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Gita: A Bible of Humanity SADHU VASWANI
The Gita is the Ganges of Light, a River of radiance running from Eternity to Time! The Gita has attracted attention in the West, not without reason. In a letter of Emerson, recently published, he says, “The Bhagvad Gita is an empire of thought.” Emerson was a good student of Gita. He was fond, too, of Hafiz. He was a lover of Eastern culture. Many years ago, I spoke of Emerson as “a geographical mistake”. Emerson was in tune with the spirit of the East. Emerson realised the greatness of the Gita. Listen now to the testimony of another great man, Maeterlinck. He won the Nobel Prize for Literature many years ago. He speaks of the Mahabharata (of which the Gita is a portion) as the “Bible of Humanity.” Of the Gita, too, it may be truly said that it is a “Bible of Humanity.”
FOR THE RACE OF MAN Do not think the Gita is your monopoly. Young men of India! The Gita was sung in India, but for the Race of Man. You truly revere the Gita when you say to yourselves; “The Gita is meant for humanity, and therefore I shall live the life of the Gita in order to serve humanity.” It is foolish to say, “We are proud of the Rishis.” I ask, “Are the Rishis proud of you?” Make the Gita the Song of your life. Do not say some thousands of years ago the Master sang the Gita in Kurukshetra: but breathe out this aspiration, “Master! re-sing the Song in our daily life.” Then will you be true sons and daughters of India. For every one who lives daily the Song of the Gita is a builder of the coming temple of
Contd. On Page 16
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You have spoken words concerning me which are not true. I am not a swami; the word swami means ‘Master’. I am not a sadhu; the word sadhu means a man of siddhi. Yet I aspire, I strive, to be a servant of the Great Ones, — the Masters, Rishis and Saints of humanity. And it gives me great joy to be in your midst. I am happy to be a guest of the Theosophical Colony. This word ‘Theosophy’ is a significant one. Theo-Sophia, the Wisdom Divine! And in the great scriptures of the world Wisdom is often symbolised as ‘Light!’ As I survey the situation of the world, I feel that the nations need a Message of Light. There appeared in Germany, many years ago, a truly great man. He took deep interest in education. I regard him as one of the Rishis of Education. Rishis are not the monopoly, as I have often said, of any one race or religion. This
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Rishi of Germany is known as Harder. Some of his observations on history and education are profound. He left instructions that when he passed away, the following three words’ should form the epitaph on his tomb. In these three beautiful words, this seer and sage summed up the essence of historical evolution: Light! Life! Love! There is a vital connection between these three, but I have time only to speak of the first. “All things, take their life from Light,” said German Poet Schiller, and it is perfectly true that from Light groweth Life! And Life grows and fulfils itself in Love! What Schiller said in a moment of poetic inspiration, is well supported by modern science. There is a growing movement in history, the movement of Light. There is, also, in civilisation movement of heat. In the movement of heat are born
*Excerpts from his address at the Theosophical Colony, Juhu, Bombay, in Nov 1933
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conflicts of creeds, communities, nations. There are rivalries of religions and races. What persecutions in the name of civilisation and patriotism! But there is, also, in history a movement of light. And the hope of history lies in steady advance of this movement of Light. The sages and rishis and poets, the seers and saints are the hope of humanity, the promise of the future. Light, more light, is needed in different departments of life. There is the light of mind. Let it grow! Reflection, the power of understanding, is the world’s need. The barriers which stand between groups and nations and individuals must break. Larger minds must be built. Authority, traditions, customs, creeds have become barriers of progress. Let no past, no church, no scripture, howsoever great and glorious, be thy authority. Brother pilgrim on the path! Truth first! Let men and women of different races and religions come together in the aspiration after truth, the study of truth, the service of truth. Yet another mark of this movement of Light is simple life. Simple life is growing in the West today. Young India, alas, is imitating the luxuries of the West, forgetting that these luxuries are being outgrown by many in the West. The watch-word of one growing youth movement in the West is simplicity. The third great mark of the movement of Light is ‘Meditation’. Today the thought is growing that to meditate is to be vital. There are many in India who think that to meditate is to vegetate. They
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do not think right! To go into silence is to be vital. I am happy the Colony at Juhu is a lover of nature and silence. Bombay is a centre of noise and confusion! I am a child of the desert, a lover of silence; and in coming today here to this beautiful spot, I feel purified, uplifted; inspired! To go into silence even for an hour every day is an uplifting experience. He who would know what is light, must go into silence: One day he will see the Light. Goethe is regarded as the greatest poet of the modern era, as Shakespeare of the modern age, Goethe falls ill in his 80th year. Goethe, I regard as a rishi. Goethe has a premonition that he is passing away. He calls his disciples to move him to the verandah, so that he may gaze at the beauty of the Sun. And gently they lift him in an arm-chair to, the verandah, and even as he gazes at the Sun he goes gently into the samadhi of death. But before going into the Deep Sleep, Goethe utters the words: ‘Light! More Light!’’ These words enshrine the vision of the rishis and sages of many races and many ages. And to India and the modern nations so restless and fever-smitten, broken and bleeding, I fain would reproclaim this message of the Rishis: Light! More Light! My Master! Grant me Thou the grace of sight! So lead me out of dark into the Light!
