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SADHU VASWANI: THE MAN WHO LIVED FOR OTHERS DADA J. P. VASWANI
To
Sadhu
Vaswani,
religion was— not rites, and ceremonies, not creeds and, conformities. ‘God, he said, is not in decorated temples, but
in
broken
cottages,
wiping the tears of the poor and singing— His new Gita for the New Age!
Who was He? Sometimes I felt when coming near to him, that to touch the hem of his garment, was to commune with God. His life had the fragrance of the rose, and the benedictions of the singing bird. There was a time when he rubbed shoulders with
*Nov. 25 is sacred as Sadhu Vaswani’s 139th Birthday, Meatless Day and Animal Rights’ Day.
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e made of his life an offering at the altar of suffering humanity. He offered himself in the service of the poor, asking for no reward. Compassion flowed out of his heart in endless stream. the tallest in the land. In those days; his name was coupled with those of Mahatma Gandhi and Rabindranath Tagore as one of the three leaders of new India. But he chose to walk the humble ways of life. He made of his life an offering at the altar of suffering humanity. He offered himself in ‘the service of the poor, asking for no reward. Compassion flowed out of his heart in endless stream. Not once did I know him fail in answering the call of human suffering. A Unique Child Sadhu T. L. Vaswani was born on November 25, 1879, in Hyderabad-Sind, a land that has given birth to many dervishes and fakirs, contemplatives and men of renunciation. Even as a child, he was so different from other children. He did not play the games other children played. Part of the pocket money he utilised in getting flour for making chappaties, which he distributed among the blind, the lame, and the halt, who sat on the wayside. And as he saw their faces beaming with joy, he knew that loving service of the poor was, indeed, worship
of God. Sometimes, as he sat down to his meal and heard the cry of a passing beggar, he would take away his food to share it with the hungry one. From the beginning of his days, he was filled with the spirit of compassion which moved out to all who were in suffering and pain. First Vision At night, he would sit on the housetop and, for hours together, gaze in silent wonder at the moon shining in clear cloudless skies. On one such occasion, as he sat out in the moonlight, he saw, as in a “vision”, a white figure with silvery hair and flowing beard. The figure called out to him: and he answered the call, and was lost in silence, out of which he was awakened by his mother who carried him into the house. That was his first “vision”— his first conscious link with the Unseen World: and he was only eight years old. Brilliant Student and Teacher As a school-boy, he was brilliant at his studies and rarely missed the first rank. At the matriculation examination,
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he secured a scholarship which took him to the College. His classmates in the college often wondered at the unsullied purity of his life and utter guilelessness and they all loved and respected him as one belonging to a world remote from their own. He became an “Ellis Scholar” of the University of Bombay, and a Fellow of the D. J. Sind College, Karachi. Soon after passing the M.A. Examination, he was appointed as Professor in a Calcutta College. India’s Representative to The World Congress of Religions. He was thirty years of age when he went to Berlin as one of India’s representatives to the Welt Congress, the World Congress of Religions. His speech there and his subsequent lectures in different parts of Europe aroused deep interest in Indian thought and religion and linked many with India’s mission of help and healing. From his earliest years, Sadhu Vaswani’s heart was smitten with love for the Lord: he longed to dedicate his life to the service of God and his suffering children. The ideal that he had always placed before himself was that of the fakir— the man who took the Word of God, to waiting hearts, the man who was shorn of all possessions and
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was God-possessed. But to keep his mother happy, he had to do “secular” work for several years. He served as Principal of more than one college: he became an idol of the youth. Renunciation There was a brilliant career open to him, but he was not out to carve a career for himself. He was forty years of age when his mother passed away. His only link with earthly existence having broken, he resigned his job. He renounced everything to be in his own words, “an humble servant of India and the rishis”! He entered into the struggle for freedom of the country. At that time, Mahatma Gandhi had appeared on the Indian scene and had launched his Satyagraha Movement. Sadhu Vaswani was one of the earliest supporters of Mahatma Gandhi’s Movement. The very first article on the front page of the first issue of Gandhiji’s Young India was a contribution by Sadhu Vaswani. He also wrote several books— including. India Arisen; Awake! Young India; India’s Adventure, India in Chains; The Secret of Asia; My Motherland; Builders of Tomorrow; Apostles of Freedom,
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very little thing he did was inspired by the vision cosmic.
