The Meet

This is dedicated to all the co-bloggers, writing about various stuff and sharing it with the world.




About 500 years ago Goswami Tulsidasji  spoke about this vast number and variety of living beings present in our universe and saluted all of them -

                 आकर  चारि   लाख  चौरासी  I जाति जीव जल थल नभ बासी II 
                 सीय राममय सब जग जानी I करउ  प्रनाम  जोरि  जुग पानी   II
                                                                                   [Bala-kanda II7II ]
Eighty-four lakhs spices of living beings, under four broad divisions are present in this universe. Seeing Sita and Rama in all of this creation, i humbly bow to them.

Went to IndiBlogger's meet, precisely, to meet this huge and varied community of writers / bloggers, who share their journeys, through the electronic media. Actually it was a collaboration with Dance India dance, season 4, a popular reality show on T.V. So we were supposed to DanceItOut for our cause (our blog!).

Some may wonder,"Self-development and spirituality is what your blog is based on, isn't it?,  then how come all this dancze-shance? ".
Well, just because my blog is about spirituality, we (me and my blog) don't have to be sad, gloomy & out and out boring. On the contrary, we are fun loving, interesting and happy creatures (most of the time). 

Laughter and Fun is part of growing up; i have logical reasons to back my point :
∞ Laughing Buddha came into existence due to some people who made spirituality such a serious and boring stuff . It 's a reminder for us to loosen up. The world is not coming to an end, at least not anywhere soon! 

∞ Human spices is the only creation of God who can really laugh; proves that God wanted laughter and fun to be a major part of our life.

∞ Self-development is about knowing your true nature, its a path which takes you within. And  the path is as important as the goal, so enjoy it! Nobody said there is a short cut for serious and grievous travelers. 

Sincerity and fun are not contradictory: One could make learning into fun and today's education is seeing the advantage of this. Also scientifically its proven that the human brain can focus only to a limit, it ranges from 15-20 minutes, at one go. After than it needs a break or some variation to keep it focused.  

Coming back to the meet: I was amazed to see the young crowd. Some of them had traveled from neighboring cities to participate in the meet. All were excited and enthusiasm could be seen on their faces; many were first timers, like me.
I'm not going into judgment about their written stuff. All these young bloggers are using the new age technology to have their voices heard, in what ever field it may be and that's encouraging.  

Couple of years ago a 70 year old man , Anna Hazare, had the courage to stand up and speak against the corruption in the country. Since then thousands came out to join him. That's encouraging.

One young woman, Nirbhaya case, had the courage to report about her physical abuse by few devils ( yes, that's what i call them), although she did not survive to see them punished. But many girls have found voice from her example and stand up against this rampant crime. That's encouraging.

"Be the change that you wish to see in the world ", Mahatma Gandhi had said.
That is exactly what writers try to do, through their words, either on paper or the net. No matter what language one may be using to express one's views. Important part is - we talk about our experiences, our opinions, our suggestions and share them. This way serving the country and society in our own 'small' way.

So full thums-up to this new generation of bloggers... Go for it, the future is yours.

                                                              Ж


   Master says: जीवन ही साधनां हो.  
                          Let life itself be a sadhana (discipline).

Changing Times

Times are changing fast and so is the matrix in relationships. This includes the whole spectrum- from marriage to religion.

Marriage: Just read about Brad Pitt and Agelina Jolie signing their pre-nuptial agreement which safe guards their individual wealth in case of split in future. This is quite a common feature in the western societies nowadays.  However, such marital agreements are not usual in the Indian subcontinent as yet. But don’t be a surprised if very soon we hear of these things in our good old country too. Can't blame anybody, as the institution of marriage is seeing difficult times. All individuals want to safe guard their interest and rightly so.

Religion: The other such change is seen in the world of religion. I must confess of taking the liberty of adopting the worldview and nomenclature to term 'Sanatan Dharma' as Hindu religion in the narrow sense. 
The word closely connected with religion is, Guru. Unfortunately it has been so abused and misused in today's world, that the very word makes people skeptical. All you get is raised eye brows, frowns and smear at the mere mention of the word, GURU. Ironically, this very word is meant to stand for spirituality, purity and bliss. 
In fact, the change had started to take place way back, somewhere in the medieval period. During Tulsidaji's times, the term SADGURU had to be used to distinguish between the real and fake Guru's. 

Ramcharit Manas, speaks about this in very clear manner.  We see two such deceitful and phony characters, posing as sages and trying to act as Gurus; one in Bal kanda and the other in Lanka kanda.
In the first kanda we see King Pratapbhanu, who is a powerful and well loved ruler. Once, while roaming in the dense forest running after his hunt, the king looses his way. There he saw a heritage where a fraudulent lived acting as a great sage. The king falls in the trap of this Kapat muni, a false anchorite.

               फिरत बिपिन आश्रम एक देखा I तह बस नृपति कपट मुनिबेषा II 
                                                                         [ Bala-Kanda II157II ]

Although wise, Pratapbhanu couldn't see through the evil sage who promised to take complete care of the king. His faith and surrender in this fake Guru finally leads to the fall of not only his kingdom but of his entire clan.

The second example is from Lanka kanda where Kalanemi a demon ally of Ravana, took the deceitful garb of a hermit to misguide Hanumana. 
Tired and fatigued, seeing the beautiful ashram of kalanemi, Hanumana thought of resting there for a while and quenching his thirst. 

             मारुतसुत देखा सुभ आश्रम  I मुनिहि बुझि जल पियै जाइ श्रम II 
             राच्छस कपट बेष तह सोहा I मायापति दुतहि चह मोहा II 
                                                                        [ Lanka-Kanda II56II ]           
             
Hanumana, the Bhuddhi mataam varishtham, the very embodiement of intelligence, was  of course too smart to be caught in the trap of Kalanemi. Finally, in one twist of his strong tail Mahabir knocks the impostor down.  



