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* J.P. VASWANI Thank you God! Thank you God! Thank you God! Friends who have heard me speak or read any of my books know that this is my favourite form of communication with God. In sunshine and rain, in pleasure and pain, in loss and gain, in darkness and light, this is a prayer that I love to offer to God. I say this to Him in all circumstances and all events of life. I say it with the fullest confidence that whatever is happening to me at that moment, is a gift, prasadam from His spotless hands. As I said to you, this is my favourite prayer: but many of the brothers and sisters with whom I have shared this prayer are not convinced by my poor words. “Thank God?” they ask, incredulous with anger and frustration. “Thank God? For what? For inflation and recession? For debts and mounting bills? For the cruelty and indifference we meet wherever we turn? For illness and pain?” I say to them with a smile, “I am not one of those cruel, indifferent people you are talking about! I know that life is not always smooth sailing for us human beings. But I do know, that God is all love and
all wisdom. He is too loving to punish and too wise to make a mistake. Whatever is happening to you must be for your own good— though you may not be aware of it when it is happening. Therefore, I say to you, let the words, ‘Thank you God! Thank you God! Thank you God!’ be on your lips constantly! A grateful heart will make your life beautiful and abundantly blessed!” As for that question, “What is there to be grateful about?” I must confess that it leaves me speechless with disbelief! What is there that I need not be grateful for— is my response. As for me, I am grateful to be alive; I am grateful that I can see and hear and feel; let me add for your sake: you must be grateful that you can walk and run. As for me, after six months of enforced rest, I am beginning to take ‘baby’ steps after a complicated orthopaedic surgery and consequent stroke, and let me say, I am profoundly grateful that I can come to the satsang and meet my brothers and sisters. I would be an ungrateful person, if I did not express my gratitude to the doctors, nurses, physiotherapists and the numerous brothers and sisters who sent out their prayers
*February 18-24 is observed as the Thanksgiving Week.
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for my recovery. I cannot, at present, walk without help; as for running, it is out of question; but I am grateful that I am still moving despite the pain and the difficulty! There I began with a list of things you ought to be grateful for, and I was forced to point out to you that these are things that some of us cannot take for granted! But let me continue with your gratitude list: you can speak; you can eat; you can smell; you can laugh and cry; you can add and subtract; you can read and understand; you can sing and dance. Should I go on...? The trouble with many of us is that we only focus on what we do not have, and forget all that we have been blessed with. This attitude makes for ingratitude. Is it not true that many of us just go through life always wanting something or the other, always complaining that this or that is lacking in our lives, homes and offices? Young ladies who are short, want to be taller; young men who are thin want to become muscular; people with straight hair want curly hair; and everyone with an Indian complexion wants an European complexion. Nobody is satisfied; nobody is happy; everyone wants to be something which he or she is not; how can we even begin to be grateful for what we have? The trouble is that in this mad race of wanting what we do not have, many of us overlook what we have to be thankful for. In fact, we take for granted so many precious things that make our lives worth living.
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Where would we be without our families? What would we do if we had no homes to go back to at the end of the day? It is a different thing that all of us want bigger, better homes, may be with greater amenities and luxuries. But have you ever thought what it is like to be homeless? May I say to you, every year, year after year, in the cold season of winter, our Sadhu Vaswani Mission volunteers go out to offer blankets to people who sleep on the pavements of Pune. These people live and eat and sleep on the pavements. Some actually live with their children, cooking and cleaning and running a home on the pavement, until the authorities come along and ‘demolish’ their homes in a few seconds! The other day, a sister said to me that the makeshift homes of twenty pavementdweller-families had been displaced from the station area, and they were all wailing loudly by the roadside. A few hours later, they had packed their belongings and moved on! They could not afford the luxury of endless complaining. They had to make alternative arrangements. Believe me, when you stop complaining and start thanking, when you stop criticising and start appreciating, your life will be transformed! You will find yourself living a rich, meaningful, worthwhile life, which is filled with abundance and a source of joy and peace to yourself and those around you! Try the attitude of gratitude. And see the difference for yourself!
