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Sadhu Vaswani seeks human hearts. How many of us will empty our hearts of everything and, placing them at his feet, say to him, “Beloved, here are our hearts. Take them and, if you will, fill them with the music of Krishna’s Flute!” — Dada J. P. Vaswani
The Saint Who Seeks Our Hearts DADA J. P. VASWANI
In the morning of history, India was a nation of the truly great and mighty. Then she led civilisation and built up a culture and gave unto the nations a message which thrilled the world from end to end. This great and gifted nation lies today broken and bleeding. India still is in bondage— the bondage of poverty and ignorance, of corruption and disease. The soil of India is still rich and men still spend their energies
on it, yet millions upon millions die every year of starvation and the child of starvation which is disease. Famines, black markets and corrupt, petty, self-seeking profiteers take their toll. This land of heroes and sages and seers is today torn by sectarian strife and party politics. Yet India is not without hope. For the process of her renewal and rejuvenation has not ceased. It has gone on for ever through all the
*January 16-17 are sacred as Sadhu Vaswani’s 54th Mahayagna.
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centuries of her history. As witness to it, we have had in our own days a Mahatma Gandhi and a Rabindranath Tagore, a Jawaharlal Nehru and a Subhash Chandra Bose, an Aurobindo Ghosh and a Sadhu Vaswani— great ones, mighty ones such as the most gifted among the nations of the earth may be proud of. India has fallen from the pedestal of her glory. But Sadhu Vaswani profoundly believes that India will attain to higher heights in the coming days through the shakti of the young. “I believe in India,” he says. “Therefore I plead with the young to think of Her, to speak Her mind, to feel the ache of Her aspirations, to read the scripture of Her soul and to believe that they have the shakti to make India great again— aye greater than she ever was in the long ago,” India for him is not merely a regional but a cultural entity. India stands for an Ideal, an Outlook, a Culture, a Way of Life, and the very dust of India is to him sacred. Sadhu Vaswani delivered many lectures and discourses. Though with the passage of time they became older, and older, yet they lose none of their original freshness and inspiration. And after all these years they may be read and re-read for their beautiful illustrations, their lucid English, their creative faculties as real as Dante’s, yet altogether different,
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by which they call up the past made radiant and glorious to our petrifying presence. Sadhu Vaswani’s lectures are not pictures. His words are Voices coming from boundless space; they have no dimensions. They cannot be caught by the artist’s paint and brush. They appeal not to the eyes but to the ear and glide on even like a river smoothly, singing songs of their own. He speaks spontaneously and without effort and his words never fail to have a profound effect on his audience. He steps on the platform, his face all aglow beaming with inspiration and ecstasy. He begins his speech in relatively quiet tones but as the words flow on, they gain in loudness; and in loudness and pitch they surge up and down rhythmically, at moments of great eloquence, bursting into deep, penetrative tones which make the heart stand still, the pulse beat slower. He speaks in an atmosphere of deep, impressive silence. He speaks as a man of meditation and prayer. He speaks and moves his audiences to tears. There is a mysterious something about his bearing and style of speaking which throws a spell over an audience and holds its attention without effort. His accent is flawless and it is a wonder to many, how a man born in India with a mother tongue of his own, should be able to use English
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with “so sure and spontaneous a cadence.” While he was in Europe, after his lectures people would surround him and ask whether he had studied in Oxford or Cambridge. On hearing that he had studied in neither, that he was the product of an unknown Indian university, they felt astounded. His message is simple. He preaches no abstruse philosophy, advocates no unintelligible theology. His teaching, in brief, is that in the love of God and the service of man is the secret of true life. The modern man, he knows, fights shy of God and religion. To Sadhu Vaswani, God is the supreme reality of life. The modern world, he says, has divorced God and has forgotten the golden rule of Love, and so is unhappy, restless. Our hearts are restless until they find their rest in Thee— declared the Jewish seer. “Call Him by any name you will,” says Sadhu Vaswani; Truth, Beauty, Goodness, Joy. His is the power that thrills the worlds from end to end.” In his outlook upon life, he is profoundly religious. But religion to him is not a creed, not a dogma, not submission to an external authority of a priest, a dictator, a temple or scripture, Religion is a Way of Understanding, a Way of Life— the Life in the Spirit. He believes that behind economics lies ethics and right ethics springs from
