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SRI RAMA*: MODEL HERO AND WARRIOR OF HINDU HISTORY SADHU VASWANI
Sri Krishna in the Gita refers to Rama, as belonging to the warrior-class. Rama is depicted as a model warrior, a typical Kshatriya. Sometimes we think of him as an obedient son, and again as a tender and devoted husband. Sri Rama, too, is a good king for whom the praja (subjects) have tender love and devotion. This bhakti of the people for their great hero, Sri Rama, is reflected in the festival of lights, the “Deepavali”. The spirit of heroworship, while growing in the West, is declining in India. Veer pooja, Veer bhakti, shaped India’s life in the long ago. Hero-worship has a characterbuilding value. Hero-worship is one of the secrets of nationbuilding. This truth is better understood today in the West than in India. *April 14 is sacred as Ram Navmi Day.
Sri Rama was the beloved of his people. Sri Krishna pictures him as a typical warrior. There are two types of people. Some great ones appear who never use weapons. Gautama Buddha, Mahavira, and Jesus worked weaponless. They did their work in the midst of the world’s difficulties and persecutions. Other great ones there be who use weapons. Sri Rama belonged to the latter class. He is regarded as a typical warrior for the following reasons: (1) His methods of fight were clean. The Ramayana bears testimony to this. Modern methods of warfare are not clean. Napoleon, a warrior of the modern times was a man of diplomacy which is a polite
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name for untruth. Sri Rama refrained from “diplomacy”. The greatness of Rama as a warrior may be better understood after reading the history of the great worldwar and the Ramayana. In the last world-war, the Germans launched a submarine campaign sinking ships in the sea, thus inflicting death on many innocent people. Such secret methods were never followed by Sri Rama. He comes with a small army, not much civilised. When opening the fight Rama issues instructions that not a hair of a single inhabitant of the civil population must be touched. Today scientists are employed by different Governments to discover deadly poisonous gases. (2) Sri Rama had a code of honour, which is not found in modern warfare. On learning that Ravana is killed, Sri Rama comes to pay respects to the
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departed warrior. Rama had no hatred in his heart against Ravana. Rama not only pays homage to Ravana’s dead body but orders a grand funeral in honour of Ravana! Sri Rama was a warrior of Dharma. Sri Rama was a model warrior because he was a great purifier. How did he purify the life of India? The answer to this is found in the Ramayana. Ravana was killed and Lanka (Ceylon) was won. Sri Rama had no greed of gold or dominion. He did not keep Lanka to himself. He had not Napoleon’s or Caesar’s dreams of conquest. In the days of Ravana, the laws of higher morality were trampled upon in Lanka… Lanka had a great civilisation but not the Aryan moral code. Sri Rama gave the throne of Lanka to one who was a man of Dharma and righteousness and himself departed... Sri Rama purified the life of Lanka.
Can a person, through prayer, change conditions around him? Through prayer, a person can change himself and, consequently, his reactions towards conditions around him. Through prayer we may not avoid a difficult situation, but we shall surely receive the strength to face and overcome the situation.
— Dada J. P. Vaswani
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IN THE LOVING LAP OF
MOTHER DIVINE DADA J. P. VASWANI
Years ago, when I was at Karachi, I was filled with a keen desire to learn swimming. I was taken to the “Native Jetty”, where an expert explained to me the technique of swimming. I entered the waters: I began to struggle in the waters. The more I struggled, the more I sank. I thanked my lucky stars that I had not ventured beyond my depths. I continued to struggle and in the attempt felt exhausted: my efforts led me nowhere. Then my kind instructor came to me and said: “My boy! Do not struggle.
