Talk One - 15 September 2010
In his inimitable style Guruji started off with a joke and everyone was relaxed and waiting for the message behind the joke.
Visitor to a town asked the resident, 'Are great men born in this town?' Pat came the reply, 'No, only babies are born here!'
Perfect answer really. All of us are born the same. But what makes one person great? Thus Guruji raised the following questions:
What is greatness?
How to become great?
The answers to these questions were simply exquisite. Guruji explained that we need to understand two important concepts:
i) Vision of life - How do I look at my life. How do I look at his whole world. The important point here is How.
ii) Life of vision - Do I know why I do what I do. Here the important point is Why.
How do I look at life?
Through my eyes! We can look at our lives in two ways:
From a worldly standpoint
From a spiritual standpoint
The Bhagawad Geeta says that there are three types of vision:
i) Sattvika vision - inspite of all perceptual differences we see one Truth which is common and present in all beings. This is the Vision of Oneness. One Self in all. It is an all inclusive vision.
ii) Rajasic vision - to see differences and take them to be real. There is no common Truth. It is little expansive but creates likes and dislikes.
iii) Tamasic vision - this is to take the part for the whole. It is the vision of most of us. Eg, money is everything.
Person with a narrow vision will remain very self-centred. One with a sattvika vision will think of all.
What exactly is greatness?
To rise above his / her individualistic considerations and think of the totality makes a person great.
Lokmanya Tilak was in jail. He received a telegram giving him the news that he had lost his wife. The jailor took the telegram to him and saw that it was in the bin. He took it out thinking that Lokmanyaji had not seen it. Put it in front of him. Once again he found it in the bin. Unable to control himself the jailor gave the news of the demise of Lokmanyaji's wife to Lokmanyaji. Lokmanyaji replied, 'I have no more tears to shed on my personal tragedies.'
What an amazing reply? How many of us would be able to think in this manner. No wonder he was so great. His title 'Lokmanya' meant the one who is respected and revered by all. Truly such people only should be our role models to gain our inspiration and vision. How many of us know anything about Lokmanyaji? Unless we read about their lives how will we gain the inspiration from them?
Thus greatness is rising above one's own profits / gains / considerations and identifying with the majority and working for them.
A lovely quote by someone, 'It is nice to be great but it is greater to be nice.'
Now an amazing example from the Ramacharitamanasa:
When Sitaji was at Ashoka Vatika, Ravana pleaded with her to look at him even once. What a fearless and fitting reply Sitaji gave!
'Does the lotus open in the light of a firefly or only in the light of the sun?!'
Both the firefly and sun have light. However, the firefly's light is only to show itself. It can't dispel darkness and its light is of no use to anyone else. In contrast, sunlight dispels darkness totally. In the light of the sun all are energised and are able to do their work. The sun doesn't show itself off. Similarly a truly great person doesn't need to tell anyone to look at him / her. In the great person's glory only are all motivated, inspired, energised. Truly great people are blessings for all around
We all have experienced this. In Pujya Gurudev's presence all of us have felt motivated, inspired, energised. Till date Gurudev's vision drives each one of us to higher and higher goals. But truly this inspiration and motivation is impossible to maintain just by remembering Pujya Gurudev and His Vision. Atleast I know I am not so highly evolved. We are lucky to have Pujya Guruji in our midst. Despite all that goes on around him, he motivates, inspires and energises each and every one of us at all times! The perfect indicator of a great person. We are truly blessed - doubly so actually!
What exactly is a Life of Vision?
What ideal should one stand for?
Why do we do what we do?
In verse 7 of Bhaja Govindam Bhagwan Adi Shankaracharyaji describes a life of graceless ageing. A life of no vision at all.
Pujya Guruji composed a verse with the same metre on Graceful Aging. This is found in Pujya Guruji's books 'Graceful Aging' and 'Life of Vision'. I highly recommend both books. Loved them thoroughly. The second one is an interesting compilation of some of Pujya Guruji's compositions which comes with a free audio CD with audio recordings of all compositions done by our Chinmaya Naada Bindu team. If you have still not read them both you have missed something...
Getting back to the topic! In a life of graceful aging one's childhood is engaged in true learning. Guruji presented an interesting thought. If one knows a particular language then suddenly all the knowledge written in that language is available to the person. It is very obvious but how many of us thought with this perspective. Guruji knows English, Hindi, Marathi and Sanskrit so knowledge in all these four languages are available to him. I have seen Guruji read Gujarati books and understand them too! Most of us can just about manage to understand English let alone anything else! I truly feel that we all should really try hard to know Hindi, one regional language and definitely Sanskrit besides English.
