akhand jyoti magazine 2022 Nov dec

Amrit Chintan

You Hold the Key to Perfect Life

“We are there where destiny has brought us. What to do our fate is written badly; everyone is against us; no circumstances favor us or do any good to us. It is our ill omen, etc.” – Such thoughts are worse than what adversities or bad luck could be. This kind of thinking reflects one’s lack of faith in his own potential, infirmity, ignorance, lethargy, or cowardice. This kind of negative thinking has ruined many lives.

You should have faith in your soul. This will help you cultivate the seeds of courage, optimism, and vivacity inyourinnerspirit.Don’tsitidle;evencleaningthehouseorarrangingthingsinorderisgoodworktochange your moods. Begin with small, short-time resolutions and apply all your energy and efforts to accomplish them; this will boost your morale drastically and pave the way for greater endeavors.

Itisonlyyouwhocanmakeyourselfhappy.Whenyouthinkandattemptforinnercontentmentandhappiness, itrejuvenatesyourmind.Onthecontrary,whenyouareanguishedorfrustrated,everythingappearsdepressing and unfavorable.This state of mind saps your vital energy and zeal and hampers your self-confidence without noticing it.

Think positively; think of power, love, goodwill, and inner strength. Look at the lives of the great personalities, the intrepid warriors who won against all odds. You have all the capabilities to eliminate your poverty, weakness, and adversities; you only need to recognize this fact and change your attitude and routine accordingly.

- Pujya Gurudev Pandit Shriram SharmaAcharya

Believe you can, and you’re halfway there. - Theodore Roosevelt

The current social trend indicates that one’s progress or status is measured on the basis of how much wealth or material resources he/ she has amassed. It does not matter whether these have been achieved through fair or foul means. The core of this issue is that society interprets progress/success based on comparison/competition. It is not enough to have a good job or money with a person. It is also essential that he should have more than others, even if he has to compromise on his principles or choose the wrong path to achieve so-called success.

It appears that people have forgotten the noble aim of life – the attainment of self-realization. This is so because the superficial parameters on which the scale of success has been set, there is no place for self-upliftment and spiritual values.

A human mind always remains busy knitting a web of thoughts for doing something or the other. A human being runs after executing these plans all the time. His whole

Our Responsibility as Gayatri Parijans

life, he runs after achieving something or the other. Even after attaining so much, why does he feel so much dissatisfaction, distress, and void in his life?

The cause of this loneliness/void is that there is a common fallacy among the masses that external pomp and show, and prosperity will fill the inner emptiness and give peace of mind. Surprisingly, the opposite of this happens. Even then, people do not recuperate. Money cannot buy selfknowledge or eminence. Harmony in life is attained only when we realize our true nature and achieve the noble goal of life.

Keeping this fact in mind, Pujya Gurudev, Pandit Shriram Sharma Acharya, launched Yug Nirman Yojana (The plan for ushering in a new era) with its objective: ‘Rise in divinity in man and the descent of heaven on earth.’ To implement this plan, he established All-World Gayatri Pariwar (AWGP) and thousands of Shaktipeeths/ Pragyapeeths (the centers of reformation) worldwide.The members of Gayatri Pariwar are supposed to be doing Upasana (sitting near the divine and energizing the inner self daily), Sadhana (taking up austerities to refine the self), and Aradhana (actively involving in social welfare activities). These members are called Gayatri Parijans.

The project appears to be quite ambitious, but Pujya Gurudev has assured its fruitful completion (read in an article by him in this issue on the page--). Now there is a dire need that every parijan gears up to take up the

Live out of your imagination, not your history. - Stephen Covey

challenge and develop the virtues befitting a human being. This is our utmost responsibility.

We must develop the quality of assiduousness. The value of the physical body is judged by how laborious a person is.Thebasisofalltheprogressinthisworldislabor.Those who sit idle, their bodies become the home for diseases, and their minds are occupied with useless thoughts. To ensure that assiduousness becomes part of our life, we must think of utilizing each moment of life. Striving to make it a reality is also a kind of sadhana. We should also ensure that whatever task we take in hand must be done in the best possible way.

Apartfromthis,itisourresponsibilitytoproperlymanage our daily routine, workplace, and way of working. We should perform even small jobs with full engrossment.

This way, life remains well organized and moves ahead in a spiritual direction. While making this part of our life, we should also augment a few more qualities, like, elegance, humility, and genuine cordiality, so that our ego remains under control.

To make sure that our life remains controlled, balanced, and positive andmovesforwardinthedirectionof achieving the goal of our mission, it becomes essential for all our parijans to walk the talk.

With prayer-filled wishes to all our parijans and readers,۩

(Pranav Pandya)

- Suzy Kassem

We must all work in harmony with each other to stand up for what is right, to speak up for what is fair, and to always voice any corrections so that the ignorant become informed and justice is never ignored. Every time a person allows an act of ignorance to happen, they delay our progress for true change. Every person, molecule, and thing matters. We become responsible for the actions of others the instant we become conscious of what they are doing wrong and fail to remind them of what is right.

In a spiritually dominant country like India, spiritual intelligence is nothing new, but in scientific terms, the concept of Spiritual Quotient (SQ) is indeed unique. In its continuing quest to explore the extent of the human mind’s capacity, modern science has arrived at the idea of SQ. It all started at the beginning of the 20th century in the form of the Intelligence Quotient (IQ). We can call this concept rulebased insight of problem resolution, which we routinely keep using in varying measures.

In 1980, Daniel Goleman formulated EQ as the measure of emotional intelligence. This intelligence is linked withtheattributesofheartandemotions and is based on belief, sensitivity, emotional consciousness, self-control, and appropriate receptivity towards the feelings of others.

Both IQ and EQ are incorporated in SQ. SQ includes higher values of life, meaningful aims, holistic thinking, and broad understanding, making a qualitatively better and more creative life possible. The symbols of highlevel SQ are original and problem-

Spiritual Intelligence

solving thinking with sensitivity and access to that energy source that lies beyond the ego and physical boundaries of daily life.

We all, at one turn of life or the other, encounter this higher value.Researchshowsthat50%ofadultsofeveryculturaland educational background pass through this peak experience whenever they see beauty or a unique common thread in every creation of nature or when their heart is overflowing with love. Such experiences, of course, keep coming and going, but these occur because of their association with the energy emanating from this sublime and deep field.

The different dimensions of intelligence, as described above, have been found to be associated with different sections of the brain. IQ is connected with the left part of the brain, while EQ is conceived as connected with the right part. SQ is considered linked with the brain in totality. On this basis, spiritual Intelligence is the highest level of the brain’s capacity that awakens knowledge, wisdom, compassion, honesty, joy, love, creativity and peace, and other attributes and powers of our soul.

The social asset is based upon emotions which have been named EQ. According to the political economist Francis Fukuyama, the social asset is measured based on values like mutual trust, the sensitivity of people towards one another, and their devotion to the common good, etc., which exist in society. The health of a community can be measured on the touchstone of its rates of crime, divorce, illiteracy, litigation, etc.

Spiritual intelligence is like a vaccination against greed, arrogance, and tyranny - Saidi Mdala

According to Danah Zahar, an American -British author, most of the alliances and pacts in the world are formed on a material basis and hence are not long-lasting. Including the elements of social and spiritual values in the texture is desirable to make them durable. It should be kept in mind that the substratum of IQ is logical thought, e.g., what do I think; the base of EW is - what do I experience, while that of SQ is –what am I?

It is a competence that makes one capable of raising questions about the goal of life and integrating oneself with the world in which we are all living. This results in better mental health and balance, and consciousness about the meaningful goal in life.

In a study conducted by Tehran University on 270 nurses, a strong link was found between spiritual intelligence and mental health. The increase was also noticed in different parameters like growth in consciousness, increase in work efficiency, transcendental consciousness, and a holistic understanding of life. In other words, the nurses with a greater measure of spiritual intelligence were more healthy mentally, their lives were more meaningful, and they were proving more useful for their patients.

Thus, SQ is the upper limit of intelligence which incorporates the meaning of life, and its value has the capacity for mental adjustmentandtakeslifeinthedirectionofnon-materialisticand objective aspects. In this are linked spiritual sources, sublime values, and self-imposed code of conduct which collectively enhance a person’s daily work efficiency and health.

Persons with high spiritual intelligence (SQ) go beyond the physical and the material aspects and experience the sublime levelofconsciousness,findsolutionstoproblemsbyassociation with spiritual sources, and simultaneously possess virtues of gentleness, simplicity, forgiveness, justice, and compassion. The level of contentment in their lives is very high.

Such people can bear a great amount of stressandtension,fears,andconflicts.They are internally very strong and know well how to face the challenges of life without losing mental balance. Such persons have a deep understanding of their own emotions and remain sensitive to others’ sentiments too.While they have an attitude of detachment to the affairs of their own life, they do lead a life of meaningfulness for society in general.

Danah Zahar has enumerated 12 elements of spiritual Intelligence:

1. Self-awareness: In the spiritual sense, it means recognizing our values – what we care about, what we live for, and what we would die for. This can also be called honesty towards one’s real ‘swa’ or ‘I,’ which includes living with respect towards others.

2. Spontaneity: It means living in the present with full consciousness of one’s duty and responsibility for one’s work. We may call it a disciplined life of self-restraint, which provides flow and momentum to life.

3. Being vision- and value-led: Vision is something we aspire to This means life, conduct, and work – all based on some principle and deep faith. It can be called the incorporation of values and farsightedness in life. The person keeps judging himself on these parameters.

The intuitive mind is a sacred gift, and the rational mind is a faithful servant. We have created a society that honors the servant and has forgotten the gift. -Albert Einstein

4. Holism: It is the consciousness of totality that naturally makes cooperation and unity possible. It’s about a sense of oneness and connectedness. Once we realize that we are all part of the same system,wetakeresponsibilityforourrole. Its absence gives rise to rivalry, which in turn generates differences and disquiet.

5. Compassion: This enables us to understand the feelings of others, even of our adversaries, and accordingly respond with the right conduct and sensitivity.

6. Celebration of diversity: It requires respecting other people despite differences with them. This forms the basis of an atmosphere of cordiality, amity, and unity where there is disrespect and disdain for none.

7. Field independence: It means not following the crowd and remaining firm in one’s belief and faith. This may alsobecalledthecouragetostandalone despitetheriskofbecomingunpopular.

8. Humility: It is the sense of one’s true position in the world of being a speck in a vast cosmic play and remaining conscious that “I could be wrong too.” So it can be called a continuing mental attitude of awakening and receptiveness for the truth, an attitude which is always willing to learn.

9. Tendency to ask fundamental ‘why’ questions: This virtue relates to the deep understanding of surroundings and readiness to go inside a matter and explore its depth. Einstein’s childhood had an abundance of this quality which often led to punishment by teachers for asking nonsensical questions. But this very tendency to ask and explore made him the greatest scientist of the century and one of the greatest ever.

10. Eligibilitytoreframe:Itisthecapacitytoviewathing or problem from different angles and a wider perspective. A great concern today is the desire for immediate gain and a lack of a long-term view of things. This prevents us from getting permanent benefits, peace, and happiness.

11. Positive use of adversity: This is the ability to learn from mistakes, failures, and pains and utilize this learning for self-development. Here the main tendency is to learn from mistakes rather than assign blame to others and to stand on one’s ground amidst adversities and difficulties.

12. Sense of vocation – It is about doing work with a purpose that, at its core, benefits humanity. The sentiments to give something in return for the benefits earned or received. This is selfless service which Param Pujya Gurudev expounds as aradhana. This very emotion climaxes in the form of the invocation ‘idam na mama’ in the offerings of yagya, which makes yagya an act of the highest level.

Thus spiritual intelligence is conceptualized as the apex of human intelligence in life. Param Pujya Gurudev has been propoundingitasapracticalspirituality.Thiscanalsobelooked upon by a Gayatri sadhaka as ritambhara pragya, which is the final fruition of sadhana.۩

True intelligence operates silently. Stillness is where creativity and solutions to problems are found. - Eckhart Tolle

Science and pirituality »

Essential Spiritual Practices for Holistic Self-Development

In the articles of the previous two issues, we have learned about the initial steps of the spiritual journey. Following these steps also helps healthy progress in worldly life. We now look at some traits and practices necessary for righteous progress with the ever-inspiring support of spirituality.

Before proceeding further, we should note that cleansing and purifyingtheunconscious(orsubtle)domainsofthemindare as important as the positive orientation of its subconscious and conscious components and the illumination of its intellectual faculties. The spiritual endeavor of s³dhan³ indeed serves this purpose. In simple terms, s³dhan³ means a self-determined endeavor of self-purification, selfdisciplining,andrefinedtransformationoftheselfforholistic development of life and awakening and elevation of pr³ña (vital spiritual energy). Higher levels of s³dhan³ gradually lead to greater spiritual attainments and divine realizations.

Apart from the initial practices of self-awareness and selfenlightenment discussed earlier, the devotional practice of worshipping and experiencing the proximity of divinity indwelling in the self and the entire universe is the most important step for mental and emotional illumination and the awakening of pr³ña. It also renders the required emotional strength, support, and inspiration for the other components of self-development.

Observance of tapa (penance and ascetic practices) and sa®yam (self-restraint and self-discipline over physical and mental activities, including the thought process) is essential forself-purificationandself-discipline.Cultivationofpositive

tendencies and good character lays the foundation of self-transformation in the righteous direction. Âr³dhan³ (compassionate altruistic service of the needy) helps positive orientation of the (inner) powers, talents, and refined potentials thus gained. Devout continuation of s³dhan³ helps achieve higher goals with enlightened peace, joy, self-respect, and ever-increasing energy and enthusiasm.

