East and West Series - January 2023 issue

Known as “Beloved Dada” to thousands of his admirers, Sadhu Vaswani had devotees all over the world, ever since the age of 30, he went to Berlin as one of India’s representatives to the World Congress of Religions. His speech on the occasion and his subsequent lectures in Europe rekindled universal interest in Indian thought and religion.

Early in life, Sadhu Vaswani had dedicated himself to the service of God and mankind.

And when Gandhiji launched the freedom movement, Sadhu Vaswani became a close associate of the Mahatma. The first article in the inaugural issue of Gandhiji’s Young India was written by Sadhu Vaswani.

To Sadhu Vaswani, an educationist, character-building was nation-building. He started youth centres in different places, and opened the “Shakti Ashram” at Rajpur, which was visited by Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru.

POET OF SIND –SADHU VASWANI

DADA J. P. VASWANI

*Published in ‘Illustrated Weekly of India’ in 12-10-1969.

In 1933, he founded the “Mira Movement in Education”, which has its headquarters in Poona today. The emphasis is on training the heart and on “cultivating the soul”, and students are taught that the end of knowledge is service to the people and country.

Sadhu Vaswani believed that “service of the poor is worship of God”. He started a number of social welfare institutions, charitable dispensaries, schools and colleges where education, clothing and, in some cases, food is given free, an institution dedicated to the service of birds and animals; a publication department which brings out books and journals, carrying to the remotest parts of the world his message of peace and brotherhood and the fellowship of all races and religions.

During the latter part of his life, he was revered as a saint and crowds followed him wherever he went. But religion, he was careful to point out, was not a creed or a dogma.

Creeds, he said, are broken reeds and dogmas divide. True religion is not worshipping God in a temple of marble or stone. “In the broken cottages of the poor is the great God,” he said, “wiping the tear of the widow and the orphan and singing His new Gita for the new age!”

A prolific writer, his wisdom can be gleaned from over 100 books in English and about 300 in the sweet, lyrical Sindhi language. Some of his English books have been translated into German and several Indian languages.

Sadhu Vaswani’s pilgrimage on earth ended in his 87th year on January 16, 1966, in Poona, where at his place of work and final rest, a beautiful shrine has been built. A 10-foot statue has been erected at the entrance of Poona, one finger of the Sadhu Vaswani’s uplifted hand pointing heavenwards, reminding us all of the truth that we all are one–the children of God. 

Say not that Beloved Dada has left us, he has not gone away to a distant star, he has not migrated to a far off realm. He continues to be by us, with us, within us. He continues to bless us, to take care of us. He continues to guide us, to inspire us, to lead us on.

— Dada J. P. Vaswani

I speak of Gandhi in love and reverence. Over and over again, have I felt, when speaking of the great-souled Gandhi, that I sit at the feet of a gracious world figure. I believe I do not exaggerate when I say that since the appearance of Gautama Buddha, who came with his great message of compassion and reverence for all life, there has not appeared in India another to whom India’s millions offered greater reverence. How they came – thousands upon thousands of men and women, to hear him! Frail was his figure and short was his stature!

Gandhiji and the Gita

SADHU VASWANI

But there was something indefinable which went out of him and touched the hearts of millions of the Motherland. How they came to listen to this little man! How they came and touched his feet and his garments, saying to him: “Bless us! Bless us!”

Picture after picture, I could take from the life of this great one and present it to you, did but time permit. Many years ago, I wrote a little poem in English concerning Mahatma Gandhi. It was published in one of my books. And in this poem, I wrote the following words:

*January 30 is Mahatma Gandhi’s Martyrdom Day. This is from a talk delivered by Sadhu Vaswani.

O leader of an ancient land!

O patriot pure! O martyred man!

When will the Nations understand

Thy mighty mission and thy plan?

The vision of this weaver still Our star be on unchartered sea!

The way is long. May we fulfil New India’s dream that haunteth thee!

Many years ago, with sadness and longing in my heart, I asked: “When will the nations understand thy mighty mission and thy plan?” And, today, the nations are beginning to understand the mission and the plan of Mahatma Gandhi.

