DwarkaMai - Sai Baba Forum

Indian Spirituality => Philosophy & Spirituality => Topic started by: Ramesh Ramnani on May 07, 2005, 12:00:42 AM

Title: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on May 07, 2005, 12:00:42 AM
The Story of a Donkey

A washer man had 10 donkeys he used to take to the river with him to haul clothes on. While he was working or sleeping, he would tie them up so they wouldn't stray off. One day when he went to tie them up, he found he only had 9 ropes. He tied 9 donkeys and was holding the 10th by the ear wondering what he should do. A saint was passing by and asked him what he was doing. The washer man explained his dilemma and asked him for advice. The saint told him he only had to pretend he had a rope in his hands and perform the motions of tying the donkey up and that he would stay. So the washer man followed his advice and to his surprise, the donkey stayed all night while the washer man slept. In the morning when he was ready to leave the river, the washer man untied the donkeys and began his journey home. But the one donkey who had not really been tied refused to move.
 
The washer man was puzzled by this and was tugging on the donkeys ear to move him along. The donkey that had been tied with only an imaginary rope would not move. The saint reappeared again and the washer man sought his advice.  The saint asked him if he had untied the donkey and the washer man said no and asked why he would need to since it was just an imaginary rope. The saint replied that donkeys are a lot like people in that they get caught up in an imaginary life and are under the illusion of bondage. So the washer man followed his directions and pretended to untie the donkey. The donkey then moved on along his way to the village with the others.

We create bondages for ourselves with our imagination.
The truth is that we are free. Untie yourself from
the maya  and free yourself from your mind.

 
 
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on May 14, 2005, 12:26:11 PM
SPARROW AND THE ELEPHANT

There used to live a pair of sparrows in a forest. They had their nest on a big tree. After some days the mother sparrow laid eggs.

One day, an elephant came under the shade of that tree to take rest. It was very hot that day. The elephant playfully broke that particular branch on which the nest, the sparrows rested. The eggs fell down and smashed. The pair of sparrows survived somehow.

The female sparrow started wailing to see the eggs destroyed. Right then a woodpecker by the name of Sudansunak arrived there. He was a friend of the sparrows. The woodpecker said-

"Its no use crying over a lost thing. It is said there is no use crying over the things which have been destroyed, a person who has died and the time which has passed".

The mother sparrow said-

"Whatever you say is absolutely right. But my sorrow will remain as long as the wicked elephant is alive. If you can help me in killing that mean elephant only then my sorrows will be eliminated".

The woodpecker agreed to help the sparrows. He than went to call his friend Vinarwa, the fly. He narrated the whole story to her. The fly readily agreed to help the sparrows. Then she along with the woodpecker went to Meghanand- the frog, which was the friend of that fly.

When the frog heard the whole story he became very angry with that wicked elephant. He said -

"What is this mean elephant before our collective strength".

Then the frog devised a plan according to which, the fly was to make a buzzing sound in the ears of the elephant, which would close his eyes in joy anticipating more. Right then the woodpecker would blind him by his pointed beak. In the afternoon the blind elephant would be thirsty. Then the elephant would search for the water. Meghanand would then croak near a ravine. The elephant would follow his voice and come towards the ravine and fall into it and die.

The plan worked successfully and the elephant died after falling into the ravine.


Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on May 14, 2005, 11:25:55 PM
GAUTAM THE BUDDHA

Gautam Buddha's father was very old and he had only one son, and that too was born to him when he was very old His whole life he has waited and prayed and worshipped and did all kinds of religious rituals so that he can have a son, because who is going to look after his great kingdom? And then one day the son disappeared from the palace. Do you think he was very happy? He was so angry, violently angry, he would have killed Gautam Buddha if he had found him! His police, his detectives were searching all over the kingdom. "Where he is hiding? Bring him to me!"

And Buddha knew it, that he will be caught by his father's agents, so the first thing he did was he left the boundary of his father's kingdom; escaped into another kingdom, and for twelve years nothing was heard about him.

When he became enlightened he came back home to share his joy, to say to the father that, "I have arrived home," that "I have realized," that "I have known the truth -- and this is the way."

But the father was so angry, he was trembling and shaking -- he was old, very old. He shouted at Buddha and he said, "You are a disgrace to me!" He saw Buddha -- he was standing there in a beggar's robe with a begging bowl -- and he said, "How you dare to stand before me like a beggar? You are the son of an emperor, and in our family there has never been a beggar! My father was an emperor, his father was too, and for centuries we have been emperors! You have disgraced the whole heritage!"

Buddha listened for half an hour, he didn't say a single word. When the father ran out of gas, cooled down a little... tears were coming out of his eyes, tears of anger, frustration. Then Buddha said, "I ask for only one favor. Please wipe your tears and look at me -- I am not the same person who had left the home, I am totally transformed. But your eyes are so full of tears you cannot see. And you are still talking to somebody who is no more! He has died."

And this triggered another anger, and the father said, "You are trying to teach me? Do you think I am a fool? Can't I recognize my own son? My blood is running in your veins -- and I cannot recognize you?"

Buddha said, "Please don't misunderstand me. The body certainly belongs to you, but not my consciousness. And my consciousness is my reality, not my body. And you are right that your father was an emperor and his father too, but as far as I know about myself I was a beggar in my past life and I was a beggar in a previous life too, because I have been searching for truth. My BODY has come through you, but you have been just like a passage. You have not created me, you have been a medium, and my consciousness has nothing to do with your consciousness. And what I am saying is that now I have come home with a new consciousness, I have gone through a rebirth. Just LOOK at me, look at my joy!"

And the father looked at the son, not believing what he is saying. But one thing was certainly there: that he was so angry but the son has not reacted at all. That was absolutely new -- he knew his son. If he was just the old person he would have become as angry as the father or even more, because he was young and his blood was hotter than the father's. But he is not angry at all, there is absolute peace on his face, a great silence. He is undisturbed, undistracted by the father's anger. The father has abused him, but it seems not to have affected him at all.

He wiped his tears from the old eyes, looked again, saw the new grace...
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: SS91 on May 16, 2005, 02:06:02 PM
The Little Soul and the Sun


Part 1

There once was a soul who knew itself to be the light. This was a new soul and so, anxious for experience.

"I am the light" it said. "I am the light"

Yet all the knowing of it and all the saying of it, could not substitute for the experience of it. And in the realm from which this soul emerged, there was nothing but the light. Every soul was grand and every soul was magnificent and every soul shone with the brilliance of God's awesome light. So the little soul was as a candle in the sun. In the midst of the grandest light, of which it was part, it could not see itself, nor experience itself as Who and What it really is.

Now it came to pass that this soul yearned and yearned to know itself. So great was it's yearning that God one day said, "Do you know little one, what you must do to satisfy this yearning of yours?"

"Oh, what, God? What? I'll do anything!" the little soul said.

"You must separate yourself from the rest of us" God answered, "and then you must call upon yourself the darkness"

"What is the darkness, o Holy One?" the little soul asked.

"That which you are not" God replied and the soul understood.

And so this the soul did, removing itself from the ' All ' going even unto another realm. And in this realm the soul had the power to call into it's experience all sorts of darkness. And this it did.

Yet in the midst of all the darkness did it cry out, "Father, Father, why hast thou forsaken me?"

God replied: "Even has have you, in your blackest times. Yet I have never forsaken you, but stand by you always, ready to remind you of Who You Really Are; ready always ready, to call you home.

Therefore be a light unto the darkness and curse it not. And forget not who you are in the moment of your encirclement by that which you are not. But do praise to the creation even as you seek to change it.

And know that what you do in the time of your greatest trial can be your greatest triumph.

For the experience you create is a statement of Who You Are - and Who You Want to Be.

 


Part 2

God said to the little soul, "You may choose to be any Part of God you wish to be. You are absolute divinity experiencing itself. What aspect of divinity do you now wish to experience as You?"

"You mean I have a choice", asked the little soul.

God answered, "Yes. You may choose to experience any aspect of divinity in, as and through you."

"Okay," said the little soul, "then I choose forgivness. I want to experience myself as that aspect of God called complete forgivness."

Well this created a little challenge, as you can imagine. There was no one to forgive. All God had created was perfection and love.

"No one to forgive?" asked the little soul, somewhat incredulously.

"No one," God repeated. "Look around you. Do you see any souls less than perfect, less wonderful than you?"

At this the little soul twirled around and was surprised to see himself surrounded by all the souls in heaven. They had come from far and wide throughout the kingdom, because they heard that the little soul was having an extraordinary conversation with God.

"I see none less perfect than I!" the little soul exclaimed. "Who, then, shall I have to forgive?"

Just then another soul stepped forward from the crowd.

"You may forgive me" said this friendly soul

"For what?" the little soul asked.

" I will come into your next physical lifetime and do something for you to forgive," replied the friendly soul.

"But what? What could you, a being of such perfect light do to make me wnat to forgive you?" the little soul wanted to know.

"Oh," smiled the friendly soul, "I'm sure we can think of something."

"But why would you want to do this?" The little soul could not figure out why a being of such perfection would want to slow down it's vibration so much that it could do something 'bad'.

"Simple," the friendly soul explained, "I would do it because I love you. You want to experience yourself as forgiving, don't you? Besides you've done the same for me."

"I have?" asked the little soul.

"Of course, don't you remember? We've been All Of it, you and I. We've been the Up and the Down of it, and the Left and the Right of it. We've been the Here and the There of it, and the Now and the Then of it. We've been the Big and the Small of it, the Male and the Female of it and the Good and the Bad of it. We've been the All of it."

"And we've done it by agreement, so that each of us might experience ourselves as the grandest part of God. For we have understood that...

'In the absence of that which You Are Not, that which you Are, is Not'.

'In the absence of cold you cannot be warm, in the absence of sad you cannot be happy. Without a thing called evil, the experience you call good cannot exist'.

'If you choose to be a thing, something or someone opposite to that has to show up somewhere in your universe to make that possible.' "

The friendly soul then explained that those people are God's Special Angels and these conditions God's Gifts.

"I ask only one thing in return," the friendly soul declared.

"Anything, Anything," the little soul cried. He was excited now to know that he could experience every divine aspect of God. He understood now, The Plan.

"In the moment that I strike you and smite you," said the friendly soul, "in the moment that I do the worst to you that you could ever imagine - in that self same moment...remember Who I Really Am."

"Oh, I wont forget!" promised the little soul. "I will see you in the perfection with which I hold you now, and I will remember Who You Are, always."



subhasrini
OM SAI SRI SAI JAYA JAYA SAI!!!
Let us pray at the feet of Sai Baba who is the incarnation of all gods and protector of all, to show mercy on us, and increase our devotion towards him.
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: SS91 on May 16, 2005, 02:07:38 PM
Precious Gift


A wise woman who was traveling in the mountains found a precious stone in a stream.

The next day she met another traveler who was hungry, and the wise woman opened her bag to share her food. The hungry traveler saw the precious stone and asked the woman to give it to him.

She did so without hesitation.

The traveler left rejoicing in his good fortune. He knew the stone was worth enough to give him security for a lifetime. But, a few days later, he came back to return the stone to the wise woman.

"I've been thinking," he said.

"I know how valuable this stone is, but I give it back in the hope that you can give me something even more precious. Give me what you have within you that enabled you to give me this stone."

Sometimes it's not the wealth you have but what's inside you that others need.



subhasrini
OM SAI SRI SAI JAYA JAYA SAI!!!
Let us pray at the feet of Sai Baba who is the incarnation of all gods and protector of all, to show mercy on us, and increase our devotion towards him.
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on May 16, 2005, 09:37:33 PM
JAI SAI RAM!!!

NICE ONE!!! This is what we should ask from OUR SADGURU SAINATH MAHARAJ.  That is why he is waiting for us to ask for what he has.

OM SAI RAM
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on May 19, 2005, 01:25:13 AM
FREEDOM

Young King Arthur was ambushed and imprisoned by the monarch of a neighboring kingdom. The monarch could have killed him, but was moved by Arthur's youthful happiness. So he offered him freedom, as long as he could answer a very difficult question. Arthur would have a year to figure out the answer; if, after a year, he still had no answer, he would be killed.

The question was: What do women really want?

Such a question would perplex even the most knowledgeable man, and, to young Arthur, it seemed an impossible query. Well, since it was better than death, he accepted the monarch's proposition to have an answer by year's end.

He returned to his kingdom and began to poll everybody: the princess, the prostitutes, the priests, the wise men, the court jester. In all, he spoke with everyone but no one could give him a satisfactory answer.

What most people did tell him was to consult the old witch, as only she would know the answer. The price would be high, since the witch was famous throughout the kingdom for the exorbitant prices she charged.

The last day of the year arrived and Arthur had no alternative but to talk to the witch. She agreed to answer his question, but he'd have to accept her price first: The old witch wanted to marry Gawain, the most noble of the Knights of the Round Table and Arthur's closest friend!

Young Arthur was horrified: she was hunchbacked and awfully hideous, had only one tooth, smelled like sewage water, often made obscene noises...He had never run across such a repugnant creature. He refused to force his friend to marry her and have to endure such a burden.

Gawain, upon learning of the proposal, spoke with Arthur. He told him that nothing was too big of a sacrifice compared to Arthur's life and the preservation of the Round Table.

Hence, their wedding was proclaimed, and the witch answered Arthur's question:

What a woman really wants is to be able to be in charge of her own life.

Everyone instantly knew that the witch had uttered a great truth and that Arthur's life would be spared. And so it went. The neighboring monarch spared Arthur's life and granted him total freedom.
What a wedding Gawain and the witch had! Arthur was torn between relief and anguish. Gawain was proper as always, gentle and courteous. The old witch put her worst manners on display. She ate with her hands, belched and farted, and made everyone uncomfortable.
The wedding night approached: Gawain, steeling himself for a horrific night, entered the bedroom. What a sight awaited! The most beautiful woman he'd ever seen lay before him! Gawain was astounded and asked what had happened.

The beauty replied that since he had been so kind to her (when she'd been a witch), half the time she would be her horrible, deformed self, and the other half, she would be her beautiful maiden elf.
Which would he want her to be during the day and which during the night? What a cruel question? Gawain began to think of his predicament: During the day a beautiful woman to show off to his friends, but at night, in the privacy of his home, an old spooky witch? Or would he prefer having by day a hideous witch, but by night a beautiful woman to enjoy many intimate moments?
What would you do?

What Gawain chose follows below, but don't read until you've made your own choice.

Noble Gawain replied that he would let her choose for herself. Upon hearing this, she announced that she would be beautiful all the time, because he had respected her and had let her be in charge of her own life.

This story reminds me of a very beautiful quote* - "If you love something set it free. If it comes back to you, it is yours. If it doesn't, it never was". Isn't that the very essence of unconditional love?

For all of you out there - don't just read this story but please understand and recognize its intrinsic truth. That is the essence of what a person really wants - Freedom to make his/her own choices. The ability to live our life in all its completeness.
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: sangeetha on May 19, 2005, 02:09:27 AM
thank you Ramesh uncle..and Subhasriniji..for the lovely stories..very valuable ones..thanks

"I am Ever living to help and guide all, who come to me, who surrender to me and who seek refuge in me.- Baba"

Sangeetha
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: SS91 on May 19, 2005, 12:00:15 PM
The Kitten and the Baby Monkey

There are two interesting species that care for their young in different ways. One is the cat and the other the monkey. The kittens don’t move by themselves even an inch. It just goes on meowing and it is the mother cat, who with gentle love and affection lifts the kitten by holding its neck with its teeth (not hurting it at all) and goes from place to place and deposits the kitten wherever it wants. The monkey presents an interesting contrast. The baby monkey holds firm to the underside of the belly of its mother and the mother moves from place to place sometimes even jumping from branch to branch of trees at great height. The baby monkey just holds firm its mother and doesn't let go even when the mother jumps at great heights from tree branch to tree branch. Even if the baby is bruised in the process, it doesn't let go since instinct tells it that death is certain if it relaxes its grip. Thus in both cases, the mother carries the baby. But what a contrast? In the case of the monkey, it is the baby, which is responsible for holding on. In the case of the kitten it is the mother cat which takes the responsibility to hold its baby. These two are usually used as illustrations to represent the relationship between the devotee and the God. (In Sanskrit, they are known as Marjala Kishora Nyaya and Markata Kishora Nyaya). In the case of the devotee who is not fully free of ego, it is his responsibility to hold on to his Ishta Devata in spite of any troubles (which are to test his steadfast devotion). But once he makes contact with his God and starts getting benefit, and his ego dissolves, the devotee becomes like a kitten and it now becomes the responsibility of God like the mother cat to take care of the devotee. Thus while both the baby monkey and the kitten are good models for devotees to follow, the kitten represents the true Saranagati, i.e. a devotee who has totally surrendered himself to God. So let us all become kittens or if that much change is difficult, let us start by being baby monkeys and hold on firmly to God.


Om Sai Sri Sai Jai Jai Sai.

subhasrini
OM SAI SRI SAI JAYA JAYA SAI!!!
Let us pray at the feet of Sai Baba who is the incarnation of all gods and protector of all, to show mercy on us, and increase our devotion towards him.
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: SS91 on May 20, 2005, 02:41:50 PM
Let There Be Peace
 

A wise old gentleman retired and purchased a modest home near a junior high school. He spent the first few weeks of his retirement in peace and contentment . . . then a new school year began. The very next afternoon three young boys, full of
youthful, after-school enthusiasm, came down his street, beating merrily on every trash can they encountered. The crashing percussion continued day after day, until finally the wise old man decided it was time to take some action.

The next afternoon, he walked out to meet the young percussionists as they banged their way down the street. Stopping them, he said, "You kids are a lot of fun. I like to see you express your exuberance like that. Used to do the same thing when I was your age. Will you do me a favor? I'll give you each a dollar if you'll promise to come around every day and do your thing."

The kids were elated and continued to do a bang-up job on the trash cans. After a few days, the old-timer greeted the kids again, but this time he had a sad smile on his face. "This recession's really putting a big dent in my income," he told them. "From now on, I'll only be able to pay you 50 cents to beat on the cans." The noisemakers were obviously displeased, but they did accept his offer and continued their afternoon ruckus.

A few days later, the wily retiree approached them again as they drummed their way down the street. "Look," he said, "I haven't received my Social Security check yet, so I'm not going to be able to give you more than 25 cents. Will that be okay?"

"A lousy quarter?" the drum leader exclaimed. "If you think we're going to waste our time, beating these cans around for a quarter, you're nuts! No way, mister. We quit!"

And the old man enjoyed peace and serenity for the rest of his days.



subhasrini
OM SAI SRI SAI JAYA JAYA SAI!!!
Let us pray at the feet of Sai Baba who is the incarnation of all gods and protector of all, to show mercy on us, and increase our devotion towards him.
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: SS91 on May 20, 2005, 02:44:55 PM
How Much Does A Prayer Weigh?
 

God's giving is inseparable connected with our asking. "You do not have, because you do not ask." (James 4:2 NRSV)

Many years ago, just after World War I, there was a grocer who tried to weigh a prayer. During the week before Christmas a woman came into his store and asked for food to make a Christmas dinner for her children. He asked her how much she had to spend.

She answered, "My husband was killed in the war. I have nothing to offer but a prayer.'

The grocer said gruffly, "Write it down," and went about his business. To his surprise, the woman took a slip of paper out of her purse and handed it to him. "I did that during the night while I was watching over my sick baby," she said. The grocer took the paper and callously placed it on the weight side of his old-fashioned scales.

He said, "I'll give you the weight of food equal to the weight of this prayer." To his great astonishment, when he put a loaf of bread on the other side of the scale it didn't budge. Startled, he added a brick of cheese, and then a turkey, but it still didn't move. Finally, he had loaded so much food on the scale it couldn't hold any more.

He handed the woman a bag and said, "You'll have to sack it all yourself," then turned away. It was only after the woman left, tears of joy streaming down her face, that he discovered his scale had broken at the precise moment he placed her prayer on it. For the first time, he looked down to read what the woman had written:

"Please, God, give us this day our daily bread."


subhasrini
OM SAI SRI SAI JAYA JAYA SAI!!!
Let us pray at the feet of Sai Baba who is the incarnation of all gods and protector of all, to show mercy on us, and increase our devotion towards him.
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: SS91 on May 20, 2005, 02:54:33 PM
Three Trees



Once there were three trees on a hill in a woods. They were discussing their hopes and dreams when the first tree said "Someday I hope to be a treasure chest. I could be filled with gold, silver and precious gems. I could be decorated with intricate carving and everyone would see the beauty." Then the second tree said "Someday I will be a mighty ship. I will take kings and queens across the waters and sail to the corners of the world. Everyone will feel safe in me because of the strength of my hull."

Finally the third tree said. "I want to grow to be the tallest and straightest tree in the forest. People will see me on top of the hill and look up to my branches, and think of the heavens and God and how close to them I am reaching. I will be the greatest tree of all time and people will always remember me."

After a few years of praying that their dreams would come true, a group of woodsmen came upon the trees. When one came to the first tree he said, "This looks like a strong tree, I think I should be able to sell the wood to a carpenter. and he began cutting it down. The tree was happy, because he knew that the carpenter would make him into a treasure chest.

At the second tree a woodsman said, "This looks like a strong tree, I should be able to sell it to the shipyard." The second tree was happy because he knew he was on his way to becoming a mighty ship. When the woodsmen came upon the third tree, the tree was frightened because he knew that if they cut him down his dreams would not come true. One of the woodsman said, "I don't need anything special from my tree so I'll take this one and he cut it down."

When the first tree arrived at the carpenters, he was made into a feed box for animals. He was then placed in a barn and filled with hay. This was not at all what he had prayed for. The second tree was cut and made into a small fishing boat. His dreams of being a mighty ship and carrying kings had come to an end. The third tree was cut into large pieces and left alone in the dark.

The years went by, and the trees forgot about their dreams. Then one day, a man and women came to the barn. She gave birth and they placed the baby in the hay in the feed box that was made from the first tree. The man wished that he could have made a crib for the baby, but this manger would have to do. The tree could feel the importance of this event and knew that it had held the greatest treasure of all time.

Years later, a group of men got in the fishing boat made from the second tree. One of them was tired and went to sleep. While they were out on the water, a great storm arose and the tree didn't think it was strong enough to keep the men safe. The men woke the sleeping man, and he stood and said "peace" and the storm stopped.

At this time, the tree knew that it had carried the king of kings in it's boat.

Finally, someone came and got the third tree. It was carried through the streets as the people mocked the man who was carrying it. When they came to a stop, the man was nailed to the tree and raised in the air to die at the top of a hill. When Sunday came, the tree came to realize that it was strong enough to stand at the top of the hill and be as close to God as was possible, because Jesus had been crucified on it."

The moral of this story is that when things don't seem to be going your way, always know that God has a plan for you. If you place your trust in Him, He will give you great gifts. Each of the trees got what they wanted, just not in the way they had imagined.


subhasrini
OM SAI SRI SAI JAYA JAYA SAI!!!
Let us pray at the feet of Sai Baba who is the incarnation of all gods and protector of all, to show mercy on us, and increase our devotion towards him.
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on May 21, 2005, 04:16:32 AM
JAI SAI RAM SUBHASRINIJI!!!

NICE AND EDUCATIVE STORIES!!!

OM SAI RAM!!!
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on May 21, 2005, 04:23:12 AM
"LOVE - DELIGHTFUL CONTENTMENT" : PART I

I recall the story of a fakir who lived in a small hut. One night, about midnight, it was raining heavily and the fakir and his wife were asleep. Suddenly, there was a knock on the door: someone wanted shelter.

The fakir woke his wife. "Somebody is outside," he said. "Some traveler, some unknown friend."

Have you noticed? He said, "Some unknown friend." You do not even befriend those you know. His attitude was one of love. The fakir said, "Some unknown friend is waiting outside. Please open the door." His wife said, "There is no room. There is not even enough room for the two of us. How can one more person come in?"

The fakir replied, "My dear, this is not the palace of a rich man. It cannot become any smaller. A rich man's palace seems smaller if even one more guest arrives, but this is the hut of a poor man."
His wife asked, "How does the question of poor and rich come into this? The plain fact is that this is a very small hut!"

The fakir answered, "If there is enough room in your heart, you will feel that this hut is a palace, but if your heart is narrow, even a palace would seem small. Please open the door. How can we refuse a man who has come to our door? Up to now, we have been lying down.
 
Three may not be able to lie down, but at least three can sit. There is room for another if we all sit."

The wife had to open the door. The man came in, soaking wet. They sat together and started to chat. After a while, two more people came and knocked on the door.

The fakir said, "It seems someone else has come," and asked the guest sitting nearest the door to open it. The man said, "Open the door? There is no space." The man, who had himself taken shelter in this hut moments before, forgot that it was not the fakir's love for him that had given him a place, but that he had found shelter because there was love in the hut. And now, some new people had come. And love must accommodate the newcomers.

But the man said, "No, it is not necessary to open the door. Don't you see the difficulty we're having, squatting here?"

The fakir said, "My dear man, didn't I make room for you? You were allowed in because there is love here. It is still here; it has not ended with you. Open the door, please. Now we are sitting apart from each other, so we will simply huddle together. Moreover, the night is cold and it will give us warmth and pleasure to sit so snugly together."

The door was opened and the two newcomers came in. They all sat together and began to get acquainted.

Contd.....
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Dipika on May 21, 2005, 06:23:16 AM
OMSAIRAM Ramesh uncle ji and Subasrini ji,Very nice articles.
I just loved the quote - "If you love something set it free. If it comes back to you, it is yours. If it doesn't, it never was".

Sai baba let your holy lotus feet be our sole refuge.OMSAIRAM

dipika duggal
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on May 21, 2005, 09:15:38 AM
"LOVE - DELIGHTFUL CONTENTMENT" : PART-II

Contd...

Then, a donkey came and pushed at the door with its head. The donkey was wet; it wanted shelter for the night.

The fakir asked one of the men, who was almost sitting on top of the door, to open it. "Some new friend has come," the fakir said.
Peeking outside, the man said, "This isn't a friend or anything like a friend. It's just an ass. It's not necessary to open up."
 
The fakir said, "Perhaps you are not aware that at the door of the rich, men are treated as animals, but this is the hut of a poor fakir and we are accustomed to treating even animals as human beings. Please open the door."

In unison, the men groaned, "But the space?"

"There is plenty of space. Instead of sitting, we can all stand. Don't be upset. If it becomes necessary, I will go outside and make enough room."

Can love not do this much as well?

It is imperative to have a heart full of love. A loving attitude is what we all should have.

Humanness is only born in a man when he has a loving heart. And with a loving heart comes a feeling of deep contentment, a deep and delightful contentment. Have you never noticed, after you've shown a little love to someone, that a great wave of contentment, a great thrill of joy pervades your entire being? Have you never realized that the most serene moments of contentment were those which came in moments of unconditional love?

Pure love can only survive if it is not adulterated by conditions; a conditional love is not love.  
 
Have you never had a feeling of contentment after having smiled at a stranger in the street? Didn't a breeze of peace follow it? There is no limit to the wave of tranquil joy you will feel when you lift a fallen man, when you support a fallen person, when you present a sick man with flowers -- but not when you do it because he is your father or because she is your mother. No, the person may not be anyone in particular to you, but simply to give a gift is itself a great reward, a great pleasure.

Love should well up inside you -- love for plants, love for human beings, love for strangers, love for foreigners, love for those on their way toward the moon and the stars. Your love should be ever on the increase.

OM SAI RAM!!!
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on May 22, 2005, 05:34:45 AM
Things Aren't Always As They Seem

Two traveling angels stopped to spend the night in the home of a wealthy family.

The family was rude and refused to let the angels stay in the mansion's guest room. Instead the angels were given a small space in the cold basement.

As they made their bed on the hard floor, the older angel saw a hole in the wall and repaired it.

When the younger angel asked why, the older angel replied, "Things aren't always what they seem."

The next night the pair came to rest at the house of a very poor, but very hospitable farmer and his wife. After sharing what little food they had the couple let the angels sleep in their bed where they could have a good night's rest.

When the sun came up the next morning the angels found the farmer and his wife in tears. Their only cow, whose milk had been their sole income, lay dead in the field.

The younger angel was infuriated and asked the older angel how could you have let this happen? The first man had everything, yet you helped him, she accused. The second family had little but was willing to share everything, and you let the cow die.

"Things aren't always what they seem," the older angel replied.

"When we stayed in the basement of the mansion, I noticed there was gold stored in that hole in the wall. Since the owner was so obsessed with greed and unwilling to share his good fortune, I sealed the wall so he wouldn't find it."

"Then last night as we slept in the farmers bed, the angel of death came for his wife. I gave him the cow instead. Things aren't always what they seem."

Sometimes that is exactly what happens when things don't turn out the way they should. If you have faith, you just need to trust that every outcome is always to your advantage. You might not know it until some time later...
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: sangeetha on May 22, 2005, 06:04:52 AM
excellent stories Ramesh uncle..and Subhaji..

"I am Ever living to help and guide all, who come to me, who surrender to me and who seek refuge in me.- Baba"

Sangeetha
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: snatarajan on May 23, 2005, 12:20:57 AM
Om Sai Ram,

What a stories, Thanks Ramesh Ji and All for posting grate stuffs.

Om Sai Ram,
Natarajan S.
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on May 23, 2005, 09:16:50 AM
It is like an ancient story. It was a full moon night and a thief had stolen much jewelry. And of course he was afraid. He was running, and suddenly he heard some steps following him.

It almost always happens -- if you have ever tried running in the dark -- you hear your own footsteps and you feel as if somebody is following you.

And when he looked, he found somebody actually was following him; it was his own shadow. But he was not in a situation to figure out who it was. His problem was somehow to escape out of its clutches. He ran faster, but he heard the follower also running faster. And he went on looking back and he found that it was just behind him. The poor fellow was tired, utterly tired, but could not get rid of his shadow. Exhausted, he fell under a tree where the moonlight did not go and he looked all around and he wondered where the other fellow had gone -- just now he was behind him, so close.

Gathering courage, looking all around, he could not see him anywhere; but then he came out of the shadow of the tree and again he was behind him. But this time he could not be deceived, he turned around and looked at the fellow. It was no one. It was his own shadow.

Many of our problems -- perhaps most of our problems -- are because we have never looked at them face to face, never encountered them; and not looking at them is giving them energy, being afraid of them is giving them energy, always trying to avoid them is giving them energy -- because you are accepting them. Your very acceptance is their existence. Other than your acceptance, they don't exist. So if you open your closets, and take your light, and look at the skeletons, you will find they are dead.

Skeletons cannot do anything, but almost everybody is afraid of skeletons. It is a strange situation. You are not afraid of living people who can do damage to you, who can even kill you -- and they are all hiding a skeleton underneath just skin deep, and they are living people. But if you suddenly come across in a room a poor skeleton who has no life, you become so afraid. What can the skeleton do to you?

Give life to things which are beautiful. Don't give life to ugly things. You don't have much time, much energy to waste. With such a small life, with such a small energy source, it is simply stupid to waste it in sadness, in anger, in hatred, in jealousy.

Use it in love, use it in some creative act, use it in friendship, use it in meditation; do something with it which takes you higher. And the higher you go, the more energy sources become available to you.
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on May 24, 2005, 10:45:49 AM
TRANSFORMATION

One day I asked a scarecrow standing in the middle of the field:

'Do you not get bored standing still in this field?' It replied, 'Oh! the pleasure of scaring the birds is so much that I am not at all aware how and when the time passes!' After a moment of contemplation I said: 'This is true because I also have the experience of this pleasure.'
 
The scarecrow said, 'Yes, only those whose body is stuffed with straw and grass can be familiar with this pleasure!'"
 
But everybody seems to be familiar with this pleasure. Is not straw and grass stuffed inside all of us too? Are not we also false men standing in the field?

This is the pleasure after witnessing which I have just returned. Is not the same pleasure going on over the mound of this whole earth?
 
I ask this to myself and weep. I weep for that man who can be born but has not been born; who is within everyone but is hidden as the embers are hidden in the ashes.

In reality the body is no more than a heap of straw and grass, and for anyone who stops at that it would have been better if he were in some field because then at least he would have served the purpose of saving the crop from the birds. Man is not even that useful!
 
No one becomes really man without knowing that which is beyond the body; no one becomes man without knowing the soul. To be born in the form of man is one thing and to BE Man is entirely different.

Man has to give birth to himself within himself. It is not like garments with which one can cover oneself. No one becomes man just by covering himself with the garments of man, because they keep him man only so long as the actual necessity for being Man does not arise. As the necessity arises, one does not even know when the garment falls off!

Just as a seed becomes a sprout by transforming its being -- not by wearing any garments -- similarly man also has to transmute his entire life source into a totally new dimension.
   
Only then is he born, only then the transformation.
 
Then his pleasure does not lie in scattering or sowing thorns but is transformed into picking the thorns and scattering flowers. It is at this moment that it becomes evident that he is no longer straw and grass now, he is man; he is not the body, he is the soul.
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on May 25, 2005, 09:37:09 PM
FROM SHORE TO INFINITE

One dark, cold night, a hermit was staying in a temple. In order to ward off the cold, he was burning a wooden statue of the temple deity but, sensing the blazing fire, the priest awoke. When he saw the statue burning, he was stunned. Overcome with anger, he could not utter a word, so unthinkable was the act. Then he noticed that the hermit was searching for something in the heap of ashes. The priest asked him, "Whatever are you doing now?"

The hermit replied, "I am searching for the bones of the deity's body." At this, the madness of the hermit became clear to the priest. He said to the hermit, "Madman, how can there be bones in a wooden statue?" The hermit replied, "Then please do me the favor of bringing another statue. The night is long and very cold."

When I think of this story, it appears to me that I myself am that mad hermit.

If only we were free of images so that we could see the imageless! If we persist with the form, we cannot reach the formless. With our eyes fixed on the external, how can we leap into the ocean of the infinite? Can someone who worships something outside himself return into himself? Throw the corporeal to the flames so that only the incorporeal remains.

Let the massed clouds of form be scattered so that the formless sky may be attained. Let the form melt, so that the boat may reach the ocean of the formless. He who launches his boat from the shore of the finite certainly reaches the infinite, and becomes one with it.
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on May 27, 2005, 12:36:09 PM
IT IS RIGHT NOW.........

Once an emperor was very upset with his son and sent him into exile. Because he was an emperor's son, the boy didn't know how to do anything. He had never done anything else -- he could only beg. When an emperor is no longer an emperor, begging is the only thing he can do.

He began begging. Twenty years passed and he completely forgot: can anyone begging twenty years remember he is an emperor? Impossible. It is difficult, it would make begging difficult. It is better to forget it. So he forgot; otherwise how could he beg? An emperor and begging! Door to door, holding his begging bowl, standing in front of hotels and restaurants begging, asking for leftovers? An emperor! He had to forget the emperor. It had to be wiped out of his memory. It was finished, that chapter was closed. It was like a dream, like a story he had read long ago or a movie he had once seen. What did it have to do with him?

Twenty years later when the emperor, the father, became old, he got upset -- he had only one son and that son would be the ruler. He said to his ministers, "Go and find him. And wherever he is bring him back. Tell him his father has pardoned him.

It is not a question of pardoning or not pardoning: I am dying. Who will look after the kingdom? It is better that it stay in the hands of my own blood rather than go to someone else. However he may be, good or bad, bring him back."

