East and West Series June issue

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Annual Subscription In India: Rs. 50/-

Editorial Let us not feel overburdened with the state of our being. But let us wake up with a song of love and gratitude in our heart.

Let us consciously be aware of a greater protecting power around us and hand over our life in trust, so the He can go before us and prepare the way, take care and guide us at every step and hold our hand and chaperon us through our daily tasks, work office, and wade us through every difficult situation that arrives. Let us be assured that He will never let anything happen that is not for our ultimate good. And let us allow Him work through us and bring relief and good to the world. *** June 4 is the 82nd Foundation Day of the Mira Movement in Education started by Gurudev Sadhu Vaswani in 1933. Until date, the ideals of the Mira Movement are being followed by all the educational institutions set up in the Name of the founder and St. Mira.

May bands of young men and women who, enriched by these ideals, remake, enrich our bleeding, broken nation and the world.

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(A Monthly Journal for Self-improvement, Self-knowledge, Self-realisation) Subscription Rates: Annual Subscription In India: r 50/Outside India: Airmail: $20 or £15 Snail Mail: $10 or £7.50 TO SUBSCRIBE KINDLY VISIT: www.dadavaswanisbooks.org Subscriptions may also be sent either by Money Orders or Bank Drafts payable to East and West Series, Pune. Kindly note that the cheques At Par will only be accepted.

The Manager, East and West Series, 10, Sadhu Vaswani Path, Pune - 411 001, (India) Email: eastandwestseries@sadhuvaswani.org

To learn more about Sadhu Vaswani Mission and Dada J. P. Vaswani’s movements, etc, log on to our internet site at www.sadhuvaswani.org sadhuvaswani dadajpvaswani svmission

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Number 694

CONTENTS ARTICLES The Mira Movement: An Experiment In Education......................5 Claim Nothing! Seek Nothing! Plan Nothing!.................................8 The Golden Rule................................................................................10 Indian Ideal Of Education And The Little Ones...........................12 Vaswani Bridge Of Brotherhood.......................................................19 Education? What India Needs..........................................................21 The Power Of Humility.....................................................................30 Triumph Of Giving............................................................................34 The Mira Ganges................................................................................36

FEATURES Stories That Stir.................................................................................15 Laugh Your Way To Health...............................................................28 Thoughts And Aspirations ...............................................................33 Children’s Corner...............................................................................37 Recipes For The Month....................................................................39 Simple Rules Of Health.....................................................................41 What’s Happening In East And West..............................................43 Current Affairs...................................................................................48 The Nuri Granth................................................................................50 Cover: Sadhu Vaswani with students Sanskar Channel

Satsang Channel Bhakti Sagar Channel Soham Channel

REV. DADA J. P. VASWANI’S TALKS Monday to Friday at 6: 15 a.m. (Hindi), Saturday at 6: 15 a. m. (Sindhi) and on Sunday at 7: 45 a.m. (English), Monday to Saturday at 7: 30 pm, Monday to Saturday 6: 40 am, Monday to Saturday 11: 30 am.

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THE MIRA MOVEMENT:** An Experiment In Education SADHU VASWAN1 INDIA and the world need the help and inspiration of the womansoul. It is all the more necessary to educate girls and to see that their education moves in an atmosphere of spiritual sympathy. St. Mira’s High School and its branches are shaped by the thought that education is a thing of the Spirit.

The Schools for girls, named after an immortal in history, St. Mira, are an humble attempt at a new experiment in education. A great thinker of today. Gentile, makes an illuminating remark when he says: “A school without a spiritual content is an absurdity.” And we, in this country, have been imprisoned in this “absurdity” for many, many years. The Mira School, sustained by the sacrifice and enthusiasm of brothers and sisters, is inspired by the idea that education must be moved by a spiritual ideal.

True education is not by words and ink. Education is an atmosphere. In St. Mira’s High School is being made an attempt

to create an atmosphere of an education which is not merely mental but aims at drawing out the higher emotions of the pupils, their inner sense of simplicity and service, of purity and prayer. I believe profoundly in the wisdom of Rishis and Saints, and in the values of India’s own culture and Indian ideals. “True education is not a withered parchment but the living water of the Spirit.”

The Mira Schools believe profoundly in the fellowship of all races and religions. The vision of the School is neither credal nor communal. The deeper spirit of Humanity moves above creeds and communities. St. Mira’s

*Notes of a talk. **June 4 is the 82nd Foundation Day of the Mira Movement in Education founded by Sadhu Vaswani in 1933.

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students are taught to cultivate love and reverence for the “race of hero-spirits” who, through the ages, “pass the lamp from hand to hand.”

