DECEMBER 2017
EAST AND WEST SERIES
5
Sri Jesus*: And His Cult of the Child SADHU VASWANI Christmas is a child of an Eastern Festival. Christianity is Asia’s gift to Europe. Jesus was a Yogi of the East. He went about in the power of the Spirit. What did they think of him? At one time the poor and outcast—beggars and lepers— were eager to touch the hem of his garment, if only to be cured. He felt happy to see their faces brighten at his touch. But he did not want merely to be a big doctor of the poor! He had a message to give. He dared to dream of a Kingdom of Heaven. The Dream spoke in his prayers and parables. It gleamed in his eyes. It sang on
the Cross. Did they not think he was a dreamer? Methinks, Jesus remained a Child through all the years of his life. Methinks, Jesus’ cult is a Cult of the Child. Children are dreamers; and of such, he said, is the Kingdom of Heaven. Jesus at the Last Supper washing the feet of his disciples! How like a child! Jesus preaching the Beatitudes! “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth!” How far removed from “experience”! The meek belong to the rank of the Defeated. Jesus, too, was “defeated”. Else there could be no Cross. Jesus defeated, yet dreaming of the Kingdom of Heaven! Jesus on the Cross, yet promising a place in Paradise to the repentant thief by his side! How like a child! In a street, a dog lies dead. And men of ‘experience’ make comments as they pass. “How it stinks!” says one. “What an ugly sight!” says another. “What a dirty sore on its back!” says another. Then is heard a gentle voice: “What beautiful white teeth it has!” It is the voice of gentle Jesus. The voice of a child! Nicodemus is a prince. He appreciates Jesus, is in sympathy with him, but will not confess him openly as his master. Nicodemus is a man of “affairs”, of brains and position; he even takes interest *December 25 is the sacred Christmas Day.
DECEMBER 2017
EAST AND WEST SERIES
in “religion”; but he will not “sell all and follow Jesus”. Nicodemus has experience, not the child’s intuition. Jesus preaches the Kingdom to which we are called through child-like simplicity. “The Kingdom of Heaven is like unto a treasure hid in a field — which when a man hath found, he selleth all that he hath and buyeth that field.” They crucify his body. They cannot bury him. They cannot silence his Voice. The voice of a child. The voice of a dervish. The Muslim Sheikh of Panipat asked Guru Nanak: “Who is the true dervish?” And the Guru answered: He who alive is dead, And while awake asleep, He who renounces everything And effaceth himself, He who is in deep communion, And sings spontaneous songs, He is a dervish at heart. Jesus alive is dead to the world: how can they bury him? Awake to God, he is asleep to the crowd’s anger or applause; they cannot harm him. In deep communion with God, his soul sings a spontaneous song; they cannot silence his Voice. Jesus is a dervish at heart. Hence the survival-value of his life and message. Gibbon speaks of the “supreme inattention of the pagan and philosophic world” to Jesus. Tacitus in his Annals, has but one sentence — and that a contemptuous one — about this dervish. Says Tacitus: “Hated for their infamy, they were vulgarly called Chrestiani.
6
The originator of the name, one Chrestus, has been executed in the reign of Tiberius by order of the administrator, Pontius Pilate.” And he conveniently condemns Jesus as a “Jewish agitator”! The contemptuous silence of contemporary historians cannot bury him. The imperial power of Rome cannot silence his Voice. It speaks to St. John and St. Paul and other saints; and in their mystical experiences, the crucified one has arisen as the Christ of God, The “Chrestus” crucified with felons is known and revered to-day among all the nations of the earth! The Voice of Jesus has been speaking through the centuries; “Come into the Kingdom by selling all ye have!” Men have shrunk from the message; the Voice is not silenced. An artist, Durer, has painted a suggestive picture. It represents the Spirit of the Race mournfully sitting amid her inventions. They have taken men away from the Kingdom whose motto is childlike simplicity to a realm over whose portals is writ in large letters: Possession. And the spirit of Possession has resisted, century after century, the Process of the Christ. The spirit of possession has broken the beauty of this world, has filled it with hate and agony. Many of us, alas! are materialists — worshippers of time and space, utility and success. “Except ye be born again, ye cannot enter the Kingdom of Heaven”, says Jesus. And to be reborn is to become a child again —
Contd. on page 9
DECEMBER 2017
EAST AND WEST SERIES
This morning, someone put to me a question: “What is meant by a happy and blessed day?” Every day comes to us as a gift from the spotless Hands of God. Therefore, should every day be to us a happy and a blessed day. Alas! we spoil our days with our wild thinking and unholy living. We fill them with sorrows and suffering which follow in the wake of a self-centred life. I recall a beautiful little story which I read in the writings of a great brahmagnani of the West, the great German mystic, Meister Eckhart. Let this story be my message to you today. There was a learned man who, for eight years, longed to be shown the way to God. Every day, he sat apart from men and prayed that he might be brought into contact with a Sage, a Saint, a Tatwa darshanah, a Knower of Reality. And, one day, as he sat in
7
prayer, he heard a Voice say: “Go to such and such a place, and you will meet the man who will show you the way to blessedness and bliss!” Great was his joy when he heard the words. And forthwith he went to the place indicated by the Voice. He was surprised to find a man, humble, simple, poor, with tattered clothes on his body, his feet soiled with dirt and dust. The learned man looked all around him, but found no other man seated there. So, to this man, he said: “Good morning to you!” Quietly, answered the poor man: “I have never had a bad morning!” “God give you good luck!” said the learned man. “I have never had ill luck!” answered the poor man.