1. Up³san³: Most of us understand up³san³ as –worshiping a deity and praying before it, chanting a mantra, etc. Well, these are certainly the supportive steps or methods to attain the real purpose of up³san³ Thesesimplepracticeswould be effective in the spiritual training of the mind if we understand the real meaning of up³san³. Linguistically, the word “up³san³” (upa + ³sana) means — sitting near.

The devotional or spiritual practice of up³san³ means sitting near God, communicating with God through prayers,andthefeelingofreceivingHis beatifying light in the inner self via the medium of chanting suitable mantras

Knowing others is intelligence; knowing yourself is true wisdom. - Lao Tzu

with deep mental and emotional engrossment. Up³san³ means faith in divinity and in divine virtues. It means sitting near god through imagination and thoughts and feelings of divine proximity in the idol, picture, or any other symbol of a deity (or in any other object) of worship. If we sit near a fire, we feel the heat, and our clothes and body also get warm. Sitting near a snow-covered rock/mountain similarly cools us. The area surrounding a sandalwood tree is permeated with the fragrance of sandalwood; its soothing aroma also makes the nearby plants fragrant. Indeed, proximity can have a profound effect!

Up³san³ is a process of mental and emotional proximity with divine virtues and divine force. If practiced with deep faith and emotional engrossment, its immediate positive effect would be — a reduction in the hidden or manifested infirmities, mental stress, anxiety, tensions, and worries, and augmentation of fearlessness, optimism, peace of mind, emotional clarity, and strength. With regularity and sincerity in this devotional practice, the devotee will gradually experience greater positive effects, including the sharpness of memory, mental focus, intelligence, and intuitive powers, and enhanced purity of thoughts, tolerance, love, and compassion.[1]

The three universal modes of spiritual ascent, namely, japa (rhythmic chanting of God’s name, a prayer, or mantra with mental and emotional engrossment), dhy³na (meditation), and Swara-s³dhan³ (deep meditative breathing) will render support in up³san³ and also motivate gradual selftranscendence and self-expansion through s³dhan³. If one can achieve this, nothing more will be required. This path will take you to the high realms of righteous progress and ascent with divine peace and blissfulness[2] .

2. Tapa and Sa®yam (Self-purification and Self-Control):

As described earlier, the biggest and nearest foe that puts hurdles and tries to pull us back in various ways in our efforts of self-development and spiritual ascent is our own mind hazed by its untoward assimilations, passions, and habits. It needs to be tackled firmly and strictly. Doing so is more difficult than training the wild animals in the circus to perform skilled feats. While preparing to sow the seeds of positivity, one first needs to completely remove the toxicity of the ‘soil,’uproot the weeds and shrubs, and work hard to plough this multi-layered field of the mind. This is done by Tapa and Sa®yam

Tapa literallymeanspenance,voluntaryadoptionofhardship, andobservanceofasceticlife.Itislikethepurificationofgold in the furnace, the glazing of diamonds, etc. Towards this, one is supposed to introspect, analyze and confess (before theAlmighty or a noble spiritual master) one’s wrongdoings; one should exert self-penalization for the misdeeds and evil intentions in such a way that the body would not be harmed or injured much, but the mind would remember it forever.

Giving up comforts, adopting hardship and austerity for some noble purpose, refraining from the entertainments that interest the mind, curtailing the duration of sleep, exerting arduous diligence for the service of the needy,

It is never too late to be who you might have been. - George Elliot

selflessly donating time and efforts (using one’s own worldly resources, physical strength, talents, social contacts, etc.) for altruistic social projects, engaging the mind in the good and constructive activities which it otherwise dislikes or tends to avoid/skip, etc., are some feasible ways of penance that one may start with. It should be noted that charity and service should be offered from the heart and with prudence and patience, and not as emotional upheaval.

In general, mental and bodily energy is consumed in haphazard activities driven by the ever-turbulent mind and sensory passions. It is crucial to prevent this drainage or misuse firmly. This is why sa®yam (self-restraint, self-control over the mind and sense organs) is essential. Observance of fasting and adoption of austerity are quite effective in practicing sa®yam. Disciplined use of worldly possessions, time, thoughts, and emotions are also necessary components of sa®yam.

3. Character Building:

There are four essential qualities that form the basis of authenticity and excellence of character, and these are the adoption of (i) wisdom, (ii) honesty, (iii) responsibility, and (iv) courage. In the spiritual domain, these qualities must be regarded as no less important than food, water, clothes, and shelter for the physical body.

Being wise means adopting farsightedness and discretion. These are like the activities of an experienced farmer who willingly bears losses and puts in efforts towards tilling fields, sowing seeds, and providing water, fertilizers, and security for his crops.

Honesty can be described as oneness in word and deed. Genuineness in relationships can be kept intact by this quality.Thecredibilityofapersonisalsodeterminedonlyby

honesty. The cooperation and goodwill of others can only be earned through honesty.

Human life’s goal is not limited to the motives of only satiating hunger and reproducing,asisthecasewithallother animals. A human being has to fulfill responsibilities towards his own body, his family, and other living beings. His social and universal responsibilities are towards religion, culture, and the entire humanity. Eating proper food in the right quantity and living a balanced lifestyle helps fulfill his duty toward maintaining a healthy body. Responsibility towards family includes making the family members educated, self-reliant and cultured. People who want to fulfill some of the responsibilities prescribed for a human being have many options open, but this would be possible only when there is contentment in their personal lives, and there is sufficient interest and enthusiasm towards activities of social welfare.

A progressive life is never devoid of problems and challenges. It is essential to have the courage to deal with them thoughtfully and effectively. Protest against social evils; their eventual eradication also becomes possible through the determination and collective efforts of courageous people.

The most difficult thing is the decision to act; the rest is merely tenacity. -Amelia Earhart

TheAchievement: Adopting the above-listed spiritual practices in daily life will gradually leadtoholisticwell-beingandprogress with the illumination of the inner self. One’s prudent and benevolent deeds, with refined talents, will contribute to brilliant success with respectful cooperation in his/her worldly life too, and will also help upliftment of the society.

References/Guidance:

1. Pandit Shriram Sharma Acharya. Up³san³ ka Tatva Darïana aur Swar¿pa. Publ. Yug Nirman Yojana, Mathura. (15th Print.) 2017. [English Version: “Meaning, Purpose, and Benefits of Worship.” Publ. Shri Vedmata Gayatri Trust, Shantikunj, Haridwar. (Rev. Ed.) 2016.]

2. Pandit Shriram Sharma Acharya. Japa, Tapa, aur Dhy³na:Publ.YugNirmanYojana,Mathura.(15th Print.) 2017. [English Version: “Japa, Tapa, aur Dhyana — Triple fold path to Sadhana” Publ. Shri Vedmata Gayatri Trust, Shantikunj, Haridwar. (Rev. Ed., 2nd Print) 2013.]

Then, step by step, you start to understand the difference that it produces inside yourself. And in the end, you choose who you want to be from that moment on. And when you reach that state of mind and being, you cannot undo what you just did. And you change. You transform yourself from a caterpillar into a beautiful colorful butterfly. You start to love your new colors, your wings, and once that process begins, you may develop this desire to fly up, and from up there, you see yourself first, then your life, your family, your friends, your job, everything. You start to compare your previous caterpillar perception, with the new butterfly one. If you like the caterpillar view, you stick to it. If not, you will change it completely. But this is not an easy overnight process. It takes time, patience, and perseverance to live like a butterfly.

- Diana-Maria Georgescu

-Albert Einstein

Incarnation of Gurudev

The departure of Param Pujya Gurudev from the physical .world pierces us like a thorn. So long as he was with us, we never got the opportunity to see and understand him deeply. Whatever is near and belongs to us appears insignificant. We do not value it enough. Just like living on the earth, we do not realize how fast it rotates and travels around the sun. When astronauts saw the beauty of the blue world and observed how its rotation caused sunrise and sunset from space, they felt amazed and ecstatic. On the other hand, we live on this beautiful earth, but neither do we sense its pace nor its brilliant glow.

The same is also true about our physical body. Our body comprises many amazing biological systems, but we neither directly see nor understand their functioning. On the other hand, when specialists explore the body minutely, they realize that this body - which seems quite insignificant to a gross eye – is, in fact, a storehouse of incredible capabilities.

Like the earth and the body, the physical form of our highly revered Gurudev was very close to us for a long time. Even we, who lived by his side, could catch only a glimpse of how great he was. So, it is no surprise that thosewhowerenotwithhimphysicallyallthetimewould know hardly anything about him. Our gross eyes can only see what is present in physical form. People who stand at the shore of a sea can only pick up a small oyster and mollusc shells; the real treasure of pearls can be picked only by people who put in the brave effort of diving deep into its waters.

Many people felt privileged and satisfied by only the sight of Gandhiji, but those who studied him in depth and received the light of his persona got transformed into great human beings like Nehru, Patel, Lal Bahadur, Rajendra Babu and Radhakrishnan. Very few among us have tried to assess the Himalaya-like height and the sealike depth of Param Pujya Gurudev’s personality. Normally, people have been attempting to evaluate him only by watching his various physical actions.

One of his very popular habits washe enjoyed distributing the earnings of his intense spiritual penance among his followers, just like many elders enjoy distributing sweets/toffees to children. As a result, a big gathering of children would surround him all the time. These children were those naïve people who desired worldly progress or needed solutions to the problems of their personal lives but lacked the required strength and means to do so and needed help from more capable others. Spiritually mature people believe in their own efforts and tread for their goals alone. They steadfastly face all the complex situations created

There are two ways of spreading light: to be the candle or the mirror that reflects it. - Edith Wharton

Pujya Gurudev, as I saw and understood

by their past karmas with courage and forbearance. But children have a different mindset. They desire a lot but lack the requisite strength to attain the same. Distributing sweets to such children means fulfilling their small worldly wishes as gifts to encourage and delight them. Gurudev took great pleasure in doing this.

Hewasindifferenttoculinarypleasures by nature, but he enjoyed feeding others. He ate very little and spent very less on what he ate. His extreme miserliness in this regard was almost hurtful. But his benevolence in feeding food to others was unmatchable. In his dining area, along with him, dozens of guests would eat every day. Only on a few extremely rare occasions, he may have eaten alone. If a day came when there was no guest, he felt sad, reminiscing the saying from our scriptures - one who eats alone sins.

As he rose higher spiritually, this habit took a different turn. It would not take a moment for him to see the inner agony of every sad, dejected, and disturbed human being who visited him. His heart which was always filled with empathy towards others began to melt. Just like butter or icebergs that melt in the heat, the hearts of saints also melt when they come across the pain and misery of others. Their hearts

overflow with love and compassion, and the sufferings of others become their own.

The way he lived and dressed, Pujya Gurudev looked like a very ordinary human being. But in reality, he was extremely great, and the foundation of this greatness lay in his childlike simplicity and cloudlike benevolence. He was born with several divine virtues and continued to acquire more in his lifetime through spiritual penance. His motherlike love was soexpansivethatwhoevercameintohiscontactgotenriched and engulfed in it. Even strangers who met him for the first time felt drawn to him as if they had known him like a family member for a long time.

When the breeze flows, everyone feels it is flowing exclusively for him. When the sun’s rays enter one’s home, he thinks that the sun has risen for him alone, solely to give him warmth and light. But in reality, both the breeze and the sun are much more altruistic, and not one but many receive their benefits simultaneously.

A heart that is full of love, empathy, and motherly love and that feels oneness even with wild and fierce animals, why won’t it melt for human beings? It was opposed to his inborn nature to return empty-handed who were in dire need and who came hoping to receive succor from him. He could never be so stone-hearted.

He did not keep for himself even a small bit of whatever spiritual capabilities he gained through arduous practices and penance. Every bit of his spiritual earnings was generously distributed by him to anyone who came to him with hope. If possible, the stories of such people in their own words will be brought forth who received help from Pujya Gurudev when needed. This will elucidate how the dark moments of so many people were transformed into a

Amentor empowers a person to see a possible future and believe it can be obtained. – Shawn Hitchcock

bright future by him and how many received his blessings through help and support.

Gurudev was very firm on not expressing his supernatural powers openly. He did not want people to praise him or express gratitude toward him. He did not want to be known as a miraculous being, a benevolent donor, or a great ascetic with extraordinary powers. He was very happy and content when others regarded him as simple, normal, and gentle. So, he imposed strong restrictions on everyone not to express to others all their divine experiences or the help and support received from them. If they had to, they were told to say they receivedGod’sgrace andnothingaboutGurudev.Duetothis restriction, innumerable episodes continue to be unheard of and unknown even today, which, if told, can amaze anyone. Now that Pujya Gurudev is no more with us, a need is felt to bring forth these episodes so that everyone can now understand how capable and useful a spiritual life can prove to be and, by adopting it, how much a person can make himself useful for everyone. One big utility of this would be that people will understand the true outcome of adopting pure spirituality in their lives. This would create interest and enthusiasm in everyone toward spiritual life.

Needless to say, as compared to prayers, chanting, and meditation, Gurudev gave thousand times more importance to refining our lives. He would give the entire credit of his spiritual accomplishments to eliminating and uprooting all inner impurities and adopting the highest ideals in his life. Whenever he spoke, he said - “The credit for the success of allmyprayersmustgoonlytothatspiritualpracticeinwhich the process of cleansing of the inner being and imbibing excellence was very sincerely and keenly adhered to.”

