous history across the centuries. While watching the resplendent historical show, Xiao Ming’s fingers made a feeble attempt to speak with Anav. After all, Anav had promised … and how long was she to wait for him? Xiao Ming looked at the skies of Delhi hoping to see the magical shooting star and was wondering as to what her boyfriend would be doing in Shenzhen. The group of five watched the show with amazement as Bahadur Shah Zafar was incarcerated in Burma. Xiao Ming too felt imprisoned with her thoughts. She was still grappling with the failed promise of Anav. “If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles,” Xiao Ming comforted herself as she read Sun Tzu’s quote. Back in the hotel Xiao Ming checked her mobile and realised that there had been a few missed calls from Anav. Since it was past midnight, she decided it would be appropriate to return the call only on the following day. *************** At the crack of dawn, the next morning the Americans and Xiao Ming left the hotel to travel by Shatabdi Express to the Pink City, Jaipur. Xiao Ming was now getting familiar with Indian trains. Some painfully slow and others faster. They were no match to the trains back home and the stench and dirty bathrooms piqued her. But she enjoyed viewing the hinterland, where several high-rise buildings and industrial townships had mushroomed. Jaipur is among the better planned cities of India, located in the semi-desert lands of Rajasthan. The very edifice of Jaipur reminds one of the tastes of the Rajputs and the royal families. The tourists began the voyage of Jaipur by visiting the Amber Fort. Amber Fort is situated in Amer, a bijou town with an area of four-square kilometres, at a distance of eleven kilometres from Jaipur. Perched high on a hillock it is the principal tourist attraction in Jaipur. The next day the guests visited Agra and Taj Mahal. Agra is quintessentially mentioned in the epic Mahabharata, where it was called Agrevaṇa, meaning the border of the forest. The tourists dropped anchor at Taj Mahal, the mausoleum of Shah Jahan's favourite wife - Mumtaz Mahal and one of the New Seven Wonders of the world. “’Travelling - it leaves you speechless, and then turns you into a storyteller’, wrote Ibn Battuta,” Jane quoted from her grandfather’s book. Xiao Ming as usual preferred a running commentary via a podcast. Mysticism and Meditation The history of Rajputs is peppered with valour and sacrifice. But they also entered into matrimonial alliances with the Moghuls and several of them were prominent ministers in Moghul regime. At the subterranean level, the Bhakti and the Sufi movements acted as a bulwark of the subcontinent. The population was choked by the dominance of the pernicious caste system and the orthodoxy of religion. People found their Gods becoming distant and through simple folklore, devotion and excellent strain of music they reached out to the Divine power. They rediscovered the inherent power of yoga, mysticism and meditation. The Bhakti and the Sufi movements drew people in droves. All this intrigued Xiao Ming. Akbar’s philosophy and new religion of Din-E-Illahi which encompassed tenets of Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, Christianity and even Zoroastrianism was a welcome addition. Akbar’s dalliance with the Sufi movement was through Salim Sheik Chisti, after whom he named his son as Salim. His policy of matrimonial alliances with Rajput rulers to fortify his kingdom was another successful strategy. But he was positively inclined towards Sufism and patronised the music of Tansen, which is said to have transported him to ecstasy. Xiao Ming could establish some connect of her Buddhist adventure with the mysticism of Akbar. Rana Pratap of Chittorgarh, whose empire flourished up to Udaipur was drawn to yoga and performed a hundred of rounds of Sun Salutations to maintain a robust mind and body. If one looks at the battle outfit of Rana Pratap, it was extremely heavy, weighing almost forty kilograms. This implies the physical structure would have been robust. He was brave and was also a tutee of Tulsi Das. He meditated on the name of Lord Ram. Tulsi Das himself had had a glimpse of Hanumanji and Lord Ram, Lakshman and Goddess Sita. He wrote the epic Ramayana which was appreciated by stock individuals for its simple language. Rana Pratap was encouraged by Tulsidas to fulfil the responsibility of protecting the Rajputana kingdoms against Mughal invasion. If one looks at the structure of Chittorgarh and the way it has been built, it displays enormous foresight on part of Rajput kings who had fortified their kingdoms against repeated attacks. Rana Pratap fought the Moghuls with hardihood and pluck. An intrigued Xiao Ming pondered on the point. She thought only Sun Tzu and the Chinese were accomplished in the art of warfare. Jauhar was committed by Rajput women when Allauddin Khilji, besotted by his blind lust love for Padmavati, attacked the kingdom. The Rajput women were extremely devoted to the Divine power and could slay the enemy or even take their lives. It was neither hara-kiri nor suicide. It was a matter of honour. The Story of Meera Bai of Merta Meera Bai was devoted to Lord Krishna and was in a perpetual divine trance. Her mind and body were not for Ranaji but for the Universal Lord, the preserver of the world, Lord Krishna ... There are references in Tulsidas’ Ramayan that Rana Pratap and Akbar were adversaries but had met Meera Bai and both had a spiritual inkling. These nuggets of Indian history intermingled with mythology opened a new aperture for Xiao Ming to understand Indian cultural heritage. One of the Americans remarked, “As a child, I was a voracious reader and would pore over passages and obsess over faraway lands. And when I started travelling did I realize that the quote ‘it’s better to see something once than hear about it a thousand times’ is spot-on.” Xiao Ming was still awaiting a message from Anav. Somehow, they had missed each other’s calls. Apparently, he had a hectic schedule, because his text messages were never more than a few words long - ‘will get back to you’, ‘out with the fam’ and so on. Though he had invited her to join him on his visit to the Golden Temple, Amritsar, but she had no precise details of the trip. There was palpable silence from Chennai and after a long time, Xiao Ming seemed timorous and unsure about her next course of action. She was desirous of continuing the expedition of a seeker. She examined her mind. Was it not oscillating from the path? “It is an arduous task to be continuously in pursuit of spirituality or simply put being a seeker. The human mind is singularly a monkey mind, always slipping towards materialistic pleasures quite easily,” she thought to herself. To the complex questions that cannonaded the chambers of her mind, Xiao Ming was looking for simple answers. She felt jostled and was caught in the spiral of impatience and irritation. “On the path of spirituality what a seeker envisages is to drop the baggage or hangovers of the past or even that which we keep accruing daily. However, through the quotidian practice of dhyan, that is meditation and observation of the breath the mind becomes crystalline and pure. Humans begin to live in the present moment and become as light as a feather,” Ramesh had proffered two weeks back, and both Anav and Xiao Ming had been sceptical. However, her readings of Xuan Zang’s adventures, Deepak Chopra’s Buddha and some other literature about being in the moment in addition to her Shravasti and Kushinagar moments made Xiao Ming realise the import of Ramesh’s arguments. She was not sure whether she was in search of Buddhism, peace, the quintessential truth or on a voyage of self-discovery. But one thing she was sure about. It was sheer serendipity that she encountered Anav on the flight to India, an event that had propelled her in the right direction. She reminded herself that Anav and Ramesh could not be crutches on this journey. Anav was similar to her in the manner that he thought, a non-believer, high achiever, but facing certain existential questions like her. When I look into the mirror, I may see the images of my Indian friends, but they cannot be the fulcrum on this landmark expedition she thought to herself. But I am still to untie the Gordian knots and break free to overcome the lack. I had demanded proof. Was I authentically aiming to be a Buddhist, or discovering a Buddha in myself or attempting to be a seeker? Was I in search of spiritual answers to the demons in my mind or eventually going to go back to living ostentatiously? Xiao Ming texted Lu Yao. “Victorious warriors win first and then go to war, while the defeated warriors go to war first and then seek to win,” came the prompt reply from Lu Yao, as he quoted Sun Tzu. This spurred the beautiful Chinese woman to annihilate the demons of capitulation and timorousness and sealed her decision to foray to yet another place in India. Xiao Ming quoted Buddha in yet another message to Lu Yao. “There is nothing so disobedient as an undisciplined mind, and there is nothing so obedient as a disciplined mind”. These words resonated in the cranny corners of her mind as she worked out the next leg of her trip. After all, as a well-heeled entrepreneur who had dotted the landscape of the corporate world, she had visited several parts of the world. Xiao Ming returned from a good swim and was wondering what to do about dinner when she realised that it was almost time that the Americans would be leaving for the airport. She quickly dressed and rushed down to the reception. She got there in time to catch the group as they were checking-out. “Hey Xiao Ming, wonderful spending time with you,” Jane said as she hugged Xiao Ming tightly. Xiao Ming felt a perceptible sense of loss as Jane left. The two women had rekindled the bond they’d shared during their university days. Jane’s knowledge about India helped Xiao Ming to appreciate this ancient land better.

