Kubja - Inner Beauty

Young Krishna had been invited to Mathura by his uncle King Kansa. It was Krishna's first time in the city but the tales of his deeds had already spread throughout the land and the people were anxious and excited to see him. The prophecy - that Krishna would rid the world of tyrants and oppressors (especially Kansa) - was an open secret and the people rushed from their houses for a glimpse of the savior.
Everywhere he went he was assailed by people who greeted him and followed him around, adoring masses of people.

"He is so handsome, like Kamdev, the God of Desire!" The young women said. "He will be the greatest of lovers."

"He is so strong and powerful!" The men said. "He will vanquish all the wicked."

"He is the Lord himself," the sages said. "He has come to grant us liberation."

"He is so sweet, like a small child," the older ladies said. "He will fill our lives with joy."

Each of the people, according to their own hearts desires, saw in him the summation of their dreams.

But there was one who didn't rush to follow him when she saw him early that day. She stayed far behind the crowds, in the shadows, making no effort to go closer to him.

That afternoon, Krishna and his brother Balaram, after spending many hours greeting all the people, nipped down some alleyways and managed to lose the people following them. They needed a break from the crowds and, in particular, Krishna had someone he wanted to meet without everyone watching.  As he and Balaram walked down the lane, they spotted her. She was the one who had stayed in the shadows earlier, running away the moment there was a gap in the crowd.

She was young but appeared old. A hunchback, with half of her body bending forwards and one hand on her back to ease the ache, she was awkward and misshapen. Her hair was frizzy, her skin dark and mottled, and her nose was large and crooked, like a hag in a nightmare. In one hand, she carried a plate of sandalwood paste. The sweet scent of that sandalwood paste drifted down the street towards Krishna.  Krishna looked at his brother and smiled. Balaram smiled back and they strolled down the lane towards the woman.

"Sundari," Krishna called, moving to stand in her path. He had a mischievous glint in his eye.

"Sundari," he said, repeating the word that meant beautiful woman, "will you give me some of your sandalwood paste?"

The hunchback woman looked at him in affront. Then, without saying a word she tried to edge around the side and escape but Krishna moved quickly to corner her.

"Where are you going, Sundari? Not away! You have not yet given me any sandalwood."

Her face was covered in a red hot flush. Again she tried to move away. Again Krishnablocked her path.  Finally, she glared at him. "Why do you stop me?"

He gave her an innocent look. "I asked you for some sandalwood. You have not yet done me the curtsy of answering my request."

"I make this sandalwood for the king!" She snapped. "You cannot have it."

He gave her a wicked smile, so handsome he outshone the moon and the stars. "Can you not spare just a little? For me, sweet Sundari?"
Kubja looked at Krishna and her heart flipped over, as it had flipped over that morning when she'd first seen him. He was so beautiful. She'd never seen anyone so beautiful as he. She couldn't even glance at the other boy because Krishna so thoroughly commanded her gaze. "Are you not the one they call Krishna?" She asked.

"I am Krishna."

"They say you are gracious and compassionate. They say you protect the weak and destroy the wicked. That is why I never expected this cruelty from you."  He gaped at her.

 "What cruelty?" Krishna said.

 "You are cruel. You call me Sundari!" (beautiful)

 "That is what you are."

"No. I am not a sundari. I am ugly. I am a hunchback. People turn from me in horror. Little children throw stones at me. All my life I've been tormented by boys who've mocked me, never knowing how they cut me inside. But I never expected such cruelty from you, Krishna. You are supposed to be kind." Tears filled her eyes.

"Sundari," Krishna said with a tender voice. "I only spoke the truth."

"Still you mock me!"

"No, I never lie."

Shaking her head, weeping, Kubja again tried to move around him but again he blocked her.


"When I look at you," Krishna told her, "I see a lady who never covets anything. One who helps others but asks for nothing in return. I see a lady who is scorned and hurt but never thinks of getting revenge on those who hurt her. I see a lady who is unselfish, kind, free of malice. One whose heart is pure in every way. I see a beautiful woman."


Throughout his words, Kubja gazed at him, disbelieving, overwhelmed by the force of his beauty. That he would look at her, care for her, when she was nothing - she didn't understand it. "How do you know about me?" she whispered.



"I know everything about you, Kubja. I am the one who walks with you each day. I am the one who lies with you at night. I am the one who resides in your heart. And I see you. I am your Krishna, Kubja. Do you not recognize me?"

Her breath caught in her throat. "My Krishna?"

He took her hand in his. "Your Krishna."