Western civilisation – we call it “bourgeois civilisation” – is on the point of perishing. Today, I see a ring of chaos surrounding India. And the international situation, as I survey it, carries with it the burden of a coming catastrophe. The world is drifting, so it seems to me and to some of the great thinkers of Europe – to a new period of darkness. And as I have surveyed the situation, I have said to myself: “May not the wisdom of the Gita, the wisdom of true India – not the India of her noisy cities and lok-sabhas and assemblies, but the true India, the real India, hidden, alas, from India’s politicians –

may not the wisdom of India’s culture, the wisdom of the Gita, help in leading us out of darkness into Light?” Gandhi’s life, and Gandhi’s message, in its fundamentals, is to me a symbol of the wisdom of the Gita, the wisdom of India’s culture.

To Gandhi, the wisdom of India was not a fable. To Gandhi, the wisdom of India was not a withered leaf of a dead or dying past. To Gandhi, the wisdom of India was a living, throbbing reality. In his great address which he gave to the students of the Banaras Hindu University, Mahatma Gandhi said: “The Gita is my mother!”

Forget if you will what I have said to you this evening. But as you go home, may you not forget the words of Mahatma Gandhi: “The Gita is my mother!” The culture of the Gita to Mahatma Gandhi was a living force, a shakti which needs to be developed, if India is to fulfil her destiny. And India’s destiny, according to Gandhi, is one of service to the nations of the world. On one occasion, Mahatma Gandhi said: “I work for India’s freedom because l believe that India’s destiny is to save humanity. And only a free India may save the nations of the world.”

Controlling the Mind

SADHU VASWANI

The wandering of the mind must cease if you are to grow in the life spiritual. Until you have learnt to make the mind stable, you have not unfolded your spiritual life. The very basis of spiritual life is concentration. Our temples, our schools and samajs are useless, worse than useless, if they do not teach us concentration. The Gita asks us to learn the science and art of concentration.

The Gita tells us that we have a lower mind and a higher mind. The higher mind or buddhi is eka (onepointed): the lower mind is ananta (not unified, lacking in concentration). And, without concentration or unified will, there can be no realisation of the soul’s eternity. The lower mind suffers from chanchalta (distraction); the higher mind has ekagrata (one-

pointedness). The lower mind is fickle, because it has not been brought under control. “Control the mind!” is an important note in the Gita. If you have not learnt mindcontrol, you are not truly spiritual.

There is a beautiful saying of Sri Shankara. He was a man of supreme concentration, one of the greatest thinkers of humanity. Who, he asks, has conquered the world? And he answers the question thus: “He, who has conquered his mind!” We have his saying enshrined in one of our proverbs: man jeete jag jeeta (he who conquers his mind conquers the world). Selfconquest is world-conquest.

He who has not controlled his mind is fickle. He who has not conquered his mind, has, after all, achieved little. Alexander conquered the then known world. Greece, Rome and Egypt paid homage to him. Alexander desired to conquer India, too. In those days, India had developed the qualities of courage and purity. Alexander could not conquer India, but India acknowledged the greatness of Alexander. Thatta, in Sind, was visited by Alexander. He was recognised as a worldconqueror. Yes, Alexander conquered the world. Alas, he could not conquer his mind. He succumbed to the temptations

of drink and the flesh. He and his kingdom have passed away. Think, on the other hand, of the great ones like Plato, Jesus, Buddha, Sri Krishna, Sri Rama, Guru Nanak, Sri Chaitanya, Mahavira. Their kingdoms endure: they conquered the mind.

Yet another point of difference between the lower mind and the higher mind is that the lower mind is bhedabuddhi, consciousness of separation: the higher mind is abheda-buddhi, unityconsciousness. When my bheda-buddhi is active, I indulge in ahamkara (egoism). I say to myself: “I am superior to you! My caste is superior to yours!” But when abhedabuddhi awakes, I see the One in All — the One Atman, the one Cosmic Life in all that is.

Yet another point of difference is: The lower mind is sakaamya buddhi, the higher mind is nishkaamya buddhi. The lower mind is prompted by desire for fruits of action. The higher mind is active for the sake not of desires but of dharma.