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SRI RAMAKRISHNA PARAMAHANSA* SADHU VASWANI “I have practised all religions. And I have found that they lead to the same God!” Rightly has Ramakrishna been called, “Paramahansa, the word means, literally, the ‘swan supreme’.” The “swan” separates milk from water. The milk is the Divine Spirit, the Atman: the water is maya, Ramakrishna separated ‘‘milk” from “water”: he drank in God— God only. He lived and moved and had his breath in God! In such Paramahansas— the great sages and seers of India— is India’s teaching of the Atman, the Spirit enshrined, in Ramakrishna, India gave the world a Teacher who showed that maya must not be shunned but conquered by the Spirit. Ramakrishna lived in the world, and he conquered maya by love. He recognised the claims of the body and the value of time. In him was a blend of the “timesense” with the “sense of the Eternal.” He was born in February, 1836. He passed on in August, 1886. He was born in a village named Kamarpukur, near Jahanabad, in the Hooghly District. He was cremated at the burning ghat, Baranagar, and a
bel-tree stands on the spot where the body of the Blessed One was burnt. His parents named him Gadadhar Chatterji. A Punjabi Vedantist, named Totapuri, gave him his new name— Ramakrishna. In a poor Brahmin family was he born. In an obscure village he lived: and he knew neither Sanskrit nor English, But this “uneducated villager” was of the race of the Buddhas, was of the illuminated Family of the prophets and rishis of Humanity. His life was rooted in meditation: and he passed, again and again, into ecstatic communion with the Highest. How often have I not looked at the picture of Sri Ramakrishna! How often have I not meditated upon him and his sayings! Some years ago, I saw Belur. I saw some of the things which Sri Ramakrishna had used and which his disciples
*February 17 is the sacred birth anniversary of Sri Ramakrishna Paramhansa.
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have treasured. And gazing at the picture of the Saint, I said to myself: “I have seen the face of a child.” When they asked him, one day, to attend a religious meeting, well-dressed in dhoti and chaddar his reply was characteristic. He said: “I can’t be dressed like a Babu!” Ramakrishna always wished to be, not a ‘‘civilised” Babu, but a simple child of God, whom he loved to call his “Mother”. When they asked Ramakrishna: “What is the difference between knowledge, knower and the object known?” he answered as a child: “I know not the niceties of learning: I do but know my Mother Divine and that” “I am Her son!” “Knowledge,” he pointed out, “has entry only to the outer court of God: but none may enter the Inner Mysteries of God without bhakti or love.” Many came to him, asking him to be their guru. He disclaimed the status of a guru. He said he was not a guru, but a servant— a servant of all human beings. And he said further that Rama and Krishna and Buddha had breathed their breath in him. He said, too that the grace of Kali, the Mother Divine, was upon him. The Mother was the Divine Spirit pouring blessings on all races, all religions, all prophets and saints, all teachers and seers of humanity. Ramakrishna’s lotus-face was a picture of peace and love. His love went out to all. He realised that God moved in every form.
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“Yes,” said Ramakrishna, “God manifests Himself alike in the sage and in the sinner.” Ramakrishna taught that all religions had a common, eternal destiny. Creeds and ceremonies, he pointed out, could not satisfy the seeker. Men would find God if they would learn to serve Him in humility and love. The essence of all religions was a Light common to all religions: they all bore witness to the One Brotherhood of Humanity. Religion is life— said Ramakrishna. And the secret of life is love: the more you love others, the nearer you are to God. Why seek Him in buildings? See Him, touch Him, in Man! Different faiths are but different paths to reach the Supreme. Only be sincere! Ramakrishna’s teaching is the teaching of India’s seers and sages. “I have practised all religions.” Ramakrishna said: “Hinduism, Islam, Christianity. And I have followed the paths of the different Hindu denominations. I have found that it is the same God towards whom all are directing their steps, though along different paths. He who is called Krishna is, also, called Shiva and bears the names of the Primeval Energy, Jesus and Allah as well— the same Rama with a thousand names.” Many called him a worshipper of Kali. But to him Kali was not the “idol” in the Temple. To him Kali and Brahman were one. To him all religions were, in essence, one. So this Kali-
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worshipper could, also, rejoice in Vaishnava kirtans and songs. And he could pray in a mosque and grow his beard like a Muslim and invoke God as “Allah.” And he could go to a Christian church and bow in his room to a picture of Isa (Jesus). In his daily life, this magnetic man bestowed the blessings of his pure, loving heart on every one. Even as the sun sheds its light on all, so did Ramakrishna bless everyone. For he realised that God is Love, and that an agnostic and an atheist may be as close to God as a believer and a bhakta. In Ramakrishna, his life and teaching, the spirit of love was made manifest unto the children of men in a temple built on a bank of the Hooghly river, he lived in simplicity and humility and deep reverence for all— at once for saints and sinners. This simple man drank in more and more of the love of God, until he was intoxicated with love. The beauty of Ramakrishna’s life fascinated an increasing number of men and women. How they travelled to him from cities and villages of Bengal! How they would gaze and gaze at his lotus-face! Nitya-mukta was he, said many— eternally free. But he called himself a servant of humanity. With what reverence in his heart did he not touch the ground which they, who called themselves his disciples, had trodden! They marvelled at the purity of his life. He had controlled and transformed the sex-impulse.
