˙ ¬Íáʸ◊Œ— ¬ÍáʸÁ◊Œ¢ ¬ÍáÊʸà¬Íáʸ◊ÈŒëÿÖ ¬ÍáʸSÿ ¬Íáʸ◊ÊŒÊÿ ¬Íáʸ◊flÊflÁ‡ÊcÿÃH

A MONTHLY FOR THE PROPAGATION OF SPIRITUALIDEAS AND LOVE FOR GOD

Subhå¶itam

ÿÈÁÄÃÿÈÄâ ¬˝ªÎˆÔUËÿÊiÊ‹ÊŒÁ¬ ÁfløˇÊáÊ—–⁄Ufl⁄UÁfl·ÿ¢ flSÃÈ Á∑¢§ Ÿ ŒË¬— ¬˝∑§Ê‡ÊÿØH

A wise person should accept a rational word evencoming from a child. A thing hidden in darkness beyondthe reach of sun can be illumined by a small lamp.

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Vol. 61 April 2016 No. 7

C O N T E N T S1. Subhå¶itam ...... 32. Trade as a Means of Attaining Salvation

óBrahmalina Sri Jayadayal Goyandka ...... 53. You Ever Abide in God

óNityalilalina Sri Hanumanprasad Poddar ...... 94. How to Get Rid of Desire

óBrahmalina Swami Ramsukhdas ...... 115. Desire and DistressóJagadguru Shankaracharya Swami

Sri Chandrashekharendra Saraswati ...... 146. Spiritual Discipline for God-realization

óKeshoram Aggarwal ...... 157. The Art of GivingóRukmini Ramamurthy ...... 198. To You MotheróR. R. Gandikota ...... 219. Sister Saraswat∂ ...... 26

10. Blessed are Those Who have Hunger and Thirst forSalvationóSri Paramahansa Yogananda ...... 28

11. ›r∂ K涃a of the G∂tåóR. R. Diwaker ...... 3012. Read and Digest ...... 3513. Belµura Ma¢ha: The Centre of Festivals of Faith

óDr. Radhanath Behera ...... 3614. The Cornerstone of the Strong Moral Character

BuildingóG. D. Agarwal ...... 4115. Whole Universe is HarióNarasi Mehta ...... 4316. Renunciation Leads to LiberationóSri Ramakrishna ...... 4417. Åtma Pµujopani¶adóK. Subramanian ...... 4718. Indian Festival: Durgå PµujåóMohan Lal Mago ...... 5019. VivekaóTorch-bearer of TruthóSwami Sharanananda ...... 5220. SudhanwåóA Great Devotee of Lord K涃a ...... 5521. Nine Cardinal Virtues of a Person of Character

óDr. Purna Chandra Ojha ...... 5822. Selfless DevotionóSwami Chidananda ...... 5923. UpliftmentóJagannath Thareja ...... 6224. Never WorryóSwami Sivananda ...... 64

ILLUSTRATIONS1. Råghavendra ›r∂ Råma2. ›r∂ K涃a Dancing on Kåliyanåga (Cover)

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EditoróKeshoram Aggarwal Co-EditoróDr. Prem P. LakkarPrinted and Published by Jagdish Prasad Jalan for Gobind Bhawan Karyalaya,

Gita Press, Gorakhpur (India)

websites: 1. www. kalyana-kalpataru.org 2. www.gitapress.orge-mail: booksales@ gitapress.org

Trade as a Means of Attaining SalvationóBrahmalina Sri Jayadayal Goyandka

(Continued from March, page 8)

It may be urged here that without avarice trade willalways result in loss and never lead to gain. If that be thecase, such trade can be undertaken by wealthy people only;it will be found unsuitable for the general public. Such ishowever, not the case. An honest and conscientious clerkattached to a firm does the work allotted to him with greatefficiency, application and attention in accordance with theinstructions of his master and for the sake of his master.He has no selfish interest in any transaction of his firmexcept a desire of his own promotion at the hands of hismaster. He has no other selfish motive either. Such selflesswork does not stand in the way of his own promotion.Similarly, a devotee whose only self-interest lies in theLordís pleasure and performs all his duties according toHis injunctions taking every thing to belong to Him, cannothave his promotion retarded. Now as regards money, it iserroneous to believe that only rich people can work in adisinterested spirit, whereas a poor man cannot do so.Instances are generally found to the contrary. Money, asa matter of fact, constitutes a hindrance to the spirit ofselfishness. Of course the case of one who is altogetherfree from selfishness is different, otherwise wealth invariablyleads to arrogance, attachment, avarice and evil propensities.Even a large investment is not necessary for carrying ona lawful trade in a selfless spirit. In fact, there is no questionof big or small capital; the whole thing depends on the

6 Kalyana-Kalpataru

motive of the doer. A capitalist who lacks a selfless spirit,cannot serve the poor by his business even though a largecapital has been invested in it; an humble shopkeeper, onthe other hand, who deals in oil, salt and other groceriesand is endowed with a selfless spirit is able to serve thepublic thereby. A big merchant can go to hell in consequenceof his sinful propensities whereas an unselfish humbledevotee can attain salvation by serving God in the formof the poor people.

A shopkeeper should always bear in mind that acustomer who calls at his shop, is an image of the LordHimself. Just as a greedy shopkeeper seeks to cheat thecustomer in every way by resorting to falsehood andfraudulence or by making showy hospitality and love;similarly, a shopkeeper of the above type should serve thebest interests of the customer by representing true facts tohim in straightforward manner and treating him with sincerelove. Just as customers do not visit the shop of a greedyman very often, (for he deems it his duty to loot everycustomer that comes to his shop and it is such shopkeepersthat are regarded as clever and skilful in earning moneynow-a-days) similarly, an honest dealer should think thatGod in the form of customer does not come very oftenand that he cannot serve Him adequately and shouldaccordingly deal with him most truthfully with a view tohis welfare.

The whole wealth of the world belongs to God; weare all His subjects and He has entrusted everyone of usaccording to his individual capacity with a part of thatwealth and enjoined upon us to preserve it and to makeproper use of it.

Hence no occupation is high or low. It is not that thosewho own a large capital or have been entrusted with greater

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responsibilities are great whereas those who are not so welloff and have a less important work to do, are of an inferiororder. Great or small, all have to go to their masterís abodeone day, leaving everything in the charge of someone else.He who has carried out the mission of his Master honestlyand conscientiously, leaves with a light heart and receivespromotion: he can even become an equal partner of hisMasterís property if he is able to win His favour; whereashe who has dishonestly misappropriated his masterís property,neglected his duty and practised roguery and fraudulence,is punished and degraded. The same thing holds good inthe path of spirituality.

Suppose a father has a number of sons. All of themhave got an equal share in the firm of their father, but every-one has got different duty allotted to him. One of themperforms the duties of the manager, another is in chargeof the sale department, still another looks after the household,a fourth one is the cashier and the fifth son has beenentrusted with the work of recovering assets. All of themare engaged in promoting the interests of the firm. Theyall discharge their respective functions assigned to them bytheir father; none of them is great or small so far as theirshares in the shop are concerned. But if instead of dividingthe work between themselves all of them insist on performingthe duties of the manager or the salesman, the wholeorganisation will be spoiled. Similarly, all the children ofGodóthe Almighty Father, perform different duties. Onlyhe who regards himself as His servant and performs hisduties in a selfless spirit and in accordance with Hisinjunctions, is dearest to Him.

The proprietor of a theatrical concern who plays thepart of an ordinary peon does not thereby degrade himself.Everyone should perform the duty allotted to him. The Lord

Trade as a Means of Attaining Salvation

8 Kalyana-Kalpataru

will be pleased with him whose work is found to besatisfactory and disinterested.

Hence everyone should worship the all-pervading Divinityin his respective duty, looking upon every creature as animage of God and worthy of respect and giving upfalsehood, fraudulence, deceit and selfishness. One shouldalways be anxious to be more and more serviceable to GodWho is thus manifesting Himself before him. Business canbe automatically improved in this way and a trader whocarries on his business in this spirit can easily please Godby his service even though remaining at his shop and nomatter what sort of business he transacts. Traders, brokerslawyers, medical practitioners, landlords and cultivators, allcan serve God in this way through their respectiveavocations.

Everything depends on the motive that one has. Every-one should deal with others with this end in view that thecapital invested by his Master (God) may remain intact andvisiting customers may be served in every way. Worshipof God in oneís duty consists in catering for the needsof oneís customers with a guileless heart and in a selflessspirit and God can doubtless be attained through devotionin the form of this worship. In order to keep this spiritever alive, the recitation of divine names is necessary. Justas flourish of trumpets keeps the soldiers alert, similarlyone should always keep mind and senses alert by playingupon the bugle of divine names, and through oneís intellectone should reflect and cogitate on the (verse 46 of ChapterXVIII) of ›r∂mad Bhagavadg∂tå and try to mould himselfaccording to it. By doing so one can easily attain salvationeven through trade.

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You Ever Abide in GodóNityalilalina Sri Hanumanprasad Poddar

Remember : God is always within you and you everabide in Him. You are never disunited or torn away fromGod. But until you come to believe this truth, you fail torealize it and, haunted by baseless fear and consideringyourself to be under the domination of Åsurika Måyå, youremain terror-stricken, sullen, overwhelmed with grief andfull of worry. That is why you continue to burn day andnight with unrest and internal agony.

Remember : the moment you come to believe that theall-benign, all-auspicious, all-beatific, all-blissful, all-mercifuland all-loving Lord is ever at hand and that His benedictoryhand is ever inclined to rest on your head, that very momentHis benedictory hand will descend and settle on your headand your heart will instantly experience a calmness neverknown before. You will perceive all about you a sweetatmosphere of auspiciousness, beatitude, joy, grace andlove. The host of all fears, all melancholy, all grief andall worries will melt away even as darkness disappears withthe very appearance of the sun.

Remember : your life will then be filled with hope,delight, abundance and complacenceónot with the hope,delight, abundance and complacence which follow fromfavourable circumstances that flash before you for amoment and disappear as soon as unfavourable circumstancesset in.

Remember : the boon of hope, delight, abundance andcomplacence that will come to you through faith in Godand through Divine grace will be identical in essence with

10 Kalyana-Kalpataru

God Himself. Hence it will be everlasting, eternal, immortaland ever-growing.

Remember : it is the prospect of acquiring agreeableobjects in the world, receiving friendly treatment fromliving beings of this world and meeting with favourablecircumstances in the world that constantly harasses you.Such expectation never brings joy; for it is entirelydependent on others, fleeting and full of sorrow. Ridyourself completely of this expectation. So long as thisexpectation, this reliance and dependance for happiness onearthly objects and circumstances persists, there will be nocomplete faith in God, and without faith in God mentalunrest and the sufferings that follow in its wake, nevercome to an end.