The lower mind looks outward, the higher mind looks inward. Through the higher mind, concentration develops into meditation. We, often, look outside: therefore is the mind fickle. But the spiritual mind looks within and grows in peace and atma-

shakti. The lower mind is an apparatus that registers outer impressions: the higher mind registers inner impressions, impressions of the Kingdom of the Atman. The Kingdom of the Atman is a reality. We earn money, we build institutions, we have clothes, food, houses, all along we deal with the kingdom of nature. But there is another kingdom, that of the soul, the Atman. This Kingdom is, indeed, more real than the mayaic kingdom of nature. When the higher mind begins to look inward, it registers, records, and collects impressions of the atmic world.

The lower mind is narrow, sticking to the letter, missing the spirit. Narrowness is a mark of the lower mind. The higher mind has the quality of expansion. When your higher mind develops, your consciousness expands. You do not limit yourself to Hyderabad, to Sind, or even to India: you do not limit yourself to narrow things of life. You feel one with the Great Life of the universe.

Who are the narrowminded? They who rejoice in the letter, mere words of the scriptures. Look, how often we quarrel in the name of religion! I say, “My shastra (scripture) says this!” You say, “But my shastra says that!” Then we quarrel. From words we come to blows! The Gita says, ‘How foolish! Why won’t you try

to look into the spirit of the shastras?’

You cannot look into the spirit of the shastras, until you develop the power of meditation. Pundits know the meanings of words: but how many of them know the spirit of the scriptures? Not until your mind gazes into the depth of life, may you really understand the scriptures. Pundits (theologians) quarrel. This, they say, is not told us in the shastras! Pundits quarrel with the prophets.

Almost a century ago, when Raja Ram Mohan Roy raised his voice against the cruel custom of sati (burning of widows), pundits rose against him. They said: “The Vedas sanction sati. Down with Ram Mohan! He is destroying Hindu society: he is tearing Hindu religion. Away with him!” They prepared a long petition, giving quotations from the shastras, saying sati was sanctioned by the shastras! The pundits did not understand the spirit of the shastras.

In our days, Mahatma Gandhi raised his voice of protest against untouchability. The pundits said the shastras were against Gandhi! The Gita practically says: “O pundits! You talk of the shastras. You but study the letter: you do not know the spirit!”

He knows the spirit of the shastras who has developed meditation and the perceptive

power of love. He who has love in his heart, has bhakti, sympathy, fellowship with the poor, he knows the shastras, not those who quote from books. They who quote do not know. Tukaram was a saint. What did he know of Sanskrit? He was not a pundit. But he had love in his heart, and he knew more than the pundits.

They who have love in their hearts understand the scriptures, because love expands consciousness. Expansion of consciousness is characteristic of the higher mind. The foolish say: “There is naught but this.” The narrowminded people say: “There is nothing beyond the letter of the Vedas.” Sri Krishna says: “There is the Eternal within you, Beyond Veda.”

The Veda of Vedas, the Scripture of Scriptures is within you. It does not matter if you have not studied vyakarana (grammar) or nyaya (logic). If you are a man of meditation and love, to you from the inner depths the very Secret of Life will speak. God asks not whether you have studied Sanskrit or Latin, Greek or Hebrew. God asks “Have you studied the little word of letters four, Love? Have you grown in the spirit of meditation, beauty and love?”

WHY INDIA LIVES

DADA J. P. VASWANI

India’s children must know themselves – must have a memory of what India has thought and felt and endeavoured to achieve at certain periods in her history. In a profound sense, as Plato and Indian sages have taught, knowledge is memory.

Indian literature, philosophies and religions reflect the ideals of ancient India. But our schools and colleges and universities do little to develop the culture-consciousness of India. I have heard several young men tell me, “These stories and songs and thought-systems of the past – are not, many of them, myths of a dreamland?” Many of the striking incidents in the lives of the great heroes of our history are regarded, I know, by not a few of those who would follow critical, historical methods, as fictitious. I would ask young men to remember that the truth of poetry or imagination has a value as great as, if not greater than, the truth of facts. What some critics would reject as ‘dreamland’ has been a part of the life of the great millions of India. The ‘dreamland’ enshrines India’s witness through the ages. It must not be forgotten that India’s culture, as reflected in Indian literature and art and religion, is a reflection of India’s life and civilisation.