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COMPANIONS OF GOD J. P. VASWANI
The teaching of all the saints is summed up in the word— Love. The message of all the mystics is enshrined in the one word – Love. The wisdom of the sages, the wisdom of the ages is in the one word, Love. The witness of Sri Krishna and Sri Rama, of Buddha and Jesus, of Shri Chaitanya and Guru Nanak, of Francis and Kabir, of Mira and Baha’u’llah, is in the one word – Love. “God is Love! And he who abides in Love abides in God, and God abides in him!” said a Sufi mystic. Love is the One Reality: all else is but words. Love is Truth, and Truth is Love. I set out in quest of Truth, said
Simone Weil, and I fell into the arms of Love. “What is love?” was the question asked of Bayazid. And he answered: “This is love— that ye account yourselves very little and God very great.” He who loves God is freed from pride. He loves everyone, even his “enemies”. And, as Sri Chaitanya repeatedly taught, he becomes like the tree which gives fruit to those that pelt stones at it. He rewards the smiter. Like Jesus, he blesses and prays for those who crucify him: “Father! forgive them, for they know not what they do!” Love ever-increasingly! For love is limitless. And he who
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would walk the way must pour out the love of his heart on all, must spread the sunshine of love wherever he goes: Even as the sun shines on the good and the evil alike, even as the river gives forth its water to all, even so must the seeker on the Path share, unstintingly, the love of his heart with all. To give love is to be God-like: to withhold love is to descend into darkness. “Alone, O Love ineffable! Thy saving name is given; To turn aside from Thee is hell, To walk with Thee is heaven!” “Grow in love, and in humility, from more to more!” was the blessing Gurudev Sadhu Vaswani gave us, again and again. Grow in love from more to more: therefore give more and more love to others. For the more of love you give, the more you will have. Such is the law! When a mother came and complained to Gurudev Sadhu Vaswani that her daughter had gone astray, he said to her: “Give your daughter the love of your heart, and she will come back!” And when the mother protested that the daughter had been “spoilt” only because she had been given too much of love, Gurudev Sadhu Vaswani quietly said: “Love her all the more!” If anyone has departed from the path of righteousness, his only hope is in someone loving him, limitlessly.
