Message For the Day…” What Price We Pay For the Light of the Sun ?…”

Every object in the world, whether it is a bird or a sheep or anything else, has a value of its own. Man alone has lost his value because of his involvement in mundane pursuits. People have no gratitude to the five elements which confer on them gratis innumerable precious benefits like light, heat, air and water. You have to pay a price for so many small amenities like electricity and running water. But what price does you pay for the light of the Sun who illumines the world? This light is a GIFT of the Divine. What price do you pay for a soft breeze or a heavy downpour of rain? God is providing freely such precious benefits to you. What gratitude do people show to God for all these? The only way to show one’s gratitude to the five elements is Smarana (to chant the Lord’s name incessantly).

Sathya Sai Baba

Message For the Day…” How to Get Rid off Desire and Expectations …”

Is it possible for anyone in this world to be free of any desire and expectation? Not quite! Some things (material and sensual) may be attractive to some persons and some big aims (non-physical and transcendental) may interest others. Almost all desires fall into one of the above categories. Then how is it possible to get rid of both kinds of desires? This is possible! In the Gita, the Lord has declared that He is present in all righteous actions. Therefore those who perform righteous actions can develop anapeksha (desirelessness). This means that when a man performs all actions as OFFERINGS to the Lord, they become desireless actions. The Lord is the One who from within, makes one act, speak, listen, see, etc. If a person performs all actions with the conviction that the indwelling Lord is the real Doer, then the actions become desireless. Hence to begin with every sadhaka should regard one’s actions as OFFERINGS to the Divine.

Sathya Sai Baba

” Dog and Sanathana Dharma …”

 
Dattatreya is the Grand Teacher or “Guru principle” in the universe. The teachers in various planes are the manifestation of the one teaching principle who is referred to in the ancient Indian wisdom as Dattatreya.

Sri Guru Datta is accompanied by 4 dogs, in his figurative symbol. These 4 represent the 4 Vedas the 4 Yugas, and the 4 states of the Word. They also refer to the 4 states of Existence.

The 4 Vedas are : Rig Veda, Sama Veda, Yayur Veda and Atharva Veda.
The 4 Yugas are : Krita, Treta, Dwapara and Kali Yugas.
The 4 states of the Word are : Para (beyond), Pasyanti (perception; Madhyama (conception), Vaikhari (vocal).
The 4 states of Existence are : Existence, awareness, thought and speech or action.

Dog at Kanchi Mutt
From 1927 a dog was following Kanchi Paramacharya. It stayed near the camp wherever he pitched the camp. It wouldn’t touch anything impure. It was taking food that was given by the Mutt workers. It was guarding the property of the Mutt. Paramacharya used to ask every evening whether the dog was fed. Whenever Swamiji was travelling in the palanquin (Pallakku in Tamil) from one town to another town, it was walking under the palanquin. As soon as the palanquin stopped it would run away and stay at a distance like a humble servant. Sometimes it used to walk under the elephant of the Mutt. It never hurt any devotee but wagged its tail to show them its welcome or gratitude.

It starved on the day it was not fed by the Mutt workers. One day a boy threw a stone at it and it came rushing towards him to bite. Mutt workers thought it was a danger to the devotees and took it 25 miles away from the camp and tied it to a pole. But it somehow escaped from that village and came running towards Shankaracharya’s camp. Even before the workers who took it to another village arrived at the camp, the dog was already there!! Till it met its death it was with Swamiji. No one hurt it. Devotees who came to see Swamiji were eager to see the dog as well.—From Sri Jagath Guru Divya Charithram in Tamil, 1959)
Who knows the secret behind its previous births?

