A Small Vedic Hymn

Monday, 25 February 2019

A Small Vedic Hymn

The Speaking Tree | India | ET

By DEVENDRA UPPAL

The following is a very brief but powerful hymn from the Rig Veda, “Aum Avrikey Ksheshyanta”. Avrikey means the man who is above malice, lie (falsehood) or treachery. In other words, the person who is plain, truthful, simple, straight and pure in his thought and action is ‘avrikey’.

He is a person who is without any unnatural and unnecessary turn or twist in his thinking or conduct. Ksheshyanta means the God always resides or stays in the heart of such a man who is Avrikey.

Aman comes alone into this world. When he leaves this earthly existence, again, he exits alone. However, when God is with him, he enjoys all the benefits of being in a majority, even if he is secluded in this world or the next. Only a wakeful, modest, resolute, consistent, determined and watchful seeker can achieve the status of being ‘Avrikey’.

He should strive to be tolerant like a tree and humbler than dust, for this will help him to attune his conduct perfected with the practice of forgiveness. Politeness, forbearance, patience and restraint are the prerequisites to become Avrikey.

There should be no disagreement, within and without, in thought, speech or action. Accumulation and assimilation of these virtues takes the devotee on a fast track to liberation. The Vedas, so full of insight, say, “Prehi Prehi pathebhi purvaybhi” — Oincessant traveller, you may tread the worldly path with the help of eternal truth”.

As an ‘Avrikey’, the evolved person will savour the import of the sweet but powerful Vedic hymn, “Aum Avrikey Ksheshyanta”.

DISCLAIMER : Views expressed above are the author's own.

Quote form the True Charm and Power of Vedanta

By the “receptacle of works” is meant the sum total of Samskharas. Whatever work we do the mind is thrown into a wave , and after the work is finished we think the wave is gone. No it has only become fine, but it is still there. When we try to remember the work, it comes up again and becomes a wave. So it was there. If not , there would not have been memory. Thus every action every though, good or bad just goes down and becomes fine, and is thee stored up. Both happy and unhappy thoughts are called pain-bearing obstructions, because according to the Yogis, they in the long run , bring pain. All happiness which comes from the sense will, eventually bring pain. All enjoyment will make us thirst for more and that brings pain as its result. There is no limit to man’s desires , he goes on desiring  and when he comes to a point where desire cannot be fulfilled the result is pain. Therefore the Yogis regard the sum total of to impressions good or evil, as pain bearing obstructions, they obstruct the way to freedom of the Soul. Courtesy Rajyoga

 But, if He exists?

I drive joy There was a doctor in Benaras who spent 7 minutes in the morning and evening for mediation on God. Knowing this, his colleagues and friends laughed at him. One day they argued that he was wasting ten precious minutes on something, which he had been misled into believing. The doctor replied, “Well, if God does not exist, I agree that I am wasting ten minutes a day. But, if He exists? I am afraid you are wasting your entire lifetime. I prefer to waste ten minutes rather than a lifetime. Why should you grudge me the 10 minutes joy that I derive 4m.

ILLUSTRATED REVIEW : 7^th Heaven moment of the week in ISL Miku no 7 scored a goal,  Aus won first odi as 127/7 ,   

Virtues of Solitude

Monday, 18 February 2019

Virtues of Solitude

The Speaking Tree | Edit Page, India | ET

By AMITAVA BASU

Gregarious by nature, human beings need company to talk to, to intermingle and interact with one another. To be alone is, therefore, perceived as a curse, and so, solitary confinement is considered appropriate punishment for grave offenders of law.

In colonial India, solitary prison cells of the Cellular Jail in the Andaman Islands were reserved for freedom fighters (‘traitors’).

But the narrow, lonely cells failed to daunt their spirited inmates. On the contrary, the stunning isolation led prisoners to attain true realisation, strengthening them with vigour; they embraced death with asmile when condemned to the gallows.

The body is like a piece of attire that with death is shed as worn-out garments. Likewise, the embodied soul casts off worn-out bodies and enters into other, new ones. Nothing that you gain or earn is eternal; and nothing is in your control.

When revealing His Vishwaroop (world vision) on the battlefield of Kurukshetra, Krishna told Arjuna that he should not be depressed and sad at having to wage war with his kith and kin because their death had been destined to happen with Arjuna being a mere instrument.

There is a Supreme guiding force to whom you should surrender — lay your acts and deeds at the lotus feet of this Supreme Guide and be duty-bound without expecting reward or result.

The Bhagavad Gita says, “A stable mind is one which remains unperturbed amid joys and sorrows, is free from passion, fear and anger and is unattached to worldly pleasures.”