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Such love flowed out of the heart of Sri Krishna. It transformed Kubja and many others who came under his influence. Such love flowed out of the heart of Jesus. It converted Mary Magdalene, and the sinner became a saint. Such love flowed out of the heart of Sri Chaitanya. It converted robbers and courtesans and wicked men. It made them new. It even laid a spell on wild, ferocious beasts. Such love flowed out of the heart of Guru Gobind Singh. It touched his disciples and they exclaimed: “Lord, we are thine! We lay down our lives as an offering at thy Lotus Feet!” And Guru Gobind Singh built up the Khalsa Brotherhood. The Khalsa became the saviours and liberators of India, in a dark period of the nation’s history. Every member of the Khalsa Brotherhood sang in his heart the song of the Iraqi poet: I am love-intoxicated, And from love to Thee I lay down my life for Thee! I believe that the Khalsas will yet be true to the faith of their fore-fathers. There is no peace greater than love. And love is not love if it does not flow out to friends and foes alike. “Love. love, love even thine enemy,” says Gurudev Sadhu Vaswani; “and though he hate thee as a thorn, thou wilt blossom as a rose!” If you would make rapid progress on the Path, Sadhu
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Vaswani urged, you must bless those that curse you, serve those that slander you, rush to the help of those that hurt you, for you and your brother are one! In the mind of Gurudev Sadhu Vaswani there was no separation. We entered a bus one day. There was only one vacant seat. He made room for me and asked me to sit by his side. I said to him: “Gurudev, if I sit, there will be very little room left for you.” Gurudev Sadhu Vaswani answered: “We will love each other more and there will be plenty of room”. In Gurudev Sadhu Vaswani’s mind there was no feeling of separation, between his own body and the body of another. Both were tabernacles of the One Spirit. This is what gave him a sense of identification with the sufferings of the poor and broken ones. He did not merely have compassion for the poor. He actually felt that their sorrows were his sorrows. Not unoften, he wept, seeing another in grief. “There is no death,” he taught us early one morning. “Death is an illusion. We must learn to transcend it.” In the course of the day he was called to the side of an old mother who had lost an only son in an air-crash. She wept bitter tears. And Gurudev Sadhu Vaswani’s eyes were touched with tears. When, later, we said to him: “Only this morning you taught us that death was an illusion. What, then, was
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the reason for your tears?” he answered: “When I sat by the side of the old mother, I felt I was the old mother!” Was this, too, the reason why Jesus wept when he sat by the side of the sister of Lazarus? To Gurudev Sadhu Vaswani, helping others was not a duty: it was not even a virtue: it was a pulse of existence. For him to live was to love, and serve the poor and broken ones. They came to him as to their father and friend, their guardian and God. “We have seen no other God!” they exclaimed. To him the poor were pictures of God. He gave and gave and was never tired of giving. He gave till the last day of his earthly life. He gave and kept no account of what he gave. He gave and forgot all about it. He gave in love to the lowly: he gave in reverence to the poor and needy. Not once did he fail in answering the call of human suffering. The Great Ones taught that God is beyond knowledge. And God may be known by loving Him. They who love God find their rest in God alone. They behold Him in the Temple of the Heart, and in the hearts of all who are in suffering and pain. For all are in God: and God is in all. And loving God, they go forth to serve the poor and broken ones, the forsaken and forlorn. They are the true Companions of God, servants of suffering creation, healers of broken humanity.
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Meditation Begins With Relaxation J. P. VASWANI
Meditation begins with relaxation. Most of the time we are tensed without realising it. Even when we go to sleep, our body and mind are not relaxed: we carry the tensions of the day with us and so do not have restful sleep. We wake up the next morning with a feeling of languor or fatigue: we do not feel fresh and strong to meet the challenges of the new day.
There are many methods of relaxation. A simple, easy method (of 9 steps) is as follows:
This goes on day after day and the tension keeps on accumulating, until it manifests itself in one physical illness or another. So many diseases of the present day, heart attack, high blood pressure, nervous breakdown, migraine, asthma, are due to the building up of tension. It has been rightly said that “men do not die of disease: they die of internal combustion”. The demand for tranquillisers grows day by day. What is needed is to relax, if possible, twice every day.
2. Imagine yourself in the loving, immediate and personal presence of the Lord (your Beloved). You are sitting at His Lotus-Feet with your arms girdling His ankles, your head resting on His feet. Say to yourself: “There is true rest. There is true relaxation. In Thy presence, fears and frustrations, worries and anxieties, depressions and disappointments, tensions and tribulations vanish as mist before the rising sun. I am now completely relaxed...” Relax, relax, relax.
1. Lie on your back on the floor (on a carpet); Sit on the floor in a comfortable posture. Or in a chair with your feet gently touching the floor. Take a few deep breaths, exhaling each slowly, completely emptying the lungs.