The ministers found the prince standing in front of a dining hall with his broken bowl, begging for money. He was naked. He had no shoes on his feet. It was mid-afternoon, in the heat of summer, a hot wind blowing. His feet were burning and he was begging for a little money to buy shoes. He had a little change in his bowl.
 
The chariot came and stopped. The minister got down and fell at his feet-he was the future emperor. As the minister touched his feet, in a flash it happened, it all came back. For twenty years he had not remembered that he was an emperor. Now to remember he had no need to sit and think, contemplate, do austerities, meditate. No, within one second, not even a second -- in a moment the transformation happened.
 
The man became something else. He was still a beggar, impoverished. He was still naked, still he had no shoes on his feet. He threw away his begging bowl and told the ministers to arrange for his bath and make arrangements for proper clothing. He stepped forward and mounted his chariot. His glory was a sight to see. He was still the same, but his face was majestic, his eyes were shining, there was a splendor all around.
   
He was an emperor. The memory returned. His father had sent the invitation. It is just like this.

When BABA says here and now, HE is saying the same: however long you have traveled -- twenty years, even twenty lives.... You have been in exile, you have begged long, you have totally forgotten. The memory is sound asleep -- it had to be put to sleep. If the memory were not asleep, begging would have been impossible. You wandered from door to door with a begging bowl. BABA is saying, "The invitation has arrived. Wake up! You are not a beggar! You are the son of an emperor!"

If someone listens rightly, the happening takes place just by listening. This is the greatness, the glory of the SAI SACHARITRA. There is no insistence on doing anything. Just listen, just let the truth reach your heart. Don't come in the way, just be receptive. Just listen, let the arrow reach your heart. Its impact is enough. The forgetfulness of many many lives will break open, the memory will come back: you are God. Hence BABA says right here, right now.

Don't find excuses. You say, perhaps this is a method, a device, to increase urgency, to increase intensity in YOU.
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on May 29, 2005, 01:19:08 AM
I am not a Hindu,
Nor a Muslim am I!


Once a neighbouring sultan visited Benares, the king, an admirer of Kabir, was persuaded to summon the poet for the sultan’s inspection.

To the shock of all present, Kabir, rather than bowing and humbling himself, merely offered a common greeting no different than he would to any man. When asked to explain his behaviour, Kabir noted that there is only one king in the world — God. “Within the Hindu and the Muslim,” he added, “dwells the same God.”

The sultan, although not entirely a noble ruler, saw something in Kabir’s remarks. He was impressed by Kabir’s candor. He knew that it was no ordinary man who stood before him, but a true lover of God. Kabir’s transgressions were dismissed.

It was however the priests, both Hindu and Muslim, who, in alliance, campaigned and organized a case against the poet-saint. Assembling allies and witnesses in a political move against Kabir, who they felt was threatening their authority in the community, they forced him to return to the court to face trial. On his return, Kabir only smiled. “All my life,” he began, “I have tried to impress upon the Hindus and Muslims that God is one, the Father of both. I pleaded with them to join hands in worshipping the Lord of All, but they rejected my plea. They could never stand together in the court of the King of kings, but today it amuses me to see them standing united in the court of a worldly king, a mortal like all others.”

This was too much. The united front of the Muslim and Hindu “holy men” convinced the sultan of Kabir’s guilt as a heretic. Kabir was sentenced to death by drowning, but when thrown to the river his chain broke and Kabir floated away unharmed. The charge of magician was added and Kabir was set out to be trampled by an elephant, but the animal would not cooperate. “In its heart, too,” Kabir explained, “dwells the Lord.” Not to give up in defeat, the conspirators put Kabir to a fire. This time, however, he emerged, it is said, emitting a divine radiance.

Everyone was speechless in awe, including the sultan. To his credit, the sultan ordered Kabir freed of his ties. He approached the poet with remorse and guilt. “I did not realize your greatness,” he said at last. “Please forgive me.” He stood before the saint, eyes downcast, awaiting his judgement.

“You are not at fault,” Kabir said with the graciousness only possible in a saint. “Such was the will of God. Look up, O Sultan. Don’t feel sad. Forget what has happened. The Lord is all love and mercy. In His court true repentance never goes unrewarded.”

As Kabir says, “Forgiveness is a game that only the saints play.”

Like Gnyaneshwara before him and Guru Nanak and Sai Baba of Shirdi, who were to follow, Kabir strove for the One Truth. He described himself as the son of both Ram and Allah:

I am not a Hindu,
Nor a Muslim am I!
I am this body, a play
Of five elements; a drama
Of the spirit dancing
With joy and sorrow

Kabir urged introspection:

You were born on Earth as human,
Why are you in slumber now?
Take care of yourself;
Yourself is what you have to know.
The learned pundit gives discourse,
Not knowing God is near;
He does not know God dwells in him,
So seeks him here and there.
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on May 31, 2005, 09:22:09 PM
GURU GOVIND DOI KHARE, KAKE LAAGUN PAE
BALIHARI GURU AAPAKI, GOVIND DIYO BATAE


Kabir says: The Master and God both are standing in front of me, and I am in a confusion: whose feet to touch first? The Master's feet or God's feet? -- because it is the Master who has shown me God; he should be respected first. But when God is standing there, how can you respect the Master first? You have to bow down to God.

And Kabir says: But my Master was so great that he immediately looked at me and showed me the feet of God. "Touch the feet of God, forget all about me."

Buddha says: If you meet me on the way, kill me imme-diately. Don't let me stand between you and the ultimate.

The Master knocks on the door and goes on knocking. The moment you will open the door, the Master will disappear; he will not stand in the way.  
   
That is the differ-ence between the true Master and the pseudo Master. The pseudo Master will stand between you and God. The true Master will disappear. The moment you are awake you will find God, and the Master is not standing there any-where. But because the Master disappears he creates more respect and more love in you.

I have always wondered about this small statement of Kabir: Whose feet to touch first? And great is my Master who has shown immediately the feet of God to me.
 
But I have wondered whose feet Kabir really DID touch first. As far as I can see, he must have touched the feet of the Master, because he says: Great is the Master who has shown me the feet of God. Now how can you help not touching the feet of the Master first?

Buddha says: Kill me if I come in the way. And the disciples who became enlightened continued to touch Buddha's feet. Buddha said, "Now there is no need. You are as much enlightened as I am, because in enlightenment there are no degrees. You have come home, you are a Buddha yourself -- no need to touch my feet." But they continued, out of deep gratitude.
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on June 04, 2005, 09:17:10 PM
"Wrappings?"

Once upon a time long ago, God decided to give a special gift to human beings, for they were very dear to Him.

He decided to make a dwelling place in each human heart where he would live forever. In this special place God’s children would know Him as he truly is and be one with Him. Here they would be happy and filled with peace. It was surely the most precious gift ever given.
 
But God thought, “What is a gift without beautiful wrappings?” So he veiled his wonderful gift with a most enchanting and attractive covering called Maya. Just a glimpse of this paper was enough to make the human race aware of their freedom of choice, aware of their individual uniqueness, aware of their senses so that they could touch and be touched by the world around them.

This wrapping was laced with clear mountain streams, beautiful green valleys, life-long friendships and wonderful romances. It bore the fragrance of exotic fruits, deep secret forests and delicate flowers. It was so magnificent that it almost had the appearance of life itself.

Truly, any wrapping less magnificent wouldn’t have done justice to God’s precious gift.

So with great joy He carefully folded and secured the paper of Maya around each gift and gave one to each of His children. Needless to say, they were all very pleased with the gifts - they cherished and loved them. To receive a gift is wonderful, but to receive one from God is more than that – it is divine!

But …. The story does not end here. You see the human race was so excited to get such  beautifully wrapped presents that they didn’t think to look inside. In fact they didn’t know there was anything except the enchanting wrappings. For a long time they just sat and gazed at it.

God smiled and waited. But everyone still sat looking at their presents and feeling the paper. A few people would raise their heads to thank God and then quickly look down at them again. Most of them were so engrossed that they didn’t even realize anyone else was around – nor did they care!

God gave those who thanked Him a little nudge, “Please look inside,”He said, “there’s much more.” But they didn’t understand what He was saying. “Look inside? Inside at what?”

God chuckled, “Here let me show you,” and He very gently tore at a few people’s presents. When they saw the rips they were broken hearted. They cried and wailed. In between sobs and sniffles they said things to God like, “You  Meany! You ruined my whole life.” And: “You are supposed to be kind and loving! Why did you rip my gift.”

The sound of the wailing was almost deafening. And it all seemed sort of silly to God. Here they were crying over the wrapping paper. How could they expect to find the true gift without removing the wrapping? Still, God felt great compassion; they were so young and inexperienced. He knew the crying would stop when they discovered the true gifts. But how long would that take?

After a while God noticed a small child who wasn’t crying like everyone else. “You don’t seem so upset; why not?”

"Well," she answered, “I don’t understand why you ripped my package; but I figure You gave it to me; so You must know what You are doing.”

God smiled. “I’ll show you the real gift.” He picked up her package and gently tore it open. it was painful for the child to see her beautiful wrapping fall to the floor, but when she looked up, a smile came to her face, and her eyes filled with a warm golden glow. Tears of  joy rolled down her cheeks and she tried to thank God for the inner gift.
 
And upon looking down upon herself she saw that she had been transformed from a little child to a radiant woman - a mature being who shone with the pure light of love. Her light was so bright that it made a few humans look up from their Maya-covered gifts. When they saw her, they knew that something miraculous had taken place. Some couldn’t understand how she could be so happy without the wrapping papers. Others called out, “Please teach us what You know”

She looked at them and smiled, “I am no different from you. I have merely uncovered the gift we all have.”

A small group gathered around her. “How can we find this gift? Must we travel far?”

“No,” she said, “You don’t need to. Just don’t be afraid when troubles beset you and your life seems to be falling apart -This is just the outer layer falling away- don’t cling to or try to wrap the tattered remains around you. Instead give yourself over to God so that He may hasten the unwrapping of your gift. For once the paper is gone you will see that place where we are all joined with God.”
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Sushma1 on June 07, 2005, 06:48:37 PM
Ramesh Ji and Subhasrini Ji,
       It is these stories that attracted me towards this site. Please post more and more stories. I want to learn to purify my heart and reach Sai through these examples.

Thank you very much and thanks to You SAI for making me read it. Could have done something good in my past life that i've got to know about this site.


Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on June 08, 2005, 05:05:40 PM
DON'T LIVE A LIFE OF LIVING DEATH

A little bunch of wildflowers lived sheltered in the crevices of an old city wall. Winds and storms failed to disturb them since they were well protected by the high walls and crevices. For the same reason the suns rays could not burn them nor could the rains ruin them.

There was a rosebush in the neighborhood of this bunch of wild-flowers. The presence of the gorgeous roses made the wild-flowers feel inferior and ashamed of their own existence. So one fine morning the wild-flowers prayed to God, “so long we have lived as faceless wild-flowers; now please turn us into roses.”

God said in answer, “Why get into unnecessary troubles? The life of a rose is very hard. When there is a storm, it shakes it to its roots . And when it blooms, there is already someone to pluck it. You live a well-protected life. Don’t forsake it”
 
But the flowers insisted, “We have long lived a sheltered life; we now want to live dangerously. Please make us roses for twenty four hours.”

Other wild-flowers pleaded, “Don’t be crazy. We have heard that a few of our ancestors had to suffer terribly because of this very craze to become a rose . Our racial experience says that we are ok as we are, we should not try to be roses.”

But the little plant again said, “I want to gossip with the stars; I want to fight with the storms; I want to bathe in the rains; I am determined to become a rose.”

At long last God yielded and one fine morning the little bunch of wild-flowers became a rose. And immediately it’s saga of trials and tribulations began. Storms came and shook it’s roots. Rains came and it was drowned in water. The midday sun burned it’s petals  and made it suffer immeasurably. At all times it was exposed to dangers from all sides . Once again the elderly wild-flowers gathered around the newborn rose and said, “We had told you so. Don’t you see how secure you were in your old life? Granted it had it’s problems, but they were old and familiar problems, and we were used to them. It was okay. Do you see what a mess you have made of your life?”

To this the new rose said, "You are fools. I say that it’s far better to be a rose for just twenty four hours and live dangerously than to live in life-long security as little wild-flowers protected by a high wall. It was great to breathe with the storms and fight with the winds. I was in contact with the sun and had a dialogue with the stars. I have achieved my soul and am fulfilled. I lived fully and am going to die fully. As far as you are concerned you live a life of living death.”
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on June 18, 2005, 10:57:28 AM
WINDOW

Two men, both seriously ill, occupied the same hospital room. One man was allowed to sit up in his bed for an hour a day to drain the fluids from his lungs. His bed was next to the room's only window. The other man had to spend all his time flat on his back.

The men talked for hours on end. They spoke of their wives and families, their homes, their jobs, their involvement in the military service, where they had been on vacation. And every afternoon when the man in the bed next to the window could sit up, he would pass the time by describing to his roommate all the things he could see outside the window.

The man in the other bed would live for those one-hour periods where his world would be broadened and enlivened by all the activity and color of the outside world.

The window overlooked a park with a lovely lake, the man had said. Ducks and swans played on the water while children sailed their model boats. Lovers walked arm in arm amid flowers of every color of the rainbow. Grand old trees graced the landscape, and a fine view of the city skyline could be seen in the distance. As the man by the window described all this in exquisite detail, the man on the other side of the room would close his eyes and imagine the picturesque scene. One warm afternoon the man by the window described a parade passing by. Although the other man could not hear the band, he could see it in his mind's eye as the gentleman by the window portrayed it with descriptive words. Unexpectedly, an alien thought entered his head: Why should he have all the pleasure of seeing everything while I never get to see anything?

It didn't seem fair. As the thought fermented, the man felt ashamed at first. But as the days passed and he missed seeing more sights, his envy eroded into resentment and soon turned him sour. He began to brood and found himself unable to sleep. He should be by that window --- and that thought now controlled his life.

Late one night, as he lay staring at the ceiling, the man by the window began to cough. He was choking on the fluid in his lungs. The other man watched in the dimly lit room as the struggling man by the window groped for the button to call for help. Listening from across the room, he never moved, never pushed his own button which would have brought the nurse running. In less than five minutes, the coughing and choking stopped, along with the sound of breathing. Now, there was only silence-deathly silence.

The following morning the day nurse arrived to bring water for their baths. When she found the lifeless body of the man by the window, she was saddened and called the hospital attendant to take it away-no works, no fuss.

As soon as it seemed appropriate, the man asked if he could be moved next to the window. The nurse was happy to make the switch and after making sure he was comfortable, she left him alone. Slowly, painfully, he propped himself up on one elbow to take his first look. Finally, he would have the joy of seeing it all himself. He strained to slowly turn to look out the window beside the bed...........

It faced a blank wall........
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on June 19, 2005, 12:25:52 AM
THE DUCK

A beautiful message that proves a loving point!

There was a little boy visiting his grandparents on their farm. He was given a slingshot to play with out in the woods. He practised in the woods, but he could never hit the target. Getting a little discouraged, he headed back for dinner.

As he was walking back he saw Grandma's pet duck. Just out of impulse, he let the slingshot fly, hit the duck square in the head, and killed it. He was shocked and grieved. In a panic, he hid the dead duck in the wood pile, only to see his sister watching! Sally had seen it all, but she said nothing.

After lunch the next day Grandma said, "Sally, let's wash the dishes." But Sally said, "Grandma, Johnny told me he wanted to help in the kitchen." Then she whispered to him, "Remember the duck?" So Johnny did the dishes.

Later that day, Grandpa asked if the children wanted to go fishing. Grandma said, "I'm sorry, but I need Sally to help make supper." Sally just smiled and said, "Well that's all right because Johnny told me he wanted to help." She whispered again, "Remember the duck?" So Sally went fishing and Johnny stayed to help.

After several days of Johnny doing both his chores and Sally's he finally couldn't stand it any longer. He came to Grandma and confessed the he had killed the duck.

Grandma knelt down, gave him a hug, and said, "Sweetheart, I know. You see, I was standing at the window and I saw the whole thing. But because I love you, I forgave you. I was just wondering how long you would let Sally make a slave of you."

Thought for the day and every day thereafter:

Whatever is in your past, whatever you have done, the devil keeps throwing it up in your face (lying, debt, fear, hatred, anger, unforgiveness, bitterness, etc.)

Whatever it is, you need to know that God was standing at the window and He saw the whole thing, He has seen your whole life. He wants you to know that He loves you and that you are forgiven.

He's just wondering how long you will let the devil make a slave of you. The great thing about God is that when you ask for forgiveness, He not only forgives you, but He forgets.


Go ahead and make the difference in someone's life today.
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: snatarajan on June 20, 2005, 12:43:08 AM
Great one !! Ramesh Ji,

Welcome Back.

Om Sai Ram,
Natarajan S.

Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Dipika on June 20, 2005, 05:13:34 AM
OMSAIRAM Ramesh ji,
It's really Beautiful !We were missing all these stories for so many days.Thanks Sai baba !
WELCOME BACK!
Are u in Delhi?

Sai baba let your holy lotus feet be our sole refuge.OMSAIRAM



dipika duggal
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on June 20, 2005, 09:23:31 PM
ARE WE NOT BLINDS?

An ancient Eastern story is that ten blind men crossed a stream. The current was very strong, so they took hold of each other's hands because they were afraid somebody may be taken away by the current.

They reached the other shore, and somebody amongst them suggested, "It is better we should count because the current and the stream were really dangerous. Somebody may have slipped, and we may not even be aware."

So they started counting. It was a great shock, and they were all crying and weeping; everybody tried, but the count was always nine --because nobody was counting himself. Naturally, he would start counting, "One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine.... My God, one has gone!" So they all were crying.

A woodcutter was watching all this drama and he said... he had never seen ten blind men together, in the first place. Second, what a stupid idea these people had. What was the need to cross the stream when it was so strong and flooded? And, above all, now they were counting, and crying and weeping for someone -- they did not know who, but certainly someone had been taken away by the current.

Watching them counting, he was simply amazed how was it possible that they were ten persons, but the count always came to nine?

Some help was needed, so he came down from his tree and he said, "What is the matter?"

They all said, "We have lost one of our friends. We were ten, and now we are only nine."

The man said, "I can find your tenth man. You are right, you used to be ten, but there is a condition."

They said, "We will accept any condition, but our friend...."
 
He said, "It is not a very big condition, it is a simple condition. I will hit on the first man's head; he has to say "one." Then I will hit on the second person's head two times; he has to say "two." Then I will hit on the third person's three times; he has to say "three."

As many times as I hit, the person has to speak the number."
They said, "If this is the way to find the lost friend, we are ready."

So he enjoyed hitting very much, and he hit them in turn. When he had hit the tenth man ten times he said "ten." All the nine said, "You idiot, where have you been? Unnecessarily we have all been beaten! Where you have been hiding up to now?"

He said, "I was standing here, I was myself counting, and it always came to nine. This man seems to be a miracle man; he managed to find the tenth man."

The story is significant for the simple reason that it has become our habit not to count ourselves.
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on June 21, 2005, 09:32:47 PM
Our Ego is Exhibition?

It happened once that Henry Ford came to England. At the airport inquiry office he asked for the cheapest hotel in town. The clerk in the office looked -- the face was famous. Henry Ford was known all over the world. Just the day before there were big pictures of him in the newspapers saying that he was coming.

And here he was, asking for the cheapest hotel, wearing a coat that looked as old as he himself.

So the clerk said, "If I am not mistaken, you are Mr. Henry Ford. I remember well, I have seen your picture."

The man said, "Yes."

This puzzled the clerk very much, and he said, "You are asking for the cheapest hotel, wearing a coat that looks as old as you yourself. I have also seen your son coming here, and he always inquires about the best hotel, and he comes in the best of clothes."

Henry Ford is reported to have said, "Yes, my son's behavior is exhibitionist, he is not yet attuned. There is no need for me to stay in a costly hotel; wherever I stay I am Henry Ford. Even in the cheapest hotel I am Henry Ford, it makes no difference. My son is still new, afraid of what people will think if he stays in a cheap hotel. And this coat, yes, this belonged to my father -- but it makes no difference, I don't need new clothes. I am Henry Ford, whatsoever the dress; even if I am standing naked, I am Henry Ford. It makes no difference at all."

When you are really attuned, really rich in the inner world, you are not concerned with exhibition. When you first go to a temple, your prayer is a little louder than others. It has to be. You want to show off.

The showmanship is part of the ego, what you show is not the problem. You show, you exhibit.

Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on June 23, 2005, 12:48:52 PM
In love, in hate, everything is permitted

I have heard about one wise man who was known as The Madman. Nobody knew anything else about him, his name or anything, he was just known as The Madman. He was a Jew, and Jews have created a few really wise men, they have something of the inner source. That is why Jesus could be born amongst them.

This madman behaved in such a foolish way that the whole community became disturbed because nobody knew what he was going to do next. On the religious days, Yom Kippur or other festivals, the whole community was afraid, because it could not be predicted what this rabbi would do, how he would appear there, how he would behave. His prayers were also mad.

Once he called the court, the Jewish court, all the ten judges of the court.

The court came, because the rabbi called, and he said, "I have a case against God, so decide how to punish this fellow God. I will present all the arguments to prove that God is unjust and a criminal."

The judges became very much afraid but they had to listen because he was the rabbi, the head of the temple. And he made out his case like a lawyer in court.

He said, "God, you created the world, and now you send messengers telling us how to renounce it. What foolishness! You gave us desires and now all your teachers keep coming and saying: Be desireless. So what do you think you are doing? And if we have committed any sins it is really YOU who are the culprit, because why did you create desire?"

What should the court decide? He was right, but the court decided that this man had gone completely mad and should be expelled from the temple.

But this man is really telling the truth. He loves God so much that it is an I/thou relationship, so intimate. He asks, "What are you doing? Enough, now stop, no more fooling." He must have loved the divine so much that he could behave in that way.

And it is said that God immediately stopped when he called. He had to listen to this man.
 
And the angels asked, "Suddenly you stopped, what happened?"
 
He said, "That madman is praying. I have to listen, because whatsoever he says is true, and he loves me so much that there is no need for formality.

..." In love, in hate, everything is permitted, everything is allowed.
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on June 24, 2005, 10:11:58 AM
Undivided you are life, divided you become dead - Part-I

Have you heard the story about the centipede? A centipede was walking along on his one hundred legs -- that is why he is called a centipede. It is a miracle to walk with a hundred feet, even to manage two is so difficult! To manage one hundred legs is really almost impossible. But the centipede has been managing to do it!

A fox became curious -- and foxes are always curious. The fox is the symbol in folklore of the mind, of the intellect, of logic. Foxes are great logicians.The fox looked, she observed, she analyzed, she couldn't believe it. She said, "Wait! I have a question. How do you manage, and how do you know which foot has to follow which? One hundred legs! You walk so smoothly. How does this harmony happen?"

The centipede said, "I have been walking all my life but I have never thought about it. Give me a little time."

So he closed his eyes and for the first time he became divided: the mind as observer, and himself as the observed.

For the first time the centipede became two. He had always been living and walking, and his life was one whole; there was no observer standing looking at himself, he was never divided, he had been an integrated being. Now, for the first time, division arose. He was looking at his own self, thinking. He had become subject and object, he had become two, and then he started walking. It was difficult, almost impossible. He fell down -- because how do you manage one hundred legs?

The fox laughed and he said, "I knew it must be difficult, I knew it beforehand."

The centipede started crying and weeping. With tears in his eyes he said, "It has never been difficult before, but you have created the problem. Now I will never be able to walk again."

The mind has come into being; it comes into being when you are divided. The mind feeds on division. That is why when the observer has become the observed you are in meditation.
 
The opposite happened to the centipede. The wholeness was lost, he became two: the observer and the observed, divided; the subject and the object, the thinker and the thought. Then everything was disturbed, then bliss was lost and the flow stopped. Then he got frozen.

Whenever the mind comes in, it comes as a controlling force, a manager. It is not the master, it is the manager. And you cannot get to the master unless this manager is put aside.
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on June 24, 2005, 10:25:01 AM
Undivided you are life, divided you become dead - Part-II

The manager won't allow you to reach the master, the manager will always be standing in the doorway managing. And all managers only mismanage -- mind has done such a great job of mismanaging.
 
Poor centipede. He had always been happy. He had no problems at all. He lived, moved, loved, everything, no problems at all, because there was no mind. Mind came in with the problem, with the question, with the inquiry. And there are many foxes around you. Beware of them -- philosophers, theologians, logicians, professors all around you -- foxes. They ask you questions and they create a disturbance.

It is said: When there was not a single philosopher, everything was solved, there were no questions, and all answers were available. When philosophers arose, questions came and answers disappeared. Whenever there is a question the answer is very far away. Whenever you ask, you will never get the answer, but when you stop asking, you will find that the answer has always been there.

I do not know what happened to this centipede. If he was as foolish as human beings, he would be somewhere in a hospital, crippled, paralyzed forever. But I don't think that centipedes are so foolish. He must have thrown the question out. He must have told the fox, "Keep your questions to yourself, and let me walk." He must have come to know that division wouldn't allow him to live, because division creates death.

Undivided you are life, divided you become dead -- the more divided, the more dead.

What is bliss? Bliss is the feeling that comes to you when the obser-ver has become the observed. Bliss is the feeling that comes to you when you are in harmony, not fragmented; one, not disintegrated, not divided. Feeling is not something that happens from the outside. It is the melody that arises out of your inner harmoniousness.
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: san2004 on June 25, 2005, 02:12:37 AM
OM Sai Ram Ramesh Ji,
These are excellent depictions and do show us the right path.
Jai Sai Ram,
Sanjiv
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on June 25, 2005, 03:20:48 AM
You give only that which you have.

Once a beggar came to a synagogue and he told the rabbi, "I am a great musician, and I have heard that the musician who belonged to this synagogue is dead, and you are looking for another. So I offer myself."

The rabbi and the congregation were happy because they were really missing their music. Then the man played -- it was horrible! It was more musical without his music. He created a hell. It was impossible to feel any silence in that synagogue that morning. He had to be stopped, because most of the congregation started to leave. People escaped as fast as they could because his music was just anarchic, it was like madness, and it started to affect people.
 
When the rabbi heard that everybody was leaving, he went to the man and stopped him. The man said, "If you don't want me, you can pay for this morning and then I will go."
 
The rabbi said, "It is impossible to pay you, we have never experienced such a horrible thing."

Then the musician said, "Okay, then keep it as a contribution from me."

The rabbi said, "But how can you contribute what you don't possess? You don't have any music at all -- how can you contribute? You can contribute something only when you have got it.

This is no music; rather, on the contrary, it is something like antimusic. So please take it away with you, don't contribute it to us or it will go on haunting us."

You give only that which you have. You always give your being. If you are dead within, you cannot help life; wherever you go you will kill. Knowingly, unknowingly, that is not the point -- you may think that you are helping others to live, but still you will kill.
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on June 25, 2005, 11:44:37 PM
Fallen in love with Sadguru Sainath?

Ramakrishna was dying and his last instructions to his wife were.... In India, the moment the husband dies the wife goes through a trauma. She cannot wear colored clothes, she has to shave her head -- she cannot have hair; she cannot use any ornaments, not even the cheapest glass bangles -- she has to break them.

But before dying Ramakrishna, called Sharda, his wife, and told her, "Remember, you are never going to become a widow. I am dying, but I will be here. I will not be confined in the body, but you have not loved only my body; you have loved me, my consciousness. So don't become a widow. Use beautiful clothes; just for my joy, use all the beautiful ornaments that I have given to you. And remember" -- he loved delicious food too much -- he said, "Remember, don't forget to create beautiful dishes for me. I will not be able to eat them, but even the aroma of your beautiful food will be a nourishment to me. And don't forget to prepare my bed rightly, particularly the mosquito net."

His disciples were feeling very embarrassed, "What is he saying? Has he gone insane? A dying enlightened person is worried about the mosquito net...."

Sharda followed his instructions for almost thirty years that she lived after him. She would prepare his food the same way she used to prepare it while he was in the body. She would take it to his room -- and nobody was there -- and she would say, "Paramahansdev, your food is ready."

She would sit like the way she used to sit, with her fan in her hand. There was nobody. The disciples tried to convince her -- "This is absolutely mad; you go on fanning and there is nobody...."

She said, "There may not be for you; there is for me." She would prepare the bed the way he liked, with many covers. She would take care about the mosquito net, that not a single mosquito entered inside.

Very few people have understood Sharda, but she really loved Ramakrishna -- not the body in which he was, but him, his being. Now the body is no longer there, but the being is spread all over existence; he is more than he was before. Before he was imprisoned in the body; now he is unembodied. Now he is just freedom.

The enlightened man helps people while he is alive, and he goes on helping people while he is not in the body. But if you cannot understand an enlightened man while he is in the body, it is very difficult for you to understand when he is not in the body.

Once you have fallen in love with a Sadguru, slowly, slowly he is no more a body to you. He becomes only a pure consciousness.
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on June 28, 2005, 10:54:48 AM
WHERE ALL METHODS ARE DROPPED - (Part-I)

It is a Chinese story about an archer who was the greatest archer in the whole land. He went to the emperor saying that the whole country should be made aware that if anybody wants to contest with him, he's available. "If nobody turns up, then you have to declare me the champion of archery." The emperor knew the man, and he knew his art, his archery, and he knew there was nobody else who could even come close to him.
   
His art was perfect; he never missed a target. So the emperor was willing to declare him the champion of archery in the whole land of China.

Just at that moment, his old prime minister prevented him saying, "Wait a minute, because I know a man who lives far away in the mountains. Unless this archer goes to that old man, and that old man certifies that he should be declared the champion, you should wait. You should not be in a hurry, because that old man is not only the champion of this land, he is the champion of the whole world, although he's a non-competitive man, non-ambitious, and people don't know about him. Send this archer first to get a certificate from that old man." And he gave the directions where the old man would be found.

The archer could not believe that anyone could be better; he was one hundred percent successful in hitting the bulls eye exactly in the middle, he never missed the target. It was inconceivable for him that anybody could be a better archer! But there was no way.... The emperor told him to go to the mountains, and bring a certificate.

It was a difficult journey. The old man lived on a very high peak of the mountain, alone. He was really very old, almost ancient, and he had no bow, no arrows. He was just sitting under a tree. The archer asked, "Are you the man who is the greatest archer in the world?"

The old man said, "Perhaps, because on this mountain nobody else lives.

But I can't be certain because I have never been competitive. As far as archery is concerned, for twenty years I have not touched the bow, have not seen the arrows. In fact, I have lost track where they are. But what is the problem? Why have you traveled so far?"

The young man said, "I knew it before that this would be an unnecessary journey! A man who has not touched the bow for twenty years, and who has even forgotten where his bow and his arrows are...."

Still, because of the emperor's requirement, he said to the old man, "I want to be declared the champion of the art in the whole country, and the emperor has sent me to get your certificate."

The old man said, "That is not difficult. But seeing a bow with you, and the arrows, makes me suspicious that you are an amateur because the old saying is: `When the musician becomes perfect, he throws away his musical instruments; when the archer becomes really an archer, perfect in his art, he breaks down his bow, and throws the arrows.' They are good to begin with, but one has to transcend technique at a certain moment. You will have to pass two tests: one is, do you see that protruding rock over the valley?"
 
There was a long rock, very low, protruding over a very deep valley, thousands of feet deep. The old man said, "Go to that rock, to the very end. The test is to stand at the very end, with half your feet hanging over the rock, with just the front part, your toes, on the rock.
 
If you can stand there without any trembling, you have passed the first test."

The man said, "My God! But what kind of archery is this? This is sure death!"

But the old man said, "I will go first to show you the way it has to be done."

He could not believe his eyes. The old man went to the very end of the protruding rock; and he stood there with half the feet on the rock, over the valley thousands of feet deep. And there was not even a small wavering or trembling. He called the young man, "Now, come on, and stand by my side."

The young man tried just one step on the rock. As he looked downward, such fear overwhelmed him... he fell on the ground, trembling, perspiring. He could not reach the end -- he was only at the beginning of the rock.

The old man said, "What is the matter? Come on, have courage. If you are so fearful and trembling inside, your archery cannot be of great value, because it is your hands which will take the bow and it is your hands which will take the arrows; it is your heart which has to be used in it. This fear... try, make an effort."
 
He started crawling on all fours. Standing and moving on that rock, he found impossible. Those thousands of feet were so dangerous; just a single wrong step and you will never be found. You will be broken into bits and pieces and thrown over the whole valley.
But he could reach by crawling only to the middle.

He said, "More than that, I cannot do."

The old man laughed. He came back, supported the man to stand up, and took him back to the tree. He said, "I had said you are just an amateur; otherwise there is no need of this bow and these arrows. Now, look at me: when the archer becomes perfect his eyes become arrows, his very being becomes the bow."

He looked at a flying flock of twelve cranes, and they all fell down on the earth. He said, "If you can make even a single bird fall down on the earth, just with your eyes, I will certify you."

The young man said, "That is impossible. How can one do it?"

The old man said, "I have just done it, and not one, twelve cranes are just dead, lying before you."

The young man said, "You are right; I am simply an amateur. I would like to be accepted as a disciple; I would like to learn archery."

The old man said, "That sounds right. Be here."

Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on June 28, 2005, 11:00:28 AM
WHERE ALL METHODS ARE DROPPED - (Part-II)


After ten years, the old man said, "Now you can go back, but don't go to the emperor; go home. The day you suddenly realize, seeing your bow hanging on the wall, that you cannot recognize it, that is the day you can go to the emperor."

The emperor was becoming very old, and he enquired again and again from his prime minister, "What happened to that young man?"

The prime minister said, "He has reached the old man; I have been watching.

He's learning, he has reached his home, and now he's waiting for the sign to come."

The emperor said, "I am becoming very old."

One day, a few years after coming home, the man looked at the bow hanging on the wall, and enquired of his son, "What is that object?"

The son said, "Have you gone mad? It is your bow, those are your arrows."

He said, "Bow? Arrows? Am I an archer?"

The son said, "Are you laughing at me, or kidding me? or just going senile?"

He said, "No, the time has come. I have to go to the emperor."

The son asked, "For what?"

He said, "To be declared the champion of archery in the land."

He went to the emperor. The prime minister said, "Have you brought the certificate?"
 
He said, "I am the certificate."

They were sitting in the garden. He looked at a bird flying faraway in the sky, almost invisible. But as he looked at the bird, the bird came falling to the feet of the emperor.

The emperor said, "Is this archery or some kind of magic?"

The man said, "I don't know, but this is what that old man has taught me: that if you are a perfect archer, you don't need the bow, you don't need the arrows; your eyes are enough. If you are a perfect musician, you don't need instruments; your silence is music enough."

It is a beautiful story, very ancient, almost three thousand years old.

Lao Tzu used to tell this story to his disciples, and that was twenty-five centuries ago. The story must have been far older.
 
As you become more and more in tune with me, just being here with me, there is music, there is dance. Your ears will not hear it, and your eyes will not see it, but you will feel it; your being will be soaked with it.

Every art has to reach to a point where technologies are dropped. Every meditation has to reach to the point where methods are dropped. They are good for the beginners, for learning the ABC's, but when you have reached to the point of XYZ, they are of no use.
 
