Uttamaa sahajaa (normal is the best)

Every creature in the world is special. You cannot find two persons who are hundred percent same. Sometimes we see twins looking quite similar. But, when we see minutely, some differences are always seen.
Almighty shines in everybody. The shape may be different but all are same. We are like sugar balls. Irrespective of quantity, all are similar sweet. The leaves of ‘Tulsee’ whether small or big have equal importance. The sea water whether in the small jar or in the big jar, are equally saline. By external appearance everyone is different but internally all are quite same. Except exceptions, every male is same and every female is same biologically also. Similarly, every creature of one kind is equal biologically. The water has same composition whether found from different sources.
There is no need to be special. My natural activities will make me special. If one tries to be special, he is the most foolish person. Special dress, special food, special look cannot make special. Being most common is most special. ‘Uttamaa sahajaa pooja.’ To remain in simple position is the best worship.
There are four brothers. Three were good in education. One was dull. After a long time, I met their father and asked about his sons. The three intelligent sons became spoiled. They were always drunk. They never cared for their parents. Only the fourth became good. He had not even a single bad habit. He served his parents like Shravan (the best serviceable son of the Indian history).
Now, you can judge who is special. Never be very anxious for your sons. Only proper schooling is necessary. Guardians have to watch their companies and habits. Good companies, good habits and better schooling will automatically make them good citizens. Don’t be much worried for their results. I have seen boys doing better in future life if root is strong. It is not necessary that meritorious boys will be most successful in future life. Average boys have done better in future life. Gandhi was average student. Tagore had not seen high school or college. Raman Maharshi was mediocre student. Kalidas, Tulsidas, walmiki were ordinary men.
Nevertheless, if you want to be special, I have some tips: - 1. Sacrifice your life to social service. 2. Cent percent dedication to truth, non- violence, honesty, helping helpless. 3. Do your duty honestly. 4. Love all creatures, rather worship them thinking Lord Shiva’ form. 5. Nekee kar dariyaa me daal (never think to have return of the help you have done to anybody). 6. Never think for name and fame. 7. Never be jealous. 8. Don’t be afraid from anybody. Even death cannot harm you; it will give you a better new body. 9. Never make fun of others. Only one Almighty enjoys and shines in all. Hence, there is no other. I am in all and all are in me. Who will abuse, frighten, comment, or make fun of himself? ------------- Namo bhagvate shree ramanaay.

GAJ & GRAAH (THE ELEPHANT AND THE CROCODILE)

There was a Gajraj (the king of elephants) in a forest. It was the biggest and strongest among all elephants. There were uncounted male, female and children elephants in the group. All had good health but Gajraj was special. It was most handsome. It had immense strength to defeat any creature. It was able to uproot any big tree. When it walked, the surrounding earth shook. Its play in the water with other elephants attracted the passers-by. Its large ears, forehead, trunk, tusks were sound and very attractive. It looked like ‘Airaawat (The king of gods, Indra’s elephant). All ferocious animals (lions, tigers, leopards etc.) were afraid of the Gajraj and left killing the innocent animals. Simple, harmless animals were moving fearlessly. Gajraj moved freely, shaking his body left and right with natural ego as if he were the king of the forest.
There was a beautiful lake full of pure water. Lotus’s scented leaves made the water too much sweet-smelling. Gajraj entered into the water with full family. They enjoyed the water-play for hours and forgot that the king of water was someone else. There was a big crocodile which could not tolerate their activities to disturb him anymore and caught a leg of Gajraj. Both fought for a long time. No other of the family helped the elephant. One should not have the doubt to be helped by anybody at the time of being punished due to one’s fault. You have to face yourself the result of your deeds. Always do your job thinking all these matters. The great dacoit Ratnakaar becomes famous sage Walmiki when no family member agreed to share his sin. The crocodile being a water creature became stronger after long exercise but gajraj became weaker and lastly got defeated. He was dragged to deeper water, only the last portion of the trunk remained out of water. He took a lotus flower and started to pray Lord Vishnu in a miserable voice. Lord, at once appeared. As long as you have ego to perform a job yourself and with the help of the friends, God is away. When you become helpless and have hope of only Almighty, He is bound to come to your help. Draupadee was helped when she totally surrendered leaving all hope of herself and of her brave husbands. Lord brought the both from water, tore the mouth of crocodile with his .‘Sudarsan Chakra’ and saved the life of Gajraj. The crocodile found the body of a gandharb (specie of gods who dances and sings) and went to the heaven. The Gajraj also got the form similar to Lord Vishnu and went to heaven with the Lord himself.
What does this story tell us? The ego must get end. When Almighty is on your back, you are the strongest. The creature himself cannot lift even a small piece of grass. Arjun defeated all the great warriors of his time, till Lord Krishna was with him. When he became alone, simple Kol-Bhils (tribes of the forest) defeated him. “Mook hohi baachaal, pangu chadhahi girivar gahan..”. The dumb can become big orators, the deaf can hear whispering voice, the lame can climb the tough mountains and the blind can see the whole world, with Almighty’s grace. God doesn’t kill rather changes the old, rotten body to a better new one. We have got the body according to our past life deeds. In the past life, the crocodile was a gandharb (gods who perform dance and singing like filmy actors on the earth) named ‘Hoohoo’. By the curse of sage ‘Deval’ it became a crocodile. God freed him from the curse. He found his original form and went to his own abode. Now, one can think whether the crocodile was punished or rewarded.
Similar is the case with the elephant. In its previous life it was king ‘Indradyumna’ of the country ‘Dravid’ belonging to ‘Pandya’ dynasty. He had left his kingly duty to serve the people and was doing penance on the mountain ‘Malay’ in the form of a sage having long beard, whiskers and long hairs. This is a big crime if you don’t do your duty. Although he was doing penance, he became guilty. The great sage Agastya passed through the forest and saw the king in the penance, leaving his duty of serving the subjects and honoring the Brahmins and sages. He cursed the king to become dull-brainy creature like elephant. God gave him liberation and made him His courtier.
“Swadharme nidhanah shreyah, par dharmo bhayaabahah.” Everyone should do his allotted duty and it is the very penance. Lord Ram had also punished a person doing penance which was not his duty. Due to his sin, the son of a Brahmin had died. The complaint was lodged and the person doing penance was killed. -----Namo Bhagvate Shree Ramanaay.