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3. Turn your attention to the muscles round the eyes. Relaxrelax-relax. Open the eyes and imagine that the eye-lids have become heavy. Let them drop on the eyes. Lift them and let them shut three times. 4. Move on to the muscles round the mouth. Relax-relaxrelax. 5. Relax your facial muscles, letting your face go limp. Relaxrelax-relax. 6. Repeat the process throughout the body: right shoulder, elbow, forearm, wrist, hand, fingers; left shoulder, elbow, forearm, wrist, hand, fingers; back; chest; abdomen; buttocks; thighs; calves; ankles; feet; toes. Push your toes down towards the carpet, stretch and relax. Pull
Gita: A Bible of Humanity Liberty, the temple of Humanity. “Liberation” is the master word of the Gita; and to know the Gita is to know that there is no true liberty without an aspiration for inner liberation. MILK OF THE SCRIPTURES It is no exaggeration to say that the Bhagvad Gita is the holiest book in Hindu literature. It is regarded as an Upanishad and often spoken of as “Gitopanishad”. It is referred to as “Milk of the Shastras”. This expression is significant. The essential teaching of Hindu Scriptures is given us in this one book, the Bhagvad Gita. Now the Gita, as you know, has a very high place in Hindu
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your feet up towards the legs, stretch and relax. Relax-relaxrelax. 7. Breathe in and stretch your whole body, arms above head — relax, and exhale. Repeat this three times. Relax relax-relax. You are calm, relaxed, peaceful, serene. You are resting at the Lotus-Feet of the Lord — calm, relaxed, peaceful, serene. 8. You are now lighter than air, moving upwards, upwards, floating as a cloud-calm, relaxed, peaceful, serene. 9. You are in the Presence of the Lord. Offer this simple Prayer: “Thou art by me, a living and radiant presence. And I am relaxed-calm, relaxed, peaceful, serene.”
Contd. from page 5 literature. Why? Why is it regarded as the “milk of the Scriptures”? Why is this unique position assigned to the Gita? The Gita is associated with the name of Sri Krishna, and one can easily understand why the Gita is so dear to the Hindu heart. The Hindu looks up to Sri Krishna as the Lord of Love. The Hindu looks up to Him as an Avatar, as one who descended from the divine heights of the super-man and became a brother of common humanity mingling with the cowherds, loving the little ones, speaking to them, singing to them. The Gita is by the Hindu regarded as the Voice of Sri Krishna.
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Shanti: The Divine Being J. P. VASWANI
Who was dear Shanti? She was a great giver, she gave and gave and gave and ever gave. She was never tired of giving. Whosoever came to her would not return empty handed. Underneath the cot on which she sat, usually she did not sit in a chair, she sat on a cot and underneath the cot, there were lots of things, whether they were there or they were created by Shanti’s magic but she would just put her hand inside her cot, bring out a toy, bring out a ball, bring out a packet of sweets, bring out one thing or the other and
give it to the child. I remember how children used to come and dear Shanti sat in prayer, their parents would bring the children to bow down before Sadhu Vaswani and receive blessings and as they would get ready to leave the room the children would lag behind, they would never leave the room. They were sure when dear Shanti opened her eyes she would put her arm underneath her cot and by some magic that like of Aladdin’s lamp, she would bring out one thing or the other and give it to the children. She was a great giver.
*May 15 and 16 are sacred as Sister Shanti’s 48th Mahayagna.
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She was a wonderful can only give you answer to child. From the beginning of questions concerning which her days she was so unlike we have read in the books. other children. She did not The things that you speak of play the games which other are not explained in the books, children played. She did we cannot give you answers.” not handle dolls. She would Shanti used to say to herself, be found sitting in a silent “Book learning is not of much corner reflecting, there she use to me...” and in her heart sat pondering the meaning was the prayer, ‘Oh Lord! Oh of the mystery of this endless Lord! Bring me in contact with adventure of existence. someone who may give me an This little child, sat in answer to these questions, who silence with closed eyes and may explain to me the mystery, kept on asking herself this the meaning of the mystery question, what of this endless is this life? Why adventure of am I here? Who The secret of this existence.” am I? From And then it Shanti’s life was where have is that she came I will not do unto I come? This in contact with earth is not my others what I would Sadhu Vaswani. true home for not wish others She was only on the earth our ten years old, would do unto me. stay is for a brief and Sadhu period, the day Vaswani so cometh in the blessed her that life of every one when he or she she became a blessing to many. must depart the earth. Surely Dear Shanti never teased this earth is not our home. anyone. She never stole a thing Then what is my true home which belonged to another. She and why have I come to this never offended anyone, even by earth plane? a single word. She never spoke Shanti used to ask herself ill of anyone, why? Because these questions. She used to she adopted this as a rule of go to school and ask these her life. When Shanti was a questions to her teachers, but little one she said to herself, “I the teachers used to say, this will not do unto others what I girl is a wonderful child, she would not wish others would asks us questions which we do unto me.” This was the are unable to answer. And they said to her, “My child we secret of Shanti’s life.