Let the waters carry you! Give yourself up to the waters!” I did so: I surrendered myself to the waters and found how simple it was to float on the surface of the waters. What a delightful experience it was! In the ocean of life, we struggle all the time. We battle against circumstances: we strive against misfortunes. Alas! We don’t give ourselves up to the waters. We do not accept the Will of God! To accept the Will of God is to know that we are nothing, that He is the one Worker
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and that, therefore, in all that happens is our good. The more we grow into this realisation, the more relaxed we shall feel: and we shall gradually know what it is to become perfectly still in God. There was a rich businessman who traded in cotton. He had huge godowns filled with cotton. One day, as he sits in his office doing his daily work, an assistant rushes into his room trembling from head to foot. “Sire!” he blurts out, “a great calamity has befallen us. All our godowns have been burnt to ashes. Here is the telegram, just received.” The businessman reads the telegram. He closes his eyes for a brief moment, then says: “Gratitude to Thee, O Lord! Great are Thy mercies and they endure forever!” So saying, he quietly resumes his work, as though nothing has happened. The assistant is dumbfounded at this attitude of supreme indifference in the face of dire calamity. Those were days when insurance Companies were not known and a fire meant loss of millions of rupees. After the lapse of an hour, the assistant comes again to his master. This time the face of the assistant is wreathed in smiles. He says: “Sire! we have just heard from the telegraph
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office that the telegram was delivered to us by mistake. It was meant for someone else. Thank God, all our godowns are safe!” Once again, the businessman closes his eyes for a brief moment, then says: “Gratitude to Thee, O Lord! Great are Thy mercies and they endure forever.” This businessman knew what it was to be “still in God.” It is not as easy as it may appear to be. But it will come to us as we grow into the realisation that we are not doing anything at all, that we can do nothing on our own, that not even a leaf can stir except if it be His will. In the beginning perhaps, it may be helpful for us to do the following: 1. Every morning, as we wake up, let us think of some sutra (small text) from the Sacred Books and repeat it to ourselves, again and again. As the day advances and we find ourselves in the midst of work, let us, from time to time, detach ourselves from our work for a brief minute or two and repeat the sutra. As we do so, let us imagine that the sutra permeates into our entire being and renews us physically, mentally, spiritually. Any sutra will do. I have found the following very helpful: “Thy Will be done, O Lord!”
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“Thou knowest best what is good for each one of us!” “Thy works are the works of mercy!” “The Lord is my Strength, my Support and Stay!” “In Thy Will is the peace I seek!” 2. In the face of difficulty and disaster, do not feel confused. But lift up your hearts to Him and think of Him as a Loving Mother and of yourself as a little child sitting in Her Lap. Then sing to yourself a song such as the following: O Mother Mine, O Mother Divine! He on whom is Thy protecting Hand— Him no sorrow can strike And no tribulation trouble! 3. Steer yourself clear of all thoughts of lust, hatred and greed. They stimulate the lower self and lead to excitement which will not let us be still in God. Gradually, this stillness will deepen, though the very first experience of it gives such immense joy that it cannot be expressed in words. The stillness will grow more and
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more intense until, one blessed day, we shall be completelyabsorbed in God and entirely at one with His Divine Will which is perfect— not only for us but for all men and birds and beasts, perfect for all creation. This is the goal of our life’s journey. It may not be reached in a single leap. There are stages on the way. Every stage is both good and necessary. Every stage has its lesson to teach. As we learn the lesson of one stage, we are being prepared for the next. So, from stage to stage, we move on, knowing that where we are, is, at the moment, just the right place for us. Each one of us is infinitely dear to the Heart of God. He is leading each one of us along the way which is best for us. He sees what we cannot see: He knows what we cannot know. And every experience He sends us— be it sweet or bitter— is meant to enrich our inner life. We must not shun it: we must not avoid it. But we must accept it as a gift from Him who, not unoften, startles us by many a glad surprise.
If what I want for myself is contrary to what God wants for me, let me want only what God wants, and I shall be at peace! — Dada J. P. Vaswani
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Beatitudes SADHU VASWANI
(This is not a translation but an expression of the inner meaning of the Master’s Beatitudes, as I understand them — Sadhu Vaswani) (1) And blessed are the pure in mind, For they shall walk the Noble Way! And they that suffer, for they find, The Way that never leads astray! (2) And blessed are the calm and meek: For they alone are truly free! And they who wrongs forget nor seek, Aught but the Law that all doth see! (3) And blessed they whose action tells, What is the message of the Law: The Noble Eightfold Dharma dwells, In th’ pure and true without a flaw! (4) And blessed they who patient are, In th’ midst of pain and cruel wrong: Their lives are radiant as a star, And sweet and pure as temple song!
*April 19 is the sacred Good Friday.
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(5) And blessed are the passion-free, Their minds are as a windless lake! And they the very depths do see: Asleep are men: but they awake! (6) And blessed they who feel they are, Not sundered but one with all life: They cut the ego that doth mar, Life’s music rich, and stirs up strife. (7) And blessed they who build in Law: For they do know the Law is wise: In spite of Nature red in claw, They know: they love: they ne’er despise. (8) And blessed they who homage pay, To sons of Wisdom and of Light! For they do rest beneath the ray, Of knowledge in a world of night! (9) And blessed they who ever walk, In sweet humility’s holy way: In action e’er and not in talk, They build and gather strength each day. (10) And blessed they who walk in Truth, Not in opinion, rite or creed: The secret of eternal youth, Is theirs: th’ joy of Creative deed!