If such a form of spirituality becomes a subject of interest for the common masses and by adopting it, if everyone begins

to experience holistic progress just like Gurudev, then innumerable people would undoubtedly get attracted to this form of imbibing excellence in their lives. As a result, shoots of greatness will begin to sprout everywhere among human beings. We have started to feel that there is no harm in bringing out an anthology of articles describing how those who were associated with him found light in their lives and overcame difficultiesintheirouterandinnerlives. These articles would tell the various inspirations people received to walk on the road to self-development. Had Gurudev been in his physical form, he would not have been happy with this and would surely discourage us just like he always did earlier. But now praise or censure does not affect him; he has gone far beyond these limits. So, there is no harm in publishing such incidents and episodes with the intent that everyone will recognize what can be achieved by true spiritual practices and what activities a sincere seeker must adopt in his life.

If even a few people learn of his greatness through these disclosures and get inspired to follow in his footsteps to become great themselves, it would be a historic achievement. The more we have thought about this, the more convinced we are that there is nothing wrong, but only logical and

Agood coach can change a game.Agreat coach can change a life. – John Wooden

appropriate steps must be taken to collate the incidents of inspiration and physical and spiritual achievements of people who were closely associated with him and publish these. So, this work has now been taken up. A write-up of all incidents like this, along with some photographs, may be sent to us at the Haridwar address. These will be edited and published as and when possible.

Life of Pujya Gurudev is a complete and comprehensive philosophy of spirituality and humaneness, which needs to be brought into light not to show his greatness but to attract the interest of readers towards awakening inner divinity, which is the greatest achievement of human life. The need for this is even greater today when the distorted forms of religion and spirituality are rampant in society, as a result of which all who follow this path are falling prey to ostentation and ego. To conceal their shame of being a failure, several so-called spiritualists boast of possessing some form of

fictitious powers, but if their inner beings are scanned, they will be found empty within. For how long reality can be hidden, it erupts from every pore of one’s personality, and finally, the truth becomes known to all. Failed spiritualists create wrong impressions of disappointment and the meaninglessness of spirituality in society.When educated and knowledgeable people discuss spirituality, it is often full of mockery and ridicule. Thus, if spirituality remains popular only among uneducated and unsuccessful people, if blind beliefs alone become the basis of faith, and if spirituality does not emerge victorious in a test of truth, it will not be possible to keep alive for long the ideas with such weak basis.

What can survive is that which has a strong base and can be proven true at every test. Spirituality and religion have becomeanobjectofridiculeeverywhere,andthemainreason for this is that their utility and worth could not be effectively proven. Logic and evidence have held their fort in all ages, but in today’s times, every concept needs to prove itself with reason and proof even more forcefully to win society’s approval. The present era is the age of intellectualism. None ridicules science, architecture, education, agriculture, business, art, medical science, etc., because their practicality is self-evident. If spirituality could also prove its authenticity and utility in today’s times, as it did in the past, there is no reason why people today would not be excited and attracted to this all-important truthful concept.۩

A true leader is one who leaves memorable footprints of nobility. A leader who is decisive enough and has all the guts to take bold and frank decisions regardless of the opposition and the temporal adverse effect of such decision on the masses, knowing that in the end, the fruits of such decision will be sweeter enough to put joy on the faces of the masses and they shall remember such noble footprints and ponder in humility.

- Ernest Agyemang Yeboah

Amentor is someone who allows you to see the hope inside yourself. - Oprah Winfrey

Some Tips for the Best Utilization of Time

Many factors contribute to our success in life, but the foremost among them is the right utilization of time. Those who have made the best use of each moment of their lives have indeed achieved great success. While on the other hand, many people with exemplary talent did not achieve anything substantial in life because of their inability to harness time efficiently.

This article presents the various personality traits associated with thinking and behavior that are the main culprits leading to the wastage of time and inhibiting progress. One can utilize one’s time more efficiently if one focuses on fixing these.

Waitingendlesslyforpropermotivationcanbeabigcontributor to wasting time. Understandably, we all need the inspiration to start any task enthusiastically and complete it successfully. But if we are in a state of endless waiting for this motivation and the right state of mind before embarking on any task, it becomes difficult to attain progress in life.

This is because many things we do in life are done as a duty towards our family or society or as a Will of God. We might not be adequately motivated in such things since we do not perceive any immediate benefit. In such situations, waiting for motivation or the right state of mind is not advisable because these tasks are time-sensitive and lose their significance when not done at an appropriate time. One should remember that a step taken at the right time takes a person closer to the goal.

Public fear and public shame are two other factors for wasting time. Worrying about what others will say, a person ends up not

takingastepforward.Well,whateveryou do, people are bound to say something. So, if we are merely procrastinating due to the fear of public opinion, then it certainly is neither a smart thing nor a brave thing to do.

Dutiful people consider their inner inspiration as the voice of the Divine and march towards their goal alone, even if they have to face ridicule, opposition, or criticism from the entire world. People who respond to their inner calling make the best use of their time, and with time, the voices of opposition fade and die down. When the world eventually realizes their greatness, it makes way for such people.

Astateofmindthatisinaperpetualmode of complaining can also be a huge factor inthemisuseoftime.Whenapersondoes not realize his own mistakes and blames those around him, such a person’s mind tends to be full of grievances. He cannot puthistimetogoodusebecausehismind is entangled in thinking and blaming others. Such a mind cannot accomplish anything significant. It is busy with selfdeception, and time is wasted blaming, complaining, and criticizing others.

Perfectionism can also be a reason for losingprecioustimebecausesuchpeople have high expectations of themselves. And when those expectations are not met, he becomes disappointed with himself and feels regretful about others. In such a state of mind, no practical plan can be made to achieve solid results. The task will be stuck in the visualization and planning phase itself.

The desire to make everyone happy can also prove to be a drain on precious time because, practically speaking, we cannot please everyone because everyone has their expectations and requirements. A person might not realize that he is driven by his own ego and selfishness. He wants the entire world to be run according to him. In such a situation, no one can progress toward his/her goal while satisfying the desires and ambitions of everyone else.

We must travel on the path of life, maintaining a balance between our duties,therelevanceofthetasks,and the need of the times. We have to do those things that are in accordance with our societal responsibilities and not to please everyone. If a person follows the standard truth, adheres to his dharma and duties, and has humane qualities – in due course of time,suchapersonsatisfieseveryone because such a person ends up being

a well-wisher for all, a protector of humanity, a preserver of culture and serves the society.

Comparing ourselves with others also leads to a waste of time. If a person does not derive inspiration from within himself, such a person is excessively influenced by others. So, knowingly or unknowingly, he begins to compare himself with others and judges himself based on others’ opinions. He might develop a superiority complex or an inferiority complex, which can harm his mental balance. It is probably best to take only the requisite information and guidance from others and move forward in life with a balanced mind.

Lack of prioritization can be a vital cause for losing time because a person tends to focus on unnecessary tasks due to a lack of clarity. This leads to important and urgent matters being left unattended. This, in due course,createsasituationalcrisisandleadstostressand depression. In the future, the person does not even try to do something due to fear of failure. The time passes by without anything substantial being accomplished. Plans remain unexecuted, and the mind tricks us into shifting our focus to other things instead of facing our fears and overcoming them.

For all these reasons, man does not live life fully while time continues to get wasted. All dreams of achieving success and progress remain suspended in thoughts and don’t get executed. Even if something little does get accomplished, it is not satisfactory because the complete potential of the person does not get harnessed.While there is still an opportunity to learn and improve, we should pay close attention to all the various reasons through which time slips from our hands. By rectifying those mistakes, we can achieve desired success and progress in life.۩

Take care of the minutes and the hours will take care of themselves. - Lord Chesterfield

Health and Wellness »

The Impact of Classical Music on Health

Indian culture has been widely applauded for its creativity, aesthetic values, and liveliness. This has been regarded as superior to all existing cultures the world over.

Indianculturehasinfluencedforeignersfromtheverybeginning. This is because Indian Arts have always played an important role in inspiring people to fill their lives with positive attitudes and delightful moments.And fine arts (e. g., painting, sculpture, architecture, music, and poetry) have been referred to as the most significant of all the arts.

Music is the foremost of all the fine arts. It is such a form that establishesanindelibleimageonthepsyche,andIndianclassical music surpasses the musical forms of all other countries.

Indian classical music originated in the Vedic era. During that time, it was considered a cultural medium for eulogizing God. Krishna recited Gita not by speech but by singing; so this is called Gita.

Rigveda says – ‘Amelodious eulogizing of God fills your heart with love. In fact, God resides in music.’Indian classical music isnotmerelyamediumofentertainmentbutiscloselyrelatedto nature and human sentiments. OurVedic literature categorically describes distinctive behavioral traits of the Indian style of living, and music is accepted as the foremost of them.

Seven notes of Indian classical music – ‘Sa, Re, Ga, Ma, Pa, Dha, Ni’ cast a positive impact on human health and the body. Vedas have described seven energy centers that control the different functions of the human body. These seven energy

centers - Mooladhar, Swadhishthan, Manipur, Anahat, Vishuddhi, Agya, and Sahasrar - are greatly influenced and remain active by the vibrations of these seven notes of music. Music has been signified in Vedas as Yoga which helps maintain good health.

According to Ayurveda, all the diseases in the human body are caused due to imbalances in phlegm, bile, and wind. ‘Raga’ (one of the ancient traditional melodic patterns or modes in Indian music) plays a significant role in recovering from this imbalance. Ragas make us feel spiritual pleasure; and for this reason, they are considered relevant in curing diseases.

Some experiments have also been carried out regarding Raga therapy in the past. During the 20th century, Pt. Omkarnath Thakur reportedly relieved Italian ruler Mussolini from Insomnia by miraculously singing Raga ‘Puria’. Ragas have been found very beneficial in curing Alzheimer’s disease, which is related to forgetfulness. If it is not controlled, it can be fatal for the patient. According to the famous neurologist, Dr. Oliver Smith ability to remember

Music has the power to heal, transform and inspire, and we have the power through deep listening to increase our intuition and self-awareness. –Andre Feriante

can be increased by listening to ‘Raga Shivranjani.’ Presently scientists and doctorshaveprovedthat80%ofdiseases develop from mental ailments like stress, anxiety, depression, etc. and music is such an expression of Indian culture which helps to promote mental stability.

The treatment of the illness by Raga is called Music Therapy. These days researchers are carefully studying this therapy, and the results of their research appear promising.Timeslots are explicitly set forth to listen to different Ragas. Though music can be enjoyed at any time but for optimal well-being, listening to a particular Raga should be at a specific time.

According to Ayurveda, afflictions of Phlegm, bile, and wind work in the circulatory system for 24 hours. All forms of Ragas have the power to sway different mental instincts, and the change produced by such power casts an impact on the well-being of a person.

Listening to Ragas at a suitable or opportune time can relieve a person from a disturbing situation. It is believed that listening to Raga ‘Marva’ and ‘Bhopali’ give strength to the intestines.

Intense use of mobile phones, movies, and impaired eating habits these days are causing impotence among most males.

Raga ‘Vasant’ and ‘Suraki’ effectively deal with impotence. Raga ‘Savari’, ‘Bhairavi,’ and ‘Suhani’ work effectively in relieving mental sickness and headache.

CombiningRagaswithGod’seulogizingproducesamiraculous effect. Not only it renders spiritual peace, but even God’s grace can be achieved.

Reverent love and devotion are accorded to the Almighty by classicalsinging.‘Sa’isusedasadorationofLordBrahma,‘Re’ for fire, ‘Ga’for Rudra, ‘Ma’for Vishnu, ‘Pa’for Narad, ‘Dha’ for Ganesh, and ‘Ni’represents ardent devotion to Sun. The musical sound of Lord Krishna’s flute cheered the cows to give more milk. Music has a reciprocal relationship with nature.

The sound of ‘Sa’ has got its origin from the scream of a Peacock, ‘Re’ from Rishabh like cow and ox, etc., ‘Ga’ from Ajalikesheepandgoat,‘Ma’fromlong-leggedshorebirdcalled ‘Cronch,’ ‘Pa’ from the melody of Cuckoo, ‘Dha’ from neigh of a horse and ‘Ni’ has its origin from elephant trumpet. This is notable that all birds and animals can cry in only one sound, while man has the ability to sing in all seven sounds.

The importance of Indian classical music can be assessed from the fact that Tansen, one of the courtiers inAkbar’s court, could stimulate the occurrence of Rain by singing Raga ‘Malhar’ and could light up the lamps by singing Rag ‘Deepak.’ These vibrations produced by singing Ragas leave a distinctive effect on nature.

Recently one study was initiated in the forest department in Madhya Pradesh where a harmonic composition of Raga ‘Bhairavi’by former Sitar player Pt. Ravi Shanker was aired in an orchard. This stipulated a 9% increase in the sprouting rate of fruits likeAmla, Sitaphal, etc.Thus music therapy can also be used to increase productivity.۩

Music is one of the longest-standing self-prescribed therapies in history. – Erin Seibert

How to Develop the Self ?

Lifeisthenameoffacingchallengesandconvertingthese into opportunities. It is developing one’s self by getting out of the comfort zone and accepting the challenges. Life is confronting fears, conquering them, and achieving a desired, meaningful and successful goal. Life is overcoming myriad small weaknesses and gaining control over the self. Life is creating the desired world while facing difficult circumstances and making them favorable. Certainly, this work is not simple, but nothing will be achieved by sitting idle and doing nothing. It requires entering the battlefield and marshaling courage to confront every challenge and face every fear.

Normally no one wants to leave one’s comfort zone. Here, it feels so soothing and calm, and there is a sense of security. But tragedies, too, are connected with this; the sense of security and peace is an illusion. One feels more confident within a small sphere because one always does the same thing repeatedly. Hence there is a minimum possibility of any risk and loss. People living in confined zones feel energetic because life passes in a fixed pattern with hardly any extra exertion.

