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Saint Mira – Mingled with her Beloved SADHU VASWANI
FOUR CENTURIES and a half ago, Saint Mira was born in a village in Mewar. She lives in the heart of India. Her songs are so unspeakably rich in the wisdom of the Spirit! Her life was so simple and so sublime! “God’s saints are shining lights,” said a mystic. From the Himalayas to Cape Comorin, from Karachi to Calcutta, Mira is to many a “shining light”: the secret of her “light” is devotion (bhakti) to Krishna. In Rajasthan, in Gujarat and in North India, her songs are still sung in many homes, the central note of the songs being: “I abandon all to Thee, O Lord! To Thee I surrender all I am!”
The songs are so sweet: they inspire and uplift the heart. The fame of her songs spread far and wide: and there is a tradition, not supported by history, which says that they ravished the heart of the great Emperor, Akbar. He was a great lover and patron of music. He came in disguise, we are told, and paid homage to Mira. Listening to her songs, I have sometimes said to myself: “Mira sings from the heights: she sings as one in whose heart burns the flame Divine!’’ Mira was the only daughter of Ratan Singh, a brave Rajput prince, who fought the Moghul invader and, at last, died on the battle-field.
*June 4 is the 87th Foundation Day of the Mira Movement in Education.
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The ruler of Mewar was Rana Sanga. His eldest son was Prince (Kanwar) Bhoj Raj. To him was Mira married. Great was Mira’s bhakti for Krishna. Before the Image of Sri Krishna, Mira would often sit and sing songs of thanksgiving. She did not neglect her household duties. Her devotion to her husband was as keen as her bhakti for Krishna. Soon after her marriage, Prince Bhoj Raj died. And Mira was filled with the spirit of vairagya (detachment renunciation). Day and night, she would sit at Krishna’s Feet and sing songs dedicated to the Lord. The story of Mira’s wanderings in quest of Krishna is a moving one. Her soul is athirst for God and the Word of God. Krishna is to her the Word, the Divine Word. She now understands that to commune with Krishna, she must forsake the vanity of the world. Mira has learnt the supreme lesson of spiritual life — the lesson of renunciation. She renounces (1) her palace and material things; (2) all earthly honours; and (3) the “ego”. She moves on, from place to place, detached from the things of the world: she moves on devoted to Sri Krishna. Shrine after shrine does Mira visit as a wanderer and a pilgrim. To places of the holy ones Mira goes as a pilgrim to find escape, in the words of a great mystic, “from the flame
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of separation.” “O Krishna! Thou art my All!” is the deepest yearning of her heart. She wants not the world’s wealth, neither palace nor paradise. She has longing for Krishna alone. On her pilgrimage to shrine after shrine, she meets a number of men and women, and every word she speaks is an offering to Sri Krishna. Does she serve the needy as she moves on? Every act of her “service” is an offering to Sri Krishna. Her offering is charged, through and through, with deep shraddha (faith or self-dedication to the Lord). Her pilgrimage is one rapturous procession, one wondrous song of adoration to the Lord. Mira comes, at last, to Dwarka. On the sea-shore, in Kathiawar, did Sri Krishna build Dwarka, “Dvara-vati”, “the City of many gates”, in the long ago. And Krishna taught that “there be many gates to God, and by whatever gate My bhaktas come with love to worship Me, on that gate stand I to greet them.” With the dawn doth Mira see Dwarka, the Ever-blessed! It shineth in her eyes. Dim streets she sees afar. Each tree and leaf, each flower and wave doth know her. For Krishna, her Beloved, once did dwell in Dwarka and bless its birds and consecrated cows and gardens fair, and on the sea-shore did Krishna play on His magic flute, even as it rained day by day and night after night. With love and reverence in her heart doth Mira stand on
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the sea-shore, rapt, intoxicate and Mira gazes at the waves, then bursts into song after song. Before her and all around — here, there, everywhere — she sees Krishna, Krishna! With what longing in her heart singeth Mira of her Beloved: I love Thee, Shyama! I love Thee more than life! My strength, my solace and my bliss In Thee alone I find — In Thee and Thy Holy Name — My sweetest one! When all is dark Thy Name awakes in me a Light! It burneth as a Flame In my heart: day and night It shines before me As a Torch of Light, Beautiful and bright! Mira spends her time in the Sri Ranchhod Temple, sacred to Sri Krishna. There she does kirtan to the glory of her Lord. A number of devout ladies join her; with these she builds a little Group of Devotees, her bhaktamandali. A tradition has it that, one day, Rana Vikramajit comes secretly from Chitor to meet her in Dwarka and implores her to return to Chitor, saying: “Since the day you left the palace, Chitor has had to face many difficulties. And the people tell me: ‘Our sufferings are due to the treatment given to Mira.” I come to ask you to forgive me.