Remember : during your lifetime you will have to waitfor that moment, to reach that stage when and where allexpectation from and reliance and dependance on worldlybeings, objects and circumstances would cease. Then onlywill the vessel of your life begin to sail in the right directionand then only you will be able to attain happiness. Butyou need not wait for an opportune moment to do this.God is within you and you ever abide in Him; thus thepotency of Grace you enjoy, is ready to clear your lifeof all obstacles, make it full of joy and put it on the rightpath.

Remember : God is omnipotent and omniscient, thesuzerain Lord of all the spheres and that He is preparedto help you as your greatest friend who seeks no returnfrom you. Put faith in this. The moment your faith growsstrong, you will begin to realize this fact; for it is a supremetruth. And the realization of this truth will divinize yourlife.

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How to Get Rid of DesireóBrahmalina Swami Ramsukhdas

The best method to get rid of it is the firm determination,and a keen desire of your own to get rid of it. No methodwill be successful without it. You should be prepared togive it up and it can be given up soon by the method whichI tell you. After reading books and listening to thediscourses of saints, I have learnt several methods. A verysimple method, which is useful for all the brothers andsisters, whether they are educated or uneducated, youngor old, is to have a desire to give comfort to others andto do good to them. By having this desire, the desire forworldly enjoyment will perish. Make an experiment andif you donít succeed, come and tell me. If you feel thatit is not reasonable, tell me. Fortune is no obstacle to it.Blaming your fortune is merely an excuse. It is a methodto deprive yourself of the real benefit which you may getby making efforts.

Man has several excuses such as his fortune is notfavourable, the time is bad, God has not been kind to him,he has not got a good guide and saints. But they are nothingbut mere excuses to be deprived of the eternal essence.You, yourself have created these obstacles. Can God, thewell-wisher of the entire creation, be so unkind as not tolet us go to Him? If our actions and desire for pleasureare obstacles, we can destroy them, because we ourselveshave created them. If we have not got a guide and saints,there is no need to get them. When God has given us thishuman body for God-realization, has He not given us

12 Kalyana-Kalpataru

enough stuff? God has endowed us with a large propertyin the form of true knowledge. By getting this trueknowledge, there is no need of any guide, but if there isneed, God Himself will have to come in the form of aguide, ìK涃a≈ vande jagadgurumî because He is theguide of the world.

∑ΧcáÊ¢ fl㌠¡ªŒ˜ªÈL§◊˜–Why do the saints and great souls live in the world?

They should have died because they have already achievedwhat they had to achieve. They live only for us. We havegot every right over them. If a son is having trouble inthe presence of his mother, what is the utility of themotherís being alive? If the mother doesnít look after thechild, she should have died. She need not remain alive.Similarly the saints and the great souls live in the worldonly for the benediction of creatures. Therefore, it ismeaningless to say that you have not met any great soul.Where will they go? They will be forced to meet and guideyou. Similarly if you need a guide (Guru), he will come,God will send him. Such type of incidents have occurredseveral times. This is a fact. Therefore, our fortune andactions are not obstacles. For God-realization only a keendesire is necessary. That keen desire has power to burnall the other desires. This is a fact which cannot be denied.We have discussed these problems in the form of questionsand answers, I have consulted books and I have thoughtover them.

I am never satisfied with the progress in the field ofspiritualism. I have a desire to find out the new means andways to achieve early salvation. I know that my desire isnot excellent. But God has bestowed His exceptionalbenevolence upon me which does not let me cease, butpushes me ahead. There are several wonders to tell you.

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I have a weakness also that I should tell and explain onlyif anyone asks and wants to hear and understand, but thatinner urge of mine is very keen.

Even if there is a single person to be prepared to attainGod-realization, I will think that he has been kind enoughto me, he has given me wealth, food, respect, reputationand comfort. If any person having the desire to attain Him,come to me and ask me the method. I shall feel obligedto him. To understand reality is the Discipline of Knowledge(J¤ånayoga), to give comfort to others is the Disciplineof unattached Action (Karmayoga) and to accept God asoneís own and to love Him is the Discipline of Devotion(Bhaktiyoga). All the three disciplines are independent. Youcan follow anyone you like. I have talked, and discusseda lot over them.

You may say that you are unable to have desire forsalvation. But actually it is not so. Even for an ordinaryman there is a lot of scope to have a keen desire for God-realization. Everyone is a part of the Supreme-Spirit(Paramåtmå), therefore is complete. Donít lose heart. Assoon as there is a keen desire, God is realized immediately.

Nåråyaƒa! Nåråyaƒa!! Nåråyaƒa!!!❑❑ ❑❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑

How to Get Rid of Desire

Temptations are charming and strong but you arestronger because the image of God is within you. Nomatter how many times you fall, you can rise again. Butwhen you admit defeat, then you are lost. And lost isyour peace and happiness.

Desire and DistressóJagadguru Shankaracharya Swami

Sri Chandrashekharendra Saraswati

Expecting pleasure we fall into painówe stimulatedesires to grow anticipating pleasure but we actually meetwith distress. The pain results not only when the desireis not fulfilled; we get pain even if the desire is achieved.There is an apprehension and fear that we may lose whatwe attained. Invariably this apprehension becomes true. Anobject we aspired for and got, leaves us. A dear one dies.Money is robbed by thief. Bank where we deposit themoney becomes bankrupt. Money earned and invested,loses its real value due to inflation. We desire to havesomething expecting happiness. We undergo a lot of effortand suffering to attain it. This is the case in all fields oflife. But the enjoyment does not remain forever. Desireleads to distress only.

SenderóR.T. Nathan❑❑ ❑❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑

Spiritual Discipline for God-realizationóKeshoram Aggarwal

Generally we chant divine name, read G∂tå and Råmåyaƒafor attaining God. That is very good. This discipline is apart of life. It takes very long in God-realization. If youwant to get redemption in this very life then it is essentialthat the discipline should be our living itself. It should beconstant and ceaseless one. Our all activities whethersecular or spiritual, should be directed towards attaining God.Just as we beautify our body with external embellishments.The embellishments remain always apart from the body.Similarly all efforts such as repeating divine name andstudying religious books and attending spiritual discourses,stand apart from our life. Just as an handsome need notadorn with external adornments. Similarly a true God-seeker need not adopt these external efforts, his whole lifeshould be spiritual oriented then and then only one canattain God in this very life.

In a spiritual discipline three factors are thereó(1)inclination, (2) faith or trust on it that this discipline willtied to God-realization and (3) the capability to pursue thatdiscipline. Unless these three are in harmony, our disciplinewonít be a success. For instance if a spiritual aspirant wantto practise J¤ånayogaódiscipline of knowledge that hemust have dispassion from the world unless and until hehas no such dispassion, his discipline would not progressupward. Therefore, a seeker before starting any discipline,he must harmonise his inclination, trust and his ability topursue it. All three factors being in tandem, he will be able

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to succeed.The aspirant must have single-minded devotion towards

God. We should not entertain or cherish any other materialdesire if we want immediate God-realization in this verylife. Flies do not discriminate between filth and honey, theyflit from one to the other. But the bee is attracted onlyto the sweetness of honey. Similarly, there are indiscriminateseekers, who like flies, are drawn to material desires, nomatter how impure. Some may for some time feel attractedtowards God but as soon as another temptation comes, theyare captivated again by material life. The devotee shouldbe like a honey bee. They see, hear, smell, taste and touchonly what is good. They will and feel goodness and everseek the sweet nectar of God-realization.

The spiritual seeker should be free from malice towardsall beings. If he has malice even towards a single being,he cannot attain God. He must be convinced that all livingbeings are but manifestations of God or that God alonepervades them all. He should conceive no hatred or malicefor anyone even on receiving the evil treatment from them.

We should never resort to evil practices such as thieving,telling lies, deceiving or cheating any body. If we areresorting to such practices along with our spiritual discipline,then we can never succeed in our goal. Practice self-controls,reduce your wants to purposeful necessities and do not livebeyond your means. Spend less than your income. Alwaysbe truth speaking and honest in your dealings.

We cannot own anything. We are only given temporaryuse of things on this earth. Sometimes we will have topart with themóeither by accident or theft or death. So,entertaining the sense of possessions with anything is foolingoneself. Even this bodily house that we have lived in formany years, must one day be relinquished. So entertaining

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a conviction that we own something, is keeping us apartfrom God. We cannot even own anything. When somethingis given to us, we must know that it is ours for a whileand that also for utilising in the service of others.

In the last, it must be stated that an aspirant for God-realization must have faith in Divine Grace. It is throughDivine Grace only that we can realize Him. Not a corpuscleof blood can move, nor a puff of breath enter our nostrilswithout the will of God. Hence absolute surrender to Godmust be there. This surrender does not mean we shouldbe lazy, expecting God to do everything for us. Our sincereand best efforts are necessary for God-realization.

If we think a bit deep, we would find that remembranceof God, concentration and meditation involve the help ofour body, mind. A real devotee should not be contented withthem. Intense yearning to realize Him and restlessnesswithout Him, is self-sufficient and final Sådhanå for thedevotee. This intense yearning and restlessness is Sådhanå ofthe aspirant by one ownself. It does not depend upon hissenses, body and mind. Such sole aspiration is not in theleast depending on any paraphernalia, possessions, qualitiesor circumstances. God indeed yearns for the devotee whoyearns for Him! But such a devotee is utterly in differentto all else, even in suffering, he rejoices in his Lordís willfor him. Most people, however, think of God or pray toHim for some desired objects or for pleasant circumstances,not for Him. That is the reason that their discipline doesnot lead to success in this very life.

The question is how to develop this intense yearningfor God-realization. The human being, being a child ofGod, has innate yearning for God. But this eagerness iscovered by our desires for material things God has bestowedus with discriminative faculty. We can discard the desire

Spiritual Discipline for God-realization

18 Kalyana-Kalpataru

for worldly enjoyments as they are misery-giving in theend and keeping us away from God. We human beingshave free choice to choose God or worldly objects. Thus,by rejecting sense-enjoyments and the desire for them, wecan develop intense yearning for God-realization. Thisardent yearning eats away all over desires for worldlythings. If our such yearning subsists, then there is no reasonthat God would not meet us. He will positively grant usHis vision. If we hold on to the truth that God is the mostimportant thing in our life, we cannot live without Him.Then God must manifest Himself before us. So long aswe cling to human love or life or fame or money or anyworldly thing or enjoyment as more important, he will notcome to us. Hence we must yearn only for God. This sortof yearning is the best discipline for God-realization.

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It is not what you hear that redeems you, but whatyou do with what you hear. Many hear what they shoulddo, but few act upon it. Donít paralyse your determination.When you know a thing is right, why shouldnít you goafter it ? Why shouldnít you cry for the Lord until theskies are shaken with your prayers? Surrender to Himcompletely. And never doubt Him.

