Akhand Jyoti Sept-Oct 2020 by Akhand Jyoti Swadhyay

human mind is identified by its dynamism. It uses the wings of imagination to cross the boundaries of time and space. The thoughts arising from different aspects of life give air to its activity and fuel its dynamism. Usually, thoughts are originated within our psyche. However, they can also enter our minds from outside, depending on our nature/interests. The external source may be called the biosphere or the noosphere. The level of noosphere at which the mind establishes contact influences the thought process and a person starts behaving accordingly. Considering the domination of thoughts over the mind, the Vedic scientists and seers/sages of yore proposed that the purification of psyche and refinement of human consciousness is the only way for the upliftment. Therefore, a person aspiring for spiritual growth should purify his mind and augment positivity in his biosphere. When the mind establishes contact with a higher level of the biosphere, then the high-level thoughts would automatically start coming to it. Maharshi Aurobindo called it ‘Supramental mind.’ Pujya Gurudev expressed it as ‘Rise of divinity in man and descent of heaven on earth.’ The aim of ‘Thought Revolution’ is this transformation of mind in which there is a continuous flow of noble thoughts.

Amrit Chintan Dynamism of Mind ................................................................................................................

From Chief Editor’s Desk Let’s Endeavor Collectively to Usher in the Bright Future for Humanity ............................

The Journey of Knowledge from (Mathematical) “Zero” to (Philosophical) “Inﬁnity” ......

Essential Elements of Building a Strong Team ....................................................................

Health and Wellness Know the Vital Importance of Digestive System ..................................................................

Stress Management is Not that Tough! ..................................................................................

Science and Spirituality Disciplines of the Experiments in the Science of Mantras ....................................................

Youth Column Develop Creative Excellence.................................................................................................

Emotional Balance is the Key to Happy Life ........................................................................

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Yug Gita - 26 I Know Who You Are and Why You Have Taken Birth? ......................................................

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Change Your Perspective of Looking at Problems................................................................

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Odyssey of the Enlightened - 75 Sadhana and Sanjeevani (Elixir of Sadhana) -2 ....................................................................

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Water Bestows Life - It Must be Conserved ..........................................................................

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Amrit Vani Family is the Prime Training School of Spirituality – III ......................................................

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Enjoy Your Work ...................................................................................................................

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Return to Nature ....................................................................................................................

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Young Talents are Eager to Serve the Motherland ................................................................

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Augment the Power of Soul to Make the Personality Assertive ............................................

t has been observed that a majority of people forget about the riches, amenities, or successes they have; instead, they are seen to grumble about the minor issues, scarcity, or failures. They forget all the favors done by others, but their minds get ﬁlled with anger when someone commits even a minor offense. The same is the case with societal and global issues. Negativity is dominating over the human psyche. If one adopts a positive attitude, one can also think – ‘When the human progress has continued so far based on creative efforts, why can’t we face the present problems with the help of courage and wisdom? Why would it not be possible to resolve the issues and remove the obstacles? Why get disappointed when we see many indicators of a bright future? Why waste time and energy in negative thinking? Why not think of working collectively for a noble aim, and make a strategy to implement the planned work?’ Had we imbibed this positive attitude, we would have saved ourselves from the disappointments and failures. Of course, the psychological negativity that is globally present in the present

times is not baseless. There are speciﬁc reasons behind it. Pollution, war mania, excessive industrialization, population explosion, deforestation, ecological imbalance, etc. are the causes of concern for the thoughtful as well as common men. Apart from global problems, there are social problems as well. How drugs and other intoxicating substances are making the young generation hollow from within is known to everyone. How inﬁdelity has crushed the dignity of married life and, in turn, affected the future of children is in front of us. Corruption in public life is rampant. The combination of individual, social and global issues becomes so large that it is but natural for humankind to get frightened and feel helpless. However, there is another way of thinking. History is witness to the fact that humankind has successfully carried out several political, social, and economic revolutions. If the same prowess is utilized for eradicating the present-day problems, then why can’t we achieve the desired change. In the past few hundred years, humanity has witnessed the fall of dynasties and slavery and the rise of democracies across the globe. Why can’t we defeat the present-day anomalies using the same collective endeavor, courage, and intellectual brilliance? Pujya Gurudev Pandit Shriram Sharma Acharya, said – ‘Willpower is the most potent of all the powers. In order to accomplish a creative goal or a social change, it is essential to develop the collective willpower of talented people in the society. If this is achieved, then whatever resources are necessary for the required task, they can be collected easily;

then it will be possible to surmount the obstacles in the path. When the willpower weakens, even a hefty person becomes lame. He is not able to do anything, and the people coming in his contact also lose conﬁdence.’ Many mistakes were committed in the past and are being still repeated. But there is only one way to deal with such issues – boldly accept the ‘just’ and reject the ‘unjust.’ For this purpose, ﬁrst of all, we will have to prepare the minds of people, and augment their willpower. We will have to convince them about the possibility of a bright future. Once this change occurs, other changes will automatically follow, and the movement for the desired change will move forward.

India, as well as other countries, should certainly take up developmental projects. But there is a dire need of awakening the hope of the masses about the bright future. Their spirits should be raised so high that everyone becomes an enthusiastic participant in this movement. When the hope is awakened, a person works ten times more than his capacity. A human being is a storehouse of inﬁnite powers, but they are in a dormant state. If they can be awakened, then his personality and his work would be such that he can make possible even impossible.

In this direction, ‘All World Gayatri Pariwar’ has already started SaptaAndolan (seven movements for the upliftment of humankind). If our talented parijans enthusiastically take up this program on a priority basis, then it would not be very long to see the dawn of a bright future. On this Ashwin Navratri, let us pray to Mother Gayatri to bestow on us the willpower and vitality so that we dedicate ourselves to fulﬁll the noble aim of our Mission – ‘To usher in a new era of peace, prosperity, and harmony.’ With prayer-ﬁlled wishes for happy, healthy and harmonious Dussera,

(Pranav Pandya)

The Journey of Knowledge from (Mathematical) “Zero” to (Philosophical) “In inity”

he origin of the journey of knowledge begins from ïunya, and its ultimate end is also merged in ïunya. As referred in the Vedas, ïunya represents zero (the null), the dimension-less, the absolute void, and the boundless, beyond all dimensions); it is ﬁguratively, as well as literally “immeasurable”. Everything, howsoever small or grand its manifestation might be, originates from ïunya, and in the end, gets absorbed in ïunya only. It is the source of philosophical vision, the basis of philosophical thought. Mathematical computations from counting, and basic arithmetic to the revolutionary development of supercomputers, smart devices, machine intelligence, astrophysics and space research, none would have been possible without the discovery of zero (ïunya). The continuum of time and the eternality of the eternal, all are embraced and delineated in ïunya. It is worth understanding some important facets of this ‘non-dimensional’, ‘non-existent’, yet ‘all-encompassing’ entity.

Let us begin our discussion on ïunya with the interesting story of the journey

of counting and mathematical thought before and after the re-discovery of zero. The Journey of Counting: According to the available history, counting in the present civilization began with the use of the fingers of the hand. Use of the fingers of hand is quite comfortable; that is why some illiterates can still be found using these for counting. As there are a total of ten fingers (including the thumb) in the hands, the initial scale of counting is based on 10 (decascale). In some parts of the world, ancient people also used the ten fingers of their feet in counting. The scale based on 20 was popular in these parts. Some tribal communities are still found using this method. Interestingly the word for 20 used in their dialect literally means ‘man finished’ (i.e., man’s fingers finished). The arithmetic calculations used in the “Maya” civilization — the most ancient civilization of central (Latin) America, were based on a 20-unit scale. Some illiterate elderly citizens in some parts of India also used to keep an account of their ‘trade’ in the units of ‘kauÃº’ or ‘bºs³’ (which means twenty). Counting system used during the Babylonian civilization was based on the units of ten (10) and sixty (60). Vertical lines (|, ||,….) were used to represent the counts of, one, two, …., up to nine; a separate symbol was used for ten; the numbers 20, 30, 40 and 50 were represented by repeating that symbol twice, thrice, …., and so on. The sign of one (i.e., single vertical line) was also used for the number 60 or its powers. The ‘hexaconta’ (i.e., based on sixty) scale

of measurement is still used in circular measurements (and also in trigonometry); the circumference of a circle is divided into 60X6 (= 360) degrees for units of angular measurements; this unit (degree) is divided into 60 equal parts called minutes; one minute is equally divided into 60 seconds. Our measurement of time also uses divisions into units of 60 — one hour is divided into 60 minutes, and one minute into 60 seconds. Archaeological investigations show that though the counting system used in ancient Egypt was based on the units of ‘deca’ (ten), i.e., the decimal scale, the basic numbers (digits) were only up to 60; symbols of numbers used here were similar to those in Babylonia: vertical lines (I, II,….) were used to represent the counts of, 1, 2, …., 9; a separate symbol was used for ‘ten’; the successive numbers 11, 12, … up to 19 were represented by a mixture of the vertical lines and the symbol for ten; and so on. Special symbols were used for hundred and higher powers of ten — for example, thousand was represented by a sketch (diagram) of lotus-sprig; tenthousand by the sketch of finger; one-lac (hundred thousand) by the diagram of a skylark. Interestingly, the sketch of a man with both the arms up was used as a symbol (sign) for tenlac (million); this posture indicated as if the man is amazed to find such a large number! In the modern digital system, we use only ten symbols to write any number, but it was a huge exercise in the ancient times to write any number in between the standard deca-powers; for example, the number “Twenty-seven Thousand Five Hundred and Twenty” will be written today simply as “27,520”; writing the same number in the ancient Egyptian system would have required the use of twenty-five symbols. Initially, the Greek system represented basic numbers (one to nine) by first letters of their ‘names’ (the terms that were verbally used to pronounce the counts of the basic numbers).

For example, the number five in Greek is called ‘pente’ so it was represented as the Greek alphabet ‘’ for ‘p’. Gradually they started using simpler symbols which for a long time were in popular use across Europe and led to the modern symbols of digits — 1, 2, …, 9. The roman style (I, II, III, IV, ….., X) is also used occasionally in modern times, e.g., to mark serial nos. of book-chapters. It is significant to note that, although Greek symbols gave rise to the system of digits prevalent today, neither they nor the Romans, Egyptians, or Babylonians discovered “zero”; in fact, they did not even consider the concept of such a ‘number’, which is the foundation of universal system of counting and higher-level scientific computing and scientific development today. So who discovered or invented “zero”, and when? Scholarly investigations of the modern times accept that Indian astronomy expert Aryabhatta had the knowledge of the concept and use of “zero” and the decimal system way back in the fifth century (around 490 A.D.). However, its use in accounts and some other calculations were made even about a century later. In spite of that the old system of deca-scale, described above, remained more popular till about

1000 A.D. Whatever might be the reason for the popularity of this and switching over to the decimal scale and use of zero in the modern times, research on the ancient Indian texts including the Vedas indicate that the Indian sages had the knowledge of zero, decimal system, binary system, and the deca-scale. The Vedic texts also mention of prime numbers, multiplicative tables, etc. Historic contributions of India in the field of number theory and the foundation of numeric computations are signified in the following quote (extracted from detailed research and review paper [1] by Prof. Dutta of the Indian Statistical Institute, Kolkata) of great mathematician Pierre-Simon Laplace (1814 A.D.): “It is India that gave us the ingenious method of expressing all numbers by means of ten symbols, each symbol receiving a value of position as well as an absolute value; a profound and important idea which appears so simple to us now that we ignore its true merit. But its simplicity, the great ease which it has lent to all computations, puts our arithmetic in the first rank of useful inventions; and we shall appreciate the grandeur of this achievement the more when we remember that it escaped the genius of Archimedes and Apollonius,

two of the greatest men produced by antiquity”. (Quoted in [2], cited in [1]). Unfortunately, enormous volumes of these texts were destroyed by the foreign attackers — mostly the Mongolians, Greeks, Persians Central Asian Tribes “H¿ñas”, and Muslims. It is said that when the libraries of Taxila (Takshashila) and Nalanda were burned by the last attackers — the Muslims, piles of the ancient treatises stored there continued to burn for about 4-6 months!) Nevertheless, what has been discovered so far, from the limited number of Vedic texts available today, is itself quite amazing! For example, as modern research on the so-called “Vedic Mathematics” shows, many formulae/ results of advanced level Number Theory, Algebra and Geometry are also found in the Vedic texts. We shall discuss these aspects in some other article, as our focus here is on “zero” and foundational scales of quantitative measurements around and far beyond it (namely, the decimal system and the values of the order of powers of 10,…., and the concept of ‘inﬁnity’). As the above-cited quote of Laplace clearly indicates, all the ten basic digits — 0, 1, 2…., 9 were known to the ancient Indian scholars. According to several scholarly reports, the Vedic texts in Sanskrit refer the numbers 1 to 9 respectively as eka, dvi, tri, catur, paóca, ÌaÚ, sapta, aÌÚa and nava. “Zero” is called ïunya in Sanskrit. “Ïunya” is referred in the Vedic texts to imply multiple meanings — zero, dimensionless, absolute void, beyond dimensions; different mantras of the Vedas, in different contexts, imply these meanings (with foundational descriptions) of ïunya. The concept of “zero” is analyzed in Pingala’s “Chandah Sutra” (200 AD), much before Aryabhatta. The concept and properties of “zero” are lucidly explained in the treatise “Brahma Sphuta Siddhanta” of Acharya Brahmagupta (~ 598 – 668 AD).