Art of War to Art of Living - Chapter 9

Chapter 8 THE BUDDHIST CIRCUIT TRAIL “Let the past make you better, not bitter.” — Gautam Buddha Upon alighting at the airplane, the two acquaintances headed to the immigration counter. As Anav stood waiting at the baggage carousel, Xiao Ming caught up with him. She was still mildly miffed with Anav. She felt somewhat cheated with the fact that he had not mentioned the source of his knowledge right away. According to her, Anav had ingeniously intertwined the pithy and pertinent quotations of Sun Tzu with podcasts on Buddha, concealing the fact that his knowledge was essentially through the podcasts. By a strange quirk both of them had been exposed to Buddhist teachings that had resonated with them. Anav had discovered Buddha through some Chinese friends and his mentor’s podcasts, while Xiao Ming had stumbled upon Buddha through an array of strange co-incidences. After some thought on the matter, it dawned on Xiao Ming that when in pursuit of the unalloyed truth, an individual cannot play a game, or adopt the card of victim and guilt consciousness. It was rather churlish of her to keep latching on to the irritation, considering that she had had a very interesting and elevating conversation with Anav. As they were waiting for their luggage, Anav hastened to add, “Look Xiao Ming, it was never my intention to befuddle you.” “My friend has been insisting for a long time now that I learn Vipassana. He thinks it will help to shift my extremely hardened, logical left-centred mind to something more fulfilling. The easy part is that there are no rituals attached to the process. Otherwise, I doubt I would have even considered the course. I definitely want to complete the course before I get back to Shenzhen. During this trip to India, I intend to participate in a Vipassana course for whatever it’s merit. Maybe any other meditation technique would also do,” Anav mused. “So, off I go to my pit stop, before heading to Chennai,” Anav added cheerily as the two stepped out of the airport building. “Hey Anav! Here, here!” called out a familiar voice. It was Ramesh, Anav’s friend turned mentor. “Oh, he looks so strikingly similar to the bearded person with the long flowing hair! The image I saw at Phoenix,” Xiao Ming thought to herself. “He appears so radiant,” was Xiao Ming’s second thought. “Is he the person I was destined to meet?” Xiao Ming texted her inner most thoughts to Lu Yao, though she knew he would still be airborne. Anav introduced Xiao Ming to his friend Ramesh. The bold and beautiful Chinese woman was indisputably impressed with the pacific personality of Ramesh. It was mid-afternoon and Xiao Ming was sweating and could not bear the heat. She was desperate to head to cooler climes of her hotel room. She was booked in the upmarket Vivanta. A cab arranged by the hotel was to pick her up and the driver was sending frantic messages to Xiao Ming “Do not panic. The driver will find us in a few minutes. So, what brings you to India?” Ramesh inquired. “It is a long story. I have narrated a part of it to your friend,” Xiao Ming replied. “He almost managed to get to me to believe that he is an expert on Buddhism, which he is not, he’s a mere novice like me.” Anav laughed it away. “She thinks I am an extraordinary military strategist like Sun Tzu and a spiritual soul like Buddha, all rolled into one!” “To be honest though, her reasons for travelling to India are rather dramatic! Xuan Zang is her lodestar but she intends to find her own truth.” “Anav, are you mocking me?” Xiao Ming protested. Before Anav could come up with a repartee, the ostentatious cab reached the spot where the trio stood. “Myself, Shamsher Singh Gill; your chauffer Madam Xiao Ming,” a sprightly looking Sikh announced. “Well, this riveting exchange of ideas has to be concluded, but without any conclusion,” remarked Xiao Ming. “I have to pick up the threads and travel solo on this voyage just like Buddha and Xuan Zang,” she said, as her luggage was loaded into the waiting cab. Anav and Ramesh confabulated in Hindi, as cars began to line up and the impatient honking began almost within seconds. “Sirji tussi cheti karo …gaddion di line lag gayi hai. Puulice aa gayi to panga ho jayega,” the exasperated driver remarked. “Well Xiao Ming, your journey begins now,” said Anav as she got into the cab. It was decided the two friends would meet Xiao Ming at her hotel that evening. **************** “Am I pleased that Anav is coming over this evening? Am I attracted to his intelligence in any manner?” Xiao Ming thought aloud and parried away the query. She had Lu Yao in her life and the Buddhist trip was uppermost in her mind. Xiao Ming jotted down on her phone to mention this episode to Lu Yao. “I was able to confide several things, confront the demons in my brain. Perhaps he and his friend may provide resolution to my mental trauma,” Xiao Ming thought wistfully. After she had checked-in at the hotel, Xiao Ming hit the gym. Following a strenuous workout, she moved to the swimming pool. She felt cramped after the long hours of immobility during the journey. As the sun was setting, a bellboy arrived at the swimming pool announcing some visitors to meet her. Xiao Ming hurried out of the pool and when she checked the time, realised that she was late for her meeting with Anav and Ramesh. The young woman, feeling refreshed and rejuvenated against the cyclorama of a crimson red sun quickly drew herself out of the pool. After she called Anav and explained that she would join them shortly, she hurried to change. A feeling of great joy gripped Xiao Ming’s brain. For reasons beyond her imagination, she felt childlike and almost ran to her room. Xiao Ming was grinning as she approached the friends. “I’m awfully apologetic to have kept you waiting.” In a short while the triumvirate had settled down for dinner at Tipple, the delectable restaurant that offered international cuisine. Xiao Ming was in a celebratory mood. They stuck to vegetarian fare. As Ramesh joked, there was never much of a choice for vegetarians other than the ubiquitous paneer or cottage cheese, in various shapes, sizes and flavours. Xiao Ming repeated her story for Ramesh’s benefit. “When Xiōngdì was taken over, for the first time I realised what it is to be discredited, almost non-existent. That awful feeling is what provoked my search for some meaning in life, and of course that movie showed me the path towards Buddhism,” she concluded. Ramesh listened in fascination as she narrated her chance encounter with the travels of Xuan Zang and her experiences at the Buddhist temples. “I was financially compensated by the government, but the money could in no manner satiate my inner inadequacies and the inherent lack. In my period of misadventure, the only ballast has been some hazy memories of Bao and Bai, the two toys which triggered my imagination to develop the Virtual Buddy app,” she added. “And recently in Lu Yao, I have met my man in life who has stood by me like a rock.” Ramesh looked at Anav and Xiao Ming, waiting for an explanation about Bao and Bai. “You’d scarcely believe the story, Ramesh. Bao and Bai were two toys given to Xiao Ming by her parents and were once her sounding boards, her alter egos, if I may call them so,” Anav said. “Correct me if I am wrong,” he continued glancing at Xiao Ming, “but over a period of time they emerged as Xiao Ming’s soul mates.” “And … ironically, they were responsible for triggering the thought process to develop her app.” “You know the most extraordinary people in the world do not have a career; they are visionaries and are blessed with a mission. I have been practising meditation techniques and these have altered my life,” Ramesh softly uttered. “Really? How? And what actually is meditation? I’m really curious,” enquired Xiao Ming. “Hmm … how do I describe it to you? I quote what I believe is the closest description, ‘Mind without any agitation is meditation. Living in the present moment is meditation. Mind that has no hesitation, no anticipation is meditation. Mind that has come back home, to the source, is meditation. Mind that becomes no mind is meditation’. I know it’s a lot to take-in at one go …but ponder on it.” Xiao Ming looked at Ramesh, indisputably impressed. “Xiao Ming, my friend is my cushion, my ballast. He was once a highly successful tech guy and worked in India’s Silicon Valley, Bengaluru. Unfortunately, he encountered great personal tragedy because of which he moved to Delhi. His wife was also a competent tech and they were leading a blissful marital life. However, troubles come in threes and his wife succumbed to cancer and Ramesh was absolutely shattered. This affected his performance and he was frequently absenting himself from work. One day he heard a talk by Vandana, a danseuse and also a life coach and meditation teacher. This was a life turner. Inspired by her talk he shifted base to Delhi to reconstruct the broken pieces of his life. It is in Delhi that he began pursuing his passions, writing and theatre. He’s written a few books and also writes for OTT platforms.” Ramesh continued his story, “Vandana, now my wife, introduced me to yoga and meditation. Now we jointly write books on self-motivation.” Anav’s eyes welled-up as his friend delved into the past. “Today Ramesh and Vandana together teach yoga and breathing and meditation techniques to seekers, stock individuals and people who wish to assuage their frayed nerves and minds. And they’re a really good team, I may add,” Anav added turning to Xiao Ming. “And that’s not all. They also keep staging plays and dance dramas. Vandana is a competent editor who chisels their works. In fact, they are pretty well known in what is known as Lutyens’ Delhi,” Anav said. As she sat listening to Ramesh’s story, Xiao Ming was struck by how dramatic the lives of even the average everyday-person could be. “You have really weathered a storm and survived tumultuous times. I salute your robust mind,” she said as she stood up. “Yes indeed! Meditation has really helped me and it is a powerful tool. I have been goading Anav to learn Vipassana, but he has been rejecting my proposal. Of late though, he has been listening to a few podcasts on the neuroscience of Vipassana,” added Ramesh. “What is exactly is Vipassana?” enquired a curious Xiao Ming with eagerness. “Well, Vipassana or vipaśyanā literally implies ‘special-seeing’. It is often described as a form of meditation that seeks ‘insight into the true nature of reality’. The technique analyses the impermanence, suffering and unsatisfactory nature of it all,” Ramesh explained. “Xiao Ming has planned visits to the important Buddhist sites in India, Ramesh. In fact, that is the reason she has travelled to India. Though some important sites are no longer in India, still there would be a large number of places for you to visit and soak in the tenets of Buddhism,” Anav said. “Will you join me?” Xiao Ming asked Anav with a quizzical look. “Well… I have been listening to Ramesh’s podcasts quite intently and have a few plans in my mind. But for now, I intend to spend a few days with my friend at Delhi.” This declaration by Anav was followed by a prolonged silence which was broken by Ramesh. “Xiao Ming, Vipassana imparts the quintessential quality of maintaining equilibrium and equipoise. There should be no perturbation in your thought process, nothing which should deter you from your exploration. It is always a solitary walk by any serious seeker. So, whether Anav joins you or not, should not deter you in any manner,” Ramesh spoke. “You should proceed with your expedition.” Xiao Ming thought to herself … Lu Yao would encourage her in the adventure. Anav should not be a crutch in her discovery. She had the support of Lu Yao, memories of the magical events which she had experienced of late and the travels of Xuan Zang which would be her guiding light. Not to forget the shooting stars and comets with a trail of hope which always ignited positivity in her heart. “Ok guys, I will embark upon this journey to unearth for myself the knowledge imparted by Buddha. I had already booked myself on the Buddhist Circuit trail while I was in Kuala Lumpur,” Xiao Ming said as she sat in a meditative pose with her eyes half closed and her left and right hands in gyaan mudra and chhin mudra respectively. The trio exploded into laughter at this impromptu riotous act by her. “That’s a truly brave seeker!” Ramesh shook hands with Xiao Ming. Anav spoke up to reveal his plans. “I will reveal my cards now, no big mystery! After visiting my parents in Chennai, I will follow Ramesh’s advice. I have to be cured of this nagging spondylitis. Ramesh did not explicitly mention any place, but he was of the opinion that visiting the Golden Temple had been a fabulous experience for him. And yes, Rishikesh is the yoga capital of India, in fact of the world. Of course, he has been recommending that I undertake a Vipassana course at Nasik. I plan to do that too. Then I’ll head down south and visit some temples in South India. Anytime you wish to join me, you are welcome,” Anav wound up the conversation as they said their goodbyes and left for Ramesh’s residence. Xiao Ming nodded her head, checking her mail as Anav had asked her to. Soon she headed back to her room. The elegant lady from Shenzhen opened the blinds of her room and was pleasantly surprised to see a shooting star streaking across the sky. “This celestial phenomenon bodes well for my expedition on the Buddhist Circuit! I need to share this with Lu Yao.” “Am I attaining enlightenment tonight?” chuckled Xiao Ming to herself as she snuggled into bed after a long conversation with Lu Yao, bringing him up to date with all that had happened since her departure from Kuala Lumpur. “Like the moon, come out from behind the clouds! Shine … meditate. Live purely. Be quiet. Do your work with mastery,” were the sagacious words of the Sakyamuni. As she ruminated on these words, sleep overtook Xiao Ming and soon she was lost to the world. Meanwhile in Shenzhen, Lu Yao was intrigued by Anav and the discussions between his girlfriend and Anav. Her gripping and tantalising conversations on her life with a total stranger on the flight did disturb him. He decided he would ask her to be a little more circumspect before revealing everything about herself to perfect strangers. *************** Xiao Ming’s Tryst with Buddha “Gautam Buddha lived between 563BC and 480 BC. He was born Siddhartha and son of King Suddhodana and Mayadevi of Sakya dynasty. Siddhartha married princess Yasodhara and they had a son, Rahula,” were the opening remarks of Dev, the guide, as the tourists embarked on the first leg of the Buddhist Circuit tour. A group of Buddhist backpackers had arrived from Colombo at the Taj Vivanta in New Delhi the previous night. At the crack of dawn, the following morning they departed for Lucknow by the Swarn Shatabdi Express. Upon arrival at Lucknow the group was suitably snowed by the hospitality as the trippers travelled by a SUV to Shravasti. The tourists alighted from the confines of their vehicle and contemplated the place where Buddha was said to have lived during the last twenty-four years