This time when her eyes filled with tears, they were tears of joy. The feel of her hand in his, their gazes meeting, Kubja was so in love she couldn't stand it. She lifted up the plate of sandalwood paste she had made after hours and hours of grinding. In all of Mathura she made the best sandalwood which is why she was the supplier to the king. But she didn't care about the king anymore. Ever since she had seen Krishna that morning she had thought only of him. His face had been in her thoughts as she'd ground the sandalwood, his name in her mind as she'd worked tirelessly.  "I made this for you," she whispered to Krishna.  He smiled sweetly. "Will you apply it for me?"

Unable to believe that he would allow her to touch him, Kubja took some sandalwood on her fingers and smoothed the cooling paste on Krishna's forehead. It would protect him from the sun and provide a lovely woody scent throughout the day. Her hand shook as she touched his brow. He held out his arms, asking for more and she smoothed the paste over his perfect arms and shoulders and chest, cooling him. She used up all of the expensive paste she'd worked so hard to make, not thinking of anyone but Krishna.

He breathed deep, savouring the sweet smell. "Thank you," he told her. "I've never worn such lovely sandalwood. I shall never forget it."  She loved him so much. She was his Kubja. She was his slave. He was everything to her. She fell at his feet. "Lord," she said. "My Lord."

Krishna lifted her up and as she stood Kubja felt a strangeness in her body. For the first time in her life there was no pain in her back. Krishna lifted her up, up, up, until she stood just as other people did, upright, straight.

She gasped and looked down at herself. Her skin, always mottled and ugly now glowed, radiant even in the shadows. Her old worn out clothes were gone and in their stead were fine silks and jewels, glimmering and glinting up at her. Her hands were smooth and unmarked. She touched her face and felt soft skin and perfect feaures while her hair was silky and long.


"What did you do?" she gasped, looking back at Krishna.

He laughed. "I simply made your outside reflect your inside. Now everyone will see what I see."  She shook her head. "I am not worthy-"  "You are precious, my Kubja, my Sundari. You will always be precious to me."  Again she fell at his feet and again he lifted her, his strong hands on her shoulders.

But then there was a yell behind them. The crowd that had been following Krishna had spotted him and was rushing down the lane. Krishna was swept away in their exuberance but Kubja never forgot the loving look he gave her, telling her she was precious. Telling her she was beautiful.

We spend much time thinking and beautifying our physical form and we forget what truly makes us beautiful -  our character.

Kubja was beautiful. As Krishna said, she was unselfish. She helped others without expectation. She never desired bad for anyone even if they hurt her. She never coveted. That is beauty. That is what the Lord saw when he looked at her because he saw the real her.

Krishnamachari Santhanam

Devotion- Chinna Katha -25

Devotion- After the coronation, one day, Sîtâ and the three brothers of Râma met and planned to exclude Hanumân from the seva of Râma and wanted that all the various services for Râma should be divided only among themselves. They felt that Hanumân had enough chances already. So, they drew up a list, as exhaustive as they could remember, of the services from dawn till dusk, down to the smallest minutiae and assigned each item to one among themselves. They presented the list of items and assignees to the Lord, while Hanumân was present. Râma heard about the new procedure, read the list and gave His approval, with a smile. He told Hanumân that all the tasks had been assigned to others and that he could now take rest. Hanumân prayed that the list might be read and when it was done, he noticed a task of omission - the task of 'snapping fingers when one yawns'. Of course, being an emperor, Râma should not be allowed to do it himself. It has to be done by a servant, he pleaded. Râma agreed to allot that task to Hanumân!

It was a great piece of good luck for Hanumân, for it entailed Hanumân's constant attendance on his Master, for how could anyone predict when the yawn would come? And, he had to be ready with a snap, as soon as the yawn was on! He could not be away for a minute nor could he relax for a moment. You must be happy that the seva of the Lord keeps you always in His presence and ever vigilant to carry out His behest


Sai in Chinna Katha

Chinna Katha -17

Never judge another's devotion

There is a widely prevalent habit now of judging others and labeling them as bhaktas (devotees) or nasthikas (atheists). What do you know, what can you know of the inner working of another's mind? There was once a queen who was a great devotee of Râma; she felt so sad that her husband, the Raja, never even uttered the name of Râma and had no bhakti. She had vowed that the first occasion, on which she got evidence of his bhakti or at least respect for Râma Nâma, she would conduct puja in all the temples and feed the poor on a lavish scale. Then, one night, while fast asleep, the Raja uttered the name of Râma thrice plaintively and prayerfully. She heard the namasmarana and was happy at the discovery of her husband's devotion to Râma; she ordered general rejoicing throughout the kingdom and the feeding of the poor. The Raja did not know the reason for the celebration for he was only told that it was an order of the Rani, which the officers carried out. Similarly, a husband may not be aware of the excellence of a wife's spiritual attainments.