Silently, you are filled with music.

Without moving, you are dancing.

Without any thought, any feeling in you, there is just pure grace, gratitude arising out of you, just like fragrance arising out of a lotus flower.

One has to reach to this point. Only then one is fulfilled. Only then, one has attained his destiny.
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: san2004 on June 28, 2005, 12:26:13 PM
Om Sai Ram,
You are dot right. There is no method to experience this Bliss.That is what I have always heard. I feel only when Baba wants will HE let me experience this BLISS.When that time will come only HE knows. Whether I deserve it or not only HE can tell.
I can only pray ,"Baba I seek your love ,your affection.I seek pardon for any wrong doing committed knowingly or elsewise. I seek atonement of my sins"
BABA DO NOT KEEP ME AWAY FROM YOUR BHAKTI. DO NOT LET ANYTHING ELSE BOTHER ME.BABA IF I EVER WEEP IT SHOULD NOT BE FROM PAIN OF THIS WORDLY EXISTANCE BUT  FROM THE PLEASURE FELT AND EXPERIECED ON FEELING YOU,SEEING YOU.BABA GIVE ME YOUR AASHIRWAD SO THAT I CAN SEE YOU IN ALL LIVING-NON LIVING THINGS.BABA ALWAYS BE MY SIDE.

JAI SAI RAM,
SANJIV
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Dipika on June 28, 2005, 12:59:14 PM
OMSAIRAM Sai baba u send Ramesh ji to this form so that we devotees of yours feel your presence always.
Blessed were Sai devotees of Shirdi who had darshan of Baba and also lived with him for 60 years.
They all realised he was a Sadguru.
Whereas we fools Don't realise the Greatness of our Guru Sai baba.
Sai baba give us the eyes to always see u .
GIVE US THE EARS TO ALWAYS HEAR YOUR LEELAS.
Give us the tongue to always sing your leelas.
Devaa this body u have given We should feel your presence always.
Bless all of us with Shraddha and Saburi that Mahalsapathy had on u.

Sai baba let your holy lotus feet be our sole refuge.OMSAIRAM


dipika duggal
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on June 28, 2005, 10:54:48 PM
JAI SAI RAM DIPIKAJI AND SANJIV BHAI!!!

Thank BABA for all your likings. You can't even develop your likings without the wishes of BABA. So keep on liking whatever you have in your life, whatever you experience in life; whether pain or happiness. Just keep on accepting. No rejections!!! Thanks for your likings of fulfilling BABA's wishes; that's the way to live. So Enjoy reading!!!

OM SAI RAM!!!
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on June 28, 2005, 11:02:23 PM
JUST WAKE UP!

There is another story about Lin Chi, a Japanese Zen master. He had a disciple to whom he had given the traditional Zen koan to meditate -- "Meditate on the sound of one hand clapping." Now this is absurd. One hand cannot clap, and one hand cannot make any sound. Without clapping there is no possibility of any sound. "Meditate on it and when you have found the sound of one hand clapping, come and report."

The young monk went out into the garden, sat under a tree, tried in many ways to think what could be the sound of one hand clapping.

Suddenly, he heard a cuckoo in the bamboo grove and he said, "This must be it!" He rushed and told the master, "I have found it. It is the cuckoo in the bamboo grove."

The master hit him hard on the face and said, "Don't be foolish; next time be a little more intelligent. Go and meditate again!"

Every day he would come, and by and by it became such a situation; sometimes he would come... the wind passing through the pine trees creates a certain sound, perhaps that is the.... Or sometimes the water running down creating sounds, perhaps that is it.... Or sometimes the lightning in the clouds. Slowly, slowly it became a routine thing. The master would not even ask; as he entered he would slap him, and tell him, "Go back and meditate."

But the monk said, "I have not even told you...."

The master said, "I know what it will be. You just go. Meditate more!"

He said to many other monks, "This seems to be too much. First he used to at least hear my answer; now he assumes that the answer is going to be wrong!"

But one day he did not come. Two days passed, and seven days passed.... The master went to the tree where he used to sit and meditate, and the monk was sitting there, utterly silent.
His master shook him and told him, "So at last you have heard it. This is the sound of one hand clapping, this silence.... But why did you not come to report?"

He said, "I forgot everything; the silence was so sweet, so blissful.

I am grateful to you that you never listened to my answers, and you went on giving me hard hits. Your compassion is beyond the grasp of ordinary people."

So, don't be bothered and don't be concerned about others. You have to wake up. And waking up is such a simple thing -- just the way you wake up in the morning. Have you ever observed... do you do some gymnastics, some exercises, some chanting? You simply wake up! The night is over and you open your eyes and jump out of the bed.

Spiritual awakening is not different from that. Once you understand that you are spiritually asleep.... and that is the problem. People don't think they are spiritually asleep, that's why they go on sleeping. Once you understand you are spiritually asleep, then waking is a very simple matter.

The hardest thing is to accept that deep in your being there is a sleep, an unconsciousness. Whatever meditations are being done are just to shake you, to bring you to a point where the sleeping consciousness cannot sleep anymore; it has to wake up. It is only a question of simple understanding: You can wake up right now! This silence is enough.
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: san2004 on June 29, 2005, 12:55:06 AM
OM Sai Ram Ramesh Ji,
Thanks for guiding us with such advice. You are right we cannot like things also without Babas wish.I must thank HIM for that.
Jai Sai Ram,
Sanjiv
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on June 30, 2005, 07:26:00 AM
He knows, I know, and we know

Kabir and Farid met once -- two enlightened Masters. For two days, forty-eight hours, they sat in silence together. Nobody uttered a single word. Nothing was said, nothing was heard. They hugged each other, they kissed each other, they laughed, and then they departed.
The disciples were very much frustrated, disciples of both, because they had come in thousands to see the great meeting of two self-realized persons, and nothing happened! What can you expect? When two zeros meet, what can happen? It becomes one zero! Two zeros are not two zeros. As they come closer it becomes one zero.

So when they departed, the disciples of Kabir asked him, "What happened to you? You go on talking to us and torturing us every day, but for forty-eight hours suddenly you went crazy or something? And we were waiting and waiting for something to be said!"

Kabir said to them, "I can talk to you because language is the only way you can understand, but this man Farid can understand silence. I need not say a single word. If I speak I will only prove that I am ignorant."

The disciples of Farid asked him, "What happened to you?" Farid has sung such beautiful songs. "What happened to you? You could have at least sung one of your beautiful songs, but you didn't utter a single word! And about what were you laughing? -- because not even one joke was told!"

Farid said, "We were laughing at you -- that so many fools are waiting as if something is going to happen, but nothing is going to happen! The moment I saw him, the moment he saw me, everything was clear.

He knows, I know, and we know the same thing! So what is the point of saying?"
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on June 30, 2005, 10:58:12 PM
Periphery you are always a Beggar, and at the center you are always an Emperor - Part-I

I am reminded of a great follower of Buddha, Nagarjuna. He lived naked. Perhaps Nagarjuna is the greatest logician that has walked on the earth. Aristotle is no comparison to him, neither is Shankara; Nagarjuna's argumentation is the most refined. But he used to live naked -- a beautiful man -- and even kings and queens were disciples to him. In a certain capital the queen was his disciple. She asked him, "You will have to give me a favor. I want to take away your begging bowl."

He said, "That is not a problem. You can have it."

She said, "That is only half of it. I have prepared a begging bowl for you. This one you give to me; it will be a present, the most precious to me in the whole world.

And I have made a begging bowl which you cannot reject, you have to accept it."
 
He said, "I have not seen it either."

She said, "Seeing or not seeing is not the question. First, give me the promise that you will not reject it."

So he said, "Okay, I will not reject it."

She brought out the bowl, and it was made of solid gold, studded with diamonds. Nagarjuna said, "You don't understand the situation. Whether I reject it or not, I will not be able to keep it even for a few hours. A naked man carrying a begging bowl made of solid gold, studded with great diamonds -- do you think I will be able to keep it? But I have promised, so I will accept it."

A thief was watching the whole transaction. He followed Nagarjuna. He knew that this fellow lives outside the city in a dilapidated temple, and every afternoon after he has taken his food, he goes to sleep. This is a very good time to take this begging bowl away. Anyway, somebody is going to take it away....

So he went and he was hiding behind a wall by the side of a window watching that somebody else does not enter inside. Nagarjuna made his place to sleep and he had complete awareness that somebody had been following him.

"Why keep him unnecessarily waiting? Anyway I am going to sleep and he will take the begging bowl. It is better to give it him. Why make him a thief?" So he threw the begging bowl outside the window where the thief was sitting.
 
The thief could not believe it. This is really a strange man. A strange desire arose in the thief that it would be good to have a little time to sit at this man's feet, so he asked from the window, "Can I come in?"

Nagarjuna said, "What do you think I have thrown the begging bowl for? -- to bring you in. Come in. That was just an invitation."

The thief could not understand, but was very much impressed by the man.

Nagarjuna said, "I did not want to make you a thief, that's why I have thrown the begging bowl. Now you can have it."

                                         Contd...Part-II
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on July 01, 2005, 09:21:48 AM
Periphery you are always a Beggar, and at the center you are always an Emperor - Part-II

The thief said, "It is so precious; you are a man of great mastery over yourself. I also hope one day I will not be a thief but a master like you."

Nagarjuna said, "Why postpone it? It is a very simple secret. You can become a master."
He said, "You don't understand. I am a thief, I am a born thief. I cannot resist the temptation."

Nagarjuna said, "It does not matter at all. You can remain a thief. I will give you a small meditation: whatever you do, even if you go to steal in the palace, just be a witness of what you are doing. I don't want you not to be a thief; do whatever you want to do, but do it with full awareness. Just be a witness."

He said, "This seems to be simple. I have been going to many saints. They say, `First you drop stealing, otherwise you cannot be religious.'

You are the first man who is not asking me to drop stealing."

Nagarjuna said, "Those saints that you have met are not saints. No saint will ask you to drop stealing. Why? Do it perfectly well. Just remain a witness."
 
The thief could not understand the strategy. After the third or fourth day he came back to Nagarjuna and said, "You are very clever. In these four days there have been so many opportunities to steal, but as I go to steal, to take something, immediately my hand relaxes. The moment I witness myself stealing it seems to be so embarrassing that I pull my hand back. For four days I have not been able to steal anything."

Nagarjuna said, "Now it is your problem; I have nothing to do with it. You can choose. You can choose witnessing, or you can choose stealing."

The man said, "Only in these four days have I been able to feel my own dignity. I cannot drop witnessing. I am coming with you."

What witnessing does is again throw you back to your center. At the center you are a buddha. On the periphery, who you are does not matter. Once you start living at the center, slowly, slowly your circumference will start changing its colors. It will become as pure as you are at the center. It will become as compassionate as you are at the center. It will take all the fragrance of the center in all your activities.

The authentic religion does not preach morality.

Morality comes on its own accord. The authentic religion teaches you to be centered in yourself. Then everything that is good follows, and what is bad simply does not arise. It is not a question of choice; choicelessly you are good. It is not that you are being good; you cannot be otherwise.

This is the miracle of Zen.

Zen simply means witnessing.
 
Once you have learned to be at the center, you will know that on the periphery you are always a beggar, and at the center you are always an emperor. And who wants to be a beggar?

Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on July 02, 2005, 02:19:05 AM
It is such a difficult world ....

There is an ancient parable in India about a very rich man, very successful; he was so rich that even the king had to borrow money from him. He had everything that was possible, but he was always very sad and miserable, always a long face.
 
A young man used to come every day to give him massage, who was always happy. He had nothing to be happy about -- and that was the problem for the rich man. The poor fellow got one rupee per day. In those days, a rupee was really a rupee. The word `rupee' means `gold'. One rupee was enough for one day, to live happily. That poor man was not poor -- he was living so joyously, and playing on his flute in the middle of the night.

The rich man was worried because this fellow had nothing except one rupee every day. "Why is he always so happy, so smiling, so laughing, playing on his flute, singing, dancing?" The poor man lived close by, in a small room that the rich man had provided for him.
 
The rich man asked his friend, who was as rich as he was, "What could be the reason for this poor fellow's being so happy?"

His friend said, "I will give you the answer." And that night, suddenly, the poor fellow woke up. Somebody had thrown a bag from the roof containing ninety-nine rupees. That was the last day of his happiness. Now he started to think, "How can I save some money and make it at least a hundred?" He had never bothered -- one rupee per day was enough to live as richly as he wanted. But now he had more than he could use for the day; he had to save. When it became one hundred, the desire jumped up, flared up. If he went on collecting, soon he would have two hundred, three hundred, four hundred.

And as more and more money started accumulating, he became more and more miserable, continuously thinking of money. The song disappeared, the dance disappeared; the flute was heard no more.

One day when the rich man was being massaged, he asked him, "What has happened to you? You don't look happy any more. Has some calamity happened?"

He said, "Yes, a calamity has happened. Somebody threw ninety-nine rupees into my house, and since that day I have not slept well, because the desire to have more and more has been aroused."

Once you have the desire for more of anything, life is misery. It may be knowledge, it may be money, it may be power; you may start desiring anything, but you will become more and more sad. It is such a difficult world ....
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on July 03, 2005, 01:36:59 AM
MUSTARD SEEDS

It is not accidental that Jesus' followers go on talking about Jesus' miracles. What are those miracles? First, they are physiological: a blind man is given eyes, an ill person is healed; or miracles like Jesus' turning stones into bread. Just think! These miracles say something. Jesus does not turn stones into sermons, but into bread; Jesus does not turn stones into music, but into bread; and he turns water into wine. Now we don't have any miracles like that around Buddha. There are miracles, but they are totally different -- the hierarchy. Buddha's miracles are so different that you will be surprised.

A woman goes to Buddha: her child is dead and she is crying and she is weeping, and she is a widow and she will never have another child, and the only child is dead, and that was all her love and all her attention.

She goes crying and weeping to Buddha. If she had gone to Christ then the miracle would have been that Christ would touch and bring the dead back, as he brought Lazarus back. What did Buddha do? Buddha smiled and said to her, "You go into the town and just find a few mustard seeds from a house where nobody has ever died." And the woman rushed into the town, and she went to each house. And wherever she went they said, "We can give you as many mustard seeds as you want, but the condition will not be fulfilled because so many people have died in our house. And woman, don't be mad! Buddha has played a trick on you. You will not find a single house on the whole earth."

But she hoped, "Maybe... who knows? There may be some house that has not known death." And she went around and around the whole day. By the evening a great understanding had dawned on her: "Death is part of life; it happens. It is not something personal, it is not something like a personal calamity that has happened to me."With that understanding she went to Buddha.

He asked, "Where are the mustard seeds?" And she smiled... and she said, "You did it!" She fell at his feet and said, "Initiate me. I would like to know that which never dies. I don't ask for my child back, because even if he is given he will die again. So what is the point? Teach me something so that I can know inside myself that which never dies."

People want something higher. Jesus will not be relevant anymore, only Buddha can be relevant. Jesus' miracles will seem very small because science can do those miracles. Buddha's miracle will seem very very great because science cannot do it.
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on July 03, 2005, 09:39:19 PM
Death is of the ego. If the ego exists, death exists.

I HAVE heard one beautiful story. Once there was a great sculptor, a painter, a great artist. His art was so perfect that when he would make a statue of a man, it was difficult to say who is the man and who is the statue. It was so lifelike, so alive, so similar. An astrologer told him that his death is approaching, he is going to die soon. Of course, he became very much afraid and frightened, and as every man wants to avoid death, he also wanted to avoid. He thought about it, meditated, and he found a clue. He made his own statues, eleven in number, and when Death knocked on his door and the Angel of Death entered, he stood hidden among his own eleven statues. He stopped his breathing.

The Angel of Death was puzzled, could not believe his own eyes.
   
It had never happened; it was so irregular. God has never been known to create two persons alike; he always creates the unique. He has never believed in any routine. He is not like an assembly line. He is absolutely against carbons; he creates only originals. What has happened? Twelve persons in all, absolutely alike? Now, whom to take away? Only one has to be taken away. Death, the Angel of Death, could not decide. Puzzled, worried, nervous, he went back. He asked God, "What have you done? There are twelve persons exactly alike, and I am only supposed to bring one. How should I choose?"

God laughed. He called the Angel of Death close to him, and he uttered in his ears the formula, the clue how to find the real from the unreal. He gave him a mantra and told him, "Just go, and utter it in that room where that artist is hiding himself among his own statues."

The Angel of Death asked, "How is it going to work?"

God said, "Don't be worried. Just go and try."

The Angel of Death came, not yet believing how it is going to work, but when God had said, he had to do it. He came in the room, looked around, and not addressing anybody in particular, he said, "Sir, everything is perfect except one thing. You have done well, but you have missed at one point. One error is there."
 
The man completely forgot that he is hiding. He jumped; he said, "What error?"

And Death laughed.

And Death said, "You are caught. This is the only error: you cannot forget yourself. Come on, follow me."

Death is of the ego. If the ego exists, death exists. The moment the ego disappears, death disappears. You are not going to die, remember; but if you think that you are, you are going to die. If you think that you are a being, then you are going to die. This false entity of the ego is going to die, but if you think of yourself in terms of nonbeing, in terms of non-ego, then there is no death -- already you have become deathless. You have always been deathless; now you have recognized the fact.

The artist was caught because he could not disappear into nonbeing.
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Devki on July 04, 2005, 07:28:13 AM
SAI RAM RAMESHJI

Just beautiful. I am blessed. I just read today only 5 stories. These are very very educative. Just superb. Once again to confess that I am blessed to be in this Blessed Forum of our Sai.

OM SAI

JAI SAI RAM
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Shammi on July 05, 2005, 01:23:26 AM

Sairam Ramesh ji

Just beautiful -these are food for the mind and soul

Excellent meanings hidden in these stories


Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on July 05, 2005, 11:03:10 AM
The Biggest Stones...

Once an old teacher was called to give a training lesson on “efficient time-planning” to a group of fifteen managers from important companies. The course was one of five sessions for this training day, and the teacher had just one hour with his students.

He stood in front of the elite group (all armed with pen and paper, ready to take note of whatever the wise man said), looked at them one by one and then said: “Now we will do an experiment”. From under the table that stood between him and the class, the old teacher took out a large glass container that could hold over eight pints, and placed it gently in front of him. Then he took out a dozen or so pebbles, about the size of tennis balls, and one by one he placed them in the jar. When he had filled it up to the top and it was impossible to add any more stones, he looked at his students and asked them: “Is this jar full?” “Yes, it is,” they all replied.

He thought for a second or two and then continued, “Really?” He bent down and pulled out another container, this time full of gravel.

He carefully poured the gravel over the pebbles and then shook the jar gently. The gravel filtered through the pebbles, down to the bottom of the jar. The old man looked at his audience and asked again, “Is this jar full?” This time the students started to grasp what he was telling them.

One of them answered: “Probably not!”

“Good” the old man said. He bent down again and this time he pulled out a bucket of sand. He gently poured it into the jar. The sand filled in all the spaces between the pebbles and the gravel. Once again he asked, "Is this jar full?” This time his students didn’t hesitate in answering, “No, it isn’t!”

“Good” the old teacher added. As his students expected by now, he took the jug of water that was on the table and filled the jar up to the brim.

The old man looked at his group and asked, “What great truth is demonstrated by this experiment?” One of the bolder students thought it over and replied, “It shows that even if you think your diary is completely full, you can still add in more things to do, more appointments, more meetings…”

“No,” the old man answered. “That’s not it. The great truth that this experiment shows us is this: if you don’t put the biggest stones in the jar first, then you will not be able to fit all the others in after.”

There was silence as each of them absorbed the importance of this affirmation. Then the old teacher said: “Which are the biggest stones in your life? Your health? Your family? Your friends? Making your dreams come true? Doing the things you enjoy? Learning? Defending a cause? Relaxing? Taking time out? Or something completely different? What we must remember is the importance of putting the biggest stones into our lives first, otherwise we may never succeed in… having a life. If we give priority to the little things - gravel and sand - we will fill our lives with meaningless drivel, and we won’t have enough time dedicate to the important things in life.

“So don’t forget to ask yourselves the question ‘Which are the biggest stones in my life?’ And then put them into your jar first.” With a friendly wave, the old teacher greeted his class and shuffled out of the room.
 
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on July 06, 2005, 09:53:26 AM
Clean your Consciousness of Fear

Because of fear you miss many things. Because of fear we cannot love, or even if we love it is always half-hearted, it is always so-so. It is always up to a certain extent and not beyond that. We always come to a point beyond which we are afraid, so we are stuck there. We cannot move deep in friendship because of fear. We cannot do prayer because of fear.

There are people who go on saying that people do prayer because of fear. That's true; many people pray because of fear. But there is an even greater truth than that and it is that many people don't go the whole way in prayer because of fear. They may start in fear but then they don't go very far. They just remain on the formal, the cliche level. They say some formal prayer to God but they really are not moved, thrilled by it. It is not an ecstasy. They are not mad with it. They don't go headlong. They move very cautiously -- and all caution is based on fear.

Be conscious but never be cautious. The distinction is very subtle. Consciousness is not rooted in fear.

Caution is rooted in fear. One is cautious so that one may never go wrong, but then one cannot go very far. The very fear will not allow you to investigate new lifestyles, new channelisations of energy, new directions, new lands; it will not allow you. You will always tread on the same path again and again, shuttling backwards and forwards, shuttling backwards and forwards. One becomes like a goods train.

Consciousness simply says, 'Be conscious of whatsoever you are doing, wherever you are going. Just remain alert so you can enjoy it to the very last drop.' So nothing is missed, you are alert.

Fear is one of the most basic problems to be faced, encountered, and if you feel it is less, make it even lesser. It is like the weeds in the garden. One has to go on continuously pulling them. up and throwing them away, otherwise they tend to overrun the whole garden. If you allow the weeds, sooner or later roses will disappear, flowers will disappear and there will be weeds all over the garden.

One has to go on continuously pulling them up. Only then can the garden remain beautiful. When all the roots are uprooted, then there is no problem. You can relax. This is the whole effort, the 'sadhana', the very inner discipline, the work. So, fear seems to be your chief characteristic.

If you can clean your consciousness of fear you have come to the right path. Then the real journey of celebration starts.
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Shammi on July 07, 2005, 10:28:00 AM
Big Feet and Big Heart

It was an unseasonably hot day. Everybody it seemed, was looking for some kind of relief, so an ice cream store was a natural place to stop.

A little girl, clutching her money tightly, entered the store. Before she could say a word, the store clerk sharply told her to get outside and read the sign on the door, and stay out until she put on some shoes. She left slowly, and a big man followed her out of the store.

He watched as she stood in front of the store and read the sign: 'No Bare Feet'. Tears started rolling down her cheeks as she turned and started to walked away. Just then the big man called to her. Sitting down on the curb, he took off his size-12 shoes, and set them in front of the girl saying, "Here, you won't be able to walk in these, but if you sort of slide along, you can get your ice cream cone."

Then he lifted the little girl up and set her feet into the shoes. "Take your time," he said, "I get tired of moving them around, and it'll feel good to just sit here and eat my ice cream." The shining eyes of the little girl could not be missed as she shuffled up to the counter and ordered her ice cream cone.

He was a big man, all right. Big belly, big shoes, but most of all, he had a big heart.

 



Bow to Sri Sai - Raksha Karo Deva !!!
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Shammi on July 07, 2005, 10:33:21 AM
EMPTY PAGES

One evening a young woman went alone to walk barefoot by the ocean after the sun had set. She stopped in her path and turned so she could see the footsteps she had left in the sand. But they had already been washed away by the waves. When she turned to continue her walk, she was startled by the presence of an old woman wrapped in a blanket who out of nowhere appeared sitting by a fire, slowly paging through the leaves of a leather covered book.

She walked up to the woman and asked. "Where did you come from? I didn't see you here a moment ago. And how did you start this fire so quickly?"

Her questions went unanswered but were instead met with a reply in a serene voice, "Sit with me, child. I have something to show you."

As the young woman sat down beside the fire, the mysterious stranger handed her the book. She curiously turned the pages one by one and was amazed to discover they contained the story of her whole life from the early days of childhood to the present. She then came to the page telling of her encounter with the old woman by the fire during her walk on the beach, but upon turning to the next page, she found it empty. She frantically began to turn the rest of the pages in the book only to find that they, too, were all empty. In bewilderment, she looked to the old woman and pleaded with her to explain.

"Does this mean my life ends this night?"

"No, my child. It means tonight your life begins."

At that moment the old woman took the book into her own hands and began to tear out each of the pages with words, throwing them one by one into the fire until all that was left were blank pages.

She handed the book of empty pages to the young woman.

"You see," she said, "just as the waves washed away your footsteps in the sand, your past is forever gone, never to return. The only moment you ever truly possess is here and now. Each new moment is the beginning of the rest of your life and is to be lived to the fullest, for you will not have a chance to live that moment a second time. Most important of all, each new day brings an opportunity to love--one that may never come to you again.

"As for your future, you are free to shape it as you wish, for it has not yet been written."

Then, as mysteriously as she had appeared, the old woman stood to walk away and disappeared into the darkness of the night.

 



Bow to Sri Sai - Raksha Karo Deva !!!
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Shammi on July 07, 2005, 10:35:27 AM
Eyes of Love

EYES OF LOVE
============

A grandmother and a little girl whose face was sprinkled with bright red freckles spent the day at the zoo. The children were waiting in line to get their cheeks painted by a local artist who was decorating them with tiger paws. "You've got so many freckles, there's no place to paint!" a boy in the line cried. Embarrassed, the little girl dropped her head. Her grandmother knelt down next to her. "I love your freckles," she said. "Not me," the girl replied. "Well, when I was a little girl I always wanted freckles" she said, tracing her finger across the child's cheek. "Freckles are beautiful!" The girl looked up. "Really?" "Of course," said the grandmother. "Why, just name me one thing that's prettier than freckles." The little girl peered into the old woman's smiling face. "Wrinkles," she answered softly.  


Bow to Sri Sai - Raksha Karo Deva !!!
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on July 09, 2005, 08:22:55 AM
'APPO DEEPO BHAVA.'


Buddha was dying. He walked for forty years with a lamp and thousands followed him. Now he was going to die.

One day in the morning he said: 'This is my last day. If you have something to ask, you can ask.' The moment had come, the crossroad had come; now he would go on his own way.

Suddenly, infinite darkness surrounded everybody. Ananda, Buddha's chief disciple, started crying like a child -- beating his heart, tears coming down -- almost mad.

Buddha said: 'What are you doing, Anand?'

Anand said: 'What will we do now? You were here, we followed in your light.

Everything was safe and secure. We have completely forgotten that darkness exists. Following you, everything was light. Forty years, and now you are leaving -- and you are leaving us in total darkness. We were better before we met you because at least we were attuned to darkness; now that timing is also lost. Don't leave us in darkness! We could not attain to enlightenment while you were here; now what will happen when you are gone? We are lost forever.' He started crying and weeping again.

Buddha said: 'Listen. Forty years you walked in my light and you could not attain to your own light. Do you think if I am alive forty years more, you will attain to your own light? Even four thousand or four million years? The more you walk in a borrowed light, the more you imitate, the more you will lose. It is better I should go.'

The last words on Buddha's lips were: 'Be a light unto yourself.' He died with this uttering: 'Be a light unto yourself' -- 'APPO DEEPO BHAVA.'

The story is beautiful. The next day Ananda became enlightened. He could not become enlightened for forty Years and he loved Buddha tremendously; he had almost become a shadow of him and he could not attain. The borrowed light: he relied too much on it.

And it was so beautiful, and so effortlessly available -- who bothers about anything else? And within twenty-four hours he became enlightened.

What happened?

Twenty-four hours of deep crying and facing the darkness, and the reality, and one's own helplessness. Those twenty-four hours must have been so long for him. It was the darkest period -- painful, deep anguish and agony. He passed that hell. It is said that for twenty-four hours he was Lying down under a tree as if dead, the whole body shaking, tears continuously flowing. People thought that he had gone mad or that he wouldn't be able to survive without Buddha.

But after twenty-four hours he was a totally different man. He opened his eyes and people could not believe it -- those eyes had the same glimmer as Buddha's eyes. His body had the same beauty, the same fragrance. He walked like Buddha. He had attained to his own light.

Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Devki on July 09, 2005, 09:35:30 AM
The Master’s Method
 
One day, King Barkat decided to imprison the Master because of his preaching and because of the rebellious ideas he was spreading.

After some months the king fell ill and was confined to bed by a strange paralysis. All the doctors in the land tried to help him with the best medicines, but to no avail. The king wasn’t getting any better; indeed, he was getting worse. One day someone suggested that maybe the Master could help the king, since he was renowned among the people as a great healer.

The king decided to receive him and to ask his advice. The dervish was called and brought before his Majesty and the problem was explained to him. He answered: “Your Majesty, I can help you, but only on one condition: you must give me a sharp knife and then we two must be left alone”. The king was terrified; what would happen if the Master tried to kill him? But he had no choice: he could either remain paralysed, or try this cure.

He thought it over, then, with fear in his heart, he said: “Very well, we will do as you say, but remember that if anything were to happen to me, my courtiers would kill you” . A long, sharp knife was brought, and the king and the Master were left alone in the royal bedroom. Sanai, the Master, grabbed the knife, and, with an evil look in his eye, he leapt upon the king saying: “ At last we are alone, and I can have my revenge!” The terrified king leapt from his bed, screaming that the Master wanted to kill him.

His courtiers rushed in and saw the king running around the room, followed by the Master, who was brandishing the knife in the air.
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on July 10, 2005, 01:44:01 AM
THE LAST SHALL BE FIRST.....

One day, a king went to visit a Master, and attended, as an observer, the meeting chaired by the wise man.

Later, during lunch, the king said to the Master, “Master of our age! When you preside over your assembly, your disciples sit in a semicircle, in an order that reminds me of that used in my court: does it by chance have any particular meaning?”

He replied: “King of the world! How are your courtesans arranged? Tell me, and then I will describe how the rows of searchers are arranged”.

“The first circle,” explained the king, “is made up of those who, for various reasons, enjoy my favour, so that they are the closest. The second circle is reserved for the most important and powerful dignitaries in the kingdom, and for ambassadors. The outer circle is for less important people.”

“In that case,” said the wise man, “the order in which people are positioned here is far from corresponding with the criteria that you describe. The people sitting closest to me are the deaf ones, so that they can hear. The middle group contains all the ignorant ones, so that they can pay attention to my Teaching. Those furthest away are the illuminated ones, because this kind of closeness holds no importance for them.”
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on July 10, 2005, 09:36:32 PM
Awareness means an intensity

Awareness is an intensity. Sometimes you can feel it. Sometimes in a great danger you become aware. Sometimes if you are driving a car and suddenly you feel an accident is going to happen, you become aware. Then you know intensity. In that moment all thinking stops. You are simply alert. You are no longer functioning as a mind; you function as a consciousness.

One Sufi mystic, Bayazid, used to talk to his disciples about awareness, and they would ask, "But what is awareness? You go on talking about it." One day he took them to the river. On this side there was a small hill, and on the other side there was a small hill. He said, "We are going to put up a long wooden bridge -- just one foot wide -- from this end to the other, and you will have to walk on it. And then you will know what awareness is." They said, "But we have been walking our whole life, and we have never come to know." He said, "Wait," and he did the experiment. Many of them started feeling very afraid, and they said, "We cannot walk. Just one foot wide?" "But how much do you need to walk on? When you are walking on the earth, you can walk on a one-foot-wide strip easily. Why, why can't you walk on a one-foot-wide strip hanging between two hills? Why can't you walk on it?"

A few people tried. Just two, three feet they went, and they came back, and they said, "It is dangerous." Then Bayazid walked and a few followed, and when they reached the other shore, those few who had followed, they fell at his feet and they said, "Master, now we know what awareness is.

The danger was so much that we could not afford to walk in slumber. We had to be alert. Any moment and we would have been gone forever, so we had to keep alert."

In some rare, dangerous moments you become aware; otherwise not. Awareness means an intensity, such an intensity of wakefulness that no thought interferes. You are simply conscious without any thought. Try it. You can try it anywhere. Walking on the road, walk as if each moment there is danger. And there is danger! because any moment you can die, any moment death is there. If you become a little more understanding you will understand. It is impossible not to be aware if you see that death is possible any moment. Then you cannot live like drunkards.


Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on July 11, 2005, 10:00:35 AM
These golden moments can be yours........

An ancient parable in China is that an emperor who was very interested in paintings, and had a great collection of paintings, announced a great prize for the best painting. All the great painters of the country arrived in the capital and started working.

One painter said, "It will take at least three years for me."
 
The emperor said, "But I'm too old."

The painter said, "You need not be worried. You can give me the award right now. If you are not certain of your life, I am certain about my painting. But I'm not asking either. I am just saying that I am going to do a job that has never been done. I want to show you what a painting should really be; so forget about your death and forget about the award. You allow me three years and a separate place in the palace. Nobody can come while I'm working; for three years I have to be left alone."

Each day was such an excitement for the emperor. The man was a well-known painter, and not only a painter -- he was a Zen master too. Finally those three years passed, and the painter invited the emperor... he took him into the room. On the whole wall he had painted a beautiful forest with mountains, with waterfalls, and a small footpath going round about and then getting lost into the trees behind the mountains.

The painting was so alive, so three-dimensional, that the emperor forgot completely that it was a painting and asked the painter, "Where does this footpath lead to?"

The painter said, "I have never gone on it, but we can go and have a look at where it goes."

The story is that the painter and the emperor both walked on the path, entered the forest, and have not returned since then. The painting is still preserved; it shows the footprints of two persons on the footpath. It seems to be absolutely unbelievable, but the meaning is of tremendous importance.

The painter is saying that unless you can be lost in a painting, it is not a painting. Unless you can become part of the scene, something is dividing you; you are not allowing yourself, totally, to be one with it, whether it is a sunrise or a sunset....
 
A meditator has to learn in different ways, from different sides of life, to be lost. Those are the moments when you are no more, but just a pure silence, an abyss, a sky, a silent lake without any ripples on it.

You have become one with it. And all that is needed is -- don't be just a passer-by, don't be a tourist, don't be in a hurry. Sit down and relax. Gaze into the silence, into the depth, and allow that depth to enter into your eyes, so that it can reach to your very being.

A moment comes when the gazer and the gazed become one, the observer and the observed become one. That is the moment of meditation -- and there are no more golden experiences in existence. These golden moments can be yours... just a little art, or rather a little knack, of losing yourself into something vast, something so big that you cannot contain it. But it can contain you! And you can experience it only if you allow it to contain you.

Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on July 11, 2005, 11:31:44 PM
Don't Desire except to Desire GOD - Less than that will not do.....

It is a well-known story from the life of Alexander the Great. It is said that he was in search of the elixir of life, which once taken keeps death away. His plan to conquer the whole world was mainly in order to find this nectar.

The story goes that he ultimately found the spring of the immortal waters in a cave. Alexander entered the cave filled with joy, that now his lifelong desire was about to be fulfilled. He rested his eyes for a moment on the bubbling brook in front of him. Just as he was about to take the water, a crow that was sitting in the cave called out, "Wait, don't make that mistake!" Alexander looked at the crow.