– Sadhu Vaswani

Indians are the proud inheritors of a rich heritage –the heritage of the great culture and thought-systems of one of the world’s greatest and oldest civilisations. Kingdoms have arisen; kingdoms have disintegrated in this great land

of ours. Empires have been built here and empires have crumbled to their fall. Great conquerors have invaded this land and like bubbles floating on a stream, the conquerors and their powers have perished. India, the home of the ancient

Hindu Faith, has had a long history of wars and invasions. Perhaps no other country in the world has been invaded, attacked and looted more often than this land. And it was not just territorial aggression and invasion; for so many of our invaders and conquerors tried to impose their culture and systems and faith on us – some, by forcible conversion, yet others through propaganda. Despite these invasions and these attempts at religious conversions, India has retained its ancient culture, its values and its faith, its essential belief system. It is still predominantly Hindu in faith. How has this been possible? What makes India and its Hindu faith so firm and strong, so vital and longlived?

India lives on. India lives on because it has a message to deliver to the modern world. India lives on, for it has a mission to fulfill in the new millennium that has just begun. India lives on, despite the ravages of time, for it has to proclaim that there can be no true freedom without spirituality. The emphasis of the Hindu faith has always been on the unfolding of the inner powers, the atma-shakti. It is precisely due to this atmashakti, this inner soul power that India has been able to ride many a storm and quell

many a tempest. When all other ancient civilisations have perished, when all other ancient cultures have been wiped away without a trace, India lives on, and its own Hindu faith is still vibrant and vital!

The Light of the atman, the Light of the self, the Light of the spirit – it was around this that our glorious culture was built in ancient India. This culture was known as atma vidya – the science of the spirit. For spirituality too, is a science, it concerns the discovery of the One Self in all.

Based on this unique and wonderful law, in that ancient period of India’s history, India built a civilisation of Light, a civilisation which made India a teacher of the nations of East and West. The message of that great civilisation, the message of Hindu faith, the message of our rishis, continues to inspire us even today.

India today has become the land of many religions, and Indians have respected every religion. When the great emperor Asoka took to Buddhism, he did not persecute the Hindu majority population in his empire nor did the people resent his new faith! Even earlier, Mahavira and Buddha, both princes, took to dissenting faiths and views and the people accepted them and assimilated

their teachings. For India has profoundly believed, through the centuries, that God is One, but the ways to reach Him are many. This is why the Hindus of India not merely tolerate, but accept every religion, praying in the mosques of the Muslims, worshipping in the monasteries of the Buddhists, kneeling before the cross of the Christians, and bowing before the fire of the Zoroastrians!

A friend brought me a learned author’s book on anthropology. The writer had stated his firm opinion that a race, or a people without a common language, a common religion and culture could not call itself a civilisation!

I would like to tell the learned writer that he is mistaken. There are many homogeneous cultures in the world and I respect them. But heterogeneous cultures are the contemporary reality in the world today, and we in India have been a pluralistic, multilingual, multi-faith society for over two millennia!

About fifteen years ago, I had the opportunity to address the World Parliament of Religions in Chicago. We were about 3,500 delegates representing religions from A to Z, Anglicanism to Zoroastrianism. I would like to share with you if I may, part of my address to the World Parliament of Religions:

“India has always stood up for harmony, understanding and tolerance. Today, India may be passing through a difficult period: but this is only a temporary, transitional phase. The history of India bears ample testimony to the fact that through the centuries, the truth and message of religious tolerance and religious harmony have influenced Hindu people, Hindu society, Hindu political thought, and Hindu state policy, both of large empires and small states, all over India. Unroll the pages of the past and you will find that among all the nations of the earth, India alone has greeted and welcomed with love and respect every foreign religion that entered the country. Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Zoroastrianism, Baha’ism have all become naturalised in India, have become religions of India and have been influenced by the Indian environment. When they first entered India they were all received with respect and love. This is the outstanding example of history.”

If this is not a great civilisation, if this does not represent the great culture of tolerance and mutual respect, then I don’t know what people understand by civilisation and culture!

Guru Gobind Singh Guru Gobind Singh

A SCHOLAR & A SAINT

DADA J. P. VASWANI

Guru Gobind Singh’s birth day returns, bringing with itself blessings from above. In Guru Gobind Singh’s life was a beautiful blend of intense activity and love of silence, of strength and serenity, of service and interior peace. It was a life of utter surrender and sacrifice, a life rich in the love of God and the love of the poor and broken ones, the depressed and the down-trodden ones. To them he said: The men of the world Look down on you!