Another eminent scholar and astronomer of ancient India, Bhaskaracharya, had proved that any finite number divided by 0 = a symbol of ananta (= infinity) and that this (infinity) however divided remains infinity. This concept was recognized in Vedic texts ages ago, as “Ananta” (endless, unbounded), “P¿rña” (absolutely complete); for example, the Atharva Veda [Mantra No. X|8|29] states — P¿rñ³t P¿rñam Udacchati P¿rñam P¿rñena Sicyate || (Meaning: When infinity is removed (udacchati) from infinity, it’s the infinity that only remains).

Similar kinds of mantras (mostly indicating the absoluteness, omnipresence, and eternality of Brah®), e.g., the famous Shanti-Mantra “P¿rñ³mada¡ P¿rñamida®.....”, appear in the Ishopanishad’s prologue and also in the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad [II|5|10; i.e., 10th hymn in the 5th unit of Chapter II]. According to some studies, some inscriptions of the later age indicate that the symbol/notation of zero similar to what this digit appears now might also have originated in India. Earliest recorded date for an inscription (on a copper plate)

of “zero” is reported to have been found in Gujarat around 585 – 586 AD. Later on, zero appeared in Arabic books around 770 AD, and from there it was carried to Europe around 800 AD. (To be concluded in the next issue) References: 1. Dutta Amritya K. - Decimal System in India. Encyclopaedia of the History of Science, Tech., and Medicine in Non-Western Cultures. Springer Science + Business Media. Dordrecht 2015. (DOI 10.1007/978-94-007-39345_10321-1) 2. Dantzig T. - Number: The Language of Science. New York: Macmillan, 1930

Essential Elements of Building a Strong Team

strong team is indispensable for accomplishing success in any project. But, such a group is not readily available; it has to be formed. So, it becomes essential for any team leader to know the basic elements of building a reliable team. In this context, some vital points are discussed as follows. Clarity about the goal and vision of the team - this is the primary basis for achieving the aim. Teamwork means ‘concerted and collective effort for a common purpose, in which members make their dedicated contribution based on their caliber and potential.’ Thus a clear understanding of the common goal is crucial. The team members can be either self-motivated or can be motivated by the leadership. Leadership assumes a vital role where the members are in want of selfmotivation. Thus, inspiring and visionary leadership is the central element of a strong team. The more the leader is endowed with the attributes of an ideal guide, the team will be stronger in the same proportion. The leader needs to be visionary, democratic, enthusiastic,

honest, just, courageous, sensitive, ready to serve, humble, and of good character. Then only the atmosphere of faith can be created in the team, through which high and far-reaching results can be expected. Along with proper leadership, allegiance and dedication of team members are also essential factors. It is desired for the members to possess an adequate level of loyalty and affection towards their goal, which may then be increased many-folds by the leader through his foresightedness and leadership qualities. Team members need to have well-defined roles. The process of team formation goes through a series of stages, and each member is assigned a specific task in the project work. Therefore, unless the members are clear about their role, they are in a state of dilemma. It must be removed as soon as possible to get better performance from the team. Along with well-defined roles, explicit rules of work, framework, and mode of action also play a role in forming a strong team, so that the goal can be achieved at the fastest pace. Rewarding appropriately and a prompt review system also add to the efficiency of the group. The provision of rewarding the best performers and properly reviewing those who did not do well always keeps the team motivated. Further, more democratically the decisions are made in the team, the stronger would be the mutual trust in the group. Unilateral decisions can be a cause of dissatisfaction among team members. Decisions taken after consultation with all the members empower the team and form the basis of long

term success. Though small, but the optimal participation of team members in decision- making gives them the impression of being a signiﬁcant component of the team. Effective communication is an essential aspect of a powerful team. This communication can be between the peer members of the group or with ofﬁcers outside. Various means of communication, including print, electronic, and web media, can be employed for this purpose. Effective communication at every level creates a strong team.

Instant conflict resolution is an integral part of an effective team. Due to opacity in work and diversity in the nature of team members, it is but natural for mutual conflicts to emerge. However, the sooner their root cause is identified and resolved, the better it is. Delay in this causes dissatisfaction in due course. It may even lead to explosive situations if it remains unresolved for a long time, thus deeply harming the team spirit. Conflict resolution can be accomplished through regular meetings and brainstorming, in which everyone can express his views. In this process, emotional stress is released, and new points of the strategy become clear, based on which effective plan of action can be formulated and implemented subsequently. Along with this, the development of potentials and skill improvement of team members is also necessary. The areas where the team members experience deficits in their caliber should be analyzed, and arrangements made for their development in those specific areas. The team can be empowered by providing knowledge of respective subjects,

language skills, technical skills, or lack of resources or by reﬁning other talents. This may be done by organizing workshops and training sessions for the members.

Maintaining team spirit is crucial. If competition among team members is not healthy and there is an increase in mutual distrust and hatred, then it can take a fatal form later. To prevent this, an atmosphere of mutual goodwill, fraternity, and harmony should be created by trying out activities like friendly games, collective training, picnic, etc. The sense of collective responsibility is essential for the team so that the brunt of any failure is borne by all, rather than blaming any particular individual for any unanticipated mishap. For this purpose, it is crucial to maintain the same level of enthusiasm with which the team was launched. If there is a shortfall, then appropriate remedial action can be taken after assessing the condition of the group, so that it can achieve its goal within the stipulated period. The success of the team can certainly be ensured by putting these rules into practice.

Know the Vital Importance of Digestive System

he energy that is spent continuously in physical and mental work done by our body gets replenished by the food we eat. The digested food after generating various juices, blood, fats, bone marrow, and semen eventually gets transformed into energy. However, it is not that the act of just putting food in the mouth would assimilate it into the body, or would it get converted into energy. This process involves the entire digestive system. Salivary juices secreted in the mouth, digestive juices in the stomach, bile released by the liver, and various digestive juices in intestines hold such magic that their mixing with food causes an amazing transformation of food. The conversion of plant-based products like food grains, vegetables, etc. into animal proteins, blood, and ﬂesh is a fantastic process. For this reason, the digestive system is fondly called a magic box.

The digestive system is the foundation of our lives. If a person has his digestive system in order, he can overcome all the obstacles that come in his way to good health. On the other hand, if this system develops any illness, then

despite all accessibilities, a huge mountain of difficulty would pile up. Often people believe that by eating expensive food items like milk, butter, dry fruits, etc. or eating nutritious foods and sweets and savories, they would become healthy and strong. For this, they buy high-priced foods and prepare them to increase vitality and vigor. But in the process, they forget that the credit of conversion of food to the energy goes to the digestive system. If this system is not in order, then whatever is eaten would not get digested and absorbed, and instead of entering the bloodstream would convert to stools and get ejected from the body. It needs to be understood that just as well-digested food enriches the body, food that does not digest well not only gets wasted by converting to stool but also harms the body by upsetting the system. Rice in a pot kept over a fireplace gets cooked when sufficient firewood is added, and the fire is stoked well. If only a few small pieces of wood are burnt, the water in the pot will not heat up; only the wood will get wasted and blacken the pot from outside. Rice will remain raw and uncooked. Likewise, when the digestive organs get weak and do not secrete digestive juices in sufficient quantity, the ingested food does not get digested, and whatever juices are secreted also get wasted. If this continues for some time, essential fluids of the body day by day keep emptying and do not get replenished from the eaten food. The treasure of juices slowly drains, making the body weak and vulnerable as it stops creating new blood. We need to thank Mother Nature that it somehow still manages to keep the body alive despite a shortage of fresh blood due to lack of proper digestion by using air, water, sleep, and all other means. If this provision were not

there, all people suffering from serious diseases would die in a few days because of impaired digestion.

Food is a live substance. If the chemical processes of the body do not digest and absorb the food properly, and if the chemical substances that inhibit decay are not being released in sufďŹ cient amount, then this live food in contact with air and water begins to disintegrate and rot. This rotting causes the release of gases, acid, and other poisonous substances, which start to disturb, burn, and destroy the body organs. Just like an out of control elephant, in place of being useful becomes dangerous to its trainer, master and other people in its vicinity, undigested and rotting food in the system results in several severe disorders. The gases produced by rotting are released through belching and passing winds from the body. The same gases, if they move upward, may cause headache, cold, and even more severe disorders like epilepsy, fainting, insomnia, and even insanity. If they move towards the mouth, they cause ulcers in the mouth, toothache, pyorrhea, swollen lips, drooling, etc. If the poison begins to roll in the stomach, it causes ďŹ&#x201A;atulence, belching, hiccups, dysentery, ascites, swelling in the liver, and so on. Whatever little digestion occurs also results in the generation of poisonous substances, which cause diseases like high blood pressure, palpitations, paralysis, arthritis, stones, leprosy, cancer, ulcers, patches on the skin, etc.

According to Ayurveda, a primary cause for all diseases is constipation. People whose digestion is not proper are more susceptible to contracting contagious diseases too. It is not possible to completely protect ourselves from infectioncausing microbes, because they exist everywhere in the surrounding air. With every breath we take, they enter our bodies with an unobstructed pace. Only people with pure

blood can protect themselves from them. Pure blood has so much radiance that microbes of even the most dangerous diseases get killed when they come in its contact. In times of pandemic, so many people voluntarily serve the sick or dispose of bodies of the deceased, yet they do not get affected by the disease. On the other hand, many others who take extreme care to protect themselves and take the best precautions yet contract the disease and die. The prime difference is in the purity or impurity of the blood. Though constipation and indigestion seem to be ordinary discomforts, the roots of almost all diseases lie within them. People keep searching for ways to treat their diseases but forget about their origins. To get rid of a poisonous tree, it is not enough to keep plucking its leaves. Instead, its roots need to be uprooted entirely. We keep contracting different diseases routinely and then run after new medicines and new doctors for the treatment. This is precisely like plucking leaves and forgetting about the roots. If constipation is treated and the digestive system is put back in order, the source of gases and poisonous substances will be removed, and the roots of all diseases will be destroyed. When pure blood is formed in sufďŹ cient quantity, its brilliance will remove all the previously set disorders of the body.

