WHAT GOES AROUND ,COMES AROUND

    We often get frustrated in life when we see good people getting bad luck and bad people getting away with no punishment. I have seen this on number of occasions in this country in last few years  in Washington DC. So one wonders if there is justice or not . But we all react to the bad  behavior in the same way . Only saints can react to bad action by good action. This is one of the stories from animal world. In PANCHANTRA there are stories of animals  and the animals talk . But the behavior is similar in human beings.

   There was a forest and a fox  and a stork became friend . The fox was cunning  and stork was honest and believed that the friendship could be real. One day the fox invited the stork for a dinner . The fox had a prepared a milk product where sugar and other spices are added  and he served it at the time of a dinner. But he was cunning and so he served the milk in a flat plate . The for could drink it from the plate as he does it with tongue. But the stork who has a long thin beak, could not get a drop of this delicious milk. So the stork went home hungry and starved.Then next week he invited the fox for the dinner . This time he served the milk -same type with added sugar and some spices  and it was delicious. But he served it in a jug with long narrow neck. So this time for could not get a drop of milk but the stork could drink it with his long beak like a straw. The fox had to go home hungry and starving. 

    This is tit for tat or what goes around comes around.

TRUTH IS ONE BUT WISW MEN INTERPRETE IT DIFFERENTLY

    We often see that wise men or intellectuals often disagree with each other. Each one believes that he has a truth and the other person is wrong .But the truth is one and one only  and at times there is no truth. Einstein stated that the time is relative  and the truth for the guy standing on platform watching what is happening in the ongoing train is different than the man on the train watching the same thing . So both believe that they are right and their observation is different. So there may be no truth as such according to Einstein. Recently in election each side believes that their candidate won. In this case there is truth  and one can find it out. So I am talking about that kind of situation. 

  This story happened on a train . There were 4 people traveling on a train. An older lady ,a young girl and 2 young men . When the train was going through the tunnel, the lights went off . There was a sound of kissing followed by slapping . So the old lady thought that one of the young men kissed the young girl and she slapped . That is her truth. The young lady thought that these young men are stupid and one of them kissed the old lady while I am here . That was her truth. One of the young men thought that that the other one kissed the girl and she slapped ME. That was the his truth. But in reality the last person - the young man - had kissed his own palm  and slapped the other man. So each one of these person belived that they had the truth and only one truth existed  and only one person knew it. 

   In life sometimes we have to see things through other person's eyes or may be brain . We have color vision but the dog does not have it and everything is black and white . The dog can perceive sound of frequency that human ear is unable to and so it hears the sound that we can not . So JUST BECAUSE WE CAN'T SEE OR HEAR DOES NOT MEAN IT IS NOT TRUE.

DECISION

     We often have questions in life  and we ask people what would they do  and then there are conflicting answers .Now a days if we do google search we will get some answers  and that may not be the same . So this short story is related to that. 

    The story is from India but could be happening anywhere . In a small town there lived a man  and his family . They wanted to to distant bigger town to do some business  buy and sale things . So the man and his son started walking to attend the  market. They had their donkey with them to carry some of the stuffs' they started they were walking along the side of the donkey. They saw a town 'wise man'. As he approached  and saw them walking he stopped  and told them that they were stupid not to ride on the donkey  and suggested that one of you can get on the donkey . So the father mounted on the donkey. The sun was rising in the sky  and temperature was increasing and they saw a lady who was mother. She stopped  and told the father 'Are you not ashamed of asking this poor small child to walk in this summer heat and you- an adult riding on the donkey?' So the father got down  and the son mounted the donkey and started riding . After a short time they saw older man  and he stopped by  and stated 'how come poor father is walking and a young man -the son is riding ?" So now the father and son did not know what to do. They decided that they both can ride the donkey. As they started walking they saw a priest . He stopped them and made a comment that they will go to hell as they have not cared for the animal  and are riding on him both at the same time . So now they decides to carry the donkey by lifting it on their shoulders  and the donkey started kicking  and now they were approaching a small bridge . The donkey was kicking and they were forcing it be carried  and in that confusion the donkey fell in the water.

    So the moral of the story is 'listen to all the advice  and they do what YOU think is right . 

FAITH

    We often talk about the Faith  and we have seen examples of this in life though most of us have GOD  as GOD of CONVINIENCE . So we offer something small like may be $5 and ask for combination of lottery numbers  or sometimes we are worse than that and offer things ONLY IF WE GET SUCCESS . e.g. If I get this job, I will do this POOJA .And then sometimes we ask God for simple things like God please let me get parking or get better sitting etc. But when we don't get what we want , we tend to blame GOD. Then there are others who have unconditional faith in GOD. So this is is short story of one such lady. 

   There was a small town in India  and there was a temple  and there was priest who was taking care of the temple . He used to do the daily worship and POOJA  and he was pious. There was a lady who used to bring mild for the Pooja daily . She used to live across the river  and used to bring in milk and offer to the God. One day there was a heavy rains  and so the lady told the priest that she could not bring in the milk as the river was flooded  and overflowing. The priest told her that she can still come -all that she has to do is do the chanting of the Lord's name  and water will not be a problem The water will recede with the name of the God . Next dat the priest was surprised when the lady showed up with milk. He asked her as to how she came  and she answered that she was chanting  and the water did recede  and so I could come. The lady offered the milk and left . The priest could not believe  and as soon as the lady left he went to the banks of river . He looked at the water which was overflowing  and he started chanting . He entered the water  and continued to chant  and as he went farther the water did not recede  and he feel in ths deeper water and had to struggle to swim and come back to the banks . 

  So what worked for the lady did not work for the priest as he did not have the FAITH in what he himself had told her  and she had FULL FAITH in the CHANTING  and so it worked.

??GENETIC

    All the Indians know the story of the Ravan from Ramayan..Many may have seen the TV serial from India. I have not seen it but I know it was there. Many know Rava but may not know about his parents. His father was a great sage named Vishrava . His father was also great sage Pulasty  and he was son of Brahma and one of the Saptarhushi. The Vishrava was married to Kaikeshi who was Rakshas family .The marriage between the sage and the rakshasa resulted in children ,one of which was Rava  and other were Kumbhkarna, BIBHISHAN , SHRPANKHA. . The Ravana was the main character in Rmaayan.

   Kumbhakarn was lazy and when he did penance, he asked to be in sleep all the time  and then Ravana asked it to be changed to 6 months awake and 6 months sleep - some say 1 day awake and sleep rest of the days of the year. The BHIBHISHANA was pious  and was on the side of the RAMA  nd advised Ravana not to fight with Rama . Shurpanakha was only sister . Kubera was the half brother of Ravana. 

   So here is the genetic explanation or the explanation based on 3 GUNAS. In Indian philosophy or theology we have 3 Gunas Sattvic, Rajasic  and Tamasic . We all have all 3 Gunas  and depending upon the proportion of the Gunas we have different nature  and behavior. So we have combination od SATWIC from the father who was sage  and Tamasic who was Rakshas. So pure Tamasic child was KUMBHAKARNBIBHISHAN was pure sattvic  and Ravana was combination of TAMASIC . RAJASIC  AND SATVIC . 

OMNIPRESENT

      We often say God is omnipresent. But when we are in trouble, we call upon God TO COME AND HELP! If the God is present everywhere, then how can he come , If he is everywhere then he can not COME  as he is everywhere. If I am HERE then I am not THERE, so I can go from HERE to THRERE. But if I am everywhere, then I am HERE AND THERE TOO. So the question of going there does not arise. So we do say that God is omnipresent but don't seem to act as we believe in our own statement. The story that I am going to tell is related to this principles. I don't know if this story is true or not  and also if there are people that highly evolved or not .

   In one of the temple in India at night a priest entered the temple  and found a man sleeping in temple  and he had it feet on the Lord Shiv PINDI which is religious symbol of Lord Shiva. This would be a great insult towards the God . The man was a great devotee  and so the priest woke up the man and asked him to move is feet . The man answered that he was too tired  and if priest could help him move the feet . The priest agreed  and he lifted the legs  and moved it away from the PINDI. But as soon as the feet touched the grounds another PINDI popped from the ground . The priest was surprised  and he lifted the feet again and moved them another feet away. But as soon as he put them on ground, another PINDI popped up from the ground. The  priest could not believe what he was seeing d looked at the man. The priest had told everyone of the devotes who came to temple that the God is EVERYWHERE, But had not may be believed it and certainly not experienced it before. 

    (I wish I will come across someone like that or I will witness something like this life  and that too outside magic show.)

THE DIFFERENCE

     There are many stories in Mahabharata  and Ramayana . The stories are good not only as stories where we see different characters  and also the human nature  and also entertain people or children . But sometimes a simple story may have bigger meaning. This short one is from Ramayana. When Lord Rama's wife SITA was kidnapped by Ravan and The lord Rama and Hanuman met each other, Hanuman took Rama to Sugriv . Instead of walking together to meet Sugriv, Hnuaman became HUGE (There kind of powers - to become huge or to become very small can be achieved as described in Patanjali Sutra Yoga. Hanuman became very small when he wanted to be not seen by Lankini  a demon who was watching the Lanka perimeter )So Hanuman asked Rama and Lakshman to sit on his shoulder  and carried them to Sugriv. 

