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Sri Krishna*
PICTURES FROM THE MASTER SADHU VASWANI Darkness enveloped Mathura. Kamsa, the cruel king, governed by force a people, weak and powerless. But darkness, giveth birth to light— the light of the sun: and in the darkness of Kamsa’s reign was born Krishna— the Light that was to illumine Aryavarta. In the darkness of the midnight when the very tears of the people praying for the Saviour, were *December 18 is the sacred Gita Jayanti Day.
dried, was born the Lord of Compassion and Love. The Babe Divine was born with a smile on his lips, as if to say: “Fear not! For the Lord of Love is come: and he can conquer despotism and death. Be not sad, but smile, O people of Aryavarta!” And the angels of joy came and blessed the very dark prison wherein Krishna was born. His earthly father, Vasudeva,
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carries in his arms child-Krishna as he crosses the Jamuna: for the Child is not safe in Mathura. Vasudeva sees that the river Jamuna is rising high, and torrents of rain are falling and the trees are terribly shaken by storm. Krishna brought with himself a shakti, an Energy of the Eternal. It shook, as shakes a storm, the Yadavas, the Kauravas, and the Pandavas. Krishna released an Energy which shook Hindusthan and purified its life— for some time. For India, too, must go through her destined cycle of birth and rebirth. It was no earthly kingdom He came to build. He spoke of a Kingdom mightier than space, stronger than time, a Kingdom deeper than the sea and higher than the stars— the Kingdom of the Atman. To that He called not alone heroes like Arjuna and bhakta-souls like the gopis but, also criminals and sinners: for Krishna came with deep compassion in his heart. To Him, sin was a call to compassion and love! How He wiped the tears of a harlot and blessed her! And swiftly was she transformed, feeling as if she sat in the presence of a holy one! * Gokul and Vrindavan: here dwelt the Lord when a child and here, as a boy, He revealed His leela of the flute! To think of Gokul and Vrindavan is to leave
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the modern world, is to breathe an atmosphere ancient, simple, radiant with beauty and love. Gokul and Vrindavan take us to a region of legend and parable. We look at the birds and beasts and at the gopis, simple and radiant and beautiful— as only they are beautiful who live in love. We look at the forest as it looked in the ancient days. Unforgettable are Gokul and Vrindavan— unforgettable, indescribable! And we see standing on the sacred soil, green and glorious with the trees, the Flute-player playing on the flute, as roses surround Him and golden light doth fall on His radiant face. And listening to the Lord, we ask ourselves: “Has Eternity descended on the Earth?” For the noise of the cities is not here. Here is the soil green and fertile with trees: here are the gopis who love silence and, when it bursts into speech, there is but one word spoken: “Krishna!” “Krishna!” For Krishna is to these simple maids a symbol of the Eternal! They have beautiful eyes: they have simple, gracious smiles. Their saris are simple and graceful, as is their simple, rustic civilisation. Simple, too, is their love for Krishna— simple as is the song of the bulbul, the song of the nightingale, which touches the eyes with sudden tears! And how they listen to His flute! Its song rises: higher and
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higher it still doth rise even to the Himalayan heights where the snow doth lie on the mountain— pure and silent, pure and secret as Parvati herself! * And how He played as a child with His mother, Yasoda! Suddenly He would vanish and Yasoda would cry: “Shyama! My Shyama! I know not where I have lost Thee!” Then, suddenly, He would reappear and fling His arms around and cry: “Here am I, thy little one!” This “little one” was full of tender grace and beauty: and the cowherds and the gopis loved Him as though He were their own child! Sometimes, He would stand on the bank of the Jamuna and gaze at the waves or gaze into the far distance or look at the midnight moon and be silent— unmoved by the appeals of the gopis to sing or play upon the flute. Sometimes, again, He would sing and His voice would be so plaintive, so pure, so moving, so melodious— a voice of such enchanting beauty— that the very cows would stop to listen. Krishna sang out the song that lay silent in the heart of Eternity! Not yet have we realised what this one Song of the Lord— the Bhagavad Gita— can do for the world. This Song can thrill all humanity. This Song is not of
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India alone: this Song is a voice of the heart and is vibrant with the wisdom of the Spirit. * Krishna’s life and teaching are heroic, profound, charged with the wisdom and purity that see God, face to face. In Him and His flute, in Him and His words, is the fragrance of the Spirit, the perfume of the forest and the field. The birds of the air, the cows of Vrindavan, the beauty of the Jamuna, and the light of the stars in which sparkle the gods, pass into Krishna’s Song. Krishna’s flute sings in love of the cow-herds and the milkmaids of Gokul and Vrindavan— as Krishna’s fire passes into Arjuna’s soul, making Ariuna a hero, infused with a shakti worthy of the disciple of a great Master. * Krishna went through the streets of Vrindavan, sometimes as a flute-player thrilling the hearts of all who heard Him, sometimes as a pilgrim with a mask, a veil of pain upon His face, and telling those who met Him on the roadside tales born of deep sympathy with men and women, birds and beasts. Krishna, as a pilgrim, entered as a guest in many homes, and with His tales touched many, hearts. And every tale He told the cowherds and the milkmaids sounded the note of compassion and love. *
