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GANDHI*: A VOICE OF GOD SADHU VASWANI When the news travelled to me in far-off Sind that the greatsouled Gandhi had passed on, I said to myself: “Be still, my heart! Be still and listen!” I listened! The very vacant space had become vocal, it said to me: “There is no death to him who knows the meaning of death!” Death doth not touch Gandhi. For he hath known the meaning of life: he hath known the meaning of death. I am with you this morning to lay at the sacred memory a few flowers of my love. You speak of him as Mahatma Gandhi: you speak of him as the “Father of the Nation”. And I know in other ways, too, have many spoken of this great one. May I tell you how
in the heart within me I think of him? I love to call him “Brother”: Brother Gandhi! A brother is a burden bearer. And Brother Gandhi has borne the burden of millions. In one of his books he says: “I would rather be torn to pieces than disown my brothers and sisters in suffering and pain!” Brotherhood of Man— this is what we have forgotten, and so you find today peoples fighting one another, and nations, alike in East and West, still travelling along the path of violence and war. The great message of peace, of love, of fellowship, of brotherhood is the piteous need of all the nations: is it not, also, our piteous need in this country?
*October 2 is sacred as Birth Anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi. **Condensed from an address.
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I moved out, the other day, to survey your great city, Bombay: we called it in far-off Sind, Bombay the Beautiful. I stood in the midst of the tumults of your big city: and big tears stood in mine eyes. Why? I said to myself: “Here, in your great and prosperous city of Bombay, are so many who sleep on the road-side at night, shivering in the cold of winter.” And I said to myself: “They sleep on the road-side; they too, are my brothers and my sisters”. Your people are my people! And then I recalled that in the last twelve months have travelled to Bombay so many of my people from Sind: so many whom you call “refugees” but whom you should love and call your “brothers”. They, several lakhs of them, are homeless; shelterless. And I said to myself: “My people are your people, as your people are my, people!” This thought will grow in the measure in which we believe in the Brotherhood of man. The teaching of Brotherhood, Gandhi; illumined in his sacrificial life. I wonder if ever you asked yourself the question. What is the meaning of the word, “Gandhi”? The word “Gandhi” means one who is “fragrant” and fragrancefilled is the life of Brother Gandhi. His fragrance lay just in this that he identified himself with the broken ones, with the neglected ones, with the indentured labourers, with the outcast, the “untouchables”, the Harijans, with the poorest, the lowliest and
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the lost, with all those whom the world, intoxicated with power, tramples upon every day. Gandhi was a champion of the poor against oppression, in justice and insolence of might and power. I salute Gandhi as a servant of the poor, as a brother of the poor, as a lover of the poor, as a devotee of the poor, ah! as a worshipper of the poor. The key-note to his wonderful life— a life of heroic deeds, of heroic achievements, of heroic aspirations, of heroic attainments— the secret of his life is his spirit of seva, the spirit of service and sacrifice. Gandhi’s has been a dedicated life— a life dedicated to the service of the poor. This martyred man, adored by millions, gives us the mantra of sacrifice. This prophet of peace had to spend many years within the area of challenge and storm. But his life never failed to bear witness to that new freedom which is fellowship with the poor and oppressed. Sometimes when I think of Mahatma Gandhi, the figure of another great one rises before me, the figure of Father Damien. Damien dedicated his life to the service of lepers and he became a leper. Brother Gandhi dedicated his life to the service of the poor in India, and he became a fakir; he became a poor man. Father Damien, on one occasion said: “In the Kingdom of God there are no aliens!” May I not say that in the Kingdom of Free India there
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should be no aliens? And yet, and yet, the thought has come to me painfully, again and again in this Free India, I feel that I am an alien! Let us shake hands of fellowship and brotherhood, one with the other. Let us strive to understand the life and teaching of Brother Gandhi. He was a true brother: therefore is he a Mahatma, a great soul. He was a true brother: therefore is he become one of the shining lights of humanity. And the light of his life, the light of love, shall grow from more to more in the coming days. It seems to me that Gandhi is a Voice of God to the modern world. Say not Gandhi is dead! Gandhi is a Voice of God unto the nations of the world. And this morning, me-thinks, I heard
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the beloved of my heart, methinks, I heard Brother Gandhi say to me: “Brothers are ye all!” Hindus and Muslims, Parsis and Christians, Jains and Buddhists, brothers are you all! Hindustan and Pakistan, brothers are ye both! Brothers are ye! All the races of the earth are brothers; All the religions of the world are brothers. And these hands are given you to help, not to butcher: these hearts are given you to love, not to hate. Brain and science and machinery and civilisation and all your technical equipment are given you for the service of the poor and needy, the lowly and the lost; for the service of our broken, bewildered humanity.
INDIA: BEAUTIFUL AND ANCIENT In this beautiful and ancient India, I have experienced much hospitality, spiritual as well as material. Many have spoken words of wisdom, many have shown me treasured beauty. Among my experiences I shall always value specially my meeting with Gurudev Sadhu Vaswani. His saintliness and spirituality and wisdom conveyed themselves immediately to me and I shall never forget the meeting. From him we have much to learn indeed. I was refreshed and exhalted when I first saw the statue of Lord Krishna and re-read his wonderful story. So in the fellowship of his great disciple I have been enriched. To him and St. Mira’s Schools I wish very good wish. Through such works the best of India’s greatest ideals will be forwarded. And though the American mind and life differs in many ways from the Indian schemes of things, Americans too are human beings and in their own way have paid tribute to the dignity of man, and the life of the spirit. The differences may indeed be less important than the similarities. The similarities we must emphasise more and more in our shrinking world if we are truly to live.