DISCLAIMER : Views expressed above are the author's own.

Quote from the True Charm and Power of Vedanta

As we unfold our spiritual consciousness, we think and live aright. Whatever approaches us we take at its proper valuation and not as it appears. Nothing can deceive us; therefore we do not labour for what is false and unreal. There are people who work faithfully, but they feel the burden of life because their effort does not bring the desired results. Whey is this? it is because their effort is to controlled by discrimination; it is not directed by a purpose that is definite and single. Single –heartedness doe snot come until we have the higher faculty of discrimination awakened within us . only then do we think consciously and we are not led away by passing fancies. If something arises that appeals to us and arouses our desire, we do not struggle to gain it without reflecting whether it will bring us a blessing or not. Courtesy Secret of right activity

  

 But, if He exists?

I drive joy There was a doctor in Benaras who spent 7 minutes in the morning and evening for mediation on God. Knowing this, his colleagues and friends laughed at him. One day they argued that he was wasting ten precious minutes on something, which he had been misled into believing. The doctor replied, “Well, if God does not exist, I agree that I am wasting ten minutes a day. But, if He exists? I am afraid you are wasting your entire lifetime. I prefer to waste ten minutes rather than a lifetime. Why should you grudge me the 10 minutes joy that I derive 4m.

ILLUSTRATED REVIEW : 7^th Heaven moment of the week in BBL cricket 1st Semi-Final, (N) at Hobart, Feb 14 2019

HH153/7

MS 157/4 (18.5/20 ov, target 154)

Melb Stars won (with 7 balls remaining)

,  In ISl Delhi no 9 scored a goal   

Be Conscious of the Divine

Monday, 11 February 2019

Be Conscious of the Divine

Times in The Speaking Tree , India | ET

By SWAMI CHIDVILASANANDA

Fearlessness is the first virtue Krishna commends to Arjuna in Chapter 16 of the Bhagavad Gita. Janeshwar Maharaj, the poet-saint of Maharashtra, commenting on this verse, says, “Of all the daiva sampatti, divine qualities, fearlessness holds the highest place.” Isn’t it true that a person commits most of his sins out of fear? Out of fear, a person keeps everyone at arm’s length. Don’t you tell lies out of fear? Fear has many different shades and connotations.

It thrives on misgivings. Spiritual practice weakens the hold fear exercises on our minds and helps strengthen our love for God. It reduces the mind’s agitation and encourages it to become strong.

To gather all the fruit, one needs to be persevering. Bhartrihari said in the Niti Shataka: for fear of obstacles, low-spirited people do not begin anything. Ordinary people begin things but stop when the first difficulties arise.

But the best of men, though repeatedly felled by adversities, do not abandon a noble undertaking. There are also ordinary fears.

For example, if you are teetering on the edge of a cliff, you experience fear of falling. Now that is a good, healthy fear. If you are cooking and the fire is burning very high, you fear to get too close. Overcoming fear does not mean getting rid of the reflexes of the body.

Poet-saint Krishnasuta wrote a bhajan about fear that says, “What fear could exist for one whose mind is dissolved in the bliss of divine consciousness?” The Vedas declare that all doubts dissolve when you realise the highest Truth, the divine Consciousness.

DISCLAIMER : Views expressed above are the author's own.

Quote from the True Charm and Power of Vedanta

Love of God

We accept God not because we really want Him, but because we have need of Him for selfish purposes . Love is something absolutely unselfish, that which has no thought beyond the glorification and adoration of the object upon which our affection are bestowed . It is a quality which bows down and worships and asks nothing in return. Merely to love in the sole request that true love has to ask.

It is said of a Hindu saint that when she was married. She said to her husband the king that she was already married. “To whom?” asked the king “To God” , was the reply. She went among the poor and the needy and taught the doctrine of extreme love for God. One of her prayers is significant showing the manner in which her heart was moved: “I ask not of wealth; I ask not for position: I ask not for salvation; place me in a hundred hells, if it be Thy wish, but let me continue to regard Thee as my Love” The early language abounds in beautiful prayers of this woman. When her end came, she entered into Samadhi on the banks of a river. She composed a beautiful song, in which she stated thee she was going to meet her beloved.

