This morning,as usual had a wonderful walk, what with the cool breeze blowing, the hazy sky and the sun just coming up,I enjoyed my walk totally and as is usual everyday made great mental plans for the days schedule while walking.Came back home after the walk and even as I sat to remove my shoes I told myself no sitting in front of the computer, until I finish my yoga,kriya, prayer etc etc.....
And inspite of all this going on in my mind,I sat with my lap top,checked my mails, read today's thought for today(of Shri Sai),put it up on my blog and was just getting up, when a fwd from a dear friend popped up.I promised myself will get up after the mail and this went on and on till it was 10am before I finally got up.Came after bath,and lo! to my utter disppointment once again started surfing,and my yoga, kriya, prayer all postponed for the evening.Though I was sitting and surfing I was some how feeling very guilty today and this reminded me of the beautiful story from Srimad Baghavatham..'Ambarisha charitram...and thought would put it down here right away before my mind over powers !!!
There is a story about Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu too,where it says whenever he was in Puri Jagannath he used to himself clean the temple everday.May be sometime later will write that story in more detail.
Srimad Baghavatham illustrates with the example of a wonderful story of King Amabarisha, how inspite of being a king and looking after his subjects with great care and love,Ambarisha made time to clean the temple premises himself with the help of his queen,make garlands for the Lord, and worship Lord Vishnu.
This is just to bring to our notice that it is very important to make time for our daily prayer.If a king inspite of his responsible and busy schedule can do it,then we have no business saying, 'I was very busy today,so had no time for prayer'......Read on...
Ambarisha was a pious king who inherited all the good virtues of his father Nabhaga. He always worshiped Vishnu Bhagawan, with his wife's help, he cleaned the temple premises himself ,made garlands of good flowers to the diety every day from his palace gardens. He performed Ekadasi vrata regularly fasting from the dasami day to the dwadasi day paranai,all the times.Once Ambarisha performed a special Ekadasi vruta for one year and on the concluding day, in the month of Karthik. Ambarisha fasted for three days preceeding the Ekadasi and spent the days and nights in prayers and worships. On the fourth day,dwadasi day he took bath in the Yamuna and did the worship and prayers and then waited for some guests to come for the feast and had food with them after receiving their ashirvadams. He always wanted pious brahmins or rishis for those days. And on this day his purva janma punyam that Bhagawan Durvassa came unexpectedly to his doors. Ambarisha was happy and asked Durvassa to accept his request for the Dwadasi feast. The rishi agreed and went to Yamuna for his prayers before the food. For long hours Durvassa did not turn up,Ambarisha was in a Darma Sankata because the time for the paranai was coming to the end and if he did not take paranai at this muhurtha, his vritham will have no effects,and if he takes the paranai he'll be doing a mistake of eating before his invited guest . Then the Purohitas suggested that the paranai can be taken by drinking the Theertha water by which he will not be insulting the guest. On this advise Ambarisha took the theertha paranai before the Muhurtham expired and thus completed the vritham and was waiting for the guest to arrive for the food to be served to him.Durvassa by his deerga thrushti came to know about it and came to Ambarisha with red hot eyes. He said that Ambarisha had insulted him and he deserves punishment for that. He took out one hair from his long Jada and made a Rakshasa and sent him to kill Ambarisha. Ambarisha thought that if he had done anything wrong he should get the punishment and remained silent. But the Sudarshan Chakra ,which was given to him by Lord Vishnu, could not see his devotee getting hurt, so the chakra came instantly and killed the Rakshasa and started to attack Durvassa . The Rishi knew that if Pilli Sunyam was directed against wrong purposes, it will bounce back on the same person,he started to run away fron the Sudarshan Chakram. He went through the earth and the skies and then went to Brahma and Shiva,both of them advised him to go to Vishnu. Then he went to Vaikunta singing the Bhajans on Vishnu. "Atchyutha Anantha Sadeepsitha Prabho.............". Bhagawan Hari knew why Durvassa was there and He said that He can't save him from the Sudarshana Chakra , only Ambarisha can save him,because...........