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How they wondered at this man whom money could not tempt! When a disciple of his offered him ten thousand rupees, he asked in all humility to be excused. This man, pure in life, peerless in character was a man of deep humility. And to this man every woman was a mother, a symbol of the one Divine Mother, he adored as Kali. Child-like was he in his tenderness. A saint was he in profound humility. A bhakta of the bhaktas was he in the unspeakable sweetness of his words and expression. A divine smile always played upon his lips. He had his own way of expressing his ideal of life. To him it was not an ideal but a realisation. The supreme truth which he realised in daily life, he one day expressed in two words: “Naham, Naham! Tuhu, Tuhu!” ‘‘Not I, not I! Thou, Thou!” Yes, his “I” was annihilated. His life was merged in the one Divine, Thou, the Eternal Thou of the Atman. Again and again, they would come and say to him: “Master!” Again and again he answered them in his own gentle, humble way: “I am nobody’s Master: I am everybody’s disciple!” The years, 1867 to 1886, mark the closing period in Ramakrishna’s life, it is a period of his growing influence on the “educated” in Bengal. In this period, the Saint becomes a Teacher of men. What precious truths he teaches through stories and parables and his wonderful
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sayings! Here are a few of them, precious to me as pearls of great price: • Do your daily work, but do not forget God. • He is no scholar whose mind is not true to God. Be illumined! • Do you see what I see? He, the Lord, has become everything. • In the pure is reflected the Lord as the sun in a clear mirror. • God shines when the ego dies • Like unto a miser that longeth for gold, let thy heart long for the Lord! • Call on the Divine Mother! She will come to you and take you up in Her arms! In 1885, he suffers from throat trouble. It develops into cancer. He is removed from Dakshineswar to Calcutta. Towards the end of the year, he is removed to a garden-house
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at Cossipore. There, he quits his body in August, 1886. August 15, 1886, was the last day of Ramakrisna’s earthlife. Three times he uttered the name “Kali”— the Beloved of his heart: then he lay back, went into ecstasy (samadhi)— and passed away. “He has passed from one room to the other,” said his disciples and they cried: “Victory! Victory! Victory!” Ramakrishna’s love went out to all. Therefore doth Ramakrishna belong to everyone. Yes— Ramakrishna is a part of the inheritance of Man. He passed on to all who were around him the interior happiness of the heart. He imposed no creed on any one: but all religions, he held, were paths to the One. Do I exaggerate if I speak of Ramakrishna as a revelation of the Eternal in time and history?
THE TRUE SOVEREIGN Japan had lost in the last World War and her Emperor, Hirohito, felt awfully depressed. One day, he sent for Kagawa and said to him: “My heart is sad. Tell me what I should do to become a true king of my people?” Arid Kagawa said: “Your Majesty! One thing only may I say. A true sovereign is he who lives in the hearts of the people. And if your Majesty will live in the hearts of the people there is but one rule, one ideal to keep in view, every day. A nation, your Majesty! grows in stature and becomes God-like in the measure in which it serves the people. And a true sovereign is he who is a servant of the people!” Yes— true sovereignty is service. And they are among the true kings of humanity who, rising above all thoughts of money and power, go into the mud of matter and, with soiled hands and soiled clothes, wander as servants of the poor and the oppressed! — Sadhu Vaswani
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THE INSPIRATION OF SHIVAJI’S LIFE SADHU VASWANI
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Tukaram was a contemporary of Shivaji and Sant Ramdas. Shivaji was a political leader who had the aspiration of a bhakta. In his heart was a longing to be near some man of God from whom he might receive religious instruction and spiritual blessings. Sant Ramdas was such a man and was held in great reverence by Shivaji. Sant Ramdas was born in the same year as Tukaram. As the name signifies, Sant Ramdas was a worshipper of Rama. Ramdas was a man essentially of the practical type: he had the genius of an organiser. His great book, the “Dasbodh”, is a bhakti-shastra (Scripture of bhakti or devotion). Ramdas worshipped Rama as his Beloved: Tukaram worshipped Krishna or Vithoba as his Beloved. Yet the twain were one, I believe, to the two Sants. Ramdas became the Guru of Shivaji and the latter gave the Sant the hill-fort at Parali. It became the headquarters of Ramdas’ movement. In some of his verses, Sant Ramdas gives expression to the deep hunger in his heart for God. “Without Thee,” sings Ramdas, “without Thee, O Rama! without Thee, O Lord of the Raghus! all, all, is vanity— is ashes and dust! The joy of life may never be found in pursuing the path of passions. O Rama! I pray Thee *February 19 is Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Jayanti.