DECEMBER 2017
EAST AND WEST SERIES
The learned man’s astonishment grew. “May you be happy!” he said to the poor man. The poor man answered: “I have never been unhappy!” “I am unable to understand,” said the learned man. “Pray explain it all to me.” “Gladly,” said the poor man. “You wished me a good morning. I have never had a bad morning. For, if I do not get food to eat, I praise God. If it rains or snows, if the weather is fair or foul, I still praise God. If I am despised and have no human company, I praise God! And so I have never had a bad morning, never an evil day. You wished me good luck: but I have never had illluck. For I always dwell at the Lotus Feet of the Lord: and I know that whatever God sends me is the very best that can ever happen to me. I cheerfully accept everything that comes to me — health or sickness, prosperity or adversity, joy or sorrow — as a gift from God. I have never had ill-luck. You wished me happiness. I have never been unhappy. For the deepest longing of my heart is to live in union with God’s Will, and I have so entirely yielded my will to the Will of God, that what God wills, I will!” Astonished, the learned man asked: “What if God should will to cast you into hell?” “Cast me into hell!” exclaimed the poor man. “God is too loving to do that. But even if He sends me to hell, I should have two arms with which to embrace Him. One is the arm
8
of humility, the other the arm of love. With them I should so embrace Him that He would have to go to hell with me. And I would rather be in hell and be with God, than be in heaven and remain away from God!” The poor man taught that self-surrender in utter humility, is the simplest, surest and nearest way to God. When asked, who he was, he answered: “I am a king!’’ He was the very picture of destitution, yet he felt he was a king! For he had learnt to walk the way of acceptance. He accepted all that came in his way and rejoiced in all that happened. He expected nothing: he desired nothing: he hoped for nothing: he needed nothing: he lacked nothing. Was he not the richest of men on earth? Of a simple, poor dervish it is said that a rich man wished to offer him some money, a thousand rupees. The dervish asked the rich man: “You are giving me a thousand rupees. How much do you have for yourself?” The rich man answered: “I have many thousands of rupees with me.” The dervish asked: “Do you still wish to have more?” “Surely, yes!” answered the rich man. “Then I shall not accept your thousand rupees,” said the dervish. “For a rich man must not receive from one poorer than he!” “I do not understand,” said the rich man.
DECEMBER 2017
EAST AND WEST SERIES
And the dervish explained: “Though I have nothing, I desire nothing! You have so much: still you desire more! Surely, the person who desires to have is poorer than the man who feels satisfied and desires nothing!” Beautiful are the words ascribed to Jesus. “Nothing in the morn have I,” he said, “and nothing at night. Yet, there is none on earth richer than I!” Jesus was the richest of men, for he desired nothing! Such an one was the poor man in the story of Meister Eckhart. To him, everyday was a happy and blessed day! May it be the same with us all! We asked Gurudev Sadhu Vaswani once: “When difficulties come, what do you do?” He said: “I praise the Lord!”
Sri Jesus: And His Cult of the Child rising on the stepping stones of ‘experience’, of doubt, may be of ‘atheism’ itself, to heights of the child-intuition that glows in communion with the Endless Wonder, the Wonder of the Ages. It seems to me a message urgently needed to-day is — Be as a child! Be a little one! Be unknown! Jesus has his yoga which shows the way to freedom from the malady of ‘consciousness’. It is the malady of all who are in pursuit of power. It is the pursuit of the mind (manas) which has not come in touch with buddhi, a centre of Illumination. And for centuries has the conscious, overconscious, aggressive, egoistic
9
We asked him again: “When you are ill and have suffering and pain, what do you do?” He said: “I praise the Lord!” We asked him still again: “When you are in the midst of a storm of life, what do you do?” And he said: “Still I praise the Lord!” In these few simple words is enshrined, the secret of the truly happy and blessed life: “I praise the Lord!” May those four words be a mantra of our life! May we learn to praise the Lord in heat and cold, in joy and sorrow, in praise and censure, in pleasure and pain in loss and gain — aye, in the face of disappointment, disaster, disease, death! Then, indeed, will every day be to us a happy and a blessed day!