One must have a love for learning and we should pursue that field which we wish to truly learn.
After childhood comes youth. This phase must be a sort of vow in which we resolve to serve ourselves and others around us through the knowledge we have gained. Simultaneously we must contribute to our field of knowledge. There must be a firm abidance in this.
I feel that this only is true strength not that which young people are proud of nowadays - physical strength. Of course that is important but without mental strength the physical strength is totally useless. Ma Jeejabai (mother of Shivaji Maharaj) told him that the most important quality he needed to win over the Mughals was 'manobala'. She was an amazing lady. Not many of us unfortunately know about her...
Continuing... Mahatma Gandhi was clear that even his politics was meant only for Self Realisation. Madan Mohan Malviyaji valued education and so established the Benaras Hindu University.
We too should take a vow to abide firmly in the knowledge we have gained and make a positive difference wherever we are.
In old age, as far as worldly objects are concerned there should be total contentment. No craving or hankering for objects of the world. One should only want spiritual unfoldment. The goal is truly only spiritual. Such a person alone revels in the Supreme Brahman and has found true fulfillment.
Let us pray that we all may have only a spiritual goal...
End of day one talk. Two to go.
mk
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Thursday, September 16, 2010
Arrival in Chinmaya Vibhooti
14 September 2010
We left Mumbai just before 4pm for Chinmaya Vibhooti. Someone had been kind enough to give their personal Mercedes for Pujya Guruji to go in. They sent a driver to drive the Ashram Corolla. So we all set off. Guruji, Madhabi and myself in one car and Parvati Amma, Meera and Chitta Bhaiya in the other one.
The journey was smooth and we had some general discussions and chatting. I got to pull Madhabi's legs and showed her the red ST limousine which I had recommended for her travel (red ST bus of Maharasthtra)! Reached Vibhooti comfortably by 7.20pm or so. Enroute we had stopped only for a few minutes to refuel and offload!
All the Yuvaveers with their Commander Swami Mitranandaji and the Chinmaya Vibhooti team members were present to welcome Pujya Guruji in Swami Sadan. It was lovely to hear the chants resounding in the peaceful surroundings of Chinmaya Vibhooti.
Guruji sat down and started the informal discussion with the Yuva Veers. They had studied Bhaja Govindam and so Guruji gave some wonderful insights into this.
Bhaja Govindam is repeated three times. The first one implies knowledge. Seek that which is told in the Vedas.
To seek knowledge one needs purity of mind which comes from doing selfless work. Hence, the second one implies Karma Yoga.
Selfless work demands sacrifice which comes out of love and love is nothing but Bhakti.
Thus we have all three - Jnana, Karma and Bhakti.
But at the end of all this one is going to die. One can't be freed from death with this knowledge but one can be freed from the fear of death. Fear only worries us. Taking the Lord's name will free us from this fear.
But what is death? It is not just leaving the physical form. Change itself if death. We must be totally fearless of change.
All secular knowledge should be learnt only for a higher purpose.
Bhaja Govindam tells us all to wake up.
Guruji went on to say that there are three types of people:
Well I guess often I fall into either the first or the third category. Sometimes I do admit ignorance. At other times I think I know the answer and the truth is that I really don't. This only is dangerous. If I stick to my guns and say what I think only is correct and the other's view points are not then this could become a sticky situation. Here is where we all have to learn to step back and understand that often our view point is incorrect. We are ignorant though we can pretend to have all the knowledge! Easy to write all this now. When the crunch time comes so easy to forget this simple nugget of common sense.
Then Guruji went on to say that Bhaja Govindam tells us to wake up. The Upanishads too roar, stand and wake up (Uthishtha Jaagrata...). How can we first stand up and then wake up? Is it not usually wake up and then stand?
A mother is waking her child up to send him to school. He has to be ready by 7am. She starts from say 5.30am. Very lovingly she will try to wake him up. He turns and says few minutes more. This goes on till its 6.30am. Now any further delay and she knows he will miss the bus. So she rushes in and forces him up. Imagine if she had to wake him up when the house was on fire. Would she most lovingly say, wake up. No she would just rush get him up and in his sleep only bundle him out of the house. So in an emergency situation it is first stand up and then wake up. Similarly the scriptures too roar to us to stand up and wake up. They want us to understand the gravity of the situation. We have no time to waste... Our goal is too precious for time to be wasted in frivolous pursuits.