We can derive beneﬁts from so-called high-calorie foods when our digestive system is in the right state to digest them. Otherwise, high-calorie, high valued foods will cause more harm than simple, inexpensive food items. Our attention should be focused not on the expensiveness of food but on whether the food will suit our body or not. Health experts say that many times in a diseased digestive system, improperly digested food components begin to enter the bloodstream. The body tries to reject such impurities through painful processes. People who suffer from excess mucous in the nose and throat mostly also suffer from indigestion. Pimples and boils often are also the means to release blood impurities. Herpes and ringworm infections are also due to blood impurities that gather at various spots on the body and solidify like gum.

Everyone yearns to look beautiful. Many use numerous cosmetic products to look gorgeous. But a fake object always remains so. The outer makeup gets erased after a while and ugliness due to inherent ill-health resurfaces. A glow in the body and body’s expression in terms of shapeliness, softness, and natural tone is the true meaning of beauty. This beauty can be attained

only when pure and healthy blood ﬂows in the body in ample quantity. A body is considered healthy if it can work for long hours, it has zeal, and enthusiasm, the mind is alert, the sleep is sound, the eyes, teeth, and ears are strong, and all its organs are functioning well. Such a body naturally looks beautiful and becomes a center of attraction and attention for others. Those who yearn to look beautiful must know that all this is possible if the digestive system is in a good state. When the system of production of energy is working correctly, and this energy is not being put to misuse, then all the organs of the body become strong; the elements that enhance beauty get generated on their own, and the person begins to look beautiful. Even if a person has a fair skin tone and a good build but suffers from anemia and indigestion, he will look pale like a ripe mango, and his eyes, lips, and face would express sadness and lifelessness. In contrast, a person whose body is full of fresh blood would look healthy and energetic even if he is dark and ugly. Every organ of his body would display zeal and liveliness. Who will not call such a person attractive then? Beauty is not different from healthiness. And what is ﬁtness? A brief and precise answer to that indeed is the proper functioning of the digestive system.

Human life becomes worthwhile only when it is embellished with qualities like longevity, beauty, high working capacity, courageousness, being energetic, lively, enthusiastic, and so on. These qualities help us attain one outstanding worldly achievement after another in material life. Even spiritual attributes like patience, selﬂessness, and accomplishments like self-realization and liberation can be achieved with these. All physical and metaphysical powers can be attained only by people who are healthy and physically strong. Naturally, all of us want to be healthy, but sadly despite knowing everything, we ignore the golden rules of health. Let us resolve to follow them now.

tress is the response of the body and mind of an individual to any situation in which stress hormones are secreted, which brings the person to the state of alertness, readiness, focus, and preparedness. In this way, stress is a state of preparing the mind to face the challenges. Thus, stress can be considered as a positive element of life. However, it turns negative when it persists for long. Scientiﬁc researches have explicitly revealed that to a certain point, stress contributes to improving the performance, but after the peak point, it begins to have adverse effects on physiology and psychology of a person, and the performance begins to decline. In such a situation, the harmful effects of stress begin to manifest in the body, mind, conduct, and life of a person. This adversely affects his focus on his work; his memory weakens; decision-making power begins to fade, and procrastination increases. He may get stomachache and headache, his appetite either decreases considerably or increases out of proportion. He may also suffer from insomnia. Either he develops symptoms of irritability and anger or becomes completely isolated. He may become perplexed. Psychological disorders, such as fear, anxiety, frustration, hopelessness, tension, and depression, begin to dominate. Such a person does not dare to face the circumstances. In this state, a person may fall for intoxication and resort to sedatives for sleeping. His energy level drops, he feels exhausted, and his work potential gets reduced. Gradually,

the adverse effects of this begin to appear in the body in the form of various psychosomatic ailments, such as ulcers, high blood pressure, heart disease, obesity or leanness, diabetes, asthma, migraine, etc.

There can be numerous factors causing stress. We can broadly divide them into two categories of situational and psychological causes. Many circumstances become a cause of deep anxiety. Dejecting situations such as loss of loved ones, separation, and death, divorce, retirement, unemployment, chronic disease, delivery, mutual discord, ﬁnancial crunch, and disruption in routine give rise to intense stress. Moreover, sudden auspicious incidents like that of marriage, promotion, unexpected success, and winning of lottery also become a cause of stress. There is no direct solution to these circumstantial causes of stress. The person deals with them according to his mental capacity; their impact becomes lighter with time, and after a lapse of time, it is overcome. So, in a way, it can be referred to as ‘time-bound stress.’

There are also internal factors of stress related to the mental state, which are under the control of the person. These are often aggravated due to distorted lifestyle, the wrong pattern of thinking, and illusionary point of view. In such a situation, stress occurring every day is usually selfcreated by the individual. Ruined lifestyle, lack of clarity of goals, inability to prioritize tasks, haphazard routine, over-ambition, unsought rivalry, envy-hatred, etc. make life prone to negative stress. By ﬁxing these issues, a person can increase his ability to overcome anxiety. In this context, the following points can be kept in mind for stress management: 1. Analyze the root cause of stress. Once the reason is identiﬁed, try to take steps to overcome it. 2. Give proper attention to diet, sleep, relaxation, and exercise. Food is worth consuming, if it does not make the body dull and mind anxious. Rest can be taken for six to eight hours, according to one’s requirement. Regularly exercising in some way strengthens the inbuilt anti-stress mechanism. 3. Avoid multitasking; do one thing at a time, because multiple tasks at the same time cause stress. When none

of the tasks are done correctly, job dissatisfaction leads to stress. So, it can be overcome by doing one thing at a time. 4. A good company has its importance in relieving stress. Today, mobile phones have become a signiﬁcant cause of the wrong company and stress. Its moderate and optimal use can avoid unnecessary stress. Similarly, the company of optimistic people makes life happy. 5. Mutual ties should be kept healthy. Amicable relations within the family provide vital emotional support. In such a situation, stress resistance increases, and one could joyfully face the challenges of life. 6. Clarity of goal makes life successful, and lack of desires makes one happy, while extreme ambition gives rise to dissatisfaction and hence becomes the cause of stress. Life can be made simple and stress-free by reducing cravings and following the idea of ‘simple living and high thinking.’ 7. Completing the tasks based on priority is the correct approach. This gives relief from the unnecessary chaos and stressful situation of the last minute. Otherwise, stress becomes the destiny of a person. Due to non-adherence to this rule, so many students can be seen puzzled and perplexed at the time of examination. 8. Know your limits and learn to say ‘No.’ It is a fact that a person cannot do everything, nor can he please everyone. The art of knowing his limits keeps the person free from unnecessary pressure. 9. Stay away from negative people. Some people are a moving box of negativity. Keep such people at

bay. If you have to deal with them, then consciously have limited interaction with them. Being entangled with them in any form can invite heavy tension. 10. Take out time for yourself, do introspection, study inspiring literature (Swadhyaya), be in noble company (Satsang), and read motivational literature. These practices develop the prudence for reaching out to the root of stress and also suggest remedial measures. In this way, the rules of productive life could be understood even amid heavy tension. 11. Regular diary writing is an effective way to mitigate stress. The mind becomes relieved by penning down the pressure of the whole day. Due to this advantage, psychologists also use diary writing as a means of catharsis.

12. Association with nature is a simple and easy way to relieve stress. In the proximity of nature, one gets a touch of peace. Hence, walking or trekking in the natural environment alone or with family is a beneďŹ cial activity. The spiritual method of meditation can also be adopted to mitigate stress. If one cannot focus on meditating, then the universal practice of prayer can be tried anytime and anywhere. The heart feels light by expressing the inner feelings and sentiments before oneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s God, the object of worship, or spiritual mentor (Sadguru).

Disciplines of the Experiments in the Science of Mantras

he seekers / aspirant disciples of Mantra Vidy³ — the philosophy and science of mantras1, are supposed to first qualify in four prerequisites: (i) integrity and piety of character; (ii) mental stability and concentration; (iii) refinement of v³ñº2 and (iv) sincere adoption of the divine disciplines of morality and dutifulness, and imbibing the virtues of benevolence, humility, generosity, love, compassion, emotional sensitivity and equality for all the living beings, etc. It is essential for the success of an experiment in any branch of modern science that it is conducted by researchers with adept knowledge and experience; worthy discoveries too are made only by prepared minds. Similar is true for the s³dhan³3 experiments in the spiritual science of mantra[1]. Disciplines of Mantra-S³dhan³: Observance of Yama-Niyama (essential prerequisites of the yogascience) and specific training practices are prescribed as essential requirement for the success of Mantra S³dhan³. Most important and common yamaniyama for this purpose include — Brahmacharya (physical and mental

chastity); self-restraint over the tongue with respect to speech as well as eating habits; sincere attempts to abate the ego and selfish desires/tendencies; and constructive participation/ contribution in altruistic social service with serene sentiments of love, compassion, respect for others, etc. Thorough control over speech and thoughts, use of affectionate and respectful language in day-to-day conversation, mantra-based yoga-exercises of pr³nayamas and meditation, and practices of phonetics and music for proper pronunciation and for consistency of accents, rhythm, amplitude, provide substantial support in refining the Baikhari and the Madhyam³ V³ñºs2. Strict observance of higher-level spiritual disciplines, including truthfulness in every aspect of life, is essential for further refinement of voice for greater spiritual attainments. Belief in the boundless grace and beatifying love of the Almighty, and also in His absolute system, and hence in the importance of divine principles and high moral values, help awakening of ïraddh³4 hidden in the inner self. Ïraddh³ lends great support in facilitating adoption of the aforesaid values and discipline with gradual refinement of thoughts, deeds and behavior. Ïraddh³ also helps the s³dhaka in his truly hard struggle against his own vices and untoward intrinsic tendencies that pose major hurdles in the process of control over the mind, inner purification, and spiritual enlightenment. The holy Gºt³ states – ‘Yo Yacchadhdaya¡ Sa Eva Sa¡’ – meaning, one is what one’s ïraddh³ is’. Ïraddh³ in God and

unperturbed deep faith in the power of the mantra add specific force of consciousness in the s³dhaka and thus activate his vocal and mental speech (v³ñº) with the consonant energy of Ïabda (eternal, cosmic element of sound). Some Scientific Aspects: As it physically requires the use of vocal cord and movements of the tongue and lips, the role of v³ñº is more obvious in the process of mantra-japa5 and so is the relation between sonic vibrations and mantras. We are quite familiar with the power of sound in advanced scientific developments of infrasonic to ultrasonic devices, etc.; constructive potential of melodious music in mental creativity, and psychotherapy; and, the risk of its destructive effects in Noise Pollution, etc. But many of us might not have realized the fact that it is the (sonic) vibrations that are at the root of the enormous effects of sound. Noting this, we should now understand that the functional power of a mantra largely resides in the vibrations generated by its japa, and hence in its ‘sonic’ configuration. Scholars of Sanskrit and ancient Indian texts across the world have recognized the unique configuration of ‘sound’ (of specific syllables, phonemes, and their distinct combinations) in the Vedic Mantras. For example, in “The Garland of

Letters”, Sir John Woodroffe remarks that — The Vedic Varñas (syllables and phonemes – sonic patterns - used in Vedic Mantras) are eternal and represent in themselves and their variations all the possibilities of articulate speech in all languages [ref. 2] Recently reported advanced Neuroscience research (ref. [3-4]) shows balanced connectivity between the left and right brain and consequent soothing effects of reading/writing Vedic Sanskrit (and Indian languages emanated from it) and additional beneﬁt of signiﬁcant enhancement of the memory lobe by regular rhythmic chanting of the Vedic Mantras [ref. 5]. Further analysis of the available forms of the ancient scripts used in the Vedas and study of its scope may lead to research for advanced applications — ranging from mantra-therapy for holistic health to knowledgerepresentation in the intelligent computers, etc.