—Prof. Merle Curti
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SRI RAMA: HERO OF HINDU HISTORY SADHU VASWANI
Sri Krishna in the Gita refers to Rama, as belonging to the warriorclass. Rama is depicted as a model warrior, a typical Kshatriya. Sometimes we think of him as an obedient son, and again as a tender and devoted husband. Shri Rama, too, is a good king for whom the pirja (subjects) have tender love and devotion. This bhakti of the people for their great hero, Shri Rama, is reflected in the festival of lights— the “Deepavali”. The spirit of hero-worship, while growing in the West, is declining in India. Virapuja, Virabhakti, shaped India’s life in the long ago. Hero-worship has a character-building value. Hero-worship is one of the secrets of nation-building. This truth is better understood today in the West than in India.
*October 8 is sacred as Dussehra Day.
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Shri Rama was the beloved of his people. Shri Krishna pictures him as a typical warrior. There are two types of people. Some great ones appear who never use weapons. Gautama Buddha, Mahavira, and Jesus worked weaponless. They did their work in the midst of the world’s difficulties and persecutions. Other great ones there be who use weapons. Shri Rama belonged to the latter class. He is regarded as a typical warrior for the following reasons: (1) His methods of fight were clean. The Ramayana bears testimony to this. Modern methods of warfare are not clean. Napolean, a warrior of the modern times was a man of diplomacy which is a polite name for untruth. Sri Rama refrained from “diplomacy”. The greatness of Rama as a warrior may be better understood after reading the history of the great world-war and the Ramayana. In the last world-war, the Germans launched a submarine campaign sinking ships in the sea, thus inflicting death on many innocent people. Such secret methods were never followed by Sri Rama. He comes with a small army, not much civilised. When opening the fight Rama issues instructions that not a hair of a single inhabitant of the civil population must be touched. Today scientists are employed by different Governments to discover deadly poisonous gases. (2) Sri Rama had a code of honour, which is not found in
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modern warfare. On learning that Ravana is killed, Sri Rama comes to pay respects to the departed warrior. Rama had no hatred in his heart against Ravana. Rama not only pays homage to Ravana’s dead body but orders a grand funeral in honour of Ravana! Sri Rama was a warrior of Dharma. Sri Rama was a model warrior because he was a great purifier. How did he purify the life of India? The answer to this is found in the Ramayana. Ravana was killed and Lanka (Ceylon) was won. Shri Rama had no greed of gold or dominion. He did not keep Lanka to himself. He had not Napolean’s or Caesar’s dreams of conquest. In the days of Ravana, the laws of higher morality were trampled upon in Lanka. Lanka had a great civilisation but not the Aryan moral code. Sri Rama gave the throne of Lanka to one who was a man of Dharma and righteousness and himself departed. Sri Rama purified the life of Lanka.
THE UNIVERSE SAYS ‘YES’ Seek the One: thou wilt find in Him the all! No difficulties will daunt thee. For, attuned to the One, thou wilt find that thou art never left alone. The universe is eager to serve thee!
— Sadhu Vaswani
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HOW TO MEDITATE DADA J. P. VASWANI Many today, are turning to meditation to reduce the effects of stress and anxiety, to grow in awareness, to improve their health or emotional stability. They achieve the results they are looking for. But it must not he forgotten that the true goal of meditation is God. Meditation is a most “personal” experience in which one’s deepest and truest self is involved. Every man meditates in his own way, for the “Spirit bloweth where it listeth”. The man who treads the path of meditation becomes a pilgrim of the Spirit, always on the move, always eager to sink deeper and deeper within himself, until he loses himself in the Pure White Light. The following, therefore, are only a few practical suggestions.