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to grant me a mind and heart like thine own. I pray that I may cling to Thee in unbroken faith. I pray that Thou mayst enrich me with Thy goodness divine. I pray that Thou mayst extinguish all my sins. And I pray to Thee, O Saviour! That I may be filled, through and through, with the One Life Divine.” Once every year, even in our days, thousands of people gather on the Parali Hill to celebrate the day sacred to this great Saint of God. Tukaram’s fame as a singer of abhangas, as a poet and as a lover of kirtan-music, reached the ears of Shivaji, the founder of the Maratha empire. Shivaji wished for an interview with Sant Tukaram. The king sent a messenger and a cavalry with a horse and an umbrella to bring Tukaram to the king’s camp. Tukaram had the spiritual perception to see that Shivaji’s camp would not suit him, that Shivaji had better come to him, the Sant, and sit in the company of bhaktas and sing with them the Name of his Beloved, Vithoba. So Tukaram wrote an abhanga to Shivaji and returned jewellery and all other gifts sent him through a messenger. Great was Tukaram’s admiration for Shivaji. The Sant realised that Maharashtra was in piteous need of a man of Shivaji’s type. Maharashtra had forgotten God and spiritual life. One recalls the present state of India. Maharashtra was immersed in
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worship of the body and was in pursuit of material things. “Alas!” said Tukaram, “the age is under the influence of Kalika (dark forces). Virtue has declined: forgetfulness of God has become strong. Believers have renounced religion. And many have become sycophants. The kings are become tyrants. The country suffers from imitation. Tuka says: O Lord! Why hast Thou retreated far from Thy people? Now run— run to us without delay.” Tukaram’s heart was filled with deep anguish at the sight of his countrymen. And Tukaram cried out: “Seeing my people in this state, I am filled with anguish.” Tukaram sang: “What will protect Thy people, O Lord? Compassion. Around me I see cruelty spreading everywhere. Be merciful, O Lord! to Thy people.” Tukaram, in returning the gifts to Shivaji, wrote an abhanga which is famous in Marathi literature. It is known, I believe, to every educated man in Maharashtra. Here are a few lines quoted from the abhanga in imperfect translation: Torches, umbrellas and horses— what shall I do with them? They are not the things which are good for me. Why, O Lord of Pandhari! Why dost Thou snare me with them? Honours, finery and aping others— I count as filth. O God! my Beloved! says Tuka, run Thou to set me free from these entanglements.
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My mind and heart desire not these things. Thou offerest them to me. Why dost thou embarass me, O king? I, verily, long to live detached from the world. I seek not its sanga (companionship). I long to live in seclusion. I desire to speak not a word to anyone. Crowds and treasures and this body, I seek them not. Thou, O king! mayst well have them and hold them. Not these the things for me! What I do desire, thou knowest, O king! Yet thou dost seek to keep me away from the things of the Spirit. This is thy habit, O king! that thou dost place before me things of the world so that I may be entangled in them. Tukaram writes further: An ant and a king— the twain are one for me. I have discarded both attachment and hope. Gold and clay are for me the same. Tuka says: The fullness of Heaven hath come to my house unasked. What more do I need? I sit here in my house as a master of the wealth of the three worlds. The Lord, my Mother and Father, have I met. What more do I need? The fullness of the strength of the three worlds has entered my heart. Tuka says: All the strength of the universe is mine. O ruler of men! what canst thou give me? I ask only for Vithal, the Beloved. Yes— O ruler of men! You have a generous heart and you offer me a shining
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stone to snatch from me the parasa-mani (philosopher’s stone). What shall I do, O king! with the wealth you offer? I regard all this wealth as the cow’s flesh. Yes, O ruler! if you would give me anything, give me the one thing I ask for. It will make me happy. Give me this, O ruler! what your lips sing— the Name of my Beloved: Vithal! Vithal! All your wealth, O ruler! Is for me as clay and dust. Wear a garland of tulsi-heads on your neck. Fast every Ekadasi day. Call yourself a servant of my Beloved. This is the one hope Tuka breathes out to you. Tukaram in yet other abhangas addressed to Shivaji singeth thus: If I came to your place, O king! seeking honours, what happiness can I find? In the house of a king the wealthy alone are honoured. What of the common people dear to me? In the house of a king I could but see fine raiment and jewels. Seeing them, I would die of the sight. If you scorn me when you hear this, God will not scorn me. Let me say this to you: There is no joy like a beggar’s joy. The greatest of the things, O ruler! are self-control and renunciation. But wealthy men, remember, are unhappy. For desires entangle them. Tuka says: Rich are you and you are honoured, but more fortunate than you are the followers of Hari, the singers of my Beloved.
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GUIDELINES FOR
MEDITATION J. P. VASWANI The following are only a few “guidelines” and need not be strictly adhered to. Meditation is a most ‘personal’ experience in which one’s deepest and truest self is involved. Every person meditates in his or her way, for the “Spirit bloweth where it listeth”. The one who treads the path of meditation becomes a pilgrim of the Spirit, always on the move, always eager to sink deeper and deeper within himself, until he loses himself in the Pure White Light. The following, therefore, are only a few practical suggestions: 1. Select a silence-corner of a silence-chamber where you can spend some time everyday without being disturbed. It should preferably be away from the telephone and should be dimly lighted. 2. It is advisable to get up as early as possible in the morning — in any case, before sunrise. The period of three hours before sunrise is known as brahma muhurat, and is especially favourable for meditation. At that time, the atmosphere is calm and serene, the body is fresh and rested, the mind is alert but not overactive. The hour of evening twilight is also good for meditation.