óManís Eternal Quest

The Art of GivingóRukmini Ramamurthy

In Sanåtana Dharma, the act of sharing has beenbeautifully analyzed. A perusal of these references shape amanís character and imparts to him great subtlety andgoodness. Giving or sharing is called ëDånamí. Once given,the donor has no say whatsoever over the gift. It is leftto the recipient to use it in any manner that he may wish.

The Taittir∂ya Upani¶ad contains a beautiful passageon the art of giving. What is to be given should be givenwith due reverence. It should not be given disrespectfully.The recipient generally feels humble and sensitive toreceive monetary help from another person. On such anoccasion, if the donor is arrogant and haughty, it is treatedas a grave sin. One should never plant a thorn in the heartof the needy. Dånam should not be given with any ulteriormotive whatsoever.

The gift should be in keeping with oneís prosperity.The Upani¶ad does not recommend the donor to strain hispocket. It could be an inexpensive gift, but the manner ofpresentation can make the difference.

The gift should be given with modesty. There is noneed to presume that oneís own munificence is the greatest.There is always a poor man who gives more than a richman. A rich lady went to the oil merchantís shop. Sheasked for poor quality oil. There was a poor lady in theshop. She wanted some expensive oil. The shop man wascurious as to why a rich lady wanted poor quality oil andwhy a poor lady chose an expensive brand. The rich

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woman said, ìThis is to light the Pµujå Lamp. This willsuffice for that purposeî. The poor lady said, ìThis toois for the Pµujå Lamp. I must give god the bestî.

The Upani¶ad says that Dånam should be given withfear. When a person waxes eloquently about his owngenerosity, all the religious merit that is generally the resultof such an act is totally destroyed. Here, fear means thealertness and caution to ward off self advertisement.

The Taittir∂ya goes on to state that the act should bea friendly action. Ideally, sharing is to be treated as an actbetween equals, not one superior to an inferior. TheUpani¶ad uses the word ëSa≈vidí to indicate this attitude.

In His Bhagavadg∂tå, Lord K涃a expounds the besttype of Dånam. He uses three wordsó(1) De‹a (2) Kålaand (3) Påtra.

De‹a is an appropriate place say a famine stricken land.Kåla, the time when Dånam is most needed in this instance,the time of famine. Påtram means the deserving recipientóthe famine stricken. Sharing at these given circumstancesmay it be to benefit an individual or many people, is thebest possible Dånam.

Dånam lights a lamp not only in the home of therecipient, but in the hearth of the giver as well. K涃a saysthis act of giving should never be given up. SanåtanaDharma talks about different types of sharing food,knowledge and many more. Any gift given even to thesmallest extent possible brings in peace and fulfilment.

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To You MotheróR. R. Gandikota

(1) Since conceptionAs I grew in your wombBearing the burden with tender careYou ëswan-walkedí with a smileMercy thy name is Mother!To redeem myself of the debtI offer you this morsel of food devoutly.

(2) Praying God all the whileCraving for a sonOn motherhood divineYou dwelt day and night,For your perseveranceMy salutations to youI offer you this nibble, gratefully.

(3) As months progressAnd I grow in your wombMaking a man withinAnd the home withoutWhat a travail to you Ma!No redemption, yetI offer this brunch fervently.

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(4) Counting days and monthsTen months time ticks offWalking difficultly aroundWith bloated belly bravelyYou strode like gracious incarnateOh! what a craving for my birth!I offer this morsel ardently to redeem myself.

(5) Moving within your wombHow often I kicked you!Never annoyed or angered,You giggled with joyWhat a sin on my part!To get liberated of sins,I offer you this mouthful devoutly.

(6) After arduous deliveryFrail and filthyYet longing to look at me!Love incarnate! Mother!What more can I offer you in returnFor what I am today!I offer you this morsel of food.

(7) Bringing me out into this worldYou dared the threshold of the Death!Strength drained, you lay on bedNot a nibble of food nor a drop of water,Burning away your body for three nightsTo take care of my health in futureI offer you this ball of rice reverentially.

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(8) Consuming bitter recipesRestricting your intakeNever caring for your likes or dislikesThinking of my well being aloneWhat a consideration Life-giver!For all the gifts given, what compensates?I offer this morsel Ma Divine.

(9) Day in and day outStraining and draining your breastsSucking away the ëelixir of lifeíNonchalantly with no respiteI tormented you for long Ma!Mother Merciful! What can I offer youIn return than this fistful of rice !

(10) Crying, feeding, defecatingMy only activities all the whileWetting the bed and your dressNot giving time for drying up evenPatience incarnate Mother!No way to redeem your servicesYet I offer this bite of food thankfully,

(11) In sizzling summer month of Mågha,Scorching Sun in the noon andSweltering heat in the sleepless nightMy pestering for milk to add oh!What a plight it would be, I realise today,A veritable hell on the earth,For atonement of my sins, I offer you this morsel.

To You Mother

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(12) Starving yourself evenStriving to feed me everBurdened with domestic dutiesEnduring suffering, straining energiesYet with enchanting smile on lipsUttering sweet nothings to my sleep,I offer you this fistful reverentially.

(13) Food or drinkFruit or sweetmeatFirst to me a mustLeftovers to youGoddess of compassionHow to redeem your bountyI offer you this meagre morsel with tears.

(14) When I fell illYou ate nilNot a wink of sleepRestless all the whilePraying ëget wellí soonAn angel verilyMouth full of morsel to you.

(15) Infusing energy in to meEvery minute, as I grew upGetting decayed in that processDay by day nearing the dusk of lifeYet concern for my well being all the whileYou lived for me and pined for meNo means to extricate myselfYet I offer this MåtæpiƒŒam to you Mother!

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(16) As the day of death dawnsAnd you write ëfinisí to the divine playI deeply mourn the days to comeLonging for your love ìhere and beyondîEnabling to cross the dreaded Vaitaraƒ∂My oblations to you, Mother!I offer thee this ìMåtæpiƒŒamî.

Source: Våyupuråƒa❑❑ ❑❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑

To You Mother

Where is God? How do we know that God exists?The cause is known by its effects. If we see magic feats,we know there is a magician behind them. Somethingout of nothing is impossible. The world cannot havecome out of nothing. It must have come out of something,and that something is God. God is the efficient causeof this world. God by its Måyå has projected this world.The world, however, is not real. It is like the magic featsof a magician.

God has projected human being out of Himself andfor Himself. God is hungry only for human love. Onlya human being can satisfy this hunger of God. Therelies the glory of human life.

If human life is spent in indulging in sensualpleasures, that is the wastage of human life.

Sister Saraswat∂

ìO Priest ! Today I will offer food to Gopåla Bhaiyå.îYoung girl of nine years, Saraswat∂ was insisting for it withthe priest, ›rutadevaj∂. There was a beautiful idol of Lord›yåmasundara made of gold in the temple where ›rutadevaj∂was the priest. For ›rutadevaj∂, it was not merely an idol,he had regarded Gopålaj∂ as his son and Gopålaj∂ was alsobehaving with him in similar manner; but none else knewthis. A devotee, named Matimånaj∂ was his neighbour. Hiswifeís name was ›r∂k∂rtij∂. The couple had a daughter,Saraswat∂. From her very childhood the girl Saraswat∂ usedto play and sit with ›rutadevaj∂. ›rutadevaj∂ was alsotreating her as his daughter. As such, Saraswat∂ acceptedGopålaj∂ as her brother. One day she was adamant andtold to the priest that ëI will offer that food only toGopålaj∂.í

At the first instance the priest did not agree; but herealized that §Thåkuraj∂ is tellingóìWhy are you forbiddingwhen Saraswat∂ wants to offer Naivedya (sweet offered asoffering)? I feel pleasure in accepting the food from herhand.î The priest acquiesced and he himself went outside.The girl, Saraswat∂ kept the food and after some time whenshe pulled the curtain, and saw that the Naivedya is layinguntouched. She assumed that Gopålaj∂ is not partaking ofthe Naivedya by her hand. She was sad and startedweeping. Seeing her true love, Gopålaj∂ manifested Himselffrom that idol and partook of the Naivedya.

Now, very often, Gopålaj∂ used to manifest Himselfbefore Saraswat∂. It was full moon day of ›råvaƒa. Holy

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festival of Rak¶åbandhanaóSaraswat∂ took a Råkh∂ andcame to the temple. She toldóìGopåla Bhaiyå ! I havebrought the Råkh∂.î ›rutadevaj∂ wanted to offer her Råkh∂on the idol but she had not come to offer the Råkh∂ onidol. She had come to tie the Råkh∂ to Gopåla Bhaiyå andif a sister is standing with Råkh∂, is it possible that brotherwill not come? Gopålaj∂ manifested Himself from the idoland stretched His grand hand before her. Today Saraswat∂tied the Råkh∂ on the hand of Gopålaj∂, whose hand is suchthat destroys fear of transmigration.

With the consent of Gopåla Bhaiyå, Saraswat∂ hadagreed for her marriage and on that occasion her parentswere surprised to see that a lot of costly items and so manyunknown ladies and gents, who were revealing themselvesas their relatives, have come from where; but GopålaBhaiyå Himself, is arranging everything for the marriageof His sister, it was not known to anyone.

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Sister Saraswat∂

Only a human being can attain self-knowledge, for,he can think, argue and discriminate, and he can rejectthe pleasant for the good. If he does not try to attainself-knowledge, then his life is in vain. By only livingfor sense-pleasure, he commits suicide. He is born againand again and is completely at the mercy of Yama. Athoughtful always keep the goal of life in viewótheattainment of self-knowledge. Everything he does, isdirected to that goal. If a person does not desire his lifethat way, he is foolish and immature.

óSwami Lokeswarananda

Blessed are Those Who have Hungerand Thirst for Salvation

óSri Paramahansa Yogananda

The words ëhungerí and ëthirstí provide an apt metaphorfor manís spiritual quest. One must first have thirst for thetheoretical knowledge of how to attain salvation. After hequenches this thirst by learning the practical technique ofactually contacting God, he can then satisfy his innerhunger for Truth by feasting daily on the divine mannaof spiritual perception resulting from meditation.

Those who seek appeasement in material things findthat their thirst of desires is never slaked, nor is their hungerever satisfied in the acquirement of possessions. The urgein every man to fill an inner emptiness is the soulís desirefor God. It can only be alleviated by realizing oneísimmortality and imperishable state of divinity in God-union.When man foolishly tries to quench his soul thirst withthe substitutes of sense happiness, he gropes from oneevanescent pleasure to another, ultimately rejecting themall as inadequate.