of his life. They were subsumed with a sense of serenity, all the cobwebs and demons in their mind annihilated. The Sri Lankans visited the Thai Temple, adjacent to the spot where Buddha was believed to have meditated. Xiao Ming chose not to visit the Thai temple. Instead, she decided to sit and meditate under the very tree that the Sakyamuni was said to have meditated. It was a life transforming experience. Initially my mind was cannonaded with negative thoughts. Dark demons, fear gripped my mind, but I decided not to open my eyes and just focussed on keeping my eyes closed and concentrating. Slowly my mind settled down. I could feel a gentle shower of fragrant flowers dropping on me from above. It was a wondrous experience. There was a massive space of silence. I had visions again of the monk turning into Buddha and the figure of Buddha metamorphosing into a bearded man and suddenly I awoke. Xiao Ming remembered her experience as she texted Lu Yao, who could barely understand or appreciate them. My dearest one, at the subterranean level a lot has shifted between Shenzhen and Shravasti. I wish you all the very best in your Buddhist tour. Please be careful and do not wander away from your group. To her, the wondrous experience at Shravasti was encapsulated in a tiny equation: Peace = ∞ Why this fetish for mathematical equations? Xiao Ming’s mind always operated from a logical space. She had never believed in supernatural powers easily. Maybe in some cranny corner of her mind they existed. To her, anything that could be expressed logically existed. She took to logic as a fish to water and found an unusual comfort in it. The logistics of the trip were planned to the T. Soon the tourists traversed to Nauthanva from Shravasti, by the Panvel-Gorakhpur Express. The train was ambling along the broad-gauge tracks as she compared it to the trains in China. Bathrooms on the train were undeniably dirty and stinking. Food was littered across the passage of the train, but passengers travelling seemed unmindful of the filth in the train. Xiao Ming took it as a learning process. China had leapfrogged and India too was planning to launch bullet trains. She would have been a child when her parents travelled by such trains. Nauthanva is the gateway to Nepal. After the mandatory customs clearance and police-check, the globetrotters had a meal and visited Sahet and Mahet. Then began the enchanting drive to Lumbini, nestled in the hills. The guests stayed at a glitzy hotel there. Lumbini was a part of Kapilvastu, the erstwhile kingdom of King Suddhodana. The visitors walked around for several kilometres paying obeisance at various Buddhist shrines before they reached the spot where Buddha is believed by the devout to have arrived on planet Earth on a full moon night. Here the Sri Lankans and the solitary Chinese meditated at the shrine for a considerable period of time, slipping into sync with the ethereal atmosphere. Next the tourists saw the spectacle of an ancient Ashoka pillar and prayed at the Maya Devi temple. Later they drove down to Kushinagar, spending the night at a modest though well-furnished hotel. The next morning Xiao Ming walked around the streets and recalled the events of her life. Suddenly, a quotation by Buddha painted on a hoarding caught her attention. It read, “Do not dwell in the past, do not dream of the future, concentrate the mind in the present moment.” The saying stunned her to the core as her past came crashing down. I have been living in the past, on a fault-finding mode. Bao and Bai, the Virtual Buddy app, none exist any longer. How long will my mind relieve the past? Dwelling on the past only increases negativity. This essential truth dawned on her in a flash. Should she consign her past on the streets of Kushinagar where Buddha attained Mahaparinirvana? Was she to finally bury her past? Was she not to think at all about her future, instead just live in the present moment? Was it not true the Virtual Buddy app was an exposition of the siblings that she and many of her generation had never had? Her mind travelled to the wondrous meditation she had experienced at Shravasti. Had that been a glimpse of the real truth, the peace that was discovered by Buddha through enormous practice? That Xuan Zang had discovered through his travels? Lu Yao smiled as he read the text from Xiao Ming, describing her mental tussle. He hoped a radiant and fresh Xiao Ming living in the present would now appear at Shenzhen. As her mind was being cannonaded with such seemingly wild thoughts, Xiao Ming gave the idea some more thought. She realised that she was still not robust enough to let go of her scaffolding and walked back to her room with misty eyes. Xiao Ming had to still come out of the shadows of the past. At the crack of dawn, the sightseers proceeded to visit the Rambhar Stupa and Mahaparinirvana temple. Even though centuries had elapsed, the travellers experienced profound silence and amazing vibrations at these Buddhist shrines. The tourists were enthralled and keen on spending some more time at Kushinagar. She remembered what Ramesh had said. “It was a devastating moment when Nandini, my first wife, succumbed to cancer. We were such a happy-go-lucky couple, working hard, partying hard and enjoying travels and vacations across India and even overseas. But one incident injected enormous pain in my life and I was left rudderless. My parents and sibling tried their best. I was on anti-depressants. But then arrived the life-turner in my life when I heard Vandana. Her dance performance followed by a motivational talk pulled me out of the cesspool of negativity.” “I finally learnt to distinguish between pain and suffering. Soon after that I set up my studio and re-invented myself. You see, as Buddha said, ‘pain is certain, suffering is optional’.” “I shifted base to Delhi and began working briefly, then started writing. Alongside I also started trying alternative therapies to help myself heal. Reiki, Pranic healing, I tried everything. Around that time, I did my first course in Vipassana. All these techniques opened the aperture of my thought process. I used to frequently attend the motivational talks by Vandana. Somewhere down the line Vandana and I were attracted to each other. I came to know about her painful past, how her alcoholic husband deserted her. We started living together and I began to write for her dance dramas. Our first production was called Shiva Ranjani based on a classical Indian raga. And over a few years, I was writing, directing plays, assisting Vandana in her dance dramas. A new dimension was added to my personality when, I began teaching yoga, breathing and meditation. Today I am happy, blessed with energy and living what I term as life positive,” Ramesh’s story resonated in her mind. With her recent experiences at Shravasti, Lumbini and Kushinagar, Xiao Ming was quite certain that through practise of breathing techniques and meditation an individual could experience inner purity which would then leapfrog into external purity. With conclusive evidence on hand that a person ought to stave-off suffering and emerge triumphant, Xiao Ming was deeply influenced by Ramesh’s life, the manner in which he fought back valiantly. She decided to overcome her privation by waging a similar battle. It had been a few days since she last spoke with Lu Yao. Suddenly her phone rang, announcing a call from her boyfriend. The two were happily engrossed in a long conversation and discussing travels so far, and also Ramesh and Anav. “What about Vandana … you have not met her so far?” Lu Yao enquired. “Not yet, but I shall after the Buddhist Circuit. It would be inspiring to interact with her,” she replied With much reluctance the group departed from Kushinagar to Gorakhpur and boarded the train to Patna, the capital city of Bihar, a 255 km journey. After checking into a comfortable and luxurious hotel once they arrived in Patna, the pilgrims headed to Bodhgaya and saw the Mahabodhi Temple, built to the east of the sacred tree under which Buddha attained enlightenment. The temple was a majestic structure, seventeen feet high on a base five feet square, with a soaring pyramidal tower surmounted by a stupa. The Vajrasana or Diamond Throne lying between the Bodhi Tree and the temple marked the actual spot where Buddha received illumination. A gilded Buddha smiled upon the visitors from a niche in the wall of the temple, and his footsteps were carved in stone and held floral offerings from the devout. She noticed that astonishing peace pervaded the atmosphere as though lending credence to the legend that Buddha attained insight at this very spot. Xiao Ming could feel the peace in her very cells. “Today Buddhism is world famous religion. Dalai Lama, Richard Gere, famous Hollywood star, all Buddhist,” Dev the tour guide enlightened the tourists. “Everyone comes here to learn Vipassana, very important meditation of Buddhism.” “Madam, you want to learn Vipassana after return to Delhi?” he asked Ming, knowing that she would be staying on in Delhi for a few days upon their return. “I take you to Vipassana centre in Delhi. Xiao Ming merely smiled at him. “Should I call up Ramesh or Anav?” Xiao Ming thought to herself. “Perhaps it won’t be prudent,” she countered her own thought. She remembered Ramesh’s remark that this was a solitary quest like that of Buddha and Xuan Zang. Xiao Ming was aware of these facts. But there was a fundamental difference between her odyssey and the voyages of her illustrious predecessor Xuan Zang westwards. Xuan Zhang was a Buddhist monk in search of the original, authentic teachings of Buddha. He was a man with messianic zeal. Xiao Ming on the other hand was a person in search of herself, a quest to discover her inner self. She seemed more in pursuit of Buddha, less of Buddhism. She knew her journey was more to transform her life, to find answers to the unknown factors in her life. Basically, she was inviting tectonic changes into her life by acknowledging that she had to balance the working and effects of the left-centred brain and the right-centred one. The minds of the pilgrims were filled with serenity and calmness as they travelled to the ancient city of Benares and checked into the estimable Radisson Hotel that evening. The pilgrims paid obeisance at the Kashi Vishwanath temple followed by darshan at the Kaal Bhairav and Sankat Mochan Hanuman temples. Though at both these temples they had to be satisfied with a darshan from the outer corridors due to the prevalent rules. Nevertheless, it was an enriching experience. Thereafter they travelled to Sarnath. It was at Sarnath that the Sakyamuni delivered his first sermon, upon experiencing the pristine truth. Sarnath is around ten kilometres from Benares and houses numerous Buddhist shrines which include the famous Dhamekh Stupa, the seat of the holy Buddha. They also visited the ruins of Dharmarajika Stupa and Mulagandhakuti Temple, where Lord Buddha is said to have rested and meditated while in Sarnath. A day filled with several voyages was rounded off after witnessing the majestic spectacle of the Ganga Aarti at Assi Ghat, on the banks of the Ganges. The next morning, their guide Dev announced, “All ladies like to buy Benarsi silk sarees.” Some men in the group expressed a wish to rest in their tourist van rather than indulge in shop-hopping. Xiao Ming opted to go shopping. Aeons ago and even until a few decades back, the devout in the Vanaprastha (the third of the four ashramas as per Hinduism) stage of their lives retired to this township to cast away their mortal selves and to seek salvation from the perennial cycle of birth and death. The sutra of opposite yet complementary values is epitomized at the ghats of Varanasi. As the dead are consigned to the flames at the Manakarnika Ghat, at the other end of the spectrum the high priests of Varanasi chant mantras to invoke the benediction of Lord Shiva and Ma Ganga. This dynamic equation represents the creation and destruction of human life. She was astonished to see half burnt corpses in the river. It sent shivers down her spine. How are people cremated at one end of the spectrum and paying obeisance and celebrating at the other? Varanasi, Kashi or Benares, the bustling town is a cradle of cacophony and symphony. Through continuous creation, destruction and experiencing silence, the human mind is transported from the clangour of modern life to the calm of the sublime. Xiao Ming took in the sights as she walked through the crowded roads and narrow alleys, listening to a podcast describing the ancient city. That afternoon the voyagers boarded the Vande Bharat Express, among the fastest trains in India and reached New Delhi by 11p.m. The next day the group from Sri Lanka flew back to Colombo while Xiao Ming stayed at the hotel. “Hey, Lu Yao I am travelling by one of the fastest trains in India and am reminded of our first train journey. Do you recall it? It changed my life, perhaps yours as well. Do all train journeys change lives?” Xiao Ming asked in jest. After an initial silence Lu Yao replied, “After capturing your arresting face through the camera of my eyes, when I was blown by the lovely double eyelids, I jostled for the seat next to you. Yes, my dear, I do remember our first encounter, and of course Bao and Bai. You seem happy. Looking forward to seeing you, Xiao Ming.” “That was very dramatic. You are becoming a poet!” Xiao Ming remarked, smiling. “Maybe! Are you planning a trip to Agra too? Take care and please be very cautious when interacting with strangers,” Lu Yao answered. After speaking for a couple of more minutes, Lu Yao and Xiao Ming said goodbye to each other. Xiao Ming never realised that a week had elapsed. She had been away from China for a considerable period of time but was unparalleled in her mission. The plan was to spend a couple of days in Delhi and then visit the iconic Taj Mahal. Xiao Ming dialled a number and hoped the person would receive the call. She attempted a couple of times, but in vain. Xiao Ming always kept herself mobile to remain fit and jogged and practiced Tai Chi despite her physical ailments. She hit the gym and then swam for a while. Back in her room, she came across a quote of Buddha on a flier that fell out of the newspaper. “Health is the greatest gift, contentment the greatest wealth, faithfulness the best relationship,” thus spoke Lord Buddha. Xiao Ming could not help but observe that just about every thought she had and every action that she carried out was manifesting itself in words. Was it a new phenomenon or was she alert to the signs for the first time in her life? As she was pondering this new line of thought the ringing of the mobile phone broke into her thoughts. “Hi, Xiao Ming! How was your trip?” asked Anav. “Oh! Hi! How are you?” she replied. “Doing good.” “We returned today from the Buddhist Circuit tour,” Xiao Ming said. “It really was worth it. I can’t tell you what amazing experiences I had every step of the way!” “So, what next? Where do you drop the anchor next in the course of self-discovery?” asked Anav. “Well, you tell me your plans. I thought you would be joining me,” replied Xiao Ming expectantly.