ELEVATION-DEPRESSION (2)

Nabo was very sincere to his duty. His brain was very sharp. Furthermore, when a light weight is put on your head, you enjoy in carrying it. Perversely, when you enjoy in doing your duty, it seems very light. Mental labour is the heaviest of all. A child accepts every other load happily except reading. An intellectual can do physical work proficiently, but it is impossible to replace an engineer/ doctor/ professor or an IAS officer by an ordinary labour. A proverb of a mad elephant is popular which shows the importance and weightiness of study. An elephant never slept. It always wandered hither and thither. Slowly, it became mad. Once, it came near a dull boy who thought the study the toughest of all. As soon as he started reading a book, he started dozing. He applied his own formulae on the elephant. A book was thrown before the elephant. It took the book in its trunk and soon slept. The madness ended and it became normal.
Nabo felt the job of a fire-man very light compared to study in the school. Moreover, he had got the job after too much struggle. Previously, his condition was not better than a beggar. The fruit is very sweet, if found after hard labour. He understood all directions soon and became number one among his friends. He always became first in all tests regarding the job. Soon he was promoted and made assistant driver.------------next.

MAUN (SILENCE)

Silence is the best way of speaking. I have seen people arguing long on a fruitless subject. Sometimes, they start quarrelling ending in a big violence. But, result is a big zero. They don’t come on a unanimous conclusion. Only enmity develops in such long hot talks. Truth goes far away by these futile discussions.
Lord Shiva is the first teacher of knowledge. When people of different thoughts quarreled on useless discussions to prove supremacy of individual’s opinion, Lord Shiva appeared as Dakshinamurti. In South India, we find this form of Shiva. He is seen under a banyan tree. Saints are shown surrounding him as disciples. The younger tutor is silent. Older pupils are also quiet. Through this very method of silent teaching, aspirants get their suitable answers and become satisfied.
In North India, Shiva as Dakshinsmurti is not popular. But, when I visit a temple, I bow before statues of gods and goddesses. The statues don’t speak, but we always pray and beg their grace to fulfill our wills. I find my wishes fulfilled if I pray heartily. What is this? The statues are silent tutors like Dakshinamurti. The sun, the moon, the earth, the sea, rivers, stars, trees all are silent teachers.
Every individual has silent teacher in him. At the time of meditation, we go nearer to our teacher. But, he is always with us, silently watching my all activities.
------NAMO BHAGVATE SHREE RAMANAY.