Sense pleasures are of the body and lower mind; theybring no nourishment to manís inmost being. Spiritualstarvation, suffered by all who would subsist on senseofferings, is allayed only by righteousnessóthe actions,attitudes, and attributes that are right for the soul; virtue,spiritual behaviour, bliss, immortality.

Righteousness means acting rightly in the physical,mental and spiritual departments of life. Persons who feela great thirst and hunger for fulfilling the supreme duties

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of life receive the ever new bliss of God: ìBlessed areyou who thirst for wisdom and who esteem virtue andrighteousness as the real food to appease your inner hunger,for you shall have that lasting happiness brought only byadhering to divine idealsóunparalleled satisfaction of heartand soul.î

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Blessed are Those........Thirst for Salvation

One whose heart is mangled by enmity and hatred,would find only enemies all around himself. The entireworld will appear to him to consist of arrant people.Therefore, O beloved one! O seekers after bliss! onlychange your angle of vision. Consider the strangers asyour friends and see God even in your enemies. Coverwhatever you see in this world under Godhood and makeyourself free from the temptations of this world.

óSwami Rama Tirtha

We have to be convinced as to what is real and whatis unreal than we have to give up everything fleeting andtherefore unreal. God alone is real; all other things areunreal. If we want eternal peace, we will have to giveup everything unreal.

óSwami Vireswarananda

›r∂ K涃a of the G∂tåóR. R. Diwaker

Of all the ten Avatåras or incarnations of God whichusually Hindus believe in none are more popular than thoseof Råma and K涃a. Possibly at some time, there mighthave been not only competition but conflict between thedevotees of both. The joint name ëRåmak涃aí is probablythe result of a friendly compromise as in the case ofëHariharaí. Both are today worshipped by millions uponmillions and their temples are found throughout the land.Råmanavam∂, the birthday of Råma, is celebrated with asmuch eclat as K涃嶢am∂, the birthday of K涃a.

Of the two, Råma is the simpler deity and there arepractically few controversies about him. He is looked uponas the ideal man, the God-man and the man who stuckto his ideals at the cost of everything else. He is often calledMaryådå (with limits) Puru¶ottama, that is, God incarnatewho set certain limitations for himself as an incarnation onearth and acted within them. ›r∂ K涃a is called the PµurƒaAvatåra, that is, the perfect incarnation who manifested him-self as man but set no limitations to his own powers.

›r∂ K涃aís life and character are extremely complexand are subject to many controversies. It is even said thatthere were more than two or three ›r∂ K涃as, Devak∂putraK涃a of the Upani¶ads is supposed by some critics to bedifferent from the ›r∂ K涃a of the Gop∂ cult, who againis pointed out to have been different from the preacher ofthe G∂tå.

My object in this small article, however, is not to enter

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into any controversies, much less to try to offer solutionsfor them. I do not want to discuss the idea of Avatåra(incarnation) either. Nor is it possible for me to examinehere the different views, for instance, that ›r∂ K涃a wasnot a historical person, that he was a mythical or allegoricalpersonage or that, at the most, he was a legendary figure.

Even if it is supposed that ›r∂ K涃a is the figmentof the imagination of the great epic poet ›r∂ Vyåsa, it doesnot detract in any way from what I have said in thefollowing lines. To my mind, even this poetic conceptionof the personality of K涃a is magnificent, unique, andunknown to any religion, philosophy or literature.

I should like to restrict my consideration of ›r∂ K涃ain this article to his portrayal by ›r∂ Vyåsa, and that tooas the preacher of the G∂tå. It would, no doubt, be a veryfascinating study to write about the whole and mightypersonality of ›r∂ K涃a as appearing in the Mahåbhårata,the Hariva≈‹a, and the Bhågavata-Puråƒa as well as inthe immortal songs of Jayadeva, L∂lå‹uka and other poets.But, for the present, I choose to be satisfied with offeringa few ideas about ›r∂ K涃a of the G∂tå.

Before taking up the subject, however, I must clarifya point regarding the idea of Avatåra. Commonly anAvatåra is taken as the descent of Godhead on the humanplane. God being considered as omnipotent, he is capableof achieving anything in any way. He could achieve hisobject by mere wishing or willing or by a flash of lightning,for instance. But if instead he descends as an Avatåra toestablish Dharma, in the form of a human being, thosewho believe in Avatåra-theory have to concede that thatphenomena is significant and meaningful. It is somethinglike the appearance of an extraordinary genius. Incidentally,such a manifestation offers us, however rare it might be,

›r∂ K涃a of the G∂tå

32 Kalyana-Kalpataru

a clear proof of the inherent capacity and possibility ofhuman development and achievement and the highestreaches of human consciousness. It is in this backgroundthat we have to consider ›r∂ K涃a of the G∂tå.

Right at the beginning of the G∂tå, ›r∂ K涃a appearsas a mere charioteer of Arjuna, the greatest warrior knownto the K¶atriyas of those times. But when he finds Arjunagetting nervous at the impending slaughter of his own kithand kin by himself, ›r∂ K涃a undertakes to prop him upby appealing to his duties as a K¶atriya warrior. On thefailure of that appeal and on realizing that the malady ofArjuna is deeper, he unfolds the philosophy of detachedyet dedicated action and duty. But when he sees that thatkind of dry philosophy also is not enough to save Arjunafrom the fatal collapse, he rises to his full height andimpresses him with the gospel of the Spirit Immanent whichhe asserts is, in fact, doing everything. He knocks thebottom off the individual ego of Arjuna and overwhelmshim with the idea that he is but an instrument in the handsof the Spirit and that his personality has existence only asa canalized manifestation, as a wave on the bosom of theocean, of the Supreme Personóthe Puru¶ottama.

It is here that ›r∂ K涃a far surpasses and supersedesthe mere role of an adviser or preacher. He identifieshimself with the vision of the Godhead and appears himselfas the Godhead, entirely transcending his role as acharioteer. He experiences in his own consciousness,óinfact, he realizes the complete merger of his own personalityinto the Spirit Immanent. This happens to such an intensedegree that he is able to convey that realization to Arjunaand to transfer to him ëthe vision magnificentí. It is nowonder, that at this stage Arjuna is transformed from adoubting and vacillating piteous figure to which he had

33

been reduced, to his former stature of the greatest archerin the world and the hero of Kurukshetra.

It is this phenomenon (not so much the transformationof Arjuna, which was but a result), namely, the height towhich the consciousness of ›r∂ K涃a rises, the taperingoff of his personality into the Supreme Person, the completesuffusion of his consciousness with full God-realization, hismerger into the Divine Consciousness to the exclusion ofthe consciousness of his own self, the power that ›r∂ K涃aseems to have possessed at this stage, the capacity to makeArjuna feel the impact of the Divine and to give himDar‹ana (direct vision) of the Vira¢ Puru¶a: It is these thatare remarkable and worthy of far deeper study, It issomething far more than Savikalpa or Nirvikalpa Samådhi.It is something akin to but far more and far greater thanwhat ›r∂ Råmak涃a Paramaha≈sa is said to have donein the case of Vivekånanda while giving him a glimpseof Samadhic ecstasy. This is a far more positive realization,a realization of the Divine in cosmic action, a realizationin oneís own person of multi-million Na¢aråjas at one andthe same time (Yugapat Utthita¨). This is the realizationin excelsis by human consciousness of the Being-Becomingdiad of Reality. And there is something further, it is notmerely a subjective experience. It is objectified in theeleventh chapter of the G∂tå and it is that Dar‹ana whichrehabilitates the tottering heart of Arjunaówith a difference;his illusion is shattered once for all, and now, free fromall doubt, he takes up his bow and arrow to do the dutyof a relentless and yet a selfless warrior.

Certain implications and inferences follow from thisgrand portrayal of ›r∂ K涃a in the G∂tå.

So far as my knowledge goes, no faith in the worldand no religion lays store by a direct revelation by the

›r∂ K涃a of the G∂tå

34 Kalyana-Kalpataru

Godhead. Often, it is the prophet, the messenger, the poetthat conveys to mortals ëthe word of Godí. This conceptionof the Godhead itself delivering the message in the firstperson seems something very bold and unique. I have nointention of suggesting any superiority or inferiority butshould like to draw the readerís attention to simpleuniqueness.

The poise of a Godhead from which ›r∂ K涃a speaksto Arjuna in the G∂tå, shows that it is possible to conceivethat, individual consciousness is capable of rising to aheight of absolute Adwaita (oneness without otherness) notonly in the Samådhi state but also in a state where theindividual concerned can carry on a soul-stirring conversation.Here the shattering of the shell of ego-consciousness andactive identification with the ëbecomingí or cosmic aspectof universal consciousness for the time being, is clearlyindicated.

This rising to supreme heights in consciousness is notmerely a subjective experience but something which iscapable of being transferred to and objectively visualizedby an intelligent and cultured human being like Arjuna.

Further, this vision led to a definite transformation inthe mind of Arjuna, and resulted in what may be describedas ëfree actioní(Nivætta or Mukta Karma), which employedall the energies of Arjuna at their best. It may be that morethings can be inferred on the psychological and metaphysicalplanes. But that may be left to be worked out latter,provided the proposition itself is worth considering andworthy of further probing.

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Read and Digest

As the desires go decreasing, happiness goes onincreasing, when desires are reduced to nil, the resultanthappiness would be unlimited.

* * *God has given you the capacity for love, love you may

yearn for Him above all else. Donít misuse your love andreason. And donít misuse your concentration and intelligenceon false goals.

* * *Criticize no oneís faith. There should be a feeling of

love and respect for all.* * *

To be happy under all circumstances, is real success.* * *

Plain living and high thinking make for contentment.* * *

Evolutionary human progress lies in the power ofthought.

* * *Pleasure that lasts only for a moment and leaves you

with regret afterward, is not happiness.* * *

Meditation means, ìremembering that one is not amortal body but an immortal soul, one with God.î

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Belµura Ma¢ha: The Centre ofFestivals of Faith

óDr. Radhanath Behera

On the bank of the sacred river Ga∆gå, stands a super-structure of architectural marvel dedicated to the presidingDeity ›r∂ Råmak涃a Paramaha≈sa. The sprawling campusalso accommodates individual shrines raised in homage tohis consort ›r∂ ›åradå Dev∂ and their world famous discipleSwåm∂ Vivekånanda. Needless to mention that the campuswas built, thanks to the devotees and admirers across theworld, even belonging to other faiths, for transforming thedreams of Swåm∂ Vivekånanda to reality where men andwomen of different faiths and cultures would meet, exchangethoughts, refining ideals and encircle themselves with thelife-building flames with Råmak涃a Movement.