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Krishna’s Religion— how simple, how sublime! The Gita interprets a Faith which knows no East, no West; a Faith without a dogma, without a rite; a Faith without restrictions, of race and creed; a Religion of Brotherhood of the One Life in all, a Religion of Spirit and truth, a Religion of dedicated work, a Religion of love! The Gita teaches how man may be perfect and how he may live in communion with the Parama Purusha (the Transcendent One). The Gita teaches how all low “egoism”, all sense of separation, may be eliminated. The Gita is a master-piece of thought, is a canticle of action, is a creation of spontaneous art, is a poem of beauty, which has ravished the hearts of men and women throughout the ages of India’s history. * I think of Him moving amid men and women, playing on His flute or addressing assemblies of princes and statesmen, protecting the Pandavas in exile or teaching Arjuna on the battlefield, guarding the honour of Draupadi or having simple meals in Vidura’s cottage, worshipping at the river-bank or greeting Sudama with a brother’s love. I think of Him and I say: “What a marvellous Man!” His humility astonishes me. it is the humility of a master-spirit of an heroic age. And this Man of
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singular wisdom, this Man of creative Energy, is manifested in darkness— when Aryavarta is held in bondage by Kamsa at Mathura, by Duryodhana at Delhi! * And how truly great, how immeasurably pure, is Krishna, may be known from the fact that He inspired love and devotion in the gopis, the simple milk-maids of Vraj and Vrindavan— in heroes and scholars like Arjuna and Yuddhisthira, patriarchs and sages like Bhishma and Vyasa. * Krishna was a Poet and a Musician: Krishna was a Singer and a Seer: Krishna was a Creator and a Lover. The Gita is a creation of thought and love. Greater than the Gita was Krishna. He was a Child— in face, in voice, in love! He loved Arjuna and Yuddhisthira: he loved Radha and the gopis In His love was a breath of Eternity, an influence of immortal life! Krishna came with infinite love in His heart. A huntsman pierced His body with arrows. To Krishna every arrow was a benediction: and blessing the huntsman, Krishna passed on to His Abode. * One day, as He stood gazing at a lotus, a disciple asked: “Master! Tell me what is in your heart at this moment: tell me that I may learn.”
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And quietly answered Krishna: “My child! If thou wouldst seek wisdom, turn away from the tinsel show of life. Nor seek thou wisdom in parchments and dry leaves of dust-laden books. Seek thou wisdom in a leaf, a little flower, a drop of water, a clod of clay— in the lotus of the Heart! Never forget that to the simple doth wisdom speak!” * Krishna, methinks, hath come to this earth-plane, again and again. Sometimes we have stoned Him unto death, sometimes crucified Him on the cross, sometimes given Him a cup of hemlock to drink, sometimes shot Him with arrows, sometimes stabbed Him— even unto death. And every time He hath blessed us with boundless love. How shall we treat Him when He cometh again? * Every day I love to gaze at a picture from Krishna’s life: this gaze is to me, a pilgrimage to the Lord. And every day I burn candles in my heart and pray a prayer to him who was and is a Spiritual Brother to all men, all nations, all races— a Brother, too, to bird and beast, to suns and stars, to moons and mountains, to rivers and seas— a Brother to the bereft and bereaved, the forsaken and forlorn! * If, indeed, I would think aright of Krishna, I must have
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music in my heart. And I must renounce all art except the art of being artless! And I must be simple as Krishna is simple and I must meditate on the Master’s magic of love! * To me, the history of India is incomprehensible without Krishna. His appeal to me lies in this— being above history, he does not stand apart from history, but enters into it with the beauty of the Spirit for the service of the people. Is not Krishna greater even than what the Gita and the Bhagawata tell of Him? He mingles as a man with men— yet with an inspiration which is the inspiration of God. He lives by God: He lives in God, yet works for lokasangraha— for the welfare of the world. He needs nothing. He but seeks to serve! * I dream of a day when the nations of the Earth will weave for Krishna a garland of flowers picked from the garden of the heart, and crown Him in love and reverence as a Brother of Jesus and the Buddha, of Pythagoras and Socrates, of Mansur and the Prophet— a Brother of bhaktas and yogis, rishis and sages— a Brother, too, of the poor, the lowly and the lost!
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And The Master Said J. P. VASWANI
And I said: “Master! Many there be who speak praisingly of the life of action, the life of service: and there be others who exhort us to walk the way of knowledge. Tell me, Master! which of the two is better— action or knowledge? Action or understanding?” And the Master said: “The two cannot be separated, one from the other. For verily, action without understanding is blind, even as knowledge without action is empty. And remember, my child, that the root of both is life in God: and to live in God
is to do the Will of God. If God wills that I should retire from the ‘active’ life and spend my days away from the multitudes, who are in suffering and pain and whose wounded hearts cry out for helpers of the true type, I still must rejoice in being in a quiet corner as long as He wills it. And again, however deeply I may love solitude, if it be God’s Will that I come and take my stand on the battle-field of life, I must bow to His Will and feel happy in mingling with the crowds.” After a brief silence, the
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Master said: “Guru Gobind Singh was a poet and a prophet. He sat upon the mountainheights lost in contemplation of the Divine. And there came to him the call: Gobind! Gobind! the people suffer and are in sorrow. Renounce the joys of solitude and descend upon the plains below and become a servant and a saviour of the people! And Guru Gobind Singh obeyed the call: he did the Will of God. And to him who doeth the Will of God there are no distinctions. He does not regard one as being better than the other. He has no prejudices
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And the Master said: “In three words only: true life is— fellowship with God!” “And what is fellowship, Master?” “Fellowship is service, my child!” “And Master?”