Art of War to Art of Living - Chapter 7

Chapter 7 INDIA BECKONS XIAO MING “To other countries I may go as a tourist, but to India I come as a pilgrim.” — Martin Luther King, Jr. As was her wont, Xiao Ming reached the airport well in time. The international airport at Kuala Lumpur housed luxury lounges, a wide variety of restaurants, children’s play areas and duty-free stores. But Ming was interested in moving around and pacing the airport. The athlete in her craved continuous movement, just as her brain that could never be still and calm. Having completed the formalities, she walked up to a book store and purchased two books by the prominent new-age alternative medicine advocate, Deepak Chopra. The first one, Buddha A Story of Enlightenment was a work of fiction and the second one, a book called Ageless Body and Timeless Mind. After some shopping she began poring through the novel. Her hedonistic self-pined for an ageless body and she reserved that book for a more thorough read at a later time. Once boarding was announced, Xiao Ming headed towards departures. Soon she was aboard, sandwiched between two passengers, carrying the books, her carry-on luggage and was beginning to feel cloistered. The young woman’s usual preference was either an aisle seat or a window seat. The person occupying the window seat already had his ears plugged with earphones and eyes closed. Xiao Ming was a headstrong woman who seldom asked for assistance, but on this occasion, she was wondering whether she should seek a favour and request the passenger to trade seats, but wisely refrained from doing so. The pilot made the routine welcome and pre-departure address and then the flight took off smoothly. Xiao Ming was still struggling to settle down peacefully. She tried to continue reading, but her vision kept moving towards the ceiling of the aircraft. Suddenly, Xiao Ming’s gaze noticed the serene and contended look on the face of the person, who appeared to be Indian; “window-seat-man”, as she was labelling him in her mind. To her other side was a Malay who appeared to be playing games on his smart phone and after sometime switched to his laptop. He appeared to be making calculations on a spreadsheet and was constantly fretting and fuming. She herself was grappling to discover some physical and mental space. Ming was discomposed observing the tranquillity of the person seated next to her. They all appeared to be in the same age-group and she was trying to figure the personalities of the co-passengers. The person seated left to her seat looked wealthy but seemed extremely contented and composed while the one seated to her right was juggling with numbers and fretting, fuming and sweating even in an air-conditioned environment as the flight was gaining ascendancy. “Good afternoon, sir, what will you have?” a petite airhostess woke up “window-seat-man” from his sleep. He slowly opened his eyes and ordered a vegetarian meal. Xiao Ming too ordered vegetarian fare, while the Malay was happy to devour pork sandwiches. Xiao Ming sported a weak smile. “Indian?” she ventured hesitatingly. The gentleman to her left took a moment to second to realise that she was addressing him. “Oh, yes! Anav Athreya, Indian,” he finally spoke. The prepossessing Chinese blessed with wonderful assets, an athletic and well-toned body normally drew attention wherever she travelled. But her Indian co-passenger seemed different. The Malay did admire her physical presence and briefly spoke to her but could not engage her attention. “Well, presently I am travelling home to India from London on a holiday. I’ll be travelling on to Chennai to visit my parents. I work in Shenzhen,” he spoke gently, with a few pauses here and there, as though wanting to make sure she understood what he was speaking. “Oh, what a coincidence! I am from Shenzhen too. I’m Xiao Ming,” she said with a broad smile. “I’m a computer engineer and well, I am travelling to India too.” “Yes, this flight goes to India!” Anav remarked. “I have booked myself on the Buddhist Circuit trail and intend to visit various Buddhist shrines and try to discover Buddha. Of late I have been visiting several Buddhist shrines and locales based in China, Malaysia and Thailand,” Xiao Ming spoke with purpose. After this short, initial burst of conversation, an uneasy silence took over. Xiao Ming broke the silence by asking, “Incidentally were you meditating or listening to some music which was so spellbinding and riveting? Close to forty minutes since the flight took off and you sat motionless without uttering a word. To me it looked as if I was sitting next to a meditating monk!” Anav burst out laughing. “Me and a monk … not happening, ever! On the contrary, I am more of an agnostic, a non-believer. At best you can call a me God-fearing kind of a person. My mother is highly religious and performs various rituals and propitiates all the deities in our neighbourhood. My dad is a retired civil servant. He is an agnostic and enjoys reading.” After a pause he added, “Though when in India, I do accompany my parents to temples and reluctantly participate in the rituals of Hindu religion. We belong to the Brahmin community, where the Gods are worshipped and deified meticulously, with all devotion and sincerity,” the Tam-Brahm informed the winsome Chinese lady. “And for the record,” he continued with a smile, “I do not practice any meditation. I enjoy running, ten kilometres every day is par for the course. But when running, I am in the zone. However, a mentor, introduced me to Zen Buddhism and I was listening to a podcast about various concepts. Actually, I was trying to follow the tenet of, ‘When you walk. When you eat, you eat. When you talk, you talk’,” Anav clarified to Xiao Ming. “Lately I have been listening to some podcasts, watching You Tube videos and trying to read some literature on Buddha. Strange as it may sound, I come from the land of Buddhism but was introduced to Buddha only in China,” remarked Anav. “But I thought Buddha was born in Lumbini which is Nepal,” Xiao Ming spoke up. “Yes, during those ancient times Nepal was a part of India. Nepal was also the only Hindu kingdom in the world until some years ago. And if we dabble into geopolitics, Nepal is of immense strategic interest to your country,” Anav replied. The word strategy took her mind to Sun Tzu and Xi Jinping. “Yes, what you say is correct. It is of immense strategic importance,” Xiao Ming admitted. “Have you heard about Sun Tzu?” she inquired. “The Art of War! Yes. We had a parallel in Chanakya who wrote Arthashastra, a political and economic treatise. He chaperoned Chandragupta Maurya, who was one of the most powerful suzerains of ancient India.” They looked at each other and neither of them had any answers and once again looked at each other intently. Ironically, both the young travellers had amassed vast fortunes, but on account of the vicissitudes of life were splashing into Buddhism. Was it on account of a certain lack in life, anxiety, insecurities, fears or something else? The flight to Delhi was a unique place for the inhabitants of the two Asian giants to meet and interact… As he was conversing with Xiao Ming, Anav discerned the copy of Deepak Chopra’s novel lying on her lap. “Looks like you have made some advancement to appreciate Buddhism, as I see you seem to be reading about the Buddha.” Xiao Ming paused and thought before replying. She remembered the images of the monk who transfigured into Buddha and the Buddha which metamorphosed into a bearded man. “This Indian is good at reading as what is going on in my brain.” “Should I be candid and tell him about Xuan Zang and his voyage westwards and the way I was inspired by the ancient traveller to charter a similar path, in search of peace and the quintessential truth?” she contemplated. “Hey!” Anav called out smiling and shaking her out of the reverie. “In case you do not wish to talk about it, heavens will not fall. It was an innocent query,” the Tamilian addressed young woman who had suddenly fallen silent. Xiao Ming who seemed to have had a brain freeze, spoke up startled, “Sorry…er Mr. Anav. I was processing all that had been going through my brain, trying to formulate a cogent reply,” she was to say. “Well very briefly, my family rose from abject poverty to scale the summit. I studied computer science and went on to found a start-up which did exceedingly well.” Anav nodded his head, waiting for her to continue. “The app that was my creation was taken over and my start-up disappeared … puff, just like that into thin air,” Xiao Ming dramatically imitated a magician. “For sure, I was financially compensated. All of a sudden, I had everything that I could have wished for, but very swiftly that was accompanied by an enormous void in my life. In midst of abundance, I was caught in the vortex of undersupply and scarceness.” Xiao Ming continued narrating her story. The Malay sitting to her right seemed to eavesdrop on the conversation and received a glare from her. He hurried back to playing the numbers game. “Go on, it is quite an interesting story. But how do Buddha and Deepak Chopra make way into the picture?” Anav queried. “You know Xiao Ming during my ten-year stay in China, I have read Confucius and Sun Tzu. I have noted down several of their quotations. I will find one to unravel the present state of your mind,” Anav said as he quickly scrolled down his tablet and exclaimed, “Aha! This one would be apt.” “… ‘Therefore, when capable, feign incapacity; when active, inactivity. When near, make it appear that you are far away; when far away, that you are to lure him; feign disorder and strike him. When he concentrates, prepare against him; where he is strong, avoid him’. This is what your very own Sun Tzu said.” “I look up to him. All corporate honchos, techs, military strategists and political leaders should read The Art of War,” Xiao Ming reverted back. Xiao Ming added further, “While it is true my brain was distraught and nerves were frayed because of my past, but I rallied around and then made name and fortune with my invention, which at the cost of repetition I surrendered at the altar of power, yes, I did capitulate. In the meantime, I had some surrealistic experiences and then embarked upon this journey. As far as this novel is concerned, I saw the image of Buddha and picked it up and so far, have found it interesting to read.” “But what is your sudden interest in Buddhism. You mentioned you are a Hindu?” she questioned him. “Well, to be honest, I am looking for a deeper meaning to life. Amidst the oasis of wealth, I find that my mind is stuck in a swampy mass,” replied the Indian. “There is a feeling of inadequacy. I am trying to figure it out. All the rituals in our temples back home have not quite triggered any peace and tranquillity within me,” added Anav. Drinks were being served on the aircraft. The Malay had one. Anav ordered a soft drink and so did Xiao Ming. “You stay away from liquor?” Anav asked her. “I used to consume wine quite a bit. But of late I’ve drastically reduced it,” she answered. After a little while, Anav shut his eyes and Xiao Ming went back to her book. In the amphitheatre