    So for ordinary people this story is good as Hanuman became Huge . and one would not think much about it , BUT Rama asked Hanuman why did he carry both of them on shoulder  and not just picked  and  carried like mother or father carries a child . Hanuman answered that when a mother carries a child on her side ,she is going to carry as the child is dependent upon mother to travel to different or desired place. When you carry the GOD , the God is not dependent upon you and he is going to hold the HEAD So the one who is carrying the GOD can keep his or her head straight. And the God is not dependent upon Hanuman to carry them to go places .So Hanuman carried Lord Rama and Lakshman on his shoulders.

IT TAKES ONE TO KNOW ONE

    I have known of many stories of great Saints  and religious leaders. I have often wondered what happened when they were alive  and how long did it take for people to recognize them. We have known of many people that were mistreated by general public during their life  and now we know how great they were . Even Budhha was not as popular when he was alive as he became after his death. Mirabai and Tukaram  and Dnyneshwar  and many others were mistreated b the society. So how come they were not recognized by the general public? That brings me to the story from Rmayan. 

     When Lord Rama was in Vanawas - and was at banks of river ganga (Ganges),, he wanted to cross it  and even though he was reincarnation of Lord Vishnu he was in Human forms  and was limited to the human body ability. So there was a boatman and Lord Rama requested him to take him and Sita  and Lakshman . The Boatman would not allow Rama to to get in the boat without cleaned his feet . His point was that he did not want even a single dust particle on Lord Rama's feet as he had heard that when lord Rama's feet touched a stone , it turned in to a lady - AHILYA.So he did not want to take any chance . So Rama agreed  and wanted to wash his own feet .But he would not allow Rama to wash his own feet . The boatman wanted to wash them himself . He said , he could not take any chance . -that was the excuse he gave. Then when Rama wanted to pay him for the boat trip, he stated that that is Professional courtesy- as the boatman help cross the river and Lord Rama helps to cross the Ocean of LIFE. 

    This statement tell that the boatman knew who RAMA was - it takes to recognize one!!  

KARAMA

    The LAW OF KARMA  has been mentioned  and is main stay of Hindu  theology. And there are sometimes questions that one may not be able to answer all the questions that may arise after seeing things that happens to ordinary people. So this is the story related to it. 

   This lady who had a child that was not doing  well as he grew older . He was more than 3 years old  and still the mother had to feed him and had to use diaper  and he was completely dependent upon mother. The mother was frustrated .Near her town there was a SWAMI who was learned  and so  she decided to go to him. She told him the situation and asked him as to what might have I done  that I am suffering ? the Swami was calm and answered that 'you may have been mother in law  and the child must be daughter in law in last life . You must have aske the daughter in law to do things for you like making tea or doing dishes or laundry etc. So you are paying back " The lady was smart and asked Swami, 'That seems logical explanation ,but if my child was my daughter in law in last life  and she as daughter in law did everything for me , then why she is suffering in this life  and needs help for simple things  and has developmental problems ?"

    The Swami answered, 'Yes she did everything for you as daughter in law , but every time she was doing it she was thinking that I wish I would get it back from her whatever I have done for her. So with that kind of ACTION (KARMA) and DESIRE(VASANA) YOU HAVE COME TOGETHER. She is getting back as she desired . You stopped thinking about why  and why me  and just do your duties as mother  and see what happens."

    The actions that are done with attachment or desires will always have effects and they will always sow the seed  and that seed will always sprout . Only way to not have seed is to not have attachment.

DO AS I DO

   We often see in our like many of us are willing to give advice or lecture as to what should be done by someone. We often see that in politics  and many a times in our personal life. I remember one time when someone had sleep apnea and I was talking to him on need for weight loss, his cosine and his wife came in  and joined the discussion. When I talked about the weight loss and diet, they also joined in 'giving' the advice. When I looked at them, I could easily see that both husband and wife were fat or obese  and they should have followed their own advice ,so as to lose weight. That brings me to the story for today .

Dnyaneshwar was one of the saints in India. I have told you some of his stories in past. This one is not for performing miracle but for common sense. He was giving lectures on Geeta One day at the end of lecture a lady approached him with small child - may be 5 years old. She told Dnyaneshwar that the child was eating too much of sweet especially jaggery. She was worried that that may cause problems in future She requested him to tell the child not to eat that much sweet things. Dnyaneshwar told her to bring back the child in 2 weeks . She had come from farther place  and she did show up for the visit. When Dnyaneshwar saw her with child , he asked to sit on his lap and then told him that it is not good to eat sweets all the time . He told him how there would be problems with health if he would continue to eat sweets all the time . The child listened  and then the lady was happy. She was sure thet when the message came from him, the child would follow the advice. 

    After she left , some of the people who were with Dnyaneshwar asked him as to why did not not say the same thing 2 weeks ago, when the lady had asked him to do  so. They also added that the lady came from miles away village  and she had to come again to listen to the simple advice that he could have done 2 weeks ago and saved her the trouble of travelling so far. Dnyaneshwar replied ,"I know that I could have I have told her this 2 weeks ago. But in theses last 2 weeks I have not touched any sweets . I wanted to DO WHAT I WAS GOING TO TELL THE CHILD !" 

    So he wanted to tell the child what HE HAD DONE . So it was not do what I tell but DO AS I DO!

KARMA AND DESIRES

    I have often talked about the Karma  and the effects of the Karma in creating desires, The circle of mind that I have mentioned several times where the Action or the Karma leads to Impression and impression leads to desire  and the Desires lead to Action or Karma . So the only way to break the circle is to not have any Desire when we do Karma. It is not possible for any living being to STOP doing Karma or action. So if we can not stop doing the Karma, then only way to stop their effects is to not have any desire with it . But it is also very difficult to not have desire. If I work hard I expect success or rewards , If I study hard, I expect to get good grades. So it is very difficult to not have desires when we do things So can we stop having desires for most of the time  and not all the time. This was the same questions that was asked by one of the disciples of Buddha when he was talking about the doing Karma  and no desires. 

   So the Buddha  was asked if someone could stop having any desires when they do Karma. most of the time  and be successful. Buddha  answered by asking a question . He had a earthen pot  and he filled that with water . Then he asked the disciple a question . Suppose this pot has several holes what will happen to the water . The disciple answered that the water will leak out  and pot will be empty . So then Buddha asked what if i close one hole what will happen . The disciple answered that  the water will continue to leak . So Buddha asked what if we close alll the holes except one . The answer was the pot will be empty , may be slower but it will empty. Buddha then said that is what is the answer of your questions . Just like not closing all the holes  will not stop the water leak, if we have any Karma done with desires , we will have their effects  and that will have desires to do more action. . So as long as we have even one action done with desire , we will continue to have more lives.

PRACTICLE ASPECT OF BRAHMAN

    We have been told many times that the Brahman is is pervading everything  and the Brahman is same in all the Living things . We should not discriminate one person from other as the Brahman is same in every living thing. If you remember the story of Dnyaneshwar who was told to have a bull talk Vedas.I was reading the Geeta chapter 6 ,shloka 31st. The Lord states that yogi sees God in everyone and Everyone in God. But all these things are OK as long we understand them and try to practice the mediation . Unless one had reached the highest level this can not be practical behavior. A baby  and a child are different than adults  and should be treated differently. So there is a practical aspect to it.That brings me to the story for today. 

    Ramakrishna had several students and not everyone was at the level of Vivekanand . Many of them were devoted  and sincere . So one day he had taught that the Brahman is pervading everything and we all have the same principle. . The next day all the students were going to the town and when they were walking back to the ashram , the hermitage , they saw number of people running all over shouting  and they looked worried  and in fear . One of the student asked them as to what was the problem. One of the men in the crowd told them that there was an elephant who had gone crazy and the Mahut - the one who is suppose to control , could not control the elephant and it was running all over the town destroying things  and could injure anyone who came in his path. As soon as he was finished telling that they saw in a distance the elephant coming on the same road as they were . The student saw that and remembered what the guru had said about the same Brahman pervading all living beings including animals. The Mouth was shouting  and was warning everyone get out of the way as he could not control the elephant. Everyone got off the road  except the one student. He thought of reasoning with the elephant or specifically to appeal to the Brahman in the elephant . So he stayed in the middle of road and the elephant came  and he picked him and threw him . The elephant went away and then the other students helped him and took him to the hospital . He had broken ribs  and some other injuries. When the Guru came to visit and help him he asked him as to why did he not get away from the road and wild elephant like everyone else. The student answered that ,'Sir You only told me that we all have same Brahman, So why di the Brahman in elephant did not listen to me  and attacked me ? " The Guru answered, " So why did you not listen to the Brahman in the Mahut who was telling you to get out of the way?"

PUNYA AND PAAP

    These 2 words are non English. The Punya is what one gets when he or she does good deed  and PAAP is something that one gets when one does bad deed . In every religion the concept is there of the good and the bad deed . Even when one talks to children and Santa , the question is are you a good boy or good girl  and then Santa will give you Gifts if you are good. This is in this mortal life . All the Abrahamic religions, there is a concept of Afterlife and concept of hell and heaven. So if one has done MORE  Punya - good deeds, then one gets to go to heaven. If one has done MORE bad deeds ,then one goes to hell. IN Hindu or Vaidic religion the concepts are different. So this story is related to PUNYA  and PAAP . 

   Ekanath was a great saint  and he was fully devoted to the God . One daya man approached him in his house . Ekanath asked him as to why he came to see him. The man answered that he has some incurable disease  and he was told that Ekanath was great and he has accumulated lots of Punya  and so if he will give his ONE DAY worth of Punya , he will be cured . Ekanath told him that I don't have any Punya as I don't do anything to get Punya , I do it for the love of God. (one gets Punya -good effects of good deeds - it is still a KARMA  and that leads to attachment  and rebirth. So only way one gets credit for good deed is by continuing to have attachment to the deeds that one does) But he also told that if he has any PUNYA , he is willing to give not only one day worth but entire life's worth of credit to the man for helping him. 