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Sister Shanti
25.04.1919 – 15.05.1970
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Sister Shanti*:
FRIEND OF THE FRIENDLESS DADA J. P. VASWANI
“He finds God who loses himself in the service of others!” This teaching of Gurudev Sadhu Vaswani sank into the heart of Shanti and “service of others” became the one ideal of her life. She became a friend of the friendless, the forsaken and forlorn. A poor woman, who worked as a maid-servant, fell ill and was taken to the Government Hospital. There she lay for a number of days but her condition grew from bad to worse. Her kidneys had been damaged, and she was in a semiconscious state, when Shanti went to visit her. “Can’t something be done for her?” she asked the nurse-incharge. “Her condition is critical,” answered the nurse. We have done our best, but the patient has not responded to the treatment.
There is little chance that she will survive. On the maid-servant’s face was a look of utter helplessness. And Shanti said to herself: “They have done their best for her. Is there anything better than their best?” She decided that the maid-servant be shifted to one of the best Nursing Homes, where she could be under the treatment of the best doctors, irrespective of the cost. The next morning, the poor woman was shifted to the Ruby Hall Nursing Home, where she remained for about three weeks. The doctors felt that even if she got well, she would never be strong enough to do her daily work. Shanti visited her frequently, and everyday offered prayers for her. By God’s grace, the maid-servant became well
*April 25 is Sister Shanti’s 100th Birth Anniversary.
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and strong once again, and has remained active in her work for a long time. “Shanti saved my life,” she often said; “otherwise I do not know where I would have been”? A poor woman owned a small one roomed tenement, for which the final installment of Rs. 1,000/- had to be paid to the Government. The woman was almost penniless; and if the amount was not paid within a specified period, the house would be put up for auction. The matter was reported to Shanti. Her heart was moved. Just then, one of Shanti’s rich friends arrived from Bombay. “I have come to take you to my new beautiful house facing the sea, on the Nepean Sea Road she said to Shanti. “You must come and bless the house before we shift into it!” “How much did you have to pay for the house?” Shanti enquired. “Rs. answer.
1,50,000/-”
was
the
“Here is a poor woman,” Shanti said, “who wants barely a thousand rupees for her home. And there, at Bombay, people easily give a lakh and fifty thousand for a house!” Then, turning to the rich
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friend Shanti said: “Suppose, the house had cost you a lakh and fifty one thousand?” The friend took the gentle hint and, loosening her pursestrings, took out a thousand rupees and handed them over to Shanti. Shanti felt happy. And to her rich friend she said: “Your house is blessed. For through the poor woman, you have received the blessings of Daridra Narayana— the Lord of the Poor!” And the rich woman bowed to the poor woman, and both became one in Shanti’s embrace. A few days after this incident occurred, Shanti passed away. And the house on Nepean Sea Road has been named ‘Shanti Nivas’, in her sacred memory. Shanti had the soul of a child and the heart of a mother. The love of her mother-heart moved, alike to the “good” and the “bad”. And she did not keep away from sinners and “fallen” ones. “The sinner,” she would say, “is a man who has made a wrong turning. Give him time, and he will come back!” “If you would be a bhakta (devotee) of Krishna,” Gurudev Sadhu Vaswani taught,’ “you must behold the Face of Krishna
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in the criminal, the drunkard, the gambler, the sinner, the outcast, the heavy-laden!” To Shanti everyone was a soul precious in the sight of God. And help, she said, must not be denied to anyone in need. She never asked “who are you?” She only enquired, “what is your need?” There was a girl of ill-repute who was shunned by everyone. Shanti always gave her the sympathy of her heart. The girl fell ill and there was no one to look after her. Shanti arranged for a doctor to visit her and sent her money for food and other necessities of life. “Why do you send help to those who do not live the right life?” she was asked. And she answered: “God does not consider my sins, but gives me all that I need and more. Who am I to watch the sins of others?” Shanti prayed for the girl. Shanti gave her the pure love of her heart. And, in due course, the life of the girl was transformed. She became a devotee of God. *** Shanti’s compassion was not restricted to human beings. It flowed out to brother birds and animals. “I have seen God’s
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image shining in birds and beasts,” was Gurudev Sadhu Vaswani’s teaching. “Holy, holy, holy, is every creature! Touch ye these children of the Lord with reverence and love! Harm them not! But serve them in deep humility!” One day, Shanti saw a man carrying a basket containing three cocks and a hen. In vain, they fluttered their wings to be free. Their legs were tied. Shanti learnt that the man was taking the birds to the market, where they would be killed for human consumption. Shanti’s tender heart was touched; her eyes were filled with tears. “Give the birds to me,” she said to the man, “and take your price!” Though the man demanded a heavy price, Shanti paid it on the spot. The birds, today, are living happily under the loving care of the Sisters of the Nehru Welfare Association. “The animals render service to us, as long as they live,” Shanti often said; “and with their songs, the birds fill our hearts with joy. How can we have the heart to catch and kill them and eat their flesh?”