Contd. from page 6 mind wandered into a desert of impotence. For the pursuit of power or money is but a form of suicide. The malady is spreading. Many organisers, legislators, ‘professors’, business magnates, men of position, power, authority! But where, oh where, are the Twice-born ones? The little ones who serve and bless others, but without ‘consciousness’? The beautiful ones like the star and the stream and blades of grass? The blessed ones who, following Krishna and Christ and Buddha and Chaitanya, dare to dream of Love and Beauty and dare to tell their dream? Where, oh where, are the little ones?
DECEMBER 2017
EAST AND WEST SERIES
12
REVOLUTIONARY TRANSITION SADHU VASWANI
Life is not static. Life means re-adjustments. Life means adaptation. The present is a time of transition — revolutionary transition. Civilisation is shifting (1) from the rural to the technical, (2) from the sentimental to the mental, (3) from the speculative to the practical. (1) An important feature of the modern world is its technical transformation. It is rapidly changing the East also. The machine has entered Asian lands. The machine is responsible for the greatest revolution in modern times. I recognise the evils of industrialism. I plead for the deeper values of life developed through fellowship with nature.
Yet I submit that the machine cannot be ignored. It is an expression of the Time-spirit. You must ride on it to new victories of life, new victories of the Spirit. Subordinate the machine to the Man. Let it not dominate for the greed of the godless and exploitation of the weak. Respect the machine and use it for the service of the nation. Therefore study science. Bands of young men studying science can do not a little to serve India. (2) Civilisation, is shifting from the sentimental to the mental. There is a growing desire to understand, not to accept on authority; creeds, scriptures, traditions are being questioned as seldom before in the history of
DECEMBER 2017
EAST AND WEST SERIES
the race. And religion must meet the challenge of new criticism. Don’t be afraid of asking questions. Be critical. Criticism, too, is of the Spirit. Only see that you don’t confound criticism with cynicism. The critic has faith in Reason, faith in Life. The cynic despairs of life and the universe. Criticism goes hand in hand with rational appreciation. Yet another mark of the new intellect for which I plead is its effort to relate, coordinate, bind, unify. What do we find today? The intellect of so many of the educated is disintegrating, making them alien in dress and diet, in thought and aspiration from the great mass. This education is a cult of separation. A new intellect striving for new integrations, for new and higher points of contact and fellowship with the mass must we develop. Matthew Arnold spoke words of wisdom when he said: “Culture unites.” Does our culture unite us with the masses — with the poor?— with the new life of the nation?— with the new life of humanity? (3) Civilisation is shifting from the speculative to the practical. The age calls for new pragmatic minds, new scientific minds, new practical minds that will think and act in terms of life and its demands. The age has turned away from speculative theology to pragmatic constructions and practical service. There is a new emphasis today on action. Hence the value of biographies of men of action. And in this
13
connection I may specially mention the names of 12 great men — men of shakti. Lenin is at the fore-front. His creed is not mine. But I salute him as the greatest man of action in the modern age. Then there is Mussolini, the Builder of New Italy. There is Masaryk, President of Czechoslovakia: he is, perhaps, the greatest Statesman of today. I should mention, too, Abraham Lincoln — a man of the ages. Among the great Asians who have been dynamic — men of shakti — may be mentioned Kemal Pasha of Turkey, Zaghlul Pasha of Egypt, Sun Yat Sen the father of Chinese Revolution, Mahatma Gandhi, Ram Mohan Roy, Keshub, Dayanand and Vivekananda. Shakti, more shakti, is the note of the new age. Long have we suffered from a cult of softness. Be strong! Relate your education to action. Action flowers in service of the poor. Strength flowers into sacrifice. Truly sang the young patriotpoet of Ireland: “For this have I heard in my heart that a man shall scatter, not hoard.” Life can hold no higher privilege than this — to be scattered and spent in sacrifice. The message of the ancient Rishis is the message of Sacrifice. The eternal in human history is the flame of sacrifice. And India will achieve her mission through sons and daughters of sacrifice.
DECEMBER 2017
EAST AND WEST SERIES
21
THE CALL OF
COMPASSION
BROTHERHOOD OF LIFE
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.
ONE ACT OF PURE LOVE If a man lives a hundred years, and engages the whole of his time and attention in religious offerings to the gods, sacrificing elephants and horses and other things, all this is not equal to one act of pure love in saving life. — Dhammapada
— Sadhu Vaswani WHEREIN DOES RELIGION CONSIST?