    So there re 2 points , one that I made it above. Even if one has good credit, it is credit and that will have reaction and also the attachment and so one will have to be born again  and that means this type of thinking will give rise to continuation of cycle of Birth and Death . Secondly Ekanath was willing to give credit of good deeds done in his entire life . We are not willing tom part with few dollars forget about the Punya or credits for our good deeds that we have so that we can enjoy in Heaven!!

NONATTACHMENT

      We have been often told not to have attachment to the fruits of the Karma. This does not mean we will not have fruit , but that every Karma will have Fruit  and we have no right to accept it or not to accept it. So we will HAVE to accept it - does not matter if we like it or not  or if it is what we wanted or expected or not. So what is the solution to this Law of Karma. How can we stop the accumulation of effects of Karma , which we are told binds us  and we have rebirth. The answer is to have no attachment. But in practice this is very difficult. If I help someone , I expect that he would thank me. I add sugar to tee, it should be sweet. But the action and reactions are little different than sugar and sweetness.This brings me to the story for today. 

  Maharshi Vyas was a great sage  and had achieved the perfection. This is a story which illustrate the nonattachment. One of the days Gopies - the ladies who used to carry milk from one place to other. One day they reached the banks of river Ganga . Due to rains the Ganga was swollen  and had flood. There was no way they could cross the river. So they were waiting. Maharshi Vyas came in . The Gopies saw him and knew that he was a sage  and so requested him to help. If the milk was not delivered it would be spoiled  and they will not get money . He agreed, but told them he was hungry and wanted to eat some of the milk and butter. So the Gopies offered him some and he ate more and more. After eating it he was satisfied but the left over milk and butter was very little. The Gopies were not very happy. But then the Vyas said that ,"If I had not eaten any butter or milk , then the river will part and allow the Gopies to cross it".

     And to the surprise of Gopies the river did part and Gopies could travel with full containers of butter and milk.

     The moral of the story is that when Maharshi Vyas ate all the stuff he did ot eat for HIMSELF but he did it with offering to the GOD . So he was not attached to the Karma  and so there was no fruit to it  and so his statement was true. 

(Average person can not do DEEDS like beating someone or killing  and then claim that I was not attached)

CONCENTRATION

   I have talked about the concentration and the story of Arjuna  and at the same time we also saw how one could do day to day activity  and still not forget about the Goal or ultimate freedom . This was in the story of Kachamuni . This story that I am going to tell is similar one . Many of us who know Indian mythology are aware of many stories of King Yayati . He was was son of king Nahush . He was trained in many skills that are needed for fighting  and he was very good at all of them . One day a wild horse was brought in . The other people in the palace had tried to ride it and the wild hose had thrown them off . So the King asked Yayati to do it . 

   Yayati climbed on the horse  and held the rains  and held the horse in between his strong legs . There was a ground  where he had to make number of rounds riding on this horse to be considered successful. He started  and as he was going around , the hosre did get agitated but Yayati held the horse in between his legs tightly and the horse knew that this rider was not easy to be thrown off .  Yayati completed 2 and half rounds out of 3 rounds that he needed to complete. The king and the queen were sitting  and they were happy and their eyes were showing the pride that their son was the one who was going to complete 3 rounds  and win the control over this wide horse who had thrown every other rider. Yayati caught the glimpse of his parents  and he for a second thought of how happy they looked  and his grip on the horse went loose . The horse knew this in an instant  and threw him off the back. So the hard work that Yayati did for 90% of the time was lost in fraction of a second when he lost his concentration on the job he had in front of him and he did not finish or could not finish . 

    So one has to be 100% concentrating on the GOAL and not lose the sight ever, otherwise you will be thrown off the path to success. 

DRONA AND DRUPADA

     I was talking to someone yesterday and he mentioned that there was new serial showing Mahabharat characters when they see CHITRAGUPTA  and he asks them questions . This is called DHARMAKSHETRA . CHITRAGUPTA is an accountant who keeps accounts of each and everyone as far as all the incidences  and good and bad deeds.So I thought that I will try to explain symbolism of the stories that we may have read and had some questions. THIS IS NOT MY ORIGINAL THOUGHT OR EXPLANATION and I have read it from many evolved souls like Paramhansa  Yoganand. 

   So the DRONA or also called Dronachary , as he was the teacher for both Kuarav and Pandawas. The story that Drona was named Drona as he was born in DRONA  a bowl made out of dried leaves. Certanly this does not make sense. He was very poor and he was employed for teaching all the princes.He had a child hood friend DRUPADA . Drupada  had become King of Panchal .So Drona decided to go to him and ask for help and so he went there. Drona went there and Drupada drove him out after insulting him. So Drona got mad  and asked Arjun to defeat him and bring him to him. So Arjuna did it. Drona let him go but offered him LOWER HALF of kingdom and kept top half of the kingdom. 

  This whole story and the characters in it are interesting but certain things don't make sense .. How can someone be born in Drna. and when he was insulted by his childhood friend he got revenge , but then he gave him half of the kingdom - why ?

  The Drona represents SAUNSKARA or the impressions that are left by every DEED or KARMA that we do. These impressions can can not be destroyed. So the Son of DRANA , named ASHVASTHAMA is immortal. (The son of out karma can never die as we continue to do Karma  and so impressions continue) The word Drona comes from DRU in Sanskrit, which means to melt . So when we do a karma the impression is there  and when it is not coming to fruition it stays in 'melted' state. We all have done good and bad Karma  and and they stimulus us to REDO new bad and good karma . e.g smoking , alcohol , drugs  and helping people or doing surgery or protecting or teaching people. So the EXTRACT of Karma - SAUSKARA, TEACH both good and bad students - PANDAVAS  AND KAURAVAS respectively. So Drona was teaching bot sets of princes. 

   Now Drpada is Dispassion . So when one tries to de not attached to bad and mortal things , the Impressions from past Karma, pop up  and disturb our concentration.. WE try to shun them but they come with HELP and then we succumb to the temptation - DRUPADA IS DEFEATED BY DRONA. .But if we have done  enough practice, we can control some habits especially related to PROCREATION, EXCRETION AND MAY BE HUNGER -- the so called LOWER HALF or SOUTHERN part of the bodily Kingdom . So Drona gave up lower half of the kingdom . 

  So I hope this makes some sense of this story from Mahabharata. 

SHAKTI- STRENGTH

    This story is somewhat different than what I have told so far. In Hindu religion, we have several concepts that are different from other religions.We have reincarnation and we have Avatars and most of all we have both male and female as God and Goddess. Before I I go in the story which many know it,I want to give a back ground. As mentioned in my other blogs, we have a concept of God that CREATED the universe  and we have  a God that maintains the universe, and we have God that destroyed evil and the world.In addition to that we have a husband and a wife team for these functions . So to create the universe or for that matter create anything, we need KNOWLEDGE  and so we have a created God BRAHMADEO and his wife SARASWATI is Goddess of Knowledge. To maintain the world and anything, we need money  and so the God that maintains the universe is Vishnu and his wife Goddess LAKSHMI is the goddess is the goddess of the money . And lastly to fight or destroy evil we need strength and so God Shankar is the God for destruction and his wife Goddess Parwati is the goddess of STRENGTH. When we had reincarnation of the supreme God, as Lord Rama , the Lord Shankar wanted to come down and be with Rama . His wife would  not allow him to go alone . But the problem was that Lord Shankara was  going to be in form of Hanuman or Maruti who was BRAHMACHARI or life long bachelor and was strict follower of celibacy. So how could she come with Lord Shankara . She solved the problem by becoming the tail of the Hanuman who is in form of Monkey. 

      In Ramayana when the Hanuman goes to Lanka to find Lord Rama's kidnapped wife Sita , he finds her imprisoned in Ashokvana. She was surrounded by guards.So when thy were gone Hnuman drooped the ring that Rama had given to him for identification. Sita recognized it and did talk to him The he was hungry and he asked permission to eat some fruits. Sita told him to eat the fruits which were on the ground only and not pluck them from tree . Hanuman shook the tree  and then ate all the fruits that fell off from the tree . As expected the Rakshsas came in and tried to arrest him and then as he wanted to talk to Ravana , he gave up. Ravana .was to order him killed . But then he was just a messenger and so he decided to set his tail on fire.. 

    When they started covering the tail with cloth, the tail started getting longer and longer and the whole town had to chip in ti get enough cloth . Then they poured gasoline on it and it took lot of gasoline and when they tried to set it to fire , it would not light up. So the Ravana himself came at the request of Hanuman . When they set fire ,Hanuman jumped  from one house to other setting entire city on fire . His tail was huge  and was strong. and fire or Agni had promised that it would never burn Hanuman. 

     The strength of the tail is also seen when BHIMA from Mahabharata tried to lift it and put it aside when he was crossing the road where Hanuman was sitting.. 

CONCENTRATION

   We often try to meditate and for most of us meditation means concentration. We have to sit at ONE place  and close eyes  and environment must have no disturbances  and then we concentrate on something,like picture or statue of our favorite God or chant in our mind a mantra. So if we get disturbed, by external disturbance or internal though, then we get upset and we think we have not done good meditation. So the question is,can we do meditation for 20-30 minutes and then do nothing for 23 plus hours and is that enough?Can we meditate entire day and still do our daily activity of living? And the answer is YES. 