What a great introduction by Pujya Guruji for the YEPs... It was most practical... Something we can all learn from.
Finally he asked the YEPs to chant something. They chanted Medha Suktam. It was amazing to hear them all in one voice. My hair stood on end. The effect was most stimulating... Then Guruji explained to them the importance of daily chanting. If this is not done we forget what we have learnt. He said someone can say where is the time to chant everyday. Guruji's most practical answer:
Don't you bathe daily. Yes replied everyone. So simple, when bathing one can chant a few stotras, the Hanuman Chalisa etc. Think that we are bathing the Lord who resides in us. Chanting to the Lord when bathing becomes an upasana. Beautiful... Simply touching!
Simple practical tips from the Master who epitomises practicality in its true sense... Let us serve Him by following these simple tips...
Lots more to come but I need to be like Lakshmana bhaiya - manage with no sleep!
mk
We left Mumbai just before 4pm for Chinmaya Vibhooti. Someone had been kind enough to give their personal Mercedes for Pujya Guruji to go in. They sent a driver to drive the Ashram Corolla. So we all set off. Guruji, Madhabi and myself in one car and Parvati Amma, Meera and Chitta Bhaiya in the other one.
The journey was smooth and we had some general discussions and chatting. I got to pull Madhabi's legs and showed her the red ST limousine which I had recommended for her travel (red ST bus of Maharasthtra)! Reached Vibhooti comfortably by 7.20pm or so. Enroute we had stopped only for a few minutes to refuel and offload!
All the Yuvaveers with their Commander Swami Mitranandaji and the Chinmaya Vibhooti team members were present to welcome Pujya Guruji in Swami Sadan. It was lovely to hear the chants resounding in the peaceful surroundings of Chinmaya Vibhooti.
Guruji sat down and started the informal discussion with the Yuva Veers. They had studied Bhaja Govindam and so Guruji gave some wonderful insights into this.
Bhaja Govindam is repeated three times. The first one implies knowledge. Seek that which is told in the Vedas.
To seek knowledge one needs purity of mind which comes from doing selfless work. Hence, the second one implies Karma Yoga.
Selfless work demands sacrifice which comes out of love and love is nothing but Bhakti.
Thus we have all three - Jnana, Karma and Bhakti.
But at the end of all this one is going to die. One can't be freed from death with this knowledge but one can be freed from the fear of death. Fear only worries us. Taking the Lord's name will free us from this fear.
But what is death? It is not just leaving the physical form. Change itself if death. We must be totally fearless of change.
All secular knowledge should be learnt only for a higher purpose.
Bhaja Govindam tells us all to wake up.
Guruji went on to say that there are three types of people:
- Those who are asleep.
- Those who pretend to sleep.
- Those who are asleep but think they are awake.
Well I guess often I fall into either the first or the third category. Sometimes I do admit ignorance. At other times I think I know the answer and the truth is that I really don't. This only is dangerous. If I stick to my guns and say what I think only is correct and the other's view points are not then this could become a sticky situation. Here is where we all have to learn to step back and understand that often our view point is incorrect. We are ignorant though we can pretend to have all the knowledge! Easy to write all this now. When the crunch time comes so easy to forget this simple nugget of common sense.
Then Guruji went on to say that Bhaja Govindam tells us to wake up. The Upanishads too roar, stand and wake up (Uthishtha Jaagrata...). How can we first stand up and then wake up? Is it not usually wake up and then stand?
A mother is waking her child up to send him to school. He has to be ready by 7am. She starts from say 5.30am. Very lovingly she will try to wake him up. He turns and says few minutes more. This goes on till its 6.30am. Now any further delay and she knows he will miss the bus. So she rushes in and forces him up. Imagine if she had to wake him up when the house was on fire. Would she most lovingly say, wake up. No she would just rush get him up and in his sleep only bundle him out of the house. So in an emergency situation it is first stand up and then wake up. Similarly the scriptures too roar to us to stand up and wake up. They want us to understand the gravity of the situation. We have no time to waste... Our goal is too precious for time to be wasted in frivolous pursuits.
What a great introduction by Pujya Guruji for the YEPs... It was most practical... Something we can all learn from.
Finally he asked the YEPs to chant something. They chanted Medha Suktam. It was amazing to hear them all in one voice. My hair stood on end. The effect was most stimulating... Then Guruji explained to them the importance of daily chanting. If this is not done we forget what we have learnt. He said someone can say where is the time to chant everyday. Guruji's most practical answer:
Don't you bathe daily. Yes replied everyone. So simple, when bathing one can chant a few stotras, the Hanuman Chalisa etc. Think that we are bathing the Lord who resides in us. Chanting to the Lord when bathing becomes an upasana. Beautiful... Simply touching!