Our universe is a limitless ‘ocean’ of continuous flow of infinitely many electromagnetic and other energywaves, of which, only a few, namely, the audible, and the ultra and infra type sound waves; ultraviolet and infrared light rays; X-rays, Gamma rays, Lasers, Microwaves, etc, have been discovered and utilized via the modern technological developments. The wavelengths of these waves measure in a wide range –– from angstroms, microns and millimeters to centimeters and meters. The frequency (vibrations per unit time) and hence the energy and properties of these waves also differ drastically. Though subtly, similar effects apply to the energy fields generated by rigorous s³dhan³s of mantra-japa. Scientific Basis of the Recommended Practices for Mantra-S³dhan³: The properties of ‘physical sound’ have significant relation with the five basic elements (pancha tattvas) of Nature’s manifestation; for instance, the velocity of propagation of soundwaves is significantly different in air, water and inside the earth. The practice of Pr³ñ³y³ma, and the rituals of Arghyad³na, Dºpa-Dh¿pa and Havan – often prescribed with the mantra-s³dhan³ help positive conditioning of the mind. Considering the varied effects of sonic vibrations in

diverse substances, it also seems that these rituals may be playing supportive role to enhance soothing effects of the sonic powers associated with the ﬁve basic elements. Our ears and mouth (with the vocal-cord) play a very important role in listening and pronunciation of a wide variety of sounds and are therefore vital in the experiments of Ïabda Yoga (and N³da Yoga). No transducer or any advanced technological device could be so sensitive and perfect, as these ‘natural devices’ are. Our ears can simultaneously catch several different frequencies of sound in the audible range. So efﬁcient is their connection with the brain that, for a blind person, the ears also work like the eyes – a blind person can recognize different objects by sensing the latter’s sound (vibrations). Relation of the mind with the functioning of the ears is equally remarkable! At times, in absent-minded states or because of the disinterest or indifference of our mind, we do not really listen to what the person sitting next to us is telling! Whereas murmuring at some distant place can also be heard by us if our mind eagerly concentrates there. Such familiar experiences clearly explain the need for mental concentration and meditation during mantra-japa and other exercises of the Ïabda Yoga and N³da Yoga. The importance of mental chanting (japa) also is evident in the above context. Although, a mantra is chanted only mentally in this practice of Ïabda Yoga, its (the mantra’s) vibrations are well received in the connecting sensors of the tongue and the ears and are hence registered in the brain as per its sonic pattern and the ‘mental signals’ of its s³dhaka. In the s³dhan³s of N³da Yoga, the ears are trained by deep meditation and willpower to grasp the otherwise non-audible sounds existing in the cosmic expansion. With scrupulous continuation of such practices, the s³dhaka, while performing

the mental japa of a mantra, can hear (link his mind with) the sublime sound of this mantra and can thereby attract the corresponding energy-currents of the Omnipresent Ïabda. This, in short, is the secret of the supernatural powers attainable by Mantra-S³dhan³. Notes: 1. Mantra: A ‘verbal instrument’ (or ‘verbal formula’) of the mind, and for the mind, which liberates the mind (of all ignorance, vices, thralldoms, and worries). In the state of trance, the spiritual acumen of the Vedic rishis had realized the Vedic Mantras, as specific configurations/compositions of sonic vibrations (of psychically potent sounds/phonemes) which were consequently reproduced/uttered by them in the pr³k•ata language (Vedic origin of Sanskrit) and later on scripted in some specific symbols and syllables. A devotional prayer suddenly emerged in the heart of a true saint in the state of trance is also considered as a mantra. 2. V³ñº: The word meaning of v³ñº is voice. (In spiritual texts this is referred as the Baikhari v³ñº). It is a manifestation of the physical power of Ïabda and is used for vocal expression/ communication; the subtler form of this power expressed in the language of thoughts is called madhyam³ v³ñº. Dedicated endeavors and 3. Mantra-S³dhan³: experiments of the subtle science of sound aimed at activating the hidden power of mantras and conjugating the inner force of mind and vital spiritual energy with the omnipresent, subliminal flow of Ïabda. 4. Ïraddh³: Intrinsic faith, reverence and unflinching urge for divine ideals, values and virtues. 5. Japa: Repeated rhythmic mental/oral recitations/

chants (of a mantra) with meditation and emotional engrossment. References: 1. Acharya Sharma Shriram: Ïabda Brah®-N³da Brah®. “Pt. Shriram Sharma Acharya Samagra Vangmaya” Vol. 18. Akhand Jyoti Sansthan, Mathura. (1995) 2. Sir John Woodroffe: The Garland of Letters – Studies in the Mantra-Ï³stra. Ganesh & Co. Productivity & Quality Publ. Pvt. Ltd., Madras. (2001) 3. Singh Nandini C., et al.: Papers in Peer Commentary in Brain and Behavioral Sciences, Vol. 35(5), pp.302-303, (2012) and IJ Radiology and Imaging, Vol. 24(1), pp. 44-50 (2014) 4. Singh Nandini C.: Learning Hindi is good for your brain. h t t ps : // ww w. i n di a t o da y. i n / latest-headlines/story/learninghindi-is-good-for-yourbrain-59990-2009-11-04 (2014) 5. Hartzell J. F., et al. Brains of verbal memory specialists show anatomical differences in language, memory and visual systems. NeuroImage. Vo. 131, pp. 181-192. (2016)

ard work has great importance in life, but hard work that is only repetitive and lacking in any creativity can in no way be justiﬁed. Such kinds of hard work do not lead to any progress or excellence in life. Instead of carrying out routine laborious tasks, by developing new ideas, putting in focussed thoughtful efforts, adopting patience, and fostering creativity, we can build excellence and succeed naturally in life. For this, we need to understand the process of developing creative excellence.

Specialists have divided the process of creativity into four stages: preparation, incubation, illumination, and veriﬁcation. These four stages can be understood in the following way: 1. Preparation – This is the preparatory stage. Here, we try to extract as much information as possible by discussing with others, by contemplating and by brainstorming about a problem that we intend to solve, or a new concept that we wish to concretize, or about a new creative idea. So, we think about all aspects related to the problem or the subject, and after the best possible efforts of gathering relevant information, leave it for the second stage of incubation.

2. Incubation – This is the time for maturation. It is also the time for waiting and mental relaxation. We set aside and forget about the problem. We sleep over it and start doing something else. We allow the thought processes of our subconscious mind to work upon the new idea or the solution. As the subtle portions of the subconscious mind continue its processing, the results show up in the next stage as illumination. 3. Illumination – After a while, when we sit at our desk to look at the problem at hand, several new ideas related to the topic flash in our mind, and new innovative solutions spring forth. The new ideas can flash while walking or working or even in sleep. These are like moments of lightning in the sky of the mind. These ideas and solutions are noted, and their actual execution is worked upon in the next stage. 4. Verification or execution – In this stage, we implement the ideas and solutions and evaluate their utility. New thoughts are applied or are linked to existing concepts. If this verification process throws up significant shortfalls, then the entire process of preparation, incubation, and illumination is restarted to produce newer thoughts and solutions this time with greater insight and depth, and we take our activities now to their conclusion. This is the systematic and scientific process to carry out tasks with creative excellence. By mastering this process and balancing hard work with sufficient rest and joy, we can take our lives to new heights of success in a very natural way.

motional maturity is the basis of a successful, happy life. If a person is not emotionally developed, be it in a family or a society, he does not know how to handle mutual relationships properly. Amidst the ups and downs of life, he gets excessively emotional and often makes the wrong decisions. In daily life, we can discipline our thoughts, behavior, and conduct and maintain emotional balance. Here are some useful tips to attain this objective:

honesty and with full faith, has a positive effect, and you will feel more powerful and balanced.

1. Accept your emotions, accept yourself - The ﬁrst step is to understand your feelings. Try to understand the level and nature of your sentiments when you are dealing with different people. Figure out where your emotions are coarse, where you feel insecure and uncomfortable, and what you can do to reduce them. One should learn to accept feelings without judgment. The change will begin with this self-acceptance. You can improve your behavior by observing your emotions in every situation. Emotions can be reﬁned and matured by establishing control over them gradually, but it can only start with acceptance and understanding of your feelings.

3. The task is time-consuming, so you need patience - If you accept your situation wholeheartedly, then there is no reason to maintain a negative attitude. It may take some time to change long-persisting negativity into positivity, but an honest effort will ultimately bring results. The process of transformation begins once you reach the roots of unbalanced negative emotions. With this initiative of controlling negative emotions and encouraging positive sentiments, a new outlook is developed towards better possibilities in life.

2. Give positive expression to your emotions – Once you understand your feelings, you can jot them on paper and thus lighten the mind, and at the same time, get conceptual clarity. You can also share these feelings with a trusted friend or loved one who understands you. This helps in developing a positive attitude toward your sentiments. If this is not possible, then you can express your emotions in front of your God or Guru. This exercise, done with

4. Make sympathetic listening a part of your life - This is a simple but very effective formula for emotional development. When you listen to someone with your full attention, it acts as an ointment on the wounds of conﬂict and negative thoughts. This

creates an abundance of positive connection, trust, and closeness in a relationship. According to the famous philosopher Stephan Covey, when you engage in sympathetic listening, the “emotional bank account ” increases. Showing interest and attention, offering verbal or physical affection, giving compliments, listening, following through with commitments, showing understanding, apologizing, and showing up or spending time together are acts that offer connection and build closeness. Additionally, you become more sentimental, and there is an increase in the credibility and authenticity of your personality. A good physician wins the conﬁdence of the patient on such a basis and knows how to make his treatment effective. The same is true of effort made in the context of emotional development. 5. Adopt a disciplined lifestyle and austerities along with ethical conduct - This contributes signiﬁcantly to reducing your ego and increasing emotional development. In the same way, self-discipline and kind nature make the personality

powerful at the physical and behavioral levels. The refinement of the mind takes place in the furnace of austerities; it eliminates bad habits. This gives rise to a solid foundation for emotional balance, which gets augmented by engaging in selfless service. 6. Perform selfless service - It is a harsh truth that almost every action of ours is motivated by some selfishness, and there is a feeling of satisfaction of our ego somewhere in them. At the core of an emotionally impoverished person lies greed and arrogance, due to which he remains mentally disturbed, but is unable to understand his own situation. Therefore, by doing one task in a day with no selfish motives, one can enhance his emotional development. Ultimately, when providing selfless service starts becoming a part of our lives, our emotional development also picks up in pace. 7. Take the support of prayer and regular worship - Emotional development is the work of rooted emotions and faith, so worship is an effective way to bring about emotional balance. In moments of prayer, you try to connect to your God with emotional depths. When you are praying, you are at the peak of emotions, because then your longing is rising from the depth of your heart. These moments of spiritual communion with God become moments of emotional transformation, and during these moments of divine interaction, emotional development is occurring at the highest level. The miraculous transformation of devotees’ lives takes place on such a basis. By adopting the tips mentioned above, you can enhance your emotional balance. Yes, this is a time-consuming process, but it is also a sure way to happiness in life.