      So this is a story of KACHAMUNI. I had told a story of Kach when I talked about I and SELF. So the same Kach went to King Janaka and he was told that the King was great and he will teach him the post graduate course on meditation. So in first place the King told him that You have to give up the idea that You are the physical body. When we say I am happy or sad or I have a disease , or I am hungry or I like or dislike something, we are referring to the physical body and that is not SELF OR I.So then he was admitted (in modern concept) for the further teaching. Kach had thought that the king is married  and has more than one wife, he as as ultimate decision maker for internal and external affairs of the kingdom. He has to make a decision on punishing someone  and rewarding other  and eat great food  and decide to go on war where many will be killed. So how can such a person be teaching me the Meditation or how to achieve the highest level in Samadhi.

    The next day when he went to the assembly where King sits on a throne  and people present complaints  and other problems of the running of the kingdom  and then the King makes the decision.The King Jnaka gave a pot filled with oil and told Kach that he has to carry it on top his head while attending to the business for entire day. He was told that he will be helping the king in making decision but the oil should not spill. The king asked him questions when some cases were presented and the king has to decide as to who is right and who is wrong or who should be punished.. The entire day passed by and Kach had to be mindful in moving around or even moving his neck or head. 

    At the end of the day Kach was free  and the king took down the pot that was filled with oil and Kach was carrying on his head. The king asked Kach, if he was paying attention to the cases or to the pot filled with oil. Kach answered ,'I can not forget the pot with oil for a single moment as otherwise the oil will spill.' The king then told him that your devotion or meditation should be like that. You may be doing anything and everything entire day but even when you are doing things which are essential for day to day activity, you must NEVER FORGET who you are  and what is your goal .This how one should behave in life. 

  So one can do 2 or more things at a given time and still continue to be aware of the GOD or Brahman.

CONCENTRATION OR 'EKAGRA'MIND

      In Patanjali Sutra Yoga in chapter one, we have seen different states of mind . One that is thrown outside and and one which is introvert and one which is concentrating etc. But we have often seen that we do chanting or worshiping of the God.our mind is not single pointed. We in our house pray before we start eating our meals and I have seen that everybody is not closing eyes and concentrating on the prayer.Sometimes someone is pouring water and sometimes someone is getting some other stuff and still chanting the prayer as they don't want others to wait and get delayed starting the eating. This is not the concentration. 

     So that brings me to the story of Arjuna. He was great warrior  and was the best known marksman - may be with exception of Karna in Mahabharata. As you know Pandawas were 5 and their cousins Karavas were 100. Since they were all prince, they had a teacher called DRONA. He was teaching them the archery. So one day he was trying to find out as to how far his students have progressed and so he arranged for a wooden parrot to be placed in a tree. The tree was thick with lots of leaves and flowers . He asked students one by one to come to podium and take an aim the eye of the parrot. But before they were allowed to take an aim and shoot  they had to answer a simple question. They were asked as to what do you see. Some answered they see a tree , some said they see leaves or the branches or the flowers or even the parrot. Drona would not allow them to to shoot the arrow. When Arjuna came to podium, he asked him the same question and Arjuna answered that 'I see the eye.'Drona allowed him to shoot and he hit the eye . So those who were seeing a tree, or leaves or flowers or even the parrots, their concentration was scattered and not SINGLE POINTED  and they were not able to hit the target. So when we have to do something we must have single pointed mind and then only we will be successful. 

    Next one I will tell on how one can do 2 things and still have concentration but that is not for ordinary people. 

TRUE DEVOTION

   I know that all of us or may be most of us believe in God and worship in our own way and also pray . But for many of us the God is God of convenience.. We pray for our success, our family's good fortune  and sometimes even pray him so we get good parking spot .So for us or for most of us this God God for OUR COMFORT. No doubt we believe in him and we also trust him . But it is not 100% devotion. We don't mind waking him up - if he is sleeping or bothering him on week end or in the middle of the noght, as long as we WANT something . So this is a story of again TULASIDAS. I told him aboiut him last time before he became devoted  and was devotional to God. Now is the story after that. 

    So Tulasidas was devotee of God and he worshiped God Rama. He lived in home and was devoting his life for the God . He still has things in his home . Since he became devoted to God, he was not paying much attention to the usual day to day activity and precautions that we take so that noone steels anything from our home . So the couple of robbers noticed this and felt that they can steel from his home . So they decided to do it at night as everyone is asleep. But when they came to steel. they noticed that 2 young men with bow and arrows were guarding the home of Tulsidas. They could not do much . They came back next night and they saw the same guards. So they were frustrated . They went to Tulsidas next morning and asked him as to who are these guards  and how did they happen to guard the home for him . Tulsidas understood  and told them that they were LORD RAMA  and Lakshman. He felt very bad that Lord Rama and his brother Laksham had to come to protect his home  and worldly belonging . So he decided to donate everything that he has . He did not want the God to be bothered by simple things like protecting his devotees.

     Do you think we will ever do that ?

MISGUIDED PASSION

     We are often told that one has to act with passion when we does any thing in life. If we are playing golf or tennis, we need to show or have passion , The same hold true about the passion when we worship God or pray we need to have passion rather than going through the motions of prayer or rituals and do not have much passion or sincerity. So this reminds me of old story of TULSIDAS . He was a saint  and his RAMAYAN called Tulsasi Ramayan is now a days chanted  and read by thousands or even millions .
   Tulasidas was not a saint or devoted to God . He was a regular person and had usual life. He got married and he loved his wife . I am not sure if it was love or lust . But after the marriage few days down the road she went to her parents house. She left  and the husband Tulasidas could not stay home alone . He was constantly thinking of her and as the Sun went down, he was thinking more about the he wanted to see her. But she was not home  and was with her parents. The bad part was that parents lived in another town across the river.To add to this problem, there was heavy rains  and the river was flooded  and it was very risky to cross it. But Tulasidas was determined to see his wife. So he went to the banks of then river. There was a boatman  and Tulsidas offered him money to to take him across the river in his boat.The boatman refused saying that even going in boat is risky. But Tulsidas was not distracted by the risk . He decided to swim and so he jumped in the river. The currents of water were very bad  and he had difficulty and he was having very hard time swimming.He saw a log of wood floating towards him and he grabbed it  and then he was swept away down stream. He finally reached the the other side of the river  and it was very dark as it was midnight. He pulled the log out of water  and then went to his in laws home . He knew that his wife had a room on second floor  and so he started calling his wife . He did not want to wake up in laws. She opened the windows  and then he decided to climb up to the window He saw a rope hanging and he jumped and grabbed it from a side by tree. He climbed to the windows  and to his surprise the wife was not happy at all .He proudly told her as to the difficulties he had coming to her.She looked at him and told him that the enthusiasm  and energy that he has given coming to her , would have been better served if he had same devotion for GOD.She was coming home next week anyway. Tulsidas realizes what he had done risking his life  and when he traced back he realized that the rope that he grabbed was in reality was a snake  and the log that he floated was a dead body that was floating in the river.
     He realized that his actions were dangerous  and risky  and unwise  and they were misguided. As they say rest is history. He became one of the most devoted saint of his time. 

ORIGINAL NATURE

   We have seen that many of us try to change the nature of things . Someone had said it jokingly  that females marry men thinking that they will change after marriage and They DON'T  and men marry females thinking that they won't change  and THEY DO !Joking aside we don't change most of the time. when we talk to someone who does not have the same political views as ours, we try to convince them to change their views and I have yet to come across a single person that has changed his or her opinion. So that brings me to the story for today. OUR NATURE THAT WE ARE BORN WITH DOES NOT CHANGE OFTEN .(THOUGH THERE ARE MANY EXCEPTIONS TO THE RULE  and that may be my next story)
    There was this sage who lived with his wife  and he used to wake uo in the morning  and then fo the river and bath and then offer to SURYA the SUN. He would take water with his KAMANDALU a pot that sage carry.When he filled the pot with waters from river, he saw a small mice . He decided to save it and take it home . He did not have children and so he decided to convert it in to a girl  and he took it home . The wife was told by him that he had found the mice and he changed it in to a girl. The wife was very happy and they both decided to keep her  and take care of her . She started growing  and when she was 18- 20 years old they decided that she needs to marry . The sage had taught her and educated her  and she was good looking young girl, who was smart  and educated now. The sage wanted the best for his daughter  and he had powers to get any one to accept her as wife . He worshiped the SUN and so he called his daughter and asked her to see SUN .It was noon and the daughter saw the Sun and said . 'oh no I don't want to marry Sun , He is too hot . How can I live with him?'The sage was not happy  and asked her as to who would be stronger than the Sun.He though that the cloud is stronger than cloud as it can cover the Sun and reduced the heat  and so asked her ,"How about marrying the clouds"She took one look at the clouds  and stated ,' Oh no the clouds are ugly looking and has very poor shape  and I don't want to marry clouds'
So the sage asked to himself who would be better than clouds . and the answer came to him He thought that the clouds are strong but the wind can move them and they have no choice when the strong wind blows them away. So he invited the wind  and asked the daughter to consider the wind as her life partner. The daughter took one look  and said NO .the wind is too unsteady , moves all the time  and will not settle and I don't want to marry the wind. The sage was disappointed  and then again thought who is better or stronger than wind . The answer came to him - the mountain . The wind is strong but the mountain can stop the wind  and wind can not move the mountain . So he called the daughter  and took her to a tall mountain  and showed her the strength . She took one look  and said oh no . The mountain is strong that is true , but it is too rough  and i can not marry the mountain . As she said she saw a mouse who was digging a hole in the ground . As soon as she saw this she said, 'See how this mouse is stronger  and even stronger than the mountain. ' I want to MARRY A MOUSE ! The sage realized his mistake . HE change the girl back to the mice  and left her there !