There is the case of a couple who was proceeding through thick jungle on pilgrimage to an inaccessible shrine. The husband saw on the footpath a precious stone, shining brilliantly when the sun's rays fell upon it from between the leaves. He hastily threw some sand over it with a movement of his foot so that his wife may not be tempted to pick it up and become a slave to the tinsel. The wife saw the gesture and chided the husband for still retaining in his mind a distinction between sand and diamond. For her, both were the same.

The Raja who spoke in his sleep the sacred name of Râma felt very sorry, according to the story, that he let Râma Nâma out of his mouth, for he believed that no one should know of his 'love' for Râma. There are many who will not shout about their guru or their favorite nama and rûpa but, whether you declare them to others or not, keep them ever in your consciousness. Râma Nâma or any other name must be as constant as breathing. For this, practice is essential.

Sai in Chinna Katha

Devotion

Single-minded devotion engenders deep thought, which expresses itself in action. The Lord’s Light descends on the devotee, His power awakens in him and, as a result, profound inner inquiry blossoms forth.”
“It may be asked, why there cannot be one and the same path for all? Because He reveals Himself in infinite ways and forms — verily, The One is all of them.”

Anandamayi Ma.

Bee of the Heart

There the woods of spring are a-bloom, and the fragrant scent "He is I" is borne on the wind:
There the bee of the heart is deeply immersed, and desires no other joy.

~ Kabir

Give up the attachment to the Body

For those of us who are upset and greiving about Swami's Body's current situation, I have a few questions.

1. Who is Swami?

This is a question for which even Gods do not have an answer , then how can we with impunity construe that Swami is the body and that He is suffering. Though we might not be able to fathom Swami's true nature we can with certanity say that He is not the body. Sai himself has told many times that if we restrict Him to the 5 odd feet of body in Parthi , then we are tying him up.

How many of us have innumerable experiences of Swami in the astral form? Is that in any way lesser than the physical interviews one might receive? How mmany of us are able to spend years with him in the physical frame? As for me My darshan of Swami was 45 years back as a eight year old, but I have absolute faith that my relationship with swami dates back to much earler births. If at all anything has been learnt by me in these 45 physical years with Swami is the truth that He is not the Body and neither are we.

Take any chapter in any vahini, and the underlying message is the same," Give up attachment to the ephemeral and stick to the eternal" .

Brothers and Sisters ,Let us do the same. Our Guru and God has taught us the essence of Veda and the vedantha, let us not act like the rest, wailing and weeping and displaying our waekness. Let us be silent and a recipient of Grace . There are innumerable statements by Devotees, which are very laughable as their attachment to the Body and misconception of the atmatatwa shows. When swami himself has told us innumerable times , When my Anugraha is there, what can the Navagrahas do? We in our anxiety are giving credence to Astrolagers predictions concerning Swami's Longeivity.

I would like to recall here Swami's own discourse On His physical health.

"Many of you are anxious thinking that Swami is not keeping good health


over the last few days. In fact, My health is very good. Real health is not

related to the body. As you equate Swami with this physical frame, it

appears as though Swami is not well. Yad Bhavam Tad Bhavati (as is the

feeling, so is the result). Do not identify Me with this physical body. I am

not Dehaswarupa (body), I am Dehi (the indweller). There is no difference

between you and Me. I have all powers in Me. But you are deluded seeing

My physical form. Whatever I am doing is only to satisfy the doctors and

other devotees. As a matter of fact, there is no trace of ill-health in Me. I

am always healthy. Not only today, till 96 years I will be like this. I

can do whatever I want. But those who go by the physical form think that

Swami is ageing. Youth and old age are related to the body and not to

Me. I am always the same. I can do anything. However, this body is

yours. This has come for your sake. You can change it the way you like. If

you think that Swami is strong and healthy, yes so He is. There is no

weakness in Me. My angas (limbs) may appear to be weak. But I am not

Angaswarupa, I am Atmaswarupa. Wherever you may go, worship God as

Atmaswarupa. Do not identify Him with an Akara (form). Give up body

consciousness and develop Atmic awareness. Only when you lead a

spiritual life, will you be able to visualize the Atmaswarupa. If you identify

Me with the body, I cannot walk even two steps. Do not think about the

Akara. Have faith that I am the Atmaswarupa. Then I will always remain

healthy. "

Date: 05 Oct 2003, Occasion: Vijayadashami, Place: Prasanthi Nilayam

(Sathya Sai Speaks - Vol 36. Chapter 14. Give Up Dehabhimana, Develop

Atmabhiman)



Jai Sairam.

Be silent, Be Strong. Only Strong faith is required. The rest will be Done by HIm.

Krishnamachari Santhanam

Namasmarana- Recitation of the Sacred Name.

Recite the sacred name

Sri Krishna Chaitanya was the pioneer of the movement of Nagarsamkeertan. He used to get himself immersed in the contemplation of the Lord while singing His glory and used to be oblivious of the external world.