• Select a silence-corner or a silence-chamber where you may spend some time everyday without being disturbed. It should preferably be away from the telephone and should be dimly lighted. • It is advisable to get up as early as possible in the morning— in any case before sunrise. The period of three hours before sunrise is known as Brahma-mahoorat, and is specially favourable for meditation. At that time, the atmosphere is calm and serene, the body is fresh and restful, the mind is alert but not overactive. The hour of evening twilight is also good for meditation. If, however, these hours are not found convenient, any other suitable time may be fixed. • Meditation should be practised preferably at the same time and the same place, everyday. This will help form a habit which will automatically throw you into a meditative mood when the hour approaches. • At the time of meditation, it is helpful to wear loose, comfortable clothes. This will help you to relax fully. The clothes should be clean and, if possible, set apart for this purpose. • No particular posture is prescribed for meditation. Adopt any sitting posture which you
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may find natural and in which you can sit steadily for some length of time without having to move the body unnecessarily. You may sit on the floor (not on the bare ground but on a mat, a carpet, or a piece of cloth) in a cross-legged position or be in a chair with your feet gently resting on the floor. What is important is that the spinal column and the head should be held erect. This helps the prana (vital energy) to move freely in the body. Do not strain. Be comfortable, relaxed and attentive. THE MEDITATION MAY THEN BEGIN The method of meditation outlined below consists of six steps— each step will take roughly two minutes and a half. The first is the step of rythmic breathing. Breathe in slowly, easily, evenly and deeply, and then breathe out slowly, easily, evenly and deeply. Within two minutes and a half you will be able to breathe in (and out) fifteen times. As your breathing becomes rhythmic, your tensions will relax. If you like you may blend the repetition of the Name with your breathing. The second is the step of detached observation. As an observer, watch the movements of the mind. Do not involve yourself with the mind. You are not the mind: the mind is not yours. You are only a silent observer. Observe without judgment. The third is the step of
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serenity, peace. You are like a rock in the midst of an ocean. Waves (distracting thoughts) arise: they come and dash against the rock. The rock is unaffected, calm, tranquil. The fourth is the step where you realise your oneness with all that is— all men, all creatures, all things, all conditions. You are not apart from others. The others and you are parts of the One Great Whole. You are in every woman, in every man, in every child. You are in every unit of life, in every bird and animal, in every fowl and fish, in every insect, in every shrub and plant. You belong to all countries and communities, all races and religions. You are at one with the universe. (This type of meditation will fill your heart with loving kindness so much so that, in due course, you will find it difficult to snuff out the life of even a small insect.) You are not merely in your physical body: You are in all that is. If the body drops down, you will continue to be. You will be in every grain of sand, in every drop of water, in every ray of sunshine. Death cannot touch you. You are immortal. The fifth step is meditation on your immortality. If you are at one with all humanity, then even if there is but one human being alive, you are alive. If you are at one with all living creatures, then even if there is but one creature breathing the breath of life, you are alive. If you are at one with trees and flowers, then even if
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there is but one leaf fluttering in the wind, you are alive— Yes, you are immortal, eternal, deathless. The sixth step is breathing out peace and happiness and goodwill to all. You are in all. Therefore, it is natural for you to breathe out peace and happiness and goodwill to all. May all be happy and full of bliss. Think of all who dwell in northern lands... southern lands... eastern lands... western lands... breathe out peace and goodwill to all. May all be happy and full of bliss. All living things, whether they be near or far, tall or short, rich or poor, educated or illiterate, whether they be born or are still in the womb unborn, may all be happy and full of bliss. May those that love you and those that, for some reason or the other, are unable to love you; may those that speak well of you and those that, for some reason or the other, are unable to speak well of you, may all, all, without exception, be happy and full of bliss. You are in them all. It is only when they become happy that you are happy. May all be free from disease, free from ignorance, free from sorrow! As you get up from this meditation you will feel that you yourself are happy and full of bliss. There are many other methods. Choose the one you like and be regular in your practice. In the beginning, there will be days when the practice will be dry, boring, tiresome. Do not, on that account, give up the practice. New grooves are to be cut. Through a process of many births, the mind has
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acquired the habit of wandering. For this wandering to cease, it will take some time. Within some months of repeated and regular practice, you will arrive at a stage where you will be filled with indescribable joy and happiness. It is known as the “bliss of concentration”. Those who have tasted it but once miss it greatly if perchance, some day, due to overwork or otherwise, they are unable to sit in silence. Many today, are turning to meditation to reduce the effects of stress and anxiety, to grow in awareness, to improve their health or emotional stability. They achieve the results they are looking for. But it must not be forgotten that the true goal of meditation is God. Meditation should aim at detaching the heart from all that is not-God, and at giving to it, as its sole occupation, the communion with the Divine Being. Therefore, even in the midst of your daily work, pause for a while and breathe out an aspiration such as, “I love you, God! I want to love you more and more! I want to love you more than anything in the world. I want to love you to distraction. Grant me pure love and devotion for your Lotus Feet, and so bless me that the worldbewitching maya may not lead me astray and make me, Blessed Master, an instrument of Thy help and healing in this world of suffering and pain.” Where there is love, meditation becomes easy and natural.
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O LORD OF LOVE! SADHU VASWANI
O Lord of Love! I pray to Thee To grant me grace to know and feel That life is One, and One the Wheel Of Law which turns from star to sea. O Lord of Love! Teach me to greet All living things, below, above, With a heart filled still with tender love, And see the One in man and beast!
May I each day in MERCY live! In PEACE with all that Life receive! May I the Chain of Symp’thy weave Round all, and each day learn to give! O Lord of Love! Grant me the sight To worship still the Sacred Light At once in Buddha and in Christ, And in all lives, pure, gentle, bright! The world is shot with strife and pain: O Lord of Love! I pray to Thee, To Nations give the pow’r to see, And from the way of blood abstain! The Animal Friends’ Day Wednesday: October 4, 1939, Krishta Kunj, Hyderabad (Sind). *Sadhu Vaswani sent this song to the Mira girls on Oct. 4, St. Francis day which was enthusiastically celebrated.