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Bless me and return with me to Chitor!” Mira repeatedly requests to be excused. The Rana returns, but sends a number of Brahmins to persuade her to come back to Chitor. They are wonderstruck at what they see. Mira is absorbed in her kirtan! The Brahmins sit at her door, saying: “O Holy One! We cannot go without you. Nor can we eat any thing, until you come back with us to Chitor!” Mira feels it is a sin to let the Brahmins stay and starve. She says to them: “Do let me have a little time: and let me go to the Temple to take leave of my Beloved and get His blessings before I go back with you to Chitor.” It is dusk: vanished is the warmth of daylight. Mira enters the Temple alone. In silence she stands before the Image of her Lord— the Beloved. “More to me than life,” she says, “art Thou, Beloved! In mine eyes and in my heart Thou art! Thou art!” And she sings: The Bread of my soul art Thou! The Strength of my heart art Thou! The Treasure of my life art Thou! Methinks, I hear Thy Voice, I hear the sound of Thy Flute. Sometimes I see Thee Coming quick from a grove, Beautiful and bright! And over Thee I see
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A touch of Fire, A Flame of Beauty! And from the Flame doth A Voice: but I understand And I sob and cry: “O meet me, Master!” No more separation!
Then, in utter devotion, she sings again:
Sometimes I see, When all is dark, That in the Heart within Doth shine a Light, Thy Light! And then I cry: “I have seen What I have seen!” And again I cry: ‘’Holy! Holy! Holy! The Holy One have I seen!”
O Light of lights!
And a Voice I hear again: It speaketh to my heart: “Open to Me, For I come quickly!” I open! But Thou art gone!
O come Thou quick! For, lo! I faint for Thee! Beloved! Come! Come! Come!
Mira is adoring her Beloved within closed doors. The Temple-room is fragrant with the fragrance of Him who is the Purest of the pure. Mira is dancing in the presence of her Beloved. Again and again, she exclaims: “O Thou, the Treasure of my heart! O Thou, the Breath of my breath!” It is evening. Mira is doing aarti to her Lord.
And Mira weeps. O, the tears! And Mira sings again:
The evening hours slip, one by one, into the hour of the midnight.
In Thee, Beloved, is Light: And the Light doth shine In darkness of the world, And the world knows it not! O Light! Eternal Light! With a million eyes dost Thou Fill all worlds, all stars and suns. With a mercy immeasurable
Then Mira holds out her arms to embrace Krishna’s Image. And the story has it that the Image stretches forth Its arms to greet her!
Dost Thou shine on me — A pilgrim through endless space To Thy Holy Shrine!
Mira falls down unconscious. A stream of tears is flowing from her eyes. Mira is mingled with her Beloved, “Madhava”. No separation now! Mira is become one with the Holy One who is in All! And the Temple is filled with a strange, mysterious light such as seldom was on earth or sea.
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SWITCH ON THE SUNLIGHT J. P. VASWANI
Out of prayer floweth peace. The man of prayer is at peace with everyone and all conditions. His heart is ever anchored to the One. We never feel at home anywhere and with anyone. Our way is the way of resistance. We find fault with men and conditions. We strive to improve matters and change the hearts of men. No change in others is needed. What is needed is inner transformation within ourselves. This comes when we contact God. The man of prayer is ever at peace. To him all work is sacred. He makes no distinction between “superior” and “inferior” work. He knows that what matters is not what you do or where you work, but how you work. His work — howsoever humdrum it be — is an offering of love to the Lord. He may work in a noisy factory or on a quiet farm: his inner peace is not disturbed. He may pray in the silence of a temple or break stones on the noisy roadside: his inner joy is complete. Within each one of us is a fountain of joy and peace. We touch the fountain through prayer and, drinking its waters, slake our thirst and are refreshed, revitalised. To many, however, prayer, instead of opening up
inner springs, becomes itself a source of strain. I have passed through a similar experience. Years ago, not feeling happy with the circumstances in which I was placed, I prayed for conditions to change. I prayed and prayed but, to my deep disappointment, found that things continued to be what they were. I prayed harder and harder in the hope that, by sheer force of prayer, I would be able to change outer conditions: there was no change whatsoever. Prayer became a strain that I had half a mind to give it up altogether. Then, suddenly, the realisation dawned that it was not outer conditions which needed to be changed; the change was to be brought about within me.
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In truth, everything is as it lower chakras (centres): it needs to be lifted up to higher chakras, should be: everything is in order. when it will expand and become All is well and has been well and one with the whole universe. will always be well. We have only Then will our inner vision open to see it. Perfection is not to be and we shall see things as they created through human efforts. actually are. This is the primary Perfection already exists: it is purpose of prayer. only to be seen. Why, then, it is that the In prayer, we surrender all world, as we see it, is full of our burdens and cares, and liftwickedness and vice, sin and up our hearts to God in quiet suffering, ugliness and evil, communion. In prayer, our cruelty and crime? The reason is restless minds are stilled in that our vision is blurred: we see His Love. In prayer, contact is things in a topsy-turvy state. As I established with Him who is the write these lines, I Source of health look at the street and strength, ave you ever passed happiness below through and a glass pane. through a gloomy harmony, beauty The glass pane wisdom, period of your life — a dark and is not perfectly joy and peace. smooth: and men night when not a single star Through this and motor-cars contact, untold doth shine? and trees and blessings flow Then switch on the into us, and, plants look so funny — curved sunlight! through us, to all and crooked. This can be done through who come into Actually, they are contact with us. not curved and prayer — by turning to God. And though we crooked. They walk through dry only appear to deserts, we shall be so, because of the irregular neither falter nor faint. surface of the glass pane through The secret of such a life is which I look at them. repeated and continued contact Nothing is wrong with the with the All-Blessed One, from world: the wrong that I see is whom flow life-currents which due to my defective sight. I do cleanse and restore spirit, mind not have to pray for the world to and body. Blessed is he who be changed. I have to pray that makes God the centre of his life, I may be cured of my defective turning to Him, again and again, sight to be able to see that all is as the one abiding presence. His and has always been well with life is rooted in prayer and he the world. works wonders, unseen even by The wrong that we see his intimate friends. outside us is within us. Our Contd. on page 25 consciousness is stuck up in
H
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The Flower and The Fruit SADHU VASWANI
K
abir is a mystic but he does not spurn action. His mysticism is not quietism. He recognises the place of work in spiritual life. Every day, this weaver of Kashi sat in his little room working on his loom to earn his bread, and he served the sadhus (holy men) and many others in need with faith in the truth that their service was worship. More important than his work for daily bread and his seva (service) to the sadhus and the poor was his profound faith that inner, spiritual activity was the most essential work — the work of purifying the heart and its vision. This work, this inner activity, this unfolding of the interior life, he regarded as the work of God. And Kabir gave his love to all — to men of all creeds and castes. To Kabir, as to every saint of God, this truth was clear that to abide in God was to radiate love into the world. *June 28 is sacred as Kabir Jayanti.