Simple practical tips from the Master who epitomises practicality in its true sense... Let us serve Him by following these simple tips...
Lots more to come but I need to be like Lakshmana bhaiya - manage with no sleep!
mk
Thursday, September 9, 2010
Night Satsang with Pujya Guruji - Dharma
8 September 2010
Guruji got up to go in as it was getting late and finally he was feeling a bit tired. We were just a handful of us in his kutia in Sandeepany Powai. One of the members asked him, 'Guruji how do we please other people?' What a masterpiece of an answer from an amazing master...
Do not try to either please anyone else or yourself. Only do what is correct. You can never know the mind of the other person and so can never please the other person. If you try to please yourself it would be at either a body, mind or intellect level. One can never satisfy the demands of these instruments. Doing what is correct only is Dharma. For eg, Lord Rama was told to go to the forest. He could have tried to please himself and refused to go as he had been promised the kingdom. But he did no such thing. Alternatively, he could have pleased his father and not gone to the forest. Once again he did not do this. He followed only Dharma. Sacrifice only is the essence of Dharma. Only a Tyaagaveera can become a Dharmaveera!
A very thought provoking reply. I think most often when we act, we do it either to satiate some hunger of ours or to please the other person. If the other person is not pleased or does not acknowledge what we have done often we get affected by the act of ingratitude etc. However, if we always act thinking of doing only what is correct then our satisfaction or happiness is forever with us. It is not relevant how the other person responds to our action nor whether any of our desires have been satiated. The only thing important is that we follow our Dharma.
It is high time that we as the youth (relatively speaking!) of the world have good role models. Our culture offers us the best and still we choose to ignore them. What better role model can we ask for, other than Lord Rama. For those of us in Chinmaya Mission, we are even more lucky. Here we have seen Pujya Gurudev living Dharma and now we have Pujya Guruji who continues this great tradition. We could have said that this is Kali Yuga and who follows Dharma now. But no, we are lucky. Today too, we have Pujya Guruji with us, a perfect role model. Let us pray we learn to act and live correctly.
mk
Guruji got up to go in as it was getting late and finally he was feeling a bit tired. We were just a handful of us in his kutia in Sandeepany Powai. One of the members asked him, 'Guruji how do we please other people?' What a masterpiece of an answer from an amazing master...
Do not try to either please anyone else or yourself. Only do what is correct. You can never know the mind of the other person and so can never please the other person. If you try to please yourself it would be at either a body, mind or intellect level. One can never satisfy the demands of these instruments. Doing what is correct only is Dharma. For eg, Lord Rama was told to go to the forest. He could have tried to please himself and refused to go as he had been promised the kingdom. But he did no such thing. Alternatively, he could have pleased his father and not gone to the forest. Once again he did not do this. He followed only Dharma. Sacrifice only is the essence of Dharma. Only a Tyaagaveera can become a Dharmaveera!
A very thought provoking reply. I think most often when we act, we do it either to satiate some hunger of ours or to please the other person. If the other person is not pleased or does not acknowledge what we have done often we get affected by the act of ingratitude etc. However, if we always act thinking of doing only what is correct then our satisfaction or happiness is forever with us. It is not relevant how the other person responds to our action nor whether any of our desires have been satiated. The only thing important is that we follow our Dharma.
It is high time that we as the youth (relatively speaking!) of the world have good role models. Our culture offers us the best and still we choose to ignore them. What better role model can we ask for, other than Lord Rama. For those of us in Chinmaya Mission, we are even more lucky. Here we have seen Pujya Gurudev living Dharma and now we have Pujya Guruji who continues this great tradition. We could have said that this is Kali Yuga and who follows Dharma now. But no, we are lucky. Today too, we have Pujya Guruji with us, a perfect role model. Let us pray we learn to act and live correctly.
mk
Evening Satsang with Pujya Guruji
8 September 2010
Post dinner we were all sitting in Pujya Guruji's kutia in Sandeepany Powai and Guruji was complaining that no one was asking any questions. All that we were doing was talking nonsense. Then Guruji only asked us all a question:
'What would I want for if I was assured of success?'