Once he was conducting Nagarsamkeertan in Navadweep. Several leaders of the town too joined him in his bhajan. They were all ecstatically singing bhajans and walking along the streets. A thief also joined this group. He thought it would be an opportunity for him to pick the pockets of rich devotees who would be lost in singing and dancing. But when he actually participated in it he began singing with more zeal than others. All of them had come to a temple and were seated. He sat near Chaitanya, while those sitting in front were listening to his discourse. Many had left the temple precincts by then. He held Chaitanya's both feet and said: "Swami, you are giving so much advice to so many people. Kindly impart to me some sacred "manthra". Chaitanya looked at him and said: "Tell me first of all who you are and what you do". The thief said: "Swami! How can I lie to you? I am a thief. I have been a thief all my life. My name is Rama, people call me 'Rama' - the thief."

Chaitanya said: "Oh what a pity. I shall give you a name or a message but what will you give me as guru dakshina?" The thief at once said without any hesitation: "I shall give you a share in the booty I get from my theft." Chaitanya said: "I have no need for any money. All that I insist is that you should give up stealing." The thief said: "Swami, that is my profession, how else can I earn a living, when I do not have any other skill?" "Well," said Chaitanya, "I shall give you a sacred name on one condition, when you go for thieving, you must first recite the sacred name I give you 1008 times." Chaitanya whispered into his ear: "Om Namo Bhagavathe Vasudevaya". Transformation even by then had taken place in the thief because of the touch of the holy person. He was also freed from the sin of his past deeds because of the conversation with Chaitanya. The thief went back a refined person.

One day many wealthy house-holders had locked their houses and had gone for the darshan of Sri Krishna Chaitanya. The thief did not want to lose this opportunity to break into a house. He went to the house of the richest man of the town. He broke into the house and entered the room where the iron safe was kept. He opened it and saw valuable gems and jewels of gold. He resolved not to touch anything until he had finished reciting 1008 times the manthra given to him. Before he completed the number, the master of the house arrived along with the familiy. The lady of the house wanted to remove all the jewels she had worn before she left the house and keep them back in the safe. She saw a stranger lost in the recitation of the sacred manthra "Om Namo Bhagavathe Vasudevaya." She thought he must be a great sage who had come to their house to bless them. She called her husband. The thief was lost in his meditation. The entire familiy sat round him with folded hands. They thought he must be a saintly soul like Chaitanya.

The thief opened his eyes after the completion of 1008 times the manthra. He was surprised to find a group of people sitting reverentially before him. The master of the house asked him, "Oh Sir! May we know who you are and may we request you to honour us by accepting to take food with us today so that we shall be redeemed of our sins." The thief said to himself: "If the mere recitation of the Lord's name, now and then can bring me such honour, what greater things cannot happen to me if I sincerely make it my daily habit of reciting the name continuously. I may certainly win the grace of the Lord." He decided to give up thieving. He prostrated before the master of the house and his wife and said, "Mother, let me tell you the truth. I am a thief. Let me go to the forest. I shall spend the rest of my life in the contemplation of God." All were surprised at his words but were very happy.

He stayed with them as their guest that night. The news of this event spread fast around in the morning. As a result, the whole neighbourhood came to see him. They took him in a palanquin round the town and left him in the forest where he wanted to do his tapas. Later, once again, he came to Chaitanya and received his blessings so that he may blossom into a real sage.

Sai in Chinna Katha.

Nature is the best teacher - 11

The Bee always sits on the Flower and drinks its nectar. Even when it is hungry and has to die will not sit on the garbage dump. Let us stick to our nature which is Purity and Divinity.

Krishnamachari Santhanam

Thapas-Penance

Tapas (penance) does not mean positioning oneself upside down, head on the ground and feet held up like a bat. Nor is it the renunciation of possessions and properties, wife and children, emaciating one’s body or holding the nose to regulate one’s breath. Physical actions, oral assertions and mental resolves—all three have to be in unison. The thought, the speech and the act, all have to be pure. This is the real Tapas. And they have to be co-ordinated not by the compulsion of duty. The effort must be undertaken for satisfying one’s inner yearnings, for the contentment of the Self. This struggle is the essence of Tapas.

Sai.

Akka Mahadevi

Akka Mahadevi (ಅಕ್ಕ ಮಹಾದೇವಿ) was a prominent figure and Kannada poet of the Veerashaiva Bhakti movement of the 12th century Karnataka. Her Vachanas, a form of didactic poetry are considered her greatest contribution to Kannada Bhakti literature In all she wrote about 430 Vachanas which is relatively fewer than that compared to other saints of her time. Yet the term 'Akka' (elder Sister) which is an honorific given to her by great Veerashaiva saints like Basavanna, Chenna Basavanna, Kinnari Bommayya, Siddharama, Allamaprabhu and Dasimayya speaks volumes of her contribution to Kannada literature and the history of Karnataka. She is said to have accepted the god Shiva ('Chenna Mallikarjuna') as her mystical husband (similar to how centuries later Meera, a 16th century saint, considered herself married to Krishna).