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spiritual life. He feels that man needs a religion, a spiritual chart to lead him through darkness into light. The dream is in his eyes— of a New religion— a religion cleansed of creeds, dogmas, a New religion essentially practical, a religion building on this earth, and not merely promising in Heaven, a kingdom of happiness. To build this kingdom of happiness on earth, men must work, toil, labour in the “Vineyard of the Lord,” helping one another along the difficult pathways of life. The second point emphasised in his teaching is service of man. “If there is one religion,” he says, “which India and the nations need today, it is worship of the poor. Young men! There is the great work for you. It will sanctify your lives. In the cottages of the poor, there dwells Great God. In their tears and groans, in their prayers and aspirations is His call to you, young men!” In freedom, he says, is the home of a nation. And India, according to him, is not yet free. He believes in Hindu Muslim unity, but does not make a fetish of it. He urges that reverence for man, as man, must grow. It is necessary, he says, to rebuild villages. His conception of a happy Indian state is, largely, that of a balanced agricultural industrial community. He emphasises the value of education and organisation. And Contd. on page 16
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HOMAGE TO VIVEKANANDA* SADHU VASWANI
“EARTH endures, stars abide! But where are men?” sings Emerson. Swami Vivekananda was a man amongst men. A marvellous story this— of Vivekananda’s life. I see in it the grace of God. Vivekananda, a young undergraduate, Vivekananda, a keen intellectual of the College, Vivekananda inebriated with the new wine of Western knowledge, Vivekananda meets the great mystic, Sri Ramakrishna Paramahansa. “God can be seen!” is the bold declaration of Sri Ramakrishna. “As a lamp cannot burn without oil, so man cannot live without God,” he says. The saint loves young Vivekananda. “Do you see God?” he asks. And the saint blesses Vivekananda, lays upon him a spiritual spell. Vivekananda is a changed man! Not for him the ambitions of a college man! His life is henceforth a dedicated life. He becomes a brahmachari– sanyasi, a servant of God. To a servant of God, dogmas and sects count for little. Creeds
are broken reeds. Religion is life: religion is realisation. Religion is vision of the “Golden Purusha” in the heart. So Vivekananda recognises the great truths of world religions. So he understands the value of Islam and its message of social equality. So he enters into the heart of the message of Christ. Is it not, also, a message of spiritual Advaita? “I and my Father are one!” said Jesus. And again:— “Be ye perfect even as your Father in Heaven is perfect!” And the Jews of his generation understood him,
*January 12 is sacred as Swami Vivekananda’s birth anniversary.
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the West understood him. Jesus was an Eastern yogi. To understand him, one must be imbued with the spirit of the East. Above all, Vivekananda realised the value of Higher Hinduism. He called it Vedanta. He wished to make it a world force. “With God, go over the sea! Without Him do not go over the threshold!” With God, Vivekananda went over the sea! With God, Vivekananda crossed, continents and reproclaimed the Wisdom of the rishis. “Arise! Awake!” was his trumpet call to the Hindus— to India and England and America. Of Peter, the Hermit, we read that he set on fire the hearts of Christians to recover the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem. Greater and wiser than Peter, the Hermit, was this Hindu monk of Vedanta. He set on fire the hearts of many with the Vision to make Hinduism world dynamic. I believe profoundly in the world values of Hindu culture. Its message of the One life in all is the need of the nations. The danger ahead of current civilisation is its blindness to the vision of the One. “Take us safe across the darkness!” was the constant prayer of the rishi. Separateness is darkness. The rishis aspired to enter into the Light— the Light Undying, to quote from an Upanishad, “dwelling in the inner heart.” Hindu culture— Higher Hinduism— is a movement towards Light. “Light! More light!” is the aspiration of the Hindu Dharma. The emphasis of modern nations is on forms of government.
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Constitutions, political machinery, have their value. But there is something much greater, something truly vitalising— the vision of the One Life. Out of this vision grows true humanism. Democracies without humanism have, in the West, developed aggressive nation cults and imperialist ethics. And they move in a circle full of war and violence. Modern civilisation threatens to fulfil the prediction of Samuel Butler that machines would displace mankind. It is only a coincidence that warfare and machine dominance have run parallel in our times? Modern democracies have their “leaders,” great in organisation, rich in resources in their power over the mass mind. But more than “leaders”, more than “organisers”, are needed men of true spiritual culture, men of understanding hearts, seers and prophets, path finders, lightbringers, torch bearers, messengers of Light and apostles of the Ancient Way. One of them was Swami Vivekananda. My homage to him!
EARTH endures, stars abide! But where are men?” sings Emerson. Swami Vivekananda was a man amongst men. – Sadhu Vaswani
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THE NINE MODES OF BHAKTI DADA J. P. VASWANI
In the Prahlada Charitra as narrated in the Srimad Bhagavata, the young prince reports to his father what he learnt during his first stint at the Gurukul. “What is the best knowledge you have imbibed from your teachers?� inquires the demon king of his beloved son. Prahlada recounts to his father, the nava vidha bhakti or the nine methods by which one attains to the highest knowledge: 1. Hearing the stories of the divine Leela and pastimes of Lord Vishnu: this is shravanam, and this is what Maharaja Parikshit did, with great devotion and reverence, having the Srimad Bhagavatam narrated to him by Sage Shuka. Let us not forget, he was at the point of death, having been bitten by a snake, under the curse of a rishi. He had but a week to live; but he attained Liberation by listening to the recital of the great Purana.