I Know Who You Are and Why You Have Taken Birth? [What is the difference between the Gita and Yug Gita? This question may arise in the reader’s mind. The Gita is an eternal flow of Krishna Consciousness that provides the solution to the problems of every man/woman in every era. Our Sadguru (spiritual master) ‘Param Pujya Gurudev Pandit Shriram Sharma Acharya’ may be regarded as Shrikrishna of the present age (Pragyavatar). A vast family (All World Gayatri Pariwar) got benefitted by his guidance. Whatever he preached and practiced from time to time, it has been presented in the previous issues of this magazine in the context of the Gita. It has been the effort of the author that his Sadguru - a symbol of the supramental mind and a guide to solving the present-day problems - should appear as teaching the essence of the Gita. While discussing the verses of the Gita, examples of several great persons have been given, but Guruvar’s thoughts have influenced this work most because while writing, he was the guiding spirit of the author. This way, this work may be called Yug Gita (the Gita of the present age). In the previous issue, we have completed the third chapter of the Gita. From this issue onwards, we are taking up the fourth chapter.]

he fourth chapter, named Gyanakarmasannyasayoga of the Gita, not only discusses the set of gyana, karma, and sannyasa, but it also elucidates four topics in detail. They are: (i) the purpose of Avatara, (ii) explanation of karma, akarma, and vikarma, (iii) Yagya and its philosophy, and (iv) Gyana and its signiﬁcance. All four are interrelated. The reader will understand their interrelationship when we discuss it in detail later. It is worth mentioning that Yogeshwar Shrikrishna is explaining Karmayoga in the ﬁrst six chapters. Along with it, He also brings into discussion some hearttouching points of Gyanayoga and Bhaktiyoga. Then, this chapter has also been named Gyana-Karma-Sannyasa Yoga. Some people understand that the Gita is meant only for the Sannyasis, or by reading it, a gruhastha (householder) becomes a Sannyasi. However, this is not so. This Gita has been described by one gruhastha Shrikrishna through the medium of another gruhastha Arjuna to all of us obeying gruhastha dharma or any

other dharma. So far as the meaning of Sannyasa is concerned, it is ‘Karmañ³® ny³sa¡ iti karma sanny³sa¡,’ that is, put your actions in the trust, or surrender the fruits of efforts to God.

This chapter Gyanakarmasannyasayoga begins with the afﬁrmation that this mystical knowledge of the Gita has come on Earth only through Him (Shrikrishna) – the Supreme Being. It has to be realized that He is the creator and controller of all the actions. The divinity dawns on a person once he understands His mode of working. Then he identiﬁes

himself with the all-pervading power governing the universe. Maharshi Vedavyasa has expressed the mystical knowledge poetically in combination with the Yoga of action. This is the specialty of this chapter.

Eva® para®parapr³ptamima® r³jarÌayo vidu¡ | Sa k³leneha mahat³ yogo naÌÚa¡ parantapa || (2/4)

Lord says that the Yoga of action that he has been explained in the previous three chapters is not his principle. This has been continuing as a tradition with full faith and devotion from the centuries. In fact, this has been the basis of Indian culture. This Yoga is quite mysterious. In the beginning, one may or may not like it, but one who understands it due to his ability or God’s blessings, he can easily complete this journey of life that is full of bumps. Right in the beginning, the Lord is saying why He is explaining it to Arjuna. Lord says -

Sa ev³ya® may³ te´dya yoga¡ prokta¡ pur³tana¡ | Bhakto´si me sakh³ ceti rahasya® hyetaduttamam || (3/4)

Ima® vivasvate yoga® proktav³nahamavyayam | Vivasv³nmanave pr³ha manurikÌv³kave´bravºt || (1/4) Meaning: I instructed this imperishable Yoga ﬁrst to Vivasvan (Sun-God, Surya), who taught it to his son Vaivasvata Manu; Manu proclaimed it to his son Ikshvaku.

Meaning: This was handed down in regular succession to the royal sages (saintly kings). This Yoga, after a long lapse of time, has been lost, O Parantapa (conqueror of enemies)!

Meaning: I am instructing you the same ancient Yoga, which is a supreme secret because you are My devotee as well as my friend. When Arjuna listens ‘Ima® vivasvate yoga® proktav³nahamavyayam (I instructed this imperishable Yoga ﬁrst to Sun-God.)’, he gets confused. Due to his inherent curious nature, he asks: Apara® bhavato janma para® janma vivasvata¡ | Kathametadvij³nºy³® tvam³dau proktav³niti || (4/4) Meaning: Your birth is recent, whereas Vivasvan (Sun) was born earlier. How am I to understand that you instructed this Yoga in the beginning? Here a curiosity has arisen due to the statement of Shrikrishna. Arjuna, being a worldly person, is considering that the Sun exists from primordial times. How and when Shrikrishna has instructed this Yoga to Sun? Ideally, Sun is the ﬁrst recipient of this imperishable Yoga. Why the Lord chose Sun? ‘Suvati karm³ñi loka® preraytºti surya¡’(One who inspires the entire world by his action to remain active is Surya). Handed down from Surya to Manu to saintly kings and after getting lost, now the Lord has made Arjuna a means to educate the

masses about this Yoga. Starting from Savita (Surya) - the deity of Gayatri – this knowledge of the Gita is reaching the masses through the Guru. This unique knowledge is a synthesis of Gita, Gayatri, and Guru. That is why the Gita becomes a must-read book for all of us.

‘I’ refers to Parabrahma (Supreme Spirit) When the Lord says, ‘I instructed this imperishable Yoga ﬁrst to Vivasvan (Sun)’ – then we should try to

appreciate the secret of this ‘I.’ It is not the ego of the Lord; it is a universal ego. It refers to Parabrahma (the Supreme Spirit). God is the name of supreme power/opulence/fortune. This Supreme Being taught the Yoga to Sun, and not Devakinandana, nor a lad who played with gwala-balas or gopis. This understanding is a must. What the Lord says – Bah¿ni me vyatºt³ni janm³ni tava c³rjuna | T³ny³ha® veda sarv³ñi na tva® vettha parantapa || (5/4) Meaning: O Arjuna! Many births of Mine and yours, have passed. I know all of them, but you don’t remember Parantapa.

Lord is revealing a mystery. All of us have taken several births and, in the process, have accumulated many experiences. Whatever we are today is the result of our past experiences. It is the wealth of knowledge accumulated in the previous births that is leading us to move on a righteous path in this life. However, we remain so much engaged in the day-today activities and engrossed in feelings of pleasure-pain, sensual excitations, raga-dwesha (intense feelings of like and dislike), arising from them that we do not become the observers of the life events.

That is why we remain unaware of who we are. Lord is saying the same thing to Arjuna, ‘You don’t remember, but I know who I was and who I am?’ The discussion is mysterious, indeed. The subject of Avatara-Lila (play of incarnation) requires an in-depth study. God appears in physical form and does His Lila. But the knowledge of this Lila is not possible without the grace of God or that of Guru. Even the seers/sages after going through arduous austerities cannot achieve this knowledge of Avatara-element. Puranas say that there were thousands of seers and sages in Naimisharanya. All of them saw Lord Shriram, but only a few could realize his Avatara form. Only rishi Bharadwaja worshipped him in incarnate form. Arjuna could not recognize Shrikrishna though he was his friend. With Lord’s grace, when he got the divine vision, he could realize the true form of Lord Krishna. How many of us could know or assimilate the fact that our Gurudev himself was an incarnated soul? We had always been saying, writing and singing his paeons of praise, then why didn’t we imbibe the virtues needed in the companions of Gurudev? Probably because we ourselves were ﬁlled with doubt. Neither we could know ourselves nor our Guru. Those who realized this truth got salvation in this life itself. Our ego becomes an obstacle again and again and compels us to claim the credit of doing work. We cannot digest even a little respect, and that indigestion is reﬂected in our behavior and talk. The assimilation of this process of incarnations not only makes our faith strong in Guru but also paves the way to our goal of achieving salvation from the shackles of greed, attachment, and ego. That is why it is essential to understand the alphabets (the basics) of this process of incarnations discussed in the fourth chapter of the Gita. [To be continued]

Change Your Perspective of Looking at Problems

ll of us face different kinds of problems in our daily life. But the definition of a problem and its significance differs from person to person. Some have small issues, while others have big ones. For some people, a problem is like a challenge, while for some other people, it is a complex puzzle that is unsolvable. For some, the problem is associated with an invention, while for someone else, it could be like a closed door that is difficult to open. For a few people, a problem is a minuscule like a grain of sand, while for others, it is vast like an unsurmountable mountain. The perspective of looking at a problem is what makes a problem appear differently to different people. Solving a problem requires the requisite ability and talent to handle it. There are many instances in life when a particular circumstance seems problematic to us just because we ignored it earlier. If we look at it from a psychological viewpoint, the studies show that any circumstance that we face in life, whether favorable or not, presents with an opportunity to enhance our abilities. The great philosopher Aristotle said – ‘The true meaning of a problem is not that we worry about it. Instead, we should put our full energy in resolving it to the best of our abilities.’ Our life is like a mirror, and we get good outcomes only when we look at it with a smile. In this context, we should realize what a powerful tool simplicity is. It can mitigate

the innumerable problems that we encounter in life. This is why we should set aside our ego and hatred and adopt simplicity to move ahead. Each person indeed wants to live the life of his dreams, but none can be sure if the circumstances will make it possible for that to happen. When we don’t have simplicity inherently within us, we tend to complicate our lives. Pessimistic thinking fuels this process. If we aren’t a simple person, we not only fill ourselves with negative thoughts but also influence those around us. So, we must avoid negative thinking. We can think positively only when we entertain good thoughts and think well of everyone around us. Each positive outlook is like a door that opens endless possibilities for realizing our dreams. This is a door that never closes; it is filled with light; it is that door that leads to innovativeness in life, and this door begins to close right from the moment we resort to negative thinking. As soon as negativity enters our life, either in the form of negative thinking, negative perspective, negative attitude,

or as anything else, it tends to establish in our life. It spreads darkness and clouds our thinking. Under such conditions, we stop seeing the road to our progress. As a result of pessimistic thoughts, any situation in life begins to appear as an insurmountable problem and scares us so much that we hesitate to move forward.

If a pessimist comes in contact with an optimist, he will surely rub off his optimism. If a person ﬁlled with positive energy approaches a person with suicidal tendencies, the mere presence of positivity can alter the will of the man and transform his thoughts. On one hand, negative thoughts can destroy a person’s life without a shred of doubt, while, on the other hand, positive thoughts will leave no stone unturned in bestowing happiness and solving the challenges of life.

Negativity makes us cut our own roots and make them hollow. We not only stop at that but also set about cutting others’ roots too. It takes over the life of a person to such an extent that he is completely heartbroken, despaired, and is enveloped in a thick blanket of sadness. Slowly, he enters the clutches of depression and, at times, even ends his life.

All the problems that we encounter in life are a way of improving ourselves, strengthening our resolves so that we may rise above them. But our negativity complicates the issue instead of focusing on the solution. On the contrary, positivity looks at the problem with such simplicity that they can be solved easily and quickly. The question no longer looks like a complicated puzzle but more like an interesting puzzle that the mind ﬁnds exciting to solve.

It is observed that only a person caught in the web of negative thinking tends to commit suicide. But a person who adopts a positive outlook never thinks of ending his life because he sees innumerable ways of moving forward in life. Positivity ﬁlls his life with laughter and happiness that extends beyond himself. He spreads joy wherever he goes.

In this way, simplicity is related to optimism, while complexity is related to pessimism. With a positive outlook, even the most complex situation can be quickly brought into control. In contrast, with a negative outlook, even the simplest challenge can be transformed into a complicated one. This is why we all must strive to embrace simplicity and positive thinking instead of complexity and negative thinking. The choice is yours – do you want to get into the whirlpool of pessimism or attain the illumination of optimistic thought?

fter the talk, Shriram had announced that he is ready for an open debate on any aspect of the ancient Indian texts and Indian Culture. He said, ‘People criticize my approach in their letters, discussions, lectures, and articles. They think I am doing wrong by allowing women and so-called lowercaste people to learn Gayatri Mahavidya and do the japasadhana of Gayatri Mantra. Not only in the Vedic times but in the later ages too, our great country has produced and revered many non-Brahmin saints like Raidas, Kabir, Dadu, Nanak, Meera, etc. The seer of the Gayatri Mantra, rishi Vishwamitra himself was not a Brahmin. Let people declare me as a traitor for the Brahmin Pandits. Let people expel or boycott me from the Brahmin community. I don’t care. Whatever title one may like to address me, and whatever caste or community one may like to assign to me, I will remain what I am. I will be proud to be of any caste. I will always be happy to be born in this great country. I accept any challenge of Shastrarth (open debate on the Shastras - Vedic texts). But it should not be merely a scholarly war of words or for the satisfaction of the intellectual ego of the debaters. It should at least lead to some conclusion — the defeated persons should change their views and prejudiced path.’ He had made this announcement loudly with a force of determination. It appeared that he is ready for the Shastrarth right away. People were stunned to hear this announcement. He said that he would be ﬁrm on this announcement throughout his life. But no scholar, Pandit, or anybody came forward to accept his challenge. It was not only a

vocal announcement, but Shriram also published it in his magazines. Later on, he got it published in several newspapers as well. After his speech the other day, nobody dared to criticize him openly. Still, there were some fundamentalists, who continued their criticism in their own lobbies and quietly tried to hinder his work in their own ways. Sometimes they used to spread ever-new rumors here and there or try to misguide people who wanted to help in the Gayatri Tapobhumi project. However, despite social and ﬁnancial hurdles, the expansion of Shriram’s work did not stop. The news of the Gayatri Tapobhumi project and Sahasranshu Brahmyagya for it was reaching more and more people across the country through the pamphlets, Akhand Jyoti magazine and personal contacts of volunteers. But in Mathura, the scenario was peculiar. The ﬁrst yagya in the yearlong series was organized near the Arya-Samaj crossing. After a week’s propagation and preparation by the volunteering parijans, hardly ten new persons participated in it.