MAN’S DUTIES TO THE ANIMAL WORLD
Wherein does religion consist? It consists in doing as little harm as possible, in doing good in abundance, in the practice of love, of compassion, of truthfulness and purity, in all the walks of life.
In our relations to the animal kingdom, a duty arises which all thoughtful and compassionate minds should recognise— the duty that, because we are stronger in mind than the animals, we are, or ought to be, their guardians and helpers, not their tyrants and oppressors.
— Ashoka’s Edicts
— Annie Beasant
DECEMBER 2017
EAST AND WEST SERIES
THE DEMAND FOR FLESH FOODS Do you help to create this demand? If so, it is possible you do not realise all that it entails— a living creature capable of feeling pain, pleasure, joy, fright, terror and even the pleasure of family life. If you consume bacon, beef, mutton, chicken, rabbit or even fish— do you realise a fellow creature has had to be actually killed before you can have your portion of flesh, however small? If you eat flesh food, could you catch and kill the animal yourself? The majority of people would not, and could not, yet it means condemning thousands of fellow-men to be continually engaged upon this terrible task of killing. If you get another to kill for you, you cannot shelve the responsibility. You are responsible for the taking of life, the same as though you had used the gun or knife yourself. All who use flesh foods are the actual killers. The slaughter of millions of animals annually for eating does not come under the category of mercy killing, because man does not require flesh foods to sustain his body. Humane, nutritious health foods in plenty can be obtained. What then shall we
22
eat? And God said: “Behold! I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat.” All cereals, fruits, vegetables, nut foods (raw or cooked), from which delicious soups and roasts can be made, whole meal breads, sweets and beverages in plenty. The earth provides delicious nutritious foods in abundance. — Alfred Brisco ARE NOT THE BIRDS YOUR BROTHERS? The father of a boy complained to Sadhu Vaswani: “My son wants me to get him a gun that he may shoot birds.” Sadhu Vaswani said to the boy: “My child! are not the birds your brothers?” With a puzzled look, the boy said: “How can the birds be my brothers?” Then with an air of self-importance, he added: “I am a person!” And Sadhu Vaswani said: “You say you are a ‘person’. Beneath your ‘persona,’ ‘mask’ you hide the Hidden Self. Forget not, my child! that beasts in the field and birds on wings are, also, ‘persons’. They, too, hide beneath their masks the One Hidden Life.” — J. P. Vaswani
DECEMBER 2017
EAST AND WEST SERIES
29
THE STORY OF DURGA CHARAN NAG J. P. VASWANI
Not many of you may have heard the name of Durga Charan Nag: he was a devotee of Sri Ramakrishna Paramahansa. He is also known as Nag Mahasaya. Mahasaya means a great soul and Durga Charan Nag was truly a great and noble soul. He was born on August 18, 1846, in a small village in far-off East Bengal, which now forms part of Bangladesh. The watch-word of his life was service. He served in a quiet way. He aspired to live a hidden life in the Hidden God. Shri Durga Charan Nag served silently, without any thought of reward. He served the sick and the poor and asked for nothing in return. In his mind there was a desire for only one thing — to behold the radiant form of his Gurudev. To him every sick and needy person was a picture of his Gurudev. He served with a prayer that his service might be accepted at the feet of the Guru. In Calcutta, there were many rich people. One of the wealthy families was that of the Pals. They regarded Durga Charan Nag as their family doctor. One
day, a female member of the family, contracted cholera. Durga Charan Nag gave her several medicines, but they had no effect on her. The family called in Dr. Bhaduri for consultation. He was told concerning the medicines prescribed by Dr. Durga Charan and he said, “The medicines that Durga Charan Nag has prescribed are perfect. Please continue with the same medication.” Durga Charan Nag continued to treat the woman with determination and, by God’s Grace, she recovered fully. Now, the rich family, to express their gratitude towards Dr. Durga Charan Nag, presented him with a silver box filled with money. But, he said, “The medicines I gave cost so little: I cannot accept this gift.” He refused to accept the silver box. The family felt that the doctor had found the amount insufficient. So they added more money to the box and once again offered it to him. Durga Charan Nag once again refused to accept it. When the father heard of this, he was livid with rage. He said, “I work from morning till night for
*December 27 is sacred to Shri Durga Charan Nag.