2. Singing/Chanting the transcendental Holy Name and qualities of the Lord with heartfelt devotion: this is what we call kirtan, and the most well known exponent of this mode of bhakti was Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. 3. Remembering, recalling and reflecting on His glory; this is known as smaranam. Our scriptures assure us that a person who is always engaged in the contemplation and meditation on the Divine Being and His leelas becomes free from all contamination of materialism and maya. Bhakta Prahlada himself was the epitome of this mode of bhakti! As we know, he was privileged enough to imbibe the
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glories of the Lord even when he was in the womb of his mother, Leelavati, for she had, at that time, taken refuge at the ashrama of Maharishi Narada. Narada’s ashrama had the most amazing environment, redolent with the fragrance of devotion. The Maharishi himself was constantly uttering the Narayana mantra with every breath. Living in such an environment, Leelavati too, was steeped in the spirit of devotion, and good thoughts and good words filled her consciousness. Whenever the Maharishi was free, he would narrate stories from the Puranas to his disciples; the mother would listen for a while, and then nod off, as she was often tired and sleepy. But the unborn infant in her womb was so enthralled by the divine stories of Hari and Haribhakti, that he listened in rapt attention, even urging the story teller with the encouraging sounds made by all of us when we are listening to such tales! Thus even before the demon prince Prahlada was born, he had obtained jnana upadesh from one of the greatest devotees, dearly beloved of the Lord. He was filled with bhakti and lived always in constant remembrance of the Lord. We know when a mad elephant and a roaring lion were set on this child, he beheld only the form of his beloved Hari in them! 4. Serving the Lotus Feet of the Lord, or pada sevanam: it is an intense and devout form of bhakti, where the Lotus Feet of the Lord becomes the focus of the devotee’s love and prayer.
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Paduka is a special term in the Hindu scriptures that refers to the sandals or footwear, which are regarded as sacred because they have been worn or used by saints, sages and gurus. As they are symbols of the preceptor’s holy feet, bowing before them is a highly spiritual act, akin to prostrating before the individual himself. 5. Offering the Lord respectful worship; this is called archanam; in Hindu homes, this is simply known as Pooja. We know from our ancient texts that poojas of this kind were known to Hindus even in the early days of Dwapara yuga. Thus we are told that the gopas and gopis of Brindavan performed the Govardhan Pooja as ordained by Sri Krishna. (What was originally Indira Pooja was transformed into Govardhan Pooja, as an aspect of Nature worship, to thank the mountain which provided pasture land for their cows and helped to bring rain to Vraj bhoomi). 6. Offering prayers to the Lord, or vandanam, as it is called: it is also a supreme form of reverence to the Lord. Prayer is our open channel of direct communication with God. You do not have to go to a particular place to meet Him. It is always good to go to temples, mosques and churches. But it is not only in these shrines that you can contact God. He is right in front of you, wherever you may be. All you have to do is to close your eyes, shut out the world, open your heart and call Him with deep love and longing— and there He is with you!
Contd. on page 14
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LIFE
IN THE VISION BEAUTIFUL SADHU VASWANI A beautiful story is told of a Christian saint. She was a little girl. She died a little girl. Her face was beautiful. Yet more beautiful was her faith. A big Roman official’s son fell in love with her. He promised her precious stones. She said: “Be gone: Another there is whom I love— Jesus:” In her heart was love for gentle Jesus. She would not marry a mortal. The official had her stripped naked. But her hair grew long and covered her body as a beautiful robe. The story is suggestive. That girl had Bhakti. The Bhakta sows in tears and tragedy. But he reaps in the Realm of the Beautiful “where the great voices sound and visions dwell.’ In the Sutras of Narada, we read that Bhakti is of the form of Parama Prema. The word Parama is often interpreted to mean intense. Bhakti is intense love of God. But, I think, the word Parama may well be understood to mean transcendent or absolute. The Bhakta’s love of God is absolute. It is not utilitarian. It is Ahetuka, motiveless— though not causeless. It asks for no fruit. It is devoid of interest. The Bhakta loves God the Beautiful for His Blessed sake, not for the sake of reward, not even for Swargaloka
(heaven). “Let me be damned, my God: if only I may love you,” said St. Teresa. The world often understands not the Bhakta’s ways. The world calls him a dreamer or a madman. He lives so much apart. He is an artist. The ‘Song of Songs’ is a song of Bhakti. Whoever wrote it was an artist, a lover of the Beautiful. Sri Chaitanya was filled with a sense of the Beautiful. He bathed in the consciousness of the Beautiful. The last act of his earth life was a plunge into the blue waters. Rejoicing in the vision of the Beautiful, he passed on. Absorption in God! Is not Bhakti something more mystical? To send Him back a fragment of His own love, so that we are reflected in Him and He in us— what higher privilege may human life hold than this? Bhakti is absolute love of the soul for her Master. The Master is Love. In a deeper sense, indeed, Bhakti is the Master’s own love realising itself in the Bhakta. God utters Himself in the form, the Rupa, of Bhakti. Bhakti is not desire. True love is not desire. Most of the modern dramas make just this mistake. They confound sex desire with love, Kama with Prema. True