In Mathura, Shriram had to face people from two extreme schools of thought. On one side were the orthodox, fundamentalist Hindu Brahmins, and on the other were the ultra reformative leaders. Both the streams of thought were mutually opposing and were not ready to see the common line of ideas. In terms of faith in the principles of Indian Culture, there was a similarity. Both the streams believed in the self-existence of one eternal force of Supreme Consciousness, the universal rules of the Almighty God, the authenticity of Vedic texts, the cycle of rebirth, the supreme law of karma, etc. But ironically, instead of looking at these foundational elements of Indian Culture and religion, most followers of these schools of thought were adamant on their contradictions. One stuck to rigid customs, rituals, and traditions, and the other was dead against all customs. Shriram’s path was in between; he emphasized on the essential elements of Indian Culture and supported only those traditions and rituals, the teachings or purpose behind which was relevant and useful today. He propagated wise reasoning rather than a blind following of rigid traditions. But at the same time, unlike the pseudo scientists or ultra-rationalists, he did not reject the customs and religious

practices outright without careful analysis. So, according to universal law of opposition, each of the two extreme streams of thought should have sought Shriram’s support. But it was a pity that in Mathura both were against Shriram. However, it did not perturb him. He continued marching forward in his prudent and balanced approach. That Special Festival of Geeta Jayanti! According to the Hindu calendar, it was the auspicious festival of Geeta Jayanti on the eleventh day of the bright lunar half in the month of Margshirsh, in Samvat 2009 (November 1952). That day in the afternoon, the registry of the bagichi land was done for the Gayatri Tapobhumi in the designate administrative ofﬁce of Mathura. The payment of rupees six thousand was already made to the landlord. Narayan Pandit and Shyamlal were the witnesses with Shriram. On the side of the bagichi owner Harichand, the witness was Mr. Vinay Patel. After endorsement and stamping, all of them exchanged sweets. Now the land was owned by the trust formed by Shriram for Gayatri Tapobhumi construction and management. Shriram and the volunteers accompanying him then went to the bagichi. Having observed everything around, Shriram said – “Today is the auspicious day of Geeta Jayanti. On this day, Lord Krishna had preached the Holy Geeta to Arjuna. The transfer of land in the name of Gayatri today is a memorable event”. He returned home after discussing the Tapobhumi construction plans and doing achaman with the Yamunotri water in the small well there. Winter was around the corner. The weather was slightly cold, so walking under the sun was quite pleasant. Moreover, they had been moving in the rickshaw since the morning, so Shriram preferred returning home on foot.

Back home, after washing his hands and legs, he was climbing the upstairs while he saw Taiji. After doing Pranam to her, Shriram gave her the good news of the conﬁrmed registry of the land for the Gayatri Tapobhumi. He noticed that her face was already glowing with cheer. Before he could say something, she said, “That is wonderful news! Now let me give you good news on our family front as well! Lakshmi (Deity of Prosperity) has arrived in our family in the form of your daughter.” Thus she broke the news of the birth of Shriram and Mataji’s daughter on the same day. After receiving this news, Shriram again touched his mother’s (Taiji’s) feet for her blessings. Then he went to his sadhana-upasana room. After spending a few minutes there, Shriram went to see the newborn. It was around 5 pm then. After some time, he came to his ofﬁce downstairs. Some visitors were waiting there for him. They had come from Jaipur to discuss the construction plans of Gayatri Tapobhumi. They wanted to see the place where Tapobhumi was to be constructed, observe its Vastu properties, and also take some Yamunotri water from the small well. They wanted to carry this holy water to their place and enshrine it in their puja-sthali.

glimpse of Lord Shiva. Sometimes the subtle body of dada guru (divine guiding force of Shriram) also used to appear suddenly to bless her in the dream. Interestingly she also used to hear the kilkari (joyful sound, cheering laughter) of a kid in between.

Shriram suggested that if they want to go right now, they will have to go on their own. He will be able to accompany them the next morning. They were eager to visit the Tapobhumi land. They went to see the site as per the direction given by Shriram. He saw them off till the gate. Then after doing his evening upasana, he got time to meet the newborn child. He recalled that the same morning Mataji was mentioning about a recurrence of a distinct dream that she had often been experiencing for the past couple of months. In this dream, she used to observe some forests surrounded by gigantic mountains. Sometimes she also used to see rivers ﬂowing quietly here and there without disturbing the serene silence of the region. At times she also used to get a sparkling

After the evening upasana-sandhya, while he was going to meet the newborn, his mind was also thinking about laying the foundation stone of Gayatri Tapobhumi on Purnima (fullmoon day) that was only three-four days ahead.

She had mentioned about this dream to Shriram earlier too. He used to say –“These kinds of dreams are reﬂections of her spiritual state. Devotionally inclined mothers may get such experiences during pregnancy.” Today morning when she had again talked about the same dream, he had said, “Today is the auspicious day of Geeta Jayanti, and we are going to get all the rights of the Gayatri Tapobhumi land that may also be the cause of this dream. You should be happy to experience such divine dreams.”

After meeting the child, he thought that her name should be related to Lord Shiva, as Mataji has been His devout devotee since her childhood. Every member of the family was enthusiastic

about suggesting names satisfying this criterion. While they were all discussing it at the time of meals, Taiji suddenly uttered four-ﬁve names – Shivaa, Gauri, Parvati, Shailbala. Then she herself, sort of, approved the last name in this list. So her beloved granddaughter was named “Shailbala.” Before going to bed, Shriram chalked out the program for the Tapobhumi foundation ceremony. He planned a small Gayatri Yagya (havan) on this occasion in which the local volunteers, friends, and parijans would participate. The following two-three days were more hectic towards preparations. After bhumipujan (worship of the soil before ground-breaking), Taiji kept the

ﬁrst brick as a mark of laying the foundation. Saint Swami Sharananand of Vrindavan was also present to bless Shriram on the occasion. After the yagya, they all had a meeting to discuss detailed plans of construction and mobilizing support from more people for the smooth processing of these plans. While they were discussing all this on the Tapobhumi ground, elsewhere in Mathura, some opponents were planning their own strategies. When they learned that Shriram and his associates are going to organize lecture-meetings and yagya (havan) at different places to let the masses know about the purpose and activities of Gayatri Tapobhumi, they also geared up their protest activities to obstruct such events. Most of these opponents were from among the ‘extremists’ of two religious disciplines. Among these were some Arya Samajis and traditional Sanatanis (Hindus). Though there also were some so-called modern thinkers, the number of such ‘rationalists’ was negligible. [To be continued]

astage of water during celebrations and functions is an unfortunate truth. Grand arrangements are made to celebrate an occasion, and when it is time for the meal, you will not find a place to wash hands. However, you will undoubtedly find plastic water bottles. Starting from 200 ml to 2 liters, you will find the entire range of plastic water bottles displayed at the counter. Whoever needs water to wash hands picks up a bottle, pulls open the seal, uses some water to wash hands, and throws the remaining water and bottle into the trash. Not just in discard tubs or trash cans, you will find these partially used and discarded bottles all around you. This is the sight that meets the eyes wherever you go. It is saddening to see rampant wastage of drinking water like this. Can’t we correct this folly and prevent this colossal waste? Can’t we arrange for normal and clean water in tanks or jugs for washing hands? This certainly is not an impossible task, but there are many reasons, some frightening ones too, why this seemingly possible thing is not possible. On one hand, drinking water is getting wasted, but there is mindless wastage of plastic bottles too. A bottle to wash hands, another to rinse the mouth, a third one to drink during the meal, a fourth, and a fifth probably to wash hands after the meal. Thus, it is customary to use 5-6 bottles of water per person. Plastic glasses and bottles are not only dangerous to the environment but also harmful to the person who is consuming it, which is why we must discourage their usage.

Today, we see the usage of bottled water being encouraged everywhere. There is no restriction on their use in any form. In fact, it is being looked upon as a matter of prestige to drink bottled water. Eating and drinking in use-and-throw utensils made of plastic or thermocol or aluminum foil is becoming a fashion statement. Each and every function sees the use of truckloads of this use-and-throw material, which at the end of the event, ﬁnds its way into a dangerous garbage pile. These materials are light-weight and hence get scattered all around the place. This garbage is a blemish to the beauty of our villages, towns, and in fact, to the entire planet. Not just in big cities, disposing of garbage safely is a serious problem even in small villages. In the name of some industrial and economic progress, consumerism is increasing at an alarming rate. ‘Use and throw’ culture is aggravating the problem further. Is it not possible to use durable utensils made of metal or glass or earthenware

instead of use and throw materials like plastic, thermocol, and aluminum foil? Is it not possible to use eco-friendly disposable plates and cups made with leaves and other natural stuff? Don’t you agree that making these things can encourage small-scale industries and provide employment to many people in rural areas? Don’t you think that this will slow down the depletion of natural resources and reverse the ill-effects of industrialization to some extent? Nothing is impossible if we work steadily with noble intentions. Instead of bottled water, can we not set up drinking water in tanks and jugs? Well, it is very much possible, but water worth a few hundred rupees cannot then be sold for thousands of rupees and do business out of it. It is purely for commercial purposes that something so inexpensive as water is being marketed at more than 100 times its actual worth. Not just that, it is resulting in a colossal waste of a precious natural resource while worsening it for the planet by

generating mountains of garbage that is not biodegradable. This is nothing less than gambling with public health. Many times the water provided as bottled mineral water is not even safe to drink. Not only does that water emit a foul odor, but it also tastes stale and salty. Pure water is odorless, colorless, tasteless, clear, and transparent. But today, the water being sold as mineral water has no promise for passing any criteria for quality. More often than not, groundwater is directly extracted and ﬁlled into bottles. The quality of water is far from qualifying as drinking water. It is not even ﬁt for being used for other purposes. This not only poses a considerable risk to public health but is also a case of plain dishonesty and immorality. This is a public crime for all the harm it is doing to people and nature alike. Not just in our country, but the entire world is seeing the domino effect of ecological decline. This situation calls out for not just limiting and controlling the quantity of consumption but also the methods of consumption. We should change our preferences and gravitate towards reusable things. The judicious use of water and other resources is the secret for conserving the environment and reducing pollution. This can only happen when we change our habits and attitudes. Let us move towards adopting a balanced and positive outlook. Water bestows life, and it should be respected and conserved.