what
is
service,
And the Master said: “Service is doing the Will of God. There is nothing beyond it. The world has many doers. But in this critical period of social disorder and chaotic
Action without understanding is blind, even as knowledge without action is empty. or partialities. He lives the true life— a life of surrender and, therefore, a life of complete relaxation, a life free from worries and cares. For he knows that whatever happens is just the right thing: for all that happens, happens according to the Will of God. Such a man feels perfectly at home in God and breathes in a new atmosphere of freedom, beauty, joy!” And I said: “Master! I have often heard you speak of the true life. Tell me in a few words what is the essence of the true life.”
decay, the tortured soul of humanity cries out for Willdoers— those who do the Will of God. Our politicians have been doing, doing, doing: they have been doing mischief. Our social workers have been doing, doing, doing: they have been doing disorder. Their doing has been the undoing of God’s Plan. Strive to be a Will-doer, my child! Then will your action, blended with bhakti (devotion), be radiant with knowledge for verily, the three are One, and the One is three!”
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WHAT IS MUKTI? SADHU VASWANI
Mukti, is the great word of Hindu scriptures, as Liberty is the great word of the modern world. But there is no true Liberty until the tyranny of desires is broken. Travelling in the West, visiting Germany, England, and other countries and seeing there the misery of the poor, the growth of greed and passion, I asked myself: “Where is Liberty?” There is no freedom where there is the Reign of Desires. Experience is the beginning of philosophy. Freedom is the goal of philosophy. One stage in the evolution of Freedom is— Awakening. It is named “Atmabodhi”. Most of us are in a state of somnambulism. It is true we do a number of things; but we do them, driven by lower desires. We act as does the somnambulist who walks in sleep. And so we stumble and fall in the pit of sin. We are not awake. The philosophy of Gita calls us to waking-consciousness. “Know thyself ”, is the call of philosophy. It was the call of Krishna to Arjuna on the battlefield of Kurukshetra. It was the call of Socrates to his people. It is the call of sages in every age. Man has lost himself in the tumult of maya. Man has forgotten himself. When he knows himself— knows his origin and destiny, re-discovers the Home whence he cometh, he will no longer wander distractedly in the darkness of desires. This “knowledge” is not possible without selfdiscipline, sadhana. “Follow her and serve her,” said Socrates about philosophy. And to follow Her, it is necessary to submit to a process of self-discipline. Without purification of the inner bodies— the koshas— none may hope to know the supreme message of the Gita regarding the Atman, the Self and the Universe. Not without reason has it been told us in the Gita that the teaching of Sri Krishna must not be told to the man who is wanting in bhakti and tapasya. Simplicity is an aspect of tapasya. And to grow in the Vision Philosophic of the
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Gita, it is necessary to cultivate simplicity. Simplicity in dress and diet. Simplicity, too, in speech: one must not speak in anger or hate. Above all, let us not forget that simplicity is an inner energy. For true simplicity is not possible without humility of the heart. Thoreau rightly said that philosophy was a “life of simplicity.” The Gita puts emphasis on the Atman, you cannot cram philosophy out of books. Philosophy in the Hindu books is a darshan, a vision. And this grows out of life. Schopenhauer used a significant expression: “Wisdom of life”. This “Wisdom” comes to him who sees the folly of fame and bhoga and accumulations. So
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saw Maitreyi— the wife of Yagnavalkya— when she said to him: “My dear husband! I want not wealth; for it will not bring me Immortality. Teach me the way to Life Immortal.” Then did Yagnavalkya— a Rishi— expound to her, his wife— the doctrine of the Self, telling her that the way of Attainment was the way of the Atman. Philosophy is communion with the Atman— Creative Life— the Infinite that flows into and fertilises the finite, the Eternal that makes the historic process of Time rich in meaning. The Gita speaks of the Infinite, the Creative Life. Not without reason has the Gita been called the “Ananta Gita”— the Song of the Infinite”.