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THE SOUL OF SINDHI LITERATURE SADHU VASWANI
[1] In Sindhi traditions, culture, folklore, and literature, there is a treasure untold. Sindhi literature is not a transient meteor, doomed soon to fall and be forgotten: Sindhi literature is a luminary which shines steadily— shines and shines unto the perfect day. Sindhi literature springs from the heart of a simple folk: and out of the Heart are dreams of Beauty: and Beauty is Truth as Truth is Beauty. A dream of Beauty is a thing of joy for ever: it will never pass into nothingness! With dreams of Beauty has the Sindhi heart communed for centuries together. Sindhi literature is communion with the Beautiful. Five great poets there are, whom you must study if you would know something of Sindhi culture— five Masterpoets. I call them Pancha ratnas, the “Five Jewels”, of Sindhi literature. The first great one is he whom we call Shah Latif.
He was born in 1687. This great poet and mystic was born in the Hyderabad District: there, too, were born the two great social pioneers and prophets of the 19th century— Sadhu Hiranand and Sadhu Navalrai. Shah Latif was born in Bhit— a village built on a sand-hill. He passed away in 1752. Nine years before he died, was born another great poet and mystic named Sa’mi: he lived for 107 years, passing away in 1850.
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The third great poet was Sachal: he died in 1829, at the age of 90. The fourth great poet was Bedil, and the fifth great one was his son, Bekas, who died young in 1881. There are many other poets, too. But I wish to select these five only to give you an idea of what Sindhi literature means in the world of culture. And as you proceed to examine Sindhi literature, you find that it sounds five fundamental notes. I speak of them as the five musical notations of Sindhi poetry. The first musical notation is “Beauty.” The poets of Sind, the fakirs of Sind, the singers of Sind have, over and over again, dwelt upon this thought of communion with Beauty. In a little town is a shrine to the memory of Bekas: the name of this place is Rohri. In Rohri I found mud-houses: but the atmosphere of the place was one of aspiration towards the things of Eternity. Bekas sings, again and again, of God, the Beautiful. In one of his lyrics, he cries: “Be thou with me, O Ancient Beauty!” His father was named “Bedil”. He, too, was a poet, a singer, a mystic. One day they ask him: “Sir! What is the meaning of the word, ‘Bedil’?” And this great
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singer and seer says: “Bedil” is one who has no ‘dil’ (heart): I have lost my ‘dil’, my heart, in a vision of the Beautiful!” Bedil and Bekas were both prophets of the Beautiful. Their life was a longing, their song was a sighing, till they saw shining the First and only Fair— their King! They beheld the Universe robed in Beauty! In one of his poems, Bekas sings: “Lo here! Lo there! O everywhere! I only see Thy picture— Thy picture, O Beauty!” [2] The second musical notation of Sindhi poetry is sounded, again and again, in the poems, the “slokas” of “Sa’mi,” the “Master.” His name was Bhai Chainrai. He was born in Shikarpur, in 1743: he belongs, today, to India, to the world. He was a Brahmagnanin! And I dream of a day when the poems of this great seer will be translated into English and the world will know that Bhai Chainrai made a contribution to the thought of humanity. His “slokas” (Verses) are woven in the wisdom of Vedanta. In him the lyrical is blended with the mystical. The ever-
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recurring aspiration of his poetry is— living union with the One! In a number of his slokas, he gives expression to the thought that there is a procession moving on! History is a “Procession” of pilgrims, of “wayfarers”. Are we not all wayfarers to the Shrine of Eternity? Pilgrims are we— marching on! Let us march together! Away with strife and hate! Together let us move on to the Shrine that is calling us. History is a procession of wayfarers. Here is a profound thought which may well unfold the story of civilisation and be the key to a philosophy of history. The third musical notation is sounded by the greatest of the Sindhi poets— Shah Latif. Shah Latif, I do not regard as a provincial poet. To me Shah Latif is a world-poet with a world message. Of him it was said: “He was absorbed in Love.” He appeared in the 18th century. Bekas and Bedil came in the 19th century. Sa’mi, was born in the 18th century: he died in the 19th century. He lived to a good old age. Shah Latif travelled to many places. He never came to the Maharashtra: but he travelled to Rajputana, Gujarat, Kathiawar, and the Punjab. He assimilated the folklore of these places: and
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in his poetry— a blend of the narrative and the lyric— he gives us beautiful stories in which are woven songs of enchanting love. The story of Sasui and Punhu brings tears to our eyes. To Shah Latif, the essential principle of life and the universe was Love: to him true wisdom is Love. And in his poems, he refers to the people, the common people— the shepherds and cowherds, to the simple village-folk: and he shows that they live in a world of Love. The “civilisation” we live in today is, I am afraid, artificial, complicated. The simple folk live in a world of Love. In another moving story, “Marui”, the poet shows us how this simple villagegirl is ill at ease in the palace of the chieftain, and longs to go back to her simple mud-hut in Malir. In story after story, Shah Latif shows us that the simple folk of Sind are worshippers of Love. [3] The fourth musical notation of Sindhi poetry is sounded by a number of Sindhi singers. May I speak of it as “harmony”, “synthesis”? This note is sounded, again and again, in the poetry of Sachal. He realised that the quarrel of creeds was foolish. Sachal was born a Muslim:
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but he was a lover, too, of the Hindu faith. In the Hindu and the Muslim, he saw the One. He loved Sri Krishna. In more than one poem, he speaks of “Mohan”, the Flute-player. He loved Guru Nanak and Guru Gobind Singh. Sachal named one of his disciples as “Nanak Yusuf ”. Sachal sings of the “Qalandar Yogi” and the “Yogi of long beautiful hair”, the “Yogi zulfan varo”— Sri Krishna. Sachal realised that the Hindu and the Muslim belong to One Brotherhood, the One Family of Man. Sachal had a vision of Universal Humanity. In one of his poems, he says: “The mosque, the temple and the church, empty them if you would walk the raah qalandar (the way of True Religion) and find the way to the Eternal!” This great dervish of Sind asked his followers to live together in comradeship and peace. Is not this message of comradeship an urgent need of India today?
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The fifth musical notation of Sindhi poetry is “Sacrifice”. There is one great poem in Sindhi literature named “Karbala”. It is “The Song of the Martyrs”. In this we read how the great hero, Hussain, goes forth to fight. He falls on the battlefield of Karbala: and in the agony of death, he says: “I offer myself a sacrifice to my people!” This sacrificial note is sounded, again and again, in many of the poems of the singers of Sind. “I offer myself a sacrifice to my people! I die a sacrifice!” Sindhi poems are not mere words woven by some weavers of words. The central shrine of Sindhi poetry is the shrine of Sacrifice: and the youths of India must grow in the spirit of sacrifice, if, indeed, they would, in the years of their growing manhood, help in building a New India a truly Free India. The secret of strength is sacrifice.
NOT IN ISOLATION Dost thou seek gnana wisdom? It will not awake in isolation. Mingle with life: serve the suffering ones: seek them with love in thy heart: and thou wilt know thyself, thy destiny, the mystery of thy pilgrimage on the path of life.
— Sadhu Vaswani
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WORK NOT FOR WAGES! DADA J. P. VASWANI
The first secret of success is this— do not work for wages, work for the love of God, work for the love of suffering humanity, work for the love of work itself. Work then becomes a source of joy and delight. When I visit big cities— perhaps, this disease has travelled to smaller cities too— I find people who are assigned any work always ask, “What do I get for this? What is there in it for me?” People work only for wages today. They have forgotten what it is to work with joy to make their work a source of delight. That is why work has become a cause of so much boredom and so much frustration. In the Bhagavad Gita, which is regarded by many as a Bible of humanity, the Lord expounding his doctrine
of Karma says to Arjuna: “Remember, to work you have the right, but not to the fruit thereof.” You must work, you must put in your best efforts, you must not slacken your endeavours. But you must not be disappointed if you do not get the result you seek. The result you must leave to the Lord. You must work for the sheer joy of work. Many of you will ask me, “But what about the wages? How can a man live without wages in this world of growing needs?” So let me tell you that wages and work go together. They are two sides of the same coin. Whether you work for wages or otherwise, wages are sure to fall into your lap. It is your attitude that makes of your life a success or otherwise. Work should be an expression of love. Those of us who work only for the sake of wages
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will never experience real joy. And when you love your work you will find it a joy forever. Therefore stop working simply for wages and start working for love. The word vocation is derived from the Latin root which means, “to call”. Let our work be a calling, let our work be a labour of love, something we would love to do rather than just a source of monetary benefit. A labour of love leads to life’s greatest fulfillment. A long time ago a sister spoke to me of her nephew whom she had helped to educate. With her aid, he went to America and studied there. He became a TV engineer. In those days TV was just becoming popular in India. This nephew visited his aunt and her TV was out of order. She said to him: “Can you please set the TV right?” He asked her: “But aunty, what can you give me for it?” Just imagine! Such is the world in which we live. Don’t work for wages if you wish to succeed in life. Wages will come to you automatically for that is the law of life. A young doctor who had set up practice in the city was
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visited by his old father, who came from the village to see him. “Well son,” he said, “How are you doing?” “I’m doing very badly,” said the discouraged young man. “It’s an uphill struggle to set up as a doctor here!” The father’s face fell, but he spoke to his son with courage, patience and hope. Later in the day, he accompanied his son to the free dispensary where the doctor offered his services in the evening. He sat in silence in the waiting room, and watched 25 people who were wretched and will receive medical attention from his son. When the last man had left, he burst out: “I thought you had told me you were doing badly! Why, you have attended to 25 people in just one sitting!” “There isn’t any money in this,” said the young man. “Money!” exclaimed the old man. “What is money in comparison with being useful to your fellowmen?” Money is not the ‘be all’ and ‘end all’ of life. It has been rightly said that you have not lived a perfect day unless you have served someone who will never be able to repay you.