SAME SOUL

   We often say that the soul does not die. And the physical body dies  and then when the body dies, the soul continues it's journey to Astral world  and then is reborn. We also believe that the soul is same even when it is in animals. In fact we progress from animal to human beings. But in spite of knowing this or believing in this, we don't treat other human beings with respects  and animals - forget about them.So our behavior is not good . This is the not so when  it comes to saints  and evolved souls who act as they preach.
     Ekanath was one of the saints who was devoted to God  and it showed in his behavior. Many Hindus believe in purity of RIVER GANGES or Ganga. One who bathes in it his sins are washed out. One also keeps water from the Ganga in house . There is a custom that when someone is about to die, putting water from Ganga leads him to Nirvana. So Ekanath traveled to the Ganga  and bathed in it and then got some water from it and was going home .While he was walking away from the river he came across many other devotees who had done the same thing and were also carrying the water from the Ganga. It was noon and it was summer  and so the temperature was high . As he was walking he saw a donkey lying down  and it was thirsty  and was suffering with thirst. The other devotees were passing buy.they did not pay any attention to the dying donkey. They had water but they had carried the water but they wanted to take it home  and not give it to donkey. Ekanath stopped  and without thinking for a second, he sat down on the road  in dirt and opened the donkey's mouth and poured the water from the Ganga . For him saving a life of donkey was more important than having water in in his home.He believed that the soul in donkey was the same soul that human beings have.
    Many of us believe in Law of Karma ,but we don't realize that when we do not ACT ,it is still an ACT or Karma . When people did not do the Right thing or anything, they did Create BAD Karma . So Lack of Karma or action is actually a bad action in this case.

PERFECT MEDICINE

  This is very old story  and it makes a point and should be taken with the right spirit  and not try to do fact check . There was a King  and he was the ruler and had everything that a mortal man wishes he could have .He had money and a big palace  and servants  and a beautiful wife  and he could do  anything and anything or not do it if he wishes. But he was not happy and felt sick.So the best doctors were called . Every one had some advice  and gave him some medications and he did not get better and so the another one was called  and he tried something else  and he did not feel any better. So doctors were called from other areas and they all failed.
   The king was not getting better and he was convinced that he was sick and no one was able to find out any solution.It happened that a Yogi or a saint came to the town and was visiting and he was considered wise  and had powers to heal anyone of any element. So he was invited by the king to palace . He came in and he examined the king and asked him many questions  and then said he knows the diagnosis  and the solution or the treatment. Everyone was all ears . So he told them that the king needed to wear a shirt worn by a HAPPY PERSON. No other medicines needed . If the king would wear a short for short time that was worn by happy man , he will be cured .
     So immediately  the king sent all the soldiers in search of such a happy man The soldiers went all over the town . Every house that they went, someone was unhappy as they had lost job or someone had dies , or someone was hungry or failed in examination . So the whole day search did not result in finding a happy man . The night started  and the soldiers did not know what to do . They continued to go house by house.In early morning - they had gone all over the town and they had come out of town at the banks of a river. It was dawn and the sun was rising and the birds were singing  and the breeze was nice . They saw a man sitting on a stone enjoying the entire surroundings . They approached him and asked him if he was happy man . He answered that he was till they came in and blocked the sun rays that he was enjoying. The soldiers moved and asked if he was happy now  and the man said 'yes , I am happy , there is nothing to be unhappy , The surroundings are beautiful and birds are singing and the Sun is rising  and he is very happy . The soldiers told him that he has to come with them to the king and that was the order.
   So they all went to the palace  and the king asked him if he was happy. The man answered Yes . So the king asked him if he could give a shirt worn by the man , The man answered ' " I would but I don't have a shirt !"
     The King got the answer to his problem.!

GUNAS AND IT'S COMBINATION

       Due to COVID,I was not going to gym or to eat out or go for movies. So I had more time at my hand  and I did a course on religion from Harvard University .It was on Hinduism  and I was disappointed . One of the misconception that we have ts that the so called learned Professors KNOW . In one of the links to the course was to an article written by one of the Harvard professor on caste system he argued that even in RIG VEDA there is mention of the same - Brahmin is produced from mouth and Shatriya is from hands  and Viashya is produced from thigh and Shudra from feet .So even the Veda which is suppose to be main scripture, had demoted Shudra. This is simply due to lack of understanding on part of this LEARNED (?) Professor.In one of the older mantra called RAMARAKSHA , which is related to Lord Rama and how we should worship or pray the Lord Rama has several shlokas describing the various body parts as related to different personalities in Ramayan. BIBHISHAN who is described as one with feet.Certainly he was not Shudra by any stretch of imagination.So what does it mean?So I though of talking about the Ravana and his siblings  and the GUNAS.
     There was a Rhushi who was trapped by a lady who was RAKSHAS.and when they had children they were Ravan, Kumbhkarn, Bibhishan and Shurpanakha . First 3 are males  and last one is female. We know that Ravana was the devotee of Lord Shankar and he was the same one who kidnapped Sita and also was indulging in all sorts of sense pleasures. Kumbhakarn was full of indulging in pleasures  and slept 24/7 .The Bibhishan was a devotee of God  and Lord Rama and SHURPANAKHA was wicked female. When she saw Rama she wanted to marry him and when Rama told her that he was married , she wanted to marry his brother Lakshamana . So all that she wanted was to have somehow sense pleasure. So now let me try to explain this on basis of 3 GUNAS or 3 qualities. The father VISHAWA was full of Satwic guna but he did marry Rakshasa woman, who is full of TAMASIC Guna.So the combination created 4 children who have combination of 3 qualities. As you know that Satwic is calm and steady  and Rajasic is activating  and Tamasic is inactivity - laziness. So the Satwic Guna was almost 100% in BIBHISHANA and so he was devoted to Gid and he did pray and did penance and hew blessed with Immortality.The Ravana is more of Rajasic  and some Satwic  and some Tamasic Gunas and so he was worshiping though at times for self pleasures  and he is the same one who kidnapped Sita with lust,Kumbhakarna was 100% Tamasic  and he had done some worshiping too But the Satwic  and the Rajasic Gunas were there in very small %. Predominant is Tamasic.Shtpanakha was combination of Tamasic  and Rajasic Gunas so she was attracted to Rama and then Lakshmana  and then when it did not work out, she wanted to take revenge.
    All of us have all 3 qualities  and the proportion of them at a given time our action is determined. But for practical purpose we have one or another one dominant most of the time . But when another one takes over for a short time we behave differently. So we do see Good people do bad things at times  and Bad people do good things at times . These qualities determine if one is Shudra or Bhamhin. Certainly society did make a mistake  and created casts based on Birth rather than 3 Gunas. 
    May be one of these days we can talk of meaning of various parts of body representing different personalities in Ramayana. 

MIRACLE

    The common questions that we get or we think about is , can we change destiny?The answer is yes and no . It depends upon what  one considers as destiny. If I have an examination tomorrow  and I have not studied for the examination till today , may destiny is FIXED  and can not be changed by study for one day. But if I have enough time  and effort  and desire then U=I have some chance of changing the destiny. The question can be answered in little different way also , but the next question is cam GOD change it . The answer is again Yes and NO . If your faith and surrendering God is unconditional then my be it can be changed . That brings me to the story for today.
    Tukaram was a saint many years ago . He was more devoted to the God than even his own family  and that did bring him in trouble. He used to sing the praise of the lord called Bhajan  and people were mesmerized  and used to crowd in the temple for the prayers. The Bhajanas used to put people in trans and one with the God . This path of reaching the God is is called BHAKTI YOGA  and many devotees have followed it, but many a times we have conditional devotion . You do this  and I will do that . People have God of convenience  and they ask for things that are outrageous. We pray God to get us parking spot and also the lottery ticket numbers. So the news spread that Tukaram was great Devotee and his Bhjanas are so intense that one forgets everything and gets one with God. The king Shvaji came to know about this  and decided to pay visit . So he came . He was attending the Bhajanas. The news that he came to visit Yukaram spread to King Aurangjeb a Muslim king -Shvaji's staunch enemy . He sent several soldiers to catch Shivaji.
     The soldiers surrounded the temple  and there was no way Shivaji could escape. Shivaji was inside  and he had few soldiers accompanying him. The news that Muslim soldiers are surrounding the temple spread to the devotees Tukaram also came to know about this . He started praying the God . He did not want the KIng to be caught while attending the devotional service . He prayed the Lord . Not for himself . but for the safety of the King. Shivaji had to find a way to escape . He decided to leave the temple . The Muslim soldiers were waiting outside . But every man who was getting out of the temple looked like SHIVAJI . They got confused as to whom to catch as there were several Shivaji look alike  and so in that chaos real Shivaji escaped. So the prayers worked .
    Was this the destiny changed by the unconditional devotion ?You can decide. 