If, however, these hours are not found convenient, any other suitable time may be fixed. 3. If, at the time of meditation, you feel drowsy, there is no harm if you have a cup of tea or coffee or if you walk up and down for sometime or do a light exercise. 4. Meditation should be practised preferably at the same time and at the same place, everyday. This will help form a habit that will automatically throw you into a meditative mood when the hour approaches. 5. Meditation should be practised when the body is not tired and at least two hours after having a meal. 6. At the time of meditation, it is helpful to wear loose comfortable clothes. This will help you to relax fully. The clothes should be clean and, if possible, set apart for this purpose. 7. No particular posture is prescribed for meditation. Adopt any sitting posture that you find natural and in which you can sit steadily for some length of time without having to move the body unnecessarily. You may sit on the floor (not on the bare ground but on a mat, a carpet or a piece of cloth) in a cross-legged position or be seated in a straight chair with your feet gently resting on the floor. What is important is that
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the spinal column and the head should be held erect. This helps the prana (vital energy) to move freely in the body. Do not strain. Be comfortable, relaxed and attentive. 8. If, in the course of meditation, you feel cramps or pain or get an itching sensation in any part of the body, do not move but concentrate on the part where you feel the pain (or itch or any other sensation) and mentally repeat the word pain... pain... pain... (or itch...itch...itch and so on) over and over again; the pain will disappear and you can continue your practice of meditation. 9. It helps to wear a soft smile on the face. This aids in brightening the mind and makes it happier. 10. Relax. Take a few deep breaths. Also, take God’s Name a few times in such a way that its resonance is mentally heard. Turn the mind either inward or upward. There are three centres in which you may fix the attention of the mind: (a) the heart (not the physical heart but what is called the “spiritual heart” — it is in the middle of the chest, in line with the physical heart); (b) the point between (and a little behind) the two eyebrows; and (c) the crown of the head. Choose the centre where the consciousness easily and naturally settles down. 11. You do not have to concentrate or meditate upon these positions. You have only to station yourself in your consciousness at one of these centres and be there for the duration of the meditation. 12. As you try to concentrate, you will find that, in the early
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stages, untoward thoughts will make your attention wander; this is natural. The mind has the habit of wandering: it must wander. You will be annoyed at how many and how trivial these distractions can be. You must deal with them kindly. Do not drive them out in anger. Be gentle with them. Label each distraction as past–present– future–worthy–unworthy–jealousy– envy–hatred–vanity–desire–egoism, and so on. As you label them, they will slink away and leave you in peace. Once they disappear, your attention will return to meditation. I3. If, during the meditation, you see any lights or figures or images (or hear sounds or notice a fragrance), observe them in a detached manner. Do not feel elated: do not shut them out. They are generally signs of the opening of the subtler senses of sight or sound or smell. Some people have such experiences: others do not. Experiences, by themselves, may mean nothing. What is important is attaining to purity, peace, love, compassion, joy. What is important is the transformation of one’s life. 14. After meditation, do not immediately plunge into active work. Be quiet for some time and gently move out of the world of silence into the world of activity. 15. You must carry the spirit of meditation into the workaday world. The peace and purity you have experienced in periods of silence must be reflected in your dealings with others. Emotions like hatred, anger, resentment, ill-will, greed, arrogance, selflove, covetousness, envy, jealousy, agitation and anxiety must be transcended.
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DEEPER HARMONIES IN FAITHS SADHU VASWANI
I am a born disciple. I aspire to sit at the feet of seekers and sages— alike of East and West— to learn of all and to grow in the life of the Spirit. And I have rejoiced to see that there are unities in what has been taught by the great ones in East and West. Differences notwithstanding, there are deeper harmonies in the faiths and sadhanas (spiritual disciplines) of East and West. Truly spake an Eastern sage when he said: “We are all the fruits of one tree and the leaves of one branch.” The “Golden Rule” is not the monopoly of the New Testament. I read in the Mahabharata the following significant words: “Here is the essence of dharma, of duty— ‘Do nought to others which, if done to thee, would cause thee pain.’” There is no dharma higher than Truth. And we “walk in Truth” when, in the words of Guru Nanak— the great Sikh Teacher, we “walk in the
commandments of God.” Vain prayers avail not. “A single prayer moves Heaven,” said a sage of Japan. And Guru Arjan, the Sikh martyr, says: “Make Truth thy prayer.” Compassion is the deeper faith of Eastern and Western sages. And the great singer and worshipper of Rama, Tulsi said: “Compassion is the root of religion as pride is the root of sin!” Socrates created a “revolution” in Athenian society. A martyr, literally, is a witness. Socrates drank the cup of hemlock in “witness” to Truth: the path of Truth is covered not with roses but with flames. Socrates, I have often said, was a yogi. Socrates was an inspired teacher of the youths of Athens. Socrates condemned the “sophists” for charging “fees” in education. To Socrates, as to the Hindu rishis, education was a thing of the Spirit, a spiritual pursuit. And Socrates emphasised in his teaching the truth: “Know
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thyself!” It is the very heart of the wisdom of the rishis. Krishna says to Arjuna: “Know thyself: for in thee is the life Divine! He who seeketh it shall find it in himself!” Plato taught that society would still be infected with discord until there was a marriage between high thought and high action. Is not this the thought underlying the last shloka of the Gita: “Wherever there are Krishna, the Lord of yoga (Yogesvaran), and Arjuna, the Archer (danurdharah), there will surely be prosperity (sri), victory (vijaya), welfare and morality (neeti).” Of the three kinds of action, the highest, sattvic action, we read in the Gita, is the action which, if felt to be unpleasant, is still done in “utter unselfconsciousness with a smile on the lips.” We are reminded of Socrates drinking the cup of hemlock, being aware of Life as transcending the body and aware of the Atman as “untouched by death.” So when, in Plato’s Dialogues, Crito asks: “In what way shall we bury you, Socrates?” Socrates says: “In any way you like, but first you must catch me, the real me. Be of good cheer, my dear Crito, and see that you are burying my body only and do with that whatever is usual and what you think best!”