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ONE WORLD! ONE HUMANITY! DADA J. P. VASWANI
I
n one of the shirt-pockets of a dead American soldier was found a small notebook. Its leaves were torn: its cover was soiled: but on one of its pages were scribbled words which enshrine the wisdom of the ages. “This is the time for a new revelation,’’ the soldier wrote. “People don’t think much about religion nowadays. But we need a voice from on High. This thing has got out of human ability to run. I’m no religious fanatic. But we are in a situation where something better than human brains has got to give us advice.” The story of the centuries is a story which reveals how the human brain has bungled and blundered, again and again. Mankind lies groaning, half crushed beneath the weight of its own progress. On all sides there is death, desolation, chaos. Man is becoming more and more destructive. All his activities seem to be geared up to the one task of destruction. Out of the tortured soul of humanity issues forth a piteous cry for
some guidance “from on High,” acting on which man may hasten the coming of the golden age of peace and righteousness. The future of mankind lies not in politics or economics, but in religion. Yet religions, as we have them, are more of a curse than a blessing. At the bar of history religions stand accused of crimes and follies, of deplorable wars of destruction fought sometimes in one country, sometimes in another. But then is it not true that evils attributed to religion are mainly due to the separatist tendencies existing in different religions? As soon as religions are reconciled and men of one faith cease to have ill-will towards followers of another, the evils would soon disappear as passing clouds driven by the wind Lift up the curtain from the centuries that have flowed past! Do you not find that the greatest factor in binding people together has been religion, and that it has also been the strongest civilising force in the life of nations and races? When countries have touched the very depths of degradation, who have drawn them upwards and awakened them out of their sullen sloth? Who, if not our prophets and saints, the founders of religions and leaders of faiths? It is they who, through the ages, have
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lighted the way forward with their spirit and inspired men and communities to strive for peace and unity. Education As A Unifying Force The problem then is the problem of reconciliation of different religions. How may this be brought about? Primarily, through education. Our students in schools and colleges should be taught that one is the religion of all mankind. Contributions to it have flowed from all races and nations, even as they have in the case of other departments of human knowledge. When we teach Arithmetic to our students, we do not speak of Hindu Arithmetic or Chinese Arithmetic or Islamic Arithmetic: we simply use the term “Arithmetic”, signifying thereby the sum total of the contributions made by mathematicians of all nations to this department of knowledge. So, too, must we speak, not of “religions” but of “religion”, and bring together the religious traditions of different countries and ages. We must proceed about this task not in a spirit of analysis, but in a spirit of integration. We must teach our students the lives and teachings of the great spiritual leaders of the human race— the Titans of our history— who, while they lived on earth, pledged themselves to bring about international understanding, to spread goodwill among the peoples, to create harmony and unity among men of all nations. We shall then be preparing a
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generation of youths who will look upon the world as one country and mankind as its citizens. We shall then be laying the foundations for a world-unity at once lasting and creative. There is a tendency among modern nations— India not excluded— to secularise education. Secular education will not solve the problems of our agitated age. Secular education has proved a dismal failure in the West. Education in Europe emphasised the intellect but neglected the emotions. Therefore is Europe sinking into barbarsim. Without visions nations perish. India, beware! Meeting the Master (Gurudev Sadhu Vaswani) It was a hot summer evening. I was staying in Hyderabad-Sind which now is become a part of Pakistan. The Second World War had ended about a year ago, and already the clouds of a third conflagration were gathering in the distance. As I mentally reviewed the international situation, my heart felt sad, depressed, dejected. Was there no hope for humanity? Was she doomed to move forever in a cycle of war and violence? In that mood of utter dejection, when I could see not one ray of hope, I sought the Master (Sadhu Vaswani): for to be in his presence was to feel refreshed, renewed, revitalised. The Master was so different from many of the “religious” men. His consecrated mind was a fountain of wisdom and self-knowledge. He practised
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no creed: he preached no dogma: and in his heart was a vision of the unity of races and religions, Hindus come to him and Muslims, also; for he was a bother to all. He was a man of sympathy more than of seclusion. He saw that the world was in travail and in his heart grew compassion for men. I went up to him: I bowed down to him in reverence. He looked at me and said: “My child! What makes you so sad on such a bright evening?” I gazed at him. I looked at his wonderful, velvety eyes. There was a mystic influence emanating from them. I said to him: “Master*! I come to you with questionings in my heart. Is it possible for nations to be knit together in one fellowship for the constructive tasks of life? Or will mankind continue to wander forever from violence to violence, from strife to strife?” He paused for moment, then smiled a sad smile, and said: “My child: Mankind is moving irresistibly, from trial to trial, towards its goal of unity. But this unity will not be achieved by the political instruments of modern democracy. They are instruments not of peace, but of war. Peace conferences and United Nations Organizations will not give a new world-order: they may sow the seeds of new world wars. Modern politics touch life on the circumference: they do not know life at the centre. And whatever
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is imposed from without, lives for a while, then bursts and is no more. The problem of world unity is one of remolding human nature, of bringing about a change in man’s consciousness; it is, essentially, a spiritual problem.” As he spoke, the words vibrated with a resonant musical tone. The Master continued: “Instead of learning the lesson that the Great War had to teach, millions took advantage of the war to enrich themselves at the cost of the suffering of their poorer neighbours. The governmental machinery is gangrened by corruption and black marketing is tolerated as a necessary evil. “The peace that prevails today is merely the cessation of fighting— the peace of the letter, not of the spirit. And those that can see, will tell you that war has been lifted from the plane of the visible to the plane of the invisible: it will soon take other visible forms— strikes, revolutions, civil wars, general turmoil. And so it will go on in a vicious circle, and more and more evil force will be accumulated; the thunder-clouds on the unseen planes will grow larger and blacker. “How may you combat these evil forces? By ranging on the side of the Forces of Goodness and Truth. By so regulating your life that it becomes a source of strength to those Higher Powers who, unseen by the eyes of men,
*The Master referred to is Gurudev Sadhu Vaswani.