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The Wise Words of the Buddha J. P. VASWANI
Two kings belonging to two different realms, with their ranged armies, stood on the banks of the river, Rohini. The armies were there, to fight. But one hundred and sixty thousand women were there, too: they were weeping for their children, their husbands, their brothers and fathers, their near and dear ones. For war means slaughter! War means death and destruction! What was the quarrel between the two kings? What was the battle being fought over? Each Kingdom was claiming its right over the waters of the river Rohini. The Buddha had a nobler conception of kingship. The word for king in Pali is Kshatriya and the word means “protector”,
“guardian”. A true king is enjoined to be a “protector”, a “guardian” of his people. How could he then indulge in war, which means the slaughter of thousands of sons and husbands and brothers and fathers? The Buddha sees the two armies ranged, one against the other, on the banks of the Rohini, prepared to fight over water. He stands between the kings of the two armies. “Tell me, O Kings,” says the Buddha. “How much, do you think, is water worth?” Each king says, “O Blessed One! You know and we know, water is worth very little!” “How much,” asks Buddha, “is this earth worth?” And each king says, “O Blessed One! The earth is of great worth!” “And how much,” asks the Buddha, “Are the kings
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worth?” “Great is their worth,” answers each king. “And how much are your queens worth?” asks the Blessed One.
There is, in the presence of the Buddha, a divine love which heals and illuminates.
“The queens,” said each, “are worth a great deal: I love my queen dearly!” “And how much worth are the lives of your soldiers who are here to fight and slay one another?” asks the Buddha. And each king says, “Precious to me is the life of every one of my soldiers: precious is their life-blood!” “O ye wise Kings!” says the Buddha, “Why then are you out to destroy each other? Your queens are so dear to you, as are your people, and your soldiers. And yet, for the sake of a little water, you are
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prepared to risk their lives! Is not peace better than letting flow a river of blood?” There is, in the presence of the Buddha, a divine love which heals and illuminates. And as the kings listen to the Blessed One, their weapons fall to the ground: they are silent, lost in speechless wonder. There are life like paintings in some of the ancient viharas, depicting the two kings gazing at the divine beauty of the Buddha’s countenance. How eager they seem to listen to the Lord! And knowing their aspiration, the Master speaks to them: And in this world of strife and hate With hearts filled with love we live! And love alone for hate we give: The world for Peace and Love doth wait. Let us bow our heads in reverence to the Lord of Peace, Compassion and Maitri. Buddham sharanam gachhami Sangam sharanam gachhami Dhammam sharanam gachhami!
The two truths that will direct your mind toward peace and give you the ability the most out of all situations are: 1. I can choose to be peaceful no matter what is happening 2. Life’s problems have nothing to do with my true identity. I am one with God, and my essence is love. — Dr. Lee Jampolsky
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Laugh Your Way To Health An Indian Doctor couldn’t find a job in any Hospital in the US — so he opens a clinic and puts a sign outside ‘get treatment for $20 - if not cured get back $100. An American lawyer thinks this is a great opportunity to earn $100 and goes to the clinic... Lawyer: “I have lost my sense of taste.” Indian: “Nurse, bring medicine from box no. 22 and put 3 drops in patient’s mouth.” Lawyer: “Ugh... this is kerosene.” Indian: “Congrats, your sense of taste is restored. Give me $20.” The annoyed lawyer goes back after a few days to recover his money... Lawyer: “My eyesight has become very weak I can’t see at all.” Indian: “Well, I don’t have any medicine for that, so take this $100.”
Lawyer: “But this is $20, not $100.” Indian: “Congrats, your eyesight is restored. Give me $20.” *** At a bank Customer: I need to deposit a cheque, by when will it get cleared? Banker: 2 to 3 days Customer: The bank is next door, why so long? Banker: We follow a procedure Sir. For eg.: if you die near the graveyard you’re not buried immediately. The final rites will be done. We also follow a procedure Sir. Customer: I get it. Don’t scare me more. *** Smart answer by a female passenger on a flight... A guy asked a beautiful lady sitting next to him... ‘Nice perfume... which one is it? I want to give it to my wife..!!’