FRIEND IN NEED IS -----

   This story is old one  and may be PANCHTANTRA , I thought of it while thinking about certain modern day friendship. Some times the friendships are based on no motives  and sometimes they are based on mutual benefits and then there are others where other than selfish motive there is no reason for friendship. So this story is of that type of friendship, where selfish motive dominates .
   On the bans of a river there was a tree of Indian fruit called Jmbhul. This fruit is very sweet and has backlash purple color. There was a monkey who was playing on that tree. He often wondered as to what is on the other side of the water . There was a crocodile  living in the river  and it used to come towards the bans of the river where there was this tree  and the monkey lived there. Some how they became friends. The monkey would give the crocodile the Jambhul and she loved it.The this feeding continued every time the crocodile came towards the tree  and the monkey was there . They started talking and so they became friends.
    Few days passed  and this exchange continued . As they were talking every day, the monkey told her that he wanted to know as to what is on the other side . He did not know swimming and he knew that crocodile could swim and could go to the other side. So one day he asked her that he wants to know as to what is on other side . The crocodile told him that other side is similar as this side , but the monkey was not satisfied with the answer. He wanted to go on the other side  and see it for himself . The crocodile being friends with the monkey, offered him to take on the other side . The monkey was happy. So she told him that he can sit on the back of the crocodile  and she will take him on the other side and then she can bring him back . So the day was fixed . The monkey took lots of Jambhul with him  and then the crocodile took him across the river . The monkey was happy  and saw the other side  and then played on some of the trees  and collected more fruits  and started the journey back home. As they were in the middle of the waters the crocodile told the monkey that she was wondering about the heart of the monkey . She told him that she thought that his heart must be very sweet tasting as he is eating every day sweet Jambhul. The monkey knew what she was saying and what her intention were . He knew that she would kill him and wanted to eat the heart . It was quite obvious from her talks . So he told her that he was sure that the heart is sweet.but since he is monkey  and jumps all the time ,he was worried about the heart as it might fall somewhere and so he usually keeps it the tree where it is safe. The crocodile was convinced . So she agreed to take him back and made him promise that when they get back, he will give her the heart.
   As they reached the banks of the river the monkey jumped off  and climbed up the tree. The crocodile waited in the waters  and asked the monkey to throw the heart . The monkey laughed  and told her that the heart is always in the chest  and he can't give it to her as he would die . The friendship ended .
     The moral of the story is clear , we often have friends that are friends as long as we have money and they get to enjoy . But as soon as there is selfish motive they would not hesitate to stab you in back. 

GREED

   In life we make choices  and they are most of the time guided by our desires  and our upbringing and also our greed . What happens when one finds a wallet full of money while walking  on street? Do we return to the rightful owner or if none is known give it to police or pocket the money?.As I believe we all are responsible for our own actions  and Every ACTION has REACTION. The so called Law of Karma. So at every stage of our life we make decision or have choice  and we hope we will make right choice . So this is one of the old stories.
    This is a story that I had read many years ago , may be 40 years ago or so. There was a town in China  and there were 2 friends  and they were fast friends. As thew grew up, they were separated  and one of them , we will call him Min. The other one , we will call him Yin stayed in the same town. He had a small restaurant and it was doing OK . But then in the same town another richer man started a fancy restaurant with music  and some dancing . With some additional entertainment, many town people started going there and the new one  and the Yin had difficult time making ends meet. He could hardly support his own family. He did not have money to invest to do same thing that the rich man did . So he had only limited people coming to his place. One evening he was sitting in his restaurant  and his old friend Min walked in . Yin was was very happy to see old friend and offered him the food  and tea. They had long chat  and Min came to know that his old buddy was not doing good.As he was about to leave, he told Yin that he is going to give him a gift. He pained a picture of Peacock on the restaurant wall.He told his friend to clap 3 times Yin clapped and the peacock came out live  and started dancing and after doing a spectacular dance went back and became a picture again. Min told him that there is only one condition . He should not ask for any money to do the dance  and he should not ask peacock to dance more than one time in a day.He left.
     When the news of this peacock spread around, more people started coming to the restaurant  and his business grew . He started making more money. Yin always followed the rule that was told by his friend . One day a rich man was visiting the town. He came to know about this miracle peacock dance  and he came to the restaurant.. He wanted to see the dance . There was a crowd. but he wanted to witness this dance alone with his family and did not want any one there crowding the place . Yin refused to do so . But then he offered money  and Yin still refused . He offered more  and Yin decided to do it . He told the crowd that it was going to be a private show  and they can come next day to watch it . He drove every one out. Then he clapped 3 times  and the peacock came out of the picture  and did the dance , but he did not look very happy . The rich man wanted to watch it again  and he offered more money and Yin again fell for it  and clapped again  and the peacock came out  and looked tired  and sad  and dis some dancing . Then he tried it again to clap and the peacock would not come at all.
    The next day Min showed up . One look at the peacock picture  and he realized as to what had happened. He asked Yin and Yin did tell him the truth. Min told him that now that Yin broke the rule, the peacock can not stay any longer . He clapped 3 times and the peacock came out  and Min left and the peacock followed him . Now the restaurant was without any magic  and Yin started loosing the patrons.. The greed caused the downfall .  

REAL VALUE

     One of theses days,when I came home from work, my son asked me if we could go get some driving practice. He had gotten the learner's permit  and wanted to practice the driving skill. So we decided to go for a drive. I was in my Home Attire. When we went around we were passing by the Gym that we go. So he asked me if we could go to gym. I did not have much work and so we thought that would be good . So we went inside . I started exercise with treadmill. I saw some one waving hand at me  and I did respond.In next 5 minutes, he came to me and I recognize him .He was son of one of my patients. After exchanging  usual meaningless hellos, he says to me .''Doc You can do better than this."pointing at may clothes.I had to explain that I was not planning to come to gym and we thought we were going around only in our neighborhood. He did recognize me as physician and felt that I should be better dressed. This brings me today's story.
    In a small town in India there was  were 2 friends . They were friends and grew together. Both had some business  and with bad luck, one of them became very poor  and bankrupt. He did not have enough money for eating . The other guy was doing OK. So one day there was celebration in this rich guy.s house  and many in the town were invited. This friend who had lost everything was not invited. The poor friend thought that it must be a mistake  and there is no way he could not invite me or welcome me. He also did not have good meals in days.So he thought to himself, why not go for the function and I am sure the friend will welcome me with open arms . So he went there . His clothes were nor expensive  and he looked like poor . may be a beggar. When he went in the dinning hall, and approach the host, which was his long time friend , the host pretended to not recognize him. When he tried to jig his memory, he called his guards  and threw him out insulting him with bad words.
     As it happened this poor friend started some small business  and then over period of time became rich.The time had passed  and theses 2 friends had no contact with each other.. The first friend came to know about rich merchant in the town and decided to invite him for the dinner . So he went . There was a feast  and many sweets  and other delicacies were cooked  and these 2 friends sat at the table to eat . As the food was served  and people started eating the guest friend started taking each item of food  and was putting on his clothes . He put some on shirt  and some on coat and some on his pants. Everyone was surprised. The host asked as what he was doing. The guest answered , 'this great food is prepared for the expensive clothes  and not for someone who is wearing it , Because if it was for me when I came to you 5 years ago,  and needed food you would not have thrown me out . The only difference between myself from 5 years ago  and now is,now I am wearing expensive clothes'
   So in life we do value EXTERNAL APPEARANCE more than Internal - how a person is. education, moral and character etc , We tend to have more importance how some one is dressed or rich than how good someone is.

CHANTING AND COUNTING

   I have done this  and many of us have done it. We offer the GOD conditional love . I will do such and such FOR YOU ,IF YOU DO THIS FOR ME.Our love is conditional to getting something more from GOD.But we also FEEL that doing something MORE is BETTER. It is  almost  like offering 21 roses is better than 11 roses on Mother's day or Valentine Day . So we tend to COUNT when we chant The rosary beads  that we use has same thought behind it . I WILL DO 108 or 1008 MALAS of rosary beads.That brings me to the today.s story.
    Namdeo was a devotee  and he had done devotional chanting. He used to wake up early in the morning and then after bathing in the river , he would sit at the banks of the river and do chanting counting with rosary beads. In India in those days ladies use to go to river,to fetch water . So one day MUKTABAI, sister of DNYANESHWAR was going along with some other ladies  and she saw Namadeo sitting there chanting and counting. She smiled . Namadev saw that and thought that she was laughing at him . So he went to her house  and asked her as to why did she smile .She said 'no specific reason , I just smiled .'Namadev was not satisfied with that answer, and so he insisted on getting the truth. So Muktabai told him to observe the ladies who go to fetch a water and told him that he will get the answer,
    The next day Namadeo was again sitting  and this time he was watching the ladies carefully.The young ladies were walking and talking while they were getting water. One of the young ladies was newly married , so the other ladies were asking her and teasing her . So one of the ladies asked her, 'Do you get thought of your Husband -Do you think about him?'. The lady answered 'off course , I think about him!', So  another lady asked 'How many times in a day you think of your husband?'
The answer was ' WHAT A SILLY QUESTION. WHEN ONE LOVES SOMEONE ,ONE DOES NOT KEEP A COUNT OF HOW MANY TIMES ONE THINKS OF THE PERSON!'
     Namadeo got the answer. When you LOVE GOD , you Think of Him all the time  and there is no need for COUNTING . He threw the rosary beads .