Feet Of the Master
It was like a stream
running into the dry bed
of a lake,
like rain
pouring on plants
parched to sticks.

It was like the world’s pleasure,
And the way to the other,
Both walking towards me.

Seeing the feet of the master
O Lord white as jasmine,
I was made worthwhile.

Hidden Trasures

Like treasure hidden by the earth,
Like the taste hidden by the fruit,
Like gold hidden by the stone,
Like oil hidden by the sesame seed,
Like fire hidden by the word,
Channamallikarjuna (Shiva), jasmine-tender,
Hides as the being behind becoming;
No one knows him.

When I did not know myself
Where were you, tell me?
Like the color in gold,
You were in me.
Though you were in me
I saw you as different.
O Channakallikarjuna, jasmine-tender.


Who needs Flowers?

Breath for fragrance,
who needs flowers?

With peace, patience, forgiving and self-command,
who needs the Ultimate Posture?

The whole world become oneself
who needs solitude,

O lord white as jasmine.

Silkworm weaving..

Like a silkworm weaving
her house with love
from her marrow,

and dying
...in her body's threads
winding tight, round
and round,

I burn
desiring what the heart desires.

Cut through, O lord,
my heart's greed,
and show me
your way out,

O lord white as jasmine.

Whoom to serve?

After my body became
Thyself,
whom could I serve?
After my mind became
Thyself,
whom could I invoke?
After my consciousness was lost in Thee,
Whom could I know?
Being Thyself in Thee,
O Cenna Mallikarjuna Lord,
Through Thee have I forgotten Thee.


Monkeyman’s stick

Monkey on monkeyman's stick
puppet at the end of a string

I've played as you've played
I've spoken as you've told me
I've been as you let me be

O engineer of the world
lord white as jasmine

I've run
till you cried halt.


I have Wisdom

Saying, "I have got wisdom", can the guru-linga-jangama be left off ?
Saying, "Got flawless, doubtless, wholesome wisdom"
can one touch somebody else's wealth or wife ?
Saying, "Got the comprehensive wisdom that where life is there is shiva",
can one live with dog, pig, chicken, cat ?
In realization having known the true nature of the self,
other than nurturing good wisdom, good action, good justice,
good path, if one acts in whatever way thoughts go, saying "I've got wisdom",
would Lord chennamallikArjuna leave without making them born as dogs !


Surface Vultures.

Would a circling surface vulture
know such depths of sky

as the moon would know?
would a weed on the riverbank
know such depths of water
as the lotus would know?
would a fly darting nearby
know the smell of flowers
as the bee would know?
O Lord white as jasmine
only you would know
the way of your devotees:
how would these
these
mosquitos
on the buffalo’s hides?


Akka Mahadevi.

Dip in the Ganges

As per the scriptures we are to take the scriptual bath before any ritual. But say we are in a flight where this may not be possible. Scripture provides for the ritual bath by invoking the manasa ganga and by mindfully bathing in it can proceed with the rituals. The ida and the pingala act as the carrier for the yamuna and the Ganga and the unseen saraswathi is in the sahasradhara. When you dip in this ganges, or you dip in the ganges of the guru or dip in the mother ganges physically.. it is upto each...But dip we must.. No use in floating on the surface.

Namasthe.



Krishnamachari Santhanam

Bumble Bee

There was in this huge forest, a sylvan area which was dotted with bamboo trees swaying in the breeze gently and could be seen as far as the eyes reach nearly touching the sky. Some of the bamboos were soft and green and some hardened through persistent sadhana of being still in the baking sun.

A pond green with the shade of the bamboo forest was home to a variety of lily and lotuses which competed with each other through the sunlit mornings and moonlit nights. The aroma of the flowers was heavenly and even the deer which came to graze stood silently lost in the heavenly aroma and even their ears forgot to twitch. A variety of squirrels zipped up and down through the bamboo trees and there were many small rabbits and foxes which rested under the green umbrella of rich foliage.

The realised ones among those inhabiting this place was of course the bumble bees which constantly was chanting the omkar and their mmmmmmmmmmm filled the space, the wide akasha seems to reverberate this holy chant. The namasmarana the bees do had given them immense strength and they could bore through the toughest of bamboos with their sharp front claws.

But even the hardest could be conquered by Love isn't it? The Hardy bumble bee met its match in the delicate lotus. The aroma of the nectar in the lotuses drew bumble bees from all corners of the forest and they came valiantly boring through the hard bamboos which were stubbornly guarding the sacred pond. They drilled their way through those stout trunks and arrived at the heavenly pond.
The ambrosia in those lotus sent them a silent invite and they glided around and settled on the sweet lotuses to sip its nectar.