And call you low-born: I have come to clothe you In fair garments of joy! And I shall invoke the Divine Flame

To mingle with your blood. Ye are my own, Chosen children of Guru Nanak. In his heart was love immense for the tiller and the toiler, the labourer and the worker. He respected manual labour. One day, a rich young man brought him water to drink. The young man had a

*Published in ‘The Spokesman Weekly’ in the year 1968. January 9 is Guru Gobind Singh Jayanti.

pretty face and the fingers of his hands were long, slender, artistic. But the Guru did not accept the cup of water. The Guru said to the young man: “You are rich and handsome, and you have brought me water in a clean, radiant cup. But your hands have not laboured in the service of the saints and the poor, broken ones. And in your heart is the pride of birth. You regard the poor as of low caste. Cast aside all caste-pride. Go and serve the poor ones. Let your heart be cleansed through humility. Then bring water to me and I shall drink of your cup.”

I recall how, several years ago, on Guru Gobind Singh’s birthday, Sadhu Vaswani opened in Hyderabad-Sind, on the banks of the sacred Sindhu, what he called ‘Tirathasthan’, a centre of Nam-smaran, meditation, and service of the poor and lowly. We spent the entire day in kirtan and in feeding and clothing the poor. And when evening came, Sadhu Vaswani asked us to spend some time in meditation. Underneath tall trees we sat. The sun was sinking. And in the dim twilight of the setting sun, I meditated on the life of the great Guru who loved seclusion and yet came and stood up as

a knight of the Spirit on the battle-field of life.

Coming out of silence, I put a few questions to Sadhu Vaswani. I said to him: “Many there be who speak highly of the life of action, the life of service: and there be others who extol the way of knowledge. Tell me, which of the two is better – the way of action or the way of knowledge and understanding?”

And Sadhu Vaswani said: “The two cannot be separated, one from the other. For, verily, action without understanding is blind, even as knowledge without action is empty.”

“And remember, my child, that the root of both is life in God: and to live in God is to do the Will of God.”

“If God wills that I should retire from the ‘active’ life and spend my days away from the multitudes, who are in suffering and pain and whose wounded hearts cry for helpers and healers, I still must rejoice in being in a quiet corner as long as He wills it.”

“And, again, however deeply I may love solitude, if it be God’s Will that I come and take my stand on the battlefield of life, I must bow to His Will and feel happy in mingling with the crowds.”

After a brief silence, Sadhu Vaswani said: “Guru Gobind Singh was a poet and a prophet, a seer and a singer, a scholar and a saint. He sat upon the mountain-height lost in contemplation of the Divine. And there came to him the call: ‘Gobind! Gobind! the people suffer and are in sorrow. Renounce the joys of solitude and descend to the plains below and become a servant and a saviour of the people!’

Guru Gobind Singh obeyed the call: he did the Will of God.

“To him who doeth the Will of God there are no distinctions. He does not regard one as being better than the other. He has no prejudices or partialities. He lives the true life — a life of surrender and, therefore, a life of complete relaxation, a life free from worries and cares. He knows that whatever happens is just the right thing: for all that happens, happens according to the Will of God. Such a man feels perfectly at home in God and breathes in a new atmosphere of freedom, beauty, joy!”

And I said: “I have often heard you speak of the true life. Tell me in a few words what is the essence of the true life.”

And Sadhu Vaswani said: “In three words only: the true life is, fellowship with God!”

“And what is fellowship?”

“Fellowship is service, my child!”

“And what is service?”

And Sadhu Vaswani said: “Service is doing the Will of God. There is nothing beyond it.”

“The world has many doers, but in this period of social disorder and chaotic decay, the tortured soul of humanity cries for will-doers, those who do the Will of God.”

So many, today have been doing, doing, doing, they have been doing disorder. Their doing has been the undoing of God’s Plan.

“Strive to be a will-doer, my child: Then will your action, blended with bhakti (devotion), be radiant with knowledge. For verily, the three are one, and the one is three!”