The intermingling of races presents a fine tapestry inwhich the different threads of religious faith are interwoven.Streams and rivers even after their unchartered flow surelymerge into the vast ocean losing all their identity. ThePhilosophy of Vedånta partly non-dualistic is sublime andinvigorating enough to run through every religious dispensationand the summit of all is the same ineffable. Absolute,known to devotees as the Supreme Godhead with orwithout forms. It was the illumined thought of ›r∂ Råmak涃ato pronounceóas many faiths, so many paths. Path is notthe goal, method of worship is not uniform, yet the spiritualjourney terminates at the same pinnacle.

Belµura Ma¢ha is the seat and hope for all pilgrims andpious souls seeking peace and comfort in the widely

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divided world on the basis of language, faith, worship,poetical affiliations and spiritual advancement. Here is anideology which believes and spreads the oneness ofmankind. Harmony of religions is its rallying point, not anempty rhetoric.

›r∂ Råmak涃a, the great incarnation stands out a uniqueprophet to deliver a message, founding no doctrines orreligion after him, claiming nothing new, reviving all thatis on the brink of extinction. From rustic, illiterate boy toa man of worldly wisdom and transcendent knowledge ofthe Supreme, ›r∂ Råmak涃a remained a unique illustrationthat a true seeker after the real can overcome every obstacle,all unaided, in his relentless march, even blind-folded.

The Divine Mother, Kål∂, at whose loving feet, he beganhis search, could not be treated as a mere idol at the shrineof Dak¶iƒe‹wara but as a living spirit pervading the wholeuniverse of her creation. Nurturing it as a loving mother ofall creations and finally destroying them She eternallycontinues the creation and destruction acts. She would notbe, as ›r∂ Råmak涃a was led to discover, a mere creationof poets or figment of imagination of intellectuals. Heshocked his disciple, Naren, the future Swåm∂ Vivekånanda,that he could see God more intensely and he (the disciple)could be shown, if he could so trust Him.

›r∂ Råmak涃a, through his arduous journey came acrossexalted soulsóBhairav∂ Bråhmaƒ∂, who initiated him intothe different modes of Tantra, a path fraught with dangerand uncertainly, and he succeeded in each adventure. Hethen pursued the higher faith of Advaita under the guidanceof a radiant ascetic, Tota Puri and an imperious seeker,who had realized the Absolute. To him all else was unreal,even Kål∂ and the power of Måyå. The ease with which›r∂ Råmak涃a attained the Supreme stands a unique

Belµura Ma¢ha: The Centre of Festivals of Faith

38 Kalyana-Kalpataru

example in the whole history of spiritual journey knownto humanity.

Yet ›r∂ Råmak涃a remained in the Bhakti mode, highlydependent on the Divine Mother, even as a child clingsto its human mother. The Knowledge he gained from thesespiritual journeys ignited his mind to seek more, throughother paths of worship. The legions of Hindu DeitiesóRåma, K涃a, S∂tå, Rådhå, Hanumån and so on appearedin vision and merged into his body. The Saviour of theworld, the Son of God, Lord Christ appeared in the visionof the son of man, embraced him and mingled into hisself. So also for the Prophet of islam and the Godheadof Mohammedans lost themselves in him to signal that thispure seeker, the prophet of this age, is the great incarnationand an ocean into whom all rivers of spirituality mergeand turn back their sourceóa sort two way journey.

When the great iconoclast Swåm∂ Vivekånanda wastamed to believe in the divinity and reality of Kål∂, on non-dualism of faith, he in turn, shook the skeptical mindedwestern people, who followed him to know more in theland of dreams, India. Swåm∂j∂ sacrificed many things inlife to hold the gospel of ›r∂ Råmak涃a aloft till ìthe worldbecome one with Godî. To his consort ›åradå Dev∂, ›r∂Råmak涃a was Kål∂ incarnate, the holiest of the holy, purestof the pure. Swåm∂j∂ during his brief life-span formed theRåmak涃a Ma¢ha and Råmak涃a Mission as a monumentto preserve and propagate his Masterís lofty ideals.

To pay homage to the presiding Deity, ›r∂ Råmak涃a,his devotees and admirers from all faiths assemble andparticipate in the celebration of his birth anniversary alongwith that of the Holy Mother, Swåm∂j∂ (Swåm∂ Vivekånanda),Swåm∂ Brahmånanda (the spiritual son of ›r∂ Råmak涃a),Swåm∂ ›ivånanda and the rest of the direct disciples of

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›r∂ Råmak涃a. The other festivals like the Durgå Pµujå,Kål∂ Pµujå, Saraswat∂ Pµujå, Mahå‹ivaråtri, in which theLord ›iva is worshipped along with his celestial devoteelike Nand∂, the famous bull on whom the Lord rides. Thefestivals include two non-Hindu functionsóthe New Yearísday and the Merry Christmas, ›r∂ Råmak涃a is believedto be a younger brother of Christ, who shed His lifeís bloodfor the redemption of mankind. These festivals drawdevotees and laymen from all sections. Each finds oneísLord in ›r∂ Råmak涃a. Mention may also be made thatSwåm∂j∂ saw Lord Buddha in his Master and he saw ›r∂Råmak涃a in the Buddhaóa rare testimony to the SupremeMasterís descending on earth from time to time to guidemen alone the path of nobility and righteousness.

On New Yearís Day, called the Kalpataru Divasa, theday-long programme of meditation, worship and deliberationsof the Holy Trio is undertaken and greetings exchangedat the Ma¢ha commemorating the revelation of ›r∂ Råmak涃aas an Avatåra or God incarnate. It may be recalled that›r∂ Råmak涃a succumbed to throat cancer at a nearbyplace, Cossipore, on August 16, 1886, but soon after thefirst New Yearís Day celebration on 1st January, 1886,›r∂ Råmak涃a in his rare ecstatic mood blessed the fewaround him to be illumined. Consequently, this day hasbeen observed by the monks and inmates at Råmak涃aMa¢ha in profound remembrance and in a befitting manner.

But, the eye-catching and enchanting festival is observedin the campus itself on the Sunday following the celebrationof ›r∂ Råmak涃aís birth anniversary. This festival is knownas the Public Celebration. People, irrespective of faiths,throng the Ma¢haóto worship, to rejoice, to mingle withthe crowd, to buy and sell, merchandise, Sweetmeats andchildrenís toys. A most exciting day-long festivity culminates

Belµura Ma¢ha: The Centre of Festivals of Faith

40 Kalyana-Kalpataru

in the breathtaking display of fireworks as in D∂påval∂, allproducts indigenously made under the aegis of the Ma¢ha.Multitude of men, women and children view the burst ofcrackers and other enthralling display of fireworks from far-off places even from boats sailing on the river Hooghly.This celebration, truly called the public celebration, isundertaken with fun and frolic, without any restriction ofage or religious affiliation, and with due fervour. The spiritof ›r∂ Råmak涃a hovers over here and blesses all whogather and partake of the spiritually incensed ambience ofthe Ma¢ha. Here is a rare display of oneness of humanspirit, of man-made distinction of race or religion, countryor faith.

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Grant me, O master, by Thy grace,To follow all the good and pure,To be content with simple things;To use my fellows not as means but endsTo serve them stalwartly, in thought, word, deed;Never to utter word of hatred or shame;To cast away all selfishness and pride;To speak no ill of others;To have a mind at peaceSet free from care and led astray from TheeNeither by happiness nor by woe;Set Thou my feet upon this path.

óSaint Tukaram

The Cornerstone of the StrongMoral Character Building

óG. D. Agarwal

The word ìCharacterî can be defined as the sum totalof a personís beliefs and reflection of his convictions intohis actions. To outer world, it is demonstrated by hispersonal conducts on day to day basis. It may be moralconducts or immoral, virtuous or sinful, spiritual or worldly.It all depends on his or her upbringing, deep-rooted likingsand disliking, developed since the birth. A strong dwellinghouse can be built over the deep-rooted, solid, aseptic,reinforced bricks only. Similarly for cultivating persons ofhigh value ethics, the first step is in making sure that thebody, the physical self, is grounded in strong moralcharacter foundation.

What is the cornerstone of strong moral character? Howcan we help our children learn about character?...Helpingour child become a responsible citizen.

Children learn about strong character when parents andother elders in their daily lives set a good example throughtheir own behaviour and actions, set and communicate highstandards and clear expectations, teach them on how to beresponsible and kind, and use Sadgranthas to reinforce thevalues of strong character. We have exemplary exampleof the Sage ›ukadeva, the Bhakta Prahlåda and in moderntimes the great patriotic warrior ›ivåj∂ Bhonsale.

We are always teaching our children something by ourwords and our actions. How we conduct our daily activitiescan show our children that we always try to do our best

42 Kalyana-Kalpataru

to serve our families, communities and country. Whenchildren grow a little and starts to understand outerambience, they do not learn the values that make up strongcharacter simply by being told about them.

They learn from seeing. They learn from hearing andfrom overhearing. They learn from us, from each other,from their friends in school and relatives in the communityand by themselves with their own thinking process.

Ethical Literature (Sadgranthas) as we referred above,can be a very powerful teaching tool. In fact, people instories, poems and plays can influence children almost asmuch as the real people who read with them. Therefore,reading to and with children, encouraging children to readon their own and talking with children about the booksthey read, are important ways to help children learn aboutand develop the values of strong character and goodcitizenship.

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How kind God has been to this unworthy devotee?I could never have imagined that I might win God.Indeed, I used to pity myself saying: ìLord, you loveyour saints, but why do not you love me?î Then I foundthat He loves all alike. But first you have to show Himthat in your heart you have forsaken everything else.Unless you give up desires for body comforts, sleep andevery other desire, you cannot know, Him day and nightyou must think of the divine beloved.

óSri Paramahansa Yogananda

Whole Universe is HarióNarasi Mehta

›r∂ Hari, you alone are the universe;In myriad forms you appear infinite.As soul in the body, you are the essence in the light,Living in the void as the word.

You are the wind, you the water, you the earth;Spreading support tree-like you span the skies.Bliss became Life by the desire toSavour countless joys in multifaceted creations.Vedas assert, as proved in heard and memorized texts.Between gold and earring, no incongruity exists.Shapes form, then names become diverse.Gold ultimately is always gold.

Garbled texts can tell no truths.Each worships the god of his choice.Truth is what mind, word, and deed confirmAnd the intellect knows intuitively.

You are the seed in the tree and you the tree in the seed:

The same appears on both sides of the curtain.Says Narsaiyyo, in the mindís quest.Revelation emerges in loving with love.