Not imitation but a new creation, is the aspiration of the Mira Schools. The Indian girl will understand Western thought and modern life all the better by being brought in touch with the teaching of India’s Rishis and the spirit of Indian culture. So the students of St. Mira’s High School are taught not only English and other modern subjects but, also, Hindi and Sanskrit. This school, also, aims at teaching the girls houseeconomy, house keeping, needle work, first aid, health and hygiene.

Great men’s days are observed: hero-worship builds character. And the entire system of education in this School seeks to move in an atmosphere of reverence for the Great Ones of Humanity.

In this School is a Hall of Heroes where are put up pictures of heroes and heroines of different races and religions. This School has a “Sanctuary”, a Girls’ Literary Circle, a Girls’ Fund for service of the poor, the “Mira” magazine, the “Gita Bhavan,” all inspired by the idea that ‘education is a thing of the Spirit’.

The workers are inspired by the idea of character-building education. And character grows in an atmosphere of happiness. Not fear, not repression, but abundant life. The teachers are trying to make children happy, and the School believes that true happiness

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is in simplicity and service of fellow-beings.

Complication is unhappiness.

Complication is sorrow. The voice, the message of St. Mira’s High School to India is: “Simplify! Simplify!” In simplicity is happiness. I am happy the girls of this School celebrate days sacred to the Great Ones of Humanity, and on these days the girls try to serve the poor. I believe knowledge does not attain to its end without service and sacrifice. Shakespeare said: “Conscience is born of love.”

May I not say knowledge is born of sympathy and service? Education, says Plato is the great thing! The three things emphasised in this New Education are: (I) Simplicity, (2) Service and (3) Health. The School lays stress on “Homebuilding education”. I often say: “Build your homes, if you will build the Nation.”

The Gita and “Games” are emphasised in the School.

There are three fundamental articles in my educational creed.

The first is sanga. Education is sanga. Education is life, I said, last night. Today let me ask you to note that Education is fellowship, friendship. This thought was emphasised by one who was one of the earliest educators, Socrates.

Education is friendship. Many teachers behave, today, as officials.

Students can never grow in an atmosphere of official-teachers.

Students must feel that their teachers are friends. Students must be in contact with great teachers.

What is a school? Not a building.

The emphasis in India was never

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on costly buildings. Today much money is being spent on buildings.

You need large space but not costly buildings. Gifted teachers are needed. Fellowship with them is essential for education.

In St. Mira’s High School for girls in Hyderabad (Sind), we have a Hall which we call The Hall of Heroes. On the walls of the Hall are put up pictures of great heroes, men of knowledge and action, patriots, seers and saints. These pictures are a great inspiration. The students look at them and drink in the silent influences and inspirations of the great ones quietly. Students should be drawn into contact with the great ones of East and West. This, then, is an essential principle of education, sanga, fellowship, the triple fellowship with Nature and the living teacher and the great departed ones of humanity. A School should have, also, a “Children’s Museum”. And there should be a “Sanctuary”.

So through pictures and stories of great men and great deeds of the nations of East and West, the student may understand the art of living. Hence, too, the important place of Drama, Rythmics and Religion in Education. I have not the time to tell you of the equipment of a true teacher—one in whom is blended a big mind with a big heart, intellect with love, sympathy with scholarship.

discipline. Not the discipline of the rod, but that true and ‘free’ discipline which is self-discipline.

‘Knowledge is power’, said Bacon. Yes, but power must be disciplined; else ‘power’ is ‘greed’ or gratification of sense-desires.

The life-force in the student must be wisely drawn out. Sadhana is character, and a school should be a centre of character-building education. Self-discipline builds up character. Galsworthy said: “Character conquers confusion.”

I find so much of “confusion” in the educational organisations of modern India. If I had time I would indicate how confusion arises.

If you go into a psychological analysis of the matter, you will find that mental confusion arises out of desires, vasanas. To conquer desires, you must develop character. Character is developed through tapasya.

Teach the students to take trouble, and teach them manual work. In ancient India, students swept their rooms and fetched wood from the forest for their teachers. Today young men are not prepared to take trouble, and they are not strong. To lay the cult of soft living is abroad.

“We live unnaturally,” is the confession of a great man of action of our days. 1 ask students to realise the importance of the sun and exercise. I emphasise the value of games and home-crafts; I ask the young to be men of tapasya.

Another essential of Education: how may I name it? The Rishis named it sadhana, self-

The third essential of education is seva, service. I referred in the earlier part of my talk to

Continued on page 14

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LAUGH YOUR WAY TO HEALTH Teacher: Rajiv, what is an owlery?

Rajiv: It is a place where owls are kept.