The Bees drink the intoxicating nectar, and falls into a stupor, overwhelmed by the elixir. The sun starts setting and the lotuses start to close its petals ever so slowly and the bumble bees which were strong enough to bore a hole through the bamboos offer no resistance and allow to be captured by those tender petals.

The bee is imprisoned in the softness, with no strength to bore through the tender, velvety veil. Just like the bumble bee Let the mind imbibe the nectar of the Name, let it taste the elixir of the Lotus Feet of the Lord, it will be incapacitated, rendered ineffective and incapable of harm. A powerful mind thus anchored in the divine will cause no harm and in fact will become the golden key which opens the doors of realisation.

Krishnamachari Santhanam.

Sarvam Vishnumayam Jagath

Let the eye see
Let the nose smell
Let the tongue taste
and the ears hear
and the skin feel
I am in a rented house
and this is the rent I pay to the land LORD.
Sarvam Vishnumayam Jagath.

Krishnamachari Santhanam

Humility

Saint Narada is most known for creating mischief and quarrels between people (although the quarrels always lead to good things and makes everyone happy). Apart from his mischief making, however, Narada is also well known for his supreme musical talents - according to Hindu mythology, he introduced people to the gift of music. Narada always appears with a Veena in his hands and constantly chants the name of Lord Narayana. Even today, In India, when a religious discourse or a Yakshagana (a type of dance-drama or an opera) is held, the programs begin after invoking the name of Narada.

Saint Narada, wasn't without flaws, however. He was proud of his musical skills, but looked down on others who were less skilled than he was. Once he went to the kingdom of Lord Krishna. Krishna knew of Narada's arrogance and wanted to teach him a lesson on modesty and respect for others. Krishna asked Narada to play his Veena before an assembled audience in his court. Narada played the Veena brilliantly and delighted the audience with his music. At the end of his performance, Narada turned to Krishna and waited for the God to express his appreciation of Narada's music. Krishna, instead, turned to Hanuman, the monkey God, who was sitting in the audience, and asked him what he thought of Narada's music. Narada, unaware of Hanuman's divine status, was very unhappy that Krishna, instead of expressing his appreciation, sought the opinion of a mere monkey. "What does a monkey know about music?" Narada thought.


Krishna reading the mind of Narada said, "Oh Narada, I understand your concern, but first, let us find out if this monkey really knows anything about music. Give him your Veena and let him play it." Narada became even angrier because musicians consider their musical instruments sacred. Narada didn't want to share his Veena with anyone, especially not a monkey. He couldn't refuse Krishna's request however, and reluctantly handed the Veena to Hanuman. Hanuman began to play the Veena and sang beautiful hymns in praise of Lord Rama. The Monkey God's singing and playing was so sincere and so devoted that the entire audience was mesmerized. Even the great musical genius Narada was compelled to appreciate Hanuman's music. Being a person of enormous wisdom, Narada began to realize the lesson that Krishna was teaching him. Narada asked Krishna's forgiveness for not respecting the greatness of Hanuman and for underestimating Hanuman because he was a monkey.

Anger Management

The teachings of great masters help one to rise from base behaviours to become a balanced individual. Ramakrishna Paramahamsa, the great Indian master illustrated an event to his disciples to handle anger.


Once the great master was standing by a river in the company of His disciples. As they stood there, the master pointed out to a boat that was advancing upstream. The boatman was shouting out to another boat that was moving down stream in the opposite direction to avoid collision. When the boat in the opposite direction rushed closer, the boatman realised that it was an empty boat with no one to monitor its movements. Hence he just changed his course of movement and avoided the danger.


Ramakrishna Paramahamsa then explained to the devotees that the boat man neither tried to change the course of the other boat nor did he continue to yell. All that he did was to steer around the on rushing boat. Ramakrishna compared, the boat without a boatman to a person who is angry. Hence when one is confronted with the anger of another person it is wise to move away like the boatman who avoided the onrushing boat. He taught not to indulge in flinging abusive words in return. When when retorts back in anger, his case is also like that of a boat without a steerer

Self

On a day when the clouds are black
and the thunder strikes
I want to be with myself.

On a night when the silver moon shines
and the stars are bright
I want to be with myself.

On a noon when the white sun scorches
and the dogs rest under the tree
I want to be with myself.

On a rainy day when the rainbow strikes
and the wet grass shines
I want to be with myself.

Birds fly and the bee hums
cats peacefully lick its paws
I am in myself.

The waves roar and the wind howls
the trees waves its branches
I am myself.

Silence is heavy and the breathing is heard
Footsteps fall
and i feel the self.