Kabir’s life was one of love. Therefore it manifested itself in works of love, in giving comfort to the sorrowful, to the sad and weary and heavyladen, in giving food and clothes to the hungry and needy. There was a beautiful blend of the active and the contemplative in the life of Kabir. The active life is one of action: the contemplative is one of communion in the immense silence of God.
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On these three things, then, doth Kabir put emphasis in his vision of life: (1) The active life — the life of virtues and self-control and service. This life prepares us for contemplation. (2) The contemplative life — this is concerned with the love of man for God. Than this love I know of no act more noble, more perfect. (3) The life unitive — the active blended with the contemplative is the life unitive, which in silence and love learns, more and more, of the Secret hidden in the heart — the Spirit — and overflows with the love that singeth of the Secret and serveth God in His creation. This unitive life is a marriage of the soul with the Spirit. This unitive life it is which gives the saints tremendous energy to serve God and all creatures, blessing thousands and, may be, changing the course of communities. I believe that schools and asylums and orphanages and seva-centres cannot truly fulfil their vocation until there flows into them an inspiration of the interior life — the life of contemplation, the life of communion with God in silence and in love Kabir sings: The moon doth shine within my body:
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Alas! mine eyes are blind and see not the light! Within me sounds the drum of eternity, The unstruck music of the Spirit. Alas! my ears are deaf and cannot hear! So long as a man doth clamour: “This is mine! This is mine!” His actions are all reduced to nought: His actions are but ashes and dust, But when “mine” and mamta are dead, Then the work of the Lord proceedeth straight! For work — action — hath no other aim Than the gaining of gnana, wisdom, self-realisation. And when gnana, self realisation, comes, Then all work sinks into the secondary. Work is flower: realisation is fruit. The flower blooms in beauty for the fruit. When fruit comes, the flower withers, is of little importance. Through work we reach realisation : And realisation is within!
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NEW INDIA WILL BE BUILT IN THE HOME AND THE SCHOOL SADHU VASWANI’S VISION OF NEW EDUCATION J. P. VASWANI
Sometime ago, a wealthy industrialist met me. He is patriotic in his aspirations. He said to me: “India is rich in natural resources. And our brains are in no way inferior to those of the Western people. India can be the greatest country in the world, if only we can solve four problems – the problems of (1) illiteracy, (2) overpopulation (3) diversity of languages, and (4) diversity of religions.” I said to him: “These problems can be solved in no time. What India lacks is character, discipline, the spirit of devotion, dedication and sacrifice. If we can throw up men and women of sterling character
in different provinces, all these and other problems would vanish as mist before the rising sun.” The industrialist thought over the words for a while and then said: “It is true, what India needs is men and women of character.” I said to him: “Therefore we need a character-building education, so that the new generation may be of boys and girls, of men and women of character, who will seek not pleasures and power, jobs and careers, publicity and prominence, wealth and comforts, but who will seek the good of the people, the progress
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of the nation, the welfare of humanity.” The more I think of it, the more I feel that India needs a new type of education — an education which may integrate the character of pupils through a proper development of the body and training of the will-power and emotions, an education which may give a triple training of the head, the hand and the heart. The heart must not be neglected. Current education has failed, for it has sharpened only the intellect. Brain-power has been developed: science is marching on: technological progress has been made. But the problems which are before civilisation, today, will not be solved by the brain alone. They will be solved by illuminated hearts. Science has produced DDT to kill insects, 2-4D to kill weeds, formula 1080 to kill rats and science has given us the equation E=MC2 which can wipe out populations. When scientists learnt to split the atom and release the power of its nucleus, the first use of this scientific achievement was to rain death and destruction on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The problem of science lies in its misuse. When knowledge is perverted, instead of becoming a blessing, it becomes a curse. Because man has not awakened his heart, scientific achievements are often used destructively rather than constructively. The President of Howard Payne College of America, Guy D. Newman, said
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not long ago: “Man’s knowledge has surpassed his wisdom. He is afraid of what he knows.” We must not forget that the heart, the emotions, are the masters, the intellect is only a servant. Of what use is an education which trains the servant and does not take care of the masters? In crucial times, when quick decisions are to be made, if the emotions run riot what can the intellect — howsoever trained it be, do? So it is that we find highly educated people easily succumbing to temptations of woman and gold. And our Doctors of Philosophy (Ph.D’s) easily yield to anger. Their intellects are sharpened, but their emotions are untrained. Out of the heart are the issues of life. Our emphasis, today, is on books. If the heart be dark, books can teach nothing. Most of our students are educated in words when they should be educated in life. Our education is not a unifying force. It is infected with separatist tendencies. How many of our University graduates care for the masses, for the villagefolk who are the back-bone of India? Current education has lost touch with Indian Ideals, with the great soul of nature, and with great teachers. There is organisation: there is elaborate machinery of education. But where is the soul? Students are taught a number of subjects. They are made to read so many books. But how many develop