As I survey the situation in India today and find forces of chaos gathering strength in this ancient land, I feel that India’s hope is in men and women who will strive to be will-doers. They will be the true disciples of Guru Gobind Singh, the Khalsa of the New Age, and they will be among the builders of a New India, an India of the truly strong and free.

My friend once called a few house painters to his house for some work. He wanted them to paint his porch. After a few hours, the house painters came back for the payment as their work was complete. Before leaving they told my friend that they had enjoyed painting his car, but it is not really a Porsche.

***

Once during an adventure, a farmer named Bryan Clay stumbled into a cave and found a magic lamp. Upon rubbing the lamp, a Genie appeared and asked him what his wish was. The farmer told him that he wished he were very rich. The Genie said okay and asked him, “Alright Mr. Very Rich Clay, what is your second wish?”

***

I was in my garden when I got the news that my father had fallen from a 20 feet ladder and was in the hospital. I rushed to the hospital expecting that my father had some major fractures, but he was alright except for some minor cuts.

When I told him that it was a miracle, he disagreed and told me, “Son, I had just fallen from the first step of the ladder.”

***

I was visiting the house of a distant cousin when I saw that he was playing chess with his cat. I said that it had to be the most intelligent cat ever. My cousin replied, “Absolutely not! She has lost all her matches!”

***

My brother came back from school all motivated because he said he would be following a new diet from that day. We didn’t really give it much thought until my brother really started eating his homework for dinner. When we stopped him and asked why he was

doing that, he replied, “I was just trying to see how it tasted because my teacher said that the homework would be a piece of cake for me.”

***

In one neighborhood, there was a couple who had given their twin sons very weird names. One was named Trouble, while the other boy’s name was Mind Your Own Business. So, one day they were playing hide and seek. Mind Your Own Business counted to a hundred and then started looking for his brother. But, somehow, he couldn’t find him anywhere. He saw a police car passing the neighbourhood, so he stopped it to ask for help. When the police officer asked him for his name, he replied, “Mind Your Own Business!”

Feeling insulted, the police officer still asked politely who he was looking for. Mind Your Own Business replied, “I am looking for Trouble!”

***

A food critic visits a local restaurant to review its food for the town magazine. The owner welcomes him and shows him to the table. The food is presented to him and after a while, the critic calls the owner to say that there is something missing in his bowl of soup. The owner asks whether it is too spicy or sweet or salty. When

the food critic says no, the owner decides to taste the soup himself but he can’t find the spoon. “Yeah,” says the critic, “that’s what is missing.”

***

A guy said to God, “God, is it true that to you a billion years is like a second?”

God said, “Yes”.

The guy said, “God, is it true that to you a billion dollars is like a penny?”

God said, “Yes”.

The guy said, “God, can I have a penny?”

God said, “Sure, just a second.” ***

A police officer in a small town stopped a motorist who was speeding down Main Street. “But, officer,” the man began, “I can explain” “Just be quiet,” snapped the officer. “I’m going to let you cool your heels in jail until the chief gets back.”

“But, officer, I just wanted to say” “And I said to keep quiet! You’re going to jail!”

A few hours later the officer looked in on his prisoner and said, “Lucky for you that the chief is at his daughter’s wedding. He’ll be in a good mood when he gets back.”

“Don’t count on it,” answered the fellow in the cell. “I’m the groom.”

RECIPES FOR THE MONTH

COCONUT (NARIYAL) CHIKKI

Ingredients:

Dried coconut (khopra) grated ......................2 cups

Jaggery (gud) chopped ..................................¼ cup

Poppy seeds (khuskhus/posto) ¼ up

Powdered sugar .............................................. 1 cup

Green cardamom powder ................................ 1 tsp

Instructions:

1. Heat jaggery in a non-stick pan and cook till it melts.

2. Dry-roast grated coconut in another nonstick pan till golden and fragrant. Transfer roasted coconut in a bowl. Similarly, dryroast poppy seeds.

3. Add sugar to melted jaggery, mix and cook till sugar melts and caramelizes. Add ½ of roasted coconut and mix. Add roasted poppy seeds and mix well.