See a rose slowly unfolding
and the bee sits on its throne
I sip the nectar and self remains.

Karma Yoga

Karma Yoga

The Bhagavat Gita says, “ Surrender the fruit of action”. Yes we agree but does the karma yogi get the fruit ? even if he has surrendered it?
The answer is Yes. Maybe he will get the beneficial fruit multi fold if he does not aspire for it. The story of Mahalakshmi goes to prove it. The ocean of milk was churned and out of it came Mahalakshmi, the mother of all auspiciousness. The devas who had studiously avoided all the other entreaties of Uchisravas and iravatha fell pray to the charm of moha incarnate and stood in line to be chosen as bridegroom. But Mahalakshmi chose Narayana as bridegroom who was totally detached and watching the entire proceeding with amusement! This is what happens to the karma yogi. He surrenders the fruit of action and the onus is on the Creator to measure and dispatch the fruits and his measure is always bountiful!!

Also love your work. That is the secret of happiness and avoiding boredom. Let us take an example. A man grows up the rank and becomes C.E.O. But he gets job dissatisfaction soon as he has learnt all that has to be learnt and gets disinterested and distant. But his wife who does the same cooking and cleaning gets about her work with a cheerful demeanor and starts every day as if it is a new routine. This is so as she does the act of cooking and cleaning lovingly and dedicates every routine to the welfare of her family.

Bhavna or feelings behind the act gives the currency the stamp for it to be valid.
That is why no amount of worshipping routine without the genuine love and aspiration for GOD will be fruitful. It will remain a routine! This also explains why inspite of various temples being destroyed in India the murthis could never be destroyed, as the murthis have their form in the hearts and the image of Rama and Krishna and the qualities they stand for could never be destroyed and the pure feelings of devotees have made the images purer. This is why Ganga can be H 2 0 or the destroyer of all sins as per the bhavna one has. If one has the remembrance of the origin of the Ganga and how it flows through the matted hair of Shiva and washing the holy feet of Narayana then one can wash his sins by bathing in the Ganges but one considers it purely as two atoms of hydrogen and one atom of oxygen he could catch a cold!

Karma yogi’s action unites him with the cosmos and this leads to cosmic consciousness. For example the simple act of watering the tulsi plant before taking food creates a bond of love between us and the lower order of nature. This simple karma makes one have a pang of empathy and love and hands stretch automatically to water the tulsi before our own mouth has a morsel of food!

Karma yogis have a great preceptor- the Lord himself. They just have to picturise the kurukshethra war and how when all the tired souls after a long and hard day’s battle have gone to rest Krishna himself would be busy untying the horses and washing and feeding them and applying medicine to their wounds. Thus he would be last to bed and first to rise because of the love of the karma of charioteer which he chose.

Repetitive action is like a Japa, and when done with feeling it becomes worship and one’s action transforms the mind and elevates the consciousness. The story of Tuladar and jajali, Sena the barber and Gora the potter goes to prove it.

All the farmers know a simple axiom- Sow deep but sow moist. Similarly the Karma yogi’s action should be based on deep faith and moistened with the love of GOD.

When mind stand united with action it is Vikarma. This is true in Bakthi as well as Karma yoga. Activity outside should be accompanied by meditation( Japa) inside. Dwell close while in austerity( Upa Vasa). When mind does not meditate outer form of austerity is a waste. Tantra must be accompanied by mantra- action by meditation! Here Swami’s 3hv principle needs to be applied. For example if body is fasting but mind is thinking of food then mind is feasting! This disparity in thought word and deed can be disastrous. Take the action of a mother stroking a child. Because of the bond of love and empathy the simple act of stroking becomes a Yoga and gives bliss to both the souls-mother and child. If a person watching it bewitched thinks if I stroke the child downwards 10 cms and repeat the same motion upwards 10cms thrice it will create bliss-How stupid it sounds? The bhavna is again the key- unless the mind is united with the action bliss can not surface.

Akarma= Vikarma+ Karma. (inaction in action). Because purity of thought creates disinterest in action or desirelessness and this in turn can make a simple act of karma as akarma. Take the action of a mother beating a child out of love for its well being. The child goes back to the mother as if nothing happened. But if we do the same??

We can not learn akarma from books . We can learn only by moving with saints and serving them. We would learn in their speech of silence all the clarity.

Whether the man who is naked or clad
Is a matter, which bothers only the other
As a mad man’s mind is not in his apparel.

So let us keep our mind unattached to the various apparels of Maya.