Life cannot grow to its full potential amidst these perceived benefits in comfort zones. The skill and knowledge develop to a limited extent. It does give a sense of satisfaction, but since there is no risk-taking, there is no chance of big gain either, which a person subconsciously expects and wishes for. Together with this, there also develops a pessimism towards life. For lack of full development of life, there keeps growing a sense of dejection and resignation within; there is frustration and repentance too on the lack of full blossoming of the possibilities of life. In the language of psychology,

the person feels deprived of the goal of self-actualization and fulfillment.

To come out of this syndrome, all that is required first is the realization of how this comfort zone is really an obstacle in the path of holistic development of life. Only after this realization steps to come out of this could be initiated.As long as a person is content with the comforts and trappings of life, there is no question of coming out of this mold. But after introspection, when one begins to feel the need for further development of the self, then attempts in this direction start. Some useful steps in this respect are given below:

First,fixagoalyouwanttoachieveand start with small steps in that direction. Make a list of those tasks which make you uncomfortable and uneasy. Now takeupafewofthesetaskseveryday.In the context of health, for example, you can start with your diet. If the dietary habits are unhealthy and haphazard, you can improve and change them. If your diet dominates rajasic elements, you can include sattvic items as per your health requirement.

We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act but a habit. - Will Durant

Similarly, regarding physical labor and exercises, whenever you begin to feel lazy or less energetic, you can add some new items and take them to anew level, making your body fit and healthy. While working to develop new skills necessary for a successful life, you can add unique aspects to your professional life, which increase your self-confidence and quality of life.

You can add a new book every week to your reading list. You can work on a new theme or subject, which enables you to come out of a routine pattern of intellectual progress. You can earmark some time daily for your favorite books.

Ifyourlifeisgoingoninarutandlacking in normal satisfaction level, ask yourself some probing questions and challenge yourself. Include new creative activities in your routine. Spend some moments in meditation. Start with light pieces of work. You can add diary writing and other creative writing to your sadhana forAtma-bodhandTatva-bodh(realizing the self and the reality).

Trytotalkwithastrangerdailyforyour emotional development and to expand your social sphere. Practice speaking from a podium. It is to be noted that 77% of people suffer from stage fear. If you are in this category, take small but

Life

bold steps to overcome this fear. It would be helpful to make a video of yourself while speaking, analyze it later, and then take suitable corrective actions. With Saakshi bhava (a witnessing attitude to the world), try to witness your stress and anxiety and feel yourself gradually transcending the comfort zone. Reward yourself when you are successful in this.

Thus, in these ways, make efforts to break out of your inertia. Throw a challenge to your belief that has kept you in this state of inactivity in your comfort zone. Make an honest evaluation and boldly take steps to move out of it and feel this movement arising from the point where you are stuck. Find out the social circle of your interest and make yourself a part of it. This will give you a space for creativity and simultaneously open the door out of your comfort zone. You may also share the success experiences of your life with others and thereby add a new and refreshing dimension to it. This way is completed the process of breaking out of one’s comfort zone, which has four stages – comfort zone, fear zone, learning zone, and growth zone. In the first stage, you come across fears. By facing these fears boldly, you receive the necessary lessons, completing the learning stage. The solid education received thus culminates in self-growth. All this imparts new confidence, excitement, zeal, and satisfaction to life.

Thus, self-development occurs only after coming out of the comfort zone. This path passes through tension, dilemma, and unease. Every day you have to do some such work as makes you scared and uneasy. But facing this fear repeatedly facilitates the path to growth of self. Without going through this process, words like reformation, achievement, and success appear hollow and meaningless. Thus, today’s hard work, endeavor, and sweat define the success and meaning of your future life.

-

isn’t about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself.

George Bernard Shaw

The Highway to Achieve Fearlessness

Fear is an aspect of human existence that is not limited to any group or clan. It is also not something new but an eternaltruth.Theentireworldisgrippedinfearofsomething or the other. Each person is trying to grapple with their own set of fears. Everyone wishes to lead a fearless and conflictfree life but is sadly unable to do so.

The question arises as to what the source of all these fears is. Vedic rishis answered this question eons ago. If a person associates himself with body and mind, he can never be completely free of fear.As long as life is afflicted with flaws and bad traits like ignorance, blind faith, attachment, hatred, selfishness, ego, inaction, and immorality, and the body perception remains strong, fear cannot be uprooted from life. In fact, life in the grip of fear is a cursed life. One must persevere and get out of it. Real life and a dignified existence are made possible only after overcoming fear.

In Swami Vivekananda’s words – ‘Fear is a weakness and impairment, and nothing is eviler than cowardice. Fear is the biggest blind faith. Fear is death, hell, and adharma. The moment you are afraid, your existence ceases. All the negative thoughts and actions present in the world have their roots in fear. Also, depending on the degree of our pettiness and selfishness, fear becomes more prominent.’

That is why it is said that even a few good deeds can awaken inner strength; even a little goodwill toward others can circulate lion-like courage in their hearts. Only the courageous can achieve great feats, not the cowards.

Only the courageous are eligible to attain liberation, not the others. There are two types of courage. One is to go beyond bodily abilities and do something astounding. This kind of courage is momentary. The other type is courage at a spiritual level. This needs to be maintained and exercised at all times.

When you realize that you are an unlimited,indestructible,andimmortal soul through spiritual courage, this frees you from all fears.Your existence is rooted in fearlessness.

Fundamentally, fear has its roots in mental weakness, ignorance-blind faith, inaction-infirmity, immoral actions, and negative thinking. We can take small steps in our day-to-day life and free ourselves from these sources of fear.

Firstly, we should strive to attain a strong body and good physical health because a robust mind lives in a healthy body. Along with this, make our mind-intellect prudent, visionary and enlightened. A person who is physically and mentally healthy alone can lead a fearless life.Always interact

with virtuous people; this interaction is Satsang. Leading a life of discipline, ethics, and responsibility is another way of becoming brave. These traits will transform our inner beings and manifest moral courage and selfconfidence, thus giving us the blessing of a fearless life.

Even if something unexpected happens in life, do not take it very seriously. Just learn from the situation and move ahead. Never swerve from the right path. Understand the power of Prayer, and use this tool when you fall short or go weak.

Always steer clear of all the bad habits that have weakened you and pushed you toward fear. Get yourself out of laziness, procrastination, and inaction. Never sit idle. Lead a life of responsibility and hard work. Do not indulge in gossip.

Do not mumble and grumble at your weaknesses, shortcomings, and little mistakes. Always learn from your mistakes and let go of them. Continue on the right path. Do not try to gain sympathy from others. Keep your frailties and anguish to yourself. Be steadfast with your duties and refrain from procrastinating.

Consider that doing your duties is an integral part of spiritual life. Steadily

move towards the goals of your life, and do not linger in uncertainty for a long time. Also, do not compare yourself with others.As you follow these guidelines, you will observe that everything that creates fear in you and pulls you back is nothing but ignorance and illusion.

This is why people choose a shortcut to life instead of taking the highway and adopt immoral life. Whenever someone earns a livelihood or fame by unethical means, fear torments him. So, if you want to dream of a happy life, you must refrain from all the wrong methods.

Arise,awake,andplaceyourtrustinTruth.Havethecourage tolearnthetruth andwalkthatpath. Soulhelps you to realize this truth, and nothing in the entire creation can destroy that. So, stand firm on the path of Truth.

Put in practice what Upanishads call fearlessness, that which relieveshumanityafflictedbyignoranceandfearandbestows the boons of a fearless life. Do not ever compromise on truth and spiritual life. Have the courage to accept your reality. Like covering a corpse with fragrant flowers is useless, do not try to hide your weaknesses. Instead, face them bravely and cleanse to the extent possible.

To achieve fearlessness, become a moral person who cannot even dream of doing anything wrong. This requires courage, and only the courageous can hope to improve their life while the cowardly are smeared in sin. So, practice being brave. Bear in mind that integrity will take you to fearlessness. It alone can pull you out of the depths of fear and anxiety.

People are scared of speaking the truth because of their ignorance. Because when you lie, your entire being is afflicted with guilt, rendering you weak with each passing day. Life becomes death-like because guilt can never make

The most fearless hearts, the audacious dreamers, have always maintained a sense of optimism that often flies in the face of the available evidence.

- Martin O’Malley

a person overcome fear. Hence it is best to realize the power of Truth. Practice being truthful in thought, word, and deed. Thisisthesecrettobecomingcourageousandself-confident. In addition to this, it is good to do regular self-introspection. In the words of Swami Vivekananda, ‘The surest way to achieve fearlessness is to realize the true nature of oneself (Swa - Atma – Bodh). The soul is beyond life and death; it is omniscient, omnipresent, and omnipotent. The Supreme Soul or Paramatma alone is truly beyond any fear.

Staying firm on this spiritual truth, makingittheguidingprincipleoflife, is the mantra for becoming free from fear. Feel this truth during Upasana, ponder it during Sadhana, and put it into practice during Aradhana. This is the only highway to achieve fearlessness.۩

Once there were two childhood friends who were determined to remain close companions always. When they were grown, they each married and built their houses facing one another. Just a small path formed a border between their farms.

One day a trickster from the village decided to test their friendship. He dressed himself in a two-color coat that was divided down the middle, red on the right side and blue on the left side. Wearing this coat, the man walked along the narrow path between the two houses. The two friends were each working opposite each other in their fields. The trickster made enough noise as he traveled between them to cause each friend to look up from his side of the path at the same moment and notice him.

At the end of the day, one friend said to the other, "Wasn't that a beautiful red coat that man was wearing today?"

"No," replied the other. "It was blue."

"I saw that man clearly as he walked between us!" said the first. "His coat was red."

"You are wrong!" the second man said. "I saw it too. It was blue."

"Red!" "Blue!" "Red!" "Blue!"

They began to fight with each other. The trickster walked directly in front of them, displaying his coat. He laughed loudly at their silly fight. The two friends saw that his twocolor coat was divided down the middle, blue on the left and red on the right.

The two friends stopped fighting and screamed at the man in the two-colored coat, "We have lived side by side all our lives like brothers! It is all your fault that we are fighting! You started a war between us."

"Don't blame me for the battle," replied the trickster. "I did not make you fight. Both of you are wrong. And both of you are right. Yes, what each one said was true! You are fighting because you only looked at my coat from your own point of view "

When you explore your fears, then you set yourself free. - Stephen Richards

Itisthenatureofhumanbeingstorun after objects that appear attractive or give pleasure, but it is not necessary that these objects would make them happy. Sometimes, on the contrary, they may hurt or harm a person. This is a truth found in life experiences that cannot be ignored. Even after going through these life experiences, it does not imply that one should give up trying to be happy. This wish always remains with us.

We all want to be happy, but this is not always possible. The pressure to be happy or look happy always is actually due to our social enigma. Due to this enigma, we cannot understand and welcome every experience that comes our way in life, and we keep running after happiness. In order to understand the truth of joy, we will have to understand the following.

Someone’s smile may give a strong indication that he/she is happy. But smiling always doesn’t show they are so glad. Most people consider happiness to be the absence of negative emotion, i.e., you feel like you have to be happy all the time, always laughing,

The Secret of Happiness

and if something negative happens in life, then you become blind and deaf to those feelings and don’t react to them.

The wise know that this is not possible on the grounds of practicality. Actually, happiness is a state of complete inner joyous feeling. It is not the absence of negative emotions but the impact of having positive as well as negative feelings and experiences in life to feel happy. There is a need to learn the art of creating a balance between these two experiences, which can be called true happiness.

According to psychological research, happiness is an important factor in achieving success in life. However, today a person remains under much pressure to be successful because the competition to get ahead of others and to earn more has been made the criterion of success. It has been associated with fame, but the question is – Does it really bring happiness? Probably not, but there is arrogance or ego toward winning for sure. The feeling of victory is natural because of our efforts, but after a while, it fades away. We are on the same grounds as before and are normal with everyone. Losers don’t need to be always unhappy because it gives them a new understanding, direction, and a new lesson that is priceless.

The joy of victory may be momentary, but the happiness of understanding from failure lasts long, and its effect lasts even longer. Similarly, after basic needs are fulfilled, it is not necessary that more money or fame will give you more happiness. If you know the art

The secret of happiness, you see, is not found in seeking more, but in developing the capacity to enjoy less. - Socrates

of being happy, all accomplishments attained in every area of life become more meaningful.

When we try to be happy, questions arise in our mind: How can we be satisfied? Where do we focus our happiness? What should we be pleased about, and how can we express joy?

There are some pointers: First of all, take care of yourself. Apart from taking care of the health of the body and mind, make good use of time. Learn to live in the present with a calm mind. This virtue will fill you with more potential, you will take pleasure in work, and

you will become more productive.

Remember that we are not alike; we are all unique flowers in God’s garden. That’s why you should recognizeyourstrengthsandgroom them. Value excellence in your life. At the same time, donate a part of your time, labor, and resources to make this garden of God more beautiful. Certainly, then you will understand the secret of happiness and enjoy it throughout your life.۩

Lord Buddha was staying in the city of Shravasti. His evening discourse on ‘worldly sufferings and liberation from them’ was going on. All of a sudden, a woman came in crying and fell at his feet, requesting, “Lord, my only son has been snatched away from me by death, and if you bless me, then he will become alive. Please bring him back to life, I beg for his life at your feet.”