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are working incessantly for the evolution of humanity. This has been the teaching of every religion. And yet religions today divide humanity into water-tight compartments and are become a source of strife. Religion is not religion until it binds man to man and men to God. Without a reconciliation of religions and a deeper understanding and assimilation of their fundamental teachings, there can be no lasting world unity. When will it be achieved? Not until the coming of the Saviour of Humanity who will lead the nations of the East and West out of the racial chaos of these days and reveal to them their eternal destiny in the life of the Spirit. Nations are in agony. In one of them will be born he for whom some of the choicest souls look with aching eyes: and he— gifted with grandeur and liberating power— he will be the healing of the nations.” I drank in every word as it came out of the Master’s lips. As he spoke, I felt that in his words was a breath which breathed out peace. The Coming Saviour In the morning of history, according to an ancient fable, Humanity took on the form of a man and descended upon the earth: in the process of descent, the form was dismembered. The sundered limbs have ever since been wandering in an endless, ceaseless quest, each for the others. The limbs are the different races and religions into which humanity has been split. Within them all is a longing to
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come together to enjoy a life of peace and plenitude. A mighty one will appear, a Saviour will arise, and he will fit together the sundered limbs and make humanity one indivisible whole. Saviours have appeared, again and again, in different ages and different climes. But not one of them has so far had an opportunity of influencing more than one section of this vast world. We live in different times, today. The discoveries of modern science— the aeroplane, the radio, the printing press— have narrowed the oceans into lakes and made the earth a close neighbourhood. Will the coming Saviour, the new World teacher make use of the equipment of modern science and bring together the separated limbs of humanity in one bond of affection and unity. Will He lift up his voice and proclaim: “Religions of the World, unite! You have nothing to lose except your dividing walls”! The echoes of his voice will be heard across the earth. Men will take up his call and declare: ‘‘Humanity is one Family, and all men are brothers!” So may a new unifying faith be born which will abolish in its path ingrained prejudices of race and colour and creed. So may a new era of peace be initiated— a peace at once lasting and creative. That will be the day when the cycle of ruinous strife will come to an end and wars will vanish from the face of the earth like mist before the morning sun.
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DIWALI* MESSAGE SADHU VASWANI
His name is magic to millions of India still. Sita is to India a symbol of Purity as Rama is a symbol of Shakti— the Strength that achieves! Uprooted
are
we
from
our
Homeland, but not from our Love for our Soil and its Seers and Sages. And in my heart is still alive the faith that we, scattered today in different parts, may yet be reunited. Of this Faith, kindle ye little lamps in the Diwali night! And look ye for the day of Sri Rama’s Return!
*October 27 is the sacred Deepavali Day.
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WHERE IS YOUR SECURITY? DADA J. P. VASWANI
To the vast majority of men and women, God is a sort of a storekeeper who can only justify His existence for supplying them all those things for which they sent in a requisition— health, long life, jobs, prosperity, sons, sons-inlaw, houses and husbands. So long as God gives them what they want, God is good, God is loving, God is wise, and there is none like unto Him. But the moment He refuses to oblige, He becomes a cruel God, unjust and unkind. His very existence is denied. The God of the majority of us is a “servant” God ready to do our bidding, eager to satisfy our cravings and caprices the moment they are born. In plain words, we do not want God’s Will to be done.