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the courage to stand by truth though the heavens fall? If India is to enrich the life of the Universities of the world, our schools and colleges should become centres of a new type of education. This was realised by Sadhu Vaswani. He was born on the 25th of November 1879, in Hyderabad-Sind, now part of Pakistan. He was a brilliant student, became a Professor in a Calcutta College and, later, the Principal of more than one college in Northern India. At the age of 30, he represented India at the Welt Congress, the World-Congress of Religions, held in Berlin (Germany). His speech there and his subsequent lectures in different parts of Europe aroused deep interest in Indian thought and religion and linked many with him in India’s mission of help and healing. At the age of forty, he resigned his lucrative job and entered into the service of the country. He worked as an associate of Mahatma Gandhi and later, turned his attention to education and other spheres, emphasising that characterbuilding is nation-building. He started Youth Centres in different places. He opened the “ShaktiAshram” at Rajpur, inspired by faith in the youths of India. In 1933, he founded the Mira Movement in Education which has today, its head quarters at Pune. The Mira Movement conducts a number of Schools and a College for Girls, at Pune, where over 3300 students belonging to different
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religions and communities (some of them belonging to countries beyond India), receive a new type of education. The Mira Movement has won the appreciation of many men and women of light and leading in East and West. The great educationist, Dr. Maria Montessori, said: “For years I have admired Prof. Vaswani and his Mira Movement in Education which is doing marvellous work to bring greater understanding between the East and West.” Dr. S. Radhakrishnan, then President of India, said: “I have been for many years following the activities of Sadhu Vaswani’s Mira Movement in Education with great joy. I have great respect for his saintly character and life. Those who are animated by his ideals of saintliness, devotion to duty and dedication to service, will be good citizens of our country.” Dr. G. S. Arundale, then World President of the Theosophical Society, said: “Sadhu Vaswani’s services to education in India have been unique. I feel that St. Mira’s School is, to no small extent, an oasis in our educational desert.” Miss Martha Root, worldfamous Baha’i teacher and traveller, said: “I have not found a more spiritual school in India than St. Mira’s School. This is a University of the Spirit. Your founder, Sadhu Vaswani, is an apostle of new cosmic education.” The Mira Movement in Education is a department of
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the Sadhu Vaswani Mission, founded by Sadhu Vaswani and during his life-time called the Brotherhood Association. Besides educational institutions, the Mission conducts a number of medical, cultural and spiritual centres, including Charitable Dispensaries (where medicines, including costly injections, are given free to the poor); a Diagnostic Centre (free to the poor); Bhandara where the poor are fed everyday (“He who cooks for himself alone is a thief,” said Sadhu Vaswani): Shanti Seva Niketan, industrial home which provides work to over two hundred women, enabling them to earn their livelihood with respect; Welfare Fund which gives help in cash and kind to the aged and the infirm, widows and orphans (“The poor are the pictures of God,” said Sadhu Vaswani): Publication Department which publishes journals and books interpreting the life of the Spirit; Jiv Daya Department dedicated to the service of birds and animals (“Is not the animal too, your brother?”—said Sadhu Vaswani). The inspiration of all the departments is in Sadhu Vaswani’s teaching that “service of the poor is worship of God.” The Sadhu Vaswani Mission has branches in different parts of India, including, Bombay, Ulhasnagar, Baroda, Ahmedabad Delhi, Agra, Lucknow, Kanpur, Secunderabad and Simla. At Bombay, an effort is being made to inaugurate, during the Centenary year, a Sadhu Vaswani
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Complex where educational and other activities similar to those at Pune will be started. The Mira Schools and the Mira College stand for a new type of education. In these institutions the academic side receives its due attention. The teachers put forth their best efforts to train students to show commendable results at the examinations. Year after year, with a few solitary exceptions, the Schools have shown 100% results at the Board examinations. But the emphasis is on other things. Firstly, the emphasis is on character-building. Character, Sadhu Vaswani said, is not taught: it is caught. Hence the value of teachers of the true type, who through precept and example, will teach their pupils that life is larger than livelihood, that the end of knowledge is not silver and gold, jobs and careers, but service and sacrifice. The Mira Schools are pervaded by a beautiful atmosphere of friendship. The students have reverence for their teachers: the teachers have love and regard for their pupils. The following qualities of character are emphasised: (1) courage: the students are taught to be strong and selfreliant, to meet failure with success. They are encouraged to play games which may build up their bodies. (2) Discipline: its secret is voluntary obedience, not compulsion which, in many cases, arouses rebelliousness and results in humiliation