Buddha smiled and said to the woman, “Mother, please don't worry. I will give life to your son, but for that, you will have to ask for mustard grains in alms.” The woman became ecstatic to hear these words from Lord Buddha. After stopping for a while, Buddha said, “But keep in mind that the grains should be brought from a home where no one has ever died.”

The woman was so enchanted by Buddha's assurance that she set out to get alms without understanding the meaning of his words. She knocked at the door of every home in the city, and people were eager to give mustard seeds to her, but there was no home where there was no death. Then the woman realized that death is the inevitable truth of the universe. You reap as you sow based on your karma. Every creature has to give up this body at a certain time.

As soon as this realization dawned, she immediately returned and fell at the feet of Lord Buddha and said, “Lord, show me a way to achieve the goal of life, not the immortality of life.” Lord Buddha spoke to that woman in a compassionate voice, “Daughter, I can understand your pain, but the way to get rid of it is to enjoy serving the needy.”

The secret of happiness is to count your blessings while others are adding up their troubles. - William Penn

Trees are the pride of Mother Earth, thefoundationoflifeandhappiness. Wherever there are lush green trees, nature is alive in its versatility. From small living organisms to animals, birds and even humans find protection and shelter in it, and life flourishes at every level. Wherever there is dense forest, biodiversity is at its maximum prosperity. The ecological balance is guaranteed in which clean air, pure water, fertile land, and a peaceful environment are easily available. Who will not want to live there?

Thisisthereasonwhythesagesofyore have encouraged tree plantation. It is said that one step-well is equivalent to 10 wells, one pond is equivalent to 10 step-wells, one son is equivalent to 10 ponds, and one tree is equivalent to ten sons. So, planting trees is considered a holy task. In ‘Bhavishya Purana,’there is a mention that the one who plants a shade-giving, flower- and fruit-bearing tree or plants a tree by the road or in temple premises helps his forefathers attainsalvation,andtheplanterhimself achieves glory and auspicious results.

Planting trees is very auspicious, and

Tree Plantation & Conservation of Forests

the tree is like a son to the one who doesn’t have any. In our ancient scriptures, several references state the importance of trees and encourage the planting of trees. Accordingly, considering this auspicious in India, tree plantation is carried out widely. That is why we see so many flourishing forests in different parts of the country. Unfortunately, there is a widespread lack of understanding regarding tree plantation and the promotion of greenery, especially in the villages that are rapidly transforming into concrete jungles where vegetation is negligible.

Also, there has been continuous indiscriminate deforestation inthenameofprogress.Theexploitationofnaturalresources is being carried out in a well-planned manner. Human attitude towards nature is so callous that he is not averse to exploitingnatureforhispettygreed.Thestatisticsofforested land in India and around the world are proof of it, which is perturbing and compels us to give it serious thought.

According to the latest reports of the forest survey of India, there is a decrease in forested land in the Himalayan region. Intheyear2011,thethickforestsintheareawere4270square km which decreased to 4155 square km in 2021. Although there has been an increase of 9 square km of forested land in Himachal Pradesh, a fall has been recorded in scarce and medium-density forests. According to the reports, the decrease in forested land in the Himalayan region is due to increased agricultural and development activities.

Tourism in the Himalayan region has grown by leaps and bounds. It is natural that a large number of tourists from the

Someone’s sitting in the shade today because someone planted a tree a long time ago. - Warren Buffett

plains, to get relief from the scorching heat during summer, escape to the mountains but keeping in mind the ecological balance and biodiversity of these tourist places, these places have not been maintained and developed as per the safety norms. In order to accommodate the large crowd, concrete jungleshavebeenerectedonthemountainslopes,neglecting all safety measures, which is a matter of serious concern.

It becomes even more dangerous as the region comes within earthquake sensitive zone. Such unplanned developmental activities are going on indiscriminately in this region which is taking a large population toward serious impending tragedy. This should be immediately banned and brought under control. Along with preserving forests and greenery, tree plantation should also be encouraged in open lands.

However, according to a survey in India, there has been an increase of 1540 square km in forest area and 721 square km in tree coverage; in the year 2011, the tree coverage was 712249 square km which increased to 713789 square km in 2021. At present, 21.27% of the land area is covered with trees

Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and Karnataka in the south and Odisha and Jharkhand in the east have shown a predominant increase in forest areas. Contrary to this, there has been a tremendous fall in forest areas in the North-Eastern states of India. So, it is natural to expect a dialog at a national level in this context.

It is known that the indiscriminate felling of trees at the national levelisthebiggesttragedyofpresenttimes.Since1990wehave destroyed 13 lakh square km of forest area, which is more than the area of South Africa. However, in many parts of the world, efforts are being made for tree plantation, which has yielded increasing and exemplary results. Surinam in SouthAmerica is one such country where 94% of the area is covered under forest.

It is followed by the Federated States of Micronesia, Gabon, Seychelles, and Palau.

In contrast to this, some countries are apathetic towards this. They present a frightening picture in this context. Some such thing is happening with the Amazon Forests in Brazil. The Amazon forests are known as the lungs of our earth. Every fifth human on the planet depends on the oxygen released by theAmazon Forests, but the callous felling of its trees is depriving us of our breath.

It is known that the natives of this jungle depend on the rainforest for their living, but the destruction of these forests endangers their existence. Last year at Global Climate Summit in Glasgow, more than 100 nations of COP26 had assured that they would stop cutting down the forest by 2030 but what work has been done in reality is worth pondering.

For the ecological balance of the earth and the mere existence of humans, conservation and planting of trees and forests is the immediate need of the hour. It is the Yug Dharma. Concrete steps should be taken in this direction. Also, there is a need for all-round destruction of the evil nexus that is playing with nature/environment.

Anation that destroys its soils destroys itself. Forests are the lungs of our land, purifying the air and giving fresh strength to our people. - Franklin D. Roosevelt

Odyssey of the Enlightened – 88 » Disciplines and Duties after Initiation - 3

A Surprising Proposal

The sannyasi who had brought the proposal was known as Swami Narhari Anand. He was quite close to the chief saints of Mahamandal. After the completion of discourses and special aarati etc., in his Ashram on the occasion of Purnima (full moon day), he came to Acharyashri in the evening. Without taking much time, he said — “Our Maharajshri (chief swami) would like to meet you. But he won’t be coming here. You may have to take the trouble of coming to the Mahamandal premises in Jagat Ganj”.

“I have no problem reaching there, but I have got to return to Mathura tomorrow morning,” – Acharyashri responded.

“Your meeting with Maharajshri can take place at any time before midnight. Or, if possible, it would be nice if you could kindly extend your stay here by one day”, the swami insisted.

“Why is the meeting so necessary?” — Acharyashri asked the envoy with a bit of surprise.

“Maybe, Maharajshri wants to hand over some important responsibility to you. I do not know what it is, but I am told that his meeting with you is essential as part of a major step towardsprotectionandresurrectionofour Sanatana Dharma and Culture” – Swami Narhari Anand tried to explain the significance of this meeting from his side.

Acharyashri saw some substance in what the Swami told. He deferred his return journey by a day and went to meet Swami Dayanand (Maharajshri) in the Mahamandal office at Jagat Ganja. After an exchange of regardful greetings, Swamiji started talking about the pulls and pressures of invaders and changing times upon religion and culture in the present state of society.

After a while, Swamiji asked — “You are a married man. Will you remain a family man and also be devoted to the service of society and revival of religious and cultural glory? Don’t you think you would be able to better serve society and the nation by renouncing familial bonds?”

Acharyashri responded, “In the present times, family life (grihastha-ashrama) is more appropriate. My angelic guru had advised me to set an example for the masses that spiritual progress and dedicated social service can very well be pursued while also transacting the duties of family life”. Swamiji had got the answer, but still, he insisted — “I think one can be fully devoted to the service of religion only by adopting sannyasa (i.e., by renouncing worldly life, family, friends, etc.).”

For a man to conquer himself is the first and noblest of all victories. – Plato

Acharyashri humbly responded— “You may be right at your place. But a sannyasi’s life remains confined to a specific domain of activities. He/she cannot set an ideal before ordinarypeople;hecannotbeoneamongthemassesandstill show them the path to elevation by his own life and works. In fact, it is more challenging to observe ascetic disciplines and do sadhana in married life than in sannyasa. Living the married life like yoga is itself a great sadhana; the kinds of self-restraint, tolerance, and endurance a sadhaka needs to have for this are not possible to practice in a sannyasi’s life”. Swami Dayanand did not comment on this issue and directly came to the point. He told Acharyashri that I would like to put high responsibility on your able shoulders. I think it can’t be fulfilled without taking sannyasa.Anyway, let me first tell you about this task, then you may decide for yourself.

As you must be aware, Adi Shankaracharya pioneered the renaissance of Vedic religion in this age of “Kaliyuga.” He had established five centers (known as Shankar mathas or simply as mathas) to expand the light of Sanatana Dharma. Four main mathas were located in four directions of Indian Territory — “Govardhana” in Puri (on the East coast), “Sharda” in Dwarka (on the West coast), “Jyotirmaya” in the Himalayas near the pilgrimage site Badrinath, and “Shringeri” in South India. Adi Shankaracharya had placed four of his leading disciples as chief Acharyas in each of the first four mathas. (Traditionally, these heads are all titled “Shankaracharya” of the respective matha). Although there is one more matha in Kanchipuram in South India, where he himself is said to have spent some time and which is the most prosperous of all the Shankar mathas today, most scholars and Shankaracharyas do not count it among the main mathas

Available proofs and historical documents on his life show that Adi Shankaracharya had gone to the inaccessible cores

of the Himalayas in the last days of his life. Devotees and followers regard him as a manifestation of Lord Shiva in human form, who, upon completing his divine mission, had returned in the physical body to the Kailash Dhama in the celestial domains of the inaccessible parts of the Himalayas. Such convictions might have emerged from one’s devotional sentiments and ardent faith. But he had indeed been to the Himalayas in the last phase of his mission.

There, at the pilgrimage site of Kedarnath, he addressed his accompanying disciples for the last time and motivated them to dedicate themselves to re-awaken the light of religion in human life. The goal of his descent on the earth was over at the young age itself. He now ventured for the final abode through mahasamadhi (supreme trance) in the Himalayas. Leaving the disciples there, he commenced his journey to the inaccessible cores of the Himalayas all alone.

Swami Dayanand described the significantcontributionsofhisdisciples and their successors in the five mathas established by Adi Shankaracharya. Referring to the Jyotirmatha (popularly known as Joshimath) at Badrinath, he started talking about

Mastering others is strength. Mastering yourself is true power. – Lao Tzu

Swami Brahmanand Saraswati, who had been the Shankaracharya of this matha for more than a decade. He had departed from the physical body nearly a month before the establishment of Gayatri Tapobhumi. He had revived the Acharya tradition in a new way. This tradition somehow gradually got deviated at this matha after Acharya Shankar (Adi Shankaracharya). So much so that for the past four hundred years, there was noAcharaya; the chief priest of Badrinath only used to look after this Shankar matha.

Because of Swami Brahmanand’s initiatives, the original location of this matha was traced in 1941-42 by the “Bharat Dharma Mahamandal.” Swami Gyananand, the founder of this scholarly society jointly with Swamis Brahmanand (Saraswati), Dayanand, Hariharanand, and Dandi Swami, etc. had researched it with the help of scripturalcitations,historicalevidence, and their intuitive acumen.

Swami Brahmanand Saraswati became the “Shankaracharya” of Joshimatha in 1941. This title was conferred upon him in a traditional ceremony at Varanasi. Only broken remains or debris of the structure of the ancient Shankar matha were available at its original site (in Badrinath). There was nothing like a roof or anything that

could provide a shadow or shelter to anyone. So Swamiji worked from Joshimath. Swamiji was keen to rebuild the original matha, but substantial resources were necessary for it. He never mentioned to anyone about re-establishing the matha at Badrinath. As such, he rarely used to meet people or hardly used to talk to anyone, still on it was the influence of his presence or the power of his silent self-determination (of resurrecting the matha) that more and more visitors used to come for his silent blessings and leave generous donations in his feet. Huge sums were collected in a few years. It took only about a decade to renovate the Joshimath; a grand ashram was built there.

Swami Brahmanand was revered as ‘Vani-Siddha,’whatever he uttered used to come true. Live experiences of many devotees show that even two words of his blessings had made the devotees prosper with enormous success and had turned many into multi-millionaires. The Ashrams at Varanasi, Prayag, and Jabalpur were also constructed under his guidance.

The magniÅicence of Badrinath

Badrinath is topmost in height among the four principal tirthas and mathas propoundedbyAdiShankaracharyainthe four directions. (The other three tirthas are – Jagannathpuri in the East, Dwarka in the West, and tirtha at Rameshwaram and Shringeri matha in the South). It was most difficult to re-establish the Badrinath matha because of the odd geographicallocationandadverseatmosphericenvironment. The cruel demonic forces/foreign invaders from the other sideoftheHimalayashadremovedtheidol(ofLordBadri)in the sanctum sanctorum of the Badrinath temple, broken and thrown it in a water pond about 1500 years ago. Badrinath temple was deserted for a long time since then. Acharya

Shankar saw the idol lying deep under the water in a state of trance. He dived deep and found it. But it was broken.As the

There is no magic wand that can resolve our problems. The solution rests with our work and discipline.