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Lady: ‘Don’t give her... some idiot will find an excuse to talk to her..!!’ *** A letter from a teacher to a parent: Dear Parent, Edward doesn’t smell nice in class. Please try to bathe him. Parent’s answer: Dear Teacher, Edward is not a rose, Don’t smell him, Teach him... *** Mother to Son: Who is Sultan Aziz? Son: Don’t know Mother: Devote some time to pay attention to study also Son to Mother: Do you know Aunty Jennifer? Mother: Don’t know Son: Sometimes pay attention to Daddy also. *** A man goes to a movie Man: Should I buy tickets for my children? Conductor: Yes! Only if they are above 8 Man: Thank God, I have only 6 children!! *** Wife: I hate you. Husband: What a coincidence. *** Husband was throwing knives on wife’s photo. All were missing target! Suddenly he received a call from his wife. Wife: Hi, what are you doing? Husband (Honestly): Missing you....! ***
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Did you hear about the new restaurant in outer space? The food is great but there’s no atmosphere. Why was the restaurant called “Out of this World”? Because it was full of Unidentified Frying Objects. *** The doctor bent over the lifeless figure in bed. Then he straightened up and said, “I am sorry that your husband is no more, my dear.” A feeble sound of protest came from the lifeless figure in bed: “No, I’m still alive.” “Hold your tongue,” said the woman. “The doctor knows better than you.” *** A woman answered the knock at her door and found a destitute man. He wanted to earn money by doing odd jobs, so she asked, “Can you paint?” “Yes,” he said, “I’m a pretty good painter.” “Well, here’s a gallon of green paint and a brush. Go behind the house and you’ll see a porch that needs repainting. Be very careful. When you’re done, I’ll look it over and pay you what it’s worth.” It wasn’t more than an hour before he knocked again. “All finished!” he reported with a smile. “Did you do a good job?” she asked. “Yes, but, lady, there’s one thing I’d like to point out to you. That’s not a Porsche back there. That’s a Mercedes!”
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Children’s Corner ET RATION WORKSHE FUN WITH ALLITE Add a word to create alliteration in each sentence below so that the words have similar consonant sounds and occur close together in a series. I rowed the boat in the serenely _________________ sea. (Answer: silent) 1. Please put your _______________________ away. 2. I had to _______________________ home. 3. The lazy ______________________ lies like lumps. 4. Come and ________________________ your closet. 5. Peter __________________ petunias in the pot. 6. Sarah, Cynthia, __________________ Stout would not take the garbage out. 7. The baron was a busy ______________________.
S LITTLE EINSTEIN Let us make our own bubbles and enjoy this summer. Bubble Solution: In a bowl mix the following: 1/2 cup water, 1/4 cup liquid dish detergent, 1 teaspoon sugar. Add a drop of food colour of your choice to blow colourful bubbles. Take 2 straws and begin to blow the bubbles. Gather your friends and siblings and you can have a match as to who blows the biggest most gigantic bubbles. Answers: Fun with Alliteration Worksheet 1. Pillow 2. Hurry 3. Lion 4. Clean 5. Put 6. Sylvia 7. Bee
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Recipes For The Month MANGO ICE CREAM
Ingredients:
Diced mango...............................................1 ¼ cup Chilled cream................................................ 250 ml Sugar..............................................................½ cup Vanilla essence.................................................1 tsp Mint leaves for garnish......................................Few
Method: 1. Beat the diced mango along with sugar to pulp. 2. Use the hand held beater to beat the cream till stiff peaks form. 3. Pour the mango puree and the vanilla essence to the whipped cream and gently fold in it to avoid streaks. Do not stir vigorously as it will deflate the whipped cream. 4. Pour this to a freezer safe bowl and freeze for 6 to 8 hours. 5. Scoop it and garnish with mint leaves. BREAKFAST PORRIDGE Ingredients:
Oats............................................................. 160 gm Sea salt............................................................Pinch Honey.............................................................3 tbsp Banana...........................................................1 ripe Crushed almonds................................................5-6 Poppy seeds (khus khus)................................2 tbsp Cinnamon powder.......................................... ½ tsp Milk................................................................. 50 ml Water............................................................ 100 ml
Method 1. Take a large pan and add the water, oats and the milk and keep it on medium heat. 2. Add the sea salt. 3. Bring to a steady simmer for 5 to 6 minutes, stirring as often as you can to give you a smooth creamy porridge – if you like your porridge runnier, simply add a splash more milk or water until you’ve got the consistency you like. 4. Add the cinnamon, poppy seeds and honey to the pan and stir it in. 4. Slice the banana or mash it. 5. Serve with the bananas and crushed almonds on top and a little drizzle of honey.