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and disunion. (3) Reverence: reverence for what is above us, for what is around us, and for what is beneath us. Secondly, the emphasis is on spiritual unfoldment. Education, to Sadhu Vaswani, was essentially a thing of the Spirit. The noblest work, he said, is to cultivate the soul. Cultivate the soul: therefore have faith — in God, in the universe which is essentially good and in yourself. This triple faith will unite mankind and usher in an era of peace for which the tortured soul of humanity has piteously cried, age after age. Cultivate the soul: therefore realise that you are a pilgrim on earth. Your pilgrimage is to the Eternal where is your home. All you are and all you have is a trust for the service of the depressed and the downtrodden. Cultivate the soul: therefore let every day of your stay on earth be a day of search for the better, for perfection, for that spiritual perfection which sets aside the mountains, and builds bridges over rivers and seas so that man can meet his fellowmen not with a bullet but with a warm heart. Every morning, as the School (or College) bell tolls the beginning of the day’s work, students gather together in what is called the “Sanctuary Hall’ and begin their work with worship. Lives and teachings of the great ones of history are passed on to students. The outlook of the schools is non-sectarian, noncommunal. The students are taught to have reverence for all
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the scriptures and prophets of humanity. Students in St. Mira’s Schools are taught to make God the centre of their lives. “Forget Him not, my children,” taught Sadhu Vaswani, “who never forgets you!” At a time when revolt against religion is rising and an increasing number of men and women are coming under the sway of atheistic materialism, St. Mira’s Schools raise their voice: “Turn back to God ! Without Him life can have no meaning, no significance; no value.” Thirdly, the emphasis is on seva, service of the poor and broken ones, the lowly and the lost and of brother birds and animals. “God is not in decorated Temples of marble and stone,” are the words of Sadhu Vaswani, “God is in the broken cottages of the poor, wiping the tears of the widows and the orphans and singing His new Gita for the new age.” To every student of the Mira Institutions is passed on the teaching of the Saintly Founder: “Look around you and see that the world is sad, is broken, is torn with tragedy, is smitten with suffering. Living in such a world you must share all you have with those in need.” It is a sight to see the students (boys and girls) cooking food with their own hands: and in the process even if their hands get blistered, their faces are lit up with joy. They carry food and other articles (bed-sheets, blankets, clothes) to the poor in asylums, to the inmates of the Homes for the
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Handicapped, the Aged and the Blind. They visit Leper Colonies. They feed the poor, they look into their needs, they speak to them in love. So is sympathy blended with knowledge in the education which is passed on to the Mira students. Every day a group of students bake chappatis for feeding dogs, and everyday as students come from their homes, they bring with themselves handfuls of grains which they give to birds. On the terrace of the School is a Bird’s sanctuary, where hundreds of birds are fed twice daily. Not unoften the children take bundles of grass to cows. The thought is impressed on the minds of the students that creation is one family. “All life is sacred,” taught Sadhu Vaswani. “I have seen God’s image shining in birds and animals,” he said “and for me not to love birds and animals would be not to love the Lord.” Mira students are taught to be simple in dress and diet and in daily living. The motto of the School is in the words: “Simplicity and service, purity and prayer”. The students are taught to treat their bodies as temples of the Spirit and so to keep them pure and clean, healthy and strong. They are called upon to develop courage. The Bhagavad Gita and other world-scriptures are regularly taught not as documents of a dead past, but as living scriptures which have solutions to offer to the problems and perplexities of our
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excited, agitated age. And the one thought that is repeatedly passed on to them is that the end of all knowledge is service. Not intellect alone but also the intuition, emotions and will must be trained and used in service of men and birds and animals, in service of suffering creation. Of a businessman, it is said that he returned home one evening and settled down to read the evening paper, when his six-year old son came and disturbed him. The businessman tore into small pieces a part of the newspaper, which carried a map of the world on one side and the picture of a child on the other, and gave the pieces of paper to his son asking him to put the map back together again. In less than ten minutes the son returned, the map ready. As the boy had no idea of geography, the businessman wondered how the boy fixed the map so well. “All I did,” the boy said, “was to put the child right. When I did that, the world came out right !” Do you want to put the world right? Then put the child right. And as Sadhu Vaswani often said: New India (and a new humanity) will be built not in the Lok Sabha or the Rajya Sabha but in the Home and the School. Therefore give to your children the right type of atmosphere and training in the home and give to your students the right type of education in the School and the College.
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THE CHILD–HEART SADHU VASWANI
We met together at the Master’s feet on a day sacred in the Hindu Calendar. On that day in a Hindu household a pretty little cradle is uncovered: and in the cradle is seen a toy of Bala-Gopal, the Krishna-child. The cradle is swung and songs are sung to the Divine Babe. One of us asked the Master, that day, to speak to us of children and their call to Man. The Master said: The child is still a mystery to me. Does God come in the little ones to teach our hard and wayward hearts? Children come with radiant faces and singing hearts. Do they come to renew the child-heart that slumbers still in the grownup ones? The simple child-soul will save civilisation and lead us
to gentleness and purity, and humble-mindedness and to simple-hearted faith in “Our Father in Heaven”. Great kingdoms crumble to their fall: and God grows weary of thrones and dynasties. But God is radiant in the roses and the rosy faces of the little children. When the disciples asked Jesus who was the greatest in the kingdom of God, he called the little child unto him and set him in the midst of them and said: “Verily I say unto you: except ye become as little children, ye shall not enter the kingdom of Heaven. And he who humbles himself as this little child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of Heaven.”
