9 days of katha
! “And you try to go to as many as you
can?” someone asked me. Yes, I replied.
It’s very difficult to make people understand
‘why’, about the things which are close to our heart. Especially, when there is
no monetary benefit coming out of it. Most of us do not understand the point of
“following one’s heart”. Seeing someone actually doing it always brings skepticism
and speculations.
I state few
perceivable rewards below (the incomprehensible ones can't be put in words):-
A katha rejuvenates me: in the same way as a walk, a spa, a yoga session or a
short holiday break works for others. I get the benefit of all the above in one
katha. I get to see new places. Sitting for 3-4 hours, squatting down on the
floor (in typical Indian style) gives me what a yoga session does to others. Does
one stop, after one yoga class or after couple of days of morning walk? No, it
becomes a part of life.
Katha is part of my life now.
Katha is part of my life now.
Katha shows me the
real India : having grown up in a cosmopolitan
city, I would have never seen places like Hastinapur, Buxar, Gorakhpur , Umreth, besides many others. I certainly take more
pride in my own country and culture now. Of course, we need to do lots of improvement.
However, that’s another topic.
katha has taught me tolerance: towards people & situations / conditions. Traveling in
the remote corners of India
I have learnt to accept varied living conditions. My fussiness has been replaced
by gratitude,for the smallest things. A clean bed and bath is now a reason
enough to thank God!
Katha
changes the outlook towards life totally: the next job promotion, the next
pay hike, the new car… etc, does not remain the top priority. I feel like a gypsy
or a wandering Sadhu, in the caravan of this world. I am learning to cherish
each day as it comes.
In Buddhism, they say - Buddham sharanam gachami….
For me its: Sri Ramchandram
sharanam prapadhe;
Sri Ramdutam
sharanam prapadhe;
Sri Ramkatha sharanam
prapadhe.
۩
Master puts it in a beautiful
manner. He quotes a small incidence:
A vegetable vendor is sprinkling
water over his vegetables. When asked about it he replies, “I am sprinkling
water to keep my veggies fresh.”
Katha does the same
for us- it’s a sprinkle on our being, to keeps us fresh, day after day.
Master also calls it a mirror. Don’t
we all look in the mirror from time to time, to see ourselves?
He says katha acts like a mirror. We go to katha, to see if we’re doing fine. Ram Katha is a mirror to look into our own self.
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