of her brain, she was drawing parallels between the pangs in her life, the suffering of Buddha and the obstacles faced by Xuan Zang. Her knowledge of religiosity and spiritualism was limited. Some unknown forces like the shooting stars that her mother prayed to whilst facing a misadventure and Buddha and his various figurines, but very little otherwise. Her logical brain always wondered as to why the Buddha was either seated in the Lotus pose, standing or assumed a reclining position. She wondered what was in store at her next stop. Xiao Ming was not quite sure about concepts such as attainment of enlightenment. She had read about the meditative experiences, but had no practical experience in the matter. Xiao Ming heaved a sigh. The Malay after a few drinks and a heavy lunch was snoring with his eyes covered. Anav opened his eyes, apparently having caught a few winks of sleep. Anav and Xiao Ming looked at each other and exchanged a smile. “I was listening to a podcast on Siddhartha attaining enlightenment. “Does it mean mindfulness?” Xiao Ming countered. “I am afraid, I have no clue. But in our interaction so far, I have come to realise that the trajectory of our lives may have been at variance but have a commonality in experiencing scantiness in the oasis of abundance. It is somewhat ironical that we are discussing Buddha, his travails in life and subsequent enlightenment. However, I do not wish to bandy this word in a casual manner.” “Hmmm,” responded Xiao Ming thoughtfully. “When Buddha attained enlightenment, it happened to be a full moon night in the scorching weather of May. It is strange that, Buddha was born on a full moon day, attained enlightenment on a full moon day and attained Mahaparinirvana, again on a full moon day. That is the day he cast his mortal self,” Anav was to tell Xiao Ming, as she recollected these facts. “Well coming back to his story, upon attaining enlightenment, whatever it means, he maintained silence for an entire week. He did not utter a single word much to the chagrin of the angels. As per myth, the angels were petrified as they realised that only once in a millennium does a person blossom like Buddha and then, he was silent,” Anav continued. “Fascinating, please continue and I too would like to listen to these podcasts,’ Xiao Ming interrupted. The Malay’s snoring added to the white noise in the background. “The angels beseeched Buddha to narrate his experience. He was to say, ‘Those who know, they would know even without my uttering a word and those who do not know the quintessential truth would not appreciate it even if I say something. Any description of luminosity to a person who cannot see is of no use. This is my ukase. It is pointless in conveying something so sublime and pristine to a person who has not tasted the ambrosia of life, and therefore I maintain silence. How can one convey something so intimate and personal? Scriptures in the past have recorded that where the cacophony of words terminates, symphony of truth flowers’,” Anav narrated the interaction between Buddha and the angels. “This is indeed stellar,” Xiao Ming reacted. “Tell me more Anav, this is so fascinating.” The Chinese literally exclaimed like a child, which not only woke up the Malay but disturbed several other passengers too. Drinks and lunch were served and the passengers seemed to be satiated. Several of them slipped into a slumber, some played with gizmos, while others watched movies or started reading and some were completing the targeted work. Suddenly, there was an unexpected announcement by the captain, “Passengers are requested to fasten their seat belts as we are running into turbulent weather.” The aircraft was rocking and swaying, panic spread through the passengers. Frenetic airhostesses were trying to assuage frayed nerves. The air craft began to descend with ferocity and the sense of panic spread further. “We are around hour an hour away from New Delhi, passengers are requested not to panic,” a reassuring announcement was made by the captain. After negotiating the troubled atmosphere, the airplane rose again. “Oh gosh! That was close,” Anav said to Xiao Ming and she nodded in agreement. “If Buddha was caught in this turbulence, what would he have done?” Xiao Ming enquired from Anav. “Well from my very limited knowledge of Buddha and his tenets, I reckon he would have delineated it in four ways: One, there is dukkha or misery in the world. Two, there is always a cause of misery and three there is always an end to misery and finally there is path out of misery,” the Indian answered in a very concise manner. “He gained this wisdom through enormous amount of what we call tapas in India, basically severe spiritual austerities and practises.” “However, let me tell you, during the turbulence I was equally petrified as all of us were. I have been exposed to Buddha and his techniques very recently. Perhaps, I would give credit to my education at the Indian Institute of Technology, Chennai, and my DNA, that is the Brahminical mind. Well, the last one is what we twice born, that is those who wear the sacred threat are inculcated with,” he said in half-mocking tones. “It is said that Hindus are extremely liberal in their thinking and thus grasp a variety of issues quiet seamlessly. Let me narrate a very fascinating story, a conversation between a Hindu gentleman and a Christian girl who were travelling from the US to India. So, the story goes like this,” Anav began. “What's your Holy Book?” asked the prepossessing American girl. “We don't have one Holy Book, we have hundreds and thousands of philosophical and sacred scriptures,” the gentleman 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 in 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. He understood her perception and concept about faith, but realised that 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. “I don't understand but it seems very interesting. Are you religious?” What could he tell this American girl? He said, “I do not go to a 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 practises. 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 scriptures, 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.” He 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 said that you pray. What is your prayer then?” “Lokaah Samastha Sukhino Bhavantu. Om Shanti, Shanti, Shantihi,” She laughed, “What does it mean?” “May all the beings in all the worlds be happy. Let there be Peace, Peace, and Peace everywhere.” “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 practises. 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 continued, “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, the Bible itself gives guidelines when it says ‘Kingdom of God is within you’. He 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 thing as God. That’s what Hinduism teaches you.” “Hinduism is referred to as Sanatana 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 a timeless and formless entity.” “The ancestors of today’s Hindus believed 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,” the gentleman continued. He said, “Religions have become a 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’. The Vedas say ‘Be Human’. Some say, ‘Follow Prophet’. Some say, ‘Follow Jesus’. Vedas say, ‘Follow your conscience’.” “You would have heard some say that God is over seventh sky. Some say that God is over fourth sky. Vedas say that God is with me, within me.” “Some say that God tests, others that God punishes. Yet others that God forgives. But the Vedas say that God supports. Hinduism is the original, rather a natural yet logical and satisfying spiritual, personal and a scientific way of living a life. Hinduism is not a religion, it’s a culture, a way of life,” the gentleman concluded. Xiao Ming sat quietly, absorbing all that Anav had narrated, even as he continued by way of explanation, “Now, neither am I a rabid or a practising Hindu, I am an agnostic, but this conversation appealed to me a lot and sums up my own beliefs.” As the conversation rolled-on, another set of secrets tumbled from the shelves of Xiao Ming’s and Anav’s lives. Apart from the privation they faced in their lives, the two suffered physically as well. Xiao Ming had always been an affectionate person but over the years had turned into a haughty, impatient and moody person. However, combined with her sometimes-hedonistic and reckless lifestyle it took a toll on her internal system. While she maintained a strict physical fitness regime, her stomach revolted regularly perhaps due frequent consumption of liquor, not that she was addicted to it. As she was fixated in creating the Virtual Buddy app, she had to perforce travel and eat outside which affected her digestive system. She was in search of a cure as the frequent bouts of abdominal pain and irritable bowel syndrome resulted in frequent mood changes and loss of concentration. Additionally, she suffered from severe cramps during her menstrual cycles and found no succour to overcome this ailment. The ten-kilometre-runner who was otherwise extremely fit, had begun to suffer from acute spondylitis and bouts of arthritis. The nagging pain in his neck, knees and shoulder made him temperamental and at times had a debilitating affect during his work schedule and daily chores. This was of perhaps on account of long hours at the desk, working on the computer and dependency on gizmos and smart phones. He had read somewhere that on an average humans use a smartphone a minimum of 80 to 180 times a day and this plays havoc on the tissues in the neck, shoulders and back which often got knotted up, leading to excruciating pain. So, both had issues with their bodies and minds and were keen to find resolution. Behind the veneer of athleticism and seemingly fit bodies both the alluring Chinese woman and the smart Indian were looking for help. Shortly thereafter the captain of the aircraft announced that they would begin their descent at the Indira Gandhi International airport. “It has been a very interesting conversation with you Anav. You are exceedingly well-informed and knowledgeable,” Xiao Ming mentioned with a glowing face. “That’s nice of you. In midst of Buddha getting caught in the turbulence and the meandering foray about Hinduism, I clean forgot to mention another podcast, which could pave the way for your future plans,” Anav added. As the flight descended and taxied on the tarmac, Xiao Ming asked Anav about his plans. “So, you head to your parents’ place at Chennai?” “Not right away. I would be spending some days with my friend at Delhi. He is a dramatist, writes and above all is a meditation teacher.” Xiao Ming’s jaws fell. “What … and I thought you were the repository of all this wisdom,” she said with consternation. “Well, he is my Virtual Buddy app, my mentor. We all have one in our lives. All the podcasts were those of my friend.” “My goodness you concealed a secret,” Xiao Ming protested. “‘Conceal your dispositions, and your condition will remain secret, which leads to victory; show your dispositions, and your condition will become patent, which leads to defeat,’ said Sun Tzu,” Anav signed-off.