His condition was pitiful. It was difficult to make out that he was a crow. His wings had fallen off, his eyes could see no more, his whole body was in a state of disintegration. He was just a skeleton. Alexander asked him, "Who are you to stop me? What is your reason?"

"Listen to my story first, O king, then do as you see fit," said the crow. "I too was in search of this spring. I too discovered the cave and drank this water. Now I cannot die and I want so much to die. Look at my state: my eyes are blind, my body is old and withered, my wings have broken and I cannot fly, my feet have disintegrated, but alas, I cannot die! Look at me just once and then do what you please.

"Now I beg that someone should kill me, but alas I cannot be killed because I have drunk this nectar. Now I pray to God night and day to grant me death. I want to die somehow, anyhow!"

It is said that Alexander stopped and pondered, then he silently left the cave without touching the water.

If your desires are fulfilled you find yourself in as much difficulty as when they are unfulfilled. You do not wish to die. If you were to find this cave and you drink the water from the spring, then you will find yourself in a dilemma -- what will you do with your life now? When life was in your hands, when you could have really lived, you were busy looking for the nectar to escape death.

You cannot live with the elixir, you cannot live with death, you cannot live in poverty, you cannot live in riches; you cannot live in hell, you cannot live in heaven, and yet you consider yourselves wise!

Bayazid was a Sufi mystic. He told God in his prayers, "O Lord, do not listen to my prayers; do not fulfill my prayers, because where have I the wisdom to ask for what is good for me?"

Man is absolutely without intelligence. He gets himself caught in the web of his desires and then wanders about within them. If his desires are not satisfied he is in difficulty. If they are satisfied he finds himself again in difficulty. Ponder a bit, go back into your own past and take stock of your life. What have you desired that has even partially come to pass? Has it given you happiness? Some of your desires that have not been fulfilled -- have they given you happiness? In both cases you have had nothing but sorrow and suffering. You become involved with your desires, some that were fulfilled; and you are still involved with the unfulfilled desires.

What is understanding? What are the characteristics of wisdom but to ask for that which when attained, all sorrow and miseries end? On that basis nobody in the world except a religious person is wise. Only he who desires God never repents; whatever else you ask for ends in regret.
 
Keep in mind that all your desires end in regret and repentance, except to desire God.
 
Less than that will not do, because that is the goal of life.
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on July 12, 2005, 11:10:38 PM
Are you rich or poor?

The greatest of kings possessing wealth as vast as the ocean and whose splendor is untold, cannot equal a tiny, lowly ant who has acquired the alchemy of remembrance, who always thinks of You. The lowliest of the lowly became the greatest of the great on acquiring surati; whereas the greatest of kings remains miserably destitute without remembrance.

There is only one wretchedness -- to forget God. There is only one wealth -- to attain His remembrance. He whose surati awakens has acquired all that is worth acquiring, achieved all worth achieving. Then it doesn't matter if he has no cloth to cover him, or roof to shelter him. It doesn't matter how much wealth you possess, how many palaces, how many titles, if in the absence of surati you feel a miserable beggar within. The pain, the anguish of poverty will always gnaw at your heart.

Nanak says the only kind of wealth is His remembrance. The only kind of poverty is to forget Him. Ponder well over this. Are you rich or poor? Don't think of your bank balance, which is a deception, but open your internal account and see the entry labeled remembrance. You are rich to the extent of your remembrance. If There is none, then you have not yet begun to acquire wealth. What you amass in the outside world makes no difference.

When Alexander the Great was about to die he told his ministers that his hands should be left hanging outside the coffin. When they complained that this was not the custom and wanted to understand the reason, he said, "I want people to see that in spite of all my conquests I leave this world with empty hands."



Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on July 13, 2005, 09:26:13 AM
Divine order cannot be contained in the words......


There is an old Sufi story: A deaf shepherd was grazing his sheep near a mountain. It was afternoon, long past the usual hour his wife brought his lunch and he was very hungry. As she had never been late before he began to worry whether she was taken ill or had met with an accident. The shepherd looked around and saw a woodcutter perched high on a tree. He reached up to him and said, "Brother, would you keep an eye on my lambs? I would like to run home and get my food."

Now, as it happened, the woodcutter also was deaf. He said, "On your way! I have no time to waste in idle gossip." The shepherd understood from his gestures that he had agreed to his request. He ran home as fast as he could and returned with his food. He counted his sheep and all was in order. He thought it would be nice to offer a gift to the woodcutter as a gesture of his gratitude and good will. Having a lame sheep which he would have to kill some day, he took it with him to where the woodcutter was.

Now when the woodcutter saw the shepherd with the lame lamb, he cried out in anger, "What? Do you mean to say I made her lame?"

The more the shepherd offered the lamb to him, the louder shouted the woodcutter. Now it happened that a horseback rider who had lost his way came upon the two. He meant to ask them the way but immediately the two of them caught hold of him. As luck would have it, the rider, who also was stone-deaf, had just stolen the horse and was riding away with it.

When these two caught hold of him he thought they must be the owners of the horse. Meanwhile the shepherd asked him earnestly to explain to the woodcutter that he was presenting the lamb as a gift to him.

The woodcutter said, "Please tell this man I did not so much as look at his sheep, much less make this one lame!"

The horseman said, "You may take back the horse. I admit my guilt, please forgive me."

While all this confusion was going on a Sufi fakir happened to pass by. All three rushed at him, caught hold of his clothing and begged him to clear things up for them. The fakir had taken a lifelong vow of silence, and although he understood each of their problems, what was he to do? He looked deep and long into the eyes of the rider, who began to get restless. He thought this man was hypnotizing him. He became so frightened that he jumped on the horse and rode away.

Now the fakir turned and looked piercingly at the shepherd who also felt he was losing consciousness. He quickly gathered his sheep and went on his way. When the fakir turned to the third man, he was equally frightened.

The fakir's eyes were very powerful. Those who observe prolonged silence develop a unique luster in their eyes. All the energy accumulates and the eyes become the channel for expression. When the fakir looked at him deeply, he quickly tied his bundle of sticks and went off.

The Sufi laughed and continued on his way. He had solved their problem without saying a word.

This is the difficulty that holy men experience, and there are not only three who are deaf; there are three billion deaf in this world! And each one makes his point but nobody listens; nobody hears anybody else. There is no dialogue in life, only debates and disputes. What is the saint to do then? He has developed the art of silence so there is no way to speak.

Besides, however much he speaks, as in the case of the Sufi fakir, deaf men are never able to follow. He would only have added to the confusion. So he merely looked deep into their eyes.

The saint has always tried to solve your problems by looking deep into your eyes. He tries to pour into your eyes what is contained within himself. Therefore Nanak talks a great deal of the company of saints. He says, "Associate with holy men if you want to know what they have known. Keep the company of saints, because mere hearing and talking will not take you far." You will be told one thing, you will interpret it in another way people are deaf. You will be shown something and you will see something else people are blind. You will draw your own conclusions, give different meanings to the saint's words.

Nanak says the divine order cannot be expressed, yet hints can be given. These hints are not mere words, because the divine order cannot be contained in the words.
 
   
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on July 13, 2005, 10:45:16 PM
Only Remedy......

Nothing will happen by your doing. Whatever you do, it will be your doing. Even when you tell a truth, because it arises out of your false personality, it will be a falsehood. From where can you utter truth when you are absolutely false?

Nanak was a guest of Lalu, a poor carpenter. The rich landlord of the village was performing a religious sacrifice to which he had invited the whole village. He sent a special invitation to Nanak. When Nanak did not appear the landlord himself came to bring him along.

He said, "How can you refuse to come to my mansion and partake in such a feast? Everything is of the best and purest ingredients, and it is specially prepared by brahmins who have first bathed and performed their rituals. Can you refuse this food cooked with the water of the Ganges and prefer the meager meal of this lowly carpenter who is not even a brahmin?"

Nanak said, "If you insist, I will go with you," but he asked Lalu to follow him and bring his food.

It is said -- and this is a symbolic story -- that Nanak took Lalu's dry bread and squeezed. A stream of milk poured forth. With the other hand he squeezed the landlord's bread and a stream of blood came out.

Nanak said to the landlord, "You cannot hide your impurity. Whether you have your food cooked by brahmins, whether you clean each grain with the Ganges water, it makes no difference. Your whole life is one long tale of exploitation, deceit, theft and lies. Blood is hidden in every bite of your bread."

Whether blood actually came out of the bread or not is inconsequential, but the story deals with truth. Only if you are true in your very being, can you be truth. Otherwise who can remedy it?

Nanak says nothing will happen by your doing. You are dishonest, so dishonesty will creep into your truth also. Your truths will somehow be made to serve your dishonesty, and in such a way that it harms others. You will look for such truths that will pierce another person's heart. Before you harmed the world with your lies, now you harm the world with your truths. Whatever you do will be wrong if you are wrong.

What is the cure? Nanak says the only remedy is to leave everything to God: His will be done. Await His pleasure. Live the way He wants you to. Be whatever He wants you to. Go wherever He takes you. Let His command be your one and only spiritual practice.
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on July 14, 2005, 11:07:27 PM
Remembrance.........

Nanak says: Stay where you wish, but let your remembrance be in God. Nothing is achieved by singing praises; everything is achieved by surati. All singing of praises is superficial, whereas remembrance is within. There is no need to shout aloud: "You are great, O Lord, I am a sinner. You are the redeemer, I am a beggar." Why shout like that? Whom are you telling? There is no need to ring bells and sing praise; what is needed is remembrance. Keep his remembrance; do not forget for a moment. Nurture His remembrance.

If you were to find a diamond, you would quickly put it safely away in your pocket. You might even tie it in a handkerchief lest it fall somewhere. Whether you go to the market, make your purchases or meet your friends, your remembrance will always be with the diamond. A faint low sound repeats again and again saying, "The diamond is in the pocket,.the diamond is in the pocket..." Every now and again you will feel it with your fingers to see whether it is still there.

Nurture the remembrance of God within in the same manner. Now and then touch it inside to be sure it is there. While walking on the road, stop and look inside. Is the thread of remembrance intact? Is the flow continuous? While eating stop for a second and check; close your eyes and watch if the remembrance is flowing.

Gradually the experience will go deeper and deeper. Then the flow of remembrance continues in your sleep too. When it flows all twenty-four hours of the day, you will have made the bridge between yourself and Him. Now you can close your eyes and merge into Him whenever you please. The road is now made; the instant you close your eyes you are lost in Him. And when you return to the world from your meeting with Him you will be refreshed, filled with absolute energy, as fresh and light as if you have just had a bath. Therefore Nanak says that bathing in thousands of holy places takes place in surati.
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on July 16, 2005, 12:15:33 AM
The hunger for God is not an Ordinary Hunger.........

Nanak was a guest of a Mohammedan nabob. For Nanak there were no Hindus and no Mohammedans; the sage observes no sectarian boundaries. The nabob said to Nanak, "If you really mean what you say -- that there is no Hindu, no Mohammedan -- then come along with us to the mosque. Since today is Friday, let us pray together."

Nanak readily agreed, but he insisted, "I shall offer prayers only if you also pray." The nabob replied, "What a strange condition to set! That is exactly why I am going."

The news spread like wildfire through the village. Everyone gathered at the mosque. The Hindus were greatly upset, and the members of Nanak's family were particularly abusive; everyone thought Nanak was becoming a Mohammedan. In such a way do people burden others with their own fears.

Nanak reached the mosque and the prayers were begun. The nabob was very annoyed with Nanak because, whenever he turned around to look, he found Nanak still erect, neither bowing now offering prayers, but just standing like a statue.
 
The nabob raced through his prayers as quickly as possible, because how can a person pray when he is angry? Finally he turned to Nanak and said, "You are a fraud. You are neither saint nor seeker! You promised to pray but you never did."

Nanak said, "I did promise, but have you forgotten the conditions? I said I would pray provided you also prayed. But you didn't, so how could I pray?"

"What are you saying? Are you in your right senses? There are so many witnesses here; everyone saw me offering prayers!"

"I can't believe these other witnesses because I was looking within you all the time. You were buying horses in Kabul."

The nabob was taken aback because that was exactly what he was doing. His favorite horse had died just that morning and he was still strongly affected by the loss of such a fine animal. His mind was preoccupied with how to reach Kabul as early as possible to buy another thoroughbred. To him a horse was a symbol of status and honor.

"And the priest who led the prayers," continued Nanak, "was busy gathering the harvest in his fields." The priest admitted that he was worried about his harvest that was ready to be reaped. "Now please tell me, did you offer your prayers so that I could offer mine?"

You force yourself to pray, you force yourself to worship, to meditate -- it is all meaningless. By bending the body into certain postures you cannot force the mind to follow suit.

The cacophony of the mind continues, and in fact it becomes louder and more intense. When the body was engaged in some activity the energy was divided. Now when the body sits absolutely inactive, all the energy flows to the mind and the thoughts spin at even greater speed!

This is why when people sit to meditate, the mind becomes more and more active... a real avalanche of thoughts cascading one upon the other! You sit to worship, but the marketplace still grips your thoughts. You go to the temple and ring the bells, but the mind races in other directions. Normally the mind is not so restless. You go to see a film and the mind is quiet and you feel at peace, but no sooner do you enter the temple or mosque or church it becomes its most restive. What is the reason? The theater is linked to your desires. In the movies all the things that you are filled with are brought out, all the rubbish, all the trash. It strikes a chord within you. In the temple what you hear touches nothing within, and hence the confusion.

Nanak is saying that by enforcing silence you will gain nothing, because you cannot attain that silence. Even if you remain in constant meditation, nothing is going to happen. The hunger cannot be appeased even by a mountain of bread, because this is not a hunger that can be appeased by bread. The hunger for meditation, the hunger for God, is not an ordinary hunger.

Nothing will happen by your doing. Whatever you do, it will be your doing. Even when you tell a truth, because it arises out of your false personality, it will be a falsehood. From where can you utter truth when you are absolutely false?

WE CANNOT COMPREHEND HIM THOUGH WE THINK A MILLION TIMES;
NOR QUIET THE MIND BY SILENCE, HOWEVER LONG WE SIT;
NOR A MOUNTAIN OF BREAD APPEASE THE HUNGER OF THE SOUL;
NOR ONE HUNDRED THOUSAND FEATS OF MIND ACHIEVE UNITY WITH HIM.
HOW CAN TRUTH BE ATTAINED AND THE VEIL OF FALSEHOOD TORN?
NANAK SAYS, BY SUBMISSION TO THE DIVINE ORDER, WHICH IS PREORDAINED.

Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on July 17, 2005, 01:47:02 AM
GOD IS NOWHERE?.............

I have heard a small story about a man who was a great atheist. The whole day he was arguing against religion, against all kinds of superstitions. He had written in his sitting room in big letters: GOD IS NOWHERE.
 
Then a small child was born to him.

One day the small child was looking at the writing. He was just learning to write, learning the alphabet, so he could not manage to read GOD IS NOWHERE; on the contrary, he read: GOD IS NOW HERE -- nowhere can be divided into two.

The father heard it and was amazed. He had never thought about it, that `nowhere' consists of `now' and `here'.

The small child changed the man's whole approach; he started thinking about now and here.

And he was puzzled... because he has never been now; his mind has been wandering in the past or in the future, but never now, never in the present.

Mind has no relationship with the present.

This moment, if you are here, the mind is no more.

Mind needs the past as memory, and mind needs the future as projection. Without future and past, the mind cannot exist. And the present is so small, just a split second. In the present, there is no work for the mind to do -- either it can do some work for the future or some work for the past, but it is absolutely impotent as far as the present is concerned.

The father had defeated many philosophers, but this small child changed his whole life because he started to be here, and to be now, and he found a new area opening within himself.

That area is meditation.

Meditation means no mind -- no past, no future, no present... just eternity, a pure mirror which reflects the whole and is not scratched by anything. Just as the sky is not scratched by the clouds moving, or the sun rising, or the full-moon night, the sky remains unscratched.
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on July 17, 2005, 09:31:22 PM
*Be a Divine Heart*

Hridaya means the heart and deva means divine -- the divine heart. And that is the direction for you to grow towards, the height you have to reach.

By a divine heart, I mean a heart which is unconditionally in love -- not with somebody in particular, but just in love with anything, any person, anybody whatsoever. Love becomes your climate; not a relationship. A relationship can grow in it, but you have to make it more a climate rather than a relationship.

Ordinarily love is a relationship, and when love is a relationship you breathe only towards a certain person. You breathe him or her, but the passage is very narrow. The universe is so vast and love gives so much; why make it so narrow? Let it expand and be unconditional, because whenever there is a condition, love becomes ruined. When it is unconditional. it becomes divine.

And love is never satisfied unless it becomes divine because that is the deepest urge in every human being: to be so full of love that whatsoever the condition, the love goes on showering.

So from this moment, remember it. You will forget many times, but again remember. And don't move indifferently. You are passing through the garden; don't move indifferently. Touch a leaf, talk to a tree, mm? just say hello; that will do. No need to utter it loudly.

Indifference kills love more than hatred. Hatred is love inverted, but indifference is absolute negation.

People move indifferently. They look at people but they don't look. They touch people but they don't touch.

So let this be your basic sadhana. One day you have to come to the point where you can say to the whole existence 'Beloved of my heart'.
 
The more you flow towards that, the more you will see that it becomes easier and easier and easier. A moment comes when you cannot believe how you lived otherwise. To live otherwise is simply foolish. It is unaccountably stupid.

The past does not simply disappear. It becomes part of the present.

Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on July 19, 2005, 01:07:52 AM
Though a real tough job but a nice moral nonetheless.
 


Good story to share...
 
A kindergarten teacher has decided to let her class play a game. The teacher told each child in the class to bring along a plastic bag containing a few potatoes. Each potato will be given a name of a person that the child hates, so the number of potatoes that a child will put inhis/her plastic bag will depend on the number of people he/she hates.
 
So when the day came, every child brought some potatoes with the name of the people he/she hated. Some had 2 potatoes; some 3 while some up to 5 potatoes.
 
The teacher then told the children to carry with them the potatoes in the plastic bag wherever they go (even to the toilet)for 1 week.
 
Days after days passed by, and the children started to complain due to the unpleasant smell let out by the rotten potatoes. Besides, those having 5 potatoes also had to carry heavier bags. After 1 week , the children were relieved because the game had finally ended.
 
The teacher asked: "How did you feel while carrying the potatoes with you for 1 week?" The children let out their frustrations and started complaining of the trouble that they had to go through having to carry the
heavy and smelly potatoes wherever they go.
 
Then the teacher told them the hidden meaning behind the game. The teacher said: "This is exactly the situation when you carry your hatred for somebody inside your heart. The stench of hatred will contaminate your heart and you will carry it with you wherever you go. If you cannot tolerate the smell of rotten potatoes for just 1 week, can you imagine what is it like to have the stench of hatred in your heart for your lifetime???"
 
MORAL OF THE STORY:

Throw away any hatred for anyone from your heart so that you will not carry sins for a life time. Forgiving others is the best attitude to take!
 
 
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on July 19, 2005, 09:39:49 PM
Mirrors of Illusion.......

There is a Sufi story. A dog lost his way in a palace. The walls and the ceiling of this palace were made of mirrors, so the dog was in a great difficulty. Wherever he looked there were dogs, dogs and only dogs. He became very puzzled: so many dogs all around! He was alone and yet surrounded by so many dogs. There was no way to get out, because the doors were also of mirrors so he saw dogs there too. Then he began to bark, but all the dogs in the mirrors began to bark with him. And when his bark filled the room he was sure his fears were not unfounded and that his life was in danger. He went on barking and all the dogs barked even louder. He ran here and there to fight them; the dogs in the mirror did likewise. All night he exhausted himself barking and fighting the dogs in the mirrors, although he was alone there! In the morning he was found dead inside the palace by the guards.

The dog died running, barking and fighting with the reflections, although he was alone there. When he died all noise subsided; the mirrors became silent.

There are many mirrors, and when we see the other it is our own reflection in different mirrors; therefore, the other is a fallacy. The notion that we are helping others is an illusion, and the notion that we are receiving help from the other is also an illusion. Actually, the other, as such, is an illusion.

Once this is realized life becomes simple. Then neither you do something for the other, taking him as the other nor do you let the other do something for you feeling him as the other. Then it is you yourself extended on both ends. Then if you give a helping hand to someone on the road you will have helped your own self. If someone else has given you a helping hand, then he too has only helped himself. But this comes within our understanding only after the ultimate experience. Before that, the other is definitely the other.

Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on July 20, 2005, 09:39:52 PM
God is available only to lovers...........


Enlightenment is not something against nature. It is the fulfillment of nature, it is the crescendo of nature, the climax. It is optimum nature. It is through being with nature that you arrive at it -- not being against it.

It is not going against the current, it is flowing with the current. The river is already going to the sea, you need not start swimming against it. And that's what you have been doing.

Now you ask 'What should I do?' Give up suffering, give up your attachment to suffering. You are not in search of enlightenment, you are in search of suffering -- enlightenment is just an excuse.

Love life, be more happy. God can come only to a happy soul. Only when you are utterly happy is there a possibility, otherwise not -- because misery closes you, bliss opens you up. Have you not watched it, observed it, in your own life? Whenever you are miserable you become closed; a hard shell surrounds you. You start protecting yourself, you surround yourself with a great arm our -- because you know you already have so much pain, you cannot afford any more hurt from anywhere. You have to harden your surface.

Miserable people always become hard; they lose softness, they become like rocks. A happy person is a flower -- he is so happy, he is so blessed, that he can bless the whole world. He is so blessed that he can afford to be open. He has nothing to fear. All is so good, all is so friendly, the whole existence is befriending him -- why should he be afraid? He can open up. He can invite existence, he can become a host to existence. Only in that moment, God enters you. Only in that moment, light penetrates you and you become enlightened.

Enlightenment is not something that has to be fought for, it is something that you have to allow. It comes in a moment of let-go. In surrender it comes.

Now, you have been a warrior. And to warriors God is not available. God is available only to lovers. God is the Beloved, He is available only to a loving heart. Love life, love His creation -- that is the only way to love God. Creation is the visible God. He is green in the trees and red in the roses and gold in the rays of the sun. He is silver on the surface of a lake when the moon is mirrored. He is laughter, He is tears. He is this life in its totality. Don't become an escapist and don't brag about your masochism as spirituality. Give up suffering and start a joyous journey. If you want to enter into my temple then it has to be not celibacy but celebration, not a fast but a feast.
 
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Astrid on July 21, 2005, 03:07:28 AM
Sai Ram

beloved Ramesh Bhai, this is just *the story*. If we always remember this, then there's nothing else we need. You are such a wonderful instrument God plays upon to make us listen blissfully to the melody of HIS words.

If I may humbly try and join in to your song ...

Where do you find the love and the joy that make life a feast?
It is not given to you at a point in life
You can't work for it nor deserve it
You already have it
It was given to you the very moment you were first created
You are made of it
It is the essence of life
It is underneath all our daily worries
It is underneath every happiness
It is underneath every pain
Right there
At the bottom of your heart
And when distress befalls you
when happiness elates you
when pain creeps up, old and new
just remember
you can always go
deeper.

Om Sai Ram

Astrid

Restless was my heart till it found rest in THEE
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on July 21, 2005, 09:26:13 PM
Trust is God.........Trust itself is divine!!

Even if your trust becomes a possibility that people can deceive you, that is good. Even if you are deceived because of your trust, it is better than not to trust.

It is very easy when everybody is loving and beautiful and nobody is deceiving you -- then to trust is easy. But even if the whole world is deceptive and everybody is bent on deceiving you -- and they can only deceive you when you trust -- then too, go on trusting. Never lose trust in trust, whatever the cost, and you will never be a loser, because trust in itself is the ultimate end. It should not be a means to anything else, because it has its own intrinsic value.

If you can trust you remain open. People become closed as a defense measure so that nobody can deceive them or take advantage of them. Let them take advantage of you! Just think of the beauty of it. Let them take advantage, but if you insist on going on trusting, then a beautiful flowering happens, because then there is no fear.

The fear is only that people will deceive, but once you accept that, there is no fear, so there is no barrier to your opening. The fear is more dangerous than any harm anybody can do to you. This fear is a poison and can poison your whole life. So remain open, and just trust innocently, unconditionally.

I'm not saying that nobody will deceive you or take advantage of you. They will, that is accepted, but it is worth it.

You will laugh at their foolishness, and that they could not destroy your trust. You trust somebody's humanity so tremendously that it is irrelevant what a person does. You trust them ultimately, so what they do doesn't make any difference.
 
You will flower, and you will help others to flower once they become aware that they have not been deceiving you a bit, but that it is themselves they have deceived. You cannot go on deceiving a person endlessly if he continues to trust you. His very trust will throw you back to yourself again and again.

Just watch it, allow it, and enjoy it. Cherish the very idea of trust, and then there is no need for any god. People say 'Trust in God.' I say 'Trust is God.' It is not that people have lost their trust in God. They have lost their trust -- and that is why they have lost their God. Trust is God. It is not a question of trusting some power called God. Trust itself is divine. So, good !
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on July 23, 2005, 12:34:15 PM
Renounce Thinking, Don't renounce Action.

I have heard about one Jewish philosopher. He was an ordinary peasant but very philosophic. His name was Yossel. He would think about everything, as philosophers do.

It was very difficult for him to do anything because thinking would take all his time, and by the time he was ready the opportunity was lost.

Once he went to the market, to a nearby village, to sell his wheat. He told his wife, "As soon as I am able to sell the wheat, immediately I will send you a telegram."

He sold the wheat with much profit so he wrote a telegram, went to the post office, filled in the form -- and then started thinking about it.

He wrote: "Wheat sold profitably. Coming tomorrow. Love and kisses, Yossel."

Then he started thinking and he thought, "My wife will think I have gone mad. Why 'profitably'? Am I going to sell my wheat at a loss?" So he crossed out the word 'profitably.' Then he became more concerned, because if he could miss and write a wrong word he may have made other errors also. So he looked, started thinking about each word.

Then he said, "Why 'coming tomorrow'? Am I going to come next month? Or next year? My wife knows that I will come as soon as the wheat is sold." So he crossed out the words 'coming tomorrow.'

Then he thought, "My wife already knows that I have come to sell the wheat, so why write, 'sold wheat'?" He crossed that out too.

And then he started laughing. He said, "I am writing to my own wife. Why should I write 'love and kisses'? Am I writing to somebody else's wife? And is it her birthday or Yom Kippur or something?" He crossed out that too.
 
Now only his name remained: Yossel. He said to himself, "Yossel, have you gone mad? Your wife already knows your name." So he tore up the telegram, happy that he had saved much money and foolishness.

But this is how it happens: if you go on thinking 'about', you miss the whole life -- everything is crossed out by and by. In the end you are also crossed out -- not only is the word crossed out, you are also in the end crossed out. Thinking becomes smoke; everything moves into it and everything is finished.

And action becomes impossible -- even to send a telegram is not possible. Action becomes impossible because action is direct and thinking is indirect. They never meet.

Awareness plus action, and you will attain reality immediately. And not only you -- you will create a situation in which others can also attain reality. You will become a milieu, a climate around which things will start happening. That's what happened with a Buddha, with a Sosan, with a Chuang Tzu.

Remember: action is good, thinking is a vicious circle; it never leads anywhere. So thinking has to stop but not action. There are people who will go on thinking; action will stop. That's how it happens when a person renounces life, moves to the forest or the Himalayas. He renounces action, not thinking. He renounces the world where action was needed. He is renouncing reality itself, because through action you come in contact with reality. Seeing is action, moving is action, dancing is action, painting is action. Whatsoever you do, you come in contact with reality.

You have to become more and more sensitive in your doing. Doing is not to be renounced; action should be totally there, because that is the passage through which you move into reality and the reality moves into you. Try to understand, because this is very basic -- basic to me: renounce thinking, don't renounce action.
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on July 23, 2005, 10:45:50 PM
"It is very easy, when life is going comfortably, to thank God. -
That thankfulness means nothing.


I have often told you the story of a Sufi mystic, Junnaid. He was the master of Al Hillaj Mansoor and because of Mansoor he became very famous. Mansoor was killed by the orthodox, traditionalist fanatics, and because of Mansoor, Junnaid's name also became famous -- Mansoor was Junnaid's disciple.

Junnaid used to go for a pilgrimage every year to the Mohammedan holy place, Kaaba. It was not very far from his place, and Mohammedans are expected by their tradition at least once in a life to go to Kaaba; otherwise they are not complete Mohammedans. But Kaaba was so close to his place that every year he used to go with his disciples. He was the revolutionary kind of saint. In fact, any kind other than the revolutionary are not saints -- just facades, actors, pretenders, and hypocrites.

The people in the villages where Junnaid had to pass were very angry with him. A few villages were so angry that they would not give him anything to eat, or even water to drink and would not allow him to stay in the village.

It was Junnaid's usual prayer -- Mohammedans pray five times a day -- and after each prayer he would raise his hands to God and he would say, "I am so grateful to You. How should I express my gratefulness? You take care of me in every possible way; Your compassion is infinite, your love knows no bounds."

The disciples were tired because five times every day, and in situations where they could see there is no care taken by God -- they have not received food, they have not received water, they have not received shelter from the hot sun in the desert.... Once it happened that for three days continually they were thrown out, stoned, given no food, no water, no shelter; but Junnaid continued his prayer the same way.

On the third day, the disciples freaked out. They said, "Enough is enough. Why are you saying, `You are compassionate', `Your love is great', `You take care of us in every possible detail?' For three days we have not eaten a single thing, we are thirsty, we have not slept under shelter, we have been sleeping in the desert, shivering in the cold night. For what are you being grateful?"

The answer that Junnaid gave to his disciples is worthy of being remembered. He said, "For these three days, do you think I cannot see that food has not been given to us, that we have been thrown out, that we have been stoned, that we are thirsty, that for three days we had to remain in the open desert...? Don't you see that I am also aware of it? But this does not mean that he is not taking care of us. Perhaps this is the way he is taking care of us; perhaps this is what we need at this time.

"It is very easy, when life is going comfortably, to thank God.

That thankfulness means nothing. These three days I have been watching. slowly, slowly, all of you have stopped thanking Him after the prayer; you failed the test. It was a beautiful test. Even if death comes to me, I will die with gratefulness. He gave me life; He took it away. It was His, it is His, it will be His. Who am I to interfere in His affairs?"

So there will be times when you will not find any moment of peace, silence, meditation, love, blissfulness. But do not lose hope. Perhaps those moments are needed to crystallize you, to make you strong. Be grateful not only when things are going good, but be grateful when everything is going wrong. A man who can be grateful when everything is going wrong is really grateful; he knows the beauty of gratefulness. For him, things can go wrong forever, but his gratefulness is such a transforming force, it is going to change everything.
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on July 25, 2005, 02:44:09 AM
Go beyond no, try to reach to the ultimate yes....... That is prayer and that is true religion.

The religions in the past have been teaching people a kind of negative attitude. The old religions depend on the don't: don't do this, don't do that. Their whole approach is: How to negate life? They think that by negating life they will be a coming closer to god, and that is just absurd. Life is god -- to negate it is to negate god himself.

One needs a great yea-saying heart. And the yes has to be so total that it can contain the no in itself. The light has to be so total that darkness becomes just a part in it. Life has to be so total that death becomes just an episode in it. And when one can say the great yes to all that is -- to the darkness, to the light, to the agonies of life and to the ecstasies of life, to the body and to the soul, to the earth and to the sky -- when one can say yes to all that is, it becomes a sacred yes. And my vision is based on the sacred yes. It is a totally new vision.

No has to be dissolved into yes. The old religions were somehow suicidal. They shrank peoples' lives. They were escapist. They did not allow love, they did not allow relationship, they did not allow the multiplicity and the richness of life to be lived, to be enjoyed, to be experienced. They taught people to escape from life and its multiple experiences, to move to the monasteries, to renounce. They were based on no.

Their whole philosophy is contained in no-saying, and the person who was very skilful in no-saying became a great saint in their eyes. He was just a kind of masochist, he was neurotic, but because of the philosophy of no, neurotics became saints; they were worshipped. They were slowly poisoning themselves, because when you say no you poison yourself.
 
Yes is life-giving. And yes has not to be partial; it has to be total. Yes has not to be something against the no, otherwise it will be partial. Yes has to be so huge that it contains the no in itself. And when the yes is so huge, so enormous, so infinite, that it is capable of containing its opposite, then it becomes a sacred yes.

Spirituality is a sacred yes to life and all that is contained in life. And to live with this yes needs courage!

To live with this yes dew, that one is ready to dissolve into the existence, that the dew drop is ready to drop into the ocean. But the moment the dew drop drops into the ocean it also becomes the ocean. Go beyond no, try to reach to the ultimate yes. That is prayer and that is true religion.
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on July 26, 2005, 09:35:34 PM
Love - The door into the divine..........

Prem means love, and sheila means virtue. Love is the real virtue. Love is not one of the virtues; it is the virtue. All other virtues arise out of it -- compassion, charity, character. All those virtues arise on their own accord if love is flowing in one's being. And if love is not flowing then the so-called vices arise. So love is the very decisive factor. If love is there all the virtues are bound to follow, and if love is not there, then all the vices -- hate and anger and greed and possessiveness. They are all symbols of the absence of love.

So love is not one of the virtues -- it is the virtue. And this is one of the greatest calamities of humanity, that we have praised all other virtues except love. In fact the society has been against it, has been very very alert about it, cautious about it. It has not allowed love to have its natural growth. Love is very stunted in every being because society knows love is a great energy, a great reservoir of energy. If you can possess a person's loving energy, you possess the person. If his loving energy is given absolute freedom then the person cannot be possessed by the society, by the church, by the state.

Nobody can possess him; then he becomes his own master.

Love brings freedom; freedom is another aspect of love. And the society exists on slavery, not on freedom, although much is talked about freedom. But the society's structure is such that it exploits. It does not allow the individual to have his whole say, it does not allow the individual to be himself, or it allows only conditionally, only so far. And love knows no conditions, love knows no limitations. Hence down the ages all the societies of the world have been very cautious about love; it is dangerous ground. But now the time has come: man has become mature enough to move into the world of love.

And the earth can become a paradise if each individual is given total freedom about his or her love and no conditions are imposed on love. Love freed from all conditions is the ultimate in freedom and becomes the door into the divine.
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on July 28, 2005, 10:54:46 AM
Destruction or creation, both are double-edged swords.

Prem means love, nikash means criterion. Love is the criterion, the touchstone. One has to test everything in life from the criterion of love. If love says it's okay, then it is okay; if love says no, then you are going astray. If one simply follows the subtle indications of love one arrives at god naturally, without any effort. There is no need to search for god; all that is needed is to go on judging yourself on the criterion of love. Love is decisive.

The man of knowledge will fail on the criterion of love. That means that knowledge is not wisdom, because knowledge does not release love energy in you. Wisdom immediately releases love energy. Wisdom expresses itself as love, as compassion. Knowledge may even make you more cruel. Rather than making you more loving, it may even destroy the love that you already had, because the more the head becomes burdened by knowledge, the more the passage towards the heart is blocked.

Wisdom arises in the heart, and the shadow of wisdom is love. When wisdom arises in you, you will know that the light has arisen in you; others will see only love growing in you, not your light. Light is an interior experience, love is its outward expression. Only the person will know that the light has happened in him, but everybody else will become aware of his love.