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Mystery-filled are the children and radiant are they as stars: for they rise from afar: they come as witnesses to our Unseen Home. In the eyes of a child floweth Eternity: and in the heart of a child is the Light that heals ! Philosophers have evolved systems and built up schools: but I know of no better touchstone for truth and falsehood than the child-heart. Kingdoms lie prostrate at the feet of conquerors and kingdoms crumble to dust one day. But there is a kingdom that crumbles not — a kingdom introduced by time. It is the Kingdom of Light. Of that, the child-heart is a symbol. Riches and glories of the Earth pass away: but in the pure eyes and lisping words of a child may lie hidden a wisdom that abides. SWITCH ON THE SUNLIGHT
Such a man does not seek to do things: he achieves them. And his prayer takes on different forms. At times it is a look of longing or an exclamation, “ah!” At times it is a simple word of love: “O Thou! O Thou!” At times it is an assurance of faith, an expression of confidence and courage. Very rarely it is an act of supplication: for the man of prayer lives in the faith that the Lord knoweth — more even than we do — the needs of His servants, and will never tarry in providing them. God’s delays are never denials, and in everything He does is a meaning of mercy.
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I have looked at children: I have seen them sit silent: and I have sometimes felt they understand things better than the grown-ups! Are they thoughtreaders? Do not disregard what the little ones say to you. A child will say suddenly: “Do not do that!” You will do well to listen to what the little ones say to you. Don’t be rough to them! And to understand them you should love them! You then may know that life is beautiful: you then may cling to this faith of childhood in the face of all the disappointments of difficult days. O ye that would grow in the life of the Spirit, go and hug your children to your hearts and kiss your little ones in the cradle and beneath the stars. Love your children and ask them to bless you and your earth-pilgrimage! Contd. from page 10
The man of prayer is a rich blessing to his family, his community, his town, his country — to the whole world. In due course, he becomes a living, moving temple of the Lord. God dwells in him and he dwells in the Lord: the twain are one! All his limbs and powers — his eyes and ears, his hands and feet, his mouth and tongue, his nose and nails — are united with God. Through his lips God speaks to us: through his eyes He looks at us: and through his hands He pours benedictions upon us!
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Laugh Your Way To Health A man went to face an interviewer. A director asked him, “Tell the difference between “COMPLETE” and “FINISHED”. The man replied, I am clarifying with an example, “when you marry a right person, you are “Complete” and when you marry a wrong one, you are “Finished”. *** Boss hangs a poster in Office “I AM THE BOSS, DO NOT FORGET”. He returns from lunch, finds a slip on his desk. “Your wife called, she wants her poster back home.” *** Boyfriend: Do you think my salary is sufficient for you? Girlfriend: It’s sufficient for me but how will you survive? *** Wife: Look at that Drunkard! Hubby: Who is he? Wife: 10 years back he proposed me and I rejected… Hubby: Oh God, He is still Celebrating… Wow. *** In an exam hall, a boy asked a girl: “Just tell me the start of this answer, rest I will write.” Girl cleverly looked herethere, then told him slowly: ‘The’ ***
Two Priests decided to go to Goa on vacation. They were determined to make this a real vacation by not wearing anything that would identify them as Priests. As soon as the plane landed they headed for a store and bought some really outrageous shorts, shirts, sandals, sunglasses, etc. The next morning they went to the beach dressed in their ‘tourist’ garb. They were sitting on the beach chairs, enjoying a drink, the sunshine and the scenery when a drop-dead gorgeous blonde in a bikini came walking straight towards them. They couldn’t help but stare. As the blonde passed them she smiled and said, “Good Morning, Father ~ Good Morning, Father,” nodding and addressing each of them individually, then she passed on by. They were both stunned. How in the world did she know they were priests? So the next day, they went back to the store and bought even more outrageous outfits.
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These were so loud you could hear them before you even saw them! Once again, in their new attire, they settled down in their chairs to enjoy the sunshine. After a little while, the same gorgeous blonde, wearing a different colored bikini, taking her sweet time, came walking toward them. Again she nodded at each of them, said: ‘Good morning, Father ~ Good morning, Father,’ and started to walk away. One of the priests couldn’t stand it any longer and said, ‘Just a minute, young lady.’ ‘Yes, Father?’ ‘We are priests and proud of it, but I have to know, how in the world do you know we are priests, dressed as we are?’ She replied, “Father, it’s me, Sister Philomena!!!” *** Doctor: Which soap do you use? Patient: K. P. Namboodiri’s soap. Doctor: Paste? Patient: K. P. Namboodiri’s paste Doctor: Shampoo? Patient: - K. P. Namboodiri’s shampoo. Doctor: Is K.P. Namboodiri an international brand? Patient: No. K. P. Namboodiri is my Roommate ! *** A prospective husband in a book store “Do you have a book called, ‘Husband – the Master of the House’?”
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Sales Girl: “Sir, Fiction and Comics are on the 1st floor!”. *** Someone asked an old man: Even after 70 years, you still call your wife ‘Darling, Honey, Love’. What’s the secret? Old man: I forgot her name and I’m scared to ask her. *** A man in Hell asked Devil, “Can I make a call to my Wife?” After making call, he asked, “How much to pay?” Devil: Nothing. Hell to hell is Free. *** Teacher: What is the full form of MATHS? Student: Mentally Affected Teacher Harassing Student. *** A small argument between a couple turns violent. Husband says: Don’t let the animal in me come out! Wife replies: Who’s afraid of a Mouse. *** A Philosopher HUSBAND said: Every WIFE is a ‘Mistress’ of her Husband… “Miss” for first year and “Stress” for the rest *** Man (outside phone booth): Excuse me, you are holding phone since 29 minutes and you haven’t spoken a word. Man (inside): I am talking to my wife! Man (outside phone booth with tears in his eyes): Ok. Continue my friend. ***
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Children’s Corner ABBREVIATION MATCH pound qt. yard bu. feet oz. inch mi. ounce yd. mile in. quart lb. bushel ft.