Ramanashram
A dog used to sleep next to Bhagavan, and there were two sparrows living at his side in the Hall. Even when people tried to drive them away they would come back. Once he noticed that the dog had been chased away. He remarked: “Just because you are in the body of a human you think you are a human being, and because he is in the body of a dog you think him a dog. Why don’t you think of him as a Mahatma, and treat him as a great person. Why do you treat him like a dog?” The respect he showed to animals and birds was most striking. He really treated them as equals. They were served food first like some respected visitors, and if they happened to die in the Ashrama, they would be given a decent burial and a memorial stone. The tombs of the deer, the crow and the cow Lakshmi can still be seen in the Ashrama near the back gate.

Who knows in how many different forms – animal, human, and divine beings visited this embodiment of the Almighty! We, common and ignorant women knew only the bliss of his presence and could not tear ourselves away from the Beloved of all, so glorious he was. It has been sixty years, I think, since I came. The days I spent with Bhagavan are memorable days indeed. Somehow, in my old age, I am pulling on with Bhagavan in my heart and his name on my tongue. 


Dogs in Heaven
A universal story from Hindu mythology about dharma.

There is a very beautiful story from the Hindu mythology’s Mahabharata that provides an insight to the meaning of our existence.
Five brothers who were kings and their wife, the queen (this happened through a misunderstanding of the concept of ‘sharing’ as expressed by their mother) after a long reign were embarking on their final journey – to heaven. To do so they had to trek up a mountain and along the way they were joined by a dog. The climb was so arduous they began to die off. Even the second oldest brother, the ‘Hercules’ of his era, fell.


However, the eldest, Yudhishthira and the dog made it to the top where they were greeted by Indra the king of the gods. He congratulated Yudhishthira and told him to get into his chariot to go to heaven, but the dog walked in first.

Indra was infuriated (he had this tendency): “I will not tolerate a dog in my chariot! Get him out and let’s go.”

Yudhishthira said, “Through my journey up the mountain, my queen and my brothers left me. Only this dog stayed with me – I cannot leave him now.”

Indra exclaimed, “What! Are you mad? Dogs do not belong in heaven! Do you want to give up your place for a dog?”

Yudhishthira replied, “The dog stayed faithfully by me, I will not desert him – even for heaven.”

Just then the dog transformed himself into Yama the god of the underworld and spoke: “You have chosen rightly, my son. In life all shall leave us, our passions, our acquaintances and even those we love dearest. Only our Dharma, like the dog, stays with us regardless. To this Dharma, we must be true.” 
Source:::Input from a friend of mine
Natarajan

Message For the Day…”God is Omnipresent …”

The Lord resides not only in the hearts of devotees, but also in the hearts of the evil-minded. Once the child Prahlada approached his mother, Lilavati, and told her, “Mother, there is only one difference between me, who is a devotee of Hari and my father, who hates Hari. Ever contemplating on the nectarous sweetness of the Lord, repeating His name, and constantly remembering Him, I am immersed in the bliss of love of the Lord, like one intoxicated. My father, in his hatred of Narayana, has turned his heart into stone and installed Him in it.” The Lord, who dwelt in the heart of Prahlada, who loved Narayana, and the Lord who was in the heart of Hiranyakasipu, who hated Narayana, was one and the same. One has to live in faith to experience happiness. Realising that the Divine is omnipresent, the devotees make their lives sublime by singing the glories of the Lord and ever dwelling on His name.

Sathya Sai Baba

Grandparents Day …Today …7 Sep 2014…

 

It’s Grandparents Day today, and this brings to mind those priceless, unforgettable memories our grandparents have given us. Those moments of pure joy, abundant love and tireless pampering that we’ve received at their hands.