'Aham Bhaktha Paradeeno........
Vashee kurvanthi Mam Bhakthya'................
So Durvassa Maharshi went to Ambarisha's saranagathi.Ambarisha performed a Sudarshana Pooja and requested the Chakra to save the Rishi. After this Ambarisha concluded his Ekadasi vritham with giving a feast to Durvassa Maharishi. This episode has left Durvassa to do nothing other than praising Ambarisha whereever he went.
There is another wonderful lesson that this story brings out..Sage Durvasa went to everyone narrating the incident and thus spreading the greatness of Ambarisha,at his expense.Gurus do everything for the good and benefit of the disciple.
So Hari's bhakthas and anyone doing bhakthi to Hari will never have to worry about anything inthis world.
My sincere and earnest prayers that Hari will be with me ever moment and take care that I do not miss HIS worship.......
Jai Guru Dev!!!!
Stay tuned for more.....
12/02/2009
11/02/2009
India_Sri Lanka T20
This was one awesome match,and was indeed exciting and fun to watch.
Srilanka started with an explosive performance by Sanath Jayasurya and well supported by their captain Dilshan.They set a decent target of 172 runs for India, which certainly did not look easy for Indians.Indians started the innings looking very confident,but kept losing important wickets regularly.The game was lowly sli pping from India's hands and Sri Lankans showed a super display of fileding and bowling. India lost 7 wickets and had 59 runs to make in 25 balls to win when Yusuf and Irfan Pathan walked in and what followed was some exemplary display of batting.(It is important here to mention that the present Indian Captain MDS is such a Positive, Calm and unassuming guy.The team has 100%confidence on their captain and that I think is the reason why we are seeing Indian cricket right on top now.We are getting to see Indians play as a team and for the country now which is great). The confidence with which the brothers played was indeed unbelievable.They steered India to a victory with four balls to spare.This was one great match.
It reminds me of what we always read and hear during knowledge sessions 'Faith'.
When there is no fear or doubt in the mind and when there is only faith the GOAL ahead seems rather easy and we are sure to reach there without doubt.
Yusuf Pathan just walked in with a free and open mind and had no fear of the target ahead of him,and was well supported by his brother.What a blast the last four overs were,simply unbelievable!!!
Just wanted to put it down here because I realised yesterday that there is a lesson we can learn at all times and from every situation.It is probably also a fact that now when I watch anything or hear anybody I am more 'AWARE',and hence am able to see everything differently.
Whether it be a cricket match or the reality shows on TV, we sure can learn something all the time.
Thumbs Up to The Indian team!!!!
Jai Guru Dev!!!
Stay tuned......
Srilanka started with an explosive performance by Sanath Jayasurya and well supported by their captain Dilshan.They set a decent target of 172 runs for India, which certainly did not look easy for Indians.Indians started the innings looking very confident,but kept losing important wickets regularly.The game was lowly sli pping from India's hands and Sri Lankans showed a super display of fileding and bowling. India lost 7 wickets and had 59 runs to make in 25 balls to win when Yusuf and Irfan Pathan walked in and what followed was some exemplary display of batting.(It is important here to mention that the present Indian Captain MDS is such a Positive, Calm and unassuming guy.The team has 100%confidence on their captain and that I think is the reason why we are seeing Indian cricket right on top now.We are getting to see Indians play as a team and for the country now which is great). The confidence with which the brothers played was indeed unbelievable.They steered India to a victory with four balls to spare.This was one great match.
It reminds me of what we always read and hear during knowledge sessions 'Faith'.
When there is no fear or doubt in the mind and when there is only faith the GOAL ahead seems rather easy and we are sure to reach there without doubt.
Yusuf Pathan just walked in with a free and open mind and had no fear of the target ahead of him,and was well supported by his brother.What a blast the last four overs were,simply unbelievable!!!