WHISPERS Do you depart, again and again, from the ideal of purity? Do you inspite of all your efforts and strivings, fly into fits of anger? Are you assailed by thoughts of envy, hatred, fear? Then do not brood over your state. Nor weep, nor wail. Nor lose hope. But retire to a quiet corner and contemplate the Divine Perfection— the Purity, the Patience, the Love of God. Gradually and in a natural way, you will grow into the likeness of God. You will put off your old self as a worn-out garment, and invisible hands will clothe you in raiments of light. — J. P. VASWANI
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JESUS*: WHO IS HE? SADHU VASWANI
Historically examined, December 25 is not the birthday of Jesus. There are scholars who hold that Jesus was born on January 6. But spiritual values are not fettered by dates. Christmas celebrates the coming into this world of a unique person. Is it an exaggeration to say that Jesus marks a new departure in human history? The Christ-shakti is increasing with the process of the suns. Yet the records of his days are almost silent about him. He seemed to live in a world so different from that of his
contemporaries. There were men under the influence of Jewish priests: they moved in an atmosphere of externalism. There were men under Hellenistic influences: they found their pleasure in theatres and systems of philosophy. There were men under Roman influences— the influences of an official world. Jesus lives in a different world. And when at the age of 30 he appears on the scene to give his message, not a few feel its newness, and some there be who feel the fascination of his pure, gentle life. Who is this man? They ask. A villager, he preaches in Jerusalem— the seat of Roman imperialism, a centre of Greek influences, the very stronghold of Jewish orthodoxy— Jesus preaches strange doctrines of a new kingdom and a new ethic of life. Who is he? At one time, crowds follow him in Jerusalem— Eastern crowds eager to touch the hem of his garment, longing to have darshan of this new man, with a new message and a new power— this mystic shaktiman of Nazareth. Who is he?
*December 25 is the sacred Christmas Day. **From the address at the meeting held in Hyderabad to celebrate Jesus’ Birthday.
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He heals the sick: he serves the poor: he loves the fallen and the lowly. Who is he? And when priests and officials co-operate to crucify him, he sends up from the very Cross of agony the cry of his heart: “Father! forgive them: for they know not what they do”. Who is he? Not until he passes away, do his disciples— fishermen and craftsmen— realise the beauty of their Master’s life. They recall his wonderful sayings and parables and stories. They recall his gentle, gracious figure. And gradually it dawns upon them that Jesus was not merely a good man, that he was not merely a fine ethical teacher, that he was something more even than a prophet. Jesus, they realise, was a vehicle of the very Christ of God. Jesus they now adore as the revealer and redeemer. The Revealer, the Light-bringer, for in him they see God. “I am the Light of the world”. The Redeemer: for in him they see the Saviour of humanity. This revealer and redeemer I love to think of as a Child, “My Kingdom,” he said, “is not of this world.” The Kingdom of Heaven, he likened unto little ones. The kingdom of the Father, he urged, was for those that would come to it as children. And how like a child he speaks and acts the
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wonderful drama of his life. Meeting a woman at the well, he says to her: “I am thirsty.” He wants of her water to drink. Meeting a woman whom the ‘pious’ would stone, for she is regarded as ‘fallen’— Jesus has no angry word but only love and blessing. A child has no ‘sin-consciousness’. Meeting his disciples at a feast, he washes their feet! How like a child! In his words you will find not ‘erudition’, but the light of intuition. “Suffer little children to come unto me,” he says. Is he not himself a Child? In a world grown weary and sick, he came with the freshness and beauty and joy of the Eternal Child. Dannecker, the German sculptor, made a marble statue of Christ and asked a girl what she thought of it. “The likeness,” she said, “of a great man.” And Dannecker was disappointed. He worked patiently and with a nobler inspiration. After years, his new marble statue of Christ was ready. He asked a girl what she thought of it. She looked at it, then burst into tears and said: “Suffer little children to come unto me!” Jesus I love to think of as a new child who brought with him a new beauty and a new joy in this world of friction and contradiction. Jesus is a child of the Kingdom of Light and Love.
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BE A MASTER, A MASTER OF LIFE! J. P. VASWANI Every man is meant to be a master of life. Across the centuries comes travelling to us the teaching of the Saints and Prophets of Humanity: Be thou perfect even as God is perfect! For That art thou! Tat twamasi! To become a master, to walk the way of perfection, the way of immortality, certain qualities need to be developed. The very first is courage. “Uttishta! Parantapa!” says Sri Krishna in the Gita. Stand up, O Arjuna! Stand up unafraid on the battle-field of life. The truly spiritual life is the heroic life. You must be a hero in the struggle of life. “The universe,” says Sadhu Vaswani, “challenges you to tremendous tasks, to adventures and responsibilities. You must meet the challenge of the universe with courage. Be brave, be fearless!” The second great quality is the quality of simplicity. For the way of wisdom is the simple way. And the simple life, according to Sadhu Vaswani, is the life of purity and poverty. And as true purity is of the heart, true poverty means abandoning ambition, desire for prominence, thoughts of greatness. There is so much of egoism in our work, so much of ambition and lovelessness in our public life. Ahankara, egoism, is a deadly enemy of the simple
life. True religion, Sadhu Vaswani urges, is the death of egoism, for true religion is poverty. Therefore, he says, renounce ambition, renounce aggressiveness, renounce reputation, renounce all imitation and walk the way of humility. The third great quality is the quality of sympathy. How wonderful was the heart of Sadhu Vaswani! How he moved out in sympathy to all creatures in suffering and pain! And the one prayer he repeatedly offered was : “May all living things be happy!” Civilisation, today, is sinking into chaos. There is economic chaos, there is political chaos in the world, today. There is class warfare. Clouds of hate and war are gathering thick and fast. The world, today, is in great agony. “In sympathy,” says Sadhu Vaswani, “is the power of a new world, a new civilisation. For sympathy is creative. In the political and economic chaos of the world, today, sympathy has the power to build that new civilisation, that new Kingdom of which Krishna and Christ and Buddha and Baha’u’llah have spoken and sung to the millions of mankind.” Walking this way— the way of courage and simplicity and sympathy— Bab, the Prophet of Iran, and many others attained to immortality. And the way is open to all!