The teddy bear is named after Theodore Roosevelt, a former United States president who was often called "Teddy":

The teddy bear is named after Theodore Roosevelt, a former United States president who was often called "Teddy": The incident In 1902, Roosevelt was invited on a bear hunting trip in Mississippi by Governor Andrew H. Longino. While other hunters had already killed bears, Roosevelt's attendants cornered and tied up a black bear. They called Roosevelt to the scene and suggested he shoot the bear, but he refused, deeming it unsportsmanlike. He instructed that the bear be killed to end its suffering. The cartoon The incident was publicized in a political cartoon by Clifford Berryman in The Washington Post. The cartoon depicted Roosevelt looking disgusted at the bear, which was lassoed by a handler. Later cartoons made the bear smaller and cuter. The creation of the teddy bear Morris Michtom saw the cartoon and was inspired to create a teddy bear. He sent the bear to Roosevelt, and the German toy company Steiff also developed their own bear toy. Steiff debuted their bear at the Leipzig Toy Fair in 1903 and officially started using the name "Teddy Bear" by 1906. Teddy bear - Wikipedia The name teddy bear comes from former United States President Theodore Roosevelt, who was often referred to as "Teddy" (a nickname which he loathed). The name o...

The best way to multiply your happiness is to share it with others.

The best way to multiply your happiness is to share it with others. Failing is the first step to the path of success. It means you are trying in every way to achieve it in your life. Never count the number of times you fall. Simply count the number of times you get up, because that is what really counts. Worry and anxiety cannot change our circumstances, only positive thoughts and actions can. Respect your body, when it's asking for a break. Respect your mind, when it's seeking rest. Honor yourself, when you need moment for yourself. Today, take a few moments to sit quietly and just be thankful for all you have. Laughter is timeless, imagination has no age and dreams are forever.