LINE PUZZLE Can you see how many of these 16 vertical lines are unbroken, how many are broken 1 time, and how many have 2 breaks in them?
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FAMOUS NAME SEARCH These four words contain the letters of a famous name. Fill in the words. Then place each letter in its numbered space below to find a name that you should know! arithmetic single things egg-shaped did say
__ __ __ __ 4 10 1 2 __ __ __ __ 3 16 11 14 __ __ __ __ 15 9 7 8 __ __ __ __ 6 5 13 12
__ __ __ __ __ 1 2 3 4 5
__ __ __ __ __ 6 7 8 9 10
__ __ __ __ __ __ 11 12 13 14 15 16
BODY PARTS The word problems below name certain parts of the body. How many can you correctly identify? 1.
yes + e
2.
= ___________ 7.
blow + e
=
_____________
sand + h = ___________ 8.
stir + w
=
_____________
3.
son + e
= ___________ 9.
grief + n
=
_____________
4.
tear + h
= ___________ 10. sip + l
=
_____________
5.
gun + l
= ___________ 11. sir + b
=
_____________
6.
nips + e = ___________ 12. holders + u =
_____________
Abbreviation Match: lb., yd., ft., in., oz., mi., qt., bu. Famous Name Search: math, ones, oval, said. Thomas Alva Edison, inventor of the electric light bulb, born February 11, 1847. Body Language: 1. eyes, 2. hands, 3. nose, 4. heart, 5. lung, 6. spine, 7. elbow, 8. wrist, 9. finger, 10. lips, 11. ribs, 12. shoulder. Line Puzzle: There are 5 unbroken lines, 5 lines with 1 break, and 6 with 2 breaks.
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SIMPLE RULES OF HEALTH USE ESSENTIAL OILS FOR HAIR GROWTH
When it comes to a hair care regimen, oil massages are a must. In fact, applying oil on the scalp on a regular basis is one of the secrets behind good and healthy hair growth. Massaging promotes blood flow to the scalp, which in turn stimulates the hair follicles. It also helps add volume to your hair. Olive oil, coconut oil, almond oil or castor oil are very popular for massaging the scalp. But you can improve the benefits of these oils by mixing in a few drops of essential oils. The power of essential oils is often underestimated when it comes to hair health. Essential oils are a gift from Mother Nature, having the essence of plants and many medicinal properties. They
not only promote hair growth but also help prevent dandruff, flaking, a dry scalp and even premature hair graying. Here are some of the essential oils that you can use for hair growth. 1. Rosemary Essential Oil Rosemary essential oil is good for your hair. It has antioxidant properties that boost hair growth. In addition, the sulfur and silica in it help reverse hair loss. Furthermore, its antibacterial nature gently cleanses the scalp and hair of microbes, thus preventing itchiness and dandruff. Mix 2 or 3 drops of rosemary essential oil into 2 tablespoons of a base oil, such as olive, coconut, jojoba, almond or avocado oil.
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Apply it on your hair and massage the scalp using your fingertips for 10 minutes. Leave it on for at least 30 minutes, then shampoo your hair as usual. Do this twice a week for best results. 2. Lavender Essential Oil Lavender oil can speed up hair growth. When massaged into the scalp, lavender essential oil improves blood circulation as well as prevents hair loss and promotes hair growth. It also helps keep the scalp moisturised, balances sebum production and helps fight dandruff. In addition, it has antimicrobial and antibacterial properties, which can improve scalp health. Mix 4 or 5 drops of lavender oil into 2 tablespoons of a carrier oil. Apply it directly on your scalp. Leave it on for at least 20 to 30 minutes before washing it out. Shampoo your hair as you normally would. You can do this 2 or 3 times a week. 3. Peppermint Essential Oil Peppermint oil is another essential oil that can help promote hair growth. It increases blood flow to the scalp and rejuvenates the hair follicles, which in turn stimulates hair growth. This oil also helps unclog pores and allows for the normal regeneration of skin cells, which is good for a dry scalp. Blend 5 drops of peppermint essential oil with 2 tablespoons of lukewarm coconut oil.
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Massage the oil into the scalp and leave it on for 20 minutes. Shampoo it out. Repeat twice a week. 4. Tea Tree Essential Oil Tea tree oil has powerful cleansing, antibacterial and antimicrobial properties that can help keep your scalp healthy. This in turn promotes hair growth. Tea tree oil is also beneficial for dandruff, thanks to its strong antifungal properties. Mix 2 or 3 drops of tea tree essential oil into 2 tablespoons of sweet almond carrier oil. Massage the scalp with this oil, allow it to sit for 30 minutes and then shampoo it out. Do it twice a week. 5. Lemongrass Essential Oil Dandruff can cause hair loss and excessive itching on the scalp. To resolve these issues, lemongrass essential oil is very effective. Due to its antibacterial, antiseptic and antifungal properties, lemongrass helps limit bacterial or microbial growth on the scalp. This in turn helps keep your scalp free from dandruff and other scalp problems. Mix a few drops of lemongrass oil into your shampoo. Apply the shampoo onto your scalp and massage for 2 minutes. Leave it on for another couple of minutes. Rinse it out using lukewarm water. Repeat 2 or 3 times a week.