THORN

Su is very gentle. She belongs to a very civilized family. Her parents and all maternal side’s persons are well qualified and well behaved. She was married in the very childhood at the age of merely seven. She didn’t know even the marriage ceremony and what is the meaning of husband and in-laws. She was studying in class three. Thanks to the culture that she remained in her parents’ home for ten years after marriage and she came to know the ABC of marriage. She came to mother-in-law's house. She knew the husband's family's culture in the strict guidance of her in-laws and husband. In-laws trained and gave knowledge of the bitterness side of the life and husband gave the taste of the sweet and beautiful side of the world. When she went mother’s home, she used to become a child again and forgot all bitter and thorny experiences of husband’s village. Thus she grew up having all sweet and sour experiences of the world. This grown up lady became more inclined towards mother side and began to hate in-laws side. Externally she never became exposed but, internally only hatred developed towards husband’s family. Husband gave only love and never rebuked. Thus an image of a person who only loves developed in her mind. There is great importance of thorn. It increases the importance of the material around which it exists. Rose has both scent and thorns. Notorious persons are given more honour because of their nuisance values. No one dares to touch the lion, leopard and wolf. Goats are always sacrificed. Parasuram, Durbasa are famous in the history. Yamraj is given first place. Police personals are given more importance. Daroga sahab is the greatest officer for the villagers. The wrestlers and musclemen are dominating in the society. Who cares the poison-less snakes?
Su started to give less importance to her husband. Her husband never rebuked her for any fault regarding food or other improper behavior. Slowly, she forgot likes and dislikes of her husband. She became more inclined towards mother side. She knew every individual’s likings of mother’s side. When this nature matured, she started to oppose all decisions of her husband. Now, the situation is that, she believes that even a minor child of mother’s side is right and every action of her husband is wrong. When this behavior has ripened, she never relies on her husband. Now, she believes that not only mother’s side persons but everybody of the world except her husband is true. “Ghar kaa yogee yograa, bahar yogee siddha.”
This is the story of every person. You give little importance to the person who heartily loves you and is always anxious for your betterment. You give more importance to the person who hates you. I know a man who is very egoistic. He loves only to his children and wife and hates all others. On an occasion, unwillingly he participated in a marriage ceremony. To show his ego, he didn’t take even a glass of water. But, the bridegroom became overwhelmed. All the time, he talked about his presence to everybody.

MILI(1)

Mili is the only issue of her parents. She is very beautiful. Her father is very noble but mother very reckless. From the very childhood, she was tamed under special care. Her every will was fulfilled in a moment. She was more impressed from her mother and became very wilsome girl. Accordingly, her behavior became extreme rough. She was always quarrelling with her neighbors. She did not know to respect seniors and love juniors. When she grew, she started to pretend to be gentle but, internally she was very rash. Her obstinate nature made all her friends to bend before her and this reinforced her rashness. With the power of riches, her father managed to get a noble son-in-law of a renowned family. Her father-in-law was a celebrated person. Mother-in-law, sister-in-laws and brother-in-laws were also very civilized. All her in-laws bowed before her wild nature. Now her ego grew more and more. She left to do house jobs. Her in-laws performed all house works cooking, washing utensils and clothes, cleaning rooms, courtyard and cattle shed. In-laws and Mili compromised for some years. She was searching some cause to quarrel and be separate. But, her in-laws did not give chance. After some years, living together became impossible. One-day, she started quarreling with her daughter and became separate from the joint family. She knew only husband, son, daughter and herself only. Only mother’s side persons were allowed to her residence. She became totally detached from in-law’s side. Once, her father-in-law and mother-in-law visited her residence. They had come to stay for some time. But, seeing her behavior they went back after a short time. Her husband Nitin was obedient to his parents. Initially, he quarreled too much with his wife seeing her abnormal manners. After sometime, he also bowed down. In the beginning, he usually went to his parents. Latter the visits decreased and lastly he became totally detached. Nitin is social and friendly to his contacts. Except his parents, he goes often to his friends and relatives. But, his friends and relatives never come to him due to his wife. Now, the situation is that Nitin is pleased with his wife, son and daughter. He goes everywhere but no-one comes to him. He leads a very peaceful life due to his wife.
Now, one question arises whether everyone should copy this type of life? Should Mili be taken as an ideal woman? Should you appreciate such type of life-style of one-way that you go everywhere but no-one likes to come to your residence?

AATMA-BAL (SELF-POWER, SELF-CONFIDENCE)

‘Yatpinde tatbramhande’. All things which exist in this universe are also present in the human body. I.e. the human body can be said a mini universe (bramhand). Every person has equal things, but some go far ahead and some are left extreme behind.
Atma-bal (self-power, self-confidence) plays vital role in going ahead. Self-power comes after regular rumination. Man becomes able to utilize the enormous power within him by meditation and proceeds towards immortality and divinity. In the whole life, one utilizes negligible part of one’s efficiency. Albert Einstein utilized 3% of his brain’s capacity and became the first liner among scientists.
With the effect of self-power, man becomes able to do miracles. He performs wonders easily which seem impossible for common persons. Regular practice and cogitation is the mother of self-power. When I am in elevation, I perform marvels which seem beyond my capacity; in depression I become zero and cannot do easier jobs which a child can do. ‘Mook hohi baachaal, pangu chadhai girivan gahan. Badhir sunahi sooran lakhahi, eesh kripa yatnahi satat.’ The dumb become more speaking, the lame climb the difficult mountains, the deaf start to hear more clearly and the blind see the whole universe, by regular trial and Almighty’s grace.----------NAMO RAMANAAY.