Teacher: Good. Now tell me what is a nursery?

Rajiv: It is a place where nurses are kept. *** An engineer can’t find a job so he opens a clinic and puts a sign outside ‘GET TREATMENT FOR $20 - IF NOT CURED GET BACK $100’ A lawyer thinks this is a great opportunity to earn $100 and goes to the clinic...

Lawyer: I have lost my sense of taste.

Engineer: Nurse, bring medicine from box no. 22 and put 3 drops in patient’s mouth.

Lawyer: Ugh.. this is kerosene.

Engineer: Congrats, your sense of taste is restored. Give me $20.

The annoyed lawyer goes back after a few days to recover his money...

Lawyer: I have lost my memory.

I cannot remember anything.

Engineer: Nurse, bring medicine from box no. 22 and put 3 drops in his mouth.

Lawyer (annoyed): This is kerosene. You gave this to me last time for restoring my taste.

Engineer: Congrats.

You got your memory back.

Give me $20.

T h e f u m i n g lawyer pays

him, and then comes back a week later determined to get back $100.

Lawyer: My eyesight has become very weak.

Engineer: Well, I don’t have any medicine for that, so take this $100.

Lawyer (staring at the note): But this is $20, not $100.

Engineer: Congrats, your eyesight is restored. Give me $20. *** Nancy: Mama, our teacher is a big hypocrite.

Mother: What makes you say so?

Nancy: She told us that we should help people in difficult times, but she did not help me during my mathematics exam. *** From a heart surgeon’s diary : Anxious patients and their dear ones always ask me a lot of odd questions. But today the wife of one of my bypass patients made me speechless. She asked me “Doctor, did you find any other woman in his heart ?” *** Teacher: Why do you make false promises, Rahul?

Rahul: I am only moving towards my goal, Miss.

Teacher: What is your goal?

Rahul: To be a politician. *** A building was on fire. The fire brigade reached the spot and the firemen spread the net for the survivors to jump.

The last person left over the building was an actor.

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The fireman shouted, “ Jump, young man, jump! We will catch you in the net.”

“I will do nothing of that sort,” said the actor.

“Tell the director to send my stuntman to do the jumping at once.” *** Teacher: Ganga, what is the difference between an ant and an elephant?

Ganga: An ant can bite an elephant, but an elephant cannot bite an ant. *** A college boy said to his mother, “I’ve decided that I want to be a political science major and that I want to clean up the mess in the world.”

“That’s very nice of you,” said his mother.

“You can go upstairs and start with your room.” *** Son: I am determined to get an A in my final examination.

Father: Why not in the terminal exam?

Son: I am not that determined, yet. *** A new vacuum cleaner salesman knocked at the door….

A lady opened it. Before she could speak, the salesman rushed into the living room and emptied a bag of cow dung on the carpet.

Salesman: Madam, if I couldn’t clean this up in the next 3 mins with my new powerful vacuum cleaner, I will EAT all this!

Lady: Do you need Chili Sauce with that?

Salesman: Why Madam?

Lady: Because there’s no electricity in the house!

MORAL: Gather all resources

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before working on any project and committing to the client and over smartness can be deadly. *** Ankush: I do not know what Tapan does with his money. He was short of it yesterday and he is short of it today.

Atul: Was he trying to borrow from you?

Ankush: No. I was trying to borrow from him. *** Teacher: Rahul, give me an example of a double negative?

Rahul: Idon’t know nothing, Miss.

Teacher: Correct. *** Commuter (to a railway official): What is the use of a railway timetable? The trains are never on time?

Railway official: How else would you know if the trains were late if it wasn’t for the timetable? *** Teacher: Haresh, if you found a Rs 10/- note on your way to school, would you keep it?

Haresh: No, Miss, I wouldn’t.

Teacher: You are an honest boy, Haresh. Tell me what would you do with it?

Haresh: I’d spent it. *** Teacher: If you add 20,567 to 23,078 and then divide it by 97, what do you get?

Anwar: The wrong answer. *** Teacher: Joyliza, when was Rome built?

Joyliza: At night.

Teacher: Who told you that?

Joyliza: You did, Miss. You said that Rome wasn’t built in a day. ***

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Recipes for the Month BREAD PAKORA RECIPE (BREAD FITTER)

Ingredients: Bread Slices...................................................... 4-5 Flour (Besan)........................................ 1cup Gram Turmeric powder........................................1/4th tsp Salt.............................................................to taste Ajwain.........................................................1/2 tsp Red chili powder.........................................to taste Masala powder..............................1/4th tsp Garam Water.......................................................for batter Oil............................................................for frying Method: • Cut Bread slices into desired shapes (like triangle, rectangle etc.)