Kanchi Acharya Mahaperiyava Chandrashekhar Saraswati

Once during the 1940s or 50s, someone interviewed Kanchi Acharya Mahaperiyava Chandrashekhar Saraswati. They used a tape recorder for the interview. Observing this, the great thinker Maha Periyava asked: “Does anyone know about the world’s oldest tape recorder?” Periyava then asked another intriguing question: “How did the Vishnu Sahasranama reach us?” Someone replied, “It was through Bhishma Pitamaha.” Everyone agreed. Periyava followed up: “When Bhishma recited the Vishnu Sahasranama on the battlefield, who recorded it?” Silence fell. Maha Periyava explained, “When Bhishma praised Krishna by reciting the Vishnu Sahasranama, everyone, including Krishna and Vyasa, was mesmerised. They simply listened, astonished.” When Bhishma finished reciting, Yudhishthira was the first to react. He exclaimed, “Pitamaha has recited the most beautiful names of Vasudeva, but none of us wrote them down. Now we’ve even lost the sequence!” Everyone turned to Krishna for help. Krishna said, “I enjoyed listening as much as you did, but what can we do now?” The group pleaded with Krishna to retrieve the invaluable composition. Krishna revealed, “Only Sahadeva can recover it, and Vyasa will transcribe it.” Surprised, they asked, “How can Sahadeva do this?” Krishna explained, “Among us, Sahadeva alone wears a quartz crystal. If he meditates on Lord Shiva, he can retrieve the sound waves through the crystal.” Sahadeva and Vyasa sat at the spot where Bhishma had recited the Sahasranama. Sahadeva began meditating on Shiva, praying to recover the sound waves through his quartz crystal. Quartz crystals naturally capture sound waves in serene environments. By meditating on Shiva, Sahadeva transformed the crystal to retrieve the Sahasranama. Vyasa transcribed it. This is how the Vishnu Sahasranama, preserved through the world’s first “quartz tape recorder,” reached us. When Maha Periyava narrated this, everyone was stunned. Interestingly, modern hard drives and memory cards also rely on quartz or silicon (SiO₂), drawing an uncanny parallel to this ancient story. ॐ नमो भगवते वासुदेवाय नमः🙏 *How Vishnu Sahasranamam reached us*

Who broke the penance of Sage Vishwamitra?

Who broke the penance of Sage Vishwamitra? Vishwamitra's penance was rendered void twice(Once broken , it needs to be started from beginning). Once by Menaka and the second time by Rambha. In the First Case, Vishwamitra fell for Menaka's beauty and his lust overcame his desire for enlightenment. He spent 10 years with Menaka. Thereafter , he desired to do Penance again. Then at a long lost time Menaka, the prominent apsara, celestial wench, has arrived and started to swim for sport in that holy lake. That great resplendent sage Vishvamitra has seen Menaka who is incomparable in her mien and comparable to an electric-flash in a black-cloud, while she is swimming in the holy lake. On seeing her the sage having gone under the sway of Love-god said this to her, 'oh, apsara, you are welcome, I invite you to bide in my hermitage. Oblige me who am bewitched by Love-god for you. You be safe.’ "When he said thus to her, oh, Raghava, then she made a stopover there and ten years rolled by comfortably, and oh, gentle Rama, because of her staying Vishvamitra is indeed faced with a great hindrance in his ascesis. Then after the lapse of that ten year period Vishvamitra became doleful with distress and he is enwrapped in humiliation, as it were, and, oh, Rama, Raghu's legatee, then a resentful thought occurred to him. " 'All this is the mischief of gods to defraud me of the great merit of my ascesis. Ten years have rolled by as if they are just a day and a night. Furthermore, I who am under the influence of lust and lure had to encounter this hindrance in my ascesis.' Oh, Rama, that best saint suspired heavily when he became emotional with reparation. But on seeing the scared celestial wench Menaka, who is shivering and waiting with suppliantly adjoined palms, he sent her away with pleasant words, and he that Vishvamitra indeed went to the northern Himalayan mountain. He started penance again. This time Indra send Rambha to disrupt his penance. Having understood intention of Rambha to Lure him again, Vishwamitra trembled in Wrath and Uttered a Curse transforming Rambha to stone. Because of his wrath, once again he Lost everything gained through Acsesis. At the instance of Indra, that lovely nymph clad in enchanting raiment, faintly smiling, went forth to allure the heart of Shri Vishvamitra. At that moment, the liquid notes of the cuckoo began to delight the rishi and he then beheld the nymph Rambha. Stirred by the cuckoo’s note and the ravishing sound of the beautiful Rambha’s song, Shri Vishvamitra, recollecting his former fall, was filled with misgiving and recognizing the design of the god Indra, transported with rage, cursed Rambha, saying:— “O Rambha, O Unfortunate One, you have come hither to lure me from my penance, I, who have conquered lust and anger. Mayest you become petrified and take the form of a rock for ten thousand years. A brahmin perfected in the power of Yoga shall one day deliver you from this curse.” Having pronounced this curse on Rambha, the rishi became a prey to remorse, for, giving way to wrath he lost the fruit of all his yogic practices. In the Final try he succeeded and Became a Brahmarishi Conquering all His emotions and attachments to material items..

What a task! Here's a concise summary of the last century (1923-2023):

What a task! Here's a concise summary of the last century (1923-2023): *Politics and Global Events:* 1. *World War II (1939-1945)*: Axis powers (Germany, Italy, Japan) fought the Allies (US, UK, France, USSR). 2. *Cold War (1945-1991)*: US and USSR engaged in a decades-long ideological and geopolitical standoff. 3. *Decolonization*: Many African and Asian countries gained independence from colonial powers. 4. *Rise of Globalization*: International trade, communication, and cultural exchange increased. 5. *9/11 Attacks (2001)*: Terrorist attacks on the US led to the War on Terror. 6. *Arab Spring (2010-2012)*: Protests and uprisings swept across the Middle East and North Africa. *Science, Technology, and Environment:* 1. *Space Exploration*: Humans landed on the moon (1969) and sent probes to other planets. 2. *Computer Revolution*: Personal computers, the internet, and mobile devices transformed modern life. 3. *Medical Advances*: Vaccines, antibiotics, and treatments for diseases like cancer and HIV improved healthcare. 4. *Environmental Awareness*: Concerns about climate change, pollution, and conservation grew. 5. *Genetic Engineering*: Scientists developed genetically modified organisms (GMOs) and gene editing technologies. *Culture and Society:* 1. *Civil Rights Movements*: Struggles for racial equality, women's rights, and LGBTQ+ rights gained momentum. 2. *Counterculture and Social Change*: The 1960s and 1970s saw a surge in protests, activism, and alternative lifestyles. 3. *Global Connectivity*: International travel, communication, and cultural exchange increased. 4. *Pop Culture and Entertainment*: New genres, styles, and platforms emerged in music, film, television, and digital media. 5. *Shifts in Family and Relationships*: Changes in marriage, divorce, and family structures reflected evolving social norms.

PASSIVE BEFORE GOD

Good Morning!!! PASSIVE BEFORE GOD Around the Year with Emmet Fox November 29 To be sensitive is good, because sensitive people are aware of a thousand interesting or beautiful things where the obtuse person gets nothing. To do any creative work you have to be sensitive; because the creative worker is a “receiving set” for divine Mind. A world-famous tenor, who was literally fretting himself to death over unimportant matters, broke down in my office, and said that God was cruel to make him so sensitive. I replied, “If you had the hide of a rhinoceros you might be a happier man, but you would not be at the Metropolitan.” In an electric circuit any given point is said to be positive to any point below it, and negative to any point above it. Current passes always from the positive to the negative, and never the other way. Now, if you are positive in this sense to everything but the action of God, no negative things can come back at you. On the other hand, you are receptive (or “negative” in the purely electrical sense of this ambiguous word) to all good— the direct inspiration of God, the prayers of other people, and all the beautiful and interesting vibrations in the universe. Here is an affirmation that, intelligently used, will save you much unnecessary bombardment by negative thoughts: I am positive about everything but the action of God. “For it is God which worketh in you both to do His will and to do of his good pleasure” Philippians 2:13

Don't be sad in these three stages of life:*

Don't be sad in these three stages of life:* (1) First Camp: 58 to 65 years The workplace moves away from you. No matter how successful or powerful you become during your career, you will be called an ordinary person. So, don't stick to the mindset and superiority complex of your previous job or business (2) Second Camp: 65 to 72 years At this age, society slowly moves away from you. Your frequent friends and colleagues will reduce and hardly anyone will recognize you at your previous workplace. Don't say "I was..." or "I was once..." because the younger generation will not recognize you, and you shouldn't feel bad about it! (3) Third Camp: 72 to 77 years At this camp, the family will slowly move away from you. Even though you may have many children and grandchildren, most of the time you will be living with your partner or alone. When your children visit occasionally, it is an expression of affection, so don't blame them for visiting less, because they are busy with their lives! And finally after 77+, the earth wants to destroy you. At this time, don't be sad or grieve, because this is the last stage of life, and everyone will eventually follow this path! *So, while our body is still capable, live life to the fullest! Eat, drink, play and do what you like. Be happy, live happily.. Dear senior citizen brothers and sisters, The above article is very well written by the author. 👍 Many thanks and congratulations to the author. After 58+, form a group of friends and keep meeting occasionally at a fixed place, at a fixed time. Keep in telephonic contact. Recall and share old life experiences with each other. Always be happy.🙏