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Again, the Gita says that a man “attains to yoga (insight) when he stands unshaken and stable in spirit (samadhi). Plato refers to the same thought when he exhorts the soul to “collect and concentrate itself in the Self.” The Gita’s emphasis on silence and meditation is, also, affirmed in the teaching of Socrates and Plato, a Dialogue of Plato— Meno— begins with the question: “Can you tell me, Socrates, is virtue to be taught?” “Virtue,” answers Socrates, “is not taught: virtue is recollected.” And “recollection” comes when you enter into silence and enquire within: for within you is the centre, within you is the truth. The teacher gives you nothing new: the teacher but helps you to “recover” what lies within you. The answers to your questions are within you. The teacher helps you to withdraw yourself from the “outer” in which you are lost and “know” yourself in the deeps within you. There, “within” you, is the Realm of Freedom. “Concentrate,” says the Gita, “on the Supreme Self, in solitude, alone, self-controlled, free from desires, free from longing for possessions, ‘and attain to true freedom’— the freedom of the Spirit!”
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HOW LONG? In the darkness of the dawn, Methinks, I heard a Voice say: How long will you, like children, Be satisfied with toys and tools? How long will you delight, In the shouts and shows of life? How long will you waste, Your days and nights, In vain pursuit of pleasures? Which are false and fleeting as ripples, In a pool of water? O foolish one! Do you not know that desire Leadeth to wreckage and ruin? That pleasure giveth rise to pain, And that he who runs after sensation, Only suffering doth gain? Arise! Awake! Behold! The world is on flames, Fires burn in every home, In every heart, The fires of passion and pride, Of anger and envy and greed! Quench the fires with the waters Of the Holy Name; and awaken In your heart the Light of Love, Love of God and of His suffering children! And the lotus of your heart will blossom And you will be blessed Among the children of men!
– J.P. VASWANI
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Children’s Corner 1
WHAT’S WRONG? Teacher: “What did you do yesterday evening?” Tito: “I go to home.” Is there a mistake in Tito’s reply?
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ODD ONE OUT Which of these words is the odd one out? First, second, third, forth, fifth, sixth.
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What’s The Plural Of Day Off? Days off or day offs?
WHICH IS RIGHT? 1. Do you a) Put off the gas? b) Turn off the gas?
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2. Do you a) Put on the fan? b) Switch on the fan c) On the fan?
WHAT’S THE OPPOSITE? A fabric made with the help of a machine is said to be machine-made. The opposite of machine made is an eight-letter word that begins with H and ends with N. What’s it?
Answers: 1. He should have said: ‘I went home’. 2. Forth – As it should have been spelt as ‘FOURTH’. 3. Days Off. 4. 1-b, 2-b. 5. Homespun.