Love is the outer reality of the light which is the inner reality.

So if you try the criterion of love you will never go astray. Do whatsoever you want to do; always remember 'Is it going to help my love more? Is it going to make my love more intense, deeper, more valid, more authentic?' Then it is good, then it is virtuous. If not, then it is evil; it is better to avoid it. It will be destructive to others and it will be destructive to you too.

Destruction or creation, both are double-edged swords. If you destroy others you will be destroyed automatically. You cannot be destructive to others without being destructive to yourself. In fact, to be destructive to others you will have to be destructive to yourself in the first place. Before the anger reaches to the other and burns the other, it will have to burn you; it will arise in you like a fire, like a poison. It will reach the other only later on; first it will be destructive to you.

And so is the case with creativity: if you are creative in your relationships with people, with the world, simultaneously you are creating yourself. To be creative means that one is giving birth to oneself constantly, and that is real life: to be born anew each moment, every moment. Love is creativity, love is virtue, love is prayer, love is freedom. And in the ultimate sense, love is god.
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on July 28, 2005, 09:25:41 PM
It is all your birthright............

Atita means the transcendental. Reality is not finished at that which is apparent, at that which is obvious. Reality goes far deeper. Reality is not confined to the known, it reaches into the unknown. Reality is not only that which is available to the senses; it is far bigger. All that we know of reality is through our five senses. There are animals who have only three senses; their reality is confined to three. They cannot even become aware that there are people who have five senses and whose reality is bigger. There are animals who have only one sense; their reality is even more small. If man had ten senses his reality would be far richer.

Just think of a blind man. In his reality there is no place for light, no place for colour; his reality is very poor.

Without colour, without light, he is living in a very small cell. He is missing great beauties. He will not be able to see the splendour of a rainbow, he cannot even imagine it. You cannot explain it to him -- there is no way! And whatsoever you say he will misunderstand because he will be constantly translating it according to his understanding, and his understanding is confined to his ears. Now, what the eyes can know cannot be translated into the language of the ears; you cannot see music and you cannot hear beauty.

Don't think that we are confined to five senses. This is the beginning of religion. There is far more to be known, to be explored, and once you start exploring it, you start growing new senses, new sensibilities, in you, and that is the whole miracle of the religious search.

Once you start exploring something, some potential in you which has been dormant starts functioning. Now the brain surgeons say that half of the brain is almost non-functioning. The ancient Yoga scriptures say that that half is far more important than the other half which is functioning. The lower half is functioning, the higher half is non-functioning. It will function only if you start doing something for which it is needed. For example, when a person starts meditating some new centres in his brain start functioning. They were never needed, they remained dormant.

There is no end to human potentialities.

Man has all that is needed to know the whole. But the basic thing is to remember that we are just at the beginning of the journey and much has to be done, much has to be known, much has to be loved, much has to be lived.

That is the meaning of the transcendental: that there is always something beyond us, waiting, calling. Hear the call of it! It is significant only if you start moving into the transcendental, into that which is not available to the ordinary senses. It is all your birthright, but one has to grow new sensibilities, and meditation is a new sensibility. It makes you aware of the beyond, of the infinite, of the eternal.

Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Astrid on July 29, 2005, 04:03:54 AM
Sai Ram,

what a great post to read today, on your birthday, beloved Ramesh!
Heartfelt congratulations and may you feel showered with BABA's blessings endlessly.

Om Sai Ram

Astrid

Restless was my heart till it found rest in THEE
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on July 29, 2005, 10:42:43 PM
Befriend yourself, fall in love with yourself.......

Sva means self, samvado means communion -- to be in communion with oneself. That's the whole process of meditation. People are divided against themselves; everybody is living a split life. The difference is only of degree, otherwise everyone on this earth is schizophrenic. Nobody is really healthy because health means wholeness and nobody is whole; everybody is divided.

For centuries the society has been using that strategy to destroy the integrity of the individual. It gives you ideals, it tells you how you should be. It never allows you to love yourself as you are. It creates division: you are one thing, the society says you have to be something else; you become two. Your ideal self creates a constant tension in you.

Your real self also becomes a burden because you don't want it; the society says that it is worthless: Drop it. The real is denied and the unreal is imposed. Now this is the whole misery of man: how can one ever be in bliss if the real is denied, rejected, condemned, and the unreal is appreciated, valued?

The unreal remains unreal but it hovers above your head continuously torturing you: You should be this. And you cannot be anybody else other than who you are, so it becomes a heavy burden. You constantly have to deny your reality. That creates a state of split; one is no more in communion with oneself. This conflict is the root cause of all neurosis, all psychosis, all madness.

The healthy and the whole person is one who has accepted his totality with no rejection, who has never condemned anything, who simply lives the way he is, who has no ideals, who moves moment to moment with the reality that he is as he is. He has tremendous respect for himself, love for himself. He accepts all unconditionally. If he is sad, he accepts his sadness. He doesn't say 'I should not be sad'; he knows nothing of the language that consists of shoulds and oughts. He says 'If I am sad, I am sad; I have to live it. This is me and there is no other me. This is the only me there is.' And the moment you accept your sadness a great communion arises between you and your sadness. You are bridged, and even sadness becomes beautiful, even sadness starts making your life rich.

When there is anger the whole person respects the anger. He does not repress it, he does not condemn it, he does not pretend that he is not angry. Whatsoever reality is there, he is totally in communication with it, and he lives with utter acceptance.

This brings miracles in life. When you accept all you become integrated. When you accept all you don't have any conscious and unconscious division in you; your house is no more divided against itself. When you accept all, through that acceptance a transcendence happens. You are not just the sum total of all that you have accepted; you are something more than the sum total, and that something more is divine.

Once that divineness is tasted then many things disappear on their own accord. Anger simply disappears; not that you drop it, it is no more found. The split person becomes angry. Sadness disappears on its own accord; not that you have done something to change it, to help it go: you have simply accepted. In that acceptance you are no more fighting with yourself. When the fight stops there is a dance, because the energy which was engaged in the fight is there. It becomes a dance, it becomes a song, it becomes a beatitude.

This is the whole teaching, : Total acceptance of oneself and transcendence through that total acceptance. But transcendence is not the goal; it is just a by-product.

You are not to attain it, it happens on its own; whenever It happens, it happens on its own. All that you need to do is to fight with yourself no more. Befriend yourself, fall in love with yourself and that brings harmony, accord, communion.
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on July 31, 2005, 02:53:37 AM
That arrival is enlightenment, that arrival is the experience of God.

Anand Dhyano! Anand means bliss; dhyano means meditation.

Bliss has to be the meditation.  Bliss has to be imbibed in as many ways as possible. From nature, drink as much bliss as possible. From the stars and the moon and the sun and the trees and the birds, drink as much as possible. It is still available there in its pure form.

Man has become contaminated; but looking at the sky full of stars you again enter into a totally different dimension which is not human, which is divine. Watching a rose flower opening up is a totally different world.

So through nature imbibe bliss, and then through the many beautiful things that human beings have been doing on the earth.
 
Man has not been wrong all along. The majority has been very very dull, stupid, but a few intelligent people have been doing really significant things: music, poetry, art, literature, sculpture, architecture, a Taj Mahal, a Khajuraho, a pyramid. Listen to great music. Meditate on poetry. Get lost in great literature: Dostoevsky, Tolstoy, Rabindranath. Imbibe bliss from these sources.

And then human beings -- the last, because they are the most difficult people! Unless you become very very artful at imbibing bliss you will not be able to take it from human beings. But when you have become accustomed, attuned, to nature, to art, then there is a possibility of touching the human heart. Then love, relationship, friendship... even from strangers.

Think of yourself as constantly searching for new sources of bliss. And be thrilled by small things: the foam on the waves in the sea, shining in the morning sun... Then don't just see: dance, participate in the joy of the waves! Seeing a bird on the wing, feel one with the bird. Create a kind of attunement, at-onement. Slowly slowly you learn the knack, and then, ultimately, bliss arises in your own being. These are just to create space all around you in which your inner bliss can bloom.

The real bliss is going to happen within you.
 
It never comes from anywhere else: not from stars, not from rivers, not from mountains. But first we have to create the context, a space, in which your own bliss can open up. If you are surrounded by all kinds of misery, negativity, darkness, dullness, unintelligence, ugliness, insensitivity, then it is impossible because the context is missing; bliss will not arise in you.

Buddhas may go on saying that you are bliss, your nature is bliss; you will listen, and you will understand the words, but nothing will happen. In fact, deep down you will suspect, you will doubt: what these people are saying seems nonsense, because when you look inside you don't find any bliss. These people go on saying "Know thyself" -- and when you look inside there is nothing worth knowing. The reason is: you look inside without creating the context. That context I call meditation.

So whatsoever is helpful to make you blissful, ecstatic, use it. Different people find different things helpful. Somebody may find art, somebody may find nature, somebody may find love -- because people are different. But one thing has to be remembered continuously: anything that triggers the process of bliss in you has to be imbibed, has to be lived with, has to be understood more deeply, more profoundly.

Then one day suddenly, something explodes in you -- when the context is ready and ripe, when the space is created -- something just like a lotus opening.

.. and you have arrived. That arrival is enlightenment, that arrival is the experience of God.
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on August 01, 2005, 02:03:01 AM
"Prem means love; pratibha means genius -- genius for love.
 
Love is available only to those who go on sharpening their intelligence. Love is not for the mediocre... love is not for the unintelligent. The unintelligent person may become a great intellectual. In fact unintelligent people try to become intellectuals; that is their way of hiding their unintelligence. Love is not for the intellectual. Love needs a totally different kind of talent: a talented heart, not a talented head.
 
Love has its own intelligence, its own way of seeing, perceiving, its own way of understanding life, its own way of comprehending the mystery of existence. The poet is far closer to it than the philosopher; and the mystic is exactly inside the temple. The poet is on the steps and the philosopher is just outside. At the most he can approach the porch, but never the steps. He goes on round and round. He goes on moving around the temple, studying the outer walls of the temple, and becomes enchanted so much that he forgets completely that the outer walls are not the real temple because the deity is inside.
 
The poet almost reaches the door, but the door is so beautiful that he becomes hypnotized. He thinks he has arrived -- what more can there be? The philosopher is lost in guessing what is inside. He never goes there, he simply thinks, philosophizes. The poet tries to penetrate into the mystery but gets hooked near the door.
 
The mystic enters into the very innermost sanctum of the temple.
 
The way is love and the way is a loving intelligence. When love and intelligence meet together you create the space in which all that is possible to a human being can become actual. A loving intelligence is what is needed. Intelligence alone becomes intellectual, love alone becomes sentimentality, but a loving intelligence never becomes intellectuality or sentimentality. It gives you a new kind of integrity, a new crystallization.
 
And that is where people become awakened: awakened to the truth of existence, awakened to the truth of their own being. That's where one becomes a Buddha. The Buddha simply means the one who is no more asleep, who is no more dreaming, who is fully awake.
 
Simply accept it. It is nothing wrong -- it is the door to the ultimate. But the door has to be empty otherwise how will you enter? You cannot enter through a wall From far away the door looks empty and dark, and you are unnecessarily frightened. Come closer to it, accept it.
 
Emptiness is not emptiness but the beginning of fullness, but you have to take a plunge into it, and you can take the plunge only when you accept. If you reject it from the very beginning you will turn your back towards it, and then you will be continuously afraid and escaping.

And you cannot escape -- nobody can escape from God. Sooner or later one has to come to face the reality, one has to encounter it. So why waste time in escaping and hiding and protecting yourself? -- and protecting yourself from something which is going to be a bliss, a benediction?
 
In the East we have been searching for emptiness for centuries, and the day somebody finds it he is exhilarated. He has come to the door, now the meeting is not far away. Just a few steps more and one will be inside the temple.
 
Emptiness is one side of fullness, one aspect of fullness, the other side of the coin. You will have to accept it, respect it, love it. I can understand: in the West people are afraid of emptiness, hence they are continuously trying to be occupied with something or other. Any nonsense is okay if it keeps you occupied. Remain glued to the chair for five hours, watch the TV, or go to the movie and see some stupid film, or read some detective novel. But go on doing, don't allow gaps, because whenever there is a gap you are reminded of the emptiness.

We in the East have done just the opposite: we have been in search of it and we have found that it contains the greatest treasure of life. And when I am saying this, I am saying it not because scriptures say so but because I know it is so".
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on August 02, 2005, 09:31:19 PM
'BABA' is really a very paradoxical word: the holy man;............THE HOLIEST OF HOLY

Baba has three meanings. One is: the small child, the innocent child, the child who cannot yet speak, because the moment a child starts speaking he is no more a child; he has become part of civilisation. Language is the world of civilisation; it is language that makes man different from animals. If language disappears then man will be just as one of the animals; there will be no distinction. It is language that creates civilisation, culture, philosophy, mind. It is out of the bricks of language that the mind is built.

So a child is innocent when he cannot speak. Then he lives in the world of the animals; he is still in the Garden of Eden. The moment he starts speaking he is no more a child. So baba is the small child who cannot speak; that is one meaning.
 
The other meaning is a very old man who has again learned how to be silent -- the grandfather. In the East the grandfather almost always meant the person who has become a sannyasin, because in the East we had four stages of life.

If life is one hundred years, then each stage has to consist of twenty-five years. Twenty-five years for the student: he will be in the university and he will live a life of discipline. Then the next twenty-five years, for the householder. He will get married, he will have children, he will become part of the world. Then the third twenty-five years is getting ready to leave the world, turning towards the forest; twenty-five years in the world and then twenty-five years is getting ready to get out of the world.

And by the time a person is seventy-five he will be a grandfather. He leaves the world, he renounces the world, he goes to the mountains. to the forest. Then he is again called Baba.

Now again he is back to being a child. He learned the language, the ways of the world, and now he has dropped them all. He is again a clean slate. Now he knows nothing. That is the state when Socrates says 'I know only one thing: that I know nothing.' Then Socrates is a baba; again he is a child. That's what Jesus means when he says 'Unless you are like small children you will not be able to enter my kingdom of god.'
 
So 'baba' is really a very paradoxical word: the smallest child and the oldest man. The circle is complete: the old man is falling back into the source, again becoming a child. Hence slowly slowly the third meaning came out of it: the holy man. So it is beautiful.

Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on August 03, 2005, 09:28:23 PM
Befriend light and light will befriend you..........

Prem means love, ananta means infinite -- infinite love. And remember, that which is finite is not love. Love by its very nature is infinite; it knows no boundaries. Hate knows boundaries. Hate is always addressed; you have to hate somebody. You cannot just hate but you can just love. There is no need to love somebody; love can be unaddressed. Love can become your very state, it need not be a relationship. That is the meaning of love's infinity: that it can be a state of being, you can be simply loving.

Love can become your nature. Hate can never become your nature. It remains foreign, it remains separate. You can go on clinging to it but you are never it. Hate has boundaries, definitions; love has no boundaries and no definitions. Love is like health. Diseases have definitions; you can define what cancer is and what tuberculosis is, but you cannot define what health is. Diseases are many and health is only one, but those many are definable and the one is indefinable. Hatreds are many but love is one.

Love is your inner health. Just as the body feels a well-being, when your inner being feels a well-being there is love. Love has nothing to do with the other. It is something that happens in you, that arises in you and overflows you. Remember it. That remembering will help you infinitely. And when you are sitting silently after meditation or in the morning, evening, night, when you are feeling cool and collected, just remember, just contemplate on love's infinity, overflowing, for nobody in particular.

And one day you will start feeling it. The day one starts feeling love as a state is a great day, the day of celebration! One has started becoming religious.

One does not become religious by becoming a Christian or a Hindu; one becomes religious by becoming religious.

Start contemplating on light. Whenever you have time and a few moments, just sit silently and start feeling a source of light in the belly, behind the navel... a red and bright sun, just as it is early in the morning when the sun is rising. And when you can visualise the sun behind the navel, feel the rays are reaching to every part of the body -- to the feet, to the head, to the hands -- feel full of light.

That will destroy many problems, that will destroy many of your anxieties. Light is going to be your mantra. Whenever you see light anywhere, be very respectful; light is your element. In the early morning see the sun rising and bow down. In the night, the stars -- bow down. Sometimes just light a small candle and bow down. Start getting in tune with all phenomena of light. Befriend light and light will befriend you. And soon, within three, four weeks, you will start feeling a great joy in light.
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Devki on August 04, 2005, 04:43:23 AM
This one is a wonderful story and relevant to what is happening in our life daily……just simple but good one.

Want Water or Cups?

A group of working adults got together to visit their University lecturer. The lecturer was happy to see them. Conversation soon turned into complaints about stress in work and life.

The Lecturer just smiled and went to the kitchen to get an assortment of cups - some porcelain, some in plastic, some in glass, some plainlooking and some looked rather expensive and exquisite.

The Lecturer offered his former students the cups to get drinks for themselves.

When each student had a cup in hand with water, the Lecturer spoke:

"If you noticed, all the nice looking, expensive cups were taken up, leaving behind the plain and cheap ones. While it is normal that you only want the best for yourselves, that is the source of your problems and stress. What all you wanted was water, not the cup, but we unconsciously went for the better cups."

"Just like in life, if Life is Water, then the jobs, money and position in society are the cups. They are just tools to hold/maintain Life, but the quality of Life doesn't change."

"If we only concentrate on the cup, we won't have time to enjoy/taste the water in it."

"Faith gives us a new vision of the world. Without it we see only the darker side of life. We are still slaves. It is faith which liberates us and makes us see the Spirit of power and love at work in our lives".
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on August 08, 2005, 10:20:15 AM
Love is a garden : It should be natural, not artificial.........Part-I

Prem means love; carmelita is Hebrew, it means garden -- a love garden. Love is a garden: much care has to be taken of it. It is not just weeds that grow on their own -- if you want rose bushes and lotuses, then much care and attention is needed.
 
A garden has to be created. It is an art, and the greatest art about it is that it should not know that it has been created, that the hands of man should remain hidden, that the hands of man should only be instruments in the hands of God. They should not interfere; they should only bring the message of the divine. They should in no way hinder; they should only be silent, co-operative, empty vehicles.
 
A tree has to be helped, watered, taken care of, but allowed to be its own. It is not to be tampered with; it has to be allowed to grow in its own natural way. The most beautiful garden is that which looks like a forest. It is not a forest, it is a garden; it has been created with great tenderness. It is poetry composed of trees, but composed in such a way that the poet is invisible. If the poet is too visible, he has destroyed the whole thing. The garden has to be made but it should not be -- at least not on the surface -- man-made.

It should be natural, not artificial.
 
There is a great story of a Zen master who was a great gardener; the emperor used to learn from him. The emperor was creating a big garden so that one day the master could be invited to see. If he approved, that meant that the king had learned the art -- that was going to be the king's examination.
 
The master came. The king had really prepared hard; thousands of people were involved in the garden. Everything was so clean, so perfect, that the king was absolutely certain that the master would not be able to find any fault. But when the master came, the king became afraid, scared. The master wouldn't smile; he looked at the whole garden and he was very serious.

That was rare; he had never been seen so serious. Finally he said 'I don't see any dead leaves in the garden. Where are the dead leaves?' The king said 'We have thrown them out, just to keep everything clean.'
 
The master went out, brought back many dead leaves and threw them in the garden. The wind started taking those dead leaves all over the place... and the rustling sounds of the dead leaves. The master smiled, and he said 'Now it looks like something divine! Without these leaves it was so dead, it had no sound. And how can a garden be without dead leaves? How can life be without death? They are partners together. If green leaves are there, then dead leaves are to be there on the ground.
 
To remove them is artificial.'
 
Love is a garden. It has to be spontaneous, natural -- and yet one has to be very artful. It is a paradox: to be artful and to be spontaneous.
 
In Zen they say that one should learn painting for at least twelve years and then throw away all the brushes and the paintings and forget all about it. For twelve years one should not touch the brush, should not paint. And then after twelve years one should start painting again. Now the art has been learned and forgotten; now one can paint naturally. The art will be there but it will not be visible; it will be something like a hidden current, something invisible.
 
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on August 08, 2005, 10:22:45 AM
Love is a garden : It should be natural, not artificial.........Part-II

Great art is always invisible; and love is the greatest of arts. No music, no poetry, no painting, can be compared to it.
 
It means nothing! It has no meaning. Life has no purpose, it simply is. And that's the beauty of it and the profound depth of it -- that it simply is. You can make anything out of it; it is just pure availability. It is an empty canvas: you can paint anything on it. You can paint a nightmare or a beautiful dream, you can create hell or you create heaven, but life gives you no directions. It simply gives you total freedom to do whatsoever you want.
 
Life is freedom, hence the great responsibility. If you miss, you cannot make somebody else feel guilty for it; you and only you will be responsible.
 
And there is no intrinsic meaning in life, so you cannot find any readymade thing. Life is creation. You will find only that which you have created; first create and then you can find it.
 
This is the tremendous mystery of life. People ask 'Where is God?' and they have not created God yet; they cannot find him. People ask 'What is beauty?' First create it, and then you will know. First give birth to it, then you will know.
 
Life is simply available in all its multi-dimensionality. No meaning is imposed from above; you have to create meaning. Each one has to be a creator, a god in his own right. We live in the world we create, and we live the life we create. So whatsoever meaning you prefer, you can create. The ultimate is to be able to live without any meaning, not to hanker for meaning, not to be obsessed with purpose, not to think in terms of goals; that is the ultimate. Once a man is able to live life for no reason at all, he is a Buddha, he is enlightened.
 
Enlightenment means to live life without any hankering for meaning. Then whatsoever is, is good, and whatsoever is not, that too is good. Then each moment becomes so radiant, so luminous, so fun of fragrance, but still there is no meaning.
 
Science searches for meaning and finds none. And because people are trained in science, everybody is feeling very disappointed. Art finds no meaning, but creates it -- through poetry, music, painting.
 
Religion also finds that there is no meaning, but it starts living the very meaninglessness of it. Art creates an illusion, it creates a beautiful illusion. Art is magic; at least it helps you feel that there is meaning. Science knows the truth, but is incapable of living it: it creates despair. Religion also knows that there is no meaning, but is courageous enough to live that meaninglessness of existence and finds great bliss and joy in it. These are the three approaches possible.
 
Science is the lowest approach, religion the highest. So if you ask the scientist he will also say that there is no meaning, but he will say it very sadly -- he wanted there to be a meaning and it is not there. Ask the artist: he will say 'Don't be worried; meaning can be created.' Ask the mystic: he will say ecstatically 'There is no meaning -- and because there is no meaning there is freedom, and because there is no meaning there is no bondage.'
 
If it is possible, become a mystic. If it is not possible, at least become an artist. Don't fall below that! If you fall below that, you are committing the original sin.
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: SS91 on August 08, 2005, 11:38:09 AM
LOVE--Perverted And Pure



In a water tank you throw one stone. It becomes a circle. And the circle expands, expands, expands unless the circle comes to the shore. Similarly our loving affair begins from personal self to family, from family to society, community, nation, international. But still, it is imperfect unless the circle reaches to the lotus feet of God. Then it is satisfied.


subhasrini
OM SAI SRI SAI JAYA JAYA SAI!!!
Let us pray at the feet of Sai Baba who is the incarnation of all gods and protector of all, to show mercy on us, and increase our devotion towards him.
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on August 10, 2005, 05:18:58 AM
Just go in!...........

A small story.... It is just a story, but full of meaning and juice.
 
When God created the world, he used to live in the world. But he became tired, because from the morning on, everybody would start coming with complaints: somebody has no child, somebody's child is sick, somebody's child has died; somebody has fallen in love but the parents are not allowing him to marry the woman.

.. and millions are the problems. And just one poor God! And those who could not get him in the day would torture him in the night -- he was unable even to sleep.

Finally, he asked his advisor, "What should I do? These people will kill me! They don't allow me rest, and they bring a thousand and one problems. They should solve those problems. I have given them every capacity, intelligence, to solve all their problems but they want to throw all responsibility on me, thinking that `Why should we bother? Why did you create us in the first place? If you created us then take care of our problems."'

The advisor whispered in his ear, "There is a place where these people will never go."

He said, "Just show it to me."

And he said, "You just hide inside these people themselves. They will go searching for you all over the world but they will never go inside. You can rest, relax." And he is resting and relaxing there.
If you want to know whether the story is true or not, go in!
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on August 12, 2005, 04:23:20 AM
Four Women and Four Men.....We have them all........

Walking through a forest, a man chanced to meet four beautiful women. Greeting them, he introduced himself. The tall and slim woman said: “My name is Buddhi (intellect), I live in man’s head”. The woman with kohllined eyes said: “I am Lajja (modesty), I live in the eyes of man as modesty and present myself as decorum in behaviour”. The third lady had a welltoned body. “I am Himmat(courage)”, she said. “I live in man’s heart. I give him the courage to live”. The traveller bowed low. The fourth lady had rosy cheeks and radiated freshness. “My name is Tandurusti (health). I live in man’s stomach”, she said.

As the traveller went ahead, his thoughts went back to the four women he had met. At the end of the forest, he met four young men. “I am Krodh (anger)”, said the first man who was handsome but for his brows, which were always knitted. “Where do you live”, the traveller asked. “I live in man’s head”, said Krodh. The traveller said this was not possible. He had just met Buddhi and she lived in the head. Krodh said “Till I enter, Buddhi remains. Once I enter, she runs away”. Krodh had strong muscles and a forceful personality. The second man was Laalach (greed). “I live in people’s eyes”, he said. Once again the traveller interjected to say “Only Lajja lives there”. “Just place a bag of gold coins and see how Lajja runs away from people’s eyes. Or offer a position of power. Desire does not believe in modesty, shame or decorum. It is an expression of greed”.
   
Who would the third man be? “I am Bhay (fear)”, the sickly-looking man was saying. “I live in people’s hearts”. “Is it not the residence of Himmat?” the traveller asked. “When people do not obey their conscience, they are always afraid. They do wrong and so are full of fear of being caught. That is why Himmat wanders homeless while I reside comfortably in people’s hearts. Sometimes when I dominate, people say they have a heart attack and go to the doctor. They give me even more space when and if they come back”.
   
“My name is Rog (disease)”, said the fourth man. He looked healthy. “I live in people’s stomachs. They are forever downing intoxicants that goes into their stomach, feeding me. I know you will wonder where Tandurusti went. She does not stand a chance. Everybody wants her but it is me they feed when they drink, smoke and partake of other such substances”.
   
A healthy and happy life seems to be within reach. But so are problems. If we invite problems, is it fair to blame it all on fate? Can we make small resolves that will make some space for Buddhi, Lajja, Himmat and Tandurusti within us? Small resolves like: ‘‘I will control my anger for today. I will limit my possessions. I will try to remove fear. I will not give in to temptations that lead me to ill health’’. Small vows or anuvrats are firm steppingstones to a happier and healthier life.
   
All it takes to be able to live a holistic life is to resist temptation, taking one step at a time. Health, happiness and peace will be within reach.
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on August 14, 2005, 01:31:08 AM
Our Mind is like Quicksilver(Mercury)...........

Many doctrines have been formed since ancient times with regard to the integrity of man. In Islam there is the concept that if a man has any part of his body maimed -- whether a finger is cut off or he has undergone an operation -- he is unfit to reach the feet of God.

Therefore the Muslims are very fearful of operations; if they have to have one they feel guilty and fearful of becoming unfit for God.

In Pakhtoonistan if a limb has to be removed it is severed and preserved until the person dies, and is then buried along with him so that, when he approaches God, he is not incomplete. It is a very significant idea to be a fully integrated whole before approaching God, but here, as elsewhere, a wrong interpretation is being followed.

The Hindus also have this same concept. You must have heard the old stories: when a man had to be burned in a sacrificial fire care was taken that all his parts were intact. If even the slightest defect was present, say a bit of the small finger was chopped off, then he was disqualified.

The finger of a prince got crushed and broken in a door of the palace. Being a devotee who believed and trusted in God, he turned around and said to his attendant, "God be praised! I could have died."

The attendant was surprised. "Your devotion is beyond my understanding. Your finger is broken and you are bleeding badly, yet you thank God. That is carrying devotion too far. You are only fooling yourself by thanking God for this." The attendant was a man of reason.

The prince replied, "Wait awhile, for time will tell." Faith cannot be explained by reason, because faith has no proof.

The prince and the attendant went hunting one day. They lost their way in the jungle and were captured by avdhoots, a group of ascetics who were looking for a human being to sacrifice. First they caught hold of the prince, but found that all his parts were not complete --the one finger was missing. He would not do, so they seized the servant and found his body intact. As they were preparing him for sacrifice the prince reminded him, "Didn't I tell you God's grace is on me? I am saved from death." The test, the authenticity of faith, takes time for proof.
 
Human beings were offered as sacrifice, but this too was a misunderstanding. The sages preached that only he who is total within himself can gain entrance to the Lord's assembly. The lack of a finger does not make you incomplete; even if the head is cut off, a man is not incomplete.

But when consciousness is cut off and his mind falls into fragments, then he becomes incomplete. Your mind is like mercury: let it loose and it breaks immediately into a thousand pieces that cannot be gathered together; touch one small pellet of quicksilver and it will break into ten more.

That is how your mind is, broken into thousands of pieces, with each piece going its separate way. If and when you become at all awakened and look within yourself, you will find one part of your mind heading East, one to the West, one to the North, one to the South. One part wants to earn money, another wants to follow the spiritual path, and so on.
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on August 15, 2005, 12:23:31 AM
Ugliness in the garb of Beauty......

Kahlil Gibran has written a very nice story. He says when God created the world He created a Goddess of Beauty and a Goddess of Ugliness. He sent them both to earth. Since the road from heaven to earth is very long, they were both tired before they reached halfway. They looked at their clothes so covered with dust that they could hardly make one another out. So they halted beside a lake and decided to take a bath and wash their clothes. There was no one around so they removed their clothes and stepped into the water without fear. The Goddess of Beauty loved the feeling of the cold, soothing waters.

She swam far out. The Goddess of Ugliness grabbed the opportunity and quickly came ashore, put on her companion's clothes and disappeared.

After some time the Goddess of Beauty, having had her fill and realizing it was getting late, decided to come ashore. To her surprise her companion was missing and so were her clothes. What was she to do? The people from the village were arriving. She was obliged to put on the ugly one's clothes. Gibran says, "Ever since then ugliness masquerades on earth in the clothes of the Goddess of Beauty, while the latter moves about in her clothes."

This is exactly what has happened. Suffering goes about in the garb of happiness; untruth masquerades as truth, and the mind is deceived by it. It fails to see what is behind the mantle.
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on August 15, 2005, 09:36:56 PM
The Master of Masters - BABA SAI is a physician -- not of your ordinary diseases but of your existential conflicts.

There is a beautiful incident. One fine morning Shankaracharya -- THE Shankaracharya, the first Shankaracharya -- after taking his bath in the Ganges in Varanasi, is coming up the steps and a man is coming down the steps. It is still dark. The sun has not risen yet, and the man touches Shankaracharya. And the moment he touches him he says, "My God, please forgive me. I am a SUDRA."

And Shankaracharya is very much angry. A man who says that everything outer is illusory, even for him the body of a sudra is not illusory. He says, "You wasted my time. Now I have to take another bath."

The sudra said, "Before you take the bath, please answer my few questions. If you don't answer, you can take the bath but I will touch you again -- and that will be a real waste of time."

He has put Shankaracharya into such a corner... and there is nobody around, so Shankaracharya agrees to answer his questions: "You seem to be such a stubborn man. First you touch me, then you declare that you are a sudra. And now you are forcing me to answer your questions.

What are your questions?"

The sudra said, "My questions are very simple. I want to know whether my body is sudra, untouchable. Is there any difference between my body and your body? Is there any difference between my blood and your blood, my bones and your bones? Would it be possible, if we both died, for anybody to decide which body was a brahmin's body and which body was a sudra's body? Our skeletons will be the same, so please tell me: is my body untouchable?

"If not, then is my soul untouchable? And you are the man who has been teaching that God is in everybody's soul -- is he more in you and less in me? Is there some difference of quantity or quality? Or does he exist only in you, and in me there is no God, no satchitanand, no truth, no consciousness, no bliss?

"And remember, you are standing near the Ganges and the sun is rising. Don't lie! And this is not a philosophical discussion; it is a question of my life and death."

Shankarcharaya moved all around the country, winning great debates with great scholars, but he remained silent before this sudra. His question was very simple: Bodies are bodies, made of the same stuff, and consciousness is consciousness, made of the same stuff. Where is the distinction?

Seeing Shankaracharya silent he said, "If you have understood me, then just go back, no need to take another bath. If you take another bath -- then answer my question!"

And you will be surprised -- in his whole life this was perhaps his only defeat.

He had to leave the place and to go back to the temple without taking another bath. Of course he was not courageous enough to say the truth. The question was simple, but he could see that whatever he said was going to be against his own philosophical teachings, against his own religion. It was better to keep silent, not to say anything.

But the untouchable man -- nobody knows his name -- must have been of tremendous intelligence. He managed to get the answer because he made it clear that, "If you take the bath I am going to touch you again. If you accept my standpoint that there is no difference, then simply go back to your temple -- it is time for your morning prayer."

Seeing the situation, Shankarcharya went back to the temple. But that destroys his whole philosophy; within five minutes his whole life's effort is destroyed. And the reason is that his philosophy is against existence; this unknown man was simply stating a fact -- that the outer is material, the inner is spiritual, and there is no conflict.

Have you seen any conflict between your soul and your body -- fighting, wrestling, beating each other? There is tremendous harmony.

In fact, whenever the harmony is not there, you are sick. The healthier you are, the more harmonious. Disease can be defined as a conflict between the outer and the inner; they have fallen apart, they are not moving together.

The harmony is broken. The function of the physician is to bring the harmony back, to bring the music back, to make your life an orchestra.

The master is a physician -- not of your ordinary diseases but of your existential conflicts.
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on August 16, 2005, 11:02:07 PM
Go still further, there are mines of diamonds................


There is a very old Sufi story: A man went to a Sufi fakir asking the secret of attaining God. The fakir proceeded to recount the following tale:

A woodcutter went every day to the forest to cut wood. Each day he would gather wood, carry it to town and sell it. Whatever he got would be barely enough to give him a meal. Sometimes he managed to buy a little food; at other times he went to sleep hungry.
 
A fakir who used to stay in the same jungle watched him every day. He was filled with pity for this miserable man who barely managed to keep alive.

One day he told him, "Every day for the last so many years I have been watching you. You are such a foolish fellow. Why don't you go still further into the jungle?" The wood-cutter asked, "How will that help?" The fakir replied, "Whoever went deeper within became wealthy. Go in, and you will find mines of copper."

The man went a little further and he found the copper mine. He began to sell copper. Once again he met the fakir who said, "Foolish fellow, go still further. There are mines of silver there." The man went and found the silver mines. He now began to sell silver and became very rich.

One day he met the fakir again who said to him, "Had you any sense you would have taken the hint by now. You have failed to understand. Go still further, you fool, for there are gold mines there!" The man penetrated deeper into the forest and found the gold, but he got totally involved in the gold.