What we desire is that our will should be done. And the more I succeed in the doing of my will, the more restless I grow, the more unhappy, the more miserable. For it is only God’s Will that can restore harmony and order. And until I learn to submit to the Will of God, even if I reach out to the moon and conquer the stars, I shall but continue to wander from restlessness to restlessness. What we need is not this, that or any other thing. What we urgently require is a divine adjustment. At some time or the other this truth dimly dawns on our consciousness. Pressed hard by circumstances, surrounded on all sides by trials and temptations, failures and frustrations, we feel like turning to God as the only remedy. But
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we are afraid to leave all things in His Hands for fear of what He may do. A young college student met me, many years ago. “I have fallen deeply in love with a girl,” he said. “I cannot live without her. But our parents will not agree to our marriage. What shall I do? I feel I may go mad at any time!” “Do you believe in prayer?” I asked him. “Yes,” he answered. “More things are wrought by prayer than this world dreams of. But when I turn to Him in prayer and feel like leaving everything in His Hands, a fear grips me. I do not know what He may do.” So many of us live in this fear. We do not know what God may do if we surrender ourselves to Him. To surrender ourselves to Him is to accept His Will. We are not yet prepared to do so. We still want our will to be done. Our prayers in effect are something like this: “O Lord who art Allpowerful! listen to my cry. Rush to my rescue and grant me all that I ask. I want health and happiness. I want bungalows and a wife. I want wealth and all that wealth can purchase. I want honours and fame. I want a position of power and authority. I want men to dance attendance upon me. I want my name to appear in papers if not everyday, at least, once a
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week. In short, Lord! I want my will to be done by Thee, and by everyone else!” And so we keep on chasing shadows. Like butterflies we flit from one sensation to another, in a vain search of that true happiness which is not obtained until we return to God. O traveller who are weary with thy wanderings! Away from thy Home there is not rest. Return to thy Homeland. And thy Home is God. Significant are the words of Sri Krishna in the Gita: Staying thy haste, Do thou stand still in Me! United with Me Thou wilt attain To the peace Of the Eternal— The Supreme Bliss That abides in Me! He, who stands still in the Lord, firm and resolute, finds everything in the Lord. The things he pursued and which eluded him, now come running to him. He desires them no longer. He seeks them no more. But they come to him of their own volition. He needs nothing. He has attained to the stage where his hunger has been appeased and his thirst has been quenched. They who are united with the Lord are happy, indeed. Their wills are merged with the Will Divine. They desire naught but what the Lord Wills. They have broken the chains of
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bondage: they are attached to none: the Lord is their sheetanchor! Of such as these the Buddha said: “We live happily, indeed, not hating those who hate us! Among men who hate us we dwell free from hatred! “We live happily, indeed, free from the ailments among the ailing! Among the men who are ailing let us dwell free from ailments! We live happily, indeed, free from greed among the greedy! Among men who are greedy let us dwell free from greed! “We live happily, indeed, though we call nothing our own! We shall be like the shining Gods, feeding on happiness! “Victory breeds hatred, for the conquered is unhappy. He who has given both victory and defeat, he, the contented is happy.” Such men live in this world free from fear. They have no fear of death. Death, to them, is a messenger of God’s mercy, a gateway to the life Eternal. And when, in the Providence of God, death comes to them, they greet it with open arms. The one thing needful is to focus the mind on God, to live in His presence and to dedicate ourselves to Him. By doing so we will not, of course, be free from all faults. If it is God’s Will that human nature
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should be frail, I should, for the love of God, accept my faults, finding comfort in the thought that they will teach me to be humble. No one reached God except on the path of humility. And humility, by revealing thus what we are, teaches us that of ourselves, we can do nothing: for we are nothing. All the good that is done through us is done by God. Humility, therefore, means utter surrender to God and to God alone. And so the best thing a man can do is to hand himself to God, to accept everything including disgrace and disease, trouble and tribulation, misfortune and misery, as coming from God. And whatever comes from God is good: it cometh to purify. Therefore rejoice in every situation and circumstance of life, giving gratitude to Him whose works are ever the works of mercy.
Here on earth we are judged by the number of people who are at our beck and call, ever ready to serve us. In the Kingdom of God, we will be judged by the number of people we have served.
— Dada J. P. Vaswani
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Laugh Your Way To Health Boss: Where were you born? Ramesh: India. Boss: Which part? Ramesh: What ‘which part?’ Whole body was born in India. *** Teacher: How can we keep our school clean? Student: By staying at home... *** Two men were fixing a bomb in a car. Man 1: What would you do if the bomb explodes while fixing. Man 2: Don’t worry, I have one more. *** Lalit: What is the name of your car? Lady: I forgot the name, but it starts with ‘T’. Lalit: Oh, what a strange car, starts with Tea. All cars that I know start with petrol. *** Teacher: What do you call mosquitoes in your language? Student: We don’t call them, they come on their own... *** Mahesh: You cheated me. Shopkeeper: No, I sold a good radio to you. Mahesh: Radio label shows ‘Made in Japan’ but radio says this is ‘All India Radio!’ ***
Teacher: One day our country will be corruption free. What tense is that? Student: Future impossible tense... *** Tourist: Whose skeleton is that? Yasin: An old king’s skeleton. Tourist: Who’s that smaller skeleton next to it? Yasin: That was same king’s skeleton when he was a child. *** Teacher: Which is the oldest animal in the world? Sita: ZEBRA Teacher: How? Sita: Because it is Black and White. *** Pavan attending an interview in Software Company. Manager: Do you know MS Office? Pavan: If you give me the address I will go there, sir. *** Suresh: Doctor! My Son swallowed a key. Doctor: When? Suresh: 3 months ago.