VARYALI SHARBAT Ingredients:
Variyali/Fennel/Saunf......................... 1 small bowl Sugar..............................................................4 tbsp Lemon Juice....................................................1 tbsp Dry Black Raisins.......................................20 pieces Ice Cubes.............................................................4-5
Method: 1 Take a bowl of variyali/fennel seeds and grind it to a fine powder. 2. Now take 3 tablespoons of variyali powder and soak it in four glasses of water for 3-4 hours.
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rice vinegar and the honey, then whisk or shake well. Coat the cucumber noodles in the dressing and set aside or chill for about 30 minutes. Mix with the noodles and serve! MEDITERRANEAN WATERMELON SALAD Ingredients:
3. Soak the black raisins in water separately. 4. Strain the variyali water. Add sugar and lime juice. 5. Variyali Sarbat is ready. Add ice cubes and black grapes. Serve Chilled. SWEET & SOUR CUCUMBER NOODLES
Watermelon cubes.........................................1 bowl Yellow bell peppers................................................ 2 Onions.............................................................1 cup Cucumber.........................................................1 cup Parsley, chopped Lettuce Flax seeds Olives..............................................................10-12 Feta Cheese or Cottage Cheese cubes Pistachios
Dressing:
Pomegranate Juice Mustard paste.................................................1 tbsp Olive oil..........................................................2 tbsp Jeera powder................................................a pinch Oregano........................................................a pinch Salt & pepper
Ingredients:
Noodles........................................150 gms or I bowl Soy sauce........................................................1 tbsp Cucumbers, medium...........................................2-3 Rice vinegar....................................................½ cup Honey...............................................................2 tsp For topping................green onions & sesame seeds Optional: hot sauce like sriracha......................1 tsp
Method: 1. Cook the noodles in boiling water, but undercook them by about 2-3 minutes. 2. Using a julienne peeler, thinly slice the cucumbers until they’re noodle-like. (You can just cut them into small chunks if you prefer, but you can find a super easy julienne slicer.) 3. Set the noodles aside. 4. In a large bowl or glass jar, combine the
Method: Pour pomegranate juice into a bowl. Add mustard paste, oregano, jeera powder, salt & pepper and whisk it well. Then add olive oil. In another bowl, put the watermelon cubes, yellow bell peppers, onions, cucumber and olives. Add parsley and mix them all well. Add lettuce leaves, flax seeds, feta cheese and pistachios. Toss it well. Serve chilled.
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SIMPLE RULES OF HEALTH INDIAN GOOSEBERRY (AMLA) The Indian Gooseberry belongs to the Euphorbiaceae family. This fruit ripens in the autumn in wet, forest, hilly areas on the Indian subcontinent and is considered as a sacred tree in India. The fruit is very nourishing, but it tastes sour. Both, dried and fresh fruits can be consumed for their respective health benefits. It provides remedies for a lot of diseases and so it is widely used in Ayurvedic treatments. Gooseberry is very rich in vitamin C and contains many minerals and vitamins like calcium, phosphorus, iron, carotene, and vitamin B complex. It is also a powerful antioxidant agent. HAIR CARE Amla is used in many hair tonics because it enriches hair growth and hair pigmentation. It strengthens the roots of hair, maintains color, and improves luster. Eating fresh gooseberry or applying its paste on hair roots improves hair growth and color. Amla oil is very popular in India because it has been shown to reduce the chances of hair loss and baldness. This quality is due to the carotene content of Amla, as well as its iron content and general antioxidant capacity, which reduces hair loss by not allowing free radicals to damage hair follicles or impact
the hormones that can cause premature hair loss. EYE CARE Drinking Gooseberry juice with honey is good for improving eyesight and studies have shown it to improve near-sightedness and cataracts while reducing intraocular tension. This is mainly due to its impressive carotene content, which has long been known for the powerful effect on visionrelated conditions, including those that stem from free radical activity. Vitamin A and carotenes reduce macular degeneration, night blindness, and strengthen your vision before the age-related degeneration from free radicals can occur. AIDS IN CALCIUM ABSORPTION One of the less discussed benefits of amla is how it helps the body absorb calcium in a positive way. Calcium is an essential component of our bones, teeth, and nails, and also ensures that we have beautiful lustrous hair. So, eating a vitamin C-rich fruit like the Indian gooseberry is a great way to keep your body looking and feeling great. IMPROVES METABOLIC ACTIVITY Eating foods that are high in protein is one of the most important ways to stay healthy