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exhorting the youth to dedicate their lives to the service of India, the Mother. Character-building is Nationbuilding Later, Sadhu Vaswani turned his attention to education and other spheres, emphasising that character-building is nationbuilding. With this in view, he started Youth centres in different places. He opened the Shakti Ashram at Rajpur, inspired by faith in the youth of India. He lectured in different places on the “Mission of Indian Youth”, pointing out that freedom was nigh, and that he looked to the youth of India for giving right direction to the life of the nation, in the coming days. Sadhu Vaswani held that India’s youth were the destined leaders of the nation and should be trained and disciplined in order to fulfil the task awaiting them. He held, too, that Freedom’s work was yet incomplete in India. In his quiet, humble work for the Youth Movement, his emphasis was on shakti (vitality). He organised two Youth Conferences, at one of which the ceremony of unfurling the Youth Flag was performed by Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru. At the Shakti Ashram, at Rajpur, Sadhu Vaswani endeavoured to train youth, drawn from
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different parts of the country, in the “school of shakti” for the service of India. The Shakti Ashram arrested the attention of a number of prominent persons and was visited, among others, by Mahatma Gandhi who planted a Youth Tree on the occasion of his visit to the Ashram. Service of the poor is worship of God Service of the poor was the worship he offered God. Every day, he sat underneath the trees he loved and gave to the poor and broken ones who came to him in endless rows. He gave them money: he gave them food: he gave them clothing. Above all, he gave them the benedictions of his loving heart. Till the last day of his earth-life, he served the poor and broken ones. In their faces, he beheld the Face of God. Every human being, every creature was, to him, an image of the King of Beauty. To bring joy into the lives of the starving, struggling, sorrowing ones was one of the deepest aspirations of his life. A man came to him, one day, and giving him a bundle of notes, said: “Vaswaniji! here is money for your temple.” What did he do? He utilised the amount in feeding the poor, saying: “The noblest temple is the heart of the poor man who gets his food
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and who blesses the Name of God!” We were sitting, one day, underneath the trees, on the campus of St. Mira’s College, when a group of sannyasins came to meet him. They spoke of mukti, of salvation, liberation from the cycle of birth and death. After they left, Sadhu Vaswani said to us: “I do not aspire for mukti. I pray to God that I may be born again and again, into this world of suffering and pain, as an instrument of God’s help and healing.” Voice of the Voiceless Having everything, Sadhu Vaswani chose to live as a fakir, a man who possessed nothing. Knowing everything, he lived as one who knew naught. His humility was profound. This prince among men, this uncrowned king of our hearts chose to live as a servant of the poor and broken ones. His life was a source of perennial inspiration to thousands all over the world. He was a voice of the voiceless ones— our dear dumb brothers, birds and animals, who, alas! are being slain by the million, every day. Every little thing he did was inspired by the vision cosmic. Through his life and teachings, he renewed the inner life of India and, inspired by the truth of renunciation,
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brotherhood and love, this simple, humble man of God transformed the social life of countless men and women. He was a gifted orator and a prolific writer— the author of a thousand books and booklets. Many of his manuscripts are still unpublished. His teaching, in brief, is that in the love of God and the service of man is the secret of the true, life. His heart rose in reverence to all saints and prophets of East and West. He believed in the unity of all races and religions in the One Spirit. He awakened many with his clarion call: “Build ye a bridge of brotherhood between East and West!” Sacred Samadhi His earth pilgrimage ended on 16th January 1966, at Poona, where, at his place of work and final rest, has been built a samadhi, a beautiful shrine which is visited by hundreds of pilgrims every day. The shrine is vibrant with his ever living presence. Sadhu Vaswani’s life rings with the message: “Each day aspire to live in the love of God, in compassionate kindness to all, in fellowship with the broken ones and in the pure love of truth.”
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GURU NANAK*: THE TEACHER SADHU VASWANI
“Those who have loved are those that have found God” Nanak is a psychic. In the river Ravi, he plunges for a bath. It is a blessed bath. A voice speaks to him in the music of the waters: “Nanak! I am with thee! Repeat My Name: and ask others to repeat My Name. Mingle with men, uncontaminated by the world! Worship, meditate and serve the poor!” In the silence of his soul, he knows God by personal contact of the heart with the harmony of the Eternal Self. He comes out of the waters. His face shines with a strange, unearthly light. Nanak has had a vision of the Spirit whose brightness fills the river, and fills the Sun and stars, and fills the temple of the heart. It is the first ecstasy of Nanak. It fills
*Nov. 23 is sacred as Guru Nanak Jayanti.
