A beautiful thought...

a devotee  had a very good habit. Whenever he left his office, he would buy a few buns to distribute to some poor people who sat along the street. It so happened that one of these men was just at the entrance of his apartment, and this was a regular practice.

Now, one evening, he was very busy and unfortunately, he could not buy these buns. He was feeling very uncomfortable because he wouldn't be able to give it, but he came along. His only worry was that while he would be able to bypass all the other poor people because he would be driving in his car, the person he would definitely have to encounter is the one at the entrance of his apartment. 

He wondered, “How can I face this person? Surely, he's going to ask me for the bun and I will have to tell him 'no'.” So, he came up with an idea. He thought, “I'll park my car a little far away and enter my apartment from the rear.”

But, unfortunately, when he reached his place and was about to do this disappearing act, this poor man sitting in the entrance saw him and called out, “Sir!” devotee says it was a very uneasy feeling. He thought, “He's going to ask me for the bun. How am I going to tell him that I have no bun today?'”

Anyway, he responds and says, “I'm really sorry, I couldn't get a bun today.” The poor man looks at him with a smile and says, “Sir, I did not call you here for your bun, but every day, when you give me your bun, you give a beautiful smile and that makes me feel wanted. That makes me feel part of this human fraternity and it's only that smile that I ask for.”

So, this is a beautiful experience which says that it's not just about giving material things. Even a smile is also about love.

beautifully captures this need for love in our every act by saying, “Work is love made visible and if you cannot work with love but only with distaste, it is better that you should leave your work and sit at the gate of the temple and take alms of those who work with joy. For, if you bake bread with indifference, you bake a bitter bread that feeds but half man's hunger.” Such a beautiful thought!

Om Namo Narayana

Some time ago there reigned a king named Raja Singh Bhadur in Bihar. There was a large Ashram for Sannyasins in his kingdom at Anandapuri. Once the Ministers reported to the King that the Sannyasins and Brahmacharis (celibates) at the Ashram were always engaged in eating sweetmeats and kheer (pudding) and they feasted at least once a week. Most of their time was spent sleeping and they were not doing any austerities, spiritual practices or meditation.

The King sent a messenger to bring the Mahant, Swami Niralambananda, to his presence. On his entering the court, the King wasted no time and immediately confronted the Mahant with his complaint. "The ministers have reported to me that the Swamis and Brahmacharis are not doing any spiritual practice. They are only eating sweetmeats and sleeping."

Swami Niralambananda did not appear upset at the King’s criticism. He smiled and replied “Your Majesty, we would be most honored if you would pay a visit to the Ashram in the early morning and you will learn the true facts. I will come and wake you up at three in the morning." The King was satisfied with this answer, and so the next morning Swami Niralambananda went to the palace and woke the King at 3:00. He asked the King's attendant to take a pot of water along with them and on the Swami’s request they went first to the homes of the Ministers.

The Swami asked the attendant to throw water on the faces of the sleeping Ministers. They all woke up uttering, "You fool", "Damn nonsense," and "Who has disturbed my sleep?" The King was rather mystified and asked the Swami why this was all necessary. But the Swami persuaded him to accompany him to the stables and later to the ashram where all would be made clear.

At the stables the Sw­ami asked the atten­dant to throw water on the faces of the grooms. They also woke up uttering, "Sala," "Badmash," etc.

Next the party proceeded to the Ashram. Water was then thrown on the faces of the Sannyasins and Brahmacharis, who all awoke uttering "Sivoham," "Hari Om," and "Ram, Ram."

With a benevolent smile the Swami addressed the King. "Look, oh King! Have you noticed the difference? Have you noted the attitude, feeling and the words that came out of the mouths of these different kinds of people? The words reveal the contents of the heart and mind and show the culture of the person.

"Sadhus and Sannyasins also work and take food, but their attitude is very different. Worldly people judge persons by their external actions. Sannyasins take food for the maintenance of the body. They do not fill their stomachs to please the palate, to fatten themselves and indulge in sensual indulgence."

"They work as witnesses of their actions. They work for the good of the world. They know that hunger is a characteristic of the physical sheath and not of the Self or Atman. They do not identify themselves with the body, mind, Prana, senses or intellect."

The Swami went on to add, "They have no thought of the world. Their motives and thoughts are always pure. They have no thought of the morrow and they fill their minds with pure, sublime thoughts."