Kids pharmaceutical giant, Johnson’s has come up with this touching video especially for this day, and it will definitely take you down memory lane. Here are a few things that remind us of our grandparents:

1. Those lovely bedtime stories, which got more and more interesting if we promised to sleep.

2. Every food item seemed almost exotic when grandma cooked it.

3. Summer vacations at our grandparents house meant pampering. Loads of it.

4. Those times when our grandparents saved us from getting into trouble with our parents.

5. Nobody celebrated your achievements, big or small, like they did. Nobody still does!

 

Source::::You Tube and ndtv.com

Natarajan

Message For the Day…” Emperor MahaBali Should Be Visiting us Everyday…”

The story of the festival Onam is that of Emperor Bali, who was an embodiment of sacrifice (Thyaga), but who suffered from traces of ego (Ahamkara). Due to the predominance of other virtues and Lord Vishnu’s Grace, Emperor Bali overcame the ill-effects of ahamkara and attained mergence with Lord Vishnu, who appeared as Vamana. Bali personified the principles of sacrifice, charity and righteousness till his very end. Since Onam festival day is celebrated in memory of the re-appearance of Bali in his subtle form (sukshma rupa), it is imperative that we remember and practice the ideals for which he lived. Bali, as portrayed above, should be visiting us every day and not just once a year. We forget this and in our daily life leave ample room for the cultivation of undesirable traits such as greed, selfishness and egoism. Learning from Bali’s life you must eradicate the negative traits at all costs, and render your heart pure for the Lord to reside in it.

Sathya Sai Baba

Message For the day…” Namasmarana is the Best Way to Purify one”s Mind…”

Emperor Bali demonstrated through his sacrificing nature that if one sacrifices everything, one will attain moksha (liberation). The real sacrifice involves two things: First, to realise the cause of our bondage in this life, and second, to sever this bondage. People mistakenly think that wealth, family, etc., are their bondages, and that by severing connections with them they will be able to sacrifice everything and become eligible to attain moksha. But these are not the real bondage. Real bondage is one’s ignorance in identifying oneself with the body. He who cuts off this bondage as Bali did, will attain moksha. For cutting off this bondage, purification of the heart is very necessary. In this Kaliyuga, namasmarana (constant remembrance of God) is the easiest way to purify one’s mind; and surrendering to God with a pure mind is the surest way to attain moksha.

Sathya Sai Baba

Things To Learn From Our Kids …!!!

Children laugh around 300 times a day whereas adults laugh less than 20. That’s quite a difference! Of course, with growing up comes responsibilities and challenges and not all of these make us want to roll about laughing. However there are still many things that we can learn from our little ones that when implemented into our own lives, can be a real game changer.

1) Play!

Taking time out to do something fun – just for the sake of it, is actually amazing for stimulating your brain and creative juices.

It takes you out of your everyday mindset and has a wonderful way of reigniting your perception and outlook. Also, why is it so weird to think as adults we can’t randomly go and climb a tree or jump around like crazy? Or anything that we feel compelled to do but don’t because we think it’s silly or immature? And what’s to say that we can’t ‘play’ in our professional lives either? Wouldn’t it be great to instead of having the weekly sit-down meeting in an uninspiring office, do the meeting whilst going for a walk, or playing a game of frisbee (or whatever you think might be fun)? Getting outside and moving is so good for boosting energy, brain and endorphin levels and I think not only would the meetings be more enjoyable but the outcomes, ideas and actions would be far more radical too!

2) Failure isn’t an option

When a baby tries to take its first steps, it doesn’t fall down and then declare itself a failure. It just gets back up and keeps on going. The baby’s legs will wobble but it will keep persisting until it walks. You’ll see the determination on the child’s face but there’ll be no internal ‘I can’t do this, I’m a failure, I’m going to give up’ dialogue. As adults there’s a lot we can take from that.

3) Stay curious

For children, the world and everything in it is a big adventure. Children are fascinated by even those little things that as adults, we’re so used to taking for granted. In fact, children are far more mindful and live in the moment because of this. Despite the fact that many things in the world aren’t new to us as adults, there are millions of new places, people and experiences that we’ve yet to discover – just like children. So why not make it a regular part of your life to take off on a new adventure – be it as big or little as you want. Try something different and really experience it right in the moment!