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since proteins are an essential part of our body’s metabolic activities. Our enzymes can break down plant proteins into amino acids and reassemble them into usable proteins for our body. Protein is necessary for cellular growth, muscle development, organ health, and a wide range of metabolic activities that we need to remain healthy. CONTROLS DIABETES Gooseberry contains chromium, which has a therapeutic value for diabetic patients. Indian gooseberry stimulates the isolated group of cells that secrete the hormone insulin, thereby reducing blood sugar in diabetic patients and keeping their body balanced and healthy. When blood sugar is reduced, glucose is also being used by the cells as functional energy, so the metabolism is stronger and you have more energy, without the plunges and spikes in blood sugar that are dangerous for diabetic patients. Chromium also enhances the effect of beta-blockers, which are used for heart health, by reducing the LDL (bad) cholesterol content in the body. DIURETIC Besides being a fruit that is very high in water content, amla is also slightly diuretic in nature. This means that it increases the frequency and volume of urination. Urination helps our body to eliminate unwanted toxins and excess levels of water, salt, and uric acid. Furthermore, it can help you lose weight since up to 4% of
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urine is actually composed of fat. Therefore, a diuretic substance is always necessary for keeping your kidneys healthy and also preventing urinary and uterine infections. AIDS IN DIGESTION Amla is very high in fiber, like most fruits. Fiber adds bulk to the stool and helps food move through the bowels and keeps the movements regular. This reduces the chances of constipation and fiber can also bulk up loose stools and reduce diarrhea. Fiber also stimulates the secretion of gastric and digestive juices, so food is digested efficiently, nutrients are absorbed in an optimal way, and you feel lighter and healthier. Reducing constipation can also help to protect you from various gastrointestinal disorders, even colorectal cancer. PREVENTS HEART DISEASES As mentioned above, gooseberry strengthens the heart muscles, so the blood circulation is done throughout the body. By reducing excess cholesterol buildup, chromium in amla can reduce the chances of atherosclerosis or plaque buildup in the vessels and arteries. This can reduce the chances of stroke and heart attack. The iron content promotes the creation of new red blood cells, increasing circulation, and the oxygenation of organs and cells to maximize growth and regeneration of tissue while keeping the blood vessels and arteries clean.
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TREATS INFECTION Due to its antibacterial and astringent attributes, Indian gooseberries protect against infection and improve the body’s immune response. They are also a very good source of vitamin C, which is famous for its impressive antioxidant abilities. It increases the white blood cells in the body, which are the main line of defense for the immune system since these cells attack and eliminate foreign toxins and substances in the bloodstream throughout the body. RELIEVES DIARRHEA & DYSENTERY Due to its strong cooling and laxative properties, Gooseberry is
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a useful component in remedies for diarrhea and dysentery. It provides great relief for the gastric syndrome and hyperchlorhydria (burning sensation in the abdomen). As a laxative, it helps to flush out toxins or harmful substances that are causing discomfort or illness, so the healing process can begin. It then cools the burning sensation and reduces the discomfort often felt during diarrhea IMPROVES APPETITE Consuming Gooseberry powder with butter and honey before a meal improves appetite. It also helps to balance nitrogen levels, thereby increasing weight in a healthy way.
Sadhu Vaswani Gurukul Free school at Manjri, Pune The Sadhu Vaswani Gurukul is an offering of love at the lotus feet of Beloved Dada J. P. Vaswani on his 100th Birthday. Conjoining the two aspects of education and service, which are the cornerstones of Rev. Dada’s lofty life, the Sadhu Vaswani Mission felt it appropriate to start a free school for the underpriviledged at Manjri, Pune. The free school apart from providing excellent academic education, which will develop the brain power, will shape and mould their minds and expand their hearts to become worthy citizens of Mother India. Skills training will form an integral part of their training. This facility will also be extended to their parents and siblings. Free uniforms, books, transport and food will be provided; as well as counseling and instilling will hold them in good stead in coping with life’s challenges. For more information on this project, you may email us at: gurukul@sadhuvaswani.org
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