ANIMATE AND INANIMATE

        Last time we talked about the Dnyaneshwar  and his story on him talking to a bull and the Bull talking back to him. This proved that every living thing has a soul . So this one is about  the inanimate things. With the meditation - one can get powers that are called SIDHHI. . These things may sound not possible but there are people who have experienced them . But that is not an easy things to achieve. These re described in PATANJALI SUTRA . So this story will be about that.
     Dnyaneshwar was back at his home  and he  and his siblings were young . One day they were sitting on  fence made out of bricks. In that town there was powerful man, who came to know about the story of Dnyaneshwar making a bull talk the scriptures . So he decided to visit the man himself . He was educated  and also powerful and had  certain powers not seen in average man . He decided to impress Dnyaneshwar by riding on a tiger . So he came to se these children. He was sitting on the tiger.He thought that by riding on tiger he will impress this overnight hero. Dnyaneshwar was sitting on the brick fence. So as he saw the Changdev - that was the name of the person who was approaching the children. Dnyaneshwar while sitting on the fence MADE THE FENCE WALK towards the tiger . Chngdev wanted to show off that he has control over the wild animal like tiger  and Dnyneshwar decided to show that He can control even INANIMATE object like fence .
    There was many stories of Dnyaneshwar who was enlightened  and he had powers to any tricks or show off powers that he had , but he never showed them to impress anyone . This nis the only time that I know that he did . 

UNIVERSAL SOUL

   In Vedic religion, we believe that we all have same reflection of God  and that is soul. This is very simplified way of explanation  and I know many will not agree. But that is not the object of the story. We think that the God pervades anything and everything. So there is so called God or presence of God in everything in this universe. But more so at animal level. The reincarnation does transients YONI or does go from being in an animal to Human being. This is not so in Abrhamic religions . So this brings me to the story for today.
    In Maharashtra -state in India ,there were several sages that have been well known to the local people , but not to out side of the state. There was great sage or saint named DNYNESHWAR . At very early age he did commentary on Bhagavat Geeta called DNYANESHWARI. It is read by thousands of people . His father had decided to be sanyasi and then he came and then had children . The society would not accept them as legitimate kids. So they had very hard life  and then the parents committed suicide when they were told that only punishment is to commit suicide. Things did not change for the kids  and so they decided to go to Kashi where there was so called Vatican of Hindu religion.There was a big convention of big shots in Hindu religions . So Dnyaneshwar ended uo going to the stage where different big shots were discussing various questions related to the Hindu religion. He told the In-charge of the meeting that all the living things - animals  and human beings have same soul or presence of God , then why they would not accept the children born to parents where father had done Sanyas and then coming back to married state. 
    The big shots on stage laughed  and the moderator of the meeting asked him . 'So according to you the bull walking around has the same soul as human being ?' Dnyashwar answered 'Yes'. So then the moderator asked someone to bring the bull on stage  and asked Dnyaneshwar to have bull chants SCRIPTURES -VEDAS. Everyone in the meeting laughed . Dnyaneshwar looked straight in the eyes of the bull and chanted the Veda and the bull repeated it .No one could believe. Dnyaneshwar was instant celebrity.
     The moral of the story is what I stated in the start of the story. We all have same soul  and the soul goes from one body to another in different lives. But we all know this or believe in it , but do behave accordingly.We don't treat all Human being with respect  and forget about animals. 

ACTION AND INTENTION

     I have talked about the Action and Karma . Every action has reaction or effect or impression.. But then the question comes in as if intention matters even if the action is same ?That brings me to the story for today. I read this story or was told about it many years ago .
     There was a small town in India. There was a woman who lived by herself. She was poor and made some money by stitching clothes for other people. One day at noon she was done with some of her work and decided to take a break and have lunch. She had cooked some food  and so she warmed it . Then there was knock on the door . There was poor beggar at the door .It was summer and the temperature was high and the beggar asked her if she could give him some water  as he was thirsty. She gave him the water and told him that she was to start eating and he wanted to have some lunch . He was hungry and so they shared the food that she had cooked it. At the end of the lunch the beggar blessed her  and said 'You will do same thing over and over again tomorrow. '. She did not understand what it meant . She restarted her work again .
     The next day she woke up  and thought of what to do as work and she had a silk piece of cloth given to her for stitching some clothes. She took it from her small cabinet and started measuring it. As she started measuring it , the cloth continued to grow . She continued to measure  and it would not end . At the end of the day she had thousands of yards of silk cloth.. The story spread in the town as to how a beggar blessed her and she became rich . As it happened there was a rich lady who lived in the same town. As it happened, the beggar had gone to her first and she had thrown him out at high noon and told him that he is young and healthy and he should work rather than begging for food. She did not offer even water. She came to know as to how the poor lady was blessed by the same beggar. She decided to find that beggar out. She found him out and then invited him for lunch . She told him that she was too busy and she apologized to him . She had her servants cook great meal, with lots things  and then offered him food in silver plate.The beggar accepted her invitation and after finishing it blessed her with the same line - You will do same thing entire day , that you start with. The lady was very happy . She could  not sleep as she could not decide if she should start counting 4100 bills or count the pearls hat she had or gold coin etc . She woke up and then got out of bed  and opened the window thinking as to what she was going to do that will make her RICH. She opened the window  and a bumble bee came in . She had to wave her hands to get rid of the bee. As soon as she did this another one came in and then she had to avoid that one biting her ,The third one came in . So whole day she was trying to get rid of the bees. She had number of bites
     The moral of the story is very obvious . But I wanted to state that the ACTION may be same but the INTENTION behind the action does matter . One could pray God for having HIS love  and blessing . and then one could do the same prayer  for getting more money or getting better car or winning lootery , or one could do the prayer  and wish harm for someone else. The first is Satvik GUNA , the second is Rjasic  and last one is Tamasic . The effect will be as per intention and the same action will have different fruits . 

TRUE CHARITY

    This is a story from Mhabharata .Epic of Mahabharata is the story of 2 sets of cousins. This is the largest poetry in the world. There are multiple characters in the story . The Pandawas are 5  and kaurawas are 100 in number. So this is the story when the Pandawas did ASHWAMEDH YADNYA. In this Yadnys a horse goes through various kingdoms  and if any king stops it,that is considered as a challenge for the war .So this horse went through various kingdoms  and finally came back to Hastinapoor , the home for Pandawas . So they were considered conqueror  and victorious . So at the end they did the YADNYA . After the religious ceremony the KING in this case the Dharmaraj donated lots of gifts to many people .He was sitting with his brothers  and Lord Krishna .
   The Pandawas started thinking that they are the greatest in Bharat.But on top of that they GREATEST IN DOING THE CHARITY. . The Krishna was sitting there  and could read the mind  and so he knew that Pandawas were thinking too much of themselves. So he decided to teach them a lesion .
   As the thought was crossing the minds of Pandawas,a otter appeared . The interesting part about the otter was that it had half of it's side Golden and half was black , It came in and directly went to the ashes of the Yadnya . It did not go to the food around . It went in and rolled over in the ashes . and then turned back and looked at the body  and spoke that 'there is no one as charitable as BRAHMAN as KAPOTI.' The Pandawas were shocked  and surprised . Here they had conquered the entire Bharata  and done the biggest Yadnya  and done so much donations and charity and this otter is stating that this Kapoti , that no one has heard about, is the greatest.So  Dharmaraj asked the otter as to who is this Kapoti  and what did he do to be considered greatest."
   The otter answered  and told the story . Many years ago there was a drought and food supple was not great . There lived a Brahmin named Kapoti . He had a wife  and a son and daughter in law. They had not had  any food for 3 days and then he got some corn . So he got it home  and the wife cooked it  and then they divided in to 4 parts  and they sat to start the dinner. At that time there was a knock on the door  and there was guest standing in the door . So he was invited in the house . He stated that he was hungry . So the Brahmin gave him his portion of the food . He was still hungry . So the wife offered her part , He was still still hungry and so the son and then the daughter in law gave him their portions of the food . The guest was happy and he blessed them and left . At that time the otter came in  and there were some grain crumbs on the floor .It rolled in it  and when he looked at his body , the side that had touched the crumbs had become golden in color . All 4 dies due to starvation ,.The otter continued , 'Since then I am going from one place to other , one Yadnya to other in search of something that would make my other side golden too . I had heard about your charity and came with great hope . But I have to leave with great disappointment 'saying so the otter left .

    So the moral of the story is there is a difference in the the charities . When I  donate after I have enjoyed full meals  and having enough in bank for me and my family is different than one which is done by someone when he has barely enough for him and his family or none  . In case of Kapoti the sacrifice was not of meals only but his  and his entire family's life  and that is far superior to the charity done by th Pandawa king .

DEATH AND INEVITABILITY

    I have been talking about some of these stories , some may be real and some may be mythological . In any case they have some moral to be thought about after listening to there stories . This one is similar but little different.
   We all know about BUDHHA, But few may know that he was prince  and his father was told at the time of his birth that he may become great monk or great King. As it happened the king protected him from usual calamities in life till he was married ( I do not mean marriage is calamity)  and then he had a child . He was never left alone  and never was in uncontrolled environment. He went out  and he saw old person , and person with leprosy and then a dead body being carried to cemetery.He had never seen them and when he came to know that we as human beings , have disease  and old age  and then death , he left house . He went in search of the TRUTH.
    So when  he had the enlightenment, he became well known and spiritual leader  and then people expected miracles. But miracles don't happen every day, otherwise they will not be called miracles.
So one day a lady came to him . Her son had just died  and she did not want to accept it  and she wanted Budhha to make him alive . Budhha knew he could not do it . Everyone that is born has to die. We can not reverse the process. AND WE SHOULD NOT be able to do it. But it was not right time to explain her this simple fact and Budhha knew it . So he told her to get a glass of milk from a HOME WHERE THERE WAS NO DEATH EVER. The lady did not realize what he was asking and so went to the town. She went from house to house  to house  asking if there was a death. The whole day passed by and towards the evening she realized . THERE IS NO HOME WHERE THERE IS NO DEATH . Everyone who is born will die !
              She came back to Budhha  and became his disciple.   