Just wanted to put it down here because I realised yesterday that there is a lesson we can learn at all times and from every situation.It is probably also a fact that now when I watch anything or hear anybody I am more 'AWARE',and hence am able to see everything differently.
Whether it be a cricket match or the reality shows on TV, we sure can learn something all the time.
Thumbs Up to The Indian team!!!!
Jai Guru Dev!!!
Stay tuned......
09/02/2009
Wonder Why????
I read a forward recently which set me thinking.I found it so amazingly true, though it is for sure not something to be proud of.Unbelievable how the human mind works.
We never or rarely do find the need to understand the mystery of creation and thank God for the beautiful sky,the soothing green trees, grass,the bright and colourful flowers, the variety of birds, animals,the mental peace and happiness while at the sea shore watching the waves.The list is endless,the beauty of nature is simply awesome.Unfortunately we take it all for granted and are so engrossed with ourselves. We are reminded of nature only when we are in trouble,may be because of too much heat, cold, rains or when calamity strikes.We often say 'Oh it is sooo hot, or this heat is unbearable',but rarely do we stop to admire the beauty of the rising sun and setting sun.
We find it so difficult to listen to and find time for knowledge,whereas it is indeed more enjoyable to spend time watching a movie.
We have so many doubts and usually find it difficult to agree with what the scriptures say,but believe everything we hear in the form of gossip about someone or even a friend.
We talk nineteen to the dozen at all times, but when we sit for prayer we fall so short of words, we don't know what to say many times.
We never stop to think of the money we spend before we go shopping, just to boost our ego,but we hesitate so much while giving a small amount as charity.Isn't it surprising that the same amount (let's say $10) can have two different values for us.When we spend it on ourselves it looks too small and the same amount looks big when given as charity.
We tend to think and believe that we are eternal and even if we do accept that one day we will be no more, all of us sure want to go to heaven, but when we are taught and shown the way to reach there we hesitate to accept that.
Jai Guru Dev!!!!
stay tuned....
We never or rarely do find the need to understand the mystery of creation and thank God for the beautiful sky,the soothing green trees, grass,the bright and colourful flowers, the variety of birds, animals,the mental peace and happiness while at the sea shore watching the waves.The list is endless,the beauty of nature is simply awesome.Unfortunately we take it all for granted and are so engrossed with ourselves. We are reminded of nature only when we are in trouble,may be because of too much heat, cold, rains or when calamity strikes.We often say 'Oh it is sooo hot, or this heat is unbearable',but rarely do we stop to admire the beauty of the rising sun and setting sun.
We find it so difficult to listen to and find time for knowledge,whereas it is indeed more enjoyable to spend time watching a movie.
We have so many doubts and usually find it difficult to agree with what the scriptures say,but believe everything we hear in the form of gossip about someone or even a friend.
We talk nineteen to the dozen at all times, but when we sit for prayer we fall so short of words, we don't know what to say many times.
We never stop to think of the money we spend before we go shopping, just to boost our ego,but we hesitate so much while giving a small amount as charity.Isn't it surprising that the same amount (let's say $10) can have two different values for us.When we spend it on ourselves it looks too small and the same amount looks big when given as charity.
We tend to think and believe that we are eternal and even if we do accept that one day we will be no more, all of us sure want to go to heaven, but when we are taught and shown the way to reach there we hesitate to accept that.
I wonder why we fail to enjoy the little things in life and always postpone enjoyment for later...
I wonder why we always want what is not ours,why the grass is greener on the other side......
Jai Guru Dev!!!!
stay tuned....
08/02/2009
Are You Tired?????
A Beautiful teaching of Guruji Sri Sri Ravi Shankar for the benefit of the few who follow my blog!!!
