Gurudev

Divine & Unconditional Love

Ensures1 Comment

As I celebrated my 21 years of a journey on 31st March, with a irreplaceable co-passenger. Time for some reflections and a tribute to that wonderful soul mate. Reproducing my thoughts penned at 0000hrs of 31st March. For whatever she meant, I thought this should be the first thing I should do. Here it is…

The journey that began about  21 Summers ago is probably the happiest moment in my life. Me and Aparna Suresh became husband and wife (that is us in the picture). Yet another 7-year itch passed by itching for the same person.

Can I really describe it in mere words how special she is to me.No! Vocabulary goes bankrupt. Like they rehearse for a show, I patched up something like this after countless entries/backspaces because I was pretty sure there were better ways to appreciate whatever this amazing lady meant to me.

She indeed is the the most amazing thing ever happened to me. My life changed when you came into my life.. if before I sleep very late at night, surfing the web, watching movies etc, but nothing has changed even today 😉 LoL! just like the love and longing for her too.

My gratefulness to the Divine for this wonderful gift dropped right on to my lap (Ouch! It hurts – 70kg is not too less a weight) But I guess the good heartedness makes it very light and bearable.

If I were to rewind my clock back and change things to my liking, what would I do? Exactly the same little things we did, the joy we shared, the challenges we conquered together. I would replay the life exactly the way it played out so fat and well until He take me up above.

Happy Anniversay! Thanks my darling Aparna for whatever you are.Love you loads and have a fantastic day! Wishing that we celebrate many many years of this day for ages to come (I had another line here, but some of my extremely close well-wisher wanted it removed for emotional reasons)

While at it, I was also reminded of a story of Lord Krishna, incidentally a favourite bedtime story that my better half keeps telling our children. And she indeed lives her life this way. Unconditional love to all of us.

UNCONDITIONAL LOVE IS TRUE LOVE

Krishna, while living in Dwarka with his favourite wife Rukmani, would very often softly utter to himself, ” O Radha… O Radha.”

Rukmani felt jealous and asked him why he kept Remembering Radha so often. Krishna did not saya nything. He just smiled.

A few days later, Krishna complained of stomach Ache. Rukmani gave him medicines, but the pain did not go away. He kept moaning in pain. Krishna told her that only a little charanamrita (blessed water) washed off the feet of a person who truly loved him would put an end to his agony.

He begged Rukmani to give him some of her charanamrita. A shocked Rukmani refused: ” How can I commit such a terrible sin? You are the Lord of all that be, and if I gave you my charanamrita I would surely go to hell.”

Krishna than asked Rukmani to send an attendant to Vrindavan and try and procure some charanamrita from  someone there. Soon the attendant returned with a cupful of charanamrita and as Krishna sipped it, all The pain disappeared.

He then asked the attendant, “Who gave you this Charanamrita?” the attendant replied “no one in Vrindavan was ready to give it on learning it was for Lord Krishna.

Then one young woman came running up to Me and gave me this cup. Her companions cautioned her, “You fool Radha, you are committing the greatest sin. But she did not care. She said, “I don’t care about What happens to me but I cannot bear to see my beloved  Krishna in pain”

Krishna turned to rukmani standing by his side and Said, ” Radha is not afraid of going to hell for me.
She only thinks about me.

So if Radha loves me so much, should I also not long for her?”

Radha in this story epitomized in my day to day life through Aparna! Lucky me! Thank Lord Krishna for HIS blessing. Also gratitude to by our Master, HH Sri Sri Ravishankarji who has abundantly and unconditionally loved, guided and blessed us. You can follow Him on twitter here @SriSri

Hundredth Hundred and Under Achievement – Cynicism Rules

Ensures2 Comments

Amidst all the gloom that otherwise I saw around me during the past week, it indeed was an exhilarating experience for me when Sachin Tendulkar, the iconic “Human Being” surpass a humongous milestone. Humongous not due to the enormity of the task itself but the super weight of expectations of Crores of “Knowledgeable & Expert” Indians. Everyone in India seem to have an opinion and strategy when it comes to Cricket. I love cricket but by no means be classified (atleast not these days) amongst those fanatic lovers of the game putting the world on Pause button. But what he gifted to the mankind is something that cannot be brushed away so easily. And remember in a country where dreams of the entire nation is driven by 70 year + politicians , at 39 years it indeed is a weight of expectation, no ordinary Human Being can bear without cracking up. And here he is a great guy who did not crack up for over 2 long decades. And by God! He did handle his success like no God did and my admiration goes up manifold for this. Mythology has lot of stories where even some Gods had to pay a price for their haughtiness.