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Laugh Your Way To Health Q: What’s the difference between a good lawyer and a great lawyer? A: A good lawyer knows the law. A great lawyer knows the judge. *** Boss: We are very keen on cleanliness. Did you wipe your feet on the mat as you came in? New employee: Yes, sir. Boss: We are also keen on truthfulness. There is no mat. *** Q: What’s the similarity between mother and wife? A: One woman brings you into the world crying & the other ensures you continue to do so. *** I was mugged by a thief last night on my way home. Pointing a knife at me, he asked me, “Your money or your life!” I told him I am married... so I have no money and no life... We hugged and cried together. It was a beautiful moment... *** Mr. Smith: “Doctor, you remember this strengthening solution you prescribed me yesterday?” Doctor: “Yes, what’s the matter?” Mr. Smith: “I would like to use it but I can’t open the bottle!” ***
Three guys are stranded in a desert. By a stroke of luck, they find a magic genie lamp. The genie grants each of them one wish. The first guy wishes to be back home. Wish granted. The second guy wishes the same. Wish granted. The third guy says, “It feels very lonely here now, I wish my friends were with me…” Wish granted. *** Little Johnny asks his father: “Where does the wind come from?” “I don’t know.” “Why do dogs bark?” “I don’t know.” “Why is the earth round?” “I don’t know.” “Does it disturb you that I ask so much?” “No son. Please ask. Otherwise you will never learn anything.” *** “Grandpa, why don’t you have any life insurance?” “So you can all be really sad when I die.” *** Wife: “In my dream, I saw you in a jewelry store and you bought me a diamond ring.” Husband: “I had the same dream and I saw your dad paying the bill.” ***
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Recipes For The Month ACHARI PANEER Ingredients : Paneer cubed..............................................200 gms Butter................................................................2 tsp Fresh cream....................................................2 tbsp Red chilli powder............................................ ½ tsp Garam masala................................................ ½ tsp Cumin seeds.................................................... ¼ tsp Mustard seeds................................................. ¼ tsp Mango pickle..................................................2 tbsp Oil...................................................................1 tbsp Curry leaves.....................................................a few Salt...............................................................to taste For the Paste Onions, sliced lengthwise....................................... 2 Tomatoes, sliced lengthwise................................... 4 Cardamoms........................................................... 2 Cloves..................................................................2-3 Cinnamon stick........................................... 1” piece Cashew nuts......................................................8-10 Kashmiri red chilli................................................. 1 Oil...................................................................1 tbsp
Method : • Heat 1 tbsp oil in a pressure cooker and add cardamom, cloves, cinnamon sticks, red chilli and onions. Saute for a few minutes. • Add tomatoes and cashew nuts. Fry for 5-10 minutes. • Add 1 cup water and pressure cook, (one whistle) • Cool and grind to a paste. Keep aside. • In a pan, heat 1 tbsp oil, add mustard and cumin seeds. Allow to splutter. Then add curry leaves and ground paste and salt. • Cook for 5-7 minutes. • Add paneer, pickle, butter and cream and simmer for 5-7 minutes till paneer is soft. • Serve hot with roti, naan, etc.
CHILLI PANEER Ingredients :
(For the Paneer) paneer, cut into 1” cubes............................250 gms Corn flour................................................... 4-5 tbsp Oil.....................................................for deep frying Salt...............................................................to taste Other Ingredients Green chillies, cut lengthwise.............................6-8 Soya sauce.................................................. 2-3 tbsp Sugar............................................................ 1½ tsp Garlic paste.......................................................1 tsp Onion, cut into cubes........................................1 tsp Capsicum, cut into cubes........................................ 1 (coloured capsicums could also be used) Oil......................................................... for sauteing Salt...............................................................to taste
Method :
• Mix a little salt in the corn flour and roll the paneer strips in this dry mixture till well coated. • Deep fry the paneer pieces for 2 minutes in hot oil and keep aside. • In a frying pan, heat a little oil, add garlic paste and green chillies and saute. • Now add onions and capsicum and saute for a minute. • Add salt, sugar and soya sauce. • Lastly, add paneer and mix well on a high flame for a minute. • Serve immediately.
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COCKTAIL PANEER Ingredients :
Paneer, cut into 1/2” cubes.........................150 gms Dried mango powder.......................................1 tsp Garam masala................................................ ½ tsp Lime juice.......................................................3 tbsp Gram flour......................................................3 tbsp Ginger paste...................................................1 tbsp Coriander leaves, chopped.............................3 tbsp Green chillies, finely chopped.............................1-2 Tandoori colour.............................................a pinch Salt...............................................................to taste
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Method : • Heat some oil and saute paneer cubes till light brown. Keep aside. • Saute the onions to golden brown, drain and cool. Crush them. • In the remaining oil, add ground masala, crushed onions, chopped tomatoes, beaten curd, cardamom, red chilli powder, turmeric powder and salt. Cook till oil separates. • Add paneer cubes, corn and a glass of water. Mix and simmer for 10-15 minutes. • Garnish with chopped coriander. Serve hot.
Method :
PANEER PAPDI
• Mix the dried mango powder, garam masala, gram flour, a pinch of tandoori colour and salt in a bowl. • Add the paneer pieces and toss lightly. • Add chillies, ginger paste, coriander leaves and lime juice. • Make sure that all the paneer pieces are well coated. If too dry, add 1 tbsp water. • Marinate for at least half an hour. • Deep fry until golden brown. • Serve hot with mint dip.