Caution: Sadly this is so true in our present times too. The faith of people is being shaken up and for very obvious reasons. It's hard time for upholding the true dharma.  
Logic says, caution is the word and the remedy. Taking the example of Hanumana, its time to slay the demons acting as spiritual and religious guides. And its encouraging to see that happening .    

                                                      Ж

Master - सद्गुरु सत्य रूपी तप से भरा होता है              
            SadGuru is one who is brimming with penance of truth.
                                                                                                           

       

                                                                                                        

MA

                                     

Sanatana dharma (more famously known as Hinduism ) has always given immense significance to the mother or rather the feminine aspect of Godhood.

Right from the Vedas, the highest authority in Hinduism, the mother aspect is revered. 

The most important mantra in the Vedas is the Gayatri mantra. 

Gayatri

                                                                                                  

Goddess Gayatri is called the " Veda-Mata" or the Mother of the Vedas.

The worship of the feminine principle of the Universe in the form of motherhood is called for. The Upanishads say -" Matru Devo Bhava...." Let thy mother be thy God.

Manu smriti says, where women are honoured, there the Gods are pleased. Where they are not honoured , there no sacred rite is fruitful. 

Tulsidasji has called Ram Katha as kalika:
   
                       महामोहु महिषेसु बिसाला I रामकथा कालिका कराला "
                                                                       [Bala-kanda II43II ]

Appalling ignorance is the gigantic demon Mahisasur and Ram katha is the dread Kalika to destroy and slay it.   

                               

It is the primordial cosmic energy which is the Adya Shakti, the creative power. The sages call her simply as ' Devi '. The three main aspects of this creative power are - 
                                    Durga , Lakshmi , Saraswati.  

                                 

During the nine days of Navaratri these three aspects of Devi are worshiped systematically.  The first three days are for cleaning up and slaying all that is impure. This includes all the wrong selfish tendencies in ourselves. When Ma has helped us clean our antakarna, then she blesses us. Lakshmi showers good fortune and wealth. During the last three days Saraswati is worshiped. She is the one who helps manifest good, pure and noble qualities in us. 

So in a every organised and methodical way, Ma destroys, nurtures and creates. 

                                                        ж

Master says- यह जगत बंधन नहीं , यदि जीना आता हो तो यह जगत जीवंत मोक्ष है   

                 As Ma has created this Universe, this world as her son can't be bad, only if we know how to, Live. 

      

                                        

                                       

                                            

This is first hand learning...

           


                                                            LEARN                                             

         

            

Time  - 24 x 7

Place - anywhere / everywhere

Book - Awareness  

Tool  - positive attitude

Learning has no age and no particular way. What we need is- to be willing, open and adaptable, under ALL circumstances.

Travelling with katha is tremendous learning, always original and full of practical applications. Let me show you how.....


katha at Pipavav , a small town
accommodation - a tent, under the open sky

Learned the lesson of community living. Hardship teaches endurance, but this does not mean suffering.
Now i can sleep under the sky with the minimum requirements. Like, only a small pocket mirror to get ready, share the public conveniences with a group of people, with varied age and backgrounds. Living in this small village, buying the daily requirements from the village shop, going to the community temple and attending katha. 
Just being one among the thousand gathered there. A minuscule in the vast ocean of humanity. I could never imagine i could stay this way. The safaris in Africa and the Himalayan trips which i had done in the past were also frilled with luxury, which included 5 star tents. But to experience true life, hotels don't help! One needs to go out and be with the people, the common man. 

I come back home and bring with me memories of a washing soap which was locally made and cost only Rs.5 ( yes, that's right! a big detergent cake that cheap). I tell my parents," Ma we don't have to buy that expensive detergent, the inexpensive variety is as good if not more". The small village life was self-sufficient in itself and i understood why Gandhi Bapu put so much stress on gram udyog (village industry).

                                                            ж

Katha at Mumbai, a cosmopolitan city
accommodation - a small flat, a loving family

I am staying with a family in a one room kitchen apartment. So we are 6 people in this small flat. Normally i would do anything to avoid such a situation, but somehow destiny played its part and i was stuck!

But the learning was great; the couple, the owners  were sweet and the katha avenue was close-by. We all share the house work including the cleaning and cooking. I experience something i thought i would never be able to do - share this small accommodation,  attend katha, do my writing, and very important- stay happy and satisfied after accepting the given situation.
I come back home and tell my father," you know what, i'll never fuss about our home. It is BIG and we are blessed.
                                 
                                                                ж


Katha at Gangtok (Sikkim), a beautiful hill city
accommodation- a hotel

Don't want to say much, just look at the pictures and let them speak for themselves. 
                                                       

view from the hotel road 

                                             

beautiful calm serene

                                     

valley view

                                 

a stadium right in the center

                                   

kanchenjunga mountain range 

                                           
All this beauty in our own country. Sikkim is one of the smallest state and least populated.
The people are as beautiful as the place. Beauty always touches the heart and teaches in its own silent ways. Fortunately a airport is coming up soon, so the connectivity with rest of the country will be very easy, in near future.


So when people ask, " You attend kathas, isn't it the same stuff all the time".
I reply, " It's never same. Each place something different, each day a new learning ."  
I'm learning, I'm evolving and I'm sharing.

                                                                         

                                                                  ж     

                                                           
Master says, अध्यात्म का सबसे बड़ा सूत्र  है ' स्वीकार ' !
                  Acceptance is the biggest thing in spirituality.