him and, out of the fullness of his heart, he sings: O, Lord! If I had hundreds of thousands of tons of paper, And if my ink were inexhaustible, And if my pen moved swift as the rushing wind, I should still be unable To articulate all Thou art! Nanak has a vision of the Infinite. This vision fills him. And, three days later, as he reappears at his residence,
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he prepares, in obedience to the vision, to go forth among the people to sing to them the Name of God, the Sat-Naama, and to ask them all to sing the Name Divine. Before Nanak moves out on his travels, he gives away absolutely all his possessions to the poor. Jesus asked the rich, young ruler to give all he had to the poor if he would walk the way of the Lord: and the young man failed at the test. Guru Nanak obeys the call of his “vision” to the letter and goes out, empty-handed, to give God’s great message to the people. “Nanak knoweth none other than God,” says this humble apostle of the Infinite. And again: “I only know one God: His way would I indicate unto men.” Nanak realises his kinship with the village-folk, realises that, if he must travel to cities, he must go there as a spiritual physician to cure men and women of diseases of the soul, which the cities breed. Nanak grows into a vision of spiritual communism. Nanak realises that he has nothing which does not, at the same time, belong to all, that his food and garments he must share with the poor that the richest privilege of life is to share all you have with all. In the great stress Nanak lays on fellowship and brotherhood, he reveals
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the secret of true spiritual communism. Nanak looks on the poor and needy with new eyes of understanding and love: he sees the world lit up with the One Light, from end to end. “Ishavasyam idam sarvam!” “All this is covered with the One, as with a garment!” said a rishi. Nanak sees the world with new, radiant eyes. Nanak has glimpsed the beauty of the “Kingdom of Heaven”. Nanak takes upon himself the yoke of this Kingdom. Nanak prepares to go out to give to men and women, of diverse countries and faiths, the message of the One Father-Mother of all, and of the One Brotherhood radiant with the light of simplicity of living, and adoration and love of the Divine. Guru Nanak goes out on his travels. Mardana is with him— yet not he alone. The Angels are with Nanak: for Angels, as a Jewish Rabbi says, “are created, day by day, from the stream of fire”. From Nanak flows a “stream of fire.” Guru Nanak’s song sings of the soul as a “bride” and of God as the “Bridegroom”. Guru Nanak’s song is charged with the music of Bride and Bridegroom! Guru Nanak sings of spiritual marriage between the soul and God— sings of a betrothal between the two.
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GI V E M E AN I N G TO YO U R
Life
DADA J. P. VASWANI
We are busy all day long. But just being busy is not enough. What really matters is what we are busy with! How may we add meaning, add value and real significance to our life? How can we go to bed with a clear conscience night after night, truly satisfied that we have not lived our day in vain. How can we stay unafraid of the life to come, ready to face death, not as the end, but as a new beginning? One thing that makes life meaningful is satsang. Satsang is a gathering for truth; it is not only about hearing discourses or participating in kirtan. If one participates in satsang in the
right spirit, believe me, it can be a transformational experience! The thoughts, ideas, values, why, the sheer vibrations you imbibe in a satsang can truly change you for the better! Satsang helps you look within; and inside the self, you will find answers to all the questions that vex you; and solutions to all the problems of life that seem insurmountable. Looking outside you may behold sights that are interesting to the senses; but these only create more desires and ambitions. Looking inward reveals the infinite wisdom of the Divine which is actually within you!
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o to satsang with devotion, with love, with yearning and you will receive the triple treasure of spirituality.
Many brothers and sisters who are regular participants of satsang tell me, that satsang gives them a sense of stability, a positive frame of mind, a certain sense of mental well-being and inner peace. They say that satsang links them with a Higher energy and in that atmosphere they feel happy and rejuvenated. Whether they hear discourses or recite prayers or read from the bani of great ones or participate in singing the Name Divine, they feel elevated. At such times, their minds are free from worldly cares and anxieties; and there awakens a desire within them, the desire to follow in the footsteps of the truly great ones. They yearn to imbibe the ideals of saints and sages, and make their life more meaningful, more worthwhile. They say, too, that satsang cleanses and purifies their thoughts, with its sacred environment and holy vibrations. They are able to discard negative emotions like envy, jealousy, avarice, resentment and anger which trouble all of us at times. In fact, it helps them further by
awakening in them the higher impulses that human beings aspire to, such as charity, compassion and philanthropy. And when they yield to these noble impulses, they find that they achieve a sense of harmony that surpasses all worldly satisfaction! What if you feel you are not a “satsang type”? This is what many young people claim today! Very often when we ask people why they are not attending satsang regularly, the reply is, “There is no time” or “I am busy with my work” or “I do not even get time to take a deep breath...” and so on. Such excuses cannot fool anyone, not even the people who make these excuses! Some people even say, “Well, when I retire from my active job, I will definitely devote my time to satsang, spiritual pursuits, and God.” But such times rarely come. My humble request to all of you, is to spare some time for satsang. By all means do your work sincerely. Work is essential for a human being. It disciplines his mind and exercises his body. Work is a great boon.
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But we must remember, work is a means, it is not an end. Livelihood must never be confused with life. Do not make your work the objective of your life on this earth. The purpose of your life is to cultivate the soul. Hence, even while you are attending to your work, stay connected to the Source of all Life; stay in constant touch with God.
lotus feet of a holy one, we learn to meditate. Meditation stills our restless mind. The treasure of concentration is found only by those satsangis who go there with true devotion. It is said, “Through concentration, you will experience bliss.” First we learn concentration. And then we move to meditation, which takes us to the higher regions of awareness and bliss!
But please, do not go to the satsang as a ‘duty’ or because your father or mother tells you to, or even because I urge you to do so! We should go to a satsang because we want to; we should go with an emotional yearning and a thirst for spiritual knowledge. The yearning should be deep, as deep as when floundering in the darkness, one yearns for a ray of light. Go to satsang with devotion, with love, with yearning and you will receive the triple treasure of spirituality.