DECEMBER 2017
EAST AND WEST SERIES
a mere pittance. And when you are being given so much money, how can you refuse to accept it? You are absolutely stupid.” Durga Charan Nag calmly replied, “Father, I want to remain stupid — for I cannot sell myself for the sake of money.” Durga Charan Nag was fortunate in having a wife like Sharatkamini. She understood her husband and his aspirations: she encouraged him to walk on the Path of Truth and Compassion. Compassion was the one ideal very dear to his heart. He never harmed an insect. When he walked, he was always vigilant lest he stepped on an ant or a worm. Once he bought from a fisherman a large basket of live fish and immediately released them in the waters of the lake. As the fish leapt in the waters, his heart danced like a wave on the surface of an ocean. He did not wish even to pluck a leaf. Once a cluster of branches damaged the wall of his cottage. Someone offered to cut the branches but he said, “Is it fair to destroy something that you cannot create?” On another occasion, a cobra appeared in his courtyard. Fearing it would bite and harm someone, the neighbours wanted to kill it. Immediately Durga Charan Nag said, “It is not this cobra, but the cobra of the mind that harms and damages our life.” Then folding his hands, he spoke lovingly to the cobra. “O dear one, your abode, your home is in the forest. Go back and live there and leave this humble abode for us!” Amazingly, the
30
cobra retraced its steps and left for the forest. Seeing the cobra returning to the forest, Durga Charan Nag said, “If you do not harm anyone, no one will harm you.” Within him was a deep desire to attain to God-realisation. This desire to realise God did not allow him to rest. He longed to be shown the Way. He came into contact with Sri Ramakrishna Paramahansa at last. The disciple found his Guru and the journey to God began. And he beheld the vision of the Lord in the poor and the sick. He served them sincerely with all he had, with his medical expertise, his compassion, his little wealth, his physical and emotional support. In the evening, when he returned home, his pockets would be empty. Many nights he would have nothing to eat. To fill his stomach, he would just eat some puffed rice. But he was happy, for he had the realisation that we have not come to this earth to earn wealth, but to attain to the Lord, to know our true Self, to serve the poor and the sick and thus earn their blessings. Durga Charan Nag passed away on December 27, 1899. Two days before his death, he said, “Sri Ramakrishna has come to take me!” Yes, Sri Ramakrishna came to receive his dear, devoted disciple, Durga Charan Nag. He passed away gazing at the Master’s beautiful picture and chanting His Holy Name! Homage to this simple pilgrim of the Little Way!
DECEMBER 2017
EAST AND WEST SERIES
31
Simple Rules Of Health THE CONSTITUENTS OF FOOD Raw food contains optimum amounts of the essential nutrients of food — proteins, carbohydrates, fats, minerals and vitamins. Natural foods contain all the nutritive essentials the body requires. I. Proteins: Proteins are fuel and energy and building foods that rebuild the wear and tear of the tissues. The protein foods are — fruits as olives, avocados; nuts as almonds, walnuts, cashew nuts; grains of all kinds; legumes as beans, peas, lentils, peanuts; animal products as milk. II. Carbohydrates: Carbohydrates (starches and sugars) are fuel and energy foods that supply heat and energy to the body. The carbohydrate foods are — fruits as bananas, all sweet fruits; tubers as potatoes, sweet potatoes, carrots, parsnips; nuts as chestnuts, cocoa nuts; legumes as beans, peas, peanuts; all grains. III. Fats: Fats are fuel and energy foods that replace the worn-out tissues of the body. The fat foods are — fruits as olives, avocados; nuts of all varieties; legumes as peanuts, soy beans; dairy products as milk, butter. IV. Minerals: Minerals are building foods that repair the worn-out tissues, and regulators of body processes. The essential mineral salts are:
1. Calcium: Tone-Builder in the Body: The chief sources of supply are: apricots, dates, figs, lemons oranges, prunes; cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, celery, lettuce, spinach, tomatoes, watercress; almonds, cocoa-nut ; whole wheat; milk. 2. Chlorine: Cleanser in the Body: The chief sources of supply are: bananas, dates, mangoes, pineapple, raisins; beets, cabbage, lettuce, radishes, spinach, tomatoes; coconut; milk. 3. Flourine: Disease Resister and Beautifier in the Body: The chief sources of supply are: olives; beets, brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, spinach, tomatoes, watercress; milk. 4. Iodine: Metabolism Normalizer in the Body: The chief sources of supply are: apple skins, grapes, pears, pineapple; cabbage, carrots, lettuce, parsley, potato skin, spinach, tomatoes, watercress; sea foods. 5. Iron: Catalyst and Oxidizer in the Body: The chief sources of supply are: dates, figs, prunes, raisins, watermelon; lettuce, spinach; almonds, walnuts; whole wheat. 6. Magnesium: New Cell Promoter in the Body: The chief sources of supply are: apples, bananas, figs, oranges, watermelons; lettuce, spinach,