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love cleans the soul. It must not be confounded with animalism. Bhakti must rise above the flesh, above the passional self, above the personal self and rejoice in the beauty of the Eternal Self. Not without reason has Bhakti been referred to in the books as desirelessness. The thought is beautifully expressed in a prayer of the French mystic, Fenelon: “Lord! I know not what I ought to ask of Thee. O Father! Give to Thy child that which he himself knows not how to ask. I dare not ask either for crosses or consolation. I simply present myself before Thee; I open my heart to Thee. Behold my needs which I know not myself; see and do according to Thy tender mercy. Smite or heal; depress me or raise me up; I adore all Thy purpose without knowing them. I am silent; I offer myself in sacrifice; I yield myself to Thee. I would have no other desire than to accomplish Thy Will. Teach me to pray. Pray Thyself in me.” The Bhakta is desireless because he has knowledge of God’s love. Religion is not mere feeling. The Bhakta’s life is not one of mere impulse or emotion. He has Jnana. Many things of life and the world, of history and science, of culture and civilisation he may not know. But he knows the one thing needful— the knowledge of God’s love. Hence his desirelessness is not something negative. It is a positive self-surrender to the divine love. The Bhakta, thus, does not despise the world, does not hate the visible. To him things
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and forms of life are a mask of the only Love; and he knows that the service of man is also the worship of God. “Verily, I say unto you, in as much as ye have done it unto the least of these, my brethren, ye have done it unto me.” The Bhakta, whether silent or singing the sacred name, or doing his appointed duty, or serving his society, or communing with Nature, or struggling for justice, moves in an atmosphere of the Beautiful. Voices of freedom are heard here, there, everywhere, today. Our life demands freedom. Only let us remember that freedom itself must move in an atmosphere of the Spirit. The modern concept of freedom needs to be enriched by the ancient vision of God the Beautiful. Bhakti is not ascetic aloofness from life. Bhakti grows out of the depths of life where love works hand in hand with death. This is love’s immortality. Love gives beauty even to death. It is written in the books that Bhakti is of the Rupa of Amrita. And Amrita is, literally, ‘not dead’. Amrita means life everlasting. Bhakti grows out of life that plunges into matter,— into the very depths of death— to unfold love’s destiny. Bhakti must not be a pale abstraction. Bhakti must grow out of fellowship with Life— out of communion with Nature and Humanity to him who has fellowship with Life! The Bhakta realises the romance of reality. He sees the visible clothed with wonder and beauty. Nothing to him is secular. The material to him is an apparition of the
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Spiritual— the national, an organ of the Eternal. The faces of men and women and children are to him masks of the One Face he adores. Science and civilisation and the business of the city bring him messages of the Love who turns Maya into Leela, every day. Nature is to him a procession of the Spirit. There was a mountaineer who loved flowers and grew them in his garden. One day he fell ill. He was laid up in the bed. He could not move out to tend his flowers. But he looked at them lovingly, sadly, through his window, day after day. One day,
THE NINE MODES OF BHAKTI 7. Becoming His servant in mind, body and spirit; this is dasyam or dasya kainkaryam. This means we recognise God, in all His goodness and greatness, as our Creator and Master, the One who most deserves our respect and reverence. And let us not forget, dasyam is not merely bhagavat seva (service of God) but also bhaagavata seva (service of the saints and sages who are his greatest devotees). Therefore, Gurudev Sadhu Vaswani would often call himself a servant of the servants of the servants of the Lord! 8. Considering the Lord as one’s best friend, developing friendship with Him: this is sakhyam. Realised souls, nitya muktas, who have attained to the spiritual world enjoy a friendship with the Lord because they have no desire for anything else. In his
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as he sat at the window, looking at the flowers, he saw lovely little children clothed in many colours and singing amid the flowers of his garden. The mountaineer gazed at the children and was delighted with their beauty and song. He asked them who they were. They told him they were the flower-spirits come to heal him with their songs. The mountaineer had in him the soul of a Bhakta. He loved beauty and songs. His eyes could see the flower spirits. He was healed. That story is only a parable.
Contd. from page 11 sweet and sacred Madhurashtakam, Sri Vallabhacharya sings: Sweet is Lord’s friendship with us— “sakhyam madhuram”! 9. Surrendering everything to Him: this is atma nivedhanam. This is complete surrender to the Divine, without the least trace of ego or self. For the Lord Himself promises us in the Gita, “He who constantly remembers Me and worships Me at all times, is protected and his welfare is assured by Me at all times.” Bhakti is gifted to us through the grace of the God and the Guru. But we can cultivate bhakti by engaging ourselves in any or all of these beautiful and meaningful devotional activities which will take us closer to God. But let us remember, ultimately, the form and the words and the actions are secondary: what is most important is a pure and humble heart, free from ego and pride, filled with love for the Lord!