*What GURUDEV Said Yesterday*

*What GURUDEV Said Yesterday* 27 Nov 2024 Bangalore Ashram Educators from schools and colleges across India asked questions as they come to sign an MoU with The Art of Living for conducting courses in their institutions. *How is the intuition power developed in the intuition program?* In our country, a lot of parents have been given to guru, parents. Before independence, every movement was brought out by an educator. The freedom movement was facilitated by acharyas of schools and colleges. Revolutions in education, society and life have to be brought by gurus. We are moving away from that culture. Right now there is a gap between teachers and students. In DU, we had a program where we asked students whom do they dislike or hate. 85% said they disliked their teachers. 57% disliked their parents. After the 8 day course, we invited their parents who remarked how their behavior had changed. They began helping in the house. Their relationship with teachers also improved. This knowldge which comes from the ancient and new has brought transformation in the lives of people. In America, 135 universities have implemented these programs. The intuition program just shows that our consciousness has a lot of abilities. Kids dont have a lot of cravings and aversions. That is why they can tap this ability. 2 lakh children across the world have learnt it. We have all heard about the third eye. That gets activated in the presence of a Guru. *Some students dont show interest in anything - neither in studies nor arts nor sports. As an educator should i try hard or let it be?* You cant just let them be. Gently train them. It is like tuning the string of a guitar. If it is too tight, no music will come. If it is too loose, no music will come. It is necessary to scold children but there should be a goal to it. Achieve your goal even if you have to be a little strict. Cajole, persuade - all skills have to be used while handling young minds. Give them a little caution. *ADHD has become widespread. How to work on students affected by it?* We should not give cellphones to kids. In Australia, kids below 16 cannot be on social media. We are giving phones to kids who cannot speak. Parents must be trained. Do you know why a period is for 40 mins? Because the attention span of kids was this much back then. Now, it has become 30 seconds. That is why yoga is so important. In medha yoga and utkarsha yoga, we teach practices in play. A kid from US had borderline autism and they did prajna yoga. He recovered and in an year he started excelling. Indian knowledge makes miracles normal. *How can teachers receive the love and respect from their students the way you receive from people across the world? Pls guide.* Teachers must practice sadhna. There is so much pressure. They get angry or carry the anger to their homes. It is necessary that teachers take care of their mental health, that they eat on time, follow dincharya. They should take care of their physical and mental health, spend some time in nature, listen to music. Because mental activity which is a left brain activity can be balanced by right brain activities like listening to music. Close your eyes and listen to music. That gives rest. Every teacher should think they are a student. Keep learning new things what is happening around the world. *Pls guide parents who are threatened by their kids with suicide and self harm activities* Specific cases have to be addressed separately. Counsellors have to be with them. Teachers will have to intervene. They need to be friends and influence the kids. Teens make unreasonable demands because of hormonal changes. They need to be given special attention and guided gently. It cannot happen overnight. *If parents spend time on whatsapp and not do kriya, we cannot expect children to not follow their parents. That is why these course for parents should also happen. Can we do that?* Yes, there are programs for parents too - Know Your Child, Know Your Teen where parents can understand their kids and know how to behave with them. *Being in the armed forces of India, we have to face acute stress and pressure which affects family life also.How to handle such pressures at workplace itself?* When you take a shower and you go to work, you feel fresh. That gives you energy. You dont eat while working. There is time for refreshment. Meditation is the best refreshment. M and M. Have a meal together and meditate for twenty minutes before your meal. *Does the mind belong to the body or the soul?* We think our mind is inside the body but our body is inside the mind. Mind is bigger than the body. From one angle, everything is connected. Like the vapor, water and ice. If there is no humidity, you cannot even breathe. Even though water vapor is not visible. There is water which is more visible. Then there is ice which is more solid. Similarly, the body is the ice. Mind is the water and soul is the water vapor. *If the soul is eternal, then why did people in puranas ask for eternal existence? Is amrit something what the angels drank?* As per Narad, only one thing is eternal - love. Love never dies. It can hide. Love is God. Birth happens with love. There is love in the eyes of children. There is love in the eyes of everyone

PASSIVE BEFORE GOD

Good Morning!!! PASSIVE BEFORE GOD Around the Year with Emmet Fox November 29 To be sensitive is good, because sensitive people are aware of a thousand interesting or beautiful things where the obtuse person gets nothing. To do any creative work you have to be sensitive; because the creative worker is a “receiving set” for divine Mind. A world-famous tenor, who was literally fretting himself to death over unimportant matters, broke down in my office, and said that God was cruel to make him so sensitive. I replied, “If you had the hide of a rhinoceros you might be a happier man, but you would not be at the Metropolitan.” In an electric circuit any given point is said to be positive to any point below it, and negative to any point above it. Current passes always from the positive to the negative, and never the other way. Now, if you are positive in this sense to everything but the action of God, no negative things can come back at you. On the other hand, you are receptive (or “negative” in the purely electrical sense of this ambiguous word) to all good— the direct inspiration of God, the prayers of other people, and all the beautiful and interesting vibrations in the universe. Here is an affirmation that, intelligently used, will save you much unnecessary bombardment by negative thoughts: I am positive about everything but the action of God. “For it is God which worketh in you both to do His will and to do of his good pleasure” Philippians 2:13

*A tribute to the letter "T"*

Wow ! (Reportedly !) Shashi Tharoor in full flow ! ALL words beginnng with the alphabet "T" ! And it ALL fits to the 'T' !!!_ ********************* *A tribute to the letter "T"* By _Sashi Tharoor_ The tongue’s terrible tendency to tell tall tales totally tarnishes traditional transcommunication theories. The tempestuous tirades traceable to the tongue testify to the traumatic tactics of this tiny tab of tissue. Thousands that take the time to think, try to tame the tumultuous torrent of the too talkative tongue. Temporarily, the tide turns. Towering tempers turn to tenderness. Then, tragically, the trend tapers. The tongue trips, teeters, then takes a tumble; the temptation to trifling twaddle triumphs. Take time to tabulate this timeless truth: to train the tongue takes the tremendous talent of trust. Theology teaches that trust thrives through toil. Therefore, throttle the testy tongue ! Terminate the trivial topics that tinge the tenor of talk ! Trim the trashy, tasteless terms that transgress traditions of truth ! Trounce the trite themes that toady to thoughtless tattling ! Theoretically, the tantalizing target of a true, tactful, temperate tongue torments and teases those that tackle the task. To tell the truth, thrilling triumph throngs the tracks of the tough, tenacious thwarter of tawdry talk !!!!! ☹️😁🩵🤓 Terrific Tharoor !

*Corruption.....Self examination*

*Corruption.....Self examination* If you usually put *more sugar in your tea when in a hotel* than you do at home, you're most likely to be corrupt. If you use *more tissue in a public washroom* than you do at home, you are a potential thief; if given the opportunity you would take what's not yours. If you serve yourself *more food that you can finish* just because someone else is footing the bill; proves the greedy streak in you. If you usually *jump queues*; shows that, if given a powerful position, you have the potential to abuse your office. If you usually *go on the wrong side* while in a traffic jam or have no regard for traffic lights; then you are one who would easily embezzle public funds, if you're given a position at a public office, since you have contempt for any form of regulation. If you channel waste or dirty water *from your compound to a neighbour's compound* rather than manage it, you're ill-mannered and selfish. And lastly if you go shopping and leave your shopping cart in the middle of the parking area (you are not obliged to return it) then also you’re some of the above !

Vijay Jagtap

I was posted in Mumbai in 2002 and was assigned as Security officer to the great Field Marshal Manekshaw, who was visiting Mumbai for a Parsi community event. Escorting the great Sam Bahadur in Mumbai for two days besides him in the car and at events was an experience of a lifetime. His charisma was overwhelming. Interaction with him ranged from WWII, 1971 to valour of my regt, Rajputana Rifles to Gorkhas. An event was organised in the evening at NCPA Nariman Point by the Parsi community and Sam Manekshaw was to attend. I escorted him into the auditorium. There was a huge gathering and someone was performing on the stage amidst loud cheer and laughs. As soon as we entered, the performer stopped and announced Sam's arrival. The entire audience rose and started singing a Parsi song, clapping and cheering. Sam was escorted to the centre chair and seated. People started crowding around him, touching him, holding him, talking to him with utmost respect and love. I, a young captain, in uniform with a pistol in the holster,seized by my duty, tried to make space around him urging everyone to move. A person sat with one knee on the floor, holding Sam's hand with both his hands talking affectionately. I asked this person politely to move. This person, still on the floor, looked at me and said, "Don't worry son, he is ours, we will take care of him". Before I could say something, I realised that I know this person. And yes, it was the great Ratan Tata. His eyes were so full of compassion and respect and love and confidence. I said, "Yes Sir" and just took few steps back and realised the gathering was the who's who, the Godrejs, the Wadias, the Poonawalas, Bhabhas, Mistrys.....what a community. What contribution they have made to make our nation great. The minority of the minorities, but contributions to India in all fields from business to armed forces to philanthropy to scientists. My eyes swelled and it remains my most inspirational moment. If these people do so much for India inspite of no reservations and no expectations from the government, then I have no excuses. Never met the great Ratan Tata and Sam Bahadur again, but they remain on the highest pedestal in my life. Adieu humble TITAN 🥂. Vijay Jagtap