The 100th 100 jokes were very cruel on someone who was sincere student of the game. Did we ever hear an instance of arrogance or misbehavior from this legend who could have had the world at his feet? And when he did get there, it was ironical. We had an effort for a losing cause. But I give a damn. A fellow countryman is right up there – extremely lonely at the top. We only can look up and admire (or alternately pelt stones). Statistics (rightly referred to as Fool’s Mathematics) were thrown about (all wrong ones though to prove why someone else was better), his application for Ferrari duty exemption raked up, jokes started going around again that he always has a century in a losing cause. He has had his quirks, reason why I kept stressing the “Human Being”.

Though what he achieved is nothing short of what a “God” could have done. Folks, Gimme a break! Take out each of those 100s and we never know what could have happened! No one bandied statistics on this. Look at statistics of matches India lost and his scores too to get the real and overall picture. And the bashers would do well to also look at statistics of any other Indian or foreign cricketers. He is not just shoulders above the rest – a whole height.

Damned if you do…damned if you don’t. Looking back I know this Gentleman would realize that despite all this achievements it indeed is a thankless world. Definitely this is a feather in the cap as compared to the other shameful achievements that we otherwise are known for in the world – Scams, Rapes, Female Infanticides, Murders. Let us allow these positive achievements to swamp the negative ones. We as a nation owe it to ourselves. What these great man ha achieved is no small feat. The whole world is looking up and saluting this Little-Big man. Let us atleast be indifferent if not supportive. Criticism is simply out of place.

Now, getting to the basic purpose of writing this blog – at the risk of sounding too sermonizing which is better than agonizing, I try to do some loud thinking.

Why have we ended up as a populace that is cynical as a nation? Why are we unable to celebrate any achievement whole heartedly? Why look for holes in anything that comes under our vision? We can always blame politicians and other leaders for this. They never put thoughts in our minds, do they? India, a nation that breaks into celebration for anything (so many festivals are proof enough), India that worships anything (crow, monkey, elephant, sun, moon, and a variety of Gods), India that always practiced peaceful co-habitation, ultimate acceptance (I don’t like the word tolerance)& inclusiveness, India that celebrates just being happy like none else – what has come to us? Where are we losing it? Where is that never ending smile and ability to break into celebrations.  Has western civilizational!!! practices overtaken us? Has materialism replaced our spiritualism? Has competition overridden the sense of belongingness?

Time we redeemed those values. The whole shift happened when Traditional Bharath gradually transformed into Material India. As His Holiness Sri Sri Ravishankarji says, we have to Deepen our Roots and Broaden our Vision. That is real development. If not, I am afraid we end up no better than the Western World where is a volcano that keeps erupting quite often. The sense of richness is a facade to the underlying insecurities that they face every day. Bharath has everything to meet everyone’s need but never enough to satisfy anyone’s greed. Let us resolve to enjoy the richness of the traditions that is available on our platter. No other civilization can boast of what is available to us.

Imagine a Bharath where Politicians, Business Leaders, Educationists and every citizen develops an ultimate sense of belongingness – every marriage, childbirth and achievements become everyone’s achievement. Ratan Tata’s impeccability no longer gets diminished because of a Telephone Call, enormity of Sachin’s 100th 100 achievement will continue to elicit awe despite the only known indiscretion of an Exemption Application. Do we forget everything that these great Bharateeyas have gifted to us? Or is it to score some ego points amongst the intelligentsia in the e-world. Imagine the happiness we feel when our child speaks the first word, puts forward the first step – isn’t that a great milestone in our lives? Why? Sense of Belonging. Expand this thought and we can embrace our society, the city, state and the country. Everything that anyone achieves is like our baby rolling on to her stomach first time or that innocent Blabbers uttered first time.  It is that easy really!

This fundamental flaw of seeing everything through a jaundiced eye  is pounced upon by the real enemies to exploit. The Muslim rulers first and then British did it for Centuries. Karma is a great leveler. Today Bharath is far more secure and stronger nation than any of these so-called Developed nations – this despite the system that is slowly but surely getting corrected by a few brave visionary spiritual and political leaders. Handful but the reform is well underway irreversibly.

And finally, to those Tendulkar bashers, Ramesh Tendulkar ji did feel extremely pleased when his son looked up after almost a year. Not too many naysayers can even dream, let alone achieve what his son did. He is a Human after all. And remember he has scored not just the 100th 100, he did score 99 earlier 🙂 No mean achievement. Hats off Little Master! Proud of you. I am proud of yet another gentleman who called it quits. Rahul Dravid – a thorough human being too equally worthy of emulation.