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THICH NHAT HANH
HOW TO TELL THE TRUTH
When we want to prove a point, we may be tempted to twist the truth or say something that is only partially true. We may exaggerate by intentionally making something out to be greater or more extreme than it is. We may add, embellish, or invent details to prove we are right. This kind of speech can lead to misunderstanding and distrust. We have to practise speaking the truth and speaking it skillfully. If we’re not skillful, we may say something that we think is truthful but it might still make others suffer or despair. Just because we have observed or experienced something doesn’t mean we should speak about it if doing so will make others suffer. When we see someone suffer because of something we have said, we say, ‘Well, I was only telling the truth.’ It may have been the truth, but it may also have been unskillful and hurtful. Loving
speech requires telling the truth in such a way that it benefits others, the world, and ourselves. When we tell the truth, we do so with compassion; we speak in such a way that the hearer can accept what we’re saying. THE ART OF APOLOGIZING
The ability to apologise sincerely and express regret for the unskillful things we say or do is an art. A true apology can relieve a great deal of suffering in the other person. Once we realise that we may have said or done something to make another suffer, we can find a way to apologise as soon as possible. If we can, we should apologise right away and not wait. We can talk to the other person directly, or if they’re not there we can call them on the phone, or even send a note. There is no need to wait until the next time we meet. A straightforward apology can have a powerful effect. We can
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just say, ‘I am very sorry. I know I was unskillful. I was not mindful or understanding.’ We don’t need to justify or explain what we said or did, we just apologise. STILLNESS IS THE FOUNDATION OF UNDERSTANDING
When we observe or listen to other people, we often don’t see them clearly or really hear what they’re saying. We see and hear our projections and prejudices instead. We have wrong perceptions about others, which colour what we see and hear. Even if a friend gives us a compliment, we find it difficult to receive their kind words. Most of the time, our mind, thoughts, and feelings aren’t calm. They’re like the water in a muddy lake, which can’t reflect the sky because it’s been churned up by a storm. If we’re not calm, we can’t listen deeply and understand. But when our mind is calm, we can see reality more clearly, like still water reflecting the trees, the clouds, and the blue
sky. Stillness is the foundation of understanding and insight. Stillness is strength. ACTING OUT
Some people believe that suffering, anger, and despair are poisons and you have to get them out of your system. But they may be useful and can be transformed into something positive right there where they are. When you try to get anger out by hitting something like a pillow, it may seem harmless. But it’s not certain that you can release your anger by hitting the pillow, imagining it to be your enemy, the one who has made you suffer. You may be rehearsing your anger and making it stronger instead of releasing it. It may seem safe to hit a pillow, because it’s not a person or an animal. But doing this will water the seed of anger in your unconscious mind. By rehearsing our anger we are creating a habit of being angry, which can be dangerous and destructive.
THE SAINT WHO SEEKS OUR HEARTS he urges that the students must be inspired by the ideals of the rishis and be also, in tune with modern knowledge. Current education, according to him, is “negative” and a “hindrance” to the growth of life. True education touches the spring of action which is service. Today’s youths, living in forgetfulness of their ideals, their hopes and rise and fall of many
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Contd. from page 7
kingdoms and dynasties, growing up in imitation of an alien culture and an alien civilisation may well profit by a study of the life and teaching of this great one who is in India’s apostolic succession of spiritual geniuses, who have all proclaimed the eternal spiritual independence of the Indian Nation. Homage to him!
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Why don’t scientists trust atoms? Because they make up everything. *** In a shoe shop Shopkeeper: These shoes might be tight for the next 2 weeks. Customer: Don’t worry. I’ll start wearing them on the third week. *** Judge: Why did you steal the car? Man: I had to go to work. Judge: Why didn’t you take the bus? Man: I don’t have a driver’s license for the bus. *** The police stopped an old guy in questionable condition at 1 am. “What are you doing out so late, Sir?” asked the police officer. “I’m going to a seminar on ‘The harmful effects of alcohol’,” replied the man. “Are you pulling my leg?” said the police officer. “Who would hold a seminar like that at this hour?” The man sighed, “My wife.” *** I’ve read so many horrible
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things about drinking and smoking recently that I made a new, firm New Year’s resolution: NO MORE READING! *** They say you can’t get a decent job without education. But look at Albert Einstein,— he was a dropout and still ended up being the first man on the moon! *** Why do people never eat clocks? Because it is really time consuming. *** Two donkeys were standing on the roadside, one asked the another: “So, shall we cross?” The other one shakes his head: “No way, look at what happened to the zebra.” *** Two snails were chatting on the sidewalk. “I’ll have to cross the road,” says one. “Well, be careful,” says the other one, “there’s a bus coming in an hour.” ***
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THE
MILLION DOLLAR
Question DADA J. P. VASWANI
What would your reply be, if someone were to ask you, “What does life mean to you?” When asked this question, most of us close our eyes for a brief moment and plunge into thought. We are unable to answer right away; and after a vague random sentence or two, we honestly reply with a sigh, “Actually, I don’t know.” Philosophers and thinkers have given us thousands of ‘definitions’ in answer to this question. There is one that comes to my mind right away: “To the man who believes that life is worth living— life becomes worth living.” Life means different things to different people; happy people will view life very differently from unhappy people. By the same token, busy, active, working people will view life differently from reflective, contemplative, or meditative
people. Many people think that life is meant to be lived for others; while some are apt to imagine that life must be lived on their own terms. Is life then all about being useful— making every moment worthwhile? Some people try to come to terms with life through their intellect. “I think, therefore I am,” they insist, using the Cartesian principle. Life, to them, is a problem that must be grappled with through reason. For some, life is an enigma, a painful mystery. But as they grapple with pain and suffering, even they come to realise that though life may seem cruel and unfair, it actually works. Sometimes it’s the difference between them and others that bothers people a great deal. They tend to look at life through their
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own narrow viewpoint— and think that all others are crazy and insane, because they don’t share those views. Some of us are horrified by the hatred and the violence around us. Rashly, we jump to the conclusion that life is meaningless.