He must have been a man like us, this woodcutter. Wherever we go we get involved. We don't think of getting up from where we sit. The fakir felt sorry for this man. One day he went to him again and said, "You really lack intelligence. So many times I goaded you to go onward to go still further, and you have not understood me. Now you are outwardly very rich, but within you are as miserable a wretch as before. Go still further, there are mines of diamonds." The man went further in.

Then, after some years, the fakir happened to meet him again. He rebuked him as before. Even though he was the owner of huge palaces and all that wealth could buy, the fakir was sorry for him. "You are as poor as ever within," said the fakir. "All this gold and silver and diamonds are on the outside. Go still further.
 
"Now where?" asked the man. "Why don't you leave me in peace? Why are you goading me on and on? Now what is left to be attained after getting these diamonds?"

The fakir replied, "Beyond that is my ashram and only I can give you the genuine diamonds. They are diamonds of meditation. Until now you sought the mines outside, now your search for the mines within must begin." And though the man had heard about the jewels within, he was not ready to seek them. Besides, he claimed that this talk was beyond him, so he begged to be allowed to stay where he was.

The fakir said, "As you wish. But remember, these mines within will not remain forever -- today I am, tomorrow I may not be. The mines you dig now will remain. They always were, they always will be."

The mines of meditation manifest rarely -- sometimes once in a thousand years. Sometimes some person discovers it and becomes an entrance to it. Such a person is the guru, and Nanak refers to his temple as gurudwara, guru's door -- a beautiful name for a temple. He who comes upon the mine of meditation during his lifetime becomes an opening for others, but he does not live forever.

And you? You are so blind that you go past the door and do not see it! Your eyes are fixed on the visible wealth and not the true wealth that is invisible.

Remember this maxim: Still further. Until you reach God you should hold it always to your heart. If you halt before that, you will wander.



Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: SS91 on August 17, 2005, 09:24:11 AM
The lesson of a saint

There was a saint by name Thiruvalluvar.

Initially he was a weaver.

He used to weave just one sari per day, sell it in the bazaar and

earn money for his family.

Good and bad would exist together.

It would be impossible to separate them.

In the same village there was the son of a rich man who was wasting

his time wandering aimlessly.

Where there is money there is ego.

Ego gives rise to many bad qualities.

Once the money is lost all bad qualities too disappear.

One day the rich man's son came to Thiruvalluvar and asked for the

price of the sari.

 Thiruvalluvar said it cost four rupees.

 The boy was known for his arrogance and pride.

He picked up the sari, tore it into two pieces and asked for the

price of one piece.

Thiruvalluvar replied, it cost two rupees as he had made the sari

into two halves.

The boy tore it again into another piece and asked for the price.

Thiruvalluvar replied that the price was one rupee.

This brought about a transformation in the mind of the boy.

He wondered how the businessman was calm and composed even after he

tore the sari into pieces.

Then the boy fell at Thiruvalluvar's feet and repented for his

behavior.

The boy said due to his pride and arrogance he made this mistake.

Then he went to his father, got the required money, kept it at the

feet of Thiruvalluvar.

Many such great saints lived in Tamil Nadu who set an ideal to the

society. Their statues are installed and adored. It is not their

statues that are important, but their teachings. The best way to

propagate their teachings is to practice them.



subhasrini
OM SAI SRI SAI JAYA JAYA SAI!!!
Let us pray at the feet of Sai Baba who is the incarnation of all gods and protector of all, to show mercy on us, and increase our devotion towards him.
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on August 17, 2005, 10:02:03 AM
JAI SAI RAM!!!

Very Nice Lesson through this story Shubhdra dear.......

OM SAI RAM!!!

Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on August 17, 2005, 09:42:46 PM
"If you want to go to the house of God, you must learn the burglar's art."


You need as much alertness as the thief uses. You also must transform your fear and enter like the thief, as if it is your own house.

There is a Zen story: There was a very well known thief who was considered number one in the hierarchy of thieves.

He was so adept at his art that he had never been caught, yet everyone knew he was a thief. The news even reached the ears of the king who called him, and honored him for his wonderful efficiency and skill.

As he became older his son said to him, "Father, it is time for you to teach me your art, because who knows when death may come?'

The thief replied, "If you wish to learn I shall teach you. Come with me tomorrow night."

The next night both father and son set out. The father broke through the wall as the son stood watching. His absorption in breaking in would have put any artist to shame. He was lost in his work as if he were lost in prayer. The son was awed by his father's proficiency. He was a master thief, the guru of so many thieves.

The son was trembling from head to foot, though it was a warm night. Fear arose again and again, chilling his spine. His eyes darted everywhere, watching all directions, but his father was lost in his work and didn't lift his eyes even once. When they entered through the hole the son was trembling like a leaf; never had he felt so afraid in all his life, but the father moved about as though the place belonged to him. He took the son in, broke the locks, opened the lock of a huge wardrobe filled with clothes and jewels, and told the son to get inside.

No sooner did the son enter but the father closed the cupboard, locked it, and taking the key with him, left the house shouting, "Thief, thief!" and returned home. By then everyone had awakened. The son was caught in the worst dilemma of his life. What was he to do? He was worried about the footprints and the hole in the wall. At that moment the servant come right up to the wardrobe. The poor boy was at his wits end, his mind completely blank. At such a time the mind does not work, because it is full of stale knowledge and doesn't know how to deal with fresh situations. He had never heard of such a thing arising in the whole history of thieving. His intellect became useless.
 
At the moment the intellect became useless, the consciousness within was awakened. Suddenly, as this energy caught him, he began making a noise as if a rat was gnawing at the clothes inside the cupboard.

He was shocked at himself; he had never done such a thing before. The woman servant brought a bunch of keys and opened it. He immediately puffed out the lamp she was holding and, giving her a push, ran out of the house through the hole in the wall. Some ten or twenty people gave chase. There was a great deal of noise, because the whole village was awake. The thief ran for his life -- ran as he had never run before. He had no idea it was he who was running. Suddenly, as he reached a well, he picked up a big stone and threw it in the well -- all this without the slightest idea of what he was doing. It seemed to him it was not he but someone else directing him. At the sound of the stone falling in the water the crowd gathered around the well, thinking the thief had fallen in.

He stood behind the tree to rest a bit, then continued home muttering to himself. When he went in he found his father fast asleep with the blanket over his head. The son pulled off the cover and said, "What are you doing?" The father continued snoring away. He shook him hard. "What did you do to me? Did you want to see me killed?"

The father opened his eyes for a minute and said, "So you have returned? Good. I'll hear the rest in the morning," and appeared to fall back asleep.

The son pleaded with him, "Say something, father. Ask me what I went through or I shall not be able to sleep."

The father said, "Now you are an expert; you don't need to be taught. Anyway, say it if you must." After the son recounted all that had happened the father answered, "Enough! Now you know even the art that cannot be taught. After all you are my son! My blood flows in your veins. You know the secret. If a robber uses his intelligence he gets caught. You have to leave your intelligence behind, because each time it is a totally new experience, a new moment; each time you are entering a different person's house and every house is new. The old experience never comes of use. Use your intelligence and you land yourself in trouble. Rely on your intuition and you succeed."

Zen masters always mention this story. They say the art of meditation is like house-breaking -- you need as much awareness. Intelligence should be put aside and awareness should come into play. Where there is fear there is bound to be awareness. Where there is danger you become absolutely alert and all thoughts stop.
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on August 20, 2005, 12:29:09 AM
The journey is long, it is tedious...........Everything has to be dropped, taken away.

I am reminded of a story of Gautam Buddha.

He is traveling with his disciple, Ananda. They are tired. They want to reach the next town before sunset; they are rushing as fast as possible. But Buddha has become old, and Ananda himself is older than Buddha. They are worried that perhaps they will have to stay in the forest for the night, they will not be able to reach to the nearby town.

They ask an old man, a farmer who is working in his field, "How far is the town?"

And the old man says, "Not very far. Don't be worried. It is just two miles, at the most. You will reach." Buddha smiles. The old man smiles. Ananda could not understand: "What is going on?"

Two miles have passed. There is no town yet, and they are more tired. An old woman is collecting wood and Ananda asks her, "How far is the village?"

And she says, "Not more than two miles. You have already reached, don't be worried." Buddha laughs. The old woman laughs. And Ananda looks at both: "What is this laughter?" And after two miles still there is no town.

They ask a third man, and again the same question and the same situation.

And Ananda drops his bag and he says, "I am not going to move any more. I am so tired. And it seems we are never going to cross these two miles. Three times we believed... but one question arises in my mind continually...."

Living with Buddha for forty years... he has learned how to live with such a man, not to ask him unnecessary questions. But he said, "Now if it is unnecessary or necessary, I don't care. One thing you have to tell me -- why were you laughing when that old man said, `Two miles, just two miles -- you have not to go more than that'? And again you laughed with that old woman, and she also smiled, and again with the third person the same thing happened.
What was this laugh? What was transpiring between you people? You don't know them, they don't know you."

Buddha said, "Our profession is the same. When I laughed, they laughed. they understood that this man belongs to the same kind of profession, where you have to keep people encouraged: `Just two miles, just a little more.'"

He said, "For my whole life I have been doing that. People finally reach, but if from the very beginning you tell them `fifteen miles' they will drop then and there. But by `two miles' and `two miles' they will pass two hundred miles.
 
"And I laughed at those people because I know this village, I have visited this village. I know it is not two miles. But I kept quiet because you were so eager to know how far it was. I knew that we were not going to make it. But what was the harm? -- you could ask them.

"You can understand a deep phenomenon of human psychology. These people are compassionate people: they were not lying, they were simply encouraging you. The first old man pushed you two miles, the second old woman pushed you two miles. The third man also pushed you two miles; you just needed a few more people and you would reach the town! But now you have dropped your bag. It is okay, we can stay here under this big tree. The town is still... NOT two miles!"

The mystery school helps you not to be alone in a search which is basically lonely, helps you to keep courage in a search which is unpredictable.

But the master... his authority, his love -- you cannot believe that your master would be lying. But there are even higher values. If I can help you to reach to the ultimate goal by just lying a little I will not hesitate, I will lie. Because I know you will forgive me; not only forgive me, you will be grateful that I lied for you. If I had told you the truth, perhaps you would have stopped.

The journey is long, it is tedious.

Everything has to be dropped, taken away.
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on August 21, 2005, 12:28:11 AM
His hand behind the canvas of this vast creation.......Part-I

 "Horses are of three types. The first type you hit with a whip and they will move, inch by inch. The second type you need not whip; just threaten them and they move. For the third, you need not even crack the whip; just the shadow of the whip sets them going. The pundit belongs to the third type. I had only to show him the shadow and he started on the journey."

Words are the whips; silence is the shadow. Words are needed, because it is the rare horse that responds to the shadow of the whip. The condition of one who knows is such that he cannot say he knows, and he cannot say he does not know.

He is in between knowing and not knowing.

Nanak says He is without end. Whatever you say of Him is too little. You keep on saying and yet you find that there is so much to say that you have hardly said anything. All expressions regarding Him are incomplete. And all scriptures are incomplete; they are meant for the horses who don't respond to the shadow of the whip.

THERE IS NO END TO HIS VIRTUES,
NOR TO THEIR NARRATION.
THERE IS NO END TO HIS WORKS AND HIS BOUNTY.

As religion penetrates a person more and more profoundly, he begins to see His various works and also His beneficence.

His works are manifested all around us but most people are blind to it. They say, "Where is God? Who is the creator?" Seeing the creation around them, they are blissfully unaware of the creator! They persist in asking,"Is there a hand behind all this creation? Who could it be?" They are stone-blind, they cannot visualize the hand that has produced this vast creation. The irony is that in other respects they accept and believe blindly.

To date no one has seen the electron with the naked eye. Science says that the electron is the last particle of electricity. As the basis of the world of matter, its various combinations have given rise to the earth. But so far no one has seen the electron, nor is there any hope of seeing it. Then how can scientists believe in the electron? They say that its effects, its results, prove its existence.

The cause is subtle, the effect is gross. We cannot see the hand of God, but we can see His works. We believe in the existence of electrons because we see the results. Yet we deny the existence of God whose proof lies all around us. The flower opens; some hidden hand must make it bloom, or else how can it? The seed breaks but someone must break it; when the hard shell cracks the tender plant appears bearing delicate flowers.
 
Everywhere we see His handwriting, but the hand cannot be seen. The hand is not visible because there is a balance between the subtle and the gross. The cause is always subtle; the result is always gross. We cannot see the cause. God is the highest cause, but His handiwork is evident all around us.

So there are three types of people -- the three types of horses according to Buddha. First are those who cannot even see His handiwork, they are so blind! They ask: "What is God? Who is the creator? What proof is there? If the vast creation all around us is not enough for them, if they cannot see His hand behind all creation, what else will make them understand?

What greater proof is there than that life moves in a consecutive and balanced order? There is no disjunction anywhere within this enormous leela, this play. It is a continuous flow. Night and day the music of creation plays its enchanting melody. Everything happens as it should.

contd........
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on August 22, 2005, 10:35:34 AM
His hand behind the canvas of this vast creation.......Part-II

The universe is not a chaos, but a cosmos; it is not happening by chance but by a well-determined law working all the time.

This law is referred to as dhamma or dharma. Lao Tzu calls it tao, the way; Nanak calls it hukum, divine order. When Nanak says hukum do not imagine that He is standing somewhere issuing orders. Hukum means the universe is an order, not a chaos. Things do not happen here haphazardly. An ordering hand is in everything, providing a purpose behind each event. All happenings are directed towards their ultimate development.

If you have no eyes for creation you are totally blind. There are many who cannot see the hand behind creation. When you see a small picture or statue and you ask who made this, you never for a moment think it may have been formed by chance. But such a vast painting hangs all around you, each leaf a work of His genius, and you cannot see Him behind all this? You must simply have made up your mind not to see Him; you have resolved to turn your back towards Him as if you feel there is some danger and you are afraid.

Certainly the fear is there. No sooner do you recognize His hand behind the canvas of this vast creation than you are a changed person; you cannot remain the same. Whoever hears even the faintest murmur of the divine music in creation has to alter his life, because once you begin to see His hand behind everything, you cannot continue to do what you have been doing; it all appears wrong.
As long as you pretend He doesn't exist you can sin, misbehave, mistreat others, and give yourself full freedom to indulge in any evil; as soon as His hand appears to you that freedom is lost. Then you have to think twice before you act and pay more attention to remembrance, to remembering God, because now you know that He sees, that He is present. He is in and around everyone, everything.

Whatever you do to anyone, you do to Him. If you pick someone's pocket, it is His pocket you pick; if you steal, you steal from Him; if you kill, it is Him you kill.

Most human beings turn a blind eye towards Him. Once aware of His presence, you can no longer remain as you are; you will have to change at your very roots. This change is so sweeping that many prefer to avoid all the trouble, so they deny God and remain as they are.

A hundred years ago Nietzsche declared: "God is dead. Now man is totally free." It is exactly for this freedom that you deny God, because then you are at liberty to do as you please. There is no one to decide for you. You are unrestrained, independent. He who is self-willed and independent persists in denying God no matter how much you try to convince him. It remains easy to deny Him because the gross handiwork can be seen, but the subtle hand remains invisible.
 
So people say:"Creation happens by itself; everything happens on its own."

But this is the definition of God: He who happens on His own, who is swayambhu, the self-created.


contd....
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on August 22, 2005, 09:53:35 PM
His hand behind the canvas of this vast creation.......Part-III


The second type of man sees God's handiwork and also accepts the hand behind it, but his acceptance is only mental. He is intimidated and frightened, so you will find him in temples and mosques, in churches and gurudwaras. He goes there because he is frightened, having suffered the lashes of the whip of life. Out of fear he comes to pray, to beg protection and to seek solace in wealth, position, name. He has come to beg. Fear is always a beggar, always asking for something or other. He has an inkling of the hand behind creation and a slight feeling for the presence of God, but only because of his fear. He is totally oblivious to God's munificence, or else he would not beg.

The third type is what Nanak talks about, the devotee. He sees His handiwork all around; he also sees His bounty and His grace in everything. To see His grace is subtle, like seeing the shadow of the whip. The devotee can see at every moment that He showers us with His gifts. What is left to be desired? You can only thank Him, therefore the devotee goes to the temple in thanksgiving, not as a supplicant. He has nothing to ask for.

Were God to appear before him and say, "Ask whatever you wish," he will instead reply, "You have given everything. It is already more than enough, more than I deserve.

To ask for anything would imply a complaint that You haven't given enough, but I have been filled to the brim. What more is there when you have been given life?

But you attach no value to life. It is said that a great miser's life was coming to an end. As is usually the case his whole life had been spent gathering wealth which he was hoping to enjoy someday in the future. When death knocked at his door he was frightened that all his endeavors had been in vain. In working untiringly to gather enough wealth he had postponed living.

He told death, "I shall give you ten million rupees; give me just twenty-four hours, because I have not yet enjoyed life."

Death replied, "There can be no bargaining."

The man persisted, "I would give fifty million, a hundred million, just for one day." Ultimately he offered all his wealth for twenty-four hours more.

A whole lifetime lost amassing this fortune, and now he was begging to give it away for just one day more. He had never breathed freely; he had never sat beside the flowers; he had never seen the sun rising at the break of day, nor had he ever talked with the twinkling stars. He had never lain on the green grass and seen the clouds pass by nor heard the birds sing. He had had no time to see life as it passed by. All along he had deferred that moment. "Now I shall work, later I shall enjoy." That moment never came.

Contd.....
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on August 23, 2005, 09:29:58 PM
His hand behind the canvas of this vast creation.......Part-IV
 
Death said to him, "This is no transaction. Your time is up. Get ready to leave."

The man said, "Give me a few moments. I ask not for myself but for those who come after. Let them know how I toiled all these years and let life pass me by in the hope of enjoying it someday. Let me tell them that day never came." He wanted this inscription put on his grave.

All graves bear this inscription. If you have the eyes, go and read them. And the same will be inscribed on your grave too, if you do not sit up and take notice. If only you could see -- you would find that what life has given you is limitless and beyond comparison.
 
How do you value life? For a moment more of life you are willing to give up everything, but during the years you have lived you were not at all thankful to God. If you were dying of thirst in a desert, you would be ready to part with all you possess just for a mouthful of water, but have you ever looked with gratitude at the rivers that flow, the clouds that bring rain? If the sun were to become cold we would die this very moment, yet did you ever get up in the morning and thank the sun?
 
Actually man follows a strange logic: what is near him he cannot see, what is not there at all he sees. When a tooth falls out, the tongue goes time and again to the empty space in your mouth. When the tooth was there the tongue never once stopped in that spot.
Now no matter how much you try to stop your tongue, it keeps exploring the empty place.
 
Man's mind always searches out empty places. He is blind towards all the filled places, but has eyes for all that is empty. Have you ever taken account of all you possess? Unless you do, you will never become aware of God's gifts; they are infinite.
 
God's bounty is infinite but try to be aware of what He has given you. All around His grace pours. Just as each handiwork bears His signature, so behind each handiwork His grace lies hidden. All existence blooms only for you, all existence is His gift -- to you. When a person becomes capable of seeing this, a new kind of devotion is born.

There is the atheist, stiff with pride; there is the believer, trembling with fear. Both are irreligious. The really religious person dances and sings in utter gratefulness; he is filled with ecstasy.

THERE IS NO END TO HIS WORKS AND HIS BOUNTY,
AND ENDLESS WHAT HE SEES AND HEARS.
THERE IS NO KNOWING THE SECRETS OF HIS MIND;
THERE IS NO BEGINNING OR END TO IT.
SO MANY STRUGGLE TO KNOW HIS DEPTH,
BUT NONE HAS EVER ACHIEVED IT.
NO ONE HAS EVER KNOWN HIS LIMITS;
THE FURTHER YOU LOOK, THE FURTHER BEYOND HE LIES.
THE LORD IS GREAT. HIS PLACE IS HIGH,
AND HIGHER EVEN IS HIS NAME.
 
What does it mean for His name to be high? For travelers on the path, it is only through His name that we reach Him.

His name is the bridge; if it got lost the bridge is gone. For us the path is more significant than the destination for the simple reason that the goal cannot be reached without the path.

Therefore, Nanak says, he who knows the name has found the key. The key is more important than the treasure-house. To look at, it is only a piece of iron; but this piece of iron will open the doors to infinite treasures.

Contd......

Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on August 24, 2005, 09:39:59 PM
HIS hand behind the canvas of this vast creation.......Part-V

His name, which Nanak refers to as Omkar, is the key. This key opens His gate. When this 'remembrance' begins to crystallize in you, you will also have cast the mould of this key inside. The key is not such as can be given to you; you have to cast it yourself; you have to become the key. Gradually you will find yourself turning into a key through the resonance of Omkar. Then you yourself will open His gates.

Man can find himself either in the state of thoughts or in the state of no-thought. In the first state, storms of thoughts are raging inside you; the mental skies are filled with clouds of argument, debate and discussion. It is as if there is always a crowd gathered in your head, as in the marketplace; it is a schizophrenic state.
The other state is of no-thoughts; the bazaar has cleared, the shops have closed; the market is deserted, there is silence and stillness all around. All thoughts have gone. As long as you are united with the thoughts, you are one with the world; as soon as your mind is freed of all thoughts, in this no-mind state, you are one with God.

No sooner are you empty than the door opens.

The key that takes you from thoughts to no-thought is called the name, the resonance of omkar. The first stage is the japa, the repetition of Omkar. Get up in the morning or in the stillness of the night, sit in your room and repeat Om, Om, Om as loudly and quickly as you can, so that it resonates all around you. The Omkar has a very lovely melody. It is not music created by man, it is the rhythmic melody that resounds in existence. As you progress, taking the name louder and louder, its impression will begin to form on you. This is the state of japa, repetition.

Then , slowly slowly, close your lips and begin sounding Om within, as you did without. This time the resonance will be only in the mind. This is the intervening state between japa and a-japa.
Let the resonance increase deeper and deeper within. You must repeat the Omkar as well as hear it; articulate the name and be aware and listen to it also. Gradually you must decrease articulation of the name and concentrate on the resonance within. Then a moment comes when you will stop pronouncing the japa but the resonance continues. Then you only listen. This is the a-japa-jap, the unrepeated repetition.
 
When the resonance arises on its own, the Omkar has manifested. This is the sound of the stream of life that flows within you. The day you are capable of hearing it, you will discover you can hear it all day long.


Contd.....
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on August 25, 2005, 09:38:47 PM
HIS hand behind the canvas of this vast creation.......Part-VI


It is already there so you don't have to bring it about. You merely close your eyes and you will hear.

When anxiety, tension, restlessness or anger take hold of you, just shut your eyes for a moment and hear the resonance within. A moment's touch of Omkar and anger flees. A slight contact with the music within, a faint remembrance of the name, and the mind that made you so restless is no more.
 
Light a torch in a dark house; at the appearance of light darkness flees. Thus, a slight spark of Omkar and all darkness fades.

So it is that Nanak lays so much stress on Omkar -- Ek Omkar satnam. All of his practice aims at attaining the resonance of the authentic Omkar. He refers to it as sabad, the word, or nam, the name.

THE LORD IS GREAT. HIS PLACE IS HIGH,
AND HIGHER EVEN IS HIS NAME.
NANAK SAYS: ONE ONLY KNOWS HIS GREATNESS
WHEN RAISED TO HIS HEIGHTS,
BY FALLING UNDER THE GLANCE
OF HIS ALL-COMPASSIONATE GRACE.

Nanak is saying: Greater than You is Your name. You are endless. For us the name is our only clue, through the name alone are we joined to You. Whether You are or You are not, we do not know. It is the name alone that brings tidings of You. Through the power of the name shall we be drawn gradually towards You. When the resonance sounds by itself you are drawn towards God.

Scientists speak of the force of gravitation.
 
We remain on the ground because of gravitation. If the earth were to lose this power of gravitation we would be flung up into the skies.

Simone Weil, a leading thinker in our century, has written a book called Grace and Gravitation. She says, "Just as we cannot see the force of gravitation that pulls us to the earth, there is another force at work, which is called grace."

Contd....


Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on August 27, 2005, 05:10:00 AM
HIS hand behind the canvas of this vast creation.......Part-VII

Some time back it appeared in the newspapers that scientists are worried because the force of gravitation is becoming less. Though it has decreased only minimally, if this continues the earth will disintegrate, because it is gravitation alone that holds things together. It is this invisible magnetic force of the earth that keeps the trees rooted in the soil, allows man to walk and birds to fly.

Simone Weil has asserted that the force of grace also exists, and it too is invisible. She is talking precisely about that which Nanak calls His gift -- that is, His compassion or His grace. As gravitation binds us downwards to the earth, grace pulls us upwards -- to Him. As the resonance of Omkar intensifies inside you, the pull of gravitation diminishes, and the pull of grace increases proportionately. Then a moment comes when you become absolutely weightless. Yogis often experience this.

Some people intensely practicing meditation here have experienced this sudden feeling of weightlessness.

No one can perceive this phenomenon from the outside. If the meditator were to open his eyes, he would find himself seated on the ground just as before; but as soon as he closes his eyes and feels the resonance inside, he experiences a sense of weightlessness. The physical body remains on the ground but the inner body separates from the earth and rises. If you continue in meditation one day you experience two bodies, not one; the body that has risen can see the body sitting on the ground, a thin thread of light connecting them.

Therefore remember, if someone practicing Omkar is deeply lost in meditation, do not shake him or bring him back too suddenly. This can be dangerous, and cause an imbalance between his physical and subtle bodies, which can be irreparable because the balance is very delicate.

In a deep stage of meditation a person steps out of his body, then comes back. When you become perfectly fluent with this art of stepping in and out of your body, you will know how to enter into and emerge from God. Then you see no difference between the material world and God Himself. You stay in your body but your remembrance becomes uninterrupted; the thread of your thoughts is connected with Him.

THE LORD IS GREAT. HIS PLACE IS HIGH.
AND HIGHER EVEN IS HIS NAME.
NANAK SAYS: ONE ONLY KNOWS HIS GREATNESS
WHEN RAISED TO HIS HEIGHTS,
BY FALLING UNDER THE GLANCE
OF HIS ALL-COMPASSIONATE GRACE.

The end.


Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: vaishali on August 27, 2005, 04:40:27 PM
Thank you Rameshbhai for very nice stories and messages from these stories.

We all are blessed to have you here among us.

May baba always bless you.

omsai srisai jayjay sai

Vaishali
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on August 27, 2005, 10:35:48 PM
Still further............If you halt before that, you will wander.

There is a very old Sufi story: A man went to a Sufi fakir asking the secret of attaining God. The fakir proceeded to recount the following tale:

A woodcutter went every day to the forest to cut wood. Each day he would gather wood, carry it to town and sell it. Whatever he got would be barely enough to give him a meal. Sometimes he managed to buy a little food; at other times he went to sleep hungry.
 
A fakir who used to stay in the same jungle watched him every day. He was filled with pity for this miserable man who barely managed to keep alive.

One day he told him, "Every day for the last so many years I have been watching you. You are such a foolish fellow. Why don't you go still further into the jungle?" The wood-cutter asked, "How will that help?" The fakir replied, "Whoever went deeper within became wealthy. Go in, and you will find mines of copper."

The man went a little further and he found the copper mine. He began to sell copper. Once again he met the fakir who said, "Foolish fellow, go still further. There are mines of silver there." The man went and found the silver mines. He now began to sell silver and became very rich.

One day he met the fakir again who said to him, "Had you any sense you would have taken the hint by now. You have failed to understand. Go still further, you fool, for there are gold mines there!" The man penetrated deeper into the forest and found the gold, but he got totally involved in the gold.

He must have been a man like us, this woodcutter. Wherever we go we get involved. We don't think of getting up from where we sit. The fakir felt sorry for this man. One day he went to him again and said, "You really lack intelligence. So many times I goaded you to go onward to go still further, and you have not understood me. Now you are outwardly very rich, but within you are as miserable a wretch as before. Go still further, there are mines of diamonds." The man went further in.

Then, after some years, the fakir happened to meet him again. He rebuked him as before. Even though he was the owner of huge palaces and all that wealth could buy, the fakir was sorry for him. "You are as poor as ever within," said the fakir. "All this gold and silver and diamonds are on the outside. Go still further.

"Now where?" asked the man. "Why don't you leave me in peace? Why are you goading me on and on? Now what is left to be attained after getting these diamonds?"

The fakir replied, "Beyond that is my ashram and only I can give you the genuine diamonds. They are diamonds of meditation. Until now you sought the mines outside, now your search for the mines within must begin." And though the man had heard about the jewels within, he was not ready to seek them. Besides, he claimed that this talk was beyond him, so he begged to be allowed to stay where he was.
 
The fakir said, "As you wish. But remember, these mines within will not remain forever -- today I am, tomorrow I may not be. The mines you dig now will remain. They always were, they always will be."

The mines of meditation manifest rarely -- sometimes once in a thousand years. Sometimes some person discovers it and becomes an entrance to it. Such a person is the guru, and Nanak refers to his temple as gurudwara, guru's door -- a beautiful name for a temple. He who comes upon the mine of meditation during his lifetime becomes an opening for others, but he does not live forever.

And you? You are so blind that you go past the door and do not see it! Your eyes are fixed on the visible wealth and not the true wealth that is invisible.

Remember this maxim: Still further. Until you reach God you should hold it always to your heart. If you halt before that, you will wander.


Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: SS91 on August 31, 2005, 03:06:00 PM
Happy Baba's day Rameshji.

I am missing your stories for the past 3 days.

Why and what happened?

Kindly continue to do so.

We are very  well blessed in having you in our Sai family.

Waiting for tomorrows story.

Hope you have a great day.

Jaisairam.

subhasrini
OM SAI SRI SAI JAYA JAYA SAI!!!
Let us pray at the feet of Sai Baba who is the incarnation of all gods and protector of all, to show mercy on us, and increase our devotion towards him.
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on September 01, 2005, 11:36:00 AM
Dukkha...innermost, suffering - 'spiritual agony.'......Part-I

Buddha was not physically ill. He had one of the most beautiful and harmonious physiques. He was not in anguish. There was no psychological complexity, no psychological disharmony -- one of the most well adjusted beings. But he felt dukkha. I will have to explain to you what dukkha is. It is real suffering, the innermost suffering.

Buddha's whole story will have to be told to you:
 
When Buddha was born, all the wise men came to bless him. One wise mao came from the Himalayas. The moment he saw Siddharth (Buddha's name), he began to weep. Buddha's father was disturbed. He asked, "Why are you weeping? You have come to bless the child and instead you are weeping. Is something going to be wrong with the child?"

The wise old man said, "No, nothing is going to be wrong with the child. I was weeping for myself. The child is going to be a Buddha, an enlightened one, but I will not be here to see it. I am going to die this year, my course is completed. My whole life I was seeking and seeking for a man who is enlightened, but I couldn't find one. This child is going to be an enlightened one, but I will not be there. That is why I am weeping."

This forecast disturbed the father even more, because if Buddha, Siddharth, was going to be enlightened, then what would become of the kingdom? So the king asked the other wise men how to stop the child from becoming a Buddha.

They said, "There are only two possibilities. If he can be prevented from becoming aware of suffering only then can you hold him back. Otherwise he is going to be a sannyasin. So don't let him know suffering, don't let him know DUKKHA."

But the father could not understand how it was possible to prevent someone from knowing dukkha. He again asked for advice.

The wise men advised him that Siddharth should never be allowed to see death. If there is death then life becomes meaningless, so he should not become aware of death. He should not know at all that death exists, that life is going to end. Secondly, he should not be allowed to become aware that old age comes. Otherwise, youth will become meaningless. And thirdly. he should never see a sannyasin. If he sees a dancing, laughing, blissful sannyasin, his life will become meaningless. "These three conditions must be fulfilled. he should never see a diseased old man, he shouldn't see anyone dead and he shouldn't see anyone blissful."

Buddha's father arranged it in such a way that not even a dead leaf would ever be seen by him. No old man could come nearby to where Siddharth was. Whenever he would go out in the streets, the whole street would be cleared so that no old man passed by. Nor was he ever allowed to become aware of death, or ever allowed to see a sannyasin.

Contd.....

Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on September 01, 2005, 09:26:01 PM
Dukkha...innermost, suffering - 'spiritual agony.'......Part-II

But how can you prevent it forever? One day there was going to be a youth festival.
 
Siddharth was invited to preside over it. Young men and young women had come from all over the kingdom. As he was moving on his chariot, an old man passed by. He asked his driver, "What has happened to that man?"

The chariot driver said, "I cannot deceive you. Nothing has happened to that man that does not happen to everyone."

Siddharth asked, "Will I also be like that someday?"

The chariot driver said, "I cannot deceive you. No one is an exception."
 
Siddharth said, "Let us go back to the palace. It is no use going to a youth festival. I have become an old man. If old age is to come someday, in a way it has already come. Youth is useless because it is just a hiding place for old age."

While they were driving back, a dead body was being carried by. Siddharth asked, "What has happened?"

The chariot driver said, "The second stage. After old age, this happens."

Siddharth said, "Then I am dead! Life makes no sense at all. It is meaningless, futile."

Back home, just when he was at the door to his palace, he saw a sannyasin. This is what the parable says. It seems impossible, it couldn't happen like that: first the old man, then the dead man and then the sannyasin. It was all arranged by destiny, by the deities. In life it couldn't happen that way -- that Buddha would see these things one after the other -- but according to the tale, the myth, it was arranged this way by the deities because otherwise Buddha would never feel suffering and if suffering is not felt, then you cannot attain that inner harmony that is bliss.

Dukkha means this knowledge: that whatever appears to be living is going to die; whatever appears to be blissful, is not so. Ordinary life is going to end in death; it is JUSt a progression toward death. So on the third level, the innermost, suffering means dukkha. Or, you can call it 'spiritual agony.'

Contd.....
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on September 03, 2005, 05:27:39 AM
Can we also become like the portrait that had the glimpse of God in it?

It is a small tale. Many, many years ago, in a certain country, there was a young and famous painter. He decided to create a truly great portrait, a lively portrait full of the joy of God, a portrait of a man whose eyes radiated eternal peace. And so, he set out to find someone whose face reflected that eternal, ethereal light.

The artist roamed from village to village, from jungle to jungle, in search of his subject, and at long last he came across a shepherd with shining eyes, with a face and features that held the promise of some celestial home. One look was enough to convince him that God was present in this young man.

The artist painted a portrait of the young shepherd. Millions of copies of the portrait were made and it sold far and wide. People felt great gratitude, just being able to hang the picture on their walls.

After a spell of some twenty years, when the artist had grown old, he decided to paint another portrait. His experience had shown him that life is not all goodness, that Satan also exists in man. The idea of painting a picture of Satan persisted; were he to fulfill the project, then the two pictures would complement each other, would show the complete man. He had already done a painting of godliness; now he wanted to portray evil incarnate.

He sought a man who was not a man but Satan. He went to gambling dens, to bars and to madhouses.

This subject had to be full of hell's fire; his face had to show all that is evil, ugly and sadistic.
 
After a long search, the artist finally met a prisoner in a jail. The man had committed seven murders and had been sentenced to be hanged in a few days. Hell was evident in the man's eyes; they spouted hate. His face was the ugliest one could possibly hope to find. The artist began to paint him.