The second treasure which we receive is Naam Kirtan or chanting the Name Divine. By chanting the Name Divine, by immersing ourselves into the holy waters of the spirit, we are relieved of many tensions. By chanting the Name Divine, our antah-karan– inner instrument gets purified; it draws our senses to one-pointedness, and we feel refreshed.
The Triple Treasure of the Satsang The first treasure is that we learn meditation. Sitting at the
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The third treasure which we receive from satsang is prayer. What is prayer? Prayer is contact with the Unseen. It is the link to the Universal Self. Prayer helps us to build a relationship with the Invisible. Prayer is a rare treasure and he who knows to pray is truly blessed.
ork is a great boon. But we must remember, work is a means, it is not an end. Livelihood must never be confused with life. Do not make your work the objective of your life on this earth. The purpose of your life is to cultivate the soul.
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SRI RAMA* Sage and Sovereign SADHU VASWANI Sri Rama! Ancient India’s mighty hero! Has modern India produced a greater one? His story is told us in soulstirring verses in the great book named the Ramayana. The Ramayana reflects the culture and civilisation of an age when India was great and vital. It was a civilisation of strength. Life is shakti: dharma is shakti. There you have one of the greatest *November 7 is the Sacred Deepavali day.
utterances of the Hindu soul as voiced in the Ramayana. Sri Rama, the first Superman of Hindu history, is an avatara of shakti. He is the ideal Knight of Aryavarta. His is a story which thrills with action. And still, they read the thrilling story of old in our villages. The message of Sri Rama is, essentially, a message of action, selfless action— a message of
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sacrifice. Sri Rama is immortal in history. An educated young man asked me: “Does not the Ramayana refer to an age in history when man was uncivilised? And, therefore, does not this epic reflect a lower culture than our own?” It is easy to flatter ourselves with the notion that we are wise. Is noise a test of progress? Civilisation is humanisation: and there is no humanisation without self-control or tapas. In Rama’s age, there were asuras, rakshasas [demons]. But they recognised the superiority of tapas. The asuras were vicious but had shakti [strength], and we with all our “education”, where are we? Oceans of talk: but how many ounces of action? This education is softness. The Ramayana rings with a rich heroic quality: inactivism appeared in a period of India’s decline and decadence. Is it not significant that many of the Vedic rishis were kshatriyas? Sri Rama was a true kshatriya, a hero amongst the sons of men. Sri Rama’s character was
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made in the heroic mould. And Sri Rama— a pupil of Sage Vishvamitra— assimilated, also, the wisdom of the rishis. And Sri Rama rejected all imperialism. Rama was victorious over Ravana. The whole of Lanka [Ceylon] lay at Rama’s feet: but Rama coveted not an inch of that great island. He set up Vibhishana, a son of the soil, on the throne of Ceylon, and departed to Ayodhya— a victor, not a robber. Rightly did the Aryan people look up to Sri Rama as their leader, the great guardian of their culture and civilisation, their polity and dharma. His was a life offered daily as a sacrifice to the mystery that is God. India has worshipped tapasya. Her story through the ages is the story of men of tapasya, who have re-lit, again and again, the extinguished lamps of our national life. Sri Rama was an embodiment of taposhakti. Not without reason is Rama become the Beloved of Aryavarta.
e have no right to ask when a sorrow comes, ‘Why did this happen to me?’ unless we ask the same question for every joy that comes our way.
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HAVE ANIMALS NO RIGHTS?* SADHU VASWANI
The Creative Mystery of Life built a beautiful earth. But see what man has made of this earth! He has waged war against things of beauty. He has revelled in slaughter, murder, riotous living. He has stifled the joy of life, and creation “groaneth and travaileth in pain.” We speak much of our civilisation. We speak, again and again of the achievements of science. We speak of the wonderful things done, according to some, in the last two centuries. We speak, specially, of our economic and industrial gains. We speak of our new educational experiments. And we speak of our democratic institutions and of the rights of
men. But I have asked myself the question, again and again: “Have animals no rights?” We speak of the rights of man: do we speak of the duties of man to the bird and the beast? How my heart is troubled by the cruelty I see around me. What an appalling slaughter there is of birds! They are shot for their beautiful feathers. Horses, bullocks and camels are overworked, lashed and, in other ways, cruelly treated. Cows, oxen, goats and other domestic animals, when they become old and unfit for work, are driven out, killed or sold to the butcher. What a pity! They served in the day when
*Nov. 25 is sacred as Sadhu Vaswani’s 139th Birthday, Meatless Day and Animal Rights’ Day.