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Children’s Corner RAMAYANA QUIZ 1.
Who wrote the Ramayana?
2.
Around whose life is ‘The Ramayana’ centered?
3.
How many Kands are there in Ramayana?
4.
Rama has to lift Shiva’s bow to be eligible to marry Sita. He lifts it and breaks it by pulling its string (stringing it). What is the name of this bow?
wife, only to have her ears, nose, and breasts chopped off by Lakshmana? 13. Who informs Rama first that Ravana has abducted Sita and taken her to Lanka? 14. What are the names of Rama and Sita’s sons? 15. Who killed Indrajit, the son of Ravana? 16. Who is Hanumaan the son of?
5.
Rama and his brothers are all part of which dynasty?
6.
Who was Lakshmana’s wife?
17. What is Lakshmana the reincarnation of?
7.
Rama is the avatar of what Hindu God?
18. In his next incarnation, Lakshmana was...
8.
While abducting Sita, Ravana takes help of this demon. What is the demon’s name?
9.
How was Sita related to Janaka?
10. Sita is the avatar of which spouse of Vishnu? 11. Who were the main wives of Ravana? 12. What was the name of the woman who tried to become Rama’s
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Why was Lakshmana killing Indrajit such a big deal? After returning to Ayodhya, some people wondered why Lakshmana killing Indrajit was such a big deal. After all, other people had killed other sons of Ravana. However, Rama pointed out that Indrajit could only be killed by someone who had not eaten, slept, or seen the face of a woman for fourteen years. People protested that that was impossible. However, it was shown that Lakshmana was qualified in all three areas. Even though Sri Rama had handed him food to eat, he had never told him to eat. Lakshmana, in his loyalty, thought himself born to serve Sri Rama and did not do anything without being told. Hence, he had not eaten. Before going into exile, his mother had told him to serve Sri Rama and guard him while he slept. So, Lakshmana did just that... and went 14 years without sleeping. Also, though he lived near his sister-in-law for 14 years, he never looked at her face. He worshipped her, and only gazed at her feet. Such was his loyalty. Answers: 1. Sage Valmiki, 2. Rama, 3. 7 (Baal Kand, Ayodhaya Kand, Aranya Kand, Kishkinda Kand, Sunder Kand, Yuddha or Lanka Kand, and Uttara Kand), 4. Pinaka, 5. Sun dynasty, 6. Urmila, 7. Vishnu, 8. Mareecha, 9. She was his foster-daughter, 10. Lakshmi, 11. Mandhodhari and Dhanyamalini, 12. Shurpanakha, 13. Jatayu, 14. Lava and Kusha, 15. Lakshmana, 16. Wind (Vayu), 17. Shesha Naga, the snake that sheltered Sri Vishnu, 18. Balarama
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Laugh Your Way To Health “My parents are the epitome of abstinence,” the boy explains to his schoolmates. “They don’t smoke, they don’t drink, and my sister and I are adopted children.” *** What an automated society we live in. Have you ever noticed that when a traffic signal turns green, it automatically activates the horn of the car behind you? *** The villager on his first trip to the city was waiting at a bus stop one morning. After some hesitation he asked a woman, “Which bus should I take for Mahim?” “Bus Number 177,” the woman replied, and caught the next bus. The same evening, the woman got off a bus at the same stop and found the villager still waiting. “Didn’t you get the bus to Mahim?” she exclaimed. “Not yet,” he said wearily. “So far 168 buses have come and gone— eight more before mine arrives.” *** During a lecture for medical students, the professor listed as
the two best qualities of a doctor the ability to conquer revulsion and the need for keen powers of observation. He illustrated this by stirring a messy substance with his finger and then licking his finger clean. Then he called a student to the front and made him do the same. Afterward the professor remarked, “You conquered your revulsion, but your powers of observation are not very good. I stirred with my forefinger, but I licked my middle finger.” *** Our economics professor talks to himself. “Does yours?” “Yes, but he doesn’t realise it. He thinks we’re listening!” *** To gain selfconfidence, you must avoid using negative words such as “can’t and not” the counselor advised the young woman. “Do you think you could do that?” “Well, I can’t see why not.” *** Did you hear about the self-help group for compulsive talkers? It’s called On and On Anon. ***
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RECIPES