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The Highest is Nameless SADHU VASWANI
The higher Hindu consciousness knows no idols but only symbols. The highest is the Nameless and may only be expressed by symbols. Words, concepts cannot express the Depth of Life which alone Symbols can reveal. Idols are inorganic; symbols have an appeal to what is vital within us. The great ones spoke in symbols. But the “disciples” devitalised symbols by turning them into creeds and dogmas— “idols” of churches and religions. Symbols are the eyes of spiritual life. Idols are barriers.
The shadows were falling fast. Sadness stole into my heart as I thought of my mutilated Motherland. And I cried a piteous cry: “Where art Thou?” And I looked up, and saw the stars shining! There is this double movement in spiritual life— ascent and descent. In the one you realise the divinity of the Atman. In the other you realise the nothingness of the ‘ego’. In both you attain to the truth that spirituality is impersonality. Guru Nanak brought back to India the long forgotten doctrine
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of man’s ‘nothingness’. Why must I be humble? Because, in very truth— apart from God, without the upholding grace of God— I am nothing. To realise one’s nothingness is to be humble. The message for the new age must be rich in a new emphasis on Life. Not merely Life but the God-Life. The message of the God-Life is richer than both idealism and naturism. For the God-Life is deeper than both nature and emotion. The GodLife is the Atman, the deepest reality within us, the Super-man in man. Explore the truth— in humility, not pride. When did ‘controversies’ convince? Bear witness to the Lord in your life. Don’t impose your creed on others. Let them be free to find
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Him, in their way. He meets men on many paths. To descend from nothingness to nothingness is to ascend to the highest wisdom. To be self-emptied and let the Nameless One do what He likes with you is to grow in the Godlife. To renounce creeds, customs, conventions— to renounce ‘religions’— is to worship the Lord of Love. So Sri Krishna says in the Gita: “Abandoning all dharmas (sarva dharman parityajya), come unto me.” To put off personality and to go into the Abyss of annihilation is to be accepted as an offering in the Flame of Sacrifice whence are born the worlds with their wonders of beauty and life.
THE BALLOON A little black boy stood watching the balloon man at the Country fair. There were all shapes of balloons in all colors. Suddenly a red balloon broke loose, and soared high into the air until it could scarcely be seen. So many people were attracted by the sight that the vendor thought it might be good business to let another go. He let a bright yellow one slip free. Then he released a white one. The little black boy stood looking for a long time. Then he asked, “Mister, if you sent the black one up, would it go just as high as the others?” The balloon man, with an understanding smile, slipped the black one from its place and said, “Sonny, it is not the colour— it’s the stuff inside that makes it rise.”
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Karma
T H E L AW O F
J. P. VASWANI
The law of karma is an eternal law: it is a universal law. It needs to be interpreted in life. Therefore, as I said, I am interested in a life-interpretation of this and other eternal laws. I recall having read many years ago, concerning an eminent Confucian Scholar. He was 80 years of age, and it was believed that no one could equal him in China in learning and understanding. One day he learnt that far, far away a new doctrine had sprung up that was profoundly deeper than his knowledge. This upset him. He lost his interest in life. He decided that the issue must be decided one way or the other. He undertook a long journey, traversed many miles and met the master of the new Zen school. He asked him to explain the new doctrine. In answer, the Buddhist monk said to him: “Venerated Sir, the doctrine we propogate is a very simple one. It can be summed up in one sentence: “To avoid doing evil, to do as much good as possible, this is the teaching of all the Buddhas.” On hearing this, the old Confucian scholar, flared up and he said: “What do you mean? I have come here facing the dangers and hazards of a long, perilious
journey and inspite of my advanced age. And you just quote a little jingle that every three year old child knows by heart! Are you mocking at me?” The Zen master very politely answered: “I am not mocking at you. But please consider that though every three year old child knows these words by heart, yet even a man of eighty fails to live up to them!” It is life that is needed, not doctrines, creeds or dogmas. Do we bear witness, to the great teachings in deeds of daily living. Yes, it is life that is needed, not book-learning, nor intellectual or psychological interpretations. Our friend writes in his beautiful letter that there is exploitation everywhere: exploitation and social injustice, and suffering due to mal-administration. I agree: but I go a step further. Exploitation and social injustice and suffering due to mal-administration are due to the fact that we have not learnt to interpret the law of karma in our daily life. If we truly believed in the law of karma, there would be no exploitation, for the law of karma boldly declares: “He that exploits shall be exploited!’ If India is to be made new, what is needed is not new interpretations but translation of the teachings in