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Recipes For The Month STUFFED MUSHROOMS Ingredients: Mushrooms.................................................400 gms Paneer, grated............................................100 gms Cheese, grated............................................100 gms Onion, finely chopped...................................1 small Spring onion, finely chopped....................... 2 stalks Pepper powder............................................... ¼ tsp Oregano.......................................................... ½ tsp Chilli flakes..................................................... ½ tsp Garlic, finely chopped...............................3-4 cloves Tomato ketchup..............................................2 tbsp Oil.....................................................................1 tsp Salt...............................................................to taste
Method: Remove stalk from mushrooms, peel, boil and keep aside. Chop the mushroom stalks very fine. Boil and keep aside. Heat oil in a pan and saute the chopped garlic for a minute. Add onion and chopped mushroom stalks and saute for a few minutes. Add grated paneer, cheese, salt, pepper, oregano, chilli flakes and spring onion. Mix well and cook for a minute or two. Stuff each mushroom with the above mixture and bake in a preheated oven for 10 mins. Dot with tomato ketchup and serve immediately. POPEYE PIZZA Ingredients: Pizza bases, 12” in diameter........................ 1 piece Spinach, boiled and chopped...........................1 cup Onions, finely chopped....................................1 cup Capsicums, finely chopped..............2 medium sized
For the Marinade
Chilli sauce......................................................1 tbsp Vinegar...........................................................1 tbsp Soya sauce........................................................1 tsp Tomato sauce .................................................3 tbsp Sugar.............................................................. ½ tsp Salt...............................................................to taste
For the White Sauce
Flour...............................................................3 tbsp Milk.................................................................2 cups Garlic paste..................................................... ½ tsp Butter..............................................................1 tbsp Salt and pepper............................................to taste
For the Topping
Mozzarella cheese, grated..........................200 gms
Method: Mix all the ingredients of the marinade. Marinate the chopped onion and capsicum in this mixture for about 30-45 minutes. For the white sauce, heat the butter. Fry the garlic paste in it and saute the flour. Add milk and stirring continuously cook to make a thick white sauce. To this add the spinach, salt and pepper. Spread the marinated mixture on each pizza base. On this spread a thick layer of the white sauce. Sprinkle cheese and bake. Serve hot.
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CHEESY POTATO STRIPS Ingredients:
Potatoes, cut into long strips......................... 2 (big) Oil............................................................... 1-2 tbsp Salt...............................................................to taste Chilli garlic sauce............................................1 tbsp Onion, finely chopped................................1 (small) Garlic, finely chopped.......................................1 tsp Flavored cheese spread..................................1 tbsp Oregano.......................................................... ¼ tsp Basil................................................................ ¼ tsp Chilli flakes (optional)..................................1 pinch Eggless mayonnaise.......................................1 tbsp Tomato sauce..................................................1 tbsp
Method: Heat oil in a nonstick pan. Add potatoes and salt. Cover and cook on a low flame for about 10 minutes till potatoes are cooked. Keep stirring occasionally. Add all the other ingredients one by one. Mix well. Cover and cook for another five minutes. Serve hot. CHILLI GARLIC POTATO Ingredients:
Potatoes, cut into long strips.................4-5 medium Salt................................................................. ½ tsp Oil ............................................................ for frying Spring onions, chopped..................................¼ cup
For the Paste
Garlic........................................................4-5 cloves Ginger......................................................... 1” piece Green chillies......................................................... 2 Dry red chillies....................................................... 2
For the Sauce
Soya sauce........................................................1 tsp Vinegar.............................................................1 tsp Red chilli sauce...............................................1 tbsp Corn flour.........................................................1 tsp Water..............................................................1 tbsp Salt...............................................................to taste
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Method: Mix all the ingredients for the sauce together and keep aside. Pound together all the ingredients for the paste and keep aside. Apply salt to the potatoes and deep fry until crisp and keep aside. In a nonstick pan, heat oil, add the paste and saute for about two minutes. Add in the sauce and cook for 2-3 minutes. Once the sauce thickens add the fried potatoes and mix well. Garnish with spring onions. COCKTAIL CHEESE BALLS Ingredients: For the Cheese Balls Paneer, grated............................................200 gms Bread, soaked in water and then squeezed well....................................... 2 slices Green chillies, finely chopped.............................1-2 Grated ginger...................................................2 tsp Pepper powder............................................... ½ tsp Mango powder................................................ ½ tsp Ajwain............................................................ ½ tsp Coriander leaves, finely chopped....................2 tbsp Salt...............................................................to taste
Other Ingredients Corn flour............... 3 tbsp mixed with ½ cup water Chat masala......................................................2 tsp Bread crumbs..................................................½ cup Oil.....................................................for deep frying
Method: Combine all the ingredients for the cheese balls in a large bowl. Mash well till an even mixture is formed. Shape into small round balls. Dip each ball in corn flour paste and then roll over bread crumbs. Deep fry 5-6 balls at a time, till golden brown. Drain on tissues and sprinkle chat masala. Serve hot.
East And West Series
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