• In a bowl add gram flour salt, chili powder, garam masala, ajwain and mix it.

• Now by pouring little water at a time make a smooth batter (neither too thick nor too lose) • Heat oil in a kadhai.

• Dip bread piece in the batter and fry till crisp on medium flame.

• Serve bread pakora hot with green chutney and tomato sauce.

PANEER PAKORA RECIPE Ingredients: Paneer...................................................... 250 gms Chickpea Flour (Besan)................................. 1 cup Oil...................................................................2 tsp Salt...........................................................1 1/2 tsp Red chili powder..........................................1/2 tsp Water..........................................................1/2 cup Method: • Beat the chickpea flour with some water to make a thick batter in a blender for 4-5 minutes to incorporate air (this will make the batter fluffier).

• Let the batter rest 1/2 hour in a warm place • Cut the paneer into thick cubes.

• Sprinkle little salt, chili powder on the cubes • Dip the cubes of paneer in the batter • Deep fry in oil that is heated to 375°.

• Drain on paper towels and serve immediately.

• Serve the paneer pakora with coriander or mint chutney MAKKI PANEER PAKORA RECIPE

Ingredients: Cumin powder.............................................1/2 tsp Coriander leaves chopped...........................2 tblsp Oil...................................................for deep frying Bengal gram flour besan.............................6 tblsp Salt.............................................................to taste Ginger (chopped)...........................................2 tsp Garlic (chopped).............................................2 tsp Green chilli (chopped)..........................................2 Milk................................................................ 1 cup Dry mango powder amchur........................1 3/4 tsp Onion (chopped)...................................................1 Cottage cheese (paneer)........................... 100 gms Corn fresh (makki).....................................200 gm Method : • Crush the corn in a blender.

• Grate the cottage cheese.

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• Heat up oil in a pan, mix in cut ginger and garlic and stir fry till pink.

• Mix in crushed corn and stir fry.

• Mix in salt and mix.

• Mix in milk and stir fry to get a creamy texture.

• When the corn is cooked, transfer to a round dish and cool.

• Mix in grated paneer, cut onion, cut green chillies, cumin powder, amchur powder and cut coriander leaves.

• Adjust salt and mix well.

• Mix in besan for binding and mix in a little milk if the mixture is too thick.

• Make even sized balls with hand or tablespoon.

• Heat up oil and deep fry the pakoras on medium heat up till golden brown.

• Remove and keep on an absorbent paper to soak excess oil.

• Serve hot.

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round pieces of about 1/4 inch thickness. If there is time to serve keep these cut baingan dipped in water.

• Sprinkle and apply salt, chili powder and chaat masala on both the sides.

• Put two slices of the brinjal into the batter at a time. Slices should be well coated with the batter on both sides.

• Drop gently into the hot oil and fry till the pakoras begin to turn golden around the edges.

• Take them out on a kitchen towel and serve hot with mint coriander chutney.

BAIGAN PAKORA RECIPE VEGETABLE PAKORA RECIPE

Ingredients: baingan (Brinjal)............................ 1 medium size Gram flour (besan).......................................4 tbsp Rice flour (chawal ka atta)...........................1 tbsp Chili powder.............................................1 tsp red Coriander powder........................................1/4 tsp garam masala powder..................................... 1/4 Salt.............................................................to taste Oil......................................................... to deep fry Chat masala.................................................1/4 tsp Method: • Take a mixing bowl, add gram flour, garam masala powder, rice flour, red chili powder, coriander powder, and salt. Mix all the ingredients well and with the help of little water to make a thick batter.

• Wash the baigan and cut them into thin

Ingredients: Chickpea Flour (Besan)................................. 1 cup Oil...................................................................2 tsp Ground Cumin................................................1 tsp Salt............................................................ 1 1/2 tsp Green Chillies (Chopped )(Jalapeno).....................

Water..........................................................1/2 cup Potato...................................................................1 Cauliflower ................................................1 small Cabbage................................................................2 Spinach (sliced).........................................5 leaves Onion (sliced)........................................... 1 1/2 cup Method: • Boil the potato until just tender, peel and chop finely.

• Finely chop cauliflower and onion. Shred the cabbage and spinach.

• Mix first set of ingredients well. Beat in a blender for 4-5 minutes to incorporate air (this will make the batter fluffier).

• Let batter rest 1/2 hour in a warm place • Add the vegetables and mix in evenly.

• Deep fry in oil that is heated to 375°.

• Drain pakoda on paper towels and serve immediately.

• Serve vegetable pakora with coriander or mint chutney or tomato ketchup.