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our daily lives. The root of exploitation, social injustice and mal-administration is in the thought: I will get away with it! Once I know that in this open universe I cannot get away with anything, I shall be careful to see that there is no evil in my thoughts and actions. I do an evil deed in the dark of the night, I say to myself: “No one saw it: I shall get away with it!” The law of karma tells me: It is true, no one saw it. But the seed has entered the field of life. The field of life has registered it. And one day or the other, — today, tomorrow or in a distant future, — out of the seed will grow a tree whose fruit will have to be eaten by you! Therefore, beware! Take care! Live and move and do your daily work in the ever-living presence of God! This was the teaching that was given to every student in ancient India. There is an oftrepeated story of a guru and two disciples who came to him seeking admission to the ashrama. The guru gives them a simple test. He passes on a coconut to each one of them and instructs them to break the coconut where no one may see them, and return with the broken pieces. One of the students enters a dark and solitary cave and, finding no one watching, breaks the coconut and within no time, returns with the pieces to the guru. The other student returns only after sunset and that, too, with the coconut in tact. His friend says to him: “Why did you
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not accompany me? There were so many caves. I entered one of them. You could have entered another and broken the coconut. Nobody would have seen you!’ At this, the other friend replied: “I entered cave after cave, but wherever I went, just as I was about to break the coconut, I found that He was watching me. God was watching me! There was not a nook or a corner where God was not!” How many of us live in this consciousness? This is an ancient interpretation of an ancient, eternal law. But how many live up to it? If only we lived in the thought that God is watching us, exploitation, social injustice and mal-administration would be completely erradicated from the country. Let me relate to you an incident from the life of a judge. He was an honest and God-fearing man. One day, he was offered a bribe of two hundred thousand rupees. It was a large amount and he succumbed to the temptation. However, his conscience kept pricking him all the time. It kept saying to him: “You have sold your soul for a mere two hundred thousand rupees!” Finally, unable to quieten his conscience, he went to the rich man’s house and returned the entire amount to him, saying: “There’s a Father up above, watching us with love, so our hands must not give or receive a bribe!” How many of us would do likewise?
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LAUGH YOUR WAY TO HEALTH Man: Today is my wife’s birthday. I’d like to buy her a beautiful fountain pen. Salesperson: A surprise, eh? Man: You bet; she’s expecting a Cadillac. *** Little Jai new baby brother was screaming up a storm. Jai asked his mom, “Where’d we get him?” “He came from heaven, Jai.” “Wow! I can see why they threw him out!” *** A man mentioned to his landlord about the tenants in the apartment over his apartment. “Many a night they stomp on the floor and shout until midnight.” When the landlord asked if it bothered him, he replied, “Not really. I usually stay up and practice my trumpet until about that time most every night anyway.” *** A minister asked a group of children in Sunday school class, “Why do you love God?” He received a variety of answers, but the one he liked best was, “I don’t know, sir. I guess it just runs in our family”
*** In his Sunday morning sermon, a preacher recently announced that there are 726 different kinds of sin. Since that Sunday morning, he has been besieged with requests for the list, mostly from people who are afraid that they are missing something. *** “It’s no good, sir,” said the hopeless pupil to his English teacher. “I try to learn, but everything you say goes in both ears and out the other.” “Goes in both ears and out the other?” asked the puzzled teacher. “But you have only two ears, boy.” “You see, sir? I’m no good at math either.” *** 1. The Japanese eat very little fat and suffer fewer heart attacks than the British or Americans. 2. On the other hand, the French eat a lot of fat and also suffer fewer heart attacks than the British or Americans. 3. Conclusion: Eat what you like. It’s speaking English that’s killing you. ***
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Stressing the importance of a large vocabulary, the English teacher told the class, “Use a word ten times, and it will be yours for life.” In the back of the room a pert young lady closed her eyes and was heard chanting under her breath: “Chandru, Chandru, Chandru, Chandru, Chandru, Chandru, Chandru, Chandru, Chandru, Chandru.” *** A five-year-old said grace at a family dinner one night. “Dear God, thank You for these pancakes.” When he concluded, his parents asked him why he thanked God for pancakes when they were having chicken. He smiled and said, “I thought I’d see if He was paying attention tonight.” *** My therapist insists that the way to achieve true inner peace is to finish what I start. So far today, I have finished two bags of M&Ms and a chocolate cake—I feel better already. *** The pastor was talking to a group of young children about being good and going to heaven. At the end of his talk, he asked, “Where do you want to go?” “Heaven!” they all piped up. “And what do you have to do to get there?”asked the pastor. “Be dead!” shouted one little boy. *** The two men were adrift in an open boat, and it looked bad for them. Finally one of them,
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frightened, began to pray. “O Lord,” he prayed, “I’ve broken most of Thy commandments. I’ve been a hard drinker, but if my life is spared now I’ll promise never again...” “Wait a minute, Jack,” said his friend. “Don’t go too far. I think I see a sail.” *** There was a very gracious lady who was mailing an old family Bible to her brother in another part of the country. “Is there anything breakable in here?” asked the postal clerk. “Only the Ten Commandments,” answered the lady *** A modern-day scientist was conversing with God and told Him blatantly, “You know, God, we can transplant just about every organ; we can replace arms and legs and so forth. It seems to me we just don’t need You anymore, God.” God, in His quiet way, replied, “Well, you think not, huh? Let’s just have a contest and make a man.” “OK.” And the scientist enthusiastically reached down and grabbed up a handful of dirt. “Oh, no,” God stopped him in midair. “Get your own dirt!” *** A little child in church for the first time watched as the ushers passed the offering plates. When they neared the pew where he sat, the youngster piped up so that everyone could hear, “Don’t pay for me, Daddy. I’m under five.”