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they were strong. Have they no right to pass in peace the evening of their life? The Turks will never send away an old servant. When age or sickness disables him from being any further useful, he is looked after by the master’s family. The same rule applies to the animals. They, too, becoming old, are looked after. A traveller tells us he saw an old camel near a hut passing the evening of its days in plenty and tranquillity. Appaling, indeed, is the suffering of these creatures whose helper and guardian man should be, just because man’s mind is richer. Yet, alas! We let them suffer day by day. We let them go to the slaughter-house. We suffer them to be tortured. With anguish in my heart, I pray to Him, my Lord and my Master: “O Thou, who hearest the pain of the weakest and the lowliest of Thy creatures! Teach our hearts to hear their pain, to hear the voice of these voiceless ones, to hear them and heal them.” Humanity was disgraced by what was formerly done to slaves, women and children. Humanity is still disgraced by what is done to animals. This seems to be one of those long-closed avenues of development. A hunt, a slaughterhouse, an experimental laboratory, a municipal department in certain countries, for catching and killing dogs (a caricature of English Dogs’ Homes), the fate of a dog chained for life to the wall in uncivilised villages, unprotected from frost and the heat of the sun, a horse harnessed to an overloaded cart
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with his master making a fire under him to urge him on, animals bred and killed for fur and female adornment, wild animals and birds in cages, and animals offered as sacrifices by savage people— these are but a few instances of the hell suffered by animals all over the world, every moment of the day and night. It takes centuries for egoism to yield to insight. Future generations will see our present acts of cruelty towards dumb and innocent creatures as unbelievable barbarity. They will be surprised not only at our indifference but at our attempts to justify our conduct. They will feel humiliated to be our posterity. So many works in research laboratories, seeking new knowledge concerning disease and its cure. Their experiments bring untold torture to innocent animals. Monkeys and guinea pigs and other mute creatures are grotesquely distorted and mutilated: they are made to go through indescribable agony. We must not forget that knowledge is not knowledge which is acquired in cruel ways. Such ill-gotten knowledge is a curse: it unleashes the very forces of hell and will hurl humanity into a dark abyss of disease and death. Knowledge, if it is to be a source of blessing to Humanity, must never be sought through the torturing of helpless creatures. True knowledge springs from compassion and love. Is there not a Brotherhood broader than the East, broader
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than the West? Is there not a brotherhood broader than that of Humanity? There is the Brotherhood of Life: to it belong birds and beasts, animals and insects. If we could but appreciate the poetry of animal life! Some of the birds are a miracle of beauty in nature’s wonderland. And I have wondered how man can have the heart to catch and kill them! Larks and Nightingales— sweet singing birds, alas! Are killed and eaten!
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There is the great Cosmic Law that what you do comes back to you. What you do unto others, you do unto yourselves. Therefore be kind to all, if you will be truly happy. “You are your own friend” Yes— and you are your own enemy! Be your own friends! Do not be your enemies! You all are in search of happiness; then make others happy. He who blesses others is blessed, and he who injures others is injured. Such is the Great Law.
BE AS A CHILD! SADHU VASWANI
FAR FROM NOISE AND EXCITEMENT LIVED THE TRUE disciples, the students, who sat at the feet of the rishi to learn the wisdom of life. The true wisdom, we read, is beyond fear and sorrow. The rishis as true teachers, were men of true knowledge, men of realisation, men of perfection, men who lived each day the truth of holy living, of holy dying, the truth that St. Augustine expressed in significant words: “God is not only the Creator but the Country of the soul!” The students who sat at the feet of the rishis learnt to grow in humility. The rishi taught that humility was the crown of virtues. Have humility and again humility - the rishi taught his pupils. When a Brahmin, rich in knowledge, came to the rishi and asked: “I came as a child to this Ashrama. I have been here for many years, and I have studied much. What shall I do next?”, the rishi said: “A learned Brahmin are you now, well-versed in the knowledge of shastras, of books and sacred lore! I ask you now to go further. I ask you to become a child!” Knowledge culminates in humility. Learning, more and more, you reach at last the stage where you feel you stand before the Great Ocean of life and wisdom. You stand as a child and, at the shore of wisdom, you pick up pebbles of gnana, of the wisdom that hath no ending!
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THE SPIRIT OF
Deepavali DA DA J. P. VA S WA N I
The Deepavali is our festival of lights. The Light of lights is love. The world, today, suffers from a famine of love. Our greatest need is self-sacrificing love. There were two lovers who each wanted to give to the other a Deepavali gift. They were poor in the wealth of the world, though rich in treasures of love. The girl had long, silken hair. She sold them and bought a silver chain for her lover’s watch. In the meantime, the lover sold his watch and bought a set of tortoise-shell combs with jewelled edges for his beloved’s lovely hair. When the two met each other, they found that the hair was gone, the watch was gone. At first they wept. Then they *Nov. 7 is the sacred Deepavali Day.
smiled and said: “We still have our most precious possession— and that is our self-sacrificing love.” It is this love which transforms whatever it touches and makes it beautiful and bright. It breathes hope into discouraged hearts, strengthens the weak and sets the spirit of man aflame. It kindles the light that is undying, the light that can never be extinguished. To love is to give. Give to those who love you, as also to those who do not love you. Give to the fortunate and to the unfortunate. Give hope, give happiness, give encouragement, give appreciation, give a smile, give a kind word. Sadhu Vaswani said: “I have but one tongue. If had a million tongues,
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with everyone of those million tongues, I would still utter the one word, Give!” To give is to live. Those that give, live. Those that do not give are no better than dead souls. Shantideva was a prince. On the eve of his coronation, he heard a voice from within. It said to him: “Shantideva! Not for you the joys of kingship. Renounce! Renounce! And be a servant of suffering creation.” He responds to the Voice and, like Buddha, renounces the palace and enters a tapobana, a forest of meditation. He practises austerity: he receives enlightenment. He works for several years, as a teacher in the University of Nalanda. He gives to his students a prayer— May I be, for all beings, a healer of pain! May I be, to all who ail, a doctor and a nurse! May I give food and drink to those who suffer from pangs of hunger and thirst! May I be to the poor a treasure untold!