4. Add cardamom powder and mix. Add remaining roasted coconut, mix and cook for a minute.

5. Fill in ¼ of a silicon muffin mould with coconut-jaggery mixture and level it out. Refrigerate to set for ½-1 hour.

6. Demould and serve.

GUR KI ROTI (JAGGERY ROTI)

Ingredients:

Whole Wheat Flour 1.5 cups

Ghee ............................................................... 1 cup

Gur (jaggery), grated ....................................3 cups

Milk 1 cup

Baking Soda .................................................. 1/8 tsp

Salt ............................................................. to taste

Ghee ........................................................ for frying

Instructions:

1. Dissolve the gur in half the milk over low

heat and cool.

2. Mix the soda and salt into the atta.

3. Rub the ghee into the atta, and knead into a firm dough with the milk solution, adding more milk if required.

4. Roll into ¼ inch thick rounds, prick and cook over low heat, smearing ghee over and around the roti.

BROCCOLI WALNUT SOUP

Ingredients:

Chopped broccoli 2 cups Chopped onions ¼ cup Chopped boiled potatoes ...............................¼ cup Oil .................................................................. 1 tbsp Salt and freshly ground black pepper .........to taste Corn flour dissolved in 1 cup milk ................... 2 tsp

For the Garnish: Chopped walnuts (akhrot) .............................¼ cup

Instructions:

1. Heat the oil in a non-stick pan and sauté the onions on a medium flame for 1 minute.

2. Add the broccoli and mix well and sauté on a medium flame for 2 to 3 minutes.

3. Add 2½ cups of water and cook for 4 to 5 minutes or until the broccoli is done, while stirring occasionally.

4. Allow it to cool and blend in a mixer along with the potatoes to a smooth puree.

5. Transfer the puree into a deep pan, add the milk, salt and pepper, mix well and bring to a boil.

6. Serve the broccoli walnut soup hot garnished with the walnuts.

SIMPLE RULES OF HEALTH

SURYA NAMASKAR

Surya Namaskar is a part of Yoga. It is an ancient practice of paying respect and demonstrating gratitude to the sun. ‘Surya’ means the Sun and ‘Namaskar’ is to bow down in respect. So, it is an expression of gratitude, respect and appreciation to the Sun. Doing the 12 steps every day is essential to cleanse the Solar Plexus Chakra, that determines your intuitive and creative abilities. Sunrise is the best time to do Surya Namaskar. It stretches your whole body and is very helpful for weight loss.

Benefits of the 12 steps of Surya Namaskar:

Step 1 – Pranam Asana

This asana is also known as the Prayer Pose. Benefit of this asana is that it is a meditative yoga pose and assists in relieving mental stress.

Step 2 – Hasta Uttanasana

Also known as the Raised Arms pose. It is beneficial for people suffering from asthma. Also helps in alleviating fatigue and improves digestion.

Step 3 – Padahastasana

This asana helps with insomnia and anxiety. It strengthens knees and thighs.

Step 4 – Ashwa Sanchalanasana

Also called the Equestrian pose. It helps strengthen the spine and improve lung capacity and digestion.

Step 5 – Chaturanga Dandasana

This asana helps balance blood sugar and fight diabetes without medicines. It is great to tone the abdomen. It builds strength and endurance of shoulders, wrists and arms.

Step 6 – Ashtanga Namaskara

This asana improves the spine’s flexibility by reducing tension around the neck and shoulders and also strengthens legs, shoulders and arms.

Step 7 – Bhujangasana

This asana is also called Cobra pose. This pose stretches the abdomen muscles which helps to lose belly fat.

Step 8 – Adho Mukha Svanasana

This asana helps in relieving stress and improving blood circulation. A woman suffering from back pain, headache or menopause should do this asana to feel better.

Step 9 – Ashwa Sanchalanasana

Also called the Equestrian pose. It helps strengthen the spine and improve lung capacity and digestion.

Step 10 – Padahastasana

This asana helps with insomnia and anxiety. It strengthens knees and thighs.

Step 11 – Hasta Uttanasana

Also known as the Raised Arms pose. It is beneficial for people suffering from asthma. Also helps in alleviating fatigue and improves digestion.

Step 12 – Pranam asana

This asana is also known as the Prayer Pose. Benefit of this asana is that it is a meditative yoga pose and assists in relieving mental stress.