Life’s but a walking shadow, A poor player that struts and frets his hour upon the stage And then is heard no more: it is a tale told by an idiot, Full of sound and fury, Signifying nothing. – Shakespeare The power and the imagination of the above lines of poetry are so effective that we are apt to conclude that this is indeed Shakespeare’s “philosophy of life”. Nothing could be further from the truth. These lines were uttered by the tragic hero Macbeth, who had chosen the path of evil to accomplish something, which he thought would be noble, worthwhile and grand, only to discover to his horror that he only faced an abyss of emptiness. In context, these lines bring out the disillusion of a man who has sadly misunderstood the meaning of life. The unfortunate thing is that these lines are often quoted out of context to justify a cynical, negative, nihilistic view of life. There are at least hundred such ‘definitions’ I have come across. And they remind me of Samuel Butler’s words: “Life is the art of drawing sufficient conclusions
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from insufficient premises.” If you thought that those lines from Shakespeare’s Macbeth were a bit heavy for you, here is a lighthearted collection that is often quoted: Life is a battle— fight it. Life is an adventure— explore it. Life is a lesson— learn it. Life is a garden— cultivate it. Life is a mission— fulfill it. Life is a journey— follow it. Life is a roller coaster— take its ups and downs. Life is a prison— there’s no escape. We are born here on earth— and life is to be lived in a fitting way. Therefore life is too valuable to be summarised or defined so lightly and abruptly. Wouldn’t you agree? Let us begin the search, the discovery of the right way to understand life which in all ways is itself a challenge.
Every day, I must try to do something I think I cannot do. That is the way to develop strength, courage and confidence. – Dada J. P. Vaswani
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Children’s Corner SADHU VASWANI EDITION 1. Name Sadhu Vaswani’s birthday month. 2. Name Sadhu Vaswani’s elder brother. 3. What was the childhood name of Sadhu Vaswani? 4. Who was the saint who gave her name to the education movement that Sadhu Vaswani started? 5. Which was the conference that he attended as an Indian representative in 1910? 6. Complete the title of Sadhu Vaswani’s book: _____ of Tomorrow. 7. The four-fold purpose of Sadhu Vaswani’s life was: - ______, work, compassionate service and fellowship with nature. 8. Name the youth Ashram that Sadhu Vaswani founded in Rajpur. 9. What was the name of the Satsang that was started by Sadhu Vaswani for women? 10. The four-fold motto of Mira Schools is:— Simplicity and Service, Purity and _____. 11. What is Sadhu Vaswani’s pen-name? 12. What was the name of the house that was built for him in Karachi?
DID YOU KNOW?
Sadhu Vaswani was a freedom fighter and he awakened the youth for India’s independence.
Answers: 1. November, 2. Pahlajrai, 3. Thanwar, 4. Mira, 5. Welt congress, 6. Builders; 7. Worship, 8. Shakti Ashram, 9. Sakhi Satsang, 10. Prayer, 11. Nuri, 12. Krishta Kunj
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JOIN THE DOTS! 26th January, 1950 India became a ‘Republic’. This day, Independent India adopted a Constitution.
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RECIPES FOR THE MONTH
BEETROOT KEBAB Ingredients: Grated beetroot...............................................1 cup Firm tofu....................................................½ packet Garlic paste................................................... ½ tbsp Amchoor powder.............................................1 tbsp Roasted and crushed anardana......................1 tbsp Chaat masala................................................a pinch Rock salt.......................................................to taste Chopped cashew nuts to stuff..........................¼ cup Method: • Take a bowl and put the grated beetroot, the tofu followed by garlic, amchoor, chaat masala, rock salt and anardana. • Mince with your hands and make round patties and insert the chopped cashews as a filling. Make round kebabs. • Coat the patties with crushed oat powder. • In a flat pan, heat the oil and lightly fry these. • Serve with a dollop of green chutney.