4) Forget and move on

Children have this wonderful way of kicking up a fuss about something be it a toy they can’t have right there and then or a certain food that they’re not allowed, and then just completely forgetting about it five minutes later and moving on. They don’t stress about it. As adults, although we express that initial fuss in a different way, we cling onto why something didn’t work out, which manifests itself in blame, anger, bitterness or even jealousy. All very negative and energy sucking emotions! If something hasn’t worked out, let it go and move on.

5) Don’t judge

Particularly when they reach school, children only judge other children based on what they’ve been told, observed or learned from adults and external influences. Initially though, children take each situation or person they meet completely at face value. They’re not concerned about visual appearance and they don’t look for flaws. They don’t assess and then decide if they want to engage or interact; it’s just natural. Whilst it’s perhaps unrealistic to be completely like this as adults, we can still always remind ourselves the importance of not prematurely judging a person or a situation.

And finally, laugh more! Laughing can change your mood in a heartbeat! In many situations, it really can be the best medicine. Giving yourself permission to have fun and laugh more can really enhance your life in so many ways.

 

Source::::: http://www.dumblittleman.com/

Natarajan

Message For the Day…”Direct Your Desire Towards God…”

Desire (kama) must be got rid of by Tyaga (sacrifice) and Yoga (communion) to secure God (Rama). Desire discolours the intelligence, perverts judgment, and sharpens the appetites of the senses. It lends a false lure to the objective world. When desire is directed to God, the self-luminous intelligence within shines in its pristine splendour, and reveals God within and without, and you attain Self-Realisation (Atma Sakshatkara). I bless all of you to succeed in your Sadhana (spiritual efforts)! If you have not been practicing sincerely until now, take up the simple practice of remembrance of the Divine (Namasmarana), along with reverence towards parents, teachers and elders, and service to the poor and needy. See everyone as your lshtadhevata (Beloved Lord). That will fill your heart with Love and give you stability of mind and peace.

Sathya Sai Baba

Need For Better Teachers …Points to Ponder on Teachers Day…

The most recent reports including the UNESCO-Education for All 2014 and ASER have all painted a grim picture of the state of primary education in the country. Among the many reasons cited, the lack of well trained and motivated teachers seems to be the most critical to the dismal education scene in India.

Akshara Foundation reached out to 10 people from all walks of life who gave 10 reasons on why we need to elevate the status of the teaching profession in India.

1. Ashwini Ponnappa

1-Ashwin

Indian shuttler and silver winner at the Commonwealth Games 2014 in Glasgow.

 

2. Usha Vishwanath

2-Usha

At the age of 80, Usha is an active social worker

 

3. Vasundhara Das

3-Vasundhara

Vasundhara is an Indian singer, actress, composer, entrepreneur, speaker, songwriter and environmental activist.

 

4. Saad Khan

4-Saad

Saad is an Indian film director, screenwriter and acting teacher.

 

5. Vikram  Nalagampalli

5-Vikram

Vikram founded a portal that bridges the gap between voters and electoral candidates.

 

6. MJ Pijosh

6-Pijosh

Music Jockey from Radio One.

 

7. Amin

7-Amin

Amin is a student at Seva Bharat Trust Govt Schools, Vivek Nagar and recently participated in the All India Robot Olympiad.

 

8. Aarti Mohan

8-Aarti

Aarti is the Chief Editor at an online magazine in India.

 

9. Chef Manu Chandra

9-Manu

Partner at The Fatty Bao & Monkey Bar and Executive Chef Olive Beach.

 

10. Bhavana Rajendran

10-Bhavana

Bhavana  is a social development researcher and an exceptional theatre artiste.

Each of these pithily drafted points pay a humble tribute to the spirit of pedagogy, to the warrior who fights the societal battle all alone in a classroom with bare walls, rickety benches, chipped blackboards and children who have little but a spirit to break through the innumerable barriers.

A good teacher is like a candle – it consumes itself to light the way for others ~Mustafa   

SOURCE::::Storypick

Natarajan