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Doctor: What were you doing till now? Suresh: We were using duplicate key. *** Teacher: Our topic for today is Photosynthesis. Teacher: Class, what is photosynthesis? Student: Photosynthesis is our topic today. *** Sujit made a call to airport “How long is the journey from India to America?” Telephone Operator: One second sir. Sujit: Thanks! *** John laughing behind Robin in an ATM counter. John: Ha… ha… ha... I have seen your password. Robin: What is it? John: It is four stars (****) Robin: Ha… ha... wrong... it is 3384. *** Teacher: How does the hen come out of the egg? Nita: That is not a big question, Madam. The big question is, how the hen went inside the egg! *** Teacher: Name the nation, people hate most? Student: Exami-nation... *** Nidhi: Vidya, how was your exam? Vidya: It was OK... But I couldn’t answer the past tense of ‘THINK’. I thought and thought
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and thought... and finally wrote... THUNK! *** One tourist from USA asked: Any great man born in this village? Naveen: No sir, only small babies! *** Ganesh was driving a jeep in a jungle. Tourist: If a lion comes against us, how can we escape? Ganesh: So simple. Give RIGHT turn indicator and turn LEFT! *** Teacher: John is climbing a tree to pick some mangoes. (Begin the sentence with Mangoes) Student: Mangoes, John is coming to pick you... *** Rahul: Doctor, in my dreams… rats play football every night. Doctor: OK... no problem. Have these tablets from tonight. Rahul: Can I start from tomorrow? Doctor: Why? Rahul: Because, today is FINAL! *** Teacher: Construct a sentence using the word ‘sugar’. Pupil: I drank tea this morning. Teacher: Where is the word sugar. Pupil: It is already in the tea! ***
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Children’s Corner JOIN THE DOTS
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RECIPES FOR THE MONTH BASUNDI
COCONUT LADDOO Ingredients Unsweetened shredded coconut dried............2 cups Seeds from 4 to 5 cardamom pods Full fat coconut milk......................................⅓ cup Coconut oil........................................................2 tsp Ground raw sugar or jaggery...................... 2/3 cup Salt...............................................................a pinch Coconut flour..................................................2 tbsp
Ingredients Soaked cashews soaked for atleast 15 mins in warm water..................................3 tbsp Non dairy milk...............1½ cup (380 ml) + 2 tbsp Raw sugar or to taste......................................3 tbsp Saffron strands 8 to 10 strands....................... ¼ tsp Cardamom powder.......................a generous pinch Salt......................................................a good pinch Nutritional yeast adds a thickened milk flavour.................................... ½ tsp Cornstarch....................................................... ¾ tsp Instructions Blend cashews, 1.5 cups almond milk, sugar, saffron, cardamom, nutritional yeast and salt in a blender, until well combined. Transfer the mixture to a saucepan over medium-low heat. Cook until it just about starts to bubble, 3 to 4 minutes Meanwhile, mix cornstarch in 2 tbsp milk. Mix well and add to the hot milk. Whisk and continue to cook till is thickened to desired consistency. Take off heat. Cool and chill in the refrigerator. Garnish with almond and pistachio, slivers or toasted nuts and serve. Notes: To make Rabri: Chill the mixture uncovered in the refrigerator. A cream layer will form on it. Mix that in a couple of times in the hours of chilling.
Instructions Grind or blend 2 cups coconut flakes in a blender or processor to make small powdery flakes. Blend a few short cycles, move the coconut around and pulse more to avoid making coconut butter. Pound the cardamom seeds in a mortar and pestle to break into a coarse mixture and mix with the coconut. Heat the coconut milk in a small skillet at medium heat. Add oil, sugar and salt and mix in. Bring the mixture to a bubbling boil (about 4 mins). Continue to boil for another 4 minutes or until the mixture can form a half thread. Take off heat. Immediately add 1.5 cups of the shredded coconut and cardamom and mix in. Add the coconut flour and mix in. If the mixture appears too wet, let it cool for a minute, Then add more shredded coconut 2 tbsp at a time. Do not add more than 4 tbsp else the laddoos will be dryer. The mixture becomes less wet as it cools. Let the mixture cool for 2 minutes then shape into balls by picking up 1 to 2 tbsp of the mixture, pressing and shaping with
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one hand. Roll the ball in the remaining shredded coconut and serve. Cool completely before storing. Store in an airtight container on the counter for upto 3 days or refrigerated for a week. Notes: **Do not wait too long to shape the laddoos, as the mixture hardens as it cools. If you are not fond of cardamom, use other flavours like cinnamon or saffron. Use more shredded coconut if you do not have coconut flour. MALAI LADDOO
Ingredients: Raw cashews.....................................½ cup (64.5 g) Water...........................................⅓ cup (83.33 ml) Vegan cream cheese.......................................3 tbsp Sugar..............................................................3 tbsp Salt.................................................¼ tsp (0.25 tsp) Fine almond flour...........................................4 tbsp Coconut flour..................................................1 tbsp Vegan powdered sugar...................................4 tbsp (Nan) seeds from 2 cardamom pods, crushed coarsely Ground cardamom.......................1/8 tsp (0.13 tsp) Oil or vegan butter, omit for oil free................1 tsp Method: Soak the cashews for atleast an hour. Drain and blend with 1/3 cup water until smooth. Add the cream cheese, sugar and salt and blend again until smooth. Transfer to a skillet. Use 2 tbsp water to rinse out the blender and add to the skillet. Cook over medium low heat for 10 mins, stir occasionally. The mixture will get lumpy then evenly thicken. Add the flours, sugar and mix in. Continue to cook for another 10 mins. Fold in the cardamom and oil and continue to cook until the mixture starts to leave the pan.