"They never think: 'What will I get by doing this action? How much money will I make from this?' These thoughts never occupy their minds. They only think, 'How can I serve the world to the maximum degree? How can I make people ethical and religious-minded? How can I make them Yogis and Jnanis? How can I make them happy and wise?'

"They may appear to you to be sitting silently, as if Tamasic, but internally they are vibrant, radiant, full of purity and elevating thoug­hts. O King! Judge not people by external acts. Look to their motives and attitude."

“A Sannyasin," the Swami went on, "will not keep anything for himself. He will always share what he has with others. Whenever there is any calamity in the land, he will dedicate his life in doing such deeds as will relieve human suffering. He lives to serve. When the test comes to sacrifice life, you will discover the difference between a householder and a Sannyasin.

"As for feasts, they have no interest in them whatsoever,” the Swami laughed. "They always want simple food - dhal and bread. To bring auspiciousness and prosperity to the people, they arrange feasts at their sincere request."

"O adorable Swamiji" cried the King, "please pardon me. Now I understand the philosophy of motives and internal attitude. Your remarks have been illuminating and inspiring. Your instructions have opened my eyes. I was judging people only by their external actions. You have imparted inspiring knowledge to me.

"I shall be ever grateful to you, O revered Swamiji, crores of prostrations and adorations unto thee! Om Namo Narayanaya! Thou art my Guru from now on."

HENCE ALWAYS LOOK INTO THE FEELINGS

who is the richest man?

BG sloka 22 says.....

There lived on the banks of the sacred Ganga a poor Brahmin, who was an ardent student of the Bhagavad Gita. He read it every day. He worshipped the Book and he tried to live according to its teachings. But his faith was sorely tried, for he was immersed in distressing poverty. His bowl was seldom filled. He and his wife were on half ration all the time.

One day, while overcome by grief at his misery, his eye fell on the 22nd sloka of the 9th chapter, where the Lord assures that He will bear the burden of all who take refuge in Him. He felt that in his case, the assurance was a hoax.And so, he took his pen and dipping it in red ink, he struck out the exasperating line! Somewhat relieved of anger, he rose and went out with his bowl.

Before long, two boys, brothers by appearance came to his door.The younger of the two had a bluish darker hue. He had a bag of rice and the other one had a bag of sundry other provisions. The wife was surprised, because they insisted all of it was for her and her husband! She could not believe it!

The woman found a bleeding gash on the back of the younger boy.She asked him, "Who had inflicted the cruel wound?"The boy replied with a mischeavous smile, “Your husband!” How could he lose his temper so much as to stab such a charming child, she wondered.But the brothers disappeared in a flash.

When the husband returned home the woman questioned him about the gash on the back of the younger boy.

The husband said he knew nothing about the bleeding boy. He pleaded innocence. He wondered who could have sent them help. His head was in a whirl. Then he turned to the Gita for consolation. The Book opened on the 9th chapter, sloka 22.

Ah! His eye fell on the angry gash he had drawn on that page, across that line!That pen had in fact cut Sri Krishna’s back! His want of faith had wounded” Him. Realising this he ran about like mad, to discover the Boy and fall at His feet, crying for mercy. But He could not be found. So, have faith in the Assurance of the Lord. When He says, “Why fear, I am here.” He means it. When He says, “I look to you, when you look to Me,” He really looks after you and takes care of your needs.

Is it a real victory?!

Once a poor man approached King Yudhishtira, the eldest of the Pandavas. He was also called Dharmaraja because he always followed the path of virtue. The poor man asked the king for some help. Yudhishtira said, "Come tomorrow, I will give you what you want."
Bhima, Yudhishtira's brother, overheard this promise. He at once called all the royal retinue for a sudden meeting. He announced that the next day would be celebrated as a day of victory. This sudden announcement created a great commotion. Everyone wanted to know what the victory was about and who had won it. The news reached Dharmaraja. Bhima was asked to give an explanation.
Bhima said, "We have gained a victory over death for twenty-four hours. Dharmaraja had asked a certain poor man to come tomorrow for receiving help. It means that Dharmaraja is quite certain that he will be alive for the next twenty-four hours. Is this not a victory?"
Yudhishtira realised how inadvertently he was taught a lesson. He sent for the poor man and gave him what he wanted. Act and live in the present. Never postpone to tomorrow whatever good you can do today.

namasmarana, worship...