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May I be a defender of those who forsaken lie on the road side! May I be to those who long for the other shore, a boat and a bridge! May I be a lamp that holds the light to those who lose the way! In this prayer is enshrined the true spirit of Deepavali. We cannot all be great scientists or artists or musicians or writers of books. But we can always send out love and friendly thoughts to all men and creatures. We can always be on the look out for opportunities to be of some little service to those in need. We can kindle little lamps of love and compassion. Then, indeed, will every day be to us a Deepavali.
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Laugh Your Way To Health A client calls to hotline of internet service provider: I have a problem, internet stopped working two days ago, neither I nor my son nor anyone else can access it now… I see, do you know what’s the operating system on your PC? Of course, I do— its Facebook…. *** The man said to God: You know I have Google+, Facebook, Twitter, Skype accounts…. God: Man, do you have a life? Man: OMG, No! Could you send me a link? *** Dad puts his fingerprint (Thumb impression) on the son’s mark sheet. The child asked his father: “Being a Chartered Accountant, why did you put your fingerprint instead of your signature on my progress card?” The father replied: “After looking at your marks, the teacher should not think that I am educated.” *** A man asks a farmer near a field, “Sorry sir, would you mind if I crossed your field instead of going around it? You see, I have to catch the 4:23 train.” The farmer says, “Sure, go right ahead. And if my bull sees you, you’ll even catch the 4:11 one.” *** Mother: “How was school today, Patrick?” Patrick: “It was really great mum! Today we made explosives!”
Mother: “Ooh, they do very fancy stuff with you these days. And what will you do at school tomorrow?” Patrick: “What school?” *** Harry prays to God: Dear Lord, please make me win the lottery. The next day Harry begs the Lord again: Please make it so I win the lottery, Lord! The next day, Harry again prays: Please, please, dear Lord, make me win the lottery! Suddenly he hears a voice from above: Harry, would you kindly go and buy a lottery ticket. *** Patient: Oh doctor, I’m just so nervous. This is my first operation. Doctor: Don’t worry. Mine too. *** Doctor: Hello, did you come to see me with an eye problem? Patient: Wow, yes, how can you tell? Doctor: Because you came in through the window instead of the door. *** A boy breaks an old vase at a rich uncle’s house. The uncle gets extremely angry and yells: “Do you even know how old the vase was? It was from the 17th century!” The boy sagged in relief: “Oh, good that it wasn’t new.”
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Children’s Corner LAUGH OUT LOUD! 1. Why do bees have sticky hair? Because they use a honeycomb. 2. What do you call a dinosaur that is sleeping? A dino-snore! 3. Why should you not let a bear operate the remote? He will keep pressing the paws button. 4. Why couldn’t the leopard play hide and seek? Because he was always spotted. 5. What is the biggest ant in the world? An elephant!
CREATE YOUR OWN STORY CREATE YOUR OWN STORY WITH THE HELP OF THE FOLLOWING HINTS: Given below is the outline of a short story. With the help of an elder or with a friend you can create a small yet inspiring story. Use your imagination to the fullest. A SMALL BOY- A JUNGLE- A MAN WITH A GUN- A DEERMAN RUNS BEHIND THE DEERBOY RUNS TOO- TELLS THE MAN TO NOT KILL THE DEERMAN GOES AWAY- BOY MAKES A FRIEND.
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MAKE YOUR OWN BOOKMARK Animals, like us, too have feelings. They too show love and affection just like human beings. One must never hurt animals nor support activities that harm our precious fellow beings in any way. Show your support through the medium of books by making your own bookmark and sharing it with your friends. With the help of an elderly person, you could also make a few and distribute them among friends and relatives.
99 99 99 99 99 99
BEGIN: YOU WILL NEED THE FOLLOWING: Coloured papers Pair of scissors Glue Sketch Pens Pencil Scale
STEPS TO MAKE THE BOOKMARK 1. Take a square of 14 cm by 14 cm and fold it vertically and horizontally. 2. One large square is divided into four small squares, cut out 1/4 square with scissors. 3. Draw the diagonal line on two opposite square as shown above. 4. Cut the outer portion of the lines. Now we have one square and two triangles. 5. Apply glue over one triangle and place another triangle over it. 6. Our Basic bookmark is ready. 7. Cut round nose and two ears of the same colour and two circular eyes from the white paper. 8. Start with sticking ears, apply glue on the front bottom of the ear and stick it to the back side of the bookmark. 9. Then stick white circular eyes followed with pink nose overlapping the eyes as shown in step 2. 10. Take a black marker and draw circular eyes with a white patch, also draw two dots on the nose and our PIGGY Corner Bookmark is ready.