DECEMBER 2017
EAST AND WEST SERIES
tomatoes; almonds, coconut, walnuts; wheat; milk 7. Manganese: Nerves Controller in the Body: The chief sources of supply are: mint, parsley, watercress; almonds, walnuts. 8. Phosphorus: Body and Nerve Builder in the Body: The chief sources of supply are: dates, figs, grapes, oranges; carrots, cucumbers, lettuce, spinach; almonds, coconut, walnuts; wheat, yellow corn, milk. 9. Potassium — Healer in the Body: The chief sources of supply are: bananas, grapes, mangoes, oranges; cucumbers, lettuce, potato skin, tomatoes; almonds, coconut. 10. Silicon: Surgeon in the Body: The chief sources of supply are: apples, bananas, figs, prunes, watermelons; cabbage, cucumbers, lettuce, spinach, tomatoes; almonds, walnuts; barley, oats. 11. Sodium: Youth Maintainer in the Body: The chief sources of supply are: apples, bananas, figs; beets, carrots, cucumbers, pumpkins; coconut. 12. Sulphur: Purifier and Activator in the Body: The chief sources of supply are: pineapple cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, celery, radishes and spinach. V. Vitamins: Vitamins are present in all natural foods and are connected with the processes of life and growth. The vitamin content of foods is reduced by storage, marketing and cooking. The full value of vitamins is obtained only by eating foods in the fresh, raw state. The essential vitamins are:
32
1. Vitamin A: Anti-opthalmic Vitamin: The foods rich in Vitamin A are: bananas, mangoes, melons, oranges, papaya, pineapple, prunes; brussels sprouts, cabbage, carrots, celery, lettuce, parsley, peas, spinach, sweet potatoes, tomatoes; sprouted grains, yellow corn; milk and butter. 2. Vitamin B: Anti-neuritic Vitamin: The foods rich in Vitamin B are: apples, bananas, dates, grapes, melons, oranges, papaya, pineapple; cabbage, carrots, lettuce, spinach, tomatoes; almonds, walnuts; whole grain cereals and milk. 3. Vitamin C: Anti-scorbutic Vitamin: The foods rich in Vitamin C are: apples, bananas, grapefruit, lemons, limes, melons, oranges, pineapple; cabbage, carrots, cucumbers, potatoes, spinach, tomatoes; sprouted grains and milk. 4. Vitamin D: Anti-rachitic or Sunshine Vitamin: The foods rich in Vitamin D are: raw fruits; green leafy vegetables, lettuce, spinach; milk, butter; exposure of naked skin to sunlight. 5. Vitamin E — Anti-sterility Vitamin; The foods rich in Vitamin E are: raw fruits; green and leafy vegetables, lettuce, spinach, watercress; whole grain cereals, yellow corn; almonds and milk. 6. Vitamin F: Growth Promoting Vitamin: The foods rich in Vitamin F are: oranges; carrots, spinach; coconut; milk and butter. 7. Vitamin G (B2) — Antipellagric Vitamin: The foods rich in Vitamin G are: apples, bananas, oranges, prunes; lettuce, spinach, tomatoes, watercress; whole wheat and milk.
DECEMBER 2017
EAST AND WEST SERIES
Children’s Corner Animal Crossword Fill in the correct names in the numbered circles.
34
DECEMBER 2017
EAST AND WEST SERIES
35
Word Building Are you a good detective? Sentences offer a clue to a short word. The same word placed after the letter M will make a new word. The first two are done for you: Take your choice. You may choose any. The opposite of few is many. 1. Some folks write with pen and __ __ __ 2. A weasel’s cousin is a __ __ __ __ 3. A question is something that you __ __ __ 4. At Halloween you wear a __ __ __ __ 5. The final chapter is the __ __ __ 6. To patch or repair means to __ __ __ __ For Experts Only: 1. To help someone means give them __ __ __ 2. A lady servant is a __ __ __ __ 3. A kind of houseboat is an __ __ __ 4. A report card grade is called a __ __ __ __
Add to One By yourself
___one
Part of the body
___one
Holds a scoop of ice cream
___one
Only me
___one
Not any
___one
Corn bread
___one
Musical sound
___one
Answers: Animal Crossword: Across: 3. bird, 4. crayfish, 6. beaver, 9. turtle. Down: 1. fish, 2. toad, 4. clam, 5. snake, 6. bat, 7. rat, 8. bug. Word building: ink, mink, ask, mask, end, mend; For experts only: aid, maid, ark, mark. Add to One: alone, bone, cone, lone, none, pone, tone.