Allah is Vishnu

Allah is Al-Ahad or The One and Vishnu is called Eka, The One. It’s curious
but there are striking similarities between the many names of Vishnu and
those of Allah.
The Vishnu Sahasranamam (the thousand names of Vishnu) was composed by
Ved Vyas and incorporated in the Mahabharata. The sahasra here is not meant
to be a finite digit; it is in fact the opposite. ‘Thousand’ is meant to
suggest infinitude. The poem is a tool for meditating on God, the Formless
One, avyakta, of multifarious forms, anekamurti. Names connoting these two
opposite aspects follow one another in the poem: first the name, then the
counter-name. Because, the intention is not to define, but rather to convey
the futility of definition through a surfeit of definitions. The names
listed in the Sahasranamam are not all nouns: they are mostly adjectives.
They are attributes of God, juxtaposed to create a dhvani or suggestion of
the all-inclusive, all-surpassing, definition-defying Being.
The countername does not cancel the name; rather, it illustrates that
every name, every murti, is equally correct and incorrect: it is both iti
(so) and neti (not so). It is futile, likewise, to think of adding up the
names to arrive at any algebraic ‘finality’. Among the thousand names of
Vishnu are also Shoonya (zero) and Ananta (infinity). The movement of a
seeker after truth, as Swami Vivekanand put it, is not from error to truth,
but rather from one truth to another, until he reaches the end of all
knowledge, vedanta, to arrive at a consciousness of truth and bliss. This is
sat-chit-ananda: the state of truth-consciousness-bliss. This is Godhood.
One who realises it cannot define it; he can only point towards it or
suggest it — through sahasranama.
The Gracious Names Of Allah lists the various names of Allah occurring in
the holy Qu’ran. It is interesting how similar the names or appellations of
Allah are to those of Vishnu in the Vishnu Sahasranamam. Allah, as the
Paramatma, is Al-Ahad, The One or Eka. He is Al-Quddus, the Holy One
(Pavitram), Ar-Rahman, The Beneficent (Varadaya), Al’Maalik, The Lord
(Prabhu), Al’Aziz, The Mighty One (Mahaveera), Al’Alim, The All-knowing
(Sarvagya). He is Al’Khaliq, The Creator (Srishta) and Al’Musawwir, One who
fashions all things (Vishwakarma). He is Al’Hakam, The Judge (Vidhatre), who
is Al’Adl, The Just (Nyaya). Al’Latif, The Subtle One (Sookshma), Al’Kabir,
The Great (Mahaan).
Allah is also Al’Matin, The Firm One (Sthir), and As-Samad, The Eternal
One, The Absolute (Achyuta, Sthavar). He sends down distress as Ad-Daarr
(Bhayakrat), and deals death as Al’-Mumit (Yama). Himself is Al-Muhaymin,
The Protector (Rakshan). God is An-Nur, The Luminous One (Prakash), and
Al-Hakim, The Wise One (Mahabuddhi). He is An-Nafi, The Propitious One
(Mangala). He is Dhul-Jalal-Wal-Ikram, The Bountiful (Srinidhi). As in the
case of Vishnu, contradictory names apply equally perfectly to Allah. For
example, He is Al’Muqaddim (The Expediter) and also Al’- Mu’akhkhir (The
Delayer).
What is the significance of reciting all these names? The Sahasranamam
uplifts; it expands thought to include everything and every nonthing. If all
is the One, where is room for malice? The Phalshruti (Fruits of Recitation)
of Vishnu Sahasranamam promises to rid the devoted reciter of anger, malice,
greed and evil thoughts. One is also rid of the fear of birth, death, old
age and disease (janma-mrityu-jara-vyadhi). All these are the results that
follow the highest form of positive thinking. Similarly, reciting the names
of Allah, too, is bound to bring lasting benefit to the devout.

Arunachala Pancharathna

The fifth hymn, ‘Five Stanzas to Sri Arunachala’ (Arunachala Pancharatna), is of a different nature to the first four. The great Sanksrit poet and devotee Ganapati Sastri, who was a follower of Bhagavan, begged him to write a poem in Sanksrit. Bhagavan replied, laughing, that he scarcely knew any Sanksrit and no Sanksrit metres. Sastri, however explained a metre to him and repeated his request. When he returned the same evening this hymn had been written in perfect, flawless Sanskrit.

Devotee: I have been reading the Five Hymns. I find that the hymns are addressed to Arunachala by you. You are an advaitin. How do you then address God as a separate Being?

Maharshi: The devotee, God and the Hymns are all the Self.

Devotee: But you are addressing God. You are specifying this Arunachala Hill as God.

Maharshi: You can identify the Self with the body. Should not the devotee identify the Self with Arunachala?

Devotee: If Arunachala be the Self why should it be specially picked out among so many other hills? God is everywhere. Why do you specify Him as Arunachala?

Maharshi: What has attracted you here to this place? What has attracted all these people around?

Devotee: Sri Bhagavan.

Maharshi: How was I attracted here? By Arunachala. The Power cannot be denied. Again Arunachala is within and not without. The Self is Arunachala.