V egetarianism
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THOUGHTS ON
When something of your compassion and sympathy moves out to the lowest of the low— men, birds, animals— something of the Divine moves into you and colours your heart and you are blessed! ***
Is there not a Brotherhood broader than the East, broader than the West? Is there not a brotherhood broader than that of Humanity? There is the Brotherhood of Life: to it belong birds and beasts, animals and insects.
— Sadhu Vaswani The time is come when man must make friends with all nature, all life. Then indeed the birds will sing to man their soulful melodies, then indeed the flowers will smile at him, then indeed the animals will come and sit at his feet and give him their gentle looks of love, for at the heart of creation there is love. Today we have arrived at a stage where we must either love or perish there is no other choice. ***
Kill not animals. Kill only the animal within thee — thy little ‘ego’. ***
He who harms none will be harmed by no one. Such is the law. This applies not to men only, but also to birds and animals, to all creatures who breathe the breath of life. On the day, I achieve complete ahimsa in thought, word and deed— I shall be free from all sorrow.
— Dada J. P. Vaswani
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SIMPLE RULES OF HEALTH SOME SUPER FOODS THAT CAN KEEP YOUR HEART HEALTHY Heart disease is the leading cause of death today, and many people are looking for ways to better protect their hearts through diet. The good news is that there are plenty of heart-healthy “superfoods” out there that can get the job done, and the following are some of your best options: Blueberries: Rich in anthocyanin and flavonoid antioxidants, blueberries are a great way to protect against heart disease, one study found that they help reduce the risk of heart disease by up to 32 per cent. Oatmeal: An excellent source of soluble fibre, oatmeal helps scrub the digestive tract and lower circulating cholesterol levels, both of which help protect the circulatory system. Dark chocolate: Chocolate is another great source of heartprotective flavonoids and polyphenols— and when it comes to the best types, the darker the better! Dark chocolate consisting of at least 60-70 per cent cocoa has been shown to help lower blood pressure and inflammation while also preventing blood clots. Citrus fruits: Vitamin C is heart-protective, and citrus fruits are abundant in it. They also contain their own unique flavonoid profiles that have been shown to help lower the risk of ischemic stroke.
Tomatoes: Rich in the antioxidant carotenoid lycopene, tomatoes help lower the risk of heart attack by dilating blood vessels. They also help clean up “bad” cholesterol. Legumes: Regular consumption of green beans, peas, lentils and other legumes have been shown to decrease the risk of heart disease by as much as 22 per cent. Legumes also help maintain healthy blood sugar levels. Green tea: Another excellent source of antioxidants, this staple of Asian libation has been shown to decrease the risk of cardiovascular disease and stroke by as much as 20 per cent. Nuts: Whether it’s almonds, pistachios, walnuts or pecans, nuts contain an assortment of fibre, vitamins and fats, all of which are heart-protective. Studies show that their vitamin E and omega-3 content, in particular, are what make nuts so beneficial in maintaining heart health. Potatoes: They often get a bad rap because they’re high in starch, but potatoes also contain high levels of heart-protective potassium, which is known to lower blood pressure. Potatoes also contain fibre, which helps protect against heart disease. Leafy green vegetables: Rich in vitamins, minerals and
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fibre, leafy green vegetables do wonders for the heart and circulatory system, helping to rid the body of inflammation— causing free radicals and other toxins. Coffee: Believe it or not, this morning elixir has been shown to help reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and stroke by as much as 30 per cent. Just be sure to look for organic varieties that are low in mycotoxins. Chia seeds: This omega3-rich superfood is a panacea for lowering blood pressure and reducing inflammation. Avocados: Rich in antioxidants, monounsaturated fats and fibre, avocados are an excellent food for lowering LDL (low-density lipoprotein) cholesterol levels and maintaining overall heart health. Pomegranates: A “best in class” fruit when it comes to heart health, the pomegranate has been aggressively studied for its amazing ability to minimize oxidative stress, support the production and activity of vasodilating nitric oxide and lower LDL cholesterol levels. KEEP YOUR HEART HEALTHY NATURALLY A heart disease is primarily caused by inflammation and oxidative damage and it is our primary goal to reduce this inflammation and oxidative damage. Given below are 5 ways one should follow: Don’t eat industrial vegetable oils. Industrial vegetable oils like corn, soy, cottonseed, sunflower, and safflower are high in omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids
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(n-6 PUFA). Countless studies show that n-6 PUFA promote both oxidative damage and inflammation, and significantly raise the risk of heart disease. Eat less sugar (including simple carbs). Simple carbohydrates such as rice, potatoes, pasta and bread can cause spikes in blood sugar and insulin, both of which contribute to oxidative damage and inflammation – and consequently, increase the risk of heart disease. Eat fermented foods. Almost all healthy, traditional cultures that have been studied regularly consume fermented foods have numerous health benefits, but in the context of heart disease, one of the most important reasons to include them in the diet is that they are one of the few dietary sources of vitamin K2. Be active and go outside. Physical inactivity is likely a major causative factor in the explosive rise of coronary heart disease in the 20th century. People that are physically inactive have between 1.5x and 2.4x the risk of developing heart disease. On the other hand, regular exercise reduces both inflammation and oxidative damage. Even relatively low levels of activity are protective – as long as they are consistent. Manage stress and enjoy life The primary mechanism by which stress causes heart disease is by dysregulating the hypothalamicpituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. The HPA axis is directly intertwined with the autonomic nervous system, and it governs the “fight-or-flight” response we experience in reaction to a stressor.