FOR THE MONTH NARIYAL BURFI (COCONUT FUDGE) Ingredients: Milk................................................................. 1¾ cup Coconut powder................................................ ¾ cup Sugar................................................................ ½ cup Cardamom powder..........................................1/8 tsp Butter.................................................................. 4 tsp Pistachios, sliced............................................... 1 tbsp Method:
Soak the coconut in boiling milk for about 30 minutes. In a flat heavy bottom pan, over medium high heat melt one teaspoon of butter, add sugar, spread evenly in pan. After sugar start melting, keep stirring the sugar continuously till sugar start melting and changing the color to light brown. Turn off the heat as soon it comes to golden brown in color. This should take 4 minutes. Note: when sugar starts melting it changes the color very quickly and it can easily burn. Slowly add milk mixture sugar will become lumpy. Open the heat to medium and keep stirring, sugar will dissolve and will give nice light brown color. Keep stirring and scraping the sides for about 15 minutes mixture will become lumpy. Add the remaining butter and keep stirring until mixture becomes soft dough consistency. Pour it over greased plate and flatten with the greased back side of the spoon. Garnish with sliced pistachios. Leave for 3-4 hours before cutting them into pieces. Cut them into your desired shape.
MILK (KHOYA) BURFI Ingredients: Whole milk....................................................3½ cups Heavy cream..................................................... ½ cup Lemon juice, strained....................................... 3 tbsp Clarified butter or ghee.................................... 1 tbsp Milk powder...................................................... ¾ cup Sugar.............................................................. 1/3 cup Cardamom powder............................................¼ tsp Sliced pistachios, for garnishing......................... 1 tsp Method:
Heat the milk, heavy cream and lemon juice on a heavy bottom pan over medium heat, stirring occasionally. As milk will start heating the curd will start separating from the whey, slowly it will separate into thick curds and whey will separate. Once the milk fat has separated from the whey, drain the whey using a strainer line with cheesecloth, or muslin cloth. Wrap the curds in a muslin cloth, rinse under cold water, and squeeze well. This process takes out the sourness from the lemon. Heat the frying pan on medium. Add butter and let it melt. Next add milk curd, and milk powder. Mix it well. Cook mixture on medium heat stirring continuously until mixture starts leaving the sides of the frying pan and becomes like soft dough. This should take about 12 minutes. Now this is known as khoya.
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Transfer the khoya into a bowl and let it cool off until khoya becomes just lukewarm. Mix the sugar and cardamom powder into the khoya and knead it for about a minute until everything blends together and become soft dough. Note: if you mix the sugar while khoya is hot that will make burfi soft. Transfer mixture to the greased plate and press firmly into a square or rectangular shape, approximately ½ inch high. Let the burfi sit for about one hour before slicing. I prefer cutting in about 1½ inch squares. For garnishing put few pieces of sliced pistachios on every piece burfi. CARROT BURFI (GAJAR KI BURFI) Ingredients: Carrot shredded................................................ 2 cups Milk................................................................... 2 cups Heavy cream................................................... 1/3 cup Sugar................................................................ ½ cup Clarified butter or ghee.................................... 2 tbsp Cardamom powder............................................¼ tsp Chopped cashews to garnish............................. 2 tbsp Method:
In a large heavy frying pan bring the milk, cream and carrots to boil over medium high heat. Do stir occasionally, making sure milk does not burn in bottom of the pan. After milk comes to boil reduce the heat to medium. Let carrot cook for about 25 minutes, until carrot mix become like a lumpy dough. Keep stirring occasionally at the same time keep scraping the sides. Last ten minutes stir continuously otherwise mixture will burn from the bottom. Add sugar, after adding sugar mixture will become very soft. Cook for about 10 minutes stirring continuously. Mixture should be consistency of soft dough, add butter, cardamom and keep stirring for about another 4 minutes. Mixture will be very lumpy.