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Renunciation Leads to LiberationóSri Ramakrishna

VijayaóìWhat must the bound soulís condition ofmind be in order to achieve liberation?î

MasteróHe can free himself from attachment toëwomaní and ëgoldí if, by the grace of God, he cultivatesa spirit of strong renunciation. What is this strong renunciation?One who has only a mild spirit of renunciation says, ëWell,all will happen in the course of time; let me now simplyrepeat the name of God.í But a man possessed of a strongspirit of renunciation feels restless for God, as the motherfeels for her own child. A man of strong renunciation seeksnothing but God. He regards the world as a deep well andfeels as if he were going to be drowned in it. He lookson his relatives as venomous snakes; he wants to fly awayfrom them. And he does go away. He never thinks, ëLetme first make some arrangement for my family and thenI shall think of God.í He has great inward resolution.

Let me tell you a story about strong renunciation. Atone time there was a drought in a certain part of thecountry. The farmers began to cut long channels to bringwater to their fields. One farmer was stubbornly determined.He took a vow that he would not stop digging until thechannel connected his field with the river. He set out towork. The time came for his bath, and his wife sent theirdaughter to him with oil. ëFather,í said the girl, ëit is alreadylate. Rub your body with oil and take your bath.í ëGoaway!í thundered the farmer. ëI have too much to do now.íIt was past midday, and the farmer was still at work in

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his field. He didnít even think of his bath. Then his wifecame and said: ëWhy havenít you taken your bathí? Thefood is getting cold. You overdo everything. You can finishthe rest tomorrow or even today after dinner.í The farmerscolded her furiously and ran at her, spade in hand, crying:ëWhat? Have you no sense? Thereís no rain. The cropsare dying. What will the children eat? Youíll all starve todeath. I have taken a vow not to think of bath and foodtoday before I bring water to my field.í The wife saw hisstate of mind and ran away in fear. Through a whole dayísbackbreaking labour, the farmer managed by evening toconnect his field with the river. Then he sat down andwatched the water flowing into his field with a murmuringsound. His mind was filled with peace and joy. He wenthome, called his wife and said to her, ëNow give me someoil and prepare me a smoke.í With serene mind, he finishedhis bath and meal, and retired to bed, where he snoredto his heartís content. The determination he showed, is anexample of strong renunciation.

Now, there was another farmer who was also digginga channel to bring water to his field. His wife, too, cameto the field and said to him, ëItís very late. Come home.It isnít necessary to overdo things.í The farmer didnítprotest much, but put aside his spade and said to his wife,ëWell, Iíll go home since you ask me to.í (All laugh). Thatman never succeeded in irrigating his field. This is a caseof mild renunciation.

ìAs without strong determination the farmer cannotbring water to his field, so also without intense yearninga man cannot realize God. (To Vijaya) Why donít youcome here now as frequently as before?î

VijayaóìSir, I wish to, very much, but I am not free.I have accepted work in the Brahma Samåja.î

Renunciation Leads to Liberation

46 Kalyana-Kalpataru

MasteróìIt is ëwomaní and ëgoldí that bind man androb him of his freedom. It is woman that creates the needfor gold. For woman one man becomes the slave ofanother, and so loses his freedom. Then he cannot act ashe likes.

ìThe priests in the temple of Govindaj∂ at Jaipur werecelibates at first, and at that time they had fiery natures.Once the king of Jaipur sent for them, but they didnít obeyhim. They said to the messenger, ëAsk the king to cometo see us.í After consultation, the king and his ministersarranged marriages for them. From then on, the king did-nít have to send for them. They would come to him ofthemselves and say: ëYour Majesty, we have come withyour blessings. Here are the sacred flowers of the temple.Deign to accept them.í They came to the palace, for nowthey always wanted money for one thing or another: thebuilding of a house, the rice-taking ceremony of theirbabies or the rituals connected with the beginning of theirchildrenís education.

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Whoever performs his duties not for self, but toplease God, becomes a true renunciant and a true Yog∂.There will be greater joy in your life when you striveto please God, not self. If you work with the consciousnessthat you are doing it to please God, that activity unitesyou with Him.

óThe Divine Romance

Åtma Pµujopani¶adóK. Subramanian

This Upani¶ad is derived from the MaƒŒala BråhmaƒaUpani¶ad of ›ukla Yajurveda having 5 Bråhmaƒas. LordSµuryanåråyaƒa imparts the Åtma Tattva to §R¶i Yåj¤avalkyaand explains the methods of Yoga and Dhyåna.

Åtma Pµujopani¶ad is the last part of the secondBråhmaƒa. Here, the Lord explains the conduct of ÅtmaPµujå. Normally for an external Pµujå, SoŒa‹opacåra is donei.e., the following 16 Karmas are doneó

Dhyånam, Åwåhanam, Åsanam, Pådyam, Årjayam,Snåna, Åcaman∂yam, Gandham, Ak¶ata, Pu¶pam, Dhµupa-D∂pam, Naivedyam, Pradak¶iƒåm, Namaskåram, Prårthanå,Visarjanam.

Similarly for an internal Pµujå, the Upani¶ad explains16 inward Karmas equivalent to the above §SoŒa‹opacårasand says that one who performs this, will become a Yog∂and attain Mukti.

This Upani¶ad has only 16 Mantras (in Sµutra form)•Êà◊ ¬Í¡Ê¬ÁŸ·Ã˜

˙ ¬Íáʸ◊Œ— ¬ÍáʸÁ◊Œ¢ ¬ÍáÊʸà¬Íáʸ◊ÈŒëÿÖ¬ÍáʸSÿ ¬Íáʸ◊ÊŒÊÿ ¬Íáʸ◊flÊflÁ‡ÊcÿÃH

˙ ‡ÊÊÁã× ‡ÊÊÁã× ‡ÊÊÁã×HO≈ That (Brahman) is Pµurƒam. This (Universe) is

Pµurƒam. This Pµurƒam arises out of that Pµurƒam. If thisPµurƒam is removed from that Pµurƒam, only Pµurƒamremains.

48 Kalyana-Kalpataru

‚ÍòÊ v ˙ ÃSÿ ÁŸÁ‡øãÃÊ äÿÊŸ◊˜–Constant contemplation (not being troubled by any

worldly thought) of That (the Åtmå) is Dhyånam.‚ÍòÊ w ‚fl¸∑§◊¸ ÁŸ⁄UÊ∑§⁄UáÊ◊ÊflÊ„UŸ◊˜–

Renouncing the fruits of all Karmas is Åwåhanam.‚ÍòÊ x ÁŸ‡øÿôÊÊŸ◊Ê‚Ÿ◊˜–

Non-wavering J¤åna (being firm in the unshakenwisdom) is Åsanam.‚ÍòÊ y ‚ŒÊã◊Èπ÷Êfl— ¬Êl◊˜–

Always facing to the Åtmå is Pådyam.‚ÍòÊ z ‚ŒÊ˘◊ŸS∑§◊äÿ◊˜–

Constantly centred mind against Åtmå is Arghyam.‚ÍòÊ { ‚Œ˜ŒËÁ#⁄UÊø◊ŸËÿ◊˜–

Concentration to the inner light is Åcaman∂yam.‚ÍòÊ | fl⁄UÊ∑ȧì˝flÎÁ× SŸÊŸ¢–

Being in state of eternal brightness and shoreless nectaris Snånam.‚ÍòÊ } ‚flʸà◊∑§àflŒÎ‡ÿ Áfl‹ÿÊ ª¢œ—–

ìThe feeling of that Åtmå is everywhereî is Gandham.‚ÍòÊ ~ ŒÎ‡ÁflÁ‡ÊCÔU◊Êà◊Ÿ— •ˇÊ×–

Witnessing the Åtmå with oneís own inner eye (J¤ånaCak¶u) is Ak¶ata.‚ÍòÊ vÆ ÁøŒÊŒËÁ#— ¬Èc¬◊˜–

To be filled with consciousness is Pu¶pam.‚ÍòÊ vv ‚Íÿʸà◊∑§àfl¢ ŒË¬—–

To create the fire of awareness and establish in the Sunof awareness is Dhµupa-D∂pam.‚ÍòÊ vw ¬Á⁄U¬Íáʸ ø¢º˝Ê◊Îà ⁄U‚Ò∑§Ë∑§⁄UáÊ¢ ŸÒfll◊˜–

The union of oneself with the nectar (Candråmætam)is Naivedyam.

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‚ÍòÊ vx ÁŸ‡ø‹àfl¢ ¬˝ŒÁˇÊáÊ¢–Stillness (immobility) in that state is Pradak¶iƒam.

‚ÍòÊ vy ‚Ê„U÷ÊflÊ Ÿ◊S∑§Ê⁄U—–The feeling of ëI am thatí (Soíham) is Namaskåram.

‚ÍòÊ vz ¬⁄U◊‡fl⁄U SÃÈÁÃ◊ÊÒ¸Ÿ◊˜–Silence is the Prårthanå of Parame‹wara.

‚ÍòÊ v{ ‚ŒÊ ‚¢ÃÊ·Ê Áfl‚¡¸Ÿ◊˜–The total contentment always is Visarjanam.∞fl¢ ¬Á⁄U¬Íáʸ ⁄UÊ¡ÿÊÁªŸ— ‚flʸà◊∑§ ¬Í¡Ê¬øÊ⁄U— SÿÊØ– ‚flʸà◊∑§Sÿ

•Êà◊Ê‹Ê⁄UÊ ÷flÁÖ ‚fl¸ ÁŸ⁄UÊ◊ÿ ¬Á⁄U¬ÍáÊʸ„U◊S◊ËÁÖ ◊È◊ÈˇÊÈáÊÊ¢ ◊ÊˇÊÒ∑§Á‚Áh÷¸flÁÖ ßàÿȬÁŸ·Ã˜–

Thus the complete method of Råjayog∂s SarvåtmakaPµujopacåra is explained. Those who understands and doesÅtma Pµujå as above, becomes a Råjayog∂ and attainsMok¶a.

Thus ends the Upani¶ad. O≈ Tat Sat

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Åtma Pµujopani¶ad

When you give someone something, give it withrespect. You may give something to a beggar. He maybe in rags. Never mind, he is God. You should feelgrateful to him that he is accepting your offering. If youcannot give with respect then it is better not to give atall.

óTaittiriya Upanishad

›r∂ Råma tells you, ìBelieve always in the spiritualpowers, in the infinite capability of those with whom youcome in contact. Give up judging never form anyparticular opinion never condemn.

óSwami Rama Tirtha

Indian Festival: Durgå PµujåóMohan Lal Mago

Mythology tells us that Pårvat∂ was a happy goddess,much beloved of her hushand. But to his minions, her wordmattered less. Pårvat∂ís incarnation, Durgå, a form sheassumed to get rid of the world of the demon ìMahi¶åsuraî(billed in the scriptures as a good-over-evil fight) is,however, in full control. On earth, Pårvat∂, Åkå Må Durgå,has ëtreasurersí cultural secretaries, patrons, working roundthe clock in the count-down to her Pµujå to ensure that thefour-day festival not only be the best that it can be in termsof cultural programmes, but that it should, well, outdoothers.