– Jose Eduardo dos Santos

broken idol of a deity can’t be worshiped, so he immersed himself in the holy river Bhagirathi (Ganges) and again searched in the water pond.Again he found the same broken idol!Theincidentrecurredagain;thistime,AcharyaShankar meditated on the banks of Bhagirathi before immersing the same idol found for the third time. He realized that Lord Badri (a form of Vishnu) was telling him that this very idol should be re-enshrined at Badrinath. Adi Acharya Shankar did the same. In order to prevent the invader’s attack and to guard the sanctity of the tirtha, he organized a weaponless ‘army’–agroupofintrepid,spirituallyempowered sannyasis there and also established a matha there as habitat for them. The tradition of successors of the chiefs of mathas (titled “Shankaracharya” of the respective mathas) guided by him could not continue at Badrinath for long. Within a few centuries after him, the matha came under the control of the priests of the temples. Several attempts at its revival had failed till the arrival of Swami Brahmanand Saraswati.

Swamiji was an eminent sannyasi who was revered as a siddha yogi. Indeed it was his spiritual power that found and carved great sannyasis among his disciples and resurrected the lost glory of the Hindu religion. It was his farsightedness and organizational skills that reunited the mathas across India and induced new life in the matha at Badrinath.

Noted among his disciples, especially in the context of social reformation through the religious platform, is Karapatriji Maharaj. He, too, was a scholar of Hindu Philosophy and a great orator who could motivate and organize volunteers for social reformation. His original name of sannyasa ashram was Swami Harinarayananand. He had resolved to eat only up to the capacity of the patra (pot) of his kara (hands). So he used to eat only the amount of food that was sufficient to fill his Anjuli (hands folded like a bowl). Because of this, he became popularly known as “Karapatri.”

Karapartiji founded “Ramrajya Parishad” as part of his significant efforts to give a direction to today’s political system along the lines of the ancient system. Although he could not succeed much in politics, his name was prominent among those who could influence public opinion in the 1970s. The “Dharma Sangha” organization formed by him had opened Sanskrit schools and colleges and Gurukuls at several places. Several other sannyasis like Swamis Shantanand Saraswati, Krishnabodhashram, Swarupanand Saraswati, Maharshi Mahesh Yogi, Pathikaji Maharaj, etc., had also contributed in different ways to cultivate good tendencies in today’s society.

Having highlighted the significant initiatives of Swami Brahmanand Saraswati and the attempts of his disciples for mass awakening from the religious platform, Swami DayanandadvisedAcharyashrialso to follow the tradition of Swami Brahmanand Saraswati to revive thelostgloryofIndianReligionand Culture. He believed that Shriram (Acharyashri) would be able to make greater contributions by adopting and propagating sannyasa and following the traditions of Shankaracharyas.

Small disciplines repeated with consistency everyday lead to great achievements gained slowly over time. – John C. Maxwell

Acharyashri’s Response Acharyshree kept quiet for some time as though he was reviewing the proposal of Swami Dayanand. After a couple of minutes, he clarified –“Maharajji! Whatever work I am going to start is aimed at resurrecting the precious heritage gifted by the teachings of our rishi munis (sages of ancient India) and devoted saints and sadhus. Adopting the tradition of a particular person or system would mean confining the efforts in a narrow domain. So please excuse me from taking the responsibility of a particular matha or society”.

Acharyashriwasfirmandconfidentinhis decision. Swami Dayanand did not insist onanythingfurtherandonlycommented, “Idonotconsideryourviewasarejection of my proposal. What I see is that you are going to work in a wider domain and take up greater responsibilities. We all have lots of expectations from your endeavors. May God bless you with long life for serving the Sanatan Dharma and Indian Culture”.

It was unclear from his conversation whether Swami Dayanand had proposed Acharyashri take up the Shankar matha’s responsibility or the “Bharat Dharma Mahamandal.” Anyway, a discussion on that issue was over. The two great scholars

discussed several other topics. Acharyashri could not return that day. He spent some time at Kashi Karavat, Vishwanath temple, Manikarnika Ghat, etc. Tripathiji, of course, was accompanying him.

On their way back from Manikarnika Ghat, they also stopped at the kutir (hermitage) of Swami Vishdhuddhanand in the Hanuman Ghat area. There was silence in the kutir, as no one was around then. Tripathiji used to visit this place sometimes. He askedAcharyashri whether he had been here earlier.

“Ihadcomehereseveralyearsago,beforetheindependenceof India.Atthattime,IhadalsometSwamiVishdhuddhanandji. He had created an idol of Bharat Mata from space and gifted it to me.” –Acharyashri recalled.

He also remarked – “The supernatural potentials of Swami Vishdhuddhanand used to demonstrate that all the elements constituting the visible manifestation of Nature are also available in the subtle form everywhere all the time. That means there is one common source (the omnipresent energy or element) from which all else has manifested. As Nature creates and presents it in different forms, an accomplished sadhaka, a siddha yogi, can also transform the omnipresent element into any material form”.

Swami Vishdhuddhanand had acquired supernormal potentials through devout yoga sadhanas in inaccessible (to ordinary beings) parts of the Himalayas. Another siddha yogi of this secret part of the Himalayas was Mahavatar Baba. Many people had experienced that he was able to appear at different places at the same time. Tripathiji was about to talk about the siddhis of Mahavatar Baba, but by that time, Acharyashri came out of the Vishuddha Kutir and started walking towards the banks of Ganga (the holy Ganges) in front.

We must all suffer one of two things: the pain of discipline or the pain of regret and disappointment. –

Jim Rohn

It was almost the onset of the evening. The weather was delightful; the breeze from the side of the Ganga gave a soothing coolness. Sitting on the open banks, Acharyashri looked at the river’s continuous flow. Suddenly an enlightening thought emerged in his mind — “The Srishti – this entire creation, the manifestation of Nature, ends with the night of Lord Brahma.Anew Srishti begins with and continues for the day of Brahma.Ahuman being (the microcosm) is a minuscule expression of the macrocosm (Brahma). His day beginning with the dawn marks the unfolding of a new Srishti of his experiences and actions, which ends and immersed in the folds of sleep in the night”.

Acharyshree sat quietly on the banks of the Ganga for about 20 minutes, engrossed in his thoughts. He concluded that if a person regards every day as a new life that ends (dies) with sleep in the night, then he would realize the importance of every day and attempt to make use of it for a purpose worth this precious opportunity. Every night before going to sleep, one should review what one did during the day and analyze what was worth

doing and what was wrong. One should introspect on one’s strengths and weaknesses, sincerely repent for the wrongs and vow not to repeat them, and feel thankful (to the creator and oneself) for the kind acts (of the body and mind). Every day after getting up and before leaving bed, one should plan activities to make constructive use of time, focus on one of the qualities/strengths and determine to further refine it during the day in a productive way.

The flow of his thought process continued. The flow of the river also seemed to echo it in his mind – “Every day is a new life, and every night is its death.” This was like a new mantra for the simple practice of understanding the philosophy of “Atma Bodh – Tatva Bodh,” which holds the key to a truly accomplished life.۩

Sage Bharadwaj spent his entire life in penance. In the last moments of his life, when the angels came to pick him up, he first expressed his gratitude to the messengers and humbly requested, “If God is happy with me, please give me a chance to be born again in the world instead of taking me to heaven. What will I do in heaven?”

The angels were very surprised by the sage’s wish. Out of curiosity to know the rationale behind this harsh decision, the angels asked him, “Oh Great Rishi, you have attained the goal of all austerities to go to heaven, then why did you take up austerities?” Bharadwaj smiled and clarified his intention, “For the accumulation of knowledge. I do not have a wealth of knowledge yet to reach the Absolute Truth, and for that, I am aspiring to do penance for many more births.”

Further clarifying his point, the sage said, “Oh God’s angels, you know that knowledge is higher than heaven. The facilities of heavenly luxury can be obtained, but the only provider of eternal bliss is knowledge.” The angels were greatly impressed by the knowledge of Bharadwaj and gave him his desired wish. It is said very aptly that the whole world’s glory, even the happiness of heaven, is insignificant in front of true knowledge.

He who cannot establish dominion over himself will have no dominion over others. – Leonardo da Vinci

The Dawn of a New Era is Certain and Round the Corner

No one should doubt the fact that the dawn of a new era is around the corner. People with subtle foresight should be able to see that resources are rapidly being deployed for this cause. They should understand that it is destined to happen and is inevitable. The will of God is the major reason for this change. Mother gives her children the freedom to play but at the same time pays attention to the fact that they do not become too frivolous in their games and land themselves in trouble. She intervenes when she realizes that something may go wrong and prevents things from going out of control. God has given much freedom to man. All living beings are governed by a selfregulating process that yields good or bad results as per good or bad actions. God remains a mute witness to this process and does not interfere. But when people lose direction, when a largepopulationstartsheadingtowards disaster, and when immaturity grows uncontrollable, he needs to descend upon this Earth to alter and improve the situation. This indeed occurs every now and then. Reformists, angels, and incarnations have appeared from time to time to serve this purpose.

When an illness grows beyond what can be handled with regular medication, surgery needs to be carried out by expert surgeons. While police can handle ordinary thefts, the government needs to call in special paramilitary forces when riots occur. In the wake of the excessive rise in devilry and immorality, God’s assurance to incarnate and establish righteousness and eradicate injustice is very significant. History stands testimony to this assurance. Whenever the evil forces have seemed to go out of control, the imbalance has seemed unmanageable, and the human efforts to handle them have seemed to fail, the storms of divine currents flow and scatter away the rabble. This is the purpose of divine incarnations. In other words, this is called the Pratyavartan (restoration) or Yug Parivartan (change of era). God has made arrangements for it whenever required, and similar efforts are underway these days.

The reasons are very clear. Human sensitivities have been on decadence in recent times. In ordinary times, devilry would only manifest in minor atrocities and immoralities. Society could punish them and bring them back on track. The situation today is very strange. When the water in a well is contaminated with hemp, everyone who drinks that water gets high. The problem today is similar. It is understandable when the antisocial elements indulge in misconduct. But when the security forces stoop down to that level, the hedge itself starts destroying the fields, then how could one guard against the unrighteous conduct? It is the responsibility of the learned to undertake idealistic activities to keep society under a moral check, but when the shepherd himself starts killing the cattle when the defender turns into an offender,

when the learned themselves start indulging in misconduct, it sure is a harbinger of bad times.

If we analyze carefully, the leading talents in politics, religion, social welfare, finance, art, and intellect have grossly deviated from their duties. Indulgence in the mere talk has no value. What leaves a lasting impact are the beliefs and actions. These can never be concealed. If these are undesirable and unbecoming, their effects on the subtle world are substantial, even if there are no clear signs in the visiblesense. Whereastalenthastheinfluencetoleadpeople toward excellence, its inferiority can cause widespread anarchy. The falling standard of the conduct of the general public is not as worrisome as the falling moral values of the talented ones.Today this is the epicenter of worldly disorder. If this continues, then fears of self-destruction will soon turn into reality.

Significant progress has been made recently in finance and education, and there has been a substantial increase in the available resources. Had these been utilized judiciously, the resourceful people could have lived heavenly lives. But what is happening today is just the opposite. The increased wealth isbecomingacauseforthedistressofthemasses.Everywalk of personal and social life is becoming so foul that it is lifethreateningly suffocating. What looks beautiful externally is disgustingly ugly inside; all the outward splendor hides the poverty within; what seems to illumine with knowledge is enveloped in darkness within. What a sham! What a hoax! Never before in history would things have reached this state. Human nobility, in a way, seems to be making an exit, and thebusinessoflayingtrapsisflourishinginitsplace.Itisrare to find people who can stand the test of integrity, honesty, humanity, and morality. It seems the time has arrived to bid farewell to moral values. It is not surprising to see an unfortunate environment of rage, angst, dissatisfaction,

indignation, unhappiness, poverty, illness, grief, suffering, and discord everywhere in such a situation.

Progress in science has been the greatest achievement of recent times. It is unlikely that the power to control the natural sources of energy to this degree has ever been achieved by mankind before. But it is a double-edged sword. On one hand, while this can lead to heavenlyblissandpeace,ontheother,it canalsoblowupthisuniquelybeautiful planet, the Earth. Human wickedness is heading in that direction. Humanity has collected nuclear weapons only for mass destruction. In the wake of the abundance of foolishness today, it is not impossible that some insane person ignites this heap of explosives and the world, which has been embellished and nurtured through divine impulses, gets shattered and only its ash circles in some nebula. The possibility of such a sad end for this beautiful planet is not imaginary. In today’s situation, the fear of this happening seems quite real. And, even if this disaster doesn’t happen, the philosophy adopted by intellectualsandleaderscanonlylead to more terrible sorrows. And then, even if they were alive, the occupants of this earth would only survive to suffer through their pitiable plight and hellish exasperation day by day.

Faith is the bird that feels the light and sings when the dawn is still dark. - Rabindranath Tagore

This is not acceptable to God at all. Kids can never be allowed to play with fire. Mahakaal (The Time Spirit) has lifted his trident to transform this disorderliness into orderliness. His Pratyavartan process has begun. We should watch what happens next with bated breath, how the scene changes, how the world turns turtle, and how the impossible starts to seem possible! Man will have to change – willingly or unwillingly. These methods and policies cannot continue.The arrival of the new era is an undeniable certainty. There is no other possibility. One will not have to wait long. The cosmic disturbances will take a physical form in the coming days, and we will witness a great revolution with our own eyes that will lead to great and wonder-filled transformations.

Just as in physical form existence of a person is a reality, in subtle form, Atma and Vishwatma are realities too. Humanity has to contemplate the direction science and technology should take seriously. Undoubtedly, the answer has to be constructive and not destructive. It is possible to benefit from physical progress only if the needs of spiritual development are fulfilled. Intellectuals today are thinking in this direction. The thought currents of everyone, who has even a little spark of divinity in his

conscience, are undergoing a similar turmoil. Clouds are gathering, lightning has begun, and torrential rains are not far behind. When these transformed thoughts are put into action, and the constructive juices will flow, then today’s turmoil will transform into a charming, cool, green, and serene environment. One will not have to wait long to see this transformation.