Tired? If you are not tired, you will never reach home. Only if you're tired, will you ever rest. Everything in the world will tire you. Only one thing does not tire you. That is love
Love does not tire you because that is the end, the home. It is not possible to be tired in love. In fact, enjoyment brings tiredness! Tiredness is a shadow of enjoyment. What puts you on the road is your desire to enjoy. What brings you home is being in love. In your life, you move from one place to another in search of enjoyment. Wherever you saw joy and reached for it, you found that it was further away, somewhere else. So you had to move on and that moving is tiring. Look at your whole life. A child gets tired of playing with toys and wants new toys. Tired of playing with new toys, they want people to play with, they want new friends. They grow a little older. Their games change. The object of the game changes. They want something more. So it's like moving from one type of tiredness to another type of tiredness. As a teenager you looked for something else, not toys. Which is the new movie? What is the new fashion? You want to have the best match for you. You are married. You make a very good couple. Then what? You want to have your own home, children. Those who are single think that married people are better off. Those who are married think that single people are better off. Some think that people with children are happier. People with children wish everyday that their child grows up quickly so that they can be free. They wait for someone to give them a break, to take care of their children. Everything is tiring. You move from one spiritual path to another spiritual path, from one practice to another. Sometimes people say, "Oh, I have meditated for 20 years. I am sick of meditation now. Please don't tell me to do another meditation. Enough is enough." It's boring. People have no time. They find it boring to meditate. What to do? Where to go? When is that rest? That solace? That peace? When is that love that is so comforting, so eternal, so blissful? And you cannot rest until you reach home. You may sit in the path here and there but you cannot be there forever. You may take a break. On the motorway, there is some rest place. On the way, you stop your car, use the restroom, stay a while and stretch. But that is all. You cannot rest there, or be at peace there. At the back of the mind the drive is there - move on. There is no fulfillment. It is the desire that tires you - the 'want' in the mind. Your mind tires you more than the physical work. If you are willing to do some work, even 15 hours at a stretch, it will not tire you. However if you are not willing and you have to work even for four hours, it will tire you. You have a party at home or you are arranging Christmas decorations. So you may work many late hours but still not feel tired. You feel good about it. But you work in some place you don't like, you'd like to have four coffee or tea breaks and even then you feel it's tiring! Do not do any work at all. Just sit and go on thinking. You'll be terribly exhausted. For many people, the tiredness and exhaustion comes from thinking and worrying, not by working. Thinking you need rest makes you restless. Thinking you have to work hard makes you tired. Thinking you have worked hard brings self-pity. There is a place to rest. That is the Divine, that is surrender and that is love. And you can't do it unless you get really tired, unless you get sick of everything. You drop down. That is called surrender. There was a king, an emperor. He attained all that he wanted to in the world, all the wealth, the whole continent was under his control. He thought that this is his world. Thousands of people were under his command, all the wealth at his disposal, all the pleasures at his beck and call. He could snap his finger and get anything he wanted. But that couldn't get him home. It made him more and more tired. Then he went looking for some spiritual knowledge. He went from place to place, collecting things here and there, but nothing worked. Everything seemed to work for a while. Finally, he got so tired that he renounced everything. That also didn't work. Being an emperor didn't work. Renouncing everything didn't work. One day he fell near a tree. He was exhausted of looking for, but not finding, a real master. It's not easy to find a master. Even if one finds a master, it is difficult to recognize and let go. So, he finally dropped under a tree and at that moment a dry leaf fell down from the tree. He was looking at the leaf and that leaf flew to the east when the wind blew east and it flew to the north when the wind blew north. Looking at that, something in him suddenly snapped - the "doership" - The 'want' simply dropped from him. The very moment he realized that that moment is so eternal and he came back home. Make life that way - become like a dry leaf - agree with what the Divine has provided for you, float with the moment. Do not regret the past, do not anticipate the future. That is what all the enlightened masters say, "Keep practicing on your own. When you feel you can't do any more, that it's all so tiring, then come and rest." That's why the places of enlightened masters are called 'ashrama', where you come and get rid of your tiredness. 