When he had completed the portrait he brought out his earlier picture and set it by the side of the new painting for contrast. It was difficult to assess which was better from an artistic point of view; both were marvelous. He stood, staring at both of them. And then he heard a sob. He turned and saw the chained prisoner, crying. The artist was bewildered. He asked, "My friend, why are you crying? Do these pictures disturb you?"

The prisoner said, "I have been trying to hide something from you all this time, but today I am lost. You obviously do not know that the first picture is also of me. Both portraits are of me. I am the same shepherd you met twenty years ago in the hills. I cry for my downfall in the last twenty years. I have fallen from heaven to hell, from God to Satan."

I do not know how true this story is, but one thing is for certain: each man's life has two converse sides; two portraits of everyone are possible. In every man both God and Satan exist; in every man there is the possibility of heaven, and the possibility of hell.

A bouquet of beautiful roses can grow in man; a heap of mud can also pile up in him. Every man swings between these two extremes. Man can attain to either of these extremes, but most people are inclined towards the infernal. Those fortunate few who aspire to the eternal, who let godliness grow in them, are rare. Can we succeed in making our lives temples of God? Can we also become like the portrait that had the glimpse of God in it?
 
How can man become the reflection of God? How is it possible to make man's life heaven, to make it fragrant, beautiful, harmonious? How is it possible for man to know that which is deathless? How is it possible for man to enter the temple of God?

In this context, the facts of life indicate that all our progress, so far, has been in the opposite direction. In childhood we are in heaven, but as we grow older, by and by we land in hell. The world of childhood is full of innocence and purity, but we gradually begin traveling a road paved with lies and treachery and by the time we are mature we are old -- not only physically but also spiritually. Not only does the body become weak and infirm, but the soul falls into a ruinous state as well. But we simply accept this; we simply let the matter finish there. But we also finish ourselves.

Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on September 05, 2005, 11:04:35 PM
Simplicity...It is Grace, it is a Benediction.......Part-I

A king was very much impressed by the simple and innocent life of a Buddhist monk. Slowly slowly he accepted him as his master. He watched -- he was a very calculating man -- he inquired about his character: "Is there any loophole in his life?" When he was totally convinced logically -- his detectives informed him that "this man has no dark spots in his life, he is absolutely pure, simple. He really is a great saint, he is a buddha" -- then he went to the man, touched his feet and said, "Sir, I invite you to come to my palace and live there.

Why live here?"

Deep down, although he was inviting the saint, he was expecting that the saint would refuse, that he would say, "No, I am a simple man. How can I live in the palace?" -- even though he was inviting him! See the complexity of human mind: he was inviting him, he was expecting that if the invitation were accepted he would be greatly joyous, and still there was an undercurrent: that the saint, if he were truly a saint, would refuse, that he would say, "No, I am a simple man, I will live under the tree -- this is my simple life. I have left all the world, I have renounced the world, I cannot come back to it."

But the saint was really a saint -- he must have been a buddha. He said, "Okay. So where is the vehicle? Bring your chariot and I will come to the palace." He said, "Of course, when one comes to the palace one has to come in style. Bring the chariot!"
 
The king was very much shocked: "This man seems to be a cheat, a fraud. It seems that he was pretending all this simplicity just to catch hold of me." But now it was too late; he had invited him and he could not go back on his own word. Being a man of his word -- a samurai, a warrior, a great king -- he said, "Okay, now I am caught. This man is not worth anything -- he did not even refuse once. He should have refused!"

He had to bring the chariot, but he was no longer happy, he was not joyous.

But the saint was very happy! He sat in the chariot like a king, and the king sat in the chariot very sad, looking a little silly. And people were watching in the streets: "What is happening? The naked fakir...!" And he was really sitting like an emperor, and the king was looking very poor compared to this man. And he was so joyous, so bouncing with ecstasy! And the more ecstatic he was, the more sad the king became: "Now, how to get rid of this man? I have become caught in his net on my own. All those detectives and spies are fools -- they could not see that this man has a plan." As if he was sitting under that tree for years so that the king would become impressed! All these ideas came into the head of the king.

The king had arranged the best room for the saint, if he would come. But he did not believe that he would ever come. You see the split of the human mind: you go on doing one thing, you go on expecting something else. If the man had been cunning he would have simply refused. He would have said, "No!"

The king had arranged the best room. The saint reached the room -- he had been sitting under the tree for years -- and he said, "Bring this, bring that. If you have to live in the palace you have to live like a king!"

The king was getting more and more puzzled. Of course, he had invited him so whatsoever he asked for was brought. But it was heavy on the heart of the king, it was becoming heavier every day, because the saint started living like a king -- in fact, better than the king, because the king had his own worries and the saint had none. He would sleep in the day, in the night. He would enjoy the garden and the swimming pool and he would rest and rest. And the king thought, "This man is a parasite!"

Contd.....
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on September 06, 2005, 11:52:09 AM
Simplicity...It is Grace, it is a Benediction.......Part-II

One day it was unbearable. He said to the saint.... The saint had gone into the garden for a morning walk, and the king also came and he said, "I want to say something to you."

The saint said, "Yes, I know. You wanted to say it even before I left my tree.

You wanted to say it when I accepted your invitation. Why did you wait so long? You are unnecessarily suffering. I can see you have become sad. You don't come to me anymore. You don't ask the great metaphysical, religious questions that you used to ask me when I used to live under the tree. I know -- but why did you waste six months? That I can't see. You should have asked immediately, and things would have been settled then and there. I know what you want to ask, but ask!"

The king said, "I want to ask only one thing. Now what is the difference between me and you? You are living more luxuriously than I am! And I have to work and I have to worry and I have to carry all kinds of responsibilities, and you have no work, no worry, no responsibility. I am feeling jealous of you! And I have certainly stopped coming to you, because I don't think there is any difference between me and you. I live in possessions, but you live in more possessions than I. Every day you demand, 'Bring the golden chariot! I want to go for a walk in the country. Bring this and bring that!' And you are eating delicious food. And now you have stopped being naked, you are using the best clothes possible. Then what is the difference between me and you?"

The saint laughed and he said, "The question is such that I can answer it only if you come with me. Let us go outside the capital."
 
The king followed.

They crossed the river and they continued. The king asked again and again, "Now what is the point of going on any further? Why not answer now?"

The saint said, "Wait a little. I am in search of the right spot where to answer."

Then they came to the very boundary of his kingdom, and the king said, "Now it is time, this is the very boundary."

The saint said, "That's what I have been searching for. Now I am not going back. Are you coming with me or are you going back?"

The king said, "How can I come with you? I have my kingdom, my possessions, my wives, my children -- how can I come with you?"

And the saint said, "Now you see the difference? But I am going and I will not look back even once. I was in the palace, I lived with all kinds of possessions, but I was not possessive. You are possessive. That is the difference. I am going."

He undressed, became naked, gave the dress to the king, and said, "Keep your clothes and be happy again."

Now the king realized that he had been foolish: this man was rare, a rare gem. He fell at his feet and he said, "Don't go. Come back. I have not understood you yet. Today I have seen the difference. Yes, that is true sainthood."

The saint said, "I can come back, but remember, you will become sad again. For me there is no difference whether to go this side or that side, but you will become sad again.

Now, let me make you happy. I am not coming, I am going."

The more the saint insisted on going, the more the king insisted on him coming back. But the saint said, "Once is enough. I have seen you are a stupid person. I can come, but the moment I say 'I can come,' I can see in your eyes the old ideas coming back: 'Maybe he is cheating me again. Maybe this is just an empty gesture, giving me the clothes and saying that he is going, so that I become impressed again.' If I come you will be miserable again, and I don't want to make you miserable."

Contd....
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on September 06, 2005, 11:32:42 PM
Simplicity...It is Grace, it is a Benediction.......Concluding Part

Remember the difference: the difference is not in possessions, the difference is in possessiveness. A simple person is not one who possesses nothing, a simple person is one who has no possessiveness, who never looks back.

This simplicity cannot be practiced, this simplicity can come only as a consequence of innocence. Otherwise, on the one hand you will practice, and from some other corner of your being.... And you are a vast continent; you are not like an island, you are a really vast continent! And in the deepest core of your being there is still uncharted territory, unmapped territory. You still carry a great, dark continent like Africa inside you, which you have never traveled, of which you are not even aware -- of its presence you are unaware.

If you repress -- and that's what cultivation is -- then it will start coming in another form from somewhere else.

You will become more and more complex in this way, more and more cunning and calculating in this way; more disciplined, more with a character which people respect and honor. If you want to enjoy your ego, the best way is to be a holy man. But if you really want to celebrate existence, the best way is to be absolutely ordinary, utterly ordinary, and live the ordinary life with no pretensions.

Live moment-to-moment: that is innocence, and innocence is enough. Don't try to become simple. Millions of people have tried, and they have not become simple at all. On the contrary, they have become very very complex, entangled in their own jungle, in their own ideas.

And you can live in a palace with all the luxuries, but if you live in the moment you will be living a simple life. You can live like a beggar and you will not be simple if your effort to be a beggar is something that you have imposed upon yourself. If it has become your character then you are not simple. Yes, once in a while it has happened that even a king has lived a simple life -- simple not in the sense that he did not have the palace and the possessions -- they were there -- but he was not possessive.

This has to be understood: you may not have any possessions yet you may be possessive. Possessiveness can exist without possessions. If that is so, then the opposite is also true: nonpossessiveness can exist with all kinds of possessions. One can live in the palace and yet be totally free of it.

Get out of the mind: that is innocence. Be a no-mind: that is innocence. And everything else follows. And when everything else follows, it has a beauty of its own. Cultivated, it is plastic, synthetic, not natural. When it comes uncultivated, it is a grace, it is a benediction.

The end
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: SS91 on September 07, 2005, 03:51:05 PM
Simplicity...It is Grace, it is a Benediction.......

SaiRam Rameshji

I really enjoyed reading

 Simplicity...It is Grace, it is a Benediction.......

It is wonderful.

Tomorrow waiting for something new from you.

Happy Baba's Day  Rameshji.

Jaisairam.

subhasrini
OM SAI SRI SAI JAYA JAYA SAI!!!
Let us pray at the feet of Sai Baba who is the incarnation of all gods and protector of all, to show mercy on us, and increase our devotion towards him.
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on September 08, 2005, 10:48:37 AM
This earth is a resting place only. Do not make your house in it.

A friend came to visit Picasso when he was making a picture. He was so lost in his work that the friend thought it best not to disturb him. When the painting was put up for sale the friend bought it; it was worth millions of rupees. One day he took the painting along with him when he visited Picasso and asked him to authenticate it. Many fake copies were sold in the market as Picasso's own works, but this one the friend had seen him paint with his own eyes. Picasso replied, "I have made it all right, but it is not genuine." The friend was puzzled, for an authentic painting according to him was one that the painter paints himself. "It is authentic," explained Picasso, "in the sense that I have made it, but it is inauthentic insofar as it is only a reflection of my earlier paintings. I was copying my own style. The creator in me was not present at the time."

"What do you mean by the creator in you?" asked the friend.

"I am the creator when I make a unique painting, when I am totally original."

Therefore poets, painters, sculptors are closest to God when they produce something really original; they are as near God as a saint or devotee.
 
A sculptor carving the images at the caves at Ajanta or Ellora was as close to God when he created these as even Buddha was.

Whenever you create something that is not a copy, not an imitation, there is no prayer that is greater. For you are nearest to God; in fact, in the moment of creation you are like Him! You too are a creator. Therefore creativity gives so much joy. How happy and satisfied you feel when you create something, however small, however insignificant.

A small child makes a house of cards and tells everybody, "I have built a house." Another builds a sand castle that he knows will be blown away by the breezes, but how happy he feels! He dances with joy. All moments of bliss in life are moments of creativity. Whenever you make something you get pleasure out of it. And those whose lives pass without any creativity find nothing but sorrow and suffering.

Why is it so? Why do you feel happy when you make something? Because in the act of creativity you get a glimpse of the creator. He is the creator but you too are a creator of sorts in that moment. You plant a seed in your garden. When the plant appears and bears leaves and flowers, how much pleasure it gives you. This joy is the same joy that God feels when He sees the earth bloom. There is only a difference of quantity, not quality.

Nanak says, He has created lives in many colors and forms; and their names are many, infinite.

If you were only able to recognize this creativity, this expanse of creation that spread to eternity! But it is difficult to recognize God. He is forever hidden, but if you can recognize His visible performance then you have made the first acquaintance; the first step is taken. Look at the universe. It is filled with a deep and profound arrangement. The moon rises, so does the sun. The stars revolve, seasons come and go, the morning comes and flowers open, the birds sing. The brooks bubble down the rocks, rivers rush to meet the sea. Clouds gather and pour down the waters that rise by evaporation into the skies. The water goes back again to the stream. It is all a well-organized arrangement. The world is a cosmos, not a chaos... if you understand this significant arrangement of nature.

The more you begin to understand this order of things in the world, and the more you begin to perceive the flow of this order, to the same extent will you begin to remember the hand that directs all things in this world. For no arrangement works without a source of direction, and the hand that directs this vast arrangement must be infinitely vast and powerful. This is why the Hindus say: He has a thousand hands. He has an infinite number of hands, for this is no small work. The infinite existence can be guided only by infinite hands.

Nanak says, He made the day, He made the night.

He made the seasons, the air, the water, the fire, the earth and the netherworld. He has made all -- All! And in the midst of it all He made the earth for you to rest awhile in your journey to the infinite.

This earth is a resting place only. Do not make your house in it. People make all kinds of houses, forgetting it is a resting place. Imagine if a man puts up in a traveler's bungalow for the night, and in the morning he forgets and takes the place as home, takes all its involvements upon himself, all its worries. Weighted down with sorrow and suffering, he goes about asking the way to peace and quiet.

If he is asked, "Why have you made a home of your dharmashala?" he replies, "It is difficult to leave so abruptly. I also understand having made a mistake, but it will take me time. I shall leave gradually."

The question is not of leaving gradually. The question is not of leaving at all. It only requires right perception, and that takes time. You can perceive in a moment if you are ready and willing. You can see clearly that where you stand is no more than a waiting room, for you were not always here. Where were you before birth? Where will you be after death? This is a fancy fete that lasts only a few days. In this short span you have clung so tightly to things that are and also to things that are not. A man clings to his wealth or possessions but he also clings to his desires, his dreams of the future.
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on September 09, 2005, 04:25:46 AM
"The Ocean is never made dirty by Rivers. It remains undefiled." - Part-I

I would like to tell you a beautiful story.

There was a man, thousands of years before. His name was Valmik; his profession was robbery. And if needed, he had no hesitation in killing people. If they resisted giving him their money, their valuable things, he had no hesitation for a single moment to kill them. He was a strong man.

At that time he was not known as Valmik, he was known as Valya Bhil -- the bhils are aboriginal, primitive tribes. And who would call Valya Bhil "Valmik"? -- because Valmik means the same, but becomes respectable. He was a robber and a murderer, and everybody knew it.
 
It was very rare that people would pass through the forest where he lived. The road had almost become unusable, because whoever passed that way was going to be robbed or killed.
 
A musician, a poet, and a very beautiful man, Narada, who always, even while moving, continued to play on a very simple musical instrument -- and remember, the more simple the instrument the more difficult it is to create great music out of it.
 
He used to carry a simple instrument, an ektara -- a one-stringed sitar. It is easy when there are many strings to create music, because you can create different notes on different strings. The ektara has only one string -- that is the meaning of ektara. Ek means one; tara means string. It has become almost the symbol of Narada. You will not find a statue or a painting of him without his ektara.

He was a master musician, and a great poet -- and perhaps the only man in India who knew the hilariousness of existence, who used to laugh....
 
When he was leaving, people told him: "Don't go -- otherwise you will lose your ektara. That Valya does not care who you are, and if you try to save your ektara you will lose your head. Better is to follow another route, although that route is a little longer."
 
Narada said, "If I had not known I might have gone by the other route, but now it is a challenge, between Valya and Narada. I would love to see this man, who has made you all cowards, so afraid. Just a single man, and the whole traffic on the road has disappeared. Must be a lion, living in the forest... and thousands of people used to pass on this road. Now nobody goes there; the road is closed -- not for repair!"

Narada went, because he trusted in music more than in the murderousness of a man. What kind of music it is that cannot transform the murderous animal instinct in a man?

Valya heard the music -- it was enchanting, it had a magic.

And when he saw Narada alone -- with no weapons, with no possessions, just one ektara ... the man was even more beautiful than his music. It has to be so, because the creator of anything is always greater than his creation; the creation cannot be greater than the creator. For the first time Valya felt hesitant, indecisive whether to let this beautiful man pass. But to make an exception would not be right -- this was his fame, that nobody could pass on that road without being robbed or killed.

Contd.....

Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on September 10, 2005, 02:08:23 AM
"The Ocean is never made dirty by Rivers. It remains undefiled." - Part-II

So he warned the great musician and seer: "I pray to you, go back. If you don't go back I will have to take your possessions, whatever they are. If you resist you may lose your life. And I don't want to do anything with you -- neither do I want to take your instrument nor do I want to deprive you of life. And don't say later on that I did not warn you."

But Narada went on playing on his ektara. And rather than going on the road he came and sat by the side of Valya, who was sharpening his sword. Narada said, "You are a beautiful man; but why do you do such a thing?"

He said, "What else can I do? I don't have any education; I am an untouchable, the lowest and most condemned class of the Hindus. I cannot go to a temple, I cannot go in the city -- but I have to look after my wife, my old mother, my father, my children."

Narada said, "If that is the case, I would like to go to your home and ask everybody -- you are committing things which are inhuman.

Who is going to be punished for them? You are committing all those things for your old mother and father -- ask them, `Will you share my punishment too?' Ask your wife, ask your children: `Whatever I am doing I am doing for you -- are you going to share my punishment?"'

Valya laughed, and he said, "You seem to be very clever and cunning!

I will go home and you will disappear. Nobody can cheat Valya."

Narada said, "There is no question of cheating. You can tie me with a rope to a tree -- and you know nobody comes here; I will wait. And whatever you want to do after, you can do. But first bring me the answer."

He had never thought about it. He went home. He asked his father, mother, his wife, his children -- nobody was ready to share the punishment. They said, "That is not our business. It is your responsibility to take care of your family; we are not concerned with how you are taking care. What you are doing is totally your responsibility."

It was a great shock. He could not believe that the parents he loved so much, the wife he loved so much... his own children, for whom he was committing all kinds of crimes... flatly refused: "It is your duty to take care of us. The question of sharing in your punishment does not arise."

He came back with tears in his eyes, untied Narada, touched his feet, and said, "Just by a single question you have transformed me.

I don't have a family. If they cannot share my punishment they don't love me -- I was living in an illusion. They loved all the money that I was bringing to them, but when the question of punishment was raised not a single one answered that `I will share with you.' Now I don't have any family."

And he threw his sword away in the forest and asked

Narada, "Initiate me so that one day I can also feel the same music and the same poetry and the same joy that I see on your face."

Narada said, "Much is not needed -- just the name of God. You have to start chanting the name of God, RAM."

Remember -- this is very confusing in a way -- this is not the same name as I discussed before, the king, Rama, who behaved with his wife in a very primitive, crude, ugly way. Ram is older than the Rama I discussed with you -- in fact he was named Rama because the name ram existed before him. It is the Hindu equivalent of God.

Narada said, "This will do: sit silently and repeat, ram, ram, ram, so that all that goes on in your mind slowly slowly is replaced by Ram. And this is the beauty of it -- that once it has replaced everything, it also disappears. In the same way you light a candle... the flame is not possible without the candle but slowly slowly, first the flame will burn the candle, and once the candle is finished the flame will disappear automatically."

Contd....
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Shammi on September 10, 2005, 02:19:48 AM
SAIRAM

Dear Ramesh bhai  please can i complete the rest ........of the story
(if you permit me... )

And so Valya gratefully accepted Sage Narada’s advice and started following it immediately. ..
So ...he forgot about food or water and even his own body, as he sat still in the
forest for many days.

And finally .. as a result, ants started climbing on him, thinking him to be a
still object, and soon, he was covered in an anthill that made him look like a
mountain of ants.

But Valya was not aware of it and kept chanting The Lord’s Name.
Many years passed like this.

And so one fine day Sage Narada came back to His beloved devotee, removed the anthill
and said...., " O devotee, wake up. " From now on you will be known
as Sage Valmiki – the Sage, who was born in an anthill!”

Thus, robber Valya got over his past deeds by chanting devotedly and became
spiritually pure like a Sage.

Valmiki is one of the great Sages of Indian history. He wrote the Holy Scripture ‘Ramayan’ – the story of Lord Rama’s life.
 
Moral: The above story shows the power of chanting The Lord’s Name, which can change even a criminal.
Imagine the benefits of chanting for a normal, crime-free person!

So, from this moment itself let us start chanting* God’s..

We can chant anytime and anywhere, just before getting out of bed in the morning and
going to sleep at night. We can also chant while doing other things like eating,
walking, getting ready for work and so on.  Absolutlely there is no time constraint to do
gods work .. and chant his name


SAIRAM  


Bow to Sri Sai - Raksha Karo Deva !!!
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on September 10, 2005, 02:51:23 AM
JAI SAI RAM!!!

What a pleasant surprise to see my little sister back with a bang and completed the "Story of the Day".....But our stories can'nt be completed in days....Our story which BABA SAI has written for all us will take many twists and turns.....Our story will be Mega Story....with all Love, Love and Love......amongst each other...BABA SAI is waiting for that day.....We have to bring that day together....with BABA SAI's blessing....and that day is not far off!!

OM SAI RAM!!!
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on September 10, 2005, 11:30:47 PM
"The Ocean is never made dirty by Rivers. It remains undefiled." - Concluding Part

This is something very significant.

So he said, "You do simple things. Don't get involved in any complex thing because you are a simple man, a courageous man. And after a few months I will be coming back to see what is happening. If some other help is needed I will always be available to you."

But he was uneducated, aboriginal, a primitive man -- uncivilized, uncultured. He started with trust -- because this kind of simple person is always trusting. He started repeating, RAM... RAM... RAM... RAM... And Narada had told him, "Go on repeating faster and faster -- don't leave any gap between two RAM'S."

The poor fellow got into trouble. If you repeat, "ram, ram, ram..." and he was uneducated, he had never heard the name. So he got mixed up; he started repeating "Mara, Mara, Mara..." ram means God, but if you repeat it, two Ram's join -- and the change is possible for an uneducated man. Mara means "dying, dying, dying..."

But in a way it is significant, the story. If you really want to achieve the state of godliness, the death of your ego is absolutely necessary. So although it was just a mistake, when after three months Narada came back, Valya was a transformed being. He was radiating light, pulsating the whole atmosphere with a new energy.

Even Narada felt defeated. His whole life he had been repeating, chanting, singing the name of God, playing on his musical instrument, but his gain had not been as much as Valya's.

He was almost a light unto himself. Around him an aura of light... Narada could not call him valya again, because that would be disrespectful. He changed valya into Valmik, and told him, "You have done a miracle, because the same name I have been repeating for my whole life and just in three months you have left me far behind. It will take lives for me to catch hold of you."

He said, "I have not done anything except whatever you have told me. I have been repeating, `mara, mara, mara..."'

Narada said, "My god! I never told you that -- I told you ram.

He said, "I am an uneducated man, absolutely unaware of any religion or anything. My whole life has been just of robbery and murder. I forgot -- instead of ram the order changed; the M of ram came ahead of R. Forgive me."

Narada said, "There is no need to forgive you. You are so innocent: without any greed, without any desire to be rewarded in heaven, even repeating mara, mara, you are a new man. Don't be worried. You continue -- whatever you have been doing is right."
 
"But," he said, "how can it be? What about my acts of murder? Because I cannot count so I cannot say how many people I have murdered. What about my robberies?"

Narada said to him, "Forget it all. You have reached the ocean of your being. It is radiating all over; even a blind man may be able to see it or, at least feel it -- the joy, the fragrance.

And don't think at all about what you have been doing. Those are small acts. Small rivers, muddy, dirty, have fallen into the ocean, and the ocean is never made dirty by these rivers. It remains undefiled."
 
The End..
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on September 11, 2005, 07:14:35 AM
Life is not a riddle to be solved, it is a mystery to be lived......Part-I

Once it happened, a great prime minister of a very great emperor died. The prime minister was rare, very intelligent, almost wise, very cunning, shrewd, a great diplomat, and it was very difficult to find a substitute. The whole kingdom was searched. All the ministers were sent to find at least three people; then the final decision will be taken and one of them will be chosen.

For months the search was on. The whole kingdom was searched; every nook and corner was searched. Then three persons were found. One was a great scientist, a great mathematician. He could solve any mathematical problem, and mathematics is really the only positive science -- all sciences are its branches -- so he was at the root.

Another was a great philosopher, he was a great system-maker: out of nothing he could create all. Just out of words, he could create such beautiful systems -- it is a miracle, only philosophers can do it. They have nothing in their hands; they are the greatest magicians. They create God, they create the theory of creation, they create everything -- and nothing is there in their hands. But they are clever artisans of words: they join words together in such a way that they give you a feeling of substance -- and nothing is there.

And the third one was a religious man, a man of faith, prayer, devotion. And the people who were searching for these three men must have been very wise, because they had found three.

These three represent the three dimensions of consciousness. These are the only possibilities: a man of science, a man of philosophy and a man of religion -- these are the basis. A man of science is concerned with experiments: unless something is proved through experiment, it is not proved. He is empirical, experimental; his truth is the truth of experiment.

A man of philosophy is a man of logic, not of experiments. Experiment is not the question; just through logic he proves, disproves. He is a pure man, purer than the scientist, because the scientist has to bring experiments in, then the laboratory comes in. A man of philosophy works without a lab -- just in the mind, with logic, with mathematics. His whole lab is in his mind. He can prove and disprove just through logical arguments. He can solve any riddle or he can create any type of riddle.

Contd.....
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on September 12, 2005, 09:48:34 AM
Life is not a riddle to be solved, it is a mystery to be lived......Part-II

And the third is the religious dimension. This man does not look at life as a problem. Life is not a problem for a religious man. It is nothing to be solved, it is something to be lived.

The religious man is the man of experience, the scientist is the man of experiment, the philosopher is the man of thinking. The religious is the man of experience, he looks at life as something to be lived. If there is any solution, it will come through experience, it will come through living. Nothing can be decided beforehand through logic, because life is greater than logic. Logic is just a bubble in the vast ocean of life, so it cannot explain all. And experiments can be done only when you are detached, experiments can be done only with objects.

Life is not an object, it is the very core of subjectivity. When you experiment you are different; when you live you are one.

So the religious man says, "Unless you are one with life, you can never know it." How can you know it from the outside? You may go about and about, around and around, but you will never hit the target. So neither experiment, nor thinking, but experience; simple, trusting -- a man of faith.

They searched and they found these three men, and then they were called to the capital for the final judgment. The king said, "For three days you rest and get ready. On the morning of the fourth day will be the examination, the final. One of you will be chosen and he will become my prime minister -- the one who is proved to be the most wise."

They started working in their own ways. Three days were not enough! The scientist had to think of many experiments, and work it out -- who knows what type of examination there is going to be? So he couldn't sleep for three days, there was no time: and there was his whole life to sleep once he was chosen, so why bother about sleep? He would not sleep, he would not eat -- there was not time enough, and many things were to be done before the examination.

Contd...
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on September 13, 2005, 03:04:30 AM
Life is not a riddle to be solved, it is a mystery to be lived......Part-III

The philosopher started thinking, many problems were to be solved "Who knows what type of problem is going to be asked?" Only the religious man was at ease. He ate, and ate well. Only a religious man can eat well,because eating is an offering, it is something sacred. He slept well.

He would pray, sit outside, go for a walk, look at the trees, and be thankful to God; because for a religious man there is no future and there is no final examination. Every moment is the examination, so how can you prepare for it? If something is in the future you can prepare; but if something is right now, here, how can you prepare for it? You have to face it. And there was no future.
 
Sometimes the scientist said, "What are you doing? Wasting time -- eating, sleeping, prayer. You can do your prayers later on." But he would laugh and he would not argue, he was not a man of argument.
 
The philosopher would say, "You go on sleeping, you go on sitting outside in the garden, you go on looking at the trees. This is not going to help. Examination is not a child's play, you have to be ready for it."
 
But he would laugh. He believed more in laughter than in logic.

And on the morning of the fourth day, when they started for the palace for the final examination, the scientist was not even in a position to walk. He was so tired with his experiments, as if his whole life had oozed out. He was dead tired, as if any moment he would fall and go to sleep. His eyes were sleepy and his mind was troubled. He was almost crazy. [/left]

Contd.....
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on September 13, 2005, 09:12:41 AM
Life is not a riddle to be solved, it is a mystery to be lived......Part-IV

And the philosopher? He was not so tired, but he was more uncertain than ever, because he had thought and thought and argued and argued, and no argument can become the conclusion.

He was muddled, in a mess, he was a chaos. The day he had arrived he could have answered many things, but now, no. Even his certain answers had become uncertain. The more you think, the more philosophy becomes useless. Only fools can believe in certainties. The more you think, the more intelligence comes to you, you can see these are all just words, there is no substance. Many times he wanted to go back because this was not going to be of any use. He was not in the right shape. But the scientist said, "Come on! Let us try. What are we going to lose? If we win, it is okay. If we don't win, it is okay. But let us try. Don't be so discouraged."

Only the religious man was walking happily, singing. He could hear the birds in the trees, he could see the sun rising, he could see the sunrays on the dewdrops. The whole life was such a miracle. He was not worried because there was no examination -- he would go and face the thing, he would simply go and see what happens. And he was not asking for anything, he was not expecting, he was fresh, young, alive -- and that's all. That's how one should approach God; not with readymade formulas, not with readymade theories, not with many experimental research works, not with many PhD's. No, it is not going to help. This is the way one should go -- singing and dancing to the temple. And if you are alive, then whatsoever comes you can respond to it, because response is through life, it is through the heart, and the heart is ready when it is singing, when it is dancing.

They arrived. The emperor had made a very special device. They were taken into a room where he had fixed a lock, a mathematical puzzle. Many figures were on the lock, but there was no key. Those figures were to be fixed in a certain way: the secret was there, but one had to search for it and find it. If those figures were fixed in a certain way the door would open. The emperor took them in and said, "This is a mathematical puzzle, one of the greatest ever known. Now you have to find the clue -- there is no key. If you can find the clue, the answer to this mathematical problem, the lock will open. And the person who comes out of this room first will be chosen. So now start." He closed the door and went out.
 
Immediately the scientist started working out many experiments, many things, many problems on paper. He looked -- observed the figures on the lock. There was no time to lose, it was a question of life and death. The philosopher closed his eyes, started thinking in mathematical terms what to do, how this puzzle can be solved. The puzzle was absolutely new.

That is the problem with the mind: if something is old the answer can be found, but if something is absolutely new, how can you work it out through the mind? The mind is quite efficient with the old, the known, the routine. Mind is absolutely inefficient when the unknown faces it.


Contd...
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on September 13, 2005, 10:57:02 PM
Life is not a riddle to be solved, it is a mystery to be lived......Concluding Part

The religious man never went to the lock, because what can he do? He does not know any mathematics, he does not know any experimental science.

What can he do? He just sat in a corner. He sang a little, prayed to God, closed his eyes. Those two others were thinking that he is not a competitor at all. "In a way it is good, because the thing has to be decided between us two." Then suddenly they became aware that he had left the room, he was not there. The door was open.

The emperor came in and he said, "What are you doing now? It is finished. The third man is out."

But they asked, "How?... because he never did anything."

So they asked the religious man. He said, "I was just sitting. I prayed and I was just sitting and a voice said within me, 'You fool. Just go and see. The door is not locked.' And I just went to the door; it was not locked. There was no problem at all to be solved, so I went out."

Life is not a problem. If you are trying to solve it you will miss it. The door is open, it has never been locked. If the door was locked, then scientists would find the solution. If the door was locked, then philosophers may find a system to open it. But the door is not locked, so only faith can go -- without any solution, without any readymade answer. Push the door open and get out.

Life is not a riddle to be solved, it is a mystery to be lived. It is a deep mystery, so trust and allow yourself to enter into it. No debate can be of any help -- with somebody else, or with yourself inside the mind -- no debate.

The End....



Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on September 15, 2005, 10:32:22 AM
All will be gone in a single moment and you will be left alone....Part-I

One day the Lord Vishnu was sitting in a deep cave within a far mountain meditating with his disciple. Upon the completion of the meditation the disciple was so moved that he prostrated himself at Vishnu's feet and begged to be able to perform some service for his Lord in gratitude. Vishnu smiled and shook his head, "It will be most difficult for you to repay me in actions for what I have just given you freely." "Please Lord," the disciple said, "allow me the grace of serving you." "Very well," Vishnu relented, "I would like a nice cool cup of water." "At once Lord," the disciple said, and he ran down the mountain singing in joy.

After a while he came to a small house at the edge of a beautiful valley and knocked at the door. "May I please have a cool cup of water for my Master," he called. "We are wandering sannyasins and have no home on this earth." A wondrous maiden answered his call, and looked at him with undisguised adoration. "Ah," she whispered, "you must serve that holy saint upon the far mountain. Please, Good sir, enter my house and bestow your blessing therein." "Forgive my rudeness," he answered, "but I am in haste.

I must return to my Master with his water immediately." "Surely, just your blessing won't upset him. After all he is a great holy man, and as his disciple you are obligated to help those of us who are less fortunate. Please," she repeated, "just your blessing for my humble house. It is such an honor to have you here and to be enabled to serve the Lord through you."

So the story goes, he relented, and entered the house and blessed all therein. And then it was time for dinner, and he was persuaded to stay and further the blessing by partaking of her food (thereby making it also holy), and since it was so late -- and so far back to the mountain, and he might slip in the dark and spill the water -- he was persuaded to sleep there that night and get an early start in the morning. But in the morning, the cows were in pain because there was no one to help her milk them, and if he could just help her this once (after all, cows are sacred to the Lord Krishna, and should not be in pain) it would be so wondrous.

And days became weeks, and still he remained. They were married, and had numerous children. He worked the land well and brought forth good harvests. He purchased more land and put it under cultivation, and soon his neighbors looked to him for advice and help, and he gave it freely. His family prospered. Temples were built through his effort, schools and hospitals replaced the jungle, and the valley became a jewel upon the earth.

Harmony prevailed where only wilderness had been, and many flocked to the valley as news of its prosperity and peace spread throughout the land. There was no poverty or disease there, and all men sang their praises to God as they worked. He watched his children grow and have their own children, and it was good.

One day as an old man, as he stood upon a low hill facing the valley, he thought of all that had transpired since he had arrived: farms and happy prosperity as far as the eye could see. And he was pleased.

Contd...
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on September 16, 2005, 01:03:15 AM
All will be gone in a single moment and you will be left alone....Concluding Part

Suddenly there was a great tidal wave, and as he watched, it flooded the whole valley, and in an instant all was gone. Wife, children, farms, schools, neighbors -- all gone. He stared, bewildered, at the holocaust that spread before him.

And then he saw riding upon the face of the waters his Master, Vishnu, who looked at him and smiled sadly, and said, "I'm still waiting for my water!"