The emotionally transformed man will bring about an allround transformation in the existing situation. Visually the bodies, houses, rivers, and mountains will remain the same, but the spirit (Prana) inside these physical forms will be entirely different. Then people will give more credence to their neighbor’s pains and pleasures than their own. There will be no place for selfishness in one’s psyche. Every man will think of how to contribute more and more to the development and improvement of the society that has contributed to the formation and progress of his personality. In this state of mind, every man would symbolize affection and courteousness. Modesty and nobility will be his policy. While competing to have less for themselves and more for others, people will not fight for their rights but instead, focus on performing their duties better than others. There will be no enmity, only friendliness among men. The tendency to suspect, fear, and distrust others will disappear. Everyone will trust others and will, in turn, do everything to earn their confidence and prove the utility of this belief. There will be no need for incivility and hoarseness. The prominence of justice and prudence will put out of sight any immorality. There will be no place for hypocrisy and sham. People will live a transparent and simple life filled with happiness and contentment.

Todaythree-fourthsofman’senergyisemployedinamassing resources for destruction. Dissatisfaction and mistrust inhibit the drive to bring people together for a good cause.

Hope begins in the dark, the stubborn hope that if you just show up and try to do the right thing, the dawn will come. You wait and watch and work: you don’t give up. -

Anne Lamott

Fear and concerns about protecting oneself force people to tread cautiously. In this fix, humanity cannot deploy its talents and resources for constructive tasks. When these difficulties have been sidelined, it will become possible to deploy science and technology toward productive activities and build an environment for collective happiness and wellbeing. There are ample natural resources. If a man learns to utilize these for the right purposes, there is no reason why every man, every living being, will not have enough to live a happy and contented life.

When all the resources, wealth, intelligence, and energies of innumerable men deployed for wars are withdrawn from self-destructive pursuits and instead employed to promote happiness, there will be no scarcity and poverty to be seen anywhere. When the minds are free from anxieties and commotions, they will rise to a level that will embellish human dignity. When seven billion inhabitants of this Earth live with mutual affection and cooperation and are employed in divine ruminations and performance of moral duties, there will be no reason why circumstances better than mythical heaven will not manifest upon this earth.

Looking at the pace at which human and divine powers are becoming active to create such circumstances, one must believe that there is neither any reason to doubt the dawn of a new era nor a need to wait for too long.

- Acharya Shriram Sharma

[This article is a translated and abridged version of the Hindi article written by Pujya Gurudev and reprinted in Akhand Jyoti (Hindi) November 2010, pp 5-8]

Friends! You should raiseanarmyofnoblethoughts in your mind to confront the evil ones within you. If your mind is assailed by adulterous thoughts, start thinking about the strength of Hanuman and the might of Bheeshma Pitamah owing to their Brahmacharya (abstinence). You may recall saints like Adi Shankaracharya and those eminent personalities who had successfully overcome their evil thoughts. Had they not done this, their bold resolutions would have been broken easily. You should raise a big army of noble thoughts. When avarice attacks you, you should support honesty by citing examples of honest people and referring to their glorious lives. If you pledge to earn your living honestly, then it would be easier for you to restrain yourself when your mind is attacked by sensual andenviousthoughts.Nothing could be achieved without fighting this battle of good against evil.”

- From Guruvar Ki Dharohar Part (4)

There is no tomorrow, and there was no yesterday; if you truly want to accomplish your goals, you must engulf yourself in today - Noel DeJesus

Gahan³ Karmaño gati¡ - 2

(The intricacies of action are very difficult to understand)

Develop the right vision

In his book titled ‘Gahan³ Karmaño gati¡,’ Param Pujya Gurudev has described the three types of afflictions in the material world - mental and physical diseases (daihik taap), sufferings caused by nature, such as floods, storms, etc. (daivik taap) and material sufferings caused by other humans, animals, etc. (bhautik taap), and has explained why people suffer from them. He has also explained sanchit (accumulated) karmas, prarabdha (destiny), and kriyamana (the karmas being done) and asserted that one could make his own world by doing good karmas. In the concluding chapter of the book, he writes, ‘It is not right to consider every happy man to be a Dharmatma (righteous man) of previous life and every afflicted person to be the sinner in his earlier life. Great men have to suffer at each and every step. Their sufferings are meant to accumulate Punya (religious merit), augment tapascharya (strict austerities), and shine forth their truthfulness. If we encounter any adversity, it should not be considered that we are sinners, unfortunate, or victims of God’s wrath. It is possible that this adversity has come for our good.The intricacies of our karmas are difficult to understand; only God knows them.’

Saint Kabirdasji has written the same thing as follows:

Karat³ th³ so kyuò kiy³, aba kari kyuò pachit³ya | Bove peÃha bab¿la k³, ³ma kah³ò se kh³ya ||

Meaning: Why did you do bad deeds? After doing, why are you repenting? How can you eat mangoes when you have sown the seeds ofAcacia?

Saint Kabir has explained the outcome of karma in such a simple language. Lord says, ‘A person who establishing himself in Him (Lord) does his karmas, the doer of such karmas is the Lord Himself. He is only a means for doing those karmas. He remains stable, peaceful, pure, and optimistic.’ This has been elaborated in the ïlokas 19, 20, and 21 of the fourth chapter, as follows:

Yasya sarve sam³rambh³¡

k³msankalpavarjit³¡ |

Jó³n³gnidagdhakarm³ñi tam³hu¡ pañÃita® budh³¡ || (19/4)

Tyaktv³ karmaphal³saòga®

nityatrupto nir³ï•ya¡ |

Karmañyabhiprav•tto´pi naiva kincitkaroti sa¡ || (20/4)

Nir³ïºryatacitt³tm³ tyaktasarvaparigraha¡ |

ϳrºra® kevala® karma kurv³nn³pnoti kilbiÌam || (21/4)

Meaning: The one whose every undertakingisdevoidofmotivationfor fruitive desires and sense gratification, and whose actions have been burnt in the fire of knowledge — the wise call him learned. (19/4)

Do you want to know who you are? Don’t ask.Act!Action will delineate and define you. - Thomas Jefferson

Having abandoned attachment to the fruits of the action, ever content, indifferent to external phenomena, he does not do anything at all despite being engaged in activities. (20/4) Bereft of desire, controlled in mind and body, having abandoned all greed, doing mere bodily actions, he incurs no sin. (21/4)

Attributes ofAngelic Beings

The above three ïlokas convey the attributes of angelic beings. When one is liberated from the desire for the fruit of action, how can mental restlessness creep in? Likewise, the craving will automatically vanish when a doer abandons his ego.Externally,theliberatedman,too,appearstoperformall the activities like others, and possibly to a larger extent and with more powerful resolve because the force of God’s will is attached to it. But in all his actions, there is a lack of desire for the fruits ( sarve sam³rambh³¡ k³msankalpavarjit³¡ |). Thekarmaisnotdoneforthefruits,butitisdoneconsidering the self to be the instrument of the Almighty, who is the master of all the karmas.

So far, we have discussed the karmas, their classification, and their nature. Now, how to identify such angelic men adept at performing the actions (karmaÌu¡ kauïalam)? There are some people who are disorganized from the inside; they make their karmas poisonous. Despite their working hard, they are unable to achieve success in the tasks in their hands. On the other hand, some people make the karmas boon due to their organized inner being and willpower. The glory of work is not only in doing it but also in the purity of heart and the superiority of emotions ofthedoer.TheauthoroftheGitacallssuchpeoplePundit, an adept (tam³hu¡ pañÃita® budh³¡), who, without any individual desire and any disturbance in mind, go on doing the karmas. The sole reason for this is that all their sensual desires are incinerated in the fire of the knowledge

Action

gained by self-study and theinner experience gained through dhyana (Jó³n³gnidagdhakarm³ñi). The one, who undertakes a project in his hands and completes it to the divine fruition, is truly a knowledgeable person, a pundit. Pujya Gurudev did thesamethingthroughouthislife.He said, ‘This work is that of Mahakal (Time Spirit). The ushering of the new era is the Almighty’s plan. My resolve is to work toward the project. I am only an instrument. You should also join me in this work.’The same thing happened. Those who joined his divine mission, their karmas also became divine. Their desires got burnt in the fire of knowledge.

The resolve of anyone becomes individual when there is some desire attached to it. Desire means a blind race – non-contentment, an intense stir in the inner being. Efforts to fulfill desires mean to satisfy the senses. It shows the inability of a person to find peacewithintheself.Thepeoplewhose actions are governed by desires are often seen to become mad at watching others succeed. But the ones whose resolves are meant for the welfare of the whole world, those who share others’pain, are called knowledgeable, angelic beings. They are always engrossed in God’s remembrance and are never accountable for sins.

is the foundational key to all success. - Pablo Picasso

Let Us Revive the Parivr³jaka

Tradition for Social Upliftment - 6

(English version of some excerpts of a discourse continued from the previous issue)

The Indian Cultural philosophy has roots in the spiritual wisdom of the Vedas. A unique feature of this most ancient culture is that it aims at the collective and holistic development of humankind, considering all the diverse traits/fronts of human life. The parivr³jaka tradition was an important component of the socio-cultural system evolved by our Vedic sages (rishis) to accomplish this noble aim. Unfortunately, like many other traditions of our great culture, the parivr³jaka tradition, too, had got distorted because of many misconceptions and selfish and mindless practices propagated since medieval times. Gurudev, Pandit Shriram Sharma Acharya has revived this tradition in progressive light under the aegis of the Yug Nirman mission of the Gayatri Parivar.

Gurudev motivates the parivr³jakas to become a br³hmaña. As explained in the previous article, this has no connection with any caste or creed. In the following article, we will know about the character, conduct, and deeds that make one a true br³hmaña Notably, Gurudev’s lucid guidance will also enlighten us about what is the most essential, effective, and precious way of altruistic service for social welfare/upliftment, which is also a need of our times.

Friends,

Time and again, I would like to remind you that you should awakenthesaint,the br³hmaña indwellinginyourinnerself. Continuous self-purification and chiseling of self-potentials by tapa-s³dhan³1 are essential to become a br³hmaña When you are working sincerely as a parivr³jaka, your daily life itself would offer you opportunities for tapa-s³dhan³

Tapa for Self-Purification:

Our rishis and shastras (Vedic texts) have guided tapa (tapa-s³dhan³, tapaïcary³) as essential for pr³yaïcita and self-purification. In this s³dhan³, you are supposed to sincerely practice penance, and self-restraints (over sensory and instinctive passions), and adopt good habits/conduct,

ethics, and virtuous tendencies. You are also supposed to sacrifice your own comforts/self-interestsanddonateyour time, resources, talents, and physical/ mental potential for selfless service aimed at the welfare of the needy and holistic upliftment of society.

I hope you do not get carried away by the misconceptions and blind faith popular among many in our society! Such superficial devotees believe that — taking a dip in the holy waters of the Ganges wipes out all sins. What is

I am only one, but I am one. I cannot do everything, but I can do something.And I will not let what I cannot do interfere with what I can do. - Edward Everett Hale

the rationale, logic, science, or justification behind it? What kind of mindlessness is this? This seems to encourage one to continue with the inhuman activities, as according to this mindless belief, one can go on committing sins as he just has to reach the Ganga and take a dip in its sacred waters to undo all his misdeeds! In other words, the holy river itself is doing wrong. This is just not acceptable. This is just not possible. So, blind faiths, illusions, and misconceptions about the quick removal of sins should be rejected outright.

Those who have studied our Vedic texts would know that the arduous tapa of C³ndry³ña Vrata is prescribed as the best kind of pr³yaïcita (atonement for sins). Additionally, if followed sincerely, your routine and your duties as a parivr³jaka will account for your self-purification and chiseling of your potential. How?

Well, as I had pointed out earlier, you are supposed to walk on foot. This ‘tracking’will, no doubt, be excellent for your fitness and experience (as that of an excursion trip with the joy of tourism). But it will not always be easy, as the roads may not always be in good condition or there may not be any roads in some rural and forest areas. However, after offering your services at every scheduled sojourn, you will continue the travel with determination and dedication towards the altruistic goal. So, the hardship of the long walks against all odds will contribute to your penance.

Your stay and food, too, may not often be comfortable and suitable to your taste and habit. Sometimes you may not even get substantial rest and may have to observe fasting due to time constraints or mismanagement of your local hosts. As you will bear this by choice (of voluntary duty as a parivr³jaka) and for a noble cause, it will be a tapa-s³dhan³. It will purify your mind (by uprooting the irresistible passions for sensory pleasures, arrogance, anger,

and several other negative tendencies and habits). It will also help cultivate good qualities like tolerance, patience, cooperation, gratitude, quick decision making, etc.

Best Charity and Service for Social Upliftment:

Friends, do you know what kind of help or service (of the needy) is best and which also lasts for life (and even beyond)? Why is the assistance given by a true br³hmaña more valuable than any other alms, gift, or help?

Well, I have already guided you regardingwhatisthemostconstructive way to help the needy through monetary or worldly resources. But it is not enough to make someone selfdependent or to provide someone with a school/college education, etc. This alone does not ensure a happy, progressive and worthwhile life for that person. In this regard, what is the best way out and the most essential and important approach? It is to inspire positive and constructive thoughts in the people you want to help, to teach/ guide them the righteous way of living. By and large, this is the need of the world today.