DECEMBER 2017
EAST AND WEST SERIES
36
Laugh Your Way To Health
A Confectioner asks an Employment Bureau for a Counter Sales girl. The man asks, “Do you require any particular qualification?” “Yes, she should be a diabetic.” *** Marriage is like a pack of cards. When you are courting, it’s Hearts, when you are engaged, it’s Diamonds, after marriage it’s Clubs and at the end of it all, it’s Spades! *** Doctor: Nothing but an operation will save your life. Patient: And how much will an operation cost? Doctor: About five hundred rupees. Patient: But I have only a hundred rupees. Doctor: In that case let us see what pills will do. *** “Could the doctor see me first…I’ve just swallowed a hand grenade!” ***
“Doctor gave me some pills yesterday to improve my memory.” “So?” “So I forgot to take them.” *** “Doctor, my family thinks I need your help because I like cotton socks.” “What’s wrong with that? I like cotton socks myself.” “You do? Wonderful! How do you like yours, with oil and vinegar or just a squeeze of lemon?” *** A woman had always heard that children who eat earth lacked some important item in their diet, so when her twoyear-old began consuming great quantities of it, she asked her doctor if the earth-eating indicated a lack of something. The answer was: “Yes, very definitely – lack of supervision.” ***
DECEMBER 2017
EAST AND WEST SERIES
A television announcer, never at a loss for words, once had the task of explaining to a large banquet audience that a slight hitch had developed in the proceedings. “Ladies and gentlemen,” he intoned, “the guest of honour this evening needs no introduction – he didn’t turn up.” *** Recently a teen-age boy was rushed into the hospital with appendicitis. Surgery had been scheduled, so the nurses were puzzled when they heard the boy’s mother ask the surgeon if there was a barber in the hospital. “Why do you want to know?” he asked. “I thought,” she replied, “that we might as well get his hair cut while he’s under the anaesthetic!” *** A reporter who was not very strong in the English language consulted a dictionary to find that ‘Pregnant’ means carrying a child. Later on, reporting on the scene of a burning house he said very idiomatically, “The house was on fire; the fireman went upstairs and came back ‘Pregnant’!” *** An indignant politician rang The Indian Express and asked “Did your paper say that I was a liar and a scoundrel?” “No, sir,” offered the desk editor. “It must have been the Times. We never print stale news.” ***
37
A hat was passed around in church to collect money for a visiting preacher. The hat came back embarrassingly empty. The preacher took the hat, observed its emptiness, slowly looked up, and said: “I thank thee, dear Lord, that I got my hat back from this congregation.” *** “And I suppose this is modern art I’m looking at?” “No, that’s a mirror.” *** Bill: How did you lose your health? Will: I keep drinking to the health of others! *** “And you say that Ramesh was cured of insomnia by suggestion?” “Yes, purely suggestion. His wife suggested that since he could not sleep, he might as well sit up and amuse the baby. It worked.” *** Husband: Too much expenses this month? Wife: You check the details... 3000 - Milk 900 - g.k.w.i.w. 4500 - veggies 1100 - g.k.w.i.w. 1800 - washerman 500 - g.k.w.i.w. 3500 - maid 800 - g.k.w.i.w. 6000 - grocery 1500 - g.k.w.i.w. Hunsband: What is this g.k.w.i.w.? Wife: God knows where it went!
DECEMBER 2017
EAST AND WEST SERIES
Recipes For The Month
38
adding very little water. • Refrigerate for 10 minutes. • Divide dough into equal portions. • Roll each portion into a thick chapati. • Fry on tawa with little ghee. • Cut into 4 pieces. • Serve hot with pickle or curd. SPECIAL METHI PARATHA
PUNJABI STUFFED PARATHA Ingredients: Whole wheat flour..........................1 cup (100 gms) Gram flour (besan).........................1 cup (100 gms) Sooji (rawa)....................................................2 tbsp Onion, chopped................................................1 tsp Potatoes, boiled and mashed................................ 2 Paneer, crumbled............................................4 tbsp Coriander, chopped.........................................2 tbsp Cauliflower, grated.........................................4 tbsp Green chilli, chopped......................................1 tbsp Kasuri methi...................................................2 tbsp Red chilli powder..............................................1 tsp Dry mango powder...........................................1 tsp Saunf powder...................................................1 tsp Garam masala..................................................1 tsp Cumin powder..................................................1 tsp Melted ghee......................................................2 tsp Salt...............................................................to taste Ghee......................................................... for frying Method: • Mix all the ingredients together and make a dough, little harder than chapati dough by