'Shrama' means effort. Ashrama means the place where all the efforts loosen up. All tiredness, both mental and physical, vanishes. Even spiritual, you don't have to strive for it. Just sit there. There is a candle, a light burning for you. You only have to sit under its light. You're lit. You don't have to do anything. It's burning for you. You only have to connect, sit there and feel the presence. Be a part of the divinity, then you will find that nothing can tire you in the world. You will become the source of love. You are the home. Things cannot irritate you. When you are tired, small little things can irritate you, push your button, can throw you off balance. Our peace is so fragile that anything, even a phone call, can blow it off. Our peace will be in hundred pieces - just a few words from someone. Fragile peace is of no use. The peace and love in our life should be so solid, like a diamond. Nothing should shake or move it. Desire, awareness of the Self and action all are manifestation of the same energy that is you. Among these three, one of them dominates at a time. When you have lots of desires, you are not aware of the Self. When desire dominates, self-awareness will be at its lowest, and that's why all the philosophers around the world have always advocated renunciation and dropping of desires. When the awareness is dominant, then happiness dawns. When desire dominates, stress and sorrow result. When actions dominate, restlessness and disease is the result. When your actions and desires are sincerely directed to the Divine or to the welfare of society, then the consciousness is automatically elevated, and self-knowledge is sure to be attained. You cannot rest when you have to do something that you cannot. And you cannot rest when you feel you have to be someone whom you are not. You are not required to do what you cannot. You will not be asked to give what you cannot give. Nothing is expected of you that you cannot do. Doing service involves only doing what you can do. And no one wants you to be someone whom you are not. This realization brings you deep rest. You cannot rest if you have either ambition or lethargy. Both are opposed to good rest. A lazy person will toss and turn at night and be 'restless' and an ambitious person will burn inside. This rest brings up your talents and abilities and brings you closer to your nature. Even a slight feeling that the Divine is with you brings deep rest. Prayer, love and meditation are all flavors of deep rest. The only thing you have to do in your life is to make your peace strong, your love profound and your joy eternal. Make your home God's home and there will be light, love and abundance. Make your body God's abode and there will be peace and bliss. Feel that your mind is a toy of God and you will watch and enjoy all its games. See this world as play and as a display of God Himself and you will repose in the non-dual Self.
Jai Guru Dev!!!!!
Stay tuned....
Tired? If you are not tired, you will never reach home. Only if you're tired, will you ever rest. Everything in the world will tire you. Only one thing does not tire you. That is love
Love does not tire you because that is the end, the home. It is not possible to be tired in love. In fact, enjoyment brings tiredness! Tiredness is a shadow of enjoyment. What puts you on the road is your desire to enjoy. What brings you home is being in love. In your life, you move from one place to another in search of enjoyment. Wherever you saw joy and reached for it, you found that it was further away, somewhere else. So you had to move on and that moving is tiring. Look at your whole life. A child gets tired of playing with toys and wants new toys. Tired of playing with new toys, they want people to play with, they want new friends. They grow a little older. Their games change. The object of the game changes. They want something more. So it's like moving from one type of tiredness to another type of tiredness. As a teenager you looked for something else, not toys. Which is the new movie? What is the new fashion? You want to have the best match for you. You are married. You make a very good couple. Then what? You want to have your own home, children. Those who are single think that married people are better off. Those who are married think that single people are better off. Some think that people with children are happier. People with children wish everyday that their child grows up quickly so that they can be free. They wait for someone to give them a break, to take care of their children. Everything is tiring. You move from one spiritual path to another spiritual path, from one practice to another. Sometimes people say, "Oh, I have meditated for 20 years. I am sick of meditation now. Please don't tell me to do another meditation. Enough is enough." It's boring. People have no time. They find it boring to meditate. What to do? Where to go? When is that rest? That solace? That peace? When is that love that is so comforting, so eternal, so blissful? And you cannot rest until you reach home. You may sit in the path here and there but you cannot be there forever. You may take a break. On the motorway, there is some rest place. On the way, you stop your car, use the restroom, stay a while and stretch. But that is all. You cannot rest there, or be at peace there. At the back of the mind the drive is there - move on. There is no fulfillment. It is the desire that tires you - the 'want' in the mind. Your mind tires you more than the physical work. If you are willing to do some work, even 15 hours at a stretch, it will not tire you. However if you are not willing and you have to work even for four hours, it will tire