Family is the Prime Training School of Spirituality - III

The Spine of Spirituality: riends! Spirituality is the focus of my life, and I will talk only about that. What else would I teach you except spiritual knowledge? In this discourse, I am trying to explain to you the core meaning and principles of spirituality. If you ask for simple explanation, I would say that generosity and emotional sensitivity (pure love, compassion) are the roots of spirituality. Benevolent conduct and altruistic service nurture these roots. Purity and clarity of mind support its growth. The seed of spirituality is naturally planted deep inside your ‘heart’ (emotional core); it readies to sprout the moment you realize yourself as a human being born with divine duties of adopting and spreading goodness; a natural nourishing ambience for its sprouting is also available to you in the form of your family.

As I had just discussed, if you grasp and follow the core philosophy of family life, you can easily practice and adopt the principles and values that are pivotal to spiritual development. The feelings, values, and ideals of humanity lay the foundation of spirituality. Most of these also constitute the core of family-life — for example, the quality or tendency of sharing and caring, the tendency of distributing your own joys among others, the tendency of sharing others’ sorrows, the tendency of helping the needy, the feelings of compassion, the

natural practice of restraining selfinstincts for the sake of others (e.g., for the little children), etc. I am sure that you would feel sad if any of your near and dear one is suffering in some pain or serious trouble. This is because the bonds of love generate a feeling of oneness among the loved ones. But what about those who are not directly in your family-relation? Won’t you feel sorry and even weep upon, for instance, the untimely death of a three years old child of your neighbor who was known to you? Why? Was he your own child or your blood relation? Did his death cause you any harm or injury? So what if he has passed away? Why should you cry? You see, this is what reﬂects the characteristic of a good heart— the natural ﬂow of compassion, the tendency to feel the sorrow of the people around you. This is why you feel sad and sympathize with the grieving relatives of the victims when you read or hear about tragic deaths of innocents in some riots or during some natural calamities, etc. I advise you to expand and deepen the domain of this great feeling of your heart, this tendency of familybonds, which inspires you to share someone’s grief/agony. You should not

only feel and share the sorrows of the needy but should also try your level best to help allay their pains, help them get rid of the acute problems. Without this unbounded compassion and sentiment of selﬂess service, you won’t be able to climb any steps of the ladder to reach spiritual heights.

Correct Interpretation of Scriptural Narrations: Time and again, I am telling you that only holding a rosary and chanting God’s names, or doing the rituals of His worship are NOT important in spirituality. Unless you do so with an intrinsic feeling of cultivating or nurturing divine virtues in this process, you better, don’t waste your time and efforts in these superficial activities. Some of you might wonder as to what about the narrations in the “Purana” and other religious scriptures where an angelic priest sings paeans in the praise of divine powers, and narrates how the worship of a deity in a specific manner, on a specific day, removes all adversities and showers unlimited divine grace,…. etc. For example, Naradji preaching about the Satyanarayana P¿j³ and telling that simply eating the pras³da of this puja with respect and faith will solve all problems! But then, why don’t you just distribute this pras³da among more and more people and this way uproot all the problems, all the sufferings from the world? Or still better option is, to do the p¿j³ well in advance and eat the pras³da so that the adversities won’t even occur. This is all laughable. What do you think of God? Is He so dumb, or so thirsty of the offerings of worship that He would shower His boons and divine grace upon anyone in return of some superficial rituals or loud chanting of His praise? Please get rid of all such illusions and blind faith and baseless beliefs. Try to understand the meaning implied

in the scriptural narrations. Realize that “Satyanarayana” represents the divine superiority of Satya (truth); the p¿j³ (worship) of which can be performed only by having absolute faith in the power of truth, following the path of truth, and being truthful in all circumstances of life. Similar is true of various stories of different gods and goddesses and the miracles of their worship, etc., described in the religious scriptures. You must attempt to understand the teachings behind them in the righteous light, i.e., in the light of — the teachings of great saints, their sagacious writings/discourses. The lives and words of great human beings, across the globe, would offer necessary guidance to you in this regard. Always remember one simple fact that there is nothing like a magic or miracle in spirituality. If you can’t uproot your blind faith and preposterous convictions, please don’t even talk of spirituality.

Well, some of you might have rightly grasped the teachings implied by allegoric scriptural descriptions and understood that the rituals of worship, and practices of japa (rhythmic chants of divine mantras, with mental and emotional engrossment), etc., are there mainly to train and condition the mind for spiritual endeavors. Still, you may find it very hard to practice the ascetic disciplines of self-refinement and to imbibe great virtues. That is quite natural. No one can jump to the higher goals of spirituality. You have to proceed step by step. This is what I try to teach in my discourses. Key Principle of Spirituality: Your kindness, magnanimity of your heart, etc., will be nothing more than an emotional excitement unless they are expressed in actions. Timely and selfless service of the needy is the best way of its constructive expression and worthy utilization. If your child falls sick in your family, you offer your help instantly and try your level

best for his/her healing. Your body is not suffering any pain or illness, but you feel the pain of your child. Your mind remains somewhat upset till your child recovers. You also worry and voluntarily rush to help your other loved ones in the moments of their needs, as you feel concerned about them. Do you ever care to help others outside your family and friend-circle, e.g., some children in your neighborhood, who might not have anybody to look after them? You might have watched a movie titled “Brahmachari”. I have not watched it, but I have heard that the hero of this ﬁlm was a “Brahmachari” (celibate), who used to love children, but he did not marry and did not have a family of his own. Instead, he spread his love to the needy; he gathered orphan children who used to live on the streets around his house. He took the responsibility of upbringing them. Despite his meager resources, he arranged for their schooling also; he would take them to the school, cook for them; he would sleep only when all of them would fall asleep. He was a bachelor, but he ‘had’ twelve children! Why don’t you try to become like him? You may not be able to bring all the needy in your house or look

after them. But what about helping at least a few helpless children or patients in your best capacity? Can’t you even shower your goodwill and love upon them, give them your time and offer some help? Why do you want to remain trapped in the narrow closet of your possessiveness only for your blood-relations? You may find numerous reasons and limitations in not being able to offer any social service. But in reality, the real barriers are your false selfidentity, your selfish attachments, and your ignorance or neglect of the great worth and potentials of human life. Forget about spirituality; you are not even worth being called a true human being if you are selfish. Your own children are so dear to you that even when they are grown up, you always want to do something for them, offer them (and even their children) some gifts, and spend all your time with them. What’s more, you don’t even expect any thanksgiving or acknowledgement from them! But when it comes to doing something for society, you want all recognition. Why is it so? Please note, service of the needy is worth only if it is unconditional, selfless. Possessing and using all your resources for your own self or for your narrow domain of ‘family’ and

not doing anything for others is wrong, as this way, you are being ungrateful to the society; this is also a crime like burglary or theft. Mind you, if you remain trapped in the mire of selﬁsh possessions, and neglect your duties toward the society, towards the needy, in God’s system, you will be regarded as a sinner. Why do you complain about not being able to do anything for the society due to the lack of time and resources? Tell me, don’t you ﬁnd time if some extra work is required for some blood-relation in the family? Don’t you spend extra resources on some celebrations in the family? Wouldn’t you have managed your family even if you had somewhat lesser resources than what you have at present? Don’t you share your possessions? Don’t you donate your time, your capabilities to do your level best for your family’s joy? Then why can’t you expand the scope of sharing something for some help of others who need it? You spend money and other resources as offerings in the temples, arrange religious functions, spend a lot in feasts and traditional customs, etc. Instead of all this, why don’t you use those resources in educating the needy children, or offering some help (at least your time!) in the healthcare of some poor elderly citizens who are helpless and weak? You have wonderful planning and management skills when it comes to family’s welfare and progress. Why don’t you apply these in planning and managing your time and resources so as to have some fraction of these kept for altruistic service/ help of the needy outside your family?

I am not saying that you abruptly shower your hard-earned resources upon the cheaters and liars who fetch your help on false pretexts. Be careful! Remember that there is a difference between emotional excitement and emotional

sensitivity. Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be careless or let someone make fool of you, or deceit your kindness. You are matured; you should be aware and alert in whatever you do. Use your prudence, your intelligence to identify the needy, the needs of the society; think and identify what is the best you can do to help some needy in a constructive way; how best you can contribute to the progress and welfare of the society, in your present circumstances. You may also identify some organizations/ people who are offering genuine services of the kind you would also like to offer; working jointly with like-minded friends/groups may be easier and more productive.

head every day in its feet. But I am sure, if you do something for the society, it will reciprocate the same in the form of respect, cooperation, or some other way someday. In any case, the wellness and progress of the society (your larger family) will, in one way or the other, also add to your happiness and progress.

(To be concluded in the next issue)

I do not know whether and how you expect the stone-idol of the deity sitting in a shrine or at the place of worship in your house would help you; it canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t even convey its thanks for your valuable offerings; for you bowing your

t has been commonly observed that people celebrate their success and feel happy about their achievements but get frustrated and disappointed in failure. On the contrary, wiser people neither feel delighted about achieving success nor get distressed in the loss. For them, real pleasure lies in doing their work. In fact, the pleasure attained while doing work is the biggest reward of labor because if one does not enjoy his job, it appears as a burden. Any assignment, done half-heartedly or under pressure, lacks excellence. On the other hand, when a person gets so engrossed in his work that he forgets about the time and space, then it provides absolute pleasure to him. Only such dedicated efforts make one experience the meaningfulness of life. If the mind is undecided and skeptical while executing any work, not feeling involved or concerned and procrastination persists in mind to avoid the job, it shows that the job at hand is not of mind’s inclination. However, quite often, we have to pursue many such tasks we are not interested in, but

they are significant for us; we have to do them, and gradually we start finding them pleasing. For example, kids have an innate inclination for playing, they love fun and frolics, and studying is always a secondary choice for them. But once they are convinced about the importance of education, they begin to understand the significance of the study, and then they stop escaping from it. They then work hard on the course, and later on, acquiring more and more education becomes their life pursuit. Students who succeed in their examinations rejoice on their hard work done during the study, and the ones who fail mourn that whatever hard work they did to achieve success has gone waste. Yug-Rishi once said – ‘Failure only proves that efforts for success were made half-heartedly.’ It is true that failure hurts, and success pleases every person. It is also true that failure is a result of work done half-heartedly and lacking commitment. However, if a person identifies his shortcomings and learns from his previous errors, then failure can become a driving force for future success. Plenty of examples are available about the persons who reached pinnacles of success, winning over innumerable failures. These persons neither got frightened with failures they faced nor were disappointed; instead, they learned lessons from their imperfections, which helped them to do away with their repeated flaws and errors, and they finally succeeded. It is our efforts that make us happy or distressed and not success or failures as is understood otherwise. The fact is only that process of doing as well endows an esthetic feeling to the doer and gratifies the heart.

To intellectually grasp the signiﬁcance of doing work, one should choose any day when he does not have to do anything except lying idle and that too, without any entertainment. This situation reveals how a restless mind can behave in those restrictive conditions when it can’t do anything. In fact, the mind wants to be engaged in activities whatsoever. Every time it keeps on thinking what to do next, it always keeps on blissing out in its fancies. But when this tranquility of ecstasy of mind is broken, it gets irritated and becomes impatient, which ultimately holds it back from engaging in work willingly.

perceived the treasure of pleasurable contentment and gratiﬁcation of soul, while an ordinary person quests for that treasure in the external world. The inner wealth is inexhaustible and is an eternal source of incessant beatitude. On the other hand, the wealth of worldly possessions in the outer world is transient, perturbs, and causes mental and emotional disruptions.