Men are capable of philosophical analysis of religion. A woman is devotional by nature and loves God form the heart and soul and not form the mind. The songs of Solomon are one of the most beautiful parts of the Bible. The language in them is much of that affectionate kind which is found in the prayers of the Hindu woman saint. And yet I have heard that Christians are going to have these incomparable songs removed. I have heard an explanation of the songs in which it is said that Solomon loved a young girl and desired her to return his royal affection. The girl, however, loved a young man and did not want to have anything to do with Solmon. This explanation is excellent to song people, because they cannot understand such wondrous love for God as is embodied in the songs. Love for God in India different from love for God elsewhere, because when you get into a country where the thermometer reads forty degrees below zero. The temperament of the people changes. The aspiration of the people in the climate where the books of the Bible are said to heave been written, were different from the aspiration of the cold-blooded Western nations, who are more apt to worship the almighty dollar with the warmth expressed in the songs than to worship God, love for God seems to be based upon a basis  of “What can I get out of it?” In their prayers they ask for all kinds of selfish things.

Curtsey Religion and its practice

 But, if He exists?

I drive joy There was a doctor in Benaras who spent 7 minutes in the morning and evening for mediation on God. Knowing this, his colleagues and friends laughed at him. One day they argued that he was wasting ten precious minutes on something, which he had been misled into believing. The doctor replied, “Well, if God does not exist, I agree that I am wasting ten minutes a day. But, if He exists? I am afraid you are wasting your entire lifetime. I prefer to waste ten minutes rather than a lifetime. Why should you grudge me the 10 minutes joy that I derive 4m.

ILLUSTRATED REVIEW : 7^th Heaven moment of the week in cricket India won second t20 by 7 wk,  In Epl son  no 7 scored a goal, starling no 7 scored two goals in NBA Gsw won by9 ,   

If Humans Disappeared

Monday, 04 February 2019

If Humans Disappeared

The Speaking Tree , India | ET

By CHAITANYA CHARAN DAS

 

Biologist E O Wilson, as well as other scientists, have studied the complex interdependence amongvarious species in the biosphere.

He found that every species makes a constructive contribution — small or great — to the ecology of the planet. For example, if vegetation decreases, herbivores suffer. And if the number of herbivores decreases, the carnivores are affected.

Wilson found that only the human species does not contribute to the ecology. If we became extinct, there would hardly be any problems for other species or for the ecology. In fact, most ecological problems would be solved if humans became extinct.

All scriptures say that human potential is fully realised when we contribute to the planet at the spiritual level. When we function only at the material level, our potential is underused and even misused.

The Bhagavata Maha Purana offers a mission statement, “Humans should function in the material realm only for maintaining existence, not for seeking enjoyment. For they will find real happiness only in spiritual realisation.” Normally, parents nurture children.

Similarly, in the cosmic family, God, the divine father, and Nature, the divine mother, maintain all living beings. And just as children live happily when they follow their parents, we too can flourish if we live in harmony with Nature and God.

When children shun the protective embrace of their parents, they are open to risk. When humans reject God’s protection and embrace materialism and consumerism instead, they experience stress, anxiety, violence and ecological disaster.

DISCLAIMER : Views expressed above are the author's own.

Quote from the True Charm and Power of Vedanta

In his introduction Sankara first quotes a Pauranic verse, whose echos is found in modern western cosmology in part, dealing with the nature of the Divine:

Narayana paro avyaktat andamavyktasanthbhavam

Anddasyantastvine lokha spatadvipa ca medint

Naryana (the Supreme Divine Being) is beyond the avyakta (undifferentiated Nature) the Cosmic Egg hs come out of the avyakta; within the Cosmic Egg are tehse universe including the earth with its seven island-continents;

India’s cosmology , not only very similar in some respects to modern Western astronomy, but also richer than it , finds expression in this verse; except that India treasts the sacred source of the universe as spiritual whereas modern Western astronomy treats it as material, though some Western cosmologists like Fred Hoyle of England are trying to transform it into the spiritual Fred Hoyle had written a book on cosmology over forty years ago which was fully materialistic . now he has written a new book where the very little has intelligent ; it is the same as what Vednata calls it-infinite non dual Consciousness.

 But, if He exists?

I drive joy There was a doctor in Benaras who spent 7 minutes in the morning and evening for mediation on God. Knowing this, his colleagues and friends laughed at him. One day they argued that he was wasting ten precious minutes on something, which he had been misled into believing. The doctor replied, “Well, if God does not exist, I agree that I am wasting ten minutes a day. But, if He exists? I am afraid you are wasting your entire lifetime. I prefer to waste ten minutes rather than a lifetime. Why should you grudge me the 10 minutes joy that I derive 4m.

ILLUSTRATED REVIEW : 7^th Heaven moment of the week ,  In Epl son  no 7 scored a goal, in NBA scramento  king won by 7 , in cricket SA won second t20 by 7 runs,