( I just wanted to put my 2 cents worth of thought as to how some monk or sages can make dead person alive. In my belief , we have reincarnation and we come back with certain seeds of our Karma that are going to come to fruition. We continue to do new Karma  and that creates new effects or seeds.Some of these will have fruits in this life  and some in next life - stored to have effects in future lives. So when some one dies at the end of effects of the Karma. But some sages can BORROW the next life effects of Karma, to be brought to come to fruition in THIS LIFE  and that will bring the dead alive as now there are some Karmas that have not yet come to life . Again this is my theory .
Those of you who are interested I have a You Tube channel called JUST A TALK . I have mixed subjects discussed in that including medicine  and  theology . PLEASE CHECK IT OUT . ) 

EGO AND SELF CONFIDENCE

    I have told you a story of Lord Hanuman or Maruti and BHIMA, in which the characters from Ramayana and Mahabharata meeting each other. The similar thing also happened with meeting of Arjuna  and Hanuman. Again the Arjuna was from Mahabharata and Maruti is from Ramayana..
   Once Arjuna was in Rameshwar , southern city in India, he saw the Shiva ling that was created / worshiped by Lord Rama.Then he went to the ocean  and saw the bridge that was built by Lord Rama.The bridge was build by Vanar-monkeys  and small squirrel and it was made out of stones . So the Rjuna was looking at it and had a thought that why did Rama did not make the bridge out of arrows. So at that time a old small monkey appeared next to him and asked him as to what was he thinking . The Arjuna told him  his thought and stated that if it was him he would have constructed the bridge out of arrows. The statement HAD tinge of ego and overconfidence. The monkey told him that Lord Rama had an army of huge , strong monkeys  and the bridge made out of arrows would brake if the army would try to cross it. So the monkey challenged Arjuna . Arjuna would build the bridge  and the monkey will walk over it and see if it can hold the weight. Arjuna started construction of the bridge  and the monkey was sitting chanting Lord Rama's name. Arjuna finished the bridge and the little old monkey stepped on it and it collapsed. Arjuna was surprised . He asked for a second chance  and if the bridge collapsed , he would kill himself . The monkey agreed  and the same thing happened . Arjuna constructed the bridge  and then monkey stepped  and it collapsed. So Arjuna decided to commit suicide .At that time a old man approached them and asked them as to what was going on. So he was told the story. He then asked if there is any witness to the whole thing  and they both stated that there was no witness to to the whole incident. He told them that without witness such a challenge is invalid.
    So then they decided to redo the whole thing over again. This time the monkey was watching  and not chanting . He was relaxed  and confident as the bridge was broken by him twice  and third time would not be exception. The bridge was constructed  and Arjuna was thinking about Krishna. The bridge was done  and the monkey walked on it and nothing happened .The little monkey became huge - the original size of Maruti .He jumped on it and nothing happened. Nothing happened . He was surprised. THIS TIME HE WAS OVERCONFIDENT and had his ego. Then when he looked the old man he saw  Lord Rama and when Arjuna looked the old man he saw Krishna. They both realizes as to what had happened . Arjuna alos knew that the old little monkey was in fact Lord Hanuman.
   Then the Lord Vishnu - which reincarnated as Lord Rmaa in Ramayana  and as Lord Krishna in Mahabharata , spoke to them . When ego and overconfidence took over  and I AM THE DOER   and not that the God is the doer was the attitude they lost . The Maruti agreed to be on the Flag of Arjuna chariot  and promised to protect Arjuna . 

SHAKTI OR STRENGTH

     This is a story from Indian scripture  and the epics of RAMAYANA  and MAHABHARATA. Those of you who have known these Indian epic stories may know the story as such but not exactly what I am going to tell you. The Ramayana happened before Mahabharata,The Mahabharata is largest poem in the world. The question that some of us may have is that do the characters from one Epic ever meet have interaction with each other ? So there are couple of stories in which there was interaction.
     Bhima from Mahabharata , was very strong  and he used to eat a lot and was considered strongest at that time . He was son of VAYU or wind. But then he started feeling that he was the best and became rude. He developed ego. So one day he was walking over a bridge. The bridge was narrow  and in the middle of it was a old monkey sitting with his tail extended over the entire bridge, As Bhima came close to the old monkey., he did not want to go over the tail and so he asked the monkey to move the tail from his path. The monkey told Bhima that he is too old and weak and he can not even move his tail. He told Bhima that it would be great if Bhima would move the tail away by lifting and putting it away. The Bhima agreed  and bent down and tried to lift the tail with one hand . He could not,So he bent down  and used his both hands to lift it  and he could not He could not understand  and so he applied all his strength  and he still could not . Then he realized that this was not an ordinary monkey, but actually the MARUTI OR HUANUMAN himself . He bowed down and asked for the blessing and forgiveness . Hr realized that this happened as he was too proud of his strength.

    The moral is clear and so I would not state it. But I just wanted to tell a story . When Rama was to be incarnated Lord Shankara wanted to go with Lord Vishnu when he would be in form of Rama. Parvati his wife wanted to go with her husband too. So she expressed her desire to Lord Shankara. He told her that he will be in form of Hunuman  and it will be in monkey form. and he will be BRAHMACHARI - and will not be married .So Parvati who is Goddess of power or strength, told him taht she will be staying in tail . The tail pad tremendous power  and he used it set fire to the Lanka.
That is why Bhima could not lift it. 

ONE HAS TO DO IT

   We have heard that when more people are involved it is more effective . 'It takes a village'  To some extent it may be true . I alone can not change the world. But there there are stories where one has to do it or at least start what one wants to change . There was this short story where a man is walking on a seashore . He saw a n another man walking  ahead of him . As the tide came i some fish would be blown to sand and out side the water . This man was picking them up and throwing in water. The man who was walking behind him watched it and said to him ,you are doing this while you are walking and what difference would it make?The man who was throwing the fish in water answered after he picked up one more  and while throwing it in water said 'it made a difference to THIS one .'So YES one has to do what one feels is right. But the story that that I am going to tell is from old Isapniti  or Panchtantra . IN these books the ISAP who was a slave could understand what the animals or bird were talking  and the same is true in Panchtantra . So the story is from one of the books .
    There was a bird who had made a nest on the branches of a tree. She laid the eggs in it and they hatched . The young one came out. The owner of that farm was passing by one day and he saw the out grown branches of the tree  and told his servant that he should cut these branches . The mother bird was not in the nest . So when she came back the young ones were scared  and told the mother that we have to move as the farmer is going to cut the branches of the tree where the nest is there. So the mother asj=ked as to what happened . The kids told her the entire story. as to how the farmer told the servant  cut the branches. The mother told the kids not to worry . Couple of more days passed  and the farmer was passing by and he saw the tree and was not happy the branches are not cut.He told the servant again that these brnches must be cut in next 1 week . The mother came home to the nest and the kids told her the story . Ther were afraid  and were scared . The mother again told her that 'don't worry'. The farmer was again walking in next 4 days  and he saw that the branches were not trimmed as he has told the servant several times , he got angry and told  his wife who was with him that he has been telling the servants  and the work is not done  and so he is  going to do it that afternoon himself.When the mother came to know about it from her kids she told them , it is time to leave.
    The moral of both the stories is that when one wants to get a job done He or She has to do himself or herself. When one asks others to do it it may or may not be done . 

FAITH AND THE RITUALS

    I have seen rituals being performed in Hindu  Religion and also to some extent in all the religions . One must face this way or that way to do prayers , and then we talk about the GOD being omnipresent . So if he is all over and everywhere why do i have to face in one particular direction? I do know the answer,  and yes it would be stupid to have a picture of  Deity or cross or Mary etc at our back  and not face them . But when there is no actual picture  and we are praying in space , do we have to face  a particular direction? Then  a prayer must be done in a particular way otherwise it is not effective.I know the explanation - MANTRAS create certain vibrations  and if not chanted in a correct wat , they are not effective etc. So that brings me to today's story .
     This I think is by Russian author  Leo Tolstoy. This was published in 1885-1886. There were 3 hermits They lived on a remote island .The Bishop and pilgrims were traveling in a boat from one place to another . The bishop came to know that they were seeing salvation . So he decides  to stop at the island . He talks to the 3 old hermits  and ask them how they pray. for salvation They answered ,'Three are ye , three are we, have mercy upon us .'The Bishop decided to teach them about carnation and the Trinity  and the proper way of prayer . The hermits are old  and can not remember , but the bishop continued for many times . Finally he thought they have understood the proper technique of the prayer, he decides to leave the island in the morning.
   As the boat goes of in the waters, he realizes that someone is following the boat . So in the middle of the waters he stops the boat  and he sees the 3 hermits approaching walking / running on waters as if they are running on land.The Bishop asked them as to what happened . Thy answered , 'As long as we were repeating it with you we got the word and the technique , but as soon as you left we forgot exact words  and how we should do the prayer in a proper way,' The Bishop replied ."Your own prayer will reach the Lord , Men of God, It is not for me to teach you .Pray for us sinners.'
     I DON'T NEED TO TELL THE MORAL OF THE STORY!!!