you. You have a party at home or you are arranging Christmas decorations. So you may work many late hours but still not feel tired. You feel good about it. But you work in some place you don't like, you'd like to have four coffee or tea breaks and even then you feel it's tiring! Do not do any work at all. Just sit and go on thinking. You'll be terribly exhausted. For many people, the tiredness and exhaustion comes from thinking and worrying, not by working. Thinking you need rest makes you restless. Thinking you have to work hard makes you tired. Thinking you have worked hard brings self-pity. There is a place to rest. That is the Divine, that is surrender and that is love. And you can't do it unless you get really tired, unless you get sick of everything. You drop down. That is called surrender. There was a king, an emperor. He attained all that he wanted to in the world, all the wealth, the whole continent was under his control. He thought that this is his world. Thousands of people were under his command, all the wealth at his disposal, all the pleasures at his beck and call. He could snap his finger and get anything he wanted. But that couldn't get him home. It made him more and more tired. Then he went looking for some spiritual knowledge. He went from place to place, collecting things here and there, but nothing worked. Everything seemed to work for a while. Finally, he got so tired that he renounced everything. That also didn't work. Being an emperor didn't work. Renouncing everything didn't work. One day he fell near a tree. He was exhausted of looking for, but not finding, a real master. It's not easy to find a master. Even if one finds a master, it is difficult to recognize and let go. So, he finally dropped under a tree and at that moment a dry leaf fell down from the tree. He was looking at the leaf and that leaf flew to the east when the wind blew east and it flew to the north when the wind blew north. Looking at that, something in him suddenly snapped - the "doership" - The 'want' simply dropped from him. The very moment he realized that that moment is so eternal and he came back home. Make life that way - become like a dry leaf - agree with what the Divine has provided for you, float with the moment. Do not regret the past, do not anticipate the future. That is what all the enlightened masters say, "Keep practicing on your own. When you feel you can't do any more, that it's all so tiring, then come and rest." That's why the places of enlightened masters are called 'ashrama', where you come and get rid of your tiredness. 'Shrama' means effort. Ashrama means the place where all the efforts loosen up. All tiredness, both mental and physical, vanishes. Even spiritual, you don't have to strive for it. Just sit there. There is a candle, a light burning for you. You only have to sit under its light. You're lit. You don't have to do anything. It's burning for you. You only have to connect, sit there and feel the presence. Be a part of the divinity, then you will find that nothing can tire you in the world. You will become the source of love. You are the home. Things cannot irritate you. When you are tired, small little things can irritate you, push your button, can throw you off balance. Our peace is so fragile that anything, even a phone call, can blow it off. Our peace will be in hundred pieces - just a few words from someone. Fragile peace is of no use. The peace and love in our life should be so solid, like a diamond. Nothing should shake or move it. Desire, awareness of the Self and action all are manifestation of the same energy that is you. Among these three, one of them dominates at a time. When you have lots of desires, you are not aware of the Self. When desire dominates, self-awareness will be at its lowest, and that's why all the philosophers around the world have always advocated renunciation and dropping of desires. When the awareness is dominant, then happiness dawns. When desire dominates, stress and sorrow result. When actions dominate, restlessness and disease is the result. When your actions and desires are sincerely directed to the Divine or to the welfare of society, then the consciousness is automatically elevated, and self-knowledge is sure to be attained. You cannot rest when you have to do something that you cannot. And you cannot rest when you feel you have to be someone whom you are not. You are not required to do what you cannot. You will not be asked to give what you cannot give. Nothing is expected of you that you cannot do. Doing service involves only doing what you can do. And no one wants you to be someone whom you are not. This realization brings you deep rest. You cannot rest if you have either ambition or lethargy. Both are opposed to good rest. A lazy person will toss and turn at night and be 'restless' and an ambitious person will burn inside. This rest brings up your talents and abilities and brings you closer to your nature. Even a slight feeling that the Divine is with you brings deep rest. Prayer, love and meditation are all flavors of deep rest. The only thing you have to do in your life is to make your peace strong, your love profound and your joy eternal. Make your home God's home and there will be light, love and abundance. Make your body God's abode and there will be peace and bliss. Feel that your mind is a toy of God and you will watch and enjoy all its games. See this world as play and as a display of God Himself and you will repose in the non-dual Self.