PS: I write this blog because I just recovered from a bout of the extended attack – Attack of Cynicism

Pride goeth before a Fall

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Allow me to start with something that most of  us know – The organization Art of Living, organization may not be appropriate description, since AOL is more a philosophy , founded by great Guru of Joy, Sri Sri Ravishankar (you can follow Him on Twitter here https://twitter.com/#!/SriSriSpeaks )  who gifted basic breathing techniques and profound knowledge in the simplest of terms – helping a layman easily walk the spiritual path without getting lost in the maze – so simple even I am practising them religiously for the past so many years . Like in any place we also have intellectuals coming, doing their 2 bits and then are bent on complicating things and pretending to be more knowledgeable on the subject than what they actually know . Personally if you ask me to pick a great quality of our Gurudev, Sri Sri, it is HIS unfailing ability to put forth very complicated concepts in so simple terms, we look silly for not having thought about it earlier. Read/Listen to HIS commentaries on Narada Bhakti Sutras/Ashta Vakra Gita/Patanjali Yog Sutras/Yogasara Upanishads – you name it. It is prodound knowledge simplified unbelievably for ordinary mortals.One day got back home after my morning AOL followup classes and got a telephone from a friend who happened to attend a spiritual talk from a self proclaimed enlightened soul who was displaying all his oratarial skills in a local dialect laced with liberal doses of hitech Anglicised Sanskrit terminologies. I believe the attempted use of big words were his way of proving to the audience that he was knowledgeable . This person was trying to chart his own course using the tools and knowledge provided benevolently to us by Master Himself, to be guarded against misuse but at the same time ensuring that it is not overprotected in order to reach out to maximum populace especially in these modern times. He started pretending (and worse still believing) to be more knowledgeable than the sculptor who carved a beautiful scultpure with a rough rock that he was earlier. Today he met more than his match, when someone asked him a few questions innocently and trying to wriggle out of the hole he dug himself was a pathetic sight. If only pride had not clouded this man’s judgement, the day would have been saved. But it was not to be, threw into a fit of rage, criticising Guruji (assuming that the questioner was related to his past background of being from that organization) and lost the day. I just recollected a nice story in this gentleman’s moment of truth.
There was a young student-archer who reached such proficiency in his art that he could shoot an arrow into a tree and then cleave that arrow into two with the next shot. He began to boast that he was a greater archer than his guru.
One day his guru, a venerable old man in his 70’s, asked the youth to accompany him on a trip across the hills. The journey was uneventful until they came to a deep chasm.
A single log spanned the chasm. The guru walked down to the centre of the log, unshouldered his bow and taking an arrow shot it into a tree on the other side. His next shot cleaved the first arrow into two.
“Now it’s your turn,” he said, walking back to where his student was standing. The youth stepped gingerly on the log and very slowly and carefully made his way to the middle. But his heart was in his mouth. He knew that if he lost his footing, he would plunge to his death. His hands trembled as he strung an arrow into his bow. Preoccupied with the danger he was in, he found it hard to focus on the target. Consequently when he let go of the arrow, it missed the tree altogether. Whimpering, he turned around.
“Help me!” he shouted to his guru. “I’ll fall!”
The old man walked up to him, took his hand and stepping backwards led him to safety.
Neither of them said a word on the return journey but the boy had much to think about. He had realised that to be a master of his art it was not enough to know how to control the bow, he had to learn how to control his mind (and mouth) too.
As a well wisher of this gentleman, I have just forwarded this story to him. This goes on to prove that Ingratitude towards your Master/Guru has its pitfalls and it is good for each one of us to realize that without HIS grace we are nonentities. Some more examples comes to my mind that goes on to prove that Pride invariably precedes the sure Fall from grace. All the despots, dictators paid the price for their pride and since they seemingly perched so high, greater was the impact of the fall. (Saving a personal anecdote on this theme for a later date). Though very hypothetical considering the IQ of Bush, would the situation of Iraq and Saddam been any different had the inspectors of WMD been allowed to inspect without the false pride standing in the way clouding judgements (by the way, I dont advocate bending backwards to accommodate fancies of a particular nation or person at the cost of national pride – but it was utter stupidity to have put the whole nation at risk just to satisfy one person’s ego). Sadly for me, as much as I hate to admit this, Saddam’s was a case of “from palaces to the pits (literally)”  only due to his personal pride. Today the US of A led by Obama is falling into the same trap clouded by Bush’s misplaced pride.
PS: At the risk of diverting from the basic theme of this entry, I would consider the wheels of fortune to have come the full circle when all the dictators/despots meets the same fate (if only life followed a mathematical equation where 1 + 1 is always 2 – for similar crimes similar punishments or proportional punishments).