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Children’s Corner RIDDLES 1. A woman shoots her husband, then holds him under water for five minutes. Finally, she hangs him. Five minutes later they enjoy a wonderful dinner together. How can this be? 2. A cowboy rides into town on Friday, stays for three days and leaves on Friday. How did he do it? 3. A man kills his wife and hides the body in some bushes. The next day the police call and say his wife has been murdered and tell the man to come to the crime scene right away. As soon as the man gets there he is arrested. Why? 4. A woman is sitting in her hotel room when there is a knock at the door. She opens the door to find a man whom she has never seen before. The man said “Oh I’m sorry, I thought this was my room.” He then went down the hallway and took the elevator. The woman went back into her room and phoned security. Why? 5. Imagine you are in a sinking boat and surrounded by sharks. What could you do to survive? 6. Mr. Smith and his son are driving in a car. They get into a horrible accident. Mr. Smith dies instantly. Mr. Smith’s son however is rushed to the emergency room. The surgeon said I cannot operate on this child because he is my son. How is this possible? 7. You are a clever thief and are caught robbing a bank. The king sentences you to death but is being nice enough to let the thief to choose his own method of death. If you are the thief what way would you choose to die?
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8. A man is trapped in a concrete room with no windows or doors and he only has a bed and calendar. How does he eat? 9. You are in a room with no windows, doors or any exit. The only items are a mirror and a table. How do you escape? 10. A man is leaving on a business trip and stops by his office on the way to the airport. The night watchman stops him and says, “Sir, don’t take that flight. I had a dream last night that your plane would crash and everyone would die!” The business man cancels his trip and sure enough, the plane crashes, killing all the passengers. The man gives his watchman a $10,000 reward for saving his life, then fires him. Why? 11. Two fathers and two sons go fishing together in the same boat. They all catch a fish but the total catch for the day is three fish. How is this possible? 12. A murderer is condemned to death. He has to choose between three rooms. The first is full of raging fires, the second is full of assassins with loaded guns, and the third is full of lions that haven’t eaten in 3 months. Which room should he choose to have the best chance of staying alive?
Answers: 1. She took a photo of him and then developed it in the dark room. 2. The horse’s name is Friday. 3. The police never told him where the crime scene was. 4. You don’t knock on the door of your own room. 5. Stop imagining. 6. The surgeon is the boys’ mother. 7. I would choose old age. 8. He gets his water from the spring in his mattress and dates from the calendar. 9. Look in the mirror, then at the wall and back at the mirror to see what you saw. Use the saw to cut the table in half and join the two halves to make a whole. Put the “hole” on the wall and climb out. 10. Because his night watchman was sleeping on the job. 11. There are three men: A grandfather, a father (the grandfather’s son) and the father’s son. 12. The third room, since the lions would have died from starvation.
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SIMPLE RULES OF HEALTH THE 4 BEST VEGAN FOODS TO EAT IF YOU’RE TRYING TO TONE UP
When you think of toning up, a tofu scramble might not come to mind as the buff breakfast of choice. Well, it’s time to reconsider the power of plants. They’re an excellent source of a hunger-curbing protein that’s the perfect fuel to sculpt those quads and biceps. “Vegan athletes don’t actually have very different protein needs than athletes who include meat in their diets,” explains Ginger Hultin, a nutritionist from Seattle. “There are a lot of protein sources equivalent to meat that have the added benefits of different vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.” Those nutritional extras might partially explain why vegans are believed to live longer and experience lower rates of chronic diseases. Although the United States Department of Agriculture recommends that a 68 kg woman consumes 54 gms of protein daily (you can calculate your needs on their website), some experts believe we’re too obsessed with protein and that we will get more than enough nutrients by eating a varied vegan diet. “If you’re eating healthy whole foods in a plant-based diet, it’s
impossible not to get enough protein,” says Julieanna Hever, a vegan dietician from Los Angeles and author of The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Plant-Based Nutrition. Her argument: The world’s largest muscled animals, such as elephants, gorillas and hippos, eat mostly plants. She also points out that if you’re working out hard, you’ll likely eat more kilojoules overall, which will end up boosting your protein consumption anyway. Just like meat-eating exercisers, what and when you eat your vegan vittles can help you maximise your body’s performance. Aim for small, frequent meals throughout the day to keep your blood sugar levels steady and eat a variety of protein sources, says Vandana Sheth, a Los Angelesbased dietician who specialises in vegetarian nutrition. “You want a combination of protein, healthy fats and carbs to give you the right amount of energy to push through a workout,” says Sheth, who’s also a spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Her pre-gym favourites include a peanut butter and banana sandwich or oats with soy milk and fruit.