Jai Guru Dev!!!!!
Stay tuned....
03/02/2009
Why Pray!!!
This morning as I was saying my daily prayer a thought that was going in my mind is 'why do we pray'?How prayer helps us.Most of the times we do not know or understand the meaning of the shlokas that we say becuase it is all in Sanskrit and many of us do not know sanskrit.Inspite of this fact what is worth appreciating is the satisfaction and the peace of mind after prayers.Isn't it amazing that something we do not understand can give us so much happiness, joy and peace of mind.Imagine our happiness and joy if we understood!!!
There is a lot of hesitation in our mind when it comes to reading Baghwad Gita or Srimad Baghavatham and many times our mind prompts us and tells us 'no this is not for you,it is very difficult'.....
While these thoughts were going on in the mind I was reminded of a very beautiful story which I read sometime back.
Read on.....
'An old Farmer lived on a farm in the mountains with his young grandson. Each morning Grandpa was up early sitting at the kitchen table reading his Bhagavat Geeta. His grandson wanted to be just like him and tried to imitate him in every way he could. One day the grandson asked, "Grandpa! I try to read the Bhagavad-Gita just like you but I don't understand it, and what I do understand forget as soon as I close the book. What good does reading? theBhagavat Geeta do?" The Grandfather quietly turned from putting coal in the stove and replied, “Take this coal basket down to the river and bring me back basket of water." The boy did as he was told, but all the water leaked out before he got back to the house. The grandfather laughed and said, "You'll have to move a little faster next time," and sent him back to the river with the basket to try again. This time the boy ran faster, but again the basket was empty before he returned home. Out of breath, he told his grandfather that it was impossible to carry water in a basket, and he went to get a bucket instead. The old man said, "I don't want a bucket of water; I want a basket of water. You're just not trying hard enough," and he went out the door to watch the boy try again. At this point, the boy knew it was impossible, but he wanted to show his grandfather that even if he ran as fast as he could, the water would leak out before he got back to the house. The boy again dipped the basket into river and ran hard, but when he reached his grandfather the basket was again empty. Out of breath, he said, "See Grandpa, it is useless!" "So you think it is useless?" The old man said, "Look at the basket." The boy looked at the basket and for the first time realized that the basket was different. It had been transformed from a dirty old coal basket and was now clean, inside and out. "Son, that's what happens when you read the Bhagavat Geeta. You might not understand or remember everything, but when you read it, you will be changed, inside and out.'
So this is what regular prayer& chanting of scriptures like Baghvath Gita and Srimad Baghavatham does to us, It does not matter at all if we do not understand.Just chanting can cleanse the system.Another story which comes to my mind in this context is:
'There lived in Srirangam a very simple man who loved the Baghvath Gita and his day was incomplete if he did not read the Gita.Unfortunately he did not know sanskrit and so was not able to read it with the right pronunciation.The learned brahmins of Srirangam discourage him and ridiculed him for reading in his broken way and shooed him from the place.The brahmin, unable to give up his reading goes to a corner of the temple where no one will notice him and continues with his chanting of the Baghavth Gita tears rolling down his cheeks.
Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu who is visiting the temple quietly stands behind this brahmin and listens to this brahmin chanting the Gita, and observes the tears rolling down his cheeks.After a while the brahmin realises someone is observing him and asks Mahaprabhu to forgive him for reading.Mahaprabhu asks him why he is crying while reading, when he cannot understand and when he does not even know to read fluently without mistakes.