CHILLI POTATO Ingredients: Large potatoes....................................................... 5 Cornflour...................................................... 5 tbsps Soy sauce...................................................... 2 tbsps Vinegar......................................................... 1 tbsps Sugar.............................................................. ½ tsp Salt.............................................................. to taste Oil Ajinomoto..................................................... ½ tbsp Diced capsicum...................................................... 2 Diced large onion.................................................. 1 Red Chilli Powder...........................................1 tbsp
Method: • Boil the potatoes. Peel and cut them into wedges. • Coat the potato wedges with cornflour and deep fry until golden brown. • Heat 2 tbsp of oil in a pan. Add garlic, onions and capsicum to the oil. Stir fry for 10-15 seconds. • Add soy sauce, chilli powder, salt, half-cup water, sugar and ajinomotto to the above mixture. Stir it. • In a bowl, take 1 tbsp cornflour and add a little water to it. Mix it well. Now, add this mixture to the above-made gravy. • Add vinegar, potatoes and green chilli to the above gravy. Mix well and cook it for another 2 minutes. • Chilli potato is ready. Serve hot.
CRISPY SPINACH CUTLETS Ingredients: Washed & dried, shredded spinach............. 120 gm Gram flour (besan).........................................3 tbsp Chopped ginger............................................ ½ inch Powdered salt...................................................1 tsp Chana masala powder.................................... ½ tsp Washed & dried chana dal............................. 25 gm Chopped onion...................................................... 1 Chopped green chilli.............................................. 1 Refined oil.......................................................1 cup Powdered chaat masala.................................. ½ tsp Method: • Soak the chana dal for an hour and then pressure cook it. Once done, drain the excess water. Take a pan and heat it over moderate flame. Add the dal in the pan and fry it for few seconds. • Then add finely chopped spinach, onions,
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green chillies in the pan. Stir well and add besan, salt, chana masala powder, chaat masala powder, green chilli, ginger and onion. Remove from flame and allow the mixture to cool. • Now make round balls of this mix. Flatten them a bit using your palms and shape them like a cutlet. • Take a pan and add refined oil in it for frying. Heat it over high flame or for around 5-6 minutes. Once the oil is sufficiently hot, add the prepared cutlet in the pan and deep fry them till they turn golden brown from both the sides. • Transfer the cutlets in a serving plate and wipe them with an absorbent paper/tissue paper to remove extra oil. Serve the delicious cutletes with green chutney or tomato ketchup.
BAJRA VADA Ingredients: Bajra flour.......................................................1 cup Whole wheat flour..........................................2 tbsp Curd................................................................2 tbsp 1 green chilli + 2 garlic cloves + ½ inch ginger crushed to a paste Chopped coriander leaves..............................3 tbsp White sesame seeds..........................................3 tsp Turmeric powder............................................. ¼ tsp Red chilli powder............................................ ¼ tsp Coriander powder........................................... ½ tsp Cumin powder................................................ ½ tsp Oil...................................................................1 tbsp Sugar.............................................................. ½ tsp Water.......................................................... 4½ tbsp Salt........................................................ as required Oil.....................................................for deep frying Instructions: • Take 1 cup bajra flour in a mixing bowl. • Add 2 tbsp whole wheat flour. Then add chilli, garlic and ginger paste and 3 tbsp chopped coriander leaves. • Now add the spices– turmeric powder, red chilli powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, white sesame seeds, sugar and salt. • Then add 2 tbsp curd and oil. Mix it well. • Then add 2 tbsp water and mix again. • Add more water and knead a smooth dough. • Cover and keep aside the bajra dough for 30 minutes. • Make small to medium sized balls from the
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dough. • Fry these vadas until golden brown. • Serve hot.
BREAD KATORI CHAAT Ingredients: Bread slices............................................................ 6 Boiled chopped potatoes............................... ½ cup Sweet corn......................................................½ cup Cucumber fine chopped..................................½ cup De seeded tomatoes.......................................¼ cup Fine chopped onions.......................................¼ cup Coriander chutney..........................................3 tbsp Sweet and sour chutney..................................3 tbsp Yogurt.............................................................¼ cup Chaat masala....................................................2 tsp Black Salt Sugar.................................................................1tsp Salt Sev Fine chopped coriander leaves.........................1 tsp Oil.....................................................................1 tsp Instructions • Take yogurt. Season it with some sugar and salt and keep it aside. • Flatten the breads with a rolling pin till it is flat like tortilla or chapati. • Take a bowl and cut flatten bread slices in circles with the help of knife. • Take a muffin tray and grease it with little oil. Press the bread rounds in muffin tins till they take cup shape. • Coat them with a little oil and bake them in a pre-heated oven at 375F or 190C for 15 minutes. • Take a mixing bowl and mix together boiled potatoes, corns, cucumber, tomatoes, onions, chaat masala, half of coriander chutney and sweet and sour chutney, chaat masala, some black salt and keep it aside. • After 15 minutes, once bread cups are crispy and brown, take them out and let them cool down before serving. • Take bread cup or katori, fill it with veggie mixture, top it with seasoned yogurt or curd, sweet chutney, coriander chutney, chaat masala, sev and fine chopped coriander leaves. • Serve the katori chaat.