Only about 10% of the problems one faces in various fronts of life might be due to adverse circumstances created

The happiest people I know are those who lose themselves in the service of others. - Gordon B. Hinckley

by others like terrorists, thieves, hoodlums, etc., or might occur due to socio-economic pressures, etc. The remaining 90% of the problems in one’s life are self-created. This 90% of issues are created because of his lack of wisdom, waned self-confidence, ignorance about the real purpose of human life, carelessness in selfdevelopment, negligence of learning the art of living under multiple shades of life, etc. No amount of money, worldly achievements, resources, or support would help like the righteous and timely guidance and inspiration in resolving self-created problems.

If somebody has fallen sick and needs help, you may take him to the doctor, provide him with the prescribed medicines, and arrange for appropriate treatment. But this alone will not ensure his good health for life-long unless he is also taught and made to take a proper diet, follow a balanced routine, regularly do fitness exercises, etc., suitable to his mind-body system. Like a true br³hmaña, you should disseminate vidy³ and bestow pure knowledge with discrete and rational thinking. There is no dearth of knowledge in this world. Varieties of sources and resources are there to provide all kinds of knowledge and information. But none teaches vidy³. School or university education may

make one eligible for an excellent job, high worldly status, and/or powerful position, etc., but can’t provide vidy³ In fact, one can live a fulfilling and glorious life and also help many others live such a life even without any formal education, wealth, worldly power, or status, if (s)he has acquired the nectar of vidy³

Crucial Role of a Parivr³jaka for the Future of the World: Vidy³ is the light of wisdom that makes one aware of the greatpurposeandimmensepotentialofhumanlife;itteaches the righteous way of living, nurtures noble human values, makes one a great human being, and gradually awakens the divine virtues indwelling in the inner self. It can’t be taught in a classroom, in virtual mode, or lectured from a dais. Don’t expect that you will arrange a satsang to teach it or write and distribute it like books. That way, most people must have heard the stories or preaching of the holy texts like Ramayana, Bhagavat Gita, etc. Literate people might have even read these texts.

But you see, in spite of so many religious preachers and their satsang programs, etc., in spite of so many libraries and other centers of knowledge, what we find today in the world is mostly utter ignorance, confusion, illusion, cunningness, or selfish intellect. Nothing except the cultivation of vidy³ among more and more people appears as the only way out. This is why our mission has taken up to revive the parivr³jaka tradition.

You should reach out to the masses to disseminate the light of vidy³. You should meet them, listen to their difficulties, share the problems they are facing, and understand the level of their ignorance. Uproot their blind faith and prejudices that contribute to their ignorance. Find viable solutions to their genuine problems. Awaken their self-confidence, hope for a bright future, and positive thinking.

Not all of us can do great things, but we can do small things with great love. - Mother Teresa

Righteous, wise, and focused thoughts and saintly emotions imbibed with spirituality are the most valuable and powerful treasures hidden in the human self. Unfortunately, today, we have a severe scarcity of these precious resources in the otherwise enriched and advanced world. You should cultivate these as part of the dissemination of vidy³. But remember, you can do this only if you continue to nurture them in your own self. For this, sincerely follow your regular spiritual practices of up³sana, s³dhana, sw³dhyaya, cintana and manana, and consequent self-refinement and selfdevelopment. You should walk what you talk. The purity and strength of your character, spiritual light, and depth of

your personality will be most essential and effective in achieving your noble objective.

The light of vidy³ spread by devout parivr³jakas of our mission will eventually guide the entire world toward a bright and blissful future. I wish you all the best for success in this great endeavor. ۩

|| OM SHANTI ||

Varanasi (Banaras) has witnessed the presence of numerous ascetics and saints over the centuries. A boy named Senapati was born in Chhapara in 1821, who later became famous as ‘Harihara Baba.’ After renouncing his home, he migrated first to Ayodhya and then to Varanasi and got engrossed in asceticism. Those days the saints Tailanga Swami, Bhaskarananda, and Shyama Charan Lahiri were also present there. They used to meet each other. People had witnessed numerous miracles of these saints. When Tailanga Swami took Samadhi in the year 1887, it was Harihara Baba who looked after his disciples and devotees. Once, he was performing ‘Mrityunjaya Homa’ (a sacrificial ceremony) at Assighata in Kashi, in which the famous yagyikas and dignitaries of the city were also participating. Suddenly, dark clouds appeared. It seemed as if it would rain heavily. Swamiji requested everyone to maintain their calm. He circumambulated around the holy fire and started meditating. After a while, it started raining heavily. Rain was falling all around except the Yagyashala, which was absolutely dry. The Yagya concluded, and Prasada was distributed. The last ritual of the Yagya was the Shantipaath, which was immediately followed by heavy rain that lasted for four hours.

This was a marvelous incident demonstrating the occult control of a yogi over the forces of nature.

It is not enough to be compassionate. You must act. - Dalai Lama

Not only naive people but even great scholars have emphasized the necessity for good health and valued it as a precious treasure of life. Bhatrahari, in his book ‘Nitishatak,’ gives first place to good health out of four rare boons to a man - good health, chaste spouse, obedient son, and a faithful friend.

Variouseruditepeoplehaveemphasized good health as an indispensable feature in life. Several books on Ayurvedic therapy signifying the importance of good health and maintaining it have been written in the past, and this process is continuing. Still, the health situation of people is deteriorating against the unprecedented increase in medical facilities and resources. So, this is urgently required to focus on why human health is deteriorating. Its first reason seems to be that we are fast moving away from nature. We are so closely surrounded by non-natural means of comfort that they have created an unfathomable gap between us and nature.

Our physical body and the entire universe are composed of five

Lead A Healthy, Happy, & Meaningful Life

basic constituents – earth, water, air, fire, and sky. This is an indisputable fact that anything would need the same constituent for the survival of which it is made. Our body requires all five elements to remain healthy. We need earthelement in the form of grain and vegetables, sufficient pure air for breathing, sunlight as a representative of heat and fire, and sky-element in the form of freedom. Our health is jeopardized to the extent that we move away from the natural ambiance. We havebecomeaccustomedtoeatingcontaminatedfood,breathing foul odors in closely crowded areas, and living mostly in closed buildings permitting little light to pass through because of the compactness of living areas.

In addition, we have become so undisciplined in our daily routine that our actions are haphazard and contrary to the natural course. Nature performs all its acts at an appropriate timeandinorder.Sunrisesandsetsintime,cloudssurgeand rainattheappropriatetime,flowersbloomandwiltwhentheir season arrives, fruits ripe at the right moment, crops cannot be cultivated against their season, stars shine and disappear at the appropriate time, all the planets are moving as per cosmic rules. On the other hand, man, a visible epitome of consciousness, has no prescribed direction of conduct even in performing his daily chores. Sometimes he rises early and sometimes late, sometimes takes food when he feels hungry, and sometimes without desire. The crux is that neither he is consistent in his actions nor understands their importance. For this reason, nature is immortal, and man is short-lived.

Incomparisontohumans,evencattleandbirdslookhealthier, which is because they are close to nature and follow natural

He who takes medicine and neglects to diet wastes the skill of his doctors. – Chinese Proverb

principles. They awake at sunrise and eat only what nature has assigned for them. They copulate only in a specific season and engage themselves in pleasantries under the open sky. Except for man, every sentient creature survives on its earned food; none of them depends on others.

Every person longs to live a long and pleasant life, but there is a dichotomy between his precepts and practice. In earlier times, the average age of Indians was 100 years compared to the present age of 60-70. Good health is the basic element to achieving long life. One who is not healthy can neither achieve long life nor live happily. An unhealthy person is a burden not only for himself but also for others. So, the primary duty of every person is to ensure good health. Living a healthy life is an art governed by some rules. They are summarized below.

The foremost principle is about what to eat and how to eat. This is advisable to eat only those items which can be taken in their natural forms, like fruits and vegetables. Food should not be overcooked and should be taken only two times as per requirement. Our eatables should be digestive and tasty also. Because our digestive system has to work harder to digest rich food, which weakens the digestive system, and in the later stage of life, it ruins the system so much that even light food is not digested. As a result, the stomach remains upset, and many diseases begin to develop.

Alongwithtakingcareoftheviabilityoffood,physicalwork or exercise is also equally necessary to keep the digestive system in order. Those who earn their sustenance by doing physical labor need not perform any exercise except those who sit in one place for prolonged hours.

Exercise should be performed as per your circumstances. For example, students should play outdoor games. Those

who have to sit for long hours should go for a morning walk. Those who are obese should opt for a brisk walk and do some Asanas like Surya Namaskar or Pranayama.

Now comes lifestyle.Makeitahabit of going to bed early and rising early. Do all your chores at an appropriate time. Clothing should be according to the environment and climate. India is not cold, so people here need not wear tight clothes. Excessively tight clothes block skin pores, and air passage through skin pores is obstructed. Body waste coming out with sweat settles on the body, which gives rise to various skin diseases. During summer, one should wear loose clothes, nontransparent ones in the rainy season, and dense clothes in winter. But tight clothes are not advisable in any season because they obstruct the body’s normal functioning. Excessive garments should not be put on even in winter as they give the feeling of burden on the body and deprive you feel the essence of the season which is more or less necessary to experience because every season brings healthy giftsforaman.Donotgetscaredofthe climate in any season because it never gives anything injurious to people at large. Man is afflicted by nature only when he is found guilty of violating the natural laws of that season. Had it not

Agood laugh and a long sleep are the best cures in the doctor’s book. – Irish Proverb

been so, life would have been a burden for farmers or others who work all day under sunlight.

Always use such places which are properly lit and ventilated in all seasons. Use minimal clothes to reduce your expenditure and minimize the inconvenience of maintaining them. Practicing celibacy is one more important principle to living a healthy life. As mandatory as it is for scholars, students, and sadhakas, it is necessary for those who earn money through hard work because celibacy enhances the well-being of the physical body and the subtle body. Following all the principles of good health but not practicing abstinence is like watering the leaves of a tree instead of watering its roots.

Health and hygiene are closely related. Practicing good hygiene is one of the traits without which good health shall remain a distant dream. Suppose you take nutritious food that is stale; it will

invite trouble. You should not expect good health if you use attractive clothing but keep them dirty. You can imagine the result if you live in a large, ventilated room but it is full of garbage and junk. You are fond of physical exercise and yoga, but if you keep your body dirty, you will be vulnerable to various diseases. This is, therefore, necessary to keep all your belongings and an environment free from dirt or impurities; your body must remain clean, always wash your clothes before they get too dirty, sweep your home every day and take a bath at least once in a day in winters and twice in summers.

As external efforts are necessary for maintaining good health, so are internal efforts.Always remain happy and full of joy. Keep away from anxiety and evil thoughts. Always think positively. Be centered on your present, forget about the past and be optimistic about the future. Make reading good books a habit, join Satsang congregations, and contemplate the mystery of God from time to time. Stay away from wicked thoughts of deceit, fraud, envy, anger, etc. Relinquish thoughts of laziness and make efforts to promote virtuous tendencies. Always be ready to help others and always inclined to perform kind and charitable acts.

Start fellowship with people nearby and enjoy your leisure time at beautiful places. Keep away from excessive showbiz. Make veracity and modesty part of your life. Oppose injustice and malpractices. Introspect yourself and try to discipline your life.۩

Daridryarogadukhani bandhanvyasanani cha Aatmaparadhvrikshasya phalanyetani dehinama.

- Chanakya Niti (14.2)

Meaning: Poverty, disease, dejection, delusion, and affliction - all are the fruits of the tree of sins planted by the man himself.

Lack

of activity destroys the good condition of every human being, while movement and methodical physical exercise save it and preserve it. – Plato

Water is a prime necessity of life. Most of our physical body is made up of water. Due to its importance, most human settlements have been created close to rivers, ponds, and lakes. Pure water gives us long life and is extremely beneficial for us. Water brings a glow to the face and adds suppleness to the body.Water helps in digesting food. Liquid foods are easily digested.

Water is associated with different forms of energy to produce various food grains and augment our vitality. Water makes the power of sight and hearing in living beings and instills in ustwoformsofspeech:‘Ghosh’-reverberatingproclamation and ‘Vak’ - descriptive narration. These capabilities help increase wealth, through which humans are relieved of hunger and freed from sorrows, leading to happiness and contentment. It is said in Atharvaveda that the capability to see, hear and speak is not possible without water.

Guided by this sentiment, the rishis of Vedas have invited water streams to them. Their intense desire to be in the water is expressed in the following mantra:

Ida® ³po hrudayamaya® vats •t³varº¡ | Ihetthmeta ïavkarºryattreda® veïy³mi va¡ ||

O delectable water streams, your actions are most admirable.

O truthful streams, your refuge is the most desirable home.

O powerful streams, come to us gently so we can enter your waters.

Part of the sweet juices of fruits also has water. Water is like a mother to all of us.

Water is A Necessity of Life

Yova¡ïivatamorasastasyabh³jyateha na¡ | Uïatºriva m³tara¡ ||

We pay our obeisance to water, which is the nourisher of all grains and vegetation and is like medicine. According to Atharvaveda, there are many reasons why we must perform worship of God. One among them is that when there is drought, God gives us rain and relief. There are several mantras in the Vedas that extol the virtuous qualities of water.

However, today the condition of this very important part of the environment has become miserable. Because of our exploitative nature, we have made water a conduit of death. All the human waste, excreta, and garbage are dumped into water bodies near cities. With such acts, we are continuously converting the elixir of mother earth into deadly poison.

Scientists claim that the next world war will be for water if this continues unabated. Water is a prime necessity of life, and everyone must conserve it in its pure form.۩

Is well-being only economic growth? Only salaries? Or is well-being also being able to breathe clean air and drink clean water? - Frans Timmermans