Durgå Pµujå, however, is not just a Bengali festival,it belongs to all of eastern IndiaóBihar, Odisha, Assam,Manipur, Sikkim and the Nepali hills celebrate Durgåísdescent to earth from her heavenly abode at Kailash.She is welcomed with ëAgomonií, a composition of songsaffirming her divine exploits. Durgå Pµujå may be thequintessential middle-class festival (Kål∂, another incarnationof Pårvat∂, is dearer to subaltern Bengal), but the inclusionof folk theatre, Bau, Jatra and such like are a nod to thevarious pulls that have shaped Bengali identity. UnlikeKål∂, whom one does not mess with, Må Durgå is lookedupon as a majestic divine deity for sure, but also somethingof a girl come home, whose arrival is looked forward to.She is thought of as a generous goddess and there areliberties that can be taken with her house of worship andher entertainment menu. Constant in her court, are the great

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Bengali cultural lifeóRabindranath Tagore ( his songs,dance-dramas) Uttama Kumåra (the 1950s matiness idolíssongs that he shared on screen with Sucitrå Sen) and SingerMannå Dey.

There are abundance of Durgå Pµujå pandals in Delhi,but the Pµujå at Kashmiri Gate is special one.

Celebrating 105 years of Durgå Pµujå in the city ofDelhi, this Pµujå is being organised since 1910. Known forbeing traditional and low-key affair, this pandal is biggestcrowd-puller every year. What makes the food heredifferent from other pandals in the city, is that they do nothire caterers. The food is prepared in the canteen of theBengali Club that organises the Pµujå.

Food lovers in the city visit this one for their Biryån∂and Kormå. Rabindra Sa∆g∂ta and KuchipuŒi dance act willbe a part of their cultural programme.

Pµujå terms:Pu¶pa¤jalióflower offerings to the Goddess, made in

the mornings.Dhunuci NætyaóDhunuci is a traditional earthen lamp

in which coconut shell, incense and burnig coal is placed.After the Årat∂, worshippers dance holding the lit upDhunuci in a state of trance.

DhåkaóA traditional Bengali drum, which is usedintensively during Durgå Pµujå. A Dhåka player is calleda Dhåk∂.

BhogaóFood offered to the Dev∂ and then distributedamong devotees.

Ånanda MelåóCarnival with food stall selling traditionalBengali delicacies. Originally a Bengali home-cooked foodstall ritual.

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Indian Festival: Durgå Pµujå

VivekaóTorch-bearer of TruthóSwami Sharanananda

Viveka enlightens us that man is not the humanskeleton, but Consciousness focussed in the human body.What he isóConsciousnessóis the hidden target of discoveryfor the individual. But it should be discernible to eachthinking man that he is not the body, even though normallyhe may be all too body-conscious. Each man calls the bodyhis body, not himself; and there are many men who areready to lay down their bodies to protect something theyvalue higheróhonour of self, family, country, etc.óor whowould rather be released from the body if faced with anincurable and agonising malady in the body. What, then,does man find himself to be? A being or consciousnesswho is discontented with his incompletenessóreflected inhis unceasing desiresóand is impelled by an urge forfulfilment, perfection or liberation, being endowed withViveka which guides him onward all along, this is whatman actually finds himself to be. It follows, therefore, thatmanís life must be a process of Sådhanå: a consciousaspiration and ceaseless effort to emerge from want tofulfilment, from imperfection to perfection, from bondageto liberation. Sådhanå-less living is living by instinct, thelife of the subhuman or it is the life of the liberated manwho has fulfilled himself through the school of humanlifeónot of the normal man. Man as he is, is and entityof conscious Sådhanå. Unconscious gifts one finds evenin many trees, but they do not equate with man for theylack the self-awareness of Viveka. Non-possession is the

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attribute of many animals, but none calls them Sannyås∂s.So, it is Viveka or self-awareness, which marks out manas the highest of Godís creation verily made in the imageof God.

Viveka is the self-sufficient torch-bearer of truth; for itis the light of Truth itself. Thus, when Viveka is ablazethere is effortless awareness, supreme J¤åna. Effort pertainsto the ëIí and lasts only until it has not consumed the ëIíitself. All Sådhanå is meant to lead to Sådhana-lessness.Realisation dawns when the ëIí has set. The ëIí is motion;J¤åna is the stillness of the Self. Just as where light is,darkness is not, so in stillness there is no motion of effort.

Viveka is the true Guru. Just as the fragrance emittedby the flower is in fact latent in the seed as well as inthe tree, but it is given to the flower to emanate it by virtueof its perfection, so is Truth or God, though omnipresent,revealed to man by Flowers of the race, saints, and sages.The Guruósaint or sage-accordingly is Viveka itselfpersonified. The person who remains indifferent to his ownViveka remains indifferent to the Guru and the scripturesas well, as one who closes his eyes to the light cannotderive light even from the sun. Man can escape the Guru,the leader and the laws of society or government; but hecannot escape his own Viveka.

In fact, as in all sweetmeats the sweetness is of thesugar, so is all that appears true and beautiful a reflectionof Viveka.

As the pure waters of a flowing river, enclosed in apit, breed various germs, so does universal love, encasedin a body, object or environment degenerate into Moha.The ego is the limiting agency.

Viveka is the splitter of the ego, which is the atomof the spiritual world. The splitting of the ego is the key

VivekaóTorch-bearer of Truth

54 Kalyana-Kalpataru

to Mok¶a and the realisation of Truth. Truth is thesubstratum that is eternal and knows no change; untruthis that which floats on the screen, an influx of ever-changing appearances. The latter feeds on desires; theformer is what remains on the cessation of desires.

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Faith works wondersómakes the impossible possible.Faith plies its boat, setting sail over dry land. Thedoubting self is drowned even in ankle-deep water.

óSwami Virajananda

As seed is the origin of agriculture (farming), so isGod, the origin of the entire universe. As from milletthere is production of millet, from wheat there isproduction of wheat, from an animal, animals areproduced; from men, men are produced. Similarly fromGod only God emanates viz. The Lord is revealed inthe form of the world. As in ornaments made of gold,there is only gold; in the tools made of iron, there isonly iron; in the earthenwares made of clay, there is onlyclay; in the clothes made of cotton, there is only cotton.Similarlythe world emanating from God, is the manifestation.

óSwami Ramsukhdas

Without character building of individuals, neithertruthfulness, honesty and impartiality are visible norselfishness disappears.

SudhanwåóA Great Devoteeof Lord K涃a

Sudhanwå was the youngest son of King Ha≈sadhwajaof Champakapuri. He was a strict adherent of Dharma,singly devoted in conjugal love to his wife and bravestamong the brave warriors, with an absolute love for God.He faced Arjuna on the battlefield and proved his mettleto the utter bewilderment of Arjuna, the veteran of ahundred battles and the world-renowned victor of theMahåbhårata war. It was after that war was over that thegreat Horse-sacrifice, A‹wamedha, was performed for aformal recognition and acceptance of King Yudhi¶¢hiraísuniversal sovereignty by all rulers and kings of the time.The horse was accordingly let loose to wander at willattended by Arjuna as its guardian leading a large andpowerful army. The horse freely passed through manylands until it reached the outposts of Champakapuri wherethe horse was caught and the right of Yudhi¶¢hira as theKing of kings was challenged. A general mobilization ofthe fighting forces was ordered and whoever failed to bepresent at the appointed time on the field of battle wasto be thrown into the boiling cauldron. Sudhanwå, to thegreat astonishment of all, did not turn up in time, for afterreceiving blessings from his mother and sister he wasdelayed by his wife owing to a certainty in both their mindsthat he was not returning from the battle. He was orderedby the dutiful king to be thrown into the boiling cauldron.Sudhanwå in willing obedience to the king and his fatherleaped into it relying solely on God whose Name was his

56 Kalyana-Kalpataru

breath of life. But to the astonishment of all, the boilingoil did not hurt his skin in the least, and he was foundquite safely and peacefully seated in the cauldron. The twoBråhmaƒa ministers of the king, who were great law-giversof the time. ›a∆kha and Likhita, suspecting something tohave been mixed with the oil to save the prince, threwa coconut into it to test its heat. The coconut burst at onceand half of it struck the head of ›a∆kha and the other halfthat of Likhita. All those who witnessed the occurrencerealized the greatness of Sudhanwåís devotion to God. Hisfather, the king lent him his hand to come out of the bigboiling cauldron. Sudhanwå made his obeisance to hisfather and the two Bråhmaƒa ministers and they allproceeded to meet the army of the P僌avas in battle.Sudhanwå, though yet a lad in years, led the armies ofChampakapuri and vanquished many distinguished generalsof the enemy coming at last to grips with Arjuna himself.So bravely and skilfully he faught that Arjuna wasbewildered and had to admit that he had never met awarrior of Sudhanwåís type and invoked the aid of ›r∂K涃a whom Sudhanwå also invoked in his mind to bepresent in the battle. ›r∂ K涃a took at once the reins ofArjunaís horses and Sudhanwå made his obeisance to Him.Both were devotees of God and God helped them both.Arjuna took a vow to cut off Sudhanwåís head by threearrows, he proceeded to aim successively at him andSudhanwå took the vow of breaking every arrow beforeit reached him. The first arrow was aimed by Arjuna withthe merit of uplifting the Govardhana hill staked in itsfavour by ›r∂ K涃a. The arrow was at once broken bySudhanwå and when it touched the ground the earthtrembled. Arjuna aimed his second arrow with many gooddeeds of ›r∂ K涃a supporting it, but that too was broken

57

and Arjuna felt dejected and a great consternation wascaused in his army. ›r∂ K涃a then advised Arjuna to aimhis third arrow, putting on it all the merit of his descentas Råma and placing Brahmå in its rear. Time in the middleand Himself at its fore-part. When this arrow was discharged,Sudhanwå saw ›r∂ K涃a coming to him under the maskof death and welcomed Him but broke the arrow in two.Half the arrow fell on the ground quaking the whole regionof the moon and the other half cut off the head ofSudhanwå. His headless body continued to fight andslaughter the P僌ava army and his head smiling in peacefell at ›r∂ K涃aís feet. The Lord lifted up the head byboth His hands and a flame of fire issuing from the mouthof Sudhanwå entered the mouth of ›r∂ K涃a, thus mergingthe devotee in the Lord.

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SudhanwåóA Great Devotee of Lord K涃a

Because of God, everything else is. Because of Him,you exist. Because of Him you have material abundanceand conveniences and all the satisfactions that go withthem. So unto God your gratitude should be great. Whythen do you not remember the supreme importance toyou? How can you sleep away each day in ignoranceof Him? There is no excuse. Why give so much importanceto material life? Attend to your earthly obligations, butall the while think of God. For everyday the demon offate is snatching people from this temporal land; at anymoment you may be taken away.