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After your last squat, she recommends a meal containing 15 to 20 gms of protein within an hour to help your muscles recover. Good options include a bean wrap or lentil soup. You can always stash a few vegan protein bars in your bag. Here are the experts’ top food choices to help you stay pumped:
1. Protein powder Smoothies made with protein powders are easy to drink and carry on the go. Plus, protein powders are remarkably versatile because they can be mixed with everything from nut butters, soy yogurt or even that quarter-bag of leftover frozen strawberries at the back of your freezer. “Vegan protein powders include hemp, pea, rice or soy,” says Hultin. “This can be a convenient way to get a concentrated source of protein, and some have 20 or more grams per serving.” Skip powders made from whey and casein, both of which are derived from cow’s milk.
2. Tofu Soy is an excellent source of vegan nutrition because it’s higher in protein and fat while lower in carbs than other legumes, says Hultin. Soybeans (the base of tofu) are also bursting with antioxidants called isoflavones that research shows are linked to reduced heart disease, osteoporosis and certain forms of cancer. “That combo could also boost your athletic performance,” she says. Try stir-frying your tofu with veggies and wrapping it inside a whole-grain wrap, says Sheth.
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A half-cup of tofu has 10 gms of protein.
3. Beans Beans just might be the perfect food. Not only are they filling and tasty, they’re bursting with fibre and important phytonutrients, which tame disease-causing inflammation and oxidation, says Hever. Studies also show that beans reduce bad cholesterol and the risk of heart disease and diabetes. Plus, at 15 gms of protein per cup, beans are good workout fuel. “When athletes eat beans and lentils, they get complex carbohydrates in addition to protein for a sustainable, slowburning energy boost,” adds Hultin. Make a Sunday pot of black bean soup or sprinkle some chickpeas on your salad.
4. Nuts and seeds Nuts are highly portable and a great choice to eat after a workout, says Hever, who recommends nuts for noshing on one to two ounces daily. “They also have essential fatty acids, which help with inflammation, support muscle recovery and are good for weight management,” she says. Those amazing omega-3s can also power your athletic performance, adds Hultin. She suggests walnuts, chia, hemp and flax seeds to get the most omega-3 fats. As for protein, almonds and cashews have about 6 gms per serving, and peanut butter has 8 gms. Spread some nut butter on your toast or sprinkle some peanut butter powder on your berries.
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RECIPES FOR THE MONTH
BHARWAN BHINDI Ingredients: Ladies finger....................................................½ kg Coriander leaves..........................................1 bunch Mint leaves......................................................a few Green chillies......................................................... 2 Ginger........................................................... 1 piece Garlic........................................................3-4 flakes Jeera............................................................... ¼ tsp Coriander powder...........................................1 tbsp Besan..............................................................1 tbsp Amchur powder................................................1 tsp Hing..............................................................a pinch Haldi.............................................................a pinch Sugar.............................................................. ½ tsp Salt...............................................................to taste Method: • Slit the ladies fingers down the middle, so that you can stuff the masala down the middle • Grind all the above ingredients together • Stuff the ladies fingers with the ground masala • In a non stick pan, add 2 tsp oil • When hot, add a pinch of hing and haldi • Add the stuffed ladies fingers, cover and cook till tender.
SAI BHAJI Ingredients: Spinach (Palak)..........................................250 gms Chana dal.....................................................50 gms Carrot..............................................1 medium sized Turi/bottle gourd........................................ 6” piece Tomatoes........................................2 medium sized Onion..............................................1 medium sized Potatoes..........................................1 medium sized Green chilli............................................................ 2 Garlic........................................................4-5 flakes Ginger..................................................a small piece
Haldi powder....................................................1 tsp Salt...............................................................to taste Method: • Clean the palak at least 3-4 times. Chop and keep aside • Soak chana dal in water for 15-20 mins • Cut the carrots, turi and potatoes in small pieces • Finely chop onion, ginger, garlic and chilli. • Heat the pressure cooker and add 2 tbsp oil • Add ginger, garlic, onion and chilli. Cook till it turns pink • Add palak along with remaining vegetables and chana dal • Now add tomatoes, haldi and one cup of water. • Put the lid on and pressure cook for 2 whistles. • When cool open lid and salt accordingly • With a blender blend lightly.
GWARFALI KI SABJI Ingredients: Gwarfalli.....................................................250 gms Tomatoes....................................................250 gms Garlic....................................................10-12 cloves Oil...................................................................2 tbsp Salt...............................................................to taste Red chilli powder, Dhania powder, Haldi......to taste Method: • Cut the gwarfalli into small pieces • Put it into a cooker with salt and ½ cup water and cook for 5-6 whistles • In a frying pan put oil and heat • Add the chopped garlic, tomato • Cook for a while • Add salt and dry masalas • Then add the gwarfalli and cook for 10 minutes • Sprinkle the water if required to cook for 10 minutes.
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