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Transfer mixture to the greased plate and press firmly into a square shape, approximately ½ inch high. Let the burfi sit for at least two hour before slicing and cut in about 1½ inch squares. For garnishing put one cashew in center of every piece. KAJU BURFI (CASHEW FUDGE) Ingredients: Cashew nuts (kaju)........................................... 2 cups Sugar.............................................................. 1½ cup Water................................................................ ¾ cup Saffron (optional)............................. about 20 strings Method:
Grind the cashew nuts to powder. Dry grinder or a coffee grinder works the best. On very low heat in a heavy bottom pan roast the cashew nut powder for about 4 minutes or until powder just get warm. Do not heat for any longer otherwise powder will start getting oily. In a saucepan, boil the sugar and water together on medium heat until syrup is 1 thread or 225 degrees F on a candy thermometer. Next add the saffron to the syrup mix it well. Saffron is optional. Turn off the heat. Add the cashew powder to the syrup and mix it well, making sure there are no lumps. To check the right consistency take a little mix in a spoon, you should be able to roll this into softball. Next spread the mix quick to the greased plate. Spread before the mix cools off. Allow burfi to cool and then cut them in the shapes you will like. Notes:
Grind small portion at a time if you grind for too long nuts start getting oily. Store at room temperature for a week or in the fridge for longer.
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SIMPLE RULES OF HEALTH HOW TO NATURALLY CURE: SKIN TAGS, MOLES, WARTS AND AGE SPOTS We all have some kind of skin problems. They are quite common and people from all ages can be affected by them. Some of the most common skin conditions are tags, warts, moles and dark spots, but there are more than 3000 other skin problems that a person may experience. If you notice any kind of skin change, whether it is in colour, texture or smell, it could indicate a potential health problem and you need to act as soon as possible to fix it. Everyone at first thinks of using medications, but they can be rather harsh on the skin and can damage it even more. Fortunately, there are all sorts of natural ingredients you can use to treat these problems by using them you can prepare simple natural remedies at home that will give back the glow of your skin in no time. Here are some of the most common skin conditions and the most effective homemade remedies for treating them: MOLES Moles are not really a serious treat, but they can make your skin look unattractive. But if you notice your mole has changed its size or colour, be careful because it may be a sign of cancer. There
are many moles.
ways
for
treating
Garlic: For treating moles you can use raw garlic or garlic extract. First, clean the area around the mole by using beeswax or petroleum jelly. Once you’ve cleaned the area, apply the garlic on the mole and cover it with a bandage. For best results, repeat the treatment every day. ACV: Dab some Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV) on your moles, by using cotton balls and just leave the remedy to work for 8 hours. You’ll need to repeat this until the moles are gone. Castor Oil and baking soda: Mix some castor oil with baking soda to get a paste. Apply the paste on the mole, cover it with a bandage and leave it overnight. Rinse well with warm water in the morning. Do this every night before going to bed. WARTS Warts are a result of the HPV virus and usually are treated with salicylic acid or cryogenically. Some people have had great
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results by wrapping duct tape over the warts, but I think it’s much safer to use natural remedies and at the same time they provide much better results. Bananas: Take a banana peel and rub the warts with the inside part. Do this procedure every night until the wart disappears. But be patient, because the process may take up to a couple of weeks before you see the results. Raw Honey: You can also use raw honey to get rid of the warts. Just rub the raw honey directly on the warts to get rid of them. After you apply the honey wrap your skin with a bandage and leave it to work. If you use raw honey to treat warts it will significantly reduce the chances of the warts’ recurrence. Garlic: One of the most powerful remedies for treating warts is garlic. It can make them disappear in a couple of weeks. All you need to do is rub some garlic juice twice a day on the wart directly, wrap the area and in no time you will see the results. SKIN TAGS The usual places skin tags appear are the neck, upper chest, underarms and eyelids and are caused by skin rubbing. They can be removed cryogenically or with tying off or cutting, but they best way is with natural remedies. ACV is a great remedy for skin tags as well. Soak a cotton ball in it and apply it on the tags, secure with a bandage and leave
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it for a couple of hours. Repeat the process for a couple of days until the tag falls off. Tea Tree Oil: Soak a cotton ball in water, add a couple of drops of the oil, apply it on the affected area and cover with a bandage. Repeat the process 2-3 times a day for a month and you will be very pleasant when you see the results. Baking Soda and Castor Oil: Make a paste of the baking soda and the castor oil. Apply it on the tags 2-3 times a day and secure it with a bandage. The maximum you can keep the paste in the fridge is 48 hours. DARK SPOTS The usual places dark spots appear are the face or limbs. This could be related to liver problems and excessive sun exposure. There are many natural remedies for dark spots which work well if you are persistent. Lemon: Lemon is a great skin bleacher and can fade the spots. Just soak a cotton ball with some lemon juice and rub it on the affected areas twice. Onion: Apply some onion juice directly on the spot, leave it to work for 10-15 minutes. After that rinse well with water and repeat the process until you see the spots disappear. Aloe vera: Just apply some raw Aloe Vera juice or pulp on the places you have dark spots and leave it for half an hour.
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