PANEER CORN KORMA Ingredients : For the Curry Paneer, cut into small cubes.......................200 gms Cream style sweet corn (400 gms)...................1 can Oil...................................................................3 tbsp Large onions, thinly sliced..................................... 2 Whole cardamoms..............................................1-2 Tomatoes, chopped................................................ 1 Curd, beaten....................................................1 cup Red chilli powder..............................................1 tsp Turmeric powder............................................. ¼ tsp Coriander leaves, chopped.............................2 tbsp Salt...............................................................to taste For the Masala Fresh coconut, grated, roasted, ground..........¼ cup Poppy seeds, roasted and ground....................2 tsp Cashew nuts, roasted and ground......................6-8 Green chillies, roasted and ground....................... 5
Ingredients : Paneer, cut into 1” cubes............................200 gms For the Batter Gram flour (besan)..........................................1 cup Red chilli powder............................................ ¼ tsp Garam masala................................................ ¼ tsp Cumin powder................................................ ¼ tsp Pepper powder............................................... ¼ tsp Corn flour.......................................................1 tbsp Water (approx.)..............................................¾ cup Oil...................................................................2 tbsp Salt...............................................................to taste For the Papad Masala Small papads, roasted and crumbled.................... 4 Bread crumbs..................................................¼ cup Corn flour.......................................................1 tbsp Salt...............................................................to taste
Method : • Saute gramflour for about 5 minutes in an empty pan and cool. • Add hot oil and all the other batter ingredients to make a thick batter. Keep aside. • Mix all the papad masala ingredients together. • Now dip paneer in the gram flour batter, roll in papad mixture and deep fry in hot oil till golden brown. • Serve hot with tomato or chilli sauce.
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SIMPLE RULES OF HEALTH HOW TO TREAT SCALP SORES Are you experiencing pain while brushing or combing your hair? Take this problem seriously, as it can be due to scalp sores. Several types of scalp conditions can lead to sores. Scalp sores can be due to contact dermatitis, cysts, folliculitis, head lice, scalp ringworm, scalp psoriasis, impetigo and seborrheic dermatitis. Some other conditions that can cause head and scalp sores include acne, viruses like chickenpox and a group of rare autoimmune diseases called pemphigus. Since scalp sores can arise from a variety of conditions, the treatment approach can vary depending on the cause. So, it is important to find out the exact cause of the problem before trying to treat it. Here are the top ways to treat scalp sores at home.
1. PROPER SCALP AND HAIR CARE Treating as well as preventing new scalp sores can be as simple as practising proper scalp and hair care. To treat or reduce the risk of scalp sores or infections:
• Wash your hair regularly. Also, shampoo your hair immediately after exercising to wash away the sweat. • Always allow your hair to air-dry completely, and only then brush or tie up your hair. • Do not share personal care items like towels, hats, shower caps, combs, and brushes with others. • If you have a cut or scratch on your scalp, treat it immediately. Even small openings in the skin are a prime target for infection.
2. APPLE CIDER VINEGAR Apple cider vinegar is a natural antifungal agent and helps restore the pH balance of your scalp. This, in turn, helps eliminate fungi, bacteria, and viruses that may be causing the scalp sores. It is also very effective in relieving an itchy scalp, dryness and other symptoms associated with scalp sores. • Mix 2 tablespoons of raw, unfiltered apple cider vinegar in 1 cup of warm water.
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EAST AND WEST SERIES
• Use this solution to wash your hair. • Gently massage your scalp using your fingertips for 5 minutes. • Finally, rinse it out with water. Do not shampoo your hair immediately after that. • Use this remedy once or twice a week. Caution: Avoid using undiluted apple cider vinegar, as it can be harmful to your scalp.
3. COCONUT OIL To get rid of scalp sores, you need to prevent scalp dryness. A warm coconut oil massage is very effective in keeping your scalp properly moisturized. Coconut oil is also effective at keeping harmful microbes at bay and getting rid of head lice. • Warm up 2 to 3 tablespoons of coconut oil. • Add a little camphor to it. • Apply this oil all over your head, and massage it into your scalp. • Cover your head and hair with a shower cap, and leave it on overnight. • The next morning, wash your hair with shampoo. • Use this treatment 2 or 3 times a week.
4. NEEM Neem, also known as Indian lilac, can also be used to treat scalp sores. It has antibacterial and antifungal properties that help prevent infection and accelerate healing. Moreover, it helps get rid
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of head lice, a common cause of scalp sores. • Wash a handful of neem leaves and put them in 2 cups of water. Boil it then let it simmer for 10 minutes. Remove the leaves, let the water cool down to a comfortable temperature and use it to rinse your hair. Do it every day. • Another option is to mix 4 drops of neem oil into 1 teaspoon of extra-virgin coconut or olive oil. Massage the oil into your scalp using your fingertips and leave it on overnight. The next morning, wash your hair with a mild shampoo. Repeat every other day.
5. AVOID HARSH HAIR CARE PRODUCTS Like proper hair care, choosing the right hair care products is important to prevent the problem of scalp sores. In fact, experts believe that harsh hair products are one of the primary reasons behind head sores. Products rich in chemicals can cause the scalp to dry out, which leaves the hair follicles and scalp more susceptible to infections. When you’re shopping for shampoo, hair conditioner, gel, and hairspray, make sure they do not contain toxic chemicals. It is recommended to opt for herbal hair care products made from natural and toxin-free ingredients.
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