óSri Paramahansa Yogananda

Nine Cardinal Virtues ofa Person of Character

óDr. Purna Chandra Ojha

Contentment makes a person happy, be always happy so.

Honesty is the best policy, be honest and humble ever.Adjustment is life what experienced, adjust yourself to

situations.Responsibility recognises personality, be responsible at

all times.Art has an enemy called ignorance, be Prudent at any

cost.Clarity makes a person justified, give Justice to all.Temperance triumphs everything, be moderate ever and

anon.Education is the soul of character, be yourself ever

educated.Rear fortitude in you, everything can be possible, no

doubt.With these nine Virtues a person must be endowedóTo become a person of character ever respected.

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Selfless DevotionóSwami Chidananda

Worshipful adorations to the one, non-dual UniversalConsciousness that alone exists, that alone pervadeseverywhere, eternally. May we seek to adore and worshipIt with our entire being. May we be aware that It is nota remote, unapproachable Reality, but that it is more realthan anything that we are perceiving through our fivesenses. May Its grace be upon you all!

Bhakti or devotion is of two kinds. The more commonis the ceremonial and ritualistic method of expressing ourdevotion through elaborate external worship. This Bhaktialways has a tinge of self-seeking through the meticulousfollowing of the injunctions of the scriptures regarding Pµujå.ìMay the Lord be propitiated and pleased. May He grantme prosperity, good health, well-being, progress on allfrontsódomestic, social, professional, financial.î So, thereis always a give and take.

But the Bhakti that crowns us with liberation, illumination,is Ni¶kåma (selfless). This Bhakti seeks nothing but thegreat privilege of loving the Lord. This Bhakti seeksnothing other than the Lord HimselfóGod for Godís sake,devotion for the sake of devotion. It not only seeks nothingelse, but it goes one step further. Even if something isgiven, it refuses to accept it: ìvarån na yåca raghunandana;yu¶mad-padåíbja-prema-bhakti¨ satata≈ mamåístuóI seekno boon. I seek no favour other than one-pointed devotionat Thy lotus feet.î It is this Bhakti that is to be practisedif you want to make this life worthwhile, attain the supremeGoal and become forever blessed.

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The Bhakta sees the defects of all created things: yaddæ‹yam tannå‹yam (Everything perceived is subject todecay). He realises that all created things are temporary,transitory, subject to decay and dissolution. They areperishable and imperfect. They are useful, but they canbecome a diversion, a bondage, a net, a nuisance and aprolific source of sorrow also.

Therefore, the Bhakta does not run after them. He says:ìI shall be wise; I shall not be foolish. I do not want pettythings. Everything created is Alpa (petty). Everything herefrom the Creator down to a blade of grass is only adelusion. Out of these perishable names and forms, I cannotget imperishable satisfaction and happiness.î Therefore, theBhakta rejects them.

That is the Bhakti that one should practise. And thisBhakti only becomes possible if we use our intellect todo Vicåra (enquiry) in order to generate Viveka(discrimination), Vicåra and Viveka will produce a Vairågya(dispassion) that is real, that is enduring. And Vairågyais the essential condition for progressing in devotion,meditation and illumination.

Lord K涃a has made this plain to us in the sixth chapterof the Bhagavadg∂tå. Bhakti, J¤åna and Dhyåna (meditation)are to be supported by Vairågya. Then alone one perseveresuntil the attainment of illumination and enlightenment.Bhakti, J¤åna, Vairågya, these triune streams, have to existtogether, flowing in an unbroken current within the hiddeninner dimension of our spiritual being.

This is to be remembered always. This is to becherished and nourished. This is to be practised andperfected. This is the guarantee of spiritual attainment,illumination, liberation and divine perfection here and nowin this very life in this very body.

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Keeping this in mind, diligently exercise wisdom in theform of constant right enquiry, reflection and discrimination.Practise resolutely, motivelessly, desireless devotion andlove for the Divine. And support both these by a state ofpermanently established dispassion Vairågya. May theSupreme Reality whom we adore, grant you these threeand crown your life with blessedness. May you becomeembodiments of Bhakti, J¤åna and Vairågya !

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Selfless Devotion

Most fortunate and blessed are ye. Come, come,seek the Eternal. Give it first priority. That is the highestvalue. It is the pearl of surpassing price, to have whichis worthwhile, throwing aside and giving up everythingelse.

óJesus Christ

Except God none is our utmost well-wisher,compassionate and unselfish lover, yet the ignoranthuman being forgetting God, indulges in ephemeralsense-enjoyments. Thus, he is wasting his valuable life.It is the glory of ignorance.

óJayadayal Goyandka

There is no greater sin than to give somethingconsidering it as its own. It is not service, it is sense-enjoyment.

óSwami Sharanananda

UpliftmentóJagannath Thareja

A monkey is sitting on the branches of a mango tree.A small naughty child passes by and throws a stone atthe monkey.

What do you think will the monkey do?Evidently climb higher.Even then if the naughty little boy throws another stone

which just misses it, the monkey, instead of retaliating, willrise still higher fondly clutching the mango fruit in its hand.

The monkey will continue its ascent till it is confidentthat the stone will no longer reach it. It will thereafterconcentrate on the enjoyment which the delicious fruit givesit, altogether forgetting about the incident of the stone. Howeasily and naturally the monkey succeeds in displacing evilwith good!

Let us in life learn a lesson from the wise monkey.If someone takes it into oneís head to start throwing stonesat us in the shape of insults, malices, misunderstandings,let us realize that the happy moment has come when weshould begin rising higher and higher, lift ourselves up intoelevated planes of thought and behaviour, saturated withthe glowing confidence that nothing which any otherperson may possibly do can in the least disturb theboundless overflowing ocean of profound peace that reignsin us all the time. Nay, on the other hand, let us havethe living faith and firm belief in the fundamentallyprofound and inherent goodness of the preordained schemeof events, so mysteriously interwoven into a patterndestined to lead us to the Eternal Good.

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Realizing this principle coupled with the supremeinherent sublimity in us, let us completely and exclusivelykeep our state of mind constantly in the Eternal SupremeJoy (Parama Ånanda) which even the most developedlanguages of the world fail to describe although employedassiduously for this purpose by the topmost linguists.

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Upliftment

A pure mind is like a clean mirror. If you standbefore a clean mirror, you can see yourself clearly.Similarly, when your mind is purified, the Self revealsitself to you. You then know that your Self is the Selfof all and you are one with all.

O Lord, neither the body, nor the Pråƒas, nor thehappiness coveted by all, nor even the Self, nor any thingelse that is outside the requirements for your service, canI, even for a moment put up with. Let them perish ina hundred way. This in all truth is my entreaty to you,O slayer of Madhu.

óSri Yamunacharya

Never WorryóSwami Sivananda

The hairs of a man turn grey within a couple of hoursif he worries himself much. Worries have got a corrodingeffect on the brain, tissues, nerves and cells. Worries impairdigestion, bring exhaustion and sap the vitality and vigourof man. Worries make a man anaemic and bloodless. Themental energy is dissipated by cares and worries. Worries,when combined with fear and anger, kill a man in a second.In fact, worries shorten the life of man. Many diseases taketheir origin in worries. Worries weaken the will. A manof worries cannot turn out any good work with attention.He is careless and listless. He cannot apply himself steadilyto any work. He is a living dead man. He is a burdento his family and to mother earth.

Some people have developed a worrying habit. Youcannot find even a bit of cheerfulness on their faces. Theyalways have ìcastor-oil facesî or ìquinine faces.î Have youcarefully noticed the face of a man when he takes a doseof quinine or castor oil? It is gloomy and depressed. Suchpeople should not come out of their rooms. They pollutethe world atmosphere and the thought-world, and affect otherpeople. Gloom is an epidemic disease. All those who comein contact with gloomy people are immediately affected. Agloomy man should cover his face when he comes out.

The mind that worries much, takes a merry-go-roundinside. I think you know what I mean by ëmerry-go-round.íA worrying habit is formed in the mind. The worryingthoughts recur again and again, and the mind moves ina circle.

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Never worry yourself over any matter. Be alwayscheerful. Think of the opposite, which is ëcheerfulness.íUse your reason and common sense always. Be sagaciousand prudent. Develop farsightedness. You can avert dangersand failures. You can overcome any shortcoming. If youare careful and also vigilant, if you are honest andstraightforward, if you discharge your daily Sandhyå,meditation, prayer, and other duties of Varƒå‹rama, andif you speak truth and practise celibacy, nothing can harmyou. Even Brahmå, the Creator will be afraid of you.Everything will go on smoothly. You will have anunruffled life. Even difficulties will roll on smoothlywithout affecting you a bit. Why then should there be roomfor cares and worries? Have always a balanced mind.Always smile and laugh. Develop this habit. Even if anydifficulty manifests keep a cool mind. Remember thisformula: ëEven this will pass away.í Reflect and assert:ìWhy should I unnecessarily worry myself? I have gainedpower now. I know the ways to pull on in this world now.I am not afraid of anything. I have a strong will now. Imeditate on Åtman. Nothing can upset me now. I aminvincible. I can move the world. I am a dynamicpersonality. I know how to adjust myself to my environmentsand surroundings. I can influence people. I know the artof suggestion and auto-suggestion. I will never, neverworry myself about anything. I am always peaceful andstrong. I derive bliss from within. I always say now ëMr.Worry, goodbye unto you.í I am a different man now. Iam made of sterner stuff. Worries are now afraid to showtheir faces to me. I can also remove the worries of millionsof other people.î

O little man of little faith! See how the birds are carefreeand happy! Become as carefree as the bird or a Paramaha≈sa

Never Worry

66 Kalyana-Kalpataru

Sa≈nyås∂. Have faith in your inner Self. Rely on your Self.Stand up and assert the divine majesty of your Self. Thouart not this perishable body. Thou art the all-pervading,blissful Self. Even if you have nothing to eat, even if youhave nothing to wear, never budge an inch from thisposition. Blessed is he who is carefree and who is restingin his own Svarµupa, always smiling and laughing andradiating joy unto others.

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The human status is very high. Not only is the infinitethere, but a human being alone can realize it. He or Shehas organic capacity. That is the uniqueness of the humanbeings, may the products of natureís evolution.

óSwami Ranganathananda

Day and night, morning and night, autumn andspring, come and go again and again. While time plays,our life ebbs away. Get, alas, the wind of manís vaindesires does not cease but continues to blow unsatiated.

óAdi Shankaracharya

There is no other gift you can give to God but thegift of your love. If God could ever be said to beg fromus, it is for our love. If he wants anything at all fromus, it is our love. The glory of human life lies in givinghis love to God. It is only human being who can givelove to God.