There was a middle-class household in a small town where the wife was daily pleading with the husband to spend some little time in prayer and reverential worship of God. The husband refused to yield, for, as he said, he had no time to spare for such pastimes which are best taken up during old age, when the process of earning and spending receives a natural setback and there will be ample leisure. The pious lady could not derive any consolation from this reply. She could only wait for some more auspicious opportunity when her advice would fall on receptive ears.

Meanwhile, the husband was affected by a serious illness and he was bedridden for a few weeks. The doctors advised him to take some tablets thrice a day. The wife accepted the task of administering the tablets and kept them with her; however, she did not give him even one.

The husband was put out by her intransigence. He demanded the tablets, but she was firm in her resolve. In reply to his question, “Are you conspiring to kill me?” she said, “Wait, wait, why hurry to take the medicine so soon? Let the illness become more serious. Why all this haste? Go slow, go slow. There is enough time, as you said when I wanted you to pray and do Namasmarana.” The husband realised that his stand was foolish. So, he mended his ways, and cured himself of both types of illness.

be affectionate ,share care, love for the family and ppl sorrounded

How do you account for your remarkable accomplishment in life?" Queen Victoria of England asked Helen Keller. "How do you explain the fact that even though you were both blind and deaf, you were able to accomplish so much?"

Ms. Keller's answer is a tribute to her dedicated teacher. "If it had not been for Anne Sullivan, the name of Helen Keller would have remained unknown."

"Little Annie" Sullivan, as she was called when she was young, was no stranger to hardship. She was almost sightless herself (due to a childhood fever) and was, at one time, diagnosed as hopelessly "insane" by her caregivers. She was locked in the basement of a mental institution outside of Boston. On occasions, Little Annie would violently attack anyone who came near her, and most of the time she generally ignored everyone in her presence.

However, one elderly nurse believed there was hope. She made it her mission to show love to the child and started visiting Little Annie everyday. For the most part, the child did not acknowledge the nurse's presence, but that did not deter her for continuing her visits. The kindly woman left cookies for her and spoke words of love and encouragement everyday. She believed Little Annie could recover, if only she was shown love.

Eventually, doctors did notice a change in the girl. Where they once witnessed anger and hostility, they now noted an emerging gentleness and love. They moved her upstairs where she continued to improve. Then, the day finally came when this seemingly "hopeless" child was released.

Anne Sullivan grew into a young woman with a desire to help others, as she, herself was helped by the kindly nurse. It was she who saw the great potential in Helen Keller. She loved her, disciplined her, played with her, taught her a sign-alphabet, pushed her and worked with her until the flickering candle that was her life became a beacon of light to the world.

Anne Sullivan worked wonders in Helen's life; but it was the loving nurse who first believed in Little Annie and painstakingly transformed an uncommunicative child into a compassionate teacher.

"If it had not been for Anne Sullivan, the name of Helen Keller would have remained unknown." But if it had not been for a kind and dedicated nurse, the name of Anne Sullivan would have remained unknown.

These three great souls formed their own chain of love. But how far back does the chain of redemption extend? And how far forward will it lead? When we seek to reach out and help others, we become an integral part of a chain of love that can extend through the generations.

Therefore, on any day, it is okay if we skip our breakfast or dinner, a TV show or a friendly get together, but let us never miss an opportunity to love. For we may never know what a single and nameless act of compassion of ours could do in transforming not one but many lives.

Love is powerful. Providing a glass of drinking water to a needy; offering medical help to one who is in crisis; or simply lending a listening ear to a troubled friend – every such act maybe small but their implications are much more than we can often imagine. We can never overestimate the power of love in action. It is a fire that, once lit, burns forever.

Happiness isss...........

Wat exactly the fake happiness? Suppose a person buys a gold ring thinking it to be made of gold, because the salesperson said so. Actually, the ring is made of brass and simply plated with gold. So, after a while, the gold covering comes off and all that remains is the brass ring! Clearly, the buyer has been taken for a ride. In the happiness market too, there is the genuine stuff and umpteen fakes.

The fake stuff is the temporary happiness that is available in plenty in the transient world, while the genuine stuff as I call it is ‘bliss’, is available only when one unites with God. By giving the human form to us, God in His infinite mercy is giving all of us a chance to become one with Him and enjoy permanent bliss.

But man does not understand that, and, misled by the mind [which is very good at selling fakes], he gets duped and goes around looking for permanent happiness in an impermanent world. Man thinks he can get God in this world on his terms, and that is the fundamental mistake he is making. And that mistake is being made because man insists on being spiritually ignorant.