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SIMPLE RULES OF HEALTH HEALTH TIPS FOR WINTER stronger your body will be to fight off illness or recover, in case you get sick despite your best efforts to avoid it. Here are some of the practical tips that will ensure that you enjoy your winters. Do Exercise Regularly: Staying fit in winter season is a big challenge. To avoid weight gain start right eating at the right time. Winter increases hunger due to loss of energy to keep your body warm. Most of the inactivity in winter is also responsible for weight gain in winter. Just perform some basic exercises like stretching, and walk to strengthen your stamina. Exercises also help digest your food. Include Ginger in your Diet: Some common winter food that keeps you warm and keeps away cold and cough and helpful to increase immunity is Ginger. You can eat it in raw; in winter, it is combined with tea. It will boost and charge the mind muscles and helpful to increase concentration. It also cures throat infection and cough related issues. Stay active: Staying active will help promote bone and muscle health, control weight and improve sleep patterns, leading to an overall healthier lifestyle throughout the year. And the stronger you are in general, the
Eat healthy: A healthy diet strengthens the immune system, helping the body resist viruses or infection. Your body needs antioxidants and vitamins to stay healthy. Some of the foods and spices that provide your body with what it needs to fight off illnesses are garlic, sweet potatoes, turmeric and dark leafy greens. See your doctor: Because every season is different, talk to your doctor about how you, specifically, can stay healthy during the winter season. Taking extra precautions to protect yourself from illnesses to enjoy all the things you look forward to doing during the season. Boost your vitamin C: Research has shown vitamin C to be one of the most powerful immune boosting vitamins available. This water-soluble vitamin can be found in oranges, orange juice, broccoli and in other fruits and vegetables as well as in high quality multivitamins. Chewable or liquid vitamin C is also available. Ester C (a unique form of vitamin C that is buffered with calcium to increase absorption) is also available in several multivitamins or as a single supplement.
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Enjoy the Benefits of Yogurt: It’s creamy smooth, packed with flavor and just may be the wonder food you’ve been craving. Research suggests that that humble carton of yogurt may:
• Help prevent osteoporosis • Reduce your risk of high blood pressure • Aid gastrointestinal conditions like inflammatory bowel disease and constipation. Banish winter tiredness: Many people feel tired and sluggish during winter. This is due to the lack of sunlight, which disrupts our sleep and walking cycles. You can: Get outdoors in natural sunlight as much as possible. Get a good night’s sleep— go to bed and wake up at the same time every day. De-stress with exercise or meditation– stress has been shown to make you feel tired. Head to a Sauna or Steam Room: Saunas or steam rooms help muscles to relax which can alleviate feelings of stress. The high temperatures also get you working up a sweat, which is a great way to detoxify your body and skin. Be kind to your skin: Cold air and low humidity can lead to dry, itchy skin. To protect your skin, limit showers or baths to no more than 10 minutes and use warm (not hot) water. Afterward, blot dry gently and slather on a moisturizing cream or ointment. Frequent hand washing: Though it sounds like a broken record, frequent hand washing throughout the day is an absolute must in maintaining your health during the winter. It not only helps protect your immune system and prevent you from developing flu
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and cold, but also protects others around you. Practice meditation and relaxation: When you start feeling the winter blues, anxiety and stress, it is important to know how to manage it in a healthy way. Going for a walk outdoors, whenever the weather permits will drastically improve your stress levels. You may also want to develop the habit of deep breathing whenever you feel anxiety mounting. Find a room to sit in by yourself and close your eyes. Relax your muscles and focus on being present – emptying your mind of all thoughts. Stay hydrated: People don’t typically associate dehydration with winter, but you can get dehydrated regardless of the temperature outside. Your body loses a lot of fluid during the cold, dry winter months and many are less diligent about hydration. Make it a point to drink water and replenish fluids. Don’t forget your feet: Winter’s heavy shoes, boots and socks can take their toll on tootsies, large and small. Moisturize your feet daily to keep fungi from entering cracked winter skin, says Texas based foot surgeon Robert Klien. Wash, wipe, cover: In winter, colds, flu and gastroenteritis can cause disruption to your home, social and work life. Many of these common infectious diseases are spread by germs on our hands. You can reduce the risk of getting sick or passing infections on to others by washing your hands, wiping down frequently touched surfaces, and covering your coughs and sneezes with a tissue.