The brahmin in total sincerity tells him ,swami, "This is the Gita of the Lord,I see Krishna holding the reins of the chariot, I see Arjuna kneeling and that is why tears flow down my cheeks"Mahaprabhu Chaitanya tells him 'you have understoood the Gita comletely'!!
"That is the work of Krishna in our lives"!!!!
"Celebrate life,Care for others and share what you have with those less fortunate than you.Broaden your vision,for the whole world belongs to you."
Stay tuned.......
Jai Guru Dev!!!
There is a lot of hesitation in our mind when it comes to reading Baghwad Gita or Srimad Baghavatham and many times our mind prompts us and tells us 'no this is not for you,it is very difficult'.....
While these thoughts were going on in the mind I was reminded of a very beautiful story which I read sometime back.
Read on.....
'An old Farmer lived on a farm in the mountains with his young grandson. Each morning Grandpa was up early sitting at the kitchen table reading his Bhagavat Geeta. His grandson wanted to be just like him and tried to imitate him in every way he could. One day the grandson asked, "Grandpa! I try to read the Bhagavad-Gita just like you but I don't understand it, and what I do understand forget as soon as I close the book. What good does reading? theBhagavat Geeta do?" The Grandfather quietly turned from putting coal in the stove and replied, “Take this coal basket down to the river and bring me back basket of water." The boy did as he was told, but all the water leaked out before he got back to the house. The grandfather laughed and said, "You'll have to move a little faster next time," and sent him back to the river with the basket to try again. This time the boy ran faster, but again the basket was empty before he returned home. Out of breath, he told his grandfather that it was impossible to carry water in a basket, and he went to get a bucket instead. The old man said, "I don't want a bucket of water; I want a basket of water. You're just not trying hard enough," and he went out the door to watch the boy try again. At this point, the boy knew it was impossible, but he wanted to show his grandfather that even if he ran as fast as he could, the water would leak out before he got back to the house. The boy again dipped the basket into river and ran hard, but when he reached his grandfather the basket was again empty. Out of breath, he said, "See Grandpa, it is useless!" "So you think it is useless?" The old man said, "Look at the basket." The boy looked at the basket and for the first time realized that the basket was different. It had been transformed from a dirty old coal basket and was now clean, inside and out. "Son, that's what happens when you read the Bhagavat Geeta. You might not understand or remember everything, but when you read it, you will be changed, inside and out.'
So this is what regular prayer& chanting of scriptures like Baghvath Gita and Srimad Baghavatham does to us, It does not matter at all if we do not understand.Just chanting can cleanse the system.Another story which comes to my mind in this context is:
'There lived in Srirangam a very simple man who loved the Baghvath Gita and his day was incomplete if he did not read the Gita.Unfortunately he did not know sanskrit and so was not able to read it with the right pronunciation.The learned brahmins of Srirangam discourage him and ridiculed him for reading in his broken way and shooed him from the place.The brahmin, unable to give up his reading goes to a corner of the temple where no one will notice him and continues with his chanting of the Baghavth Gita tears rolling down his cheeks.
Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu who is visiting the temple quietly stands behind this brahmin and listens to this brahmin chanting the Gita, and observes the tears rolling down his cheeks.After a while the brahmin realises someone is observing him and asks Mahaprabhu to forgive him for reading.Mahaprabhu asks him why he is crying while reading, when he cannot understand and when he does not even know to read fluently without mistakes.
The brahmin in total sincerity tells him ,swami, "This is the Gita of the Lord,I see Krishna holding the reins of the chariot, I see Arjuna kneeling and that is why tears flow down my cheeks"Mahaprabhu Chaitanya tells him 'you have understoood the Gita comletely'!!
"That is the work of Krishna in our lives"!!!!
"Celebrate life,Care for others and share what you have with those less fortunate than you.Broaden your vision,for the whole world belongs to you."
Stay tuned.......
Jai Guru Dev!!!
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