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Cool, then chill for an hour before shaping into balls. Coat in shredded coconut if you wish. Serve chilled. MANGO SHEERA Ingredients: Oil.....................................................................1 tsp Nuts (chopped cashews or almond slivers).....2 tbsp Fine semolina flour..........................½ cup (83.5 g) Boiling water.....................½ cup (125 ml) or more Saffron..............................................6-8 (6) strands or Ground cardamom or both........................ ¼ tsp Salt.................................................¼ tsp (0.25 tsp) Nutritional yeast optional.................½ tsp (0.5 tsp) Sugar................................................1 tbsp or more Ripe mango puree............................1 cup (255 ml) Almond slivers........................................for garnish Method: Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the nuts and cook until they start to get golden. 2 mins. Add the semolina, mix and roast until fragrant. Stir occasionally to avoid burning. 3 to 6 mins. Meanwhile bring 1 cup water to a boil. Add saffron or cardamom to the water if using. Reduce the heat of the semolina pan to low. Add salt, nutritional yeast, sugar, 1/2 cup boiling water and mango puree. Whisk well and cook for 3 to 4 minutes. If using coarse semolina (upma rava) or if you want a thinner consistency of the pudding, add 1/4 to 1/2 cup more boiling water and mix in (within the 2 minutes when you add the mango puree). Carefully taste and adjust sweet. You can also mix in some chopped ripe mango at this point. Take off heat. Transfer to serving bowls, or press into bowls or other shapes, tap to release. Garnish with almond slivers or whipped coconut cream + pureed mango drizzle, and serve warm or chilled.
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SIMPLE RULES OF HEALTH ESSENTIAL HERBS CURES HORMONAL IMBALANCE Causes imbalance
of
hormonal
3. Clary sage for healthier menopause
Hormonal imbalances are caused by numerous factors, like medical history, diet, stress levels, genetics, and exposure to toxins in the environment.
Clary sage has the ability to reduce the levels of cortisol. A recent study has shown that 50year old women, who inhaled oil of clary saga, experienced reduced levels of cortisol. In addition, even though the reducing was rather slightly, there was also a decrease in the thyroid hormones.
Herbs for hormonal balance
The most beneficial herbs used for hormonal balance include: 1. Holy basil for reducing anxiety
According to the studies, holy basil possesses properties, which reduce the cortisol levels, the stress hormone. It has been also shown that the extract of holy basil aids in reducing the levels of anxiety. In addition, it is also beneficial for treating memory issues, exhaustion, sexual issues, and sleep quality. 2. Myrtle for improved sleep quality
Even though myrtle has been used as a hypnotic herb and a sedative by some cultures, its effects on the humans are still not known. A study has shown that the extract of myrtle has antianxiety and relaxing properties on some animals. In fact, mice that took myrtle essential oil had prolonged sleeping activity, which slowed down the function of the brain.
It is also considered that clary saga can increase the levels of estrogen in women, who have menopausal symptoms of decreased estrogen levels. 4. Thyme for breast cancer
preventing
In vitro study evaluated the effects of a few herbs extracts on breast cancer. The herb that was able to act with progesterone, a female sex hormone produced in pregnancy and menstrual cycle, was thyme. According to the researchers, thyme has a great number of phytoprogestins and phytoestrogens, which were tested to find out of they have effects on the growth of the breast cancer cells. Interestingly, the findings of the study have shown that the thyme had the same effects in inhibiting the breast cancer cell growth and preventing the function of the progesterone.
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5. Sandalwood for lowering stress A recent study assessed the effects of aromatherapy on women, who underwent breast biopsy, a test to find out if a lump is malignant. Undergoing breast biopsy may be rather stressful for most women. Therefore, participants in the study were told to try a combination of two essential oils. The findings of the study have shown that the combination of peppermint oil and orange oil was less effective than the combination of lavender oil and sandalwood, which has shown calming effects in the participants and reduced anxiety. 6. Ashwagandha It can be especially effective at regulating hormonal balances. It is beneficial for the thyroid as it promotes elimination of free radicals, which lead to cellular damage. In addition, it can be also used to enhance an overactive thyroid gland, and aids in overcoming adrenal fatigue. 7. Fennel Gut health issues have been considered to cause autoimmune reactions, as well as thyroid disorders. You can use the fennel oil to calm down your body, enhance digestive processes, and improve metabolism and lower inflammation. All you have to do is to rub two drops of fennel essential oil on the stomach or pour 1 – 2 drops of the oil in lukewarm water or tea. 8. Lavender Lavender oil emotional balance,
enhances because it
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significantly treats depression, anxiety, stress and mood swifts. In addition, it is used to improve sleep quality, which in turn helps to regulate hormones. How to use herbs medicinally
You can use herbs in many ways. The simplest way to experience their benefits is to include them in your smoothies or diet, even though you can find them in essential oils, teas, and extracts. You can use medicinal herbs in ointments and poultices. Extract forms represents concentrated doses of medicinal herbs, which can be found in powder form (loose powder and capsules) when the water is eliminated completely from the herb or tinctures (liquid). It is best to use tinctures on an empty stomach for 1 – 2 ml. Essential herbal oils can be used in numerous ways: – Mix it with a carrier oil, such as: coconut oil, and apply it on the skin – Add several drops to a warm bath – Use it as a diffuser. Put a few drops in a distilled water and place it in somewhere in your home. When you prepare or buy herbals teas, you should look for herbal ones. Moreover, you should buy whole leaf teas instead of teabags, which may often contain pesticide residues. Consume the herbal teas three times on a daily basis.
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