If the mind is controlled and steered to put efforts in any direction, then gradually it begins to rejoice in its activity. All the inventions in the world have been made with the deepest engrossment for the object. Innovative devices came into existence by the use of ingenuity when the mind got more and more deeply involved to concentrate in a speciﬁc discipline. All of the scientists so far have invested their hours and days in exploring innovative ﬁndings; only then they have been able to get the fruits of their crucial efforts. It is not wrong to say that every human is precious. The difference between a wise person and a common man is that an intelligent person understands his worth and has already

Indeed, worldly materialistic pleasure can’t be acquired by internal treasure, but this is equally true that an abundance of valuable material possessions can’t help a man realize the state of subtle blissfulness. Ideally, this blissful state can be achieved by considering every work as God’s work and doing it enthusiastically. Maintaining equanimity and without expecting the fruits of one’s actions, it is possible to enjoy any work.

am a poor farmer. Our world is confined to our village, our farm. I have spent all my life in the fields. I cannot sleep under the roof. In the rainy season, I seldom sleep under the shed. I have earned thousands of bucks through hard work. During childhood, I did not get cooked food, so it became a habit to eat raw. This continues even today. So I eat everything uncooked. I love animals and don’t eat non-vegetarian stuff. Alcohol is prohibited in the Quran, so I always refrain from it. I consume goat milk and work diligently for eight hours. I enjoy climbing mountains, swimming, and digging wells. Six hours of sleep is sufficient for me. I take a bath twice and worship to adore the Almighty. My life is full of happiness.’ These are the words of Raza Baka, hailing from the Egyptian village of Ghazi, whose health is marveled with amazement in the present time. Numerous health experts from Sweden to California have carried out extensive research on his health in the past several years and praised the fitness of Baka. Even at the age of hundred and seven, this 5’8’’ tall gentleman weighs 123 pounds, has no wrinkles on the body, retains all his teeth intact, has a straight spine, and sharp eyesight. He appears as a young man even at this age. There is no sign of debility, disease, or infirmity in his body.

Various medical experts and health practitioners have come out with their inferences regarding this. Still, most of them have a consensus on the fact that the primary reason behind his constant good health is - natural lifestyle. It is also revealed from his statements mentioned above that he has incorporated Nature in every aspect of his life. Nature is capable of keeping

us completely healthy and strong for a hundred years. By staying with Nature, following a natural diet, and living a natural life, one can attain his full age and enjoy sound health and well-being until his death - this is a truth beyond doubt. Upon thoughtful analysis, we find that Nature grooms and fosters us in the same way as a mother upbrings her progeny. From feeding to physical cleansing, Nature serves everyone with complete readiness. If it fails in this task, then even human sustenance would become difficult. It is not in favor of human beings to stay away from Nature and pursue an artificial life. Instead, we can get the boon of health and fitness only by staying in the lap of Mother Nature. We depend for our survival and existence on natural resources like plants, herbs, air, water, and sky. By living in their proximity, we can fulfill the necessities of health; but we continue to destroy these assets in negligence, without having even the slightest concern for our future or that of the generations to come. As a result of abandoning natural life and violating the rules of Nature, we have to suffer

from diseases and physical infirmity. Does one wonder from where have these diseases originated? One may find solace by putting the onus on one or the other thing or accusing the divine for the mishap, but the fact is that these ardent situations regarding the health of man have come to the fore due to grossly unnatural ways of living. The treatment is also one; it is that one is to return to Nature and incorporate it into every aspect of life. The green cover protects our life. Trees consume the toxic elements like carbon-dioxide and polluted gases produced by human beings and, in exchange, emit oxygen, the principal means of our survival. Other vital products like fruits, vegetables, flowers, medicines, etc. are also obtained from them. They are the cause of rains and protect us from the high intensity of the wind. Nature is our life-saver, and we can make our life equivalent to heaven by living in its proximity. However, man is now drifting away from this principle. The passion for planting trees is diminishing; instead, the forests are being destroyed ruthlessly. His pursuit of overpowering or destroying Nature can put his own life in danger, and this is distinctly evident in the growing incidence of diseases all around. We can be happy, healthy, and blissful in keeping in tune with Nature. Love for Nature is essential for the vividness. This brings contentment, enthusiasm, joy, peace, and radiance in life. A stroll in the carefree morning augments the physical and mental stamina, infuses liveliness, and boosts vitality. Nature dramatically aids in keeping the mind blissful and bringing inner peace. This was the reason why the abode of sages had always been amidst dense forests. The chirping of birds, the melody of springs, and the fragrance of flowers give

great pleasure to the body and mind. This increases vitality and the element of life and leads to the development of noble tendencies in our hearts. The proximity of Nature destroys indifference, mental discomfort, and dullness. This gives to the human mind, the wisdom of leading a systematic lifestyle. The love for Nature is the driving force behind the motivation of keeping cleanliness and embellishing the house. Nature has the paran o rmal power to inﬂuence the developm e nt of artistic attitude and ﬁrmness of character. The golden rule to lead a healthy and joyful life is that every activity of our life should be inclusive of Nature. The sound health of people like Raza Baka of Ghazi had been a common th i ng in this country, but it was at that time when Nature was the basis of our life. Today, health has become a se r ious concern because we have forgo t ten it. If we could again take refuge with Nature, then there is no reas o n that we could live a life of less t han a hundred years. Nature is the b asis of our survival; we should not m o ve out of its lap. Instead, we should stay in its shelter and endeavor t o attain happiness, health, and wealth.

ndia is the country of young talents. All we need is to identify and nurture them. Not even a decade had passed when we used to discuss 'Brain Drain' – the immigration of the finest talents from our country. In the 1990s, most of the educated and qualified people in our country used to go to other countries in pursuit of better pay packages and opportunities for career growth. In fact, Indians' love for foreign countries has led to the prospering of America's Silicon Valley. Today, the scenario has completely reversed. Youth as human resources is the strength of our nation. As a result of this transformation, a large percentage of Indian youth are looking for employment in their home country. There are cases when they even overcome the ambition for a better salary too. The premier management school, Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad, has seen a rising trend in students rejecting lucrative job offers from foreign countries. Some students do not even participate in campus placement because they have decided to launch a start-up in their home country. National Institute of Design (NID), which has seen its students racing towards foreign countries for many years, has also been experiencing a reverse trend where the students prefer jobs in Indian companies. This is the atmosphere prevalent in all emerging domains too. Staying in India now for a lesser salary is like investing for a brighter future and better pay later. Students like Prabhajeet Singh, Nikhil Vaswani, Vineet Ladia, and Shraddha Vaidya, who have declined foreign job offers, are confident about India's future growth. The new generation of students is all under the impression that India's progress, in the long run,

can overtake America, Russia, and Europe too. One may get higher pay and better comforts in other countries today. But within a few years, the entire world would run towards India in search of better job prospects. Being Indians, we have a better understanding of the local markets and their requirements. This is the very reason why people who choose to stay here will have a better future than those who left the country.

This is nothing but the implicit faith of the youth of the country, which made them refuse a job offer that pays ﬁve times what they can earn here. This should have sent a blow to all those foreign employers who so long believed that it is easy to brain drain India. Another indication is also from the fact that many NRIs are looking for ways to return to India. Another exciting and pleasant aspect of the whole thing is that patriotism is playing a role in creating a barrier for Indians to move to other countries. This generation of youth understands its responsibilities towards the motherland. They not only

believe that they can achieve progress here but also nurture the thought that they have taken a lot from the country, and it is their turn to give back. A batch of IIM students is saying that our country needs highly qualiďŹ ed and educated youth now because it is taking strides at all-round progress and touching upon various aspects of the same. These students have time and again declined lucrative offers from foreign companies. They want to stay in the country and work for developing the next generation. A question does arise that India has been on the path of progress for several years now. What has happened, especially now, that has led to this transformation in thought? Farid Zacharia says, 'One of the reasons is that the progress in India is not like in China where the government drives the development. The journey of growth here is not organized, which is why there is a need for qualiďŹ ed and capable human resources.' When things are unorganized, management becomes all the more pivotal. Orderliness, style of working, and hard work are the pillars of governance. It is not just India's

success that is motivating the youth to stay in the country; their love and responsibility towards the nation are also playing a huge part in the decision. Indeed, the joy of working in one's own country is beyond everything. It also gives us a chance to handle challenging situations that only a country like ours can provide. This is an attraction for some management graduates, who weighed more in their decision to refuse rewarding foreign job offers. When success is blended with a sense of belongingness, joy and accomplishment become manifold. Our near and dear ones take great pride in seeing our success, and this gives rise to self-conďŹ dence. Anyone aware of this truth would like to work in such a setup. This is precisely what is happening right now. This trend probably will gain momentum among the youth of the country. Let us all work towards making this happen.

t each moment of our daily routine, we are required to influence someone to achieve our objective. One cannot do it in the absence of adequate inherent soul power. The power of the soul is reflected in the personality of man. An individual having a dead face, lusterless eyes, and a voice laden with inferiority is always treated with disrespect. People are naturally attracted to centers of power, where they expect to get something or the other to meet their requirements. It is in the nature of man to acquire things than to give. Infirmity in an individual appears to invite help, which means giving or parting with something personal. Therefore, everyone tends to avoid an unhappy person. Looking at a lusterless, sad face makes one feel depressed. On the other hand, the radiance of a gleaming face appears to radiate happiness. People happily come forward to help a person having a vibrant personality. The subconscious mind conveys the message that such persons are capable of “giving.” Wherever an individual having an assertive personality goes, he is welcomed and treated with respect. His advice is considered valuable. People having views contrary to such a person feel timid in expressing their dissent in his presence, and everyone is eager to tow his line. Only such individuals who have an assertive personality by their power of soul become skilled businessmen, successful advocates, prosperous farmers, arbitrators, or influential preachers. On the contrary, an individual having a lackluster personality always remains unhappy and does not bring cheer to anyone

meeting him. Therefore, for success in any field of life, it is essential to develop an influential personality by enhancing one’s power of the soul. Developing unshakable confidence in one’s inner strength is the key to the enhancement of soul power. Considering oneself a trifling, weak, worthless, or inferior individual is like committing suicide. Gurudev Pandit Shriram Sharma Acharya used to say that man is not a petty creation of God. He is the immortal son, the crown prince, of the king of kings - God. God did not create him to live like a worm and die like a dog. Also, remember that it is not fair to be proud of one’s superiority over other beings of the world. Considering material things as personal and being proud of relationships with things of the world is ignorance. The true self is not the body with which one relates to the material world. Self-respect does not mean being respectful to one’s body and proud of its relationships.

Introspection of the divine attributes of the soul is knowing one’s true self. This endeavor itself is an act of virtue, duty, and respecting the real self in true sense. It isn’t very reasonable to equate egoism with self-respect. One who believes in having a holy spark of divinity within the self cannot be disrespectful to one’s self. On the other hand, considering oneself as a non - entity means distancing oneself from God. Keep on repeating the mantra: “I am a spark of divinity” as an auto-suggestion. It will give you miraculous powers. “So´ha®”, the principal mantra of Vedas, is well known. Literally, it means, “That (God) is I (the real self)”. In other words, it signiﬁes that I, the individual real self, exist as part of His omnipresence. The more this passion gets entrenched in mind, the higher would become the luminescence of the power of the soul within. In the book titled “Who Am I”, Gurudev has described a detailed exercise for imbibing such a passion. Conceptualizing one’s soul like a bright luminous star as the sun, visualize the world (people, places, things, and events related to you) rotating around it like planets moving around the sun. Cultivating purity of thoughts assuredly develops the power of the soul. In his book “Swastha Aur Sundar Banane Ki Adbhut Vidya” (Unique science of becoming healthy and beautiful), Gurudev has discussed how the celestial effulgence of the soul is covered by the environment created by vicious thinking. If one could deviate from thinking about sex, anger, greed, jealousy, hatred, sin, and hypocrisy and instead adopt a love for humankind, virtues, compassion, and benevolence in life, the excellence of the soul would appear in the sense organs, making the individual extraordinarily assertive.

Bhavanti namr³starava phalodgamai¡, a®bubhirbh¿mivila®bano ghan³¡ | Anuddhat³¡ satpuruÌ³ samruddhibhi¡, swabhav evaiÌa paropak³riñ³m ||

Akhand Jyoti Sept-Oct 2020

Articles inside

Lets Endeavor Collectively to Usher in the bright Future for Humanity

Dynamism of mind