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Recipes For The Month BANANA PUDDING
Ingredients:
FALAFEL BURGER
Ingredients: Can chickpea, rinsed and drained................... 400g Garlic clove, chopped Flat-leaf parsley or curly parsley..............a handful Ground cumin...................................................1 tsp Ground coriander.............................................1 tsp Harissa paste or chilli powder........................ ½ tsp Plain flour......................................................2 tbsp Sunflower oil..................................................2 tbsp Toasted pitta bread Tub tomato salsa, to serve.............................. 200 g Green salad.................................................to serve Red onion, roughly chopped.........................1 small
Method: Pat the chickpeas dry with kitchen paper. Tip into a food processor along with the onion, garlic, parsley, spices, flour and a little salt. Blend until fairly smooth, then shape into four patties with your hands. Heat the oil in a non-stick frying pan, add the burgers, then quickly fry for 3 mins on each side until lightly golden. Serve with toasted pittas, tomato salsa and a green salad.
Raw cane sugar............................................ 1/3 cup Corn starch........................................................4 tbs Salt.............................................................. 1/8 tsp. Coconut milk beverage (such as Silk).............3 cups Vanilla extract.............................................. 1½ tsp. Very ripe bananas, sliced....................................... 3 Vegan vanilla wafer cookies................................ 48 Non-dairy whipped topping... for garnish, optional
Method: Place sugar, corn starch, and salt in a saucepan, and gradually whisk in coconut milk. Bring mixture to a boil over mediumlow heat. Cook 5-10 minutes, or until thickened, whisking constantly. Turn off heat, stir in vanilla, then banana slices. Line bottom of 11x7 inch baking dish with 24 cookies. Spread hot pudding over top, making sure bananas are submerged to prevent browning. Top with remaining 24 cookies, cover with plastic wrap, and cool. Refrigerate until cold. Top with whipped topping (if using).
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HEARTY VEGETABLE SOUP
Ingredients:
Potatoes, diced.........................................2 medium Carrots, thinly sliced....................................... 2 to 3 Stalk broccoli, chopped............................ 1 medium Onion, chopped small........................... 1 very large Chopped mushrooms......................................2 cups Vegetable oil...................................................2 tbsp Water or vegetable stock................................6 cups Tomatoes, chopped................................4 to 6 large Celery stalks, chopped.................................... 3 to 4 Bell pepper, chopped...................................... 3 to 4 Soy sauce.................................................1 to 2 tbsp Dried parsley or................................................2 tsp Fresh, chopped................................................¼ cup Basil................................................................ ½ tsp Oregano.......................................................... ½ tsp Cayenne pepper............................................to taste
Method:
Steam the potatoes, carrots, and broccoli for about 7 minutes. In a large pot, sauté the onions and mushrooms in oil until slightly transparent. Add the water or vegetable stock, remaining vegetables, and soy sauce. Cook 30 minutes longer on medium-low heat, until the vegetables are tender but not soggy and the flavours have developed. Add the parsley, basil, oregano, and cayenne pepper. Serve warm.
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FLUFFY EGGLESS PANCAKES
Ingredients:
All-purpose flour.............................................1 cup Sugar................................................................1 tsp Cinnamon.........................................................1 tsp Baking powder.................................................2 tsp Whole milk......................................................1 cup Vegetable oil...................................................1 tbsp Water..............................................................1 tbsp Vanilla extract...................................................1 tsp Butter..............................................................2 tbsp
Method: Combine dry ingredients and mix slightly. Add milk, oil, water, and vanilla. Whisk together until just combined. Be careful not to over mix - it should still be slightly lumpy. Set aside to rest for a few minutes. Melt the butter. When fully melted, add the butter to the batter. Return pan to stove and stir butter into batter. When pan is hot, with a measuring cup or ladle, pour ¼ cup of batter into the skillet for each pancake. Cook until bubbles form on the surface. Carefully flip pancakes with turner/spatula and cook until golden brown. This recipe also works well with whole wheat flour. Chopped fruit, nuts or chocolate chips can be added to batter before cooking for a unique treat.
East And West Series
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