Ingredients: Fenugreek leaves (methi), washed, drained and finely chopped.............................1 cup Whole wheat flour..........................1 cup (100 gms) Gram flour......................................1 cup (100 gms) Coriander powder........................................... ½ tsp Red chilli powder............................................ ½ tsp Cumin seed powder........................................ ¼ tsp Turmeric powder............................................. ¼ tsp Asafetida (optional)....................................... ¼ tsp Sugar.............................................................. ¼ tsp Lime juice.........................................................1 tsp Oil, for kneading............................................2 tbsp Salt...............................................................to taste Oil............................................................. for frying Method: • Mix the wheat and gram flour, salt and all the dry spice powders. • Dissolve the asafetida and the sugar in a spoonful of water and add to the flour mixture. • Add 2 tbsp oil, and the finely cut methi leaves. • Knead well with sufficient water and divide into 8 balls. • Roll each portion into a round chapati, spread oil, and fold into crescent. Apply oil and refold into cone and roll out into a triangular shape. • Fry on tawa with oil. • Serve hot with pickle or curd. TWO IN ONE PARATHA Ingredients: Wheat flour...............................250 gms (2 ½ cups) Melted ghee....................................................1 tbsp Salt...................................................................1 tsp For the Peas Filling: Peas, boiled and coarsely mashed...................1 cup Garam masala..................................................1 tsp Dry mango powder......................................... ½ tsp
DECEMBER 2017
EAST AND WEST SERIES
Cumin seeds.................................................... ½ tsp Oil...................................................................1 tbsp Salt...............................................................to taste For the Paneer Filling: Paneer, grated............................................200 gms Coriander, chopped.........................................2 tbsp Green chillies, chopped.......................................... 2 Red chilli powder............................................ ½ tsp Dry mango powder......................................... ½ tsp Garam masala..................................................1 tsp Salt...............................................................to taste For the Fillings: • Mix all the ingredients for the paneer filling and keep aside. • Heat 1 tbsp oil in a pan and fry the cumin seeds. • When it starts crackling, add peas and all other masalas for the peas filling. • Fry for 2-3 minutes, till moisture is absorbed. • VARIATION: Instead of the peas filling grated cauliflower or boiled potatoes can be used. Method: • Knead the flour with ghee and salt into a soft dough. • Divide the dough into similar sized balls around 12-15 in number. • Roll 3 balls into 3 small chapatis. • On the first chapati, spread the paneer filling. • Cover with the second chapati. • Spread the peas filling over it. • Cover with the third chapati and seal the edges with the fingers. • Roll gently into a bigger paratha. • Fry on the tawa with ghee till crisp on both sides. • Repeat the procedure with the remaining dough. • Cut the paratha into 4 pieces. • Serve hot with curd or pickle. HARA BHARA PARATHA Ingredients: Wheat flour......................................................1 cup Maize flour.................................................. 3/4 cup Melted ghee......................................................1 tsp Spinach leaves, pureed together....................½ cup Mint leaves................................................... ¼ tbsp Coriander leaves.............................................½ cup Fenugreek leaves...........................................¼ cup
39
Red chilli powder/green chilli chopped............2 tsp Garam masala..................................................1 tsp Salt...............................................................to taste Ghee............................................ for shallow frying Method: • Mix both the flours with salt. • Add all the dry masalas and melted ghee. • Add the pureed greens. • Make a soft firm dough without using any water. • Divide into equal portions. Roll out each portion into a small thick chapatti. • Fry on tawa with ghee. • *Serve hot with curd or pickle. PAPAD PARATHA Ingredients: For the Dough: Whole wheat flour....................2 ½ cups (250 gms) Melted ghee....................................................1 tbsp Salt...............................................................to taste For the Filling: Big sized papads.................................................... 6 Large onion, finely chopped.................................. 1 Coriander, chopped...........................................2 tsp Green chilli, finely chopped................................... 1 Lime juice.................................................few drops (One papad is required for one paratha) Method: • Make a dough of rolling consistency with wheat flour, salt and ghee. • Roast or fry the papads. Crush them into tiny bits and keep aside. • Mix the remaining ingredients of the filling and keep aside. • Now, divide the dough into 12 equal portions. • Roll out 2 portions into 2 small chapatis. Place crushed pieces of 1 papad and a little of the onion mixture on one of the chapatis. • Cover with the second chapati. • Seal the sides well and roll again into a bigger chapati. • Repeat the same procedure for the remaining dough. • Cook on hot tawa, applying ghee on both sides, until crisp. • Serve hot with curd or pickle.
East And West Series
Since 1954 A Monthly Journal for Self-improvement, Self-knowledge, Self-realisation
Annual Subscription In India: Rs.100/Outside India: Snail Mail: $ 10 or ÂŁ 7.50 Air Mail: $ 20.00 or ÂŁ 15 Contact: East And West Series 10, Sadhu Vaswani Path, Pune - 411 001, (India). Tel: 020-40064450 Email: eastandwestseries@sadhuvaswani.org
You may subscribe by sending a demand draft (DD), money order, cheque at par or through our online website www.dadavaswanisbooks.org