Gave us all some time to think and then started going around asking for thoughts. Raviji said Darshan of the Lord. At that time Guruji said that can't be. These answers are given only to please. For eg, youth in USA will ask why do Hindus worship so many Gods. The real question in their mind may be What is wrong with dating or inter-caste or inter-faith marriages.
Then Guruji asked Brni Vividisha. She said she wanted to ensure that all girls get their education and money earned from her writings be used towards battered women. Thus started people's answers. Some were simple and to the point like I want to get married or I want to put on some weight. Another said she didn't want to be misunderstood. Raviji's thoughts had changed. Others said I would have brought up my kids differently. Some are definite that they want to realise. Another wanted more education and knowledge of music. Thus the discussion continued.
I was thinking what I wanted as I knew that soon enough I will be asked too. The first thought that came to me was that obviously I want something that is most precious to me. So then I had to think what was most precious to me. The only 'thing' that I could think of was Pujya Guruji. I thought again and again so that I was sure. I always wanted to serve my country. But that is exactly what I was doing I thought. If I wanted to do it any other way then I would not be here. So that was clear Guruji was the most precious. I can't say that what I want is to serve Guruji. That again too would sound like I just want to please or something to that effect. So I kept reflecting what I really wanted. It was true that I wanted to serve Guruji but that was too superficial. I needed to know how to serve Guruji. For that I needed to know what he expected of me. Perfect. What I really wanted was to be able to understand Guruji. Guruji always emphasises that the thought flow is most important. So what I wanted was to understand Guruji's thought flow. Once this was clear to me everything else would automatically fall in place!
Sure enough my turn came. I said that I really wanted to be able to understand Guruji, to understand how Guruji thinks. Then I asked Guruji what did Guruji really want. Guruji said nothing or something to that effect. I replied that was not fair. Then Guruji said what Guruji wanted, 'I would want to be what I expect others to be. For eg, if I want the other person to be loving then I should be loving first. If I don't want to be misunderstood then I must not misunderstand first.' More egs flowed from Guruji. What a perfect answer! That is why I need to understand his thinking process, his perspective. Only then can I be a more effective instrument.
Lovely satsang and end of a beautiful day...
mk
Post dinner we were all sitting in Pujya Guruji's kutia in Sandeepany Powai and Guruji was complaining that no one was asking any questions. All that we were doing was talking nonsense. Then Guruji only asked us all a question:
'What would I want for if I was assured of success?'
Gave us all some time to think and then started going around asking for thoughts. Raviji said Darshan of the Lord. At that time Guruji said that can't be. These answers are given only to please. For eg, youth in USA will ask why do Hindus worship so many Gods. The real question in their mind may be What is wrong with dating or inter-caste or inter-faith marriages.
Then Guruji asked Brni Vividisha. She said she wanted to ensure that all girls get their education and money earned from her writings be used towards battered women. Thus started people's answers. Some were simple and to the point like I want to get married or I want to put on some weight. Another said she didn't want to be misunderstood. Raviji's thoughts had changed. Others said I would have brought up my kids differently. Some are definite that they want to realise. Another wanted more education and knowledge of music. Thus the discussion continued.
I was thinking what I wanted as I knew that soon enough I will be asked too. The first thought that came to me was that obviously I want something that is most precious to me. So then I had to think what was most precious to me. The only 'thing' that I could think of was Pujya Guruji. I thought again and again so that I was sure. I always wanted to serve my country. But that is exactly what I was doing I thought. If I wanted to do it any other way then I would not be here. So that was clear Guruji was the most precious. I can't say that what I want is to serve Guruji. That again too would sound like I just want to please or something to that effect. So I kept reflecting what I really wanted. It was true that I wanted to serve Guruji but that was too superficial. I needed to know how to serve Guruji. For that I needed to know what he expected of me. Perfect. What I really wanted was to be able to understand Guruji. Guruji always emphasises that the thought flow is most important. So what I wanted was to understand Guruji's thought flow. Once this was clear to me everything else would automatically fall in place!
Sure enough my turn came. I said that I really wanted to be able to understand Guruji, to understand how Guruji thinks. Then I asked Guruji what did Guruji really want. Guruji said nothing or something to that effect. I replied that was not fair. Then Guruji said what Guruji wanted, 'I would want to be what I expect others to be. For eg, if I want the other person to be loving then I should be loving first. If I don't want to be misunderstood then I must not misunderstand first.' More egs flowed from Guruji. What a perfect answer! That is why I need to understand his thinking process, his perspective. Only then can I be a more effective instrument.
Lovely satsang and end of a beautiful day...
mk
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