This is the story of man. This is what has happened to everybody. We have completely forgotten why we are here, why we came in the first place, what to learn, what to earn, what to know, who we are and from whence and to where, what is our source and the cause of our journey into life, into body, in the world, and what we have attained up to now. And if a tidal wave comes -- and it is going to come, it always comes; its name is death -- all will be gone: children, family, name, fame, money, power, prestige.
 
All will be gone in a single moment and you will be left alone, utterly alone. All that you had done will be undone by the tidal wave. All that you had worked for will prove nothing but a dream, and your hands and your heart will be empty. And you will have to face the Lord, you will have to face existence.

And the existence has been waiting for you; long, long it has been waiting for you to bring something for which you had been sent in the first place. But you have fallen asleep, and you are dreaming a thousand and one dreams. All that you have been doing up to now is nothing but a dream, because death comes and all is washed away.

Reality cannot be washed away by death. Reality knows no death. Reality is undying. Reality is deathless. Reality is eternal. All that dies simply proves by its death that it was unreal, that it was illusory, maya, a dream -- maybe a nice dream, but a dream all the same.

You may be dreaming of hell or you may be dreaming of heaven; it does not make much difference. The moment you will be awakened you will find yourself utterly empty.
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on September 17, 2005, 05:08:23 AM
Habits - You are a victim..........you are imprisoned in it!

It happened that one Hindu mystic, Eknath, was going for a pilgrimage. The pilgrimage was going to last for at least one year because he had to visit all the sacred places of the country. Of course, it was a privilege to be with Eknath, so many people, a thousand people, were travelling with him. The thief of the town also came and said, 'I know that I am a thief and not worthy enough to be a member of your religious group, but give me a chance also. I would like to come for the pilgrimage.' Eknath said, 'It will be difficult, because one year is a long time and you may start stealing people's things. You may cause trouble. Please drop this idea.' But the thief was insistent. He said, 'For one year I will drop stealing, but I have to come. And I promise you that for one year I will not steal a single thing from anybody.' Eknath agreed.

But within a week trouble started, and the trouble was this: things started disappearing from people's luggage, and even more puzzling -- because nobody was stealing them -- things would disappear from somebody's bag and they would be found in somebody else's bag after a few days. The man in whose bag they would be found would say, 'I have not done anything. I really don't know how these things have come to be in my bag.'

Eknath suspected, so one night he pretended to sleep but he was awake, he watched.

The thief appeared near about midnight, in the middle of the night, and he started changing things from one person's luggage to another person's. Eknath caught him red handed and he said, 'What are you doing? And you had promised!' He said, 'I am following my promise. I have not stolen a single thing. But this is my old habit. In the middle of the night if I don't do some mischief, it is impossible for me to sleep. And for one year, not to sleep? You are a man of compassion. You should be compassionate towards me. And I am not stealing, things are found again and again. They don't go anywhere but are just exchanged from one person to another. And moreover, after one year I have to start my stealing again, so it will be good practice also.'

Habits force you to do certain things; you are a victim. Hindus call it the theory of karma: each action that you repeat, or each thought -- because thought is also a subtle action in the mind -- becomes more and more powerful. Then you are in the grip of it. Then you are imprisoned in the habit. Then you live the life of an imprisoned man, a slave. And the imprisonment is very subtle: it is of your habits and conditioning and the actions that you have done. It is all around your body and you are entangled in it, but you go on thinking and befooling yourself that you are doing it. When you get angry, you think you are doing it. You rationalize it and you say that the situation demanded it:'I had to be angry, otherwise the child would go astray; if I were not angry then things would go wrong, then the office would be in a chaos, then servants won't listen; I had to be angry to manage things, to discipline the child.

Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on September 20, 2005, 09:47:05 AM
A beautiful poem by Rabindranath Tagore, "The King of the Night"....Part-I

... There used to be a very huge temple, so huge that there were one hundred priests to worship the statues of gods in the temple. One night the chief priest dreamt, and the dream was such that it made him wake up -- he could not believe it, but he could not disbelieve it either.

In the dream he saw God himself saying to him, "Tomorrow is the fullmoon night. Clean the whole temple, get ready -- I may come any moment. For thousands of years this temple has been calling me, but the call was professional; hence it was not heard. Your call is not professional. You are the first chief priest in this temple whose heart is full of longing, full of prayer, full of waiting. You are not simply doing the rituals, your whole life is in it. So don't forget: tomorrow I am coming and I am giving you an advance notice, so that the temple is ready to receive the guest for which it was made many, many centuries before."

It was difficult to believe that God would speak to him -- he is nobody, he does not deserve it. On the contrary, he has so many weaknesses, so many frailties which every human being is prone to... but on the other hand, how to disbelieve? The dream was truer than our so-called true life.

He was worried about what he was going to say to the other priests, because they will make him a laughingstock. The temple has been there for centuries and God has never come.

But even if it looks awkward, embarrassing, he has to tell them, because he alone cannot clean the whole temple; it is so big, so huge....

He woke up all the priests and said, "Forgive me for disturbing your sleep. I am in a dilemma: I have seen this dream...."And all the priests laughed -- because priests are the only people who don't believe in God. They know perfectly well that God is a strategy to exploit people.

They said, "It was just a dream, go back to sleep." But the chief priest could not sleep. In the morning he said, "It may have been just a dream, but who knows? If God comes and finds us unprepared, it will be such a shame. So I order you, as the chief priest, to clean the temple, to decorate the temple with flowers, with candles. Make it fragrant with incense, and let us wait. Even if it was only a dream, and God does not turn up, there is no harm. The temple needs cleaning, and it is a good opportunity."

The whole day the temple was cleaned, decorated. Delicious food was made for God, but the whole day passed and there was no sign. And the chief priest was standing at the door, looking far away where the sky seems to meet the earth -- the temple was in a very lonely place -- but the road remained empty; nobody came.

The day disappeared into night. They were all hungry because they were waiting: first God should be served. And then all the other priests said, "We had told you, a dream is just a dream.

Contd...
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on September 20, 2005, 10:49:32 PM
A beautiful poem by Rabindranath Tagore, "The King of the Night".... Concluding Part....


Who has ever heard of God coming to the temples? You are very naive, very simple, very innocent. Now let us eat -- we are feeling hungry and tired -- and go to sleep."

So they closed the doors, and ate the food that they had made for God. And because they were tired from the whole day's cleaning and decoration and preparation, they immediately fell asleep.

In the middle of the night a golden chariot came on the road leading to the temple. The sound of the chariot coming... and the chief priest was deep down still feeling that God cannot be so deceptive, particularly to a man who has never done any harm to him. He heard the sound of the chariot. He woke up the priests, and he said, "He is coming! I have just heard the sound of the chariot, listen."

And they were half asleep and they said, "Just go to sleep! You are going mad, just because of a dream. This is not a chariot, this is just the clouds thundering." He was alone. They silenced him.

The chariot came to the door. God stepped onto the long steps reaching up to the temple. He knocked on the door. Again the chief priest said, "I have heard somebody knocking on the door! Perhaps God has come." And now it was too much. Annoying them in the middle of the night... utterly tired and exhausted priests. Somebody shouted at him and said, "You shut up and just go to sleep! It is nothing but the breeze hitting the doors.

No God has come and no chariot has come; it has never happened." They again silenced him.

In the morning when the chief priest... he could not sleep; the waiting kept him awake, the longing kept him awake. He got up early and opened the door -- "My god!" he said, "He has come" -- because on the road there were signs of a chariot coming up to the door, and on the steps he could see the signs of someone reaching the door. He looked carefully... because dust had gathered on the steps and there were perfect impressions of the feet. It was no one other than God, because the impressions in the dust were exactly the same as had been described in the ancient scriptures; exactly how the feet of God would make an impression.
 
With tears in his eyes, he ran inside and made all the priests wake up. And he said "You did not listen to me -- it was not clouds thundering in the sky, it was the chariot of God. And it was not the wind knocking at the doors it was God himself who knocked. But now it is too late."

This beautiful poem has immense significance. God comes to every heart -- because that is the temple, the only temple -- and knocks on the heart. But you go on rationalizing, and your doors are closed.

But man has believed in God in as ugly a way as possible, because his God is nothing but all his desires, all his demands. It is not a humble prayer, a humble invitation.

Our so-called idea of God is just a means to serve us. You may not have ever thought about it, that your God is nothing but a servant. He has to do this, he has to do that. The true religious man is a servant to God; he has no demand. He has only one longing: that God may use him for His purposes. He wants to become nothing but a hollow bamboo flute, so God can sing His song through him. He simply wants not to obstruct but to remain absolutely empty, so God can make of his emptiness whatsoever He wants.

This is trust.
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on September 21, 2005, 10:19:44 AM
You have it, but you don't possess it........

An ancient story is.... In India there are very refined instruments of music; nowhere else in the world has such refinement happened. Just one single man -- who lives in the Himalayas and comes once in a while to the plains -- plays a special veena which used to exist in the past. And many musicians used to play it, but now only one person knows how to play it. It is called rudra veena. Rudra is another name of Shiva; Shiva used to play it. To play it needs such a long discipline, four or five hours' practice every day for years; then only can you bring those subtle notes out of it.

The ancient story is that in one house there was a strange musical instrument which had been there for generations. Nobody knew what to do with it, and it was a nuisance. It had to be cleaned, dust would gather on it, and it was taking up space in the room. And sometimes in the middle of the night a rat would jump on it and create noise.
 
Finally they decided, "It is useless for us; it is better to get rid of it." So they went out and threw it on the garbage pile by the side of the road.

They had not even reached back home and they heard such sweet music... they had never even imagined. So they turned back -- a beggar was playing the instrument, and a crowd had gathered.

The beggar knew, he was a musician, but a musician of such old and ancient instruments that even to find people who could understand it was difficult, so there was no possibility for him to earn anything. He had become a beggar so that he could continue discovering old, ancient instruments about which we have completely forgotten. And as he saw this instrument he could not believe it, because he had been in search of this instrument for years.

There was utter silence in the crowd -- everybody who was passing on the road stopped. The people of the house came back, and when he stopped playing they said, "That instrument belongs to us."

The beggar said, "Remember one thing: a musical instrument belongs to one who knows how to play it, there is no other kind of ownership. You have thrown it in the garbage. You have insulted an immensely valuable thing.

"And what will you do with it? Again it will gather dust and you will have to clean it. Again rats will make noise in the night and disturb your sleep.

This instrument can be played only if one knows how to play a few other instruments. They are the steps, and this is the end, and I have been searching for it. All other instruments I have found, but this, the final instrument, was missing. You cannot claim ownership of it.

"If you can play it here, before the crowd, it is yours. Otherwise, it belongs to me."

Music is not property; it is art, it is love. It is devotion, it is prayer. You cannot possess it.

The same is my feeling about your being.

You have it, but you don't possess it because you don't know how to play the instrument of your being. All that you know is the mind, which is only a vehicle; the heart, which is only a vehicle. But they are empty. Your thinking leads nowhere. Your heart remains at the point of lust, and never gets to know love.

Search for your being and everything else will follow it on its own accord. You don't have to drop anything -- you cannot drop anything. They are your innermost qualities; they will radiate on their own. Your heart will be full of love; your mind will be full of intelligence.
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on September 22, 2005, 11:04:02 PM
You will have to confront your shadow............

There is an ancient Buddhist story. On the day of Buddha's birth, in the same village, a girl was also born. She grew up with Buddha -- she was the same age, had similar life experiences, but she was deeply afraid of him. She avoided the roads that he frequented, and if she suddenly saw him on the road she would run away. Then Buddha renounced the world and left everything. She became even more afraid of him. Even before he became a bhikshu her fear of him was great; now she was terrified.

Then one day she happened to be returning from the market at dusk. There was no likelihood of meeting Buddha on that road, and he was not even in her thoughts, but suddenly he was there. Not until she was very close to him did she realize who it was, for she had never taken a good look at him -- it is not possible when there is fear. Then there she was, right in front of him. For the first time she looked at Buddha, and all her fear disappeared, and she was transformed.

Zen masters have always been asking seekers who that woman was. That woman is your shadow. She is not only born with Buddha, she is also born when you are born. Hindus call her maya, illusion. You and your maya never come face to face with each other. Neither does your maya ever take a good look at you nor do you ever look deeply at her. So the game goes on.

If in that game you do come face to face with each other, it is not you who will melt away but the maya. It is only the shadow that disappears, not you. Hence the shadow is in fear, it runs away from wherever you are. Even if it follows you, it is only from the back, it never comes in front of you.
 
What we at present call life is no more than a shadow; there is no truth to be found in it at all. But when you come close to a buddha, to one who has attained buddhahood, you will have to confront your shadow. You will have to look deeply at your maya, the illusions; you will have to come face to face with your dreams. The day you look at your dreams rightly, your sleep will be over. You will avoid -- you will avoid even blessings. Our habit of being miserable has gone so deep that we find ourselves unable to bear ecstasy even if it is coming to us on its own accord.
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on September 23, 2005, 11:28:19 AM
Wherever there are green leaves there must be some dead leaves too.....

In the forest there is no order, no measurement, no symmetry; there are no straight lines and no proportions, and the trees grow as and where they will. The philosopher clears the ground and then designs his garden, in which there is symmetry and proportion, there is order in everything, the pathways are with roads geometrically built and trees planted at equal distance from each other.

In Japan there are Zen monasteries, and there they use no symmetry in anything. If paths have to be made, they are kept nongeometric, as if they are paths in a forest. If they plant trees it is done in a manner so it does not look like a garden but like a forest.
 
There was a very famous Zen master who was an expert in gardening. The emperor appointed the master to teach his son gardening. Every day the son would go to the Master to learn from him. The emperor had hundreds of gardeners, and whatever the prince learned from his master he would pass on to these gardeners, and they would make the garden accordingly. The master had said to the prince that after three years he would come to see his garden, and this would be the examination; there would be no other examination.

For three years the prince went on creating a beautiful garden, so beautiful that it had no parallel in the whole of Japan. Thousands of gardeners were engaged, and by the time three years had passed the garden was so exquisite that even the emperor was amazed, and he said to the son, "Such a garden has never been seen. There is no way you can be failed in the examination."

But the prince himself was less sure. "My master is a totally different kind of man," he said. "He is so unpredictable!"

Finally the master came. The emperor was present, all the court attended, and the prince of course was there. The garden glowed like a garden in paradise. But the master's face remained serious, without the trace of a smile. The emperor felt uneasy, and the prince was trembling in fear. The master visited every corner of the garden, but so far there was not a flicker of admiration visible on his face. Suddenly he asked for a basket.

The basket was brought, and the master ran out with it. He came back with the basket full of dry leaves and threw them on the garden pathway where they were further scattered all over by the wind.

The master said, "Your garden speaks so much of human interference that it cannot be called a true garden. There was not even a single dead leaf to be found anywhere. This is false and unnatural. You will have to work for three more years.

Wherever there are green leaves there must be some dead leaves too. Wherever there is birth there is death. Wherever there is light there is darkness. No, I do not accept this garden. For three years now you must work to turn it into a jungle. No human touch should be visible, because the human touch means logic, mathematics, calculation. The garden must bear the impression of the divine, where there is no logic, no mathematics, no calculation -- where all is beyond understanding."




Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on September 23, 2005, 11:41:04 PM
The one who is able to see what is wrong, is also able to see what is right....Part-I

There is an ancient Sufi story of a man who lived in the capital city of an empire and was known to the emperor. Whatever this man did would go wrong, and everything he undertook was to his loss; misfortune seemed to follow him wherever he went. Out of great curiosity the emperor consulted a fakir. "I have studied this man continuously," he told the fakir, "and there has not been a single hour of good fortune in his life. Is it predestined that he will meet only unhappiness in his life?"

The fakir said, "Ages old is this habit of his of enjoying unhappiness.

He has perfected this through the effort of many lives."

This did not appeal to the emperor. He said, "I don't agree. I think that the reason this fellow's life is the way it is, is because he never found the right situation, the right company, the right milieu.

The fakir said, "Let us then experiment and see."

So one day the emperor arranged for a large pot of gold coins and precious jewels to be left on the road on which this man used to pass every evening. The place he chose to leave the pot of treasure was on a bridge over a river, and the public and the guards were alerted to make sure that no one but this man should be allowed to touch the pot or its contents. Only this man of ill fortune was to be allowed to pick up the treasure and take it away with him. He was to be regarded as the owner of the precious pot.

What happened was very strange! The fakir and the emperor both stood at the other end of the bridge to watch. They saw the man approaching, and the emperor's heart was beating fast -- a matter of great principle was about to be resolved concerning man's nature and destiny. The emperor thought that anything can be achieved by man's effort and now for this man nothing much needs to be done. All that was needed was that the man pick up the pot full of immense treasures which was right in the middle of his path, carry it away -- no one is going to object to him -- and become super rich.

But as the man came closer, the emperor was astonished because the poor man was walking with closed eyes. He bumped into the pot, which fell over spilling some of the treasure out with a jingling noise. But the man avoiding the object he had bumped into, and kept walking steadily across the bridge with eyes still closed. As the man reached the other end of the bridge, the emperor, unable to restrain himself anymore, caught hold of the man and shouted at him, "You fool! Why have you got your eyes closed?"

Contd...
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on September 26, 2005, 08:56:57 AM
The one who is able to see what is wrong, is also able to see what is right....Part-II

The man replied, "All my life I have walked across this bridge with my eyes open, and today I suddenly decided to see whether I could walk across it with my eyes closed -- and I can! There was only one moment when I bumped into something, but otherwise it was easy. Now I know that it would be alright even if I were to go blind!"

The fakir said, "Look! Even if a buddha stands in your path, you may bump into him but you will pass him by. Then you will boast that you could even have walked past him. That will certainly be the day you have taken some stupid decision like this: I want to see if I can pass by this place with my eyes closed."

This is why I say that to miss is very easy. The opportunity is rare, and to miss it is very easy. These are two apparently opposite extremes, but if you understand them in the right perspective, the situation reverses; then to miss the opportunity is not so easy and to meet buddhahood is not so difficult.

If you can understand the two things rightly, perhaps you may come across buddhas every day on the way. And if you meet a buddha even once, you will enter the door right away -- there is no reason for such a person to miss it.
 
I am taking you into all these experiments with meditation so that it becomes possible for you to recognize the buddha when the meeting happens; so that you do not turn your back on the door when it opens; so that you won't miss even if the door opens only for a single moment. Meditation will help you to recognize the master. Now this is a puzzle, because normally we approach the master in order to learn meditation. But I am telling you, without meditation you will never be able to recognize the master. Where will you look? Only meditation will make you capable of seeing the master. If you go to recognize the master through your thinking, you will miss.

Many people come to me, and I can clearly see that they are so full of their thoughts that no contact is possible between us; it is as if we are at thousands of miles distance. They have so many thoughts, and they weigh me only on the scales of their thoughts, they try to understand me only through thoughts, and they believe only in what their thoughts say to them.

You have never given a thought to how surrendered you are to your thoughts -- thoughts which have never delivered you anything else except misery.

You never doubt your thoughts. People come to me and tell me that they are skeptics or rationalists, that they cannot trust; and I see the extremity of their trust in their own head -- this they never doubt! They have such profound faith in this head of theirs, the head which has never brought them a single drop of happiness, this head where no flowers have ever blossomed, only thorns. And they say they have no place for faith, that they doubt everything, that they think, and that they will not take any decision without thinking about it.

Contd...
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on September 27, 2005, 11:25:35 PM
The one who is able to see what is wrong, is also able to see what is right....Concluding Part.

How have you come to this decision that what your head tells you is right? This decision you have certainly taken without any thinking, because anybody who has really thought has first of all abandoned faith in his head. The experience of life -- of countless numbers of lives -- tells you that this head has only made you wander.

Here I am, holding the door wide open, but if you are too full of thoughts you are going to miss. Your head is full of so many layers of thoughts that even the open door will appear to you as closed. After all you will depend on your intellect in order to understand and the falsity will come in; you are bound to devise one trick or the other.

You will understand buddhahood only when you stop thinking -- and that state of nonthinking is meditation. Only in the moment of meditation will the master be recognized; not through thinking, not through logic or calculations, but only by sitting silently, in peace, will he be recognized.

Hence the old tradition of keeping silent for the first three or four years of being with a master. No questioning, no attention paid to the mind's frantic activity, keeping it still, just sitting in silence, waiting. It takes three to four years like this before the ages-old wavering of the mind subsides. When the inner turmoil stops, when the mind's race ceases, when the inner marketplace closes down as if for the night, then all goes quiet. This process we have called satsang.

Satsang means going to someone and sitting there with him in silence. And the interesting point about this is that the big question is not whether the man with whom you sit is the right man or a wrong one; sitting silently with him will help you anyway. If he is wrong, you will come to see that he is wrong and you will be free of him. If he is right, you will come to see that he is right and you will enter into him.

Meditation opens the eyes, so there is no need to worry about whether the man with whom you are sitting in silence is right or wrong. It is irrelevant whether he is right or wrong; your sitting in silence is right.

See it this way: if even near the right man you go on thinking, you will miss. It is the thinking that makes you miss. If you sit in silence even near a wrong man, you will attain, because thoughtlessness opens the eyes. You will be able to see that this man is wrong.

And remember, the one who is able to see what is wrong, is also able to see what is right. So even from sitting silently with a false master you will not come away emptyhanded. But remain bound up in your thoughts, and even from the true master you will return unfulfilled. Your thoughts are your prisons. No matter how hard I might work on your thoughts, it is not going to make much difference -- you will go on deriving your meanings, imposing your definitions.
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on September 28, 2005, 10:20:53 AM
Whenever a saint wakes up, that is sunrise

There was in India a great sage, Eknath -- not of the ordinary run, unique. He used to sleep in the temple made for Shiva. And the king had gone to visit him. The king was sent to him by his own master -- because he was too argumentative, too rational, too much in the mind, and the master was tired. And finally he said, "If anything is going to happen to you in this life it can happen only through Eknath. You go to Eknath."

The king agreed, out of curiosity, but he was suspicious, "If my own master cannot make me a convinced seeker of truth, who is this guy Eknath? I have never heard about him. What is he is going to do to me?" But it was worth it. He went early in the morning -- it must have been nine o'clock. Hindu brahmins wake up at five o'clock in the morning or even earlier, but not later than that; and the saints, the holy ones, get up near about three in the morning.

Eknath was fast asleep at nine o'clock. The king was shocked. What kind of saint is he? And this was not all; when he went closer he said, "My God, is this a saint or a devil?" -- because he was putting his feet on the statue of Shiva, just as a footrest.

He said, "My master must have gone mad to send me to this man. Although I am not convinced of the existence of God, even I cannot touch the statue of God with my feet. I am afraid.... Who knows? After all, God may exist. Why take unnecessary trouble upon yourself? But this man is something!"

And when Eknath woke up the king said, "I have been sent by my master."

Eknath laughed and he said, "While I am alive there is nobody else who is a master." This was very insulting to the king.

He said, "You seem to be an insane person. In the first place you are sleeping up to nine, in the temple, resting your feet on the statue of Shiva, and now you are saying that there can be nobody else master while you are alive."

He said, "Yes. Tell that to your master; otherwise why has he sent you to me? These are just pygmy teachers pretending to be masters, and as far as my sleeping up to nine and my feet on the statue of Shiva, remember one thing: wherever I put my feet there is God, so what does it matter? God is everywhere, so why not find a comfortable place? And my waking up at nine -- remember, any people who say that saints wake up before sunrise are just mediocre minds. I say to you that whenever the saint wakes up, that is sunrise."

Strange statements, but very true -- true in depth, true in intensity. Whenever a saint wakes up, that is sunrise; his waking is far more important than your ordinary sun rising up every day -- a mechanical phenomenon.

My waking is not a mechanical phenomenon, and I am a free man -- I will wake up when I want to, and I will go to sleep when I want to. I act according to my consciousness, my awareness. I don't follow any discipline. I don't have any rules for my life. My life is my only discipline. Therefore I say unto you that whenever you become a True BABA SAI's Devotee that will be the right moment.
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on September 29, 2005, 01:24:21 PM
You have not known life as such; you are simply vegetating, from cradle to grave, just dragging yourself somehow."

A frog from the ocean was on a religious pilgrimage. On the way he came near a well -- he was feeling thirsty. He looked inside the well; there was another frog inside. He said, "I am very thirsty, can I come in?"

He was allowed. The frog in the well asked the stranger, "From where are you coming?"
 
The stranger said, "It will be very difficult for you to conceive from where I am coming."

The frog of the well laughed, and he said, "You have some nerve. Is your place bigger than this well?" He hopped across one third of the well and he said, "Is your place this much?"

The frog from the ocean was in immense difficulty -- what to say to this poor frog? He said, "No, it is bigger."

He jumped two thirds and said, "This much?" The frog from the ocean said, "Forgive me, it is very big."

The frog of the well jumped across the whole well, from one side to the other side, and he said, "What do you say now? Is it still bigger?" The stranger said, "I am sorry to offend you, but your well cannot be a means of measuring the place from where I am coming. It is too big."

And the frog who had never left his well laughed and said, "You seem to be mad! Just get out of here. I have seen many frogs, but I have never seen such a mad one. They come to the well -- and I am always happy to have a visitor, just to have news about the world. I have been so generous to you, and you are behaving so uncourteously."

The stranger said, "You just forgive me, perhaps I am mad. But I invite you to my place, because that is the only way you can be convinced. Unless you see the ocean, you cannot believe... and I can understand why you are annoyed with me and thinking that I am mad. I must look mad to you; I can think of myself in your place."
 
So the people you must be meeting, don't have energy as such. Or maybe they have their energy at the minimum, so when you start overflowing with energy, they start feeling afraid. And their saying to you that you are sometimes "too much" is a condemnation. They are annoyed with you; you have touched their weakest point.

They are living just as survival, and my people are making every effort to live at the maximum.

Why live at the minimum? When life gives you the opportunity to live at the maximum, then sing and dance with total abandon.

Still, I say to you: whatever you do, it is never "the feeling of being too much." That is simply not possible. Your well can become bigger and bigger and bigger, but still, it can never become the ocean. And unless you become oceanic, you don't know what it means to be too much.

But the problem is, the moment you become oceanic, you are no more -- only pure energy, vibrating all over the existence.

As long as you are, you are always falling short of your maximum.

At the maximum, you disappear.

Then it is only a pure dance of energy.

And the pure dance of energy brings all your potentialities to their fullest expression. Only then can you say the spring has come, because you are blossoming in every dimension of your being.

So don't be bothered by the people who say that your energy, your being, your feeling is too much. It is comparative. Just tell them, "You are poor, you are living at the survival level. You have not known love and you have not known dance and you have not known celebration. You have not known life as such; you are simply vegetating, from cradle to grave, just dragging yourself somehow."

Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on October 01, 2005, 03:08:24 AM
Everything is topsy-turvy!

I would like you to read to this beautiful story. It may help. The story is called 'The Animal School'.

The animals got together in the forest one day and decided to start a school.

There was a rabbit, a bird, a squirrel, a fish and an eel, and they formed a Board of Directors. The rabbit insisted that running be in the curriculum. The bird insisted that flying be in the curriculum. The fish insisted that swimming had to be in the curriculum, and the squirrel said that perpendicular tree-climbing was absolutely necessary to the curriculum. They put all of these things together and wrote a curriculum guide. Then they insisted that ALL of the animals take ALL of the subjects.

Although the rabbit was getting an A in running, perpendicular tree-climbing was a real problem for him. He kept falling over backwards. Pretty soon he got to be sort of brain-damaged and he could not run anymore. He found that instead of making an A in running he was making a C, and of course he always made an F in perpendicular climbing. The bird was really beautiful at flying, but when it came to burrowing in the ground he could not do so well. He kept breaking his beak and wings. Pretty soon he was making a C in flying as well as an F in burrowing, and he had a hell of a time with perpendicular tree-climbing.

The moral of the story is that the person who was valedictorian of the class was a mentally-retarded eel who did everything in a half-way fashion. But the educators were all happy because everybody was taking all of the subjects, and it was called a 'broad-based education'.

We laugh at this, but that's what it is. It is what you did. We really are trying to make everybody the same as everybody else, hence destroying everybody's potential for being himself.

Intelligence dies in imitating others. If you want to remain intelligent you will have to drop imitating.

Intelligence commits suicide in copying, in becoming a carbon copy. The moment you start thinking how to be like that person you are falling from your intelligence, you are becoming stupid. The moment you compare yourself with somebody else you are losing your natural potential. Now you will never be happy, and you will never be clean, clear, transparent. You will lose your clarity, you will lose your vision. You will have borrowed eyes; but how can you see through somebody else's eyes? You need your own eyes, you need your own legs to walk, your own heart to beat.

People are living a borrowed life, hence their life is paralyzed. This paralysis makes them look very stupid.

A totally new kind of education is needed in the world. The person who is born to be a poet is proving himself stupid in mathematics and the person who could have been a great mathematician is just cramming history and feeling lost. Everything is topsy-turvy because education is not according to your nature. It does not pay any respect to the individual, it forces everybody into a certain pattern.

Maybe by accident the pattern fits a few people but the majority is lost and the majority lives in misery.
 
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on October 02, 2005, 08:18:58 AM
There is a prison in each of us all.....We are imprisoned in this small body.

Buddha returns home after a period of twelve years. He had run away when Rahul was only one day old. He was now 12 years old. His mother was naturally dlspleased with Buddha and had told many things against Buddha to Rahul. She had thus well prepared her son to quarrel with Buddha in case he came to their palace. When Buddha came, she told her son to ask that beggar -- his father -- what legacy he had left for his son. She further asked Rahul to say.

'You had given birth to a son, now give him provisions for his journey of life.'

It was a cruel joke. Without informing her Buddha had left her.

Her anger was certainly natural. Buddha asked Anand, 'Where is my begging bowl?' Hand over my begging bowl to Rahul and initiate him into Sannyas.' Hearing this Yashodhara began to weep. She said, 'Why are you doing this?' Buddha replied, 'I can give that Supreme Treasure to my son in legacy which I have achleved. I wish to give my son that Supreme Bliss which I have found.'

Rahul was initiated into Sannyas. A young boy of twelve became a Sannyasi. Buddha's father told hlm, 'You left home and now you are removing him too, he is the only star of our eyes. Who would be the master of this kingdom?' Buddha replied, 'I have brought with me knowledge of another great kingdom. This kingdom is very small, and it would be unfail to leave that kingdom for this small kingdom. I have come with the knowledge of that great kingdom and I make him the great monarch -- lmperial Monarch of that great kingdom.

Being very unhappy, the father asked Buddha to initiate them also. Buddha said, 'What can be more auspicious than this?' He initiated his father also. Then Yashodhara began to cry aloud, 'Why do you leave me alone here? Initiate me also.' Buddha said, 'What more good omen can there be than this?' Then the whole family was initiated.

An individual like Buddha gives birth to someone in some other Kingdom of life. So people like Buddha and Mahavira after the attainment of Supreme Knowledge, will not be willing to bring any Atma in the prison of a body.

There is a prison in each of us all. People living in prisons have no idea of the world outside, of fiowers, of the sun, of the moon and stars, of the open sky, and of birds fiying in the sky. They are born there.

Then a day comes when a prisoner, having climbed the wall of the prison, looks at the open sky, the moon and stars, the sun, birds etc. His wife tells him, 'Look, other people are producing children, will you not do so?' That man will reply, 'I do not wish to give birth to any child in this prison. I do not want my child to live in a prison. If I wish to give birth to a child, I shall produce him -- give him birth in the journey to the open sky, but who will umderstand this in jail? These prisoners will tell me, have you gone mad, return to our home. Our home means our jail, our cell.'

No matter how much that man may try to persuade those prisoners that the moon, the sun, flowers will be all there in the open, but it will be all in vain. They will understand nothing as they haven't seen the sun, the moon and flowers. They have seen nothing but darkness and chains. Just as we are asking now, they will also ask if any person, once having sat on the walls, can return and give birth to children? Or can only those persons who have never climbed the walls, give birth to children?

Our question is exactly like that. We do not know anything about this world, that thing, that great life which people like Buddha and Mahavira are seeing.

We are imprisoned in this small body, and we wander and toil for this prison throughout life. We consider this a great life, an important life and think of giving births to other Atmas. While Buddha and Mahavira are busy in sending the evil souls away from here, in liberating them.

There is a fundamental difference in our vision and their vision, in our dimension and their dimension. And therefore we do not understand them. An individual who has attained the highest knowledge cannot give birth to others. He cannot do so because he cannot take the responsibility of throwing someone in prison. He can give birth. He can give birth to a person in another, gigantic world, life of liberation, in that greatest freedom. But that birth is not the birth of a physical body, it is the birth of atma.

It is a birth that cannot be seen. It is the birth of the unseen; not of the known but of the unknown. Mahavira and Buddha have given many such births. Mahavira had around him 50 thousand Sannyasis. Is Mahavira anything less than a father to them? Buddha had thousands of Sannyasis. Is Buddha anything less than a father to them? In fact, he was much more than a father. What have their parents given to them in comparison to what he has given them? But only they can know what they got. We have our own difficulties, we know nothing, that is why we have such doubts -- questions. Therefore it will be proper if we also try to understand such questions fully.
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on October 02, 2005, 11:03:51 PM
It is a long journey; there is no hurry!!!

There is a story in Buddha's life. The only son of a woman called Krisha Gautami died. Her husband had already died, and her son was everything to her. She was utterly attached to him, he was the very essence of her life. And then he too died. She was driven almost insane with grief, and began to wander from one house to another in her village, asking people to revive her son. Trying to console her, one villager said, "It is not in our power to do anything to help, but Buddha has arrived in the village; better you go to him. And any miracle may happen there he is Bhagwan, God, himself!"

So Krisha Gautami went and knelt at Buddha's feet, carrying her dead son. She put the corpse down at Buddha's feet and said, "Revive this child! I want nothing else. When Bhagwan himself is present in the village, why should I weep? And if you cannot do even this much, then you are not God as they say you are!"

Buddha's disciples were in suspense to see what would happen now. A great crowd had gathered, the whole village had gathered, and they all started waiting for the miracle.

Buddha said, "Gautami, you do one thing. Leave your son's dead body here -- I will certainly revive him -- but first you go look for a house in the village where nobody has ever died, and you bring me some mustard seeds from that house."

What will a drowning person not do? Even a blade of grass looks like a support to a drowning man. It did not cross Krisha Gautami's mind how she could find a house where nobody had ever died. In obsession, one gets blinded. She rushed, she knocked on each and every door in the village and asked, "I want a few mustard seeds, but the condition is nobody should have died ever in your house."

People said, "Gautami, have you gone mad? Where will you find a house where nobody has died? Wherever people are born, people die also. Birth and death are parts of one phenomenon."

But Gautami had no time to listen to this. She rushed on to the next house and the next. By the evening she had been to all the houses in the village. By the evening when she was leaving the last house, her tears had dried away. A revolution had taken place in her personality. She went to Buddha, lifted up her son's body and carried it to the graveyard.

After cremating the body she returned to Buddha and said, "Please initiate me. I am a sannyasin."

Buddha said, "Don't you have something to ask of me? What about the mustard seeds? What about the son?"

She said, "Let nothing more be said of this. It was my illusion to have forgotten that death is attached to birth. Now that I have remembered, there is no question concerning my son; the question now concerns Gautami. Before I die, I want to find out what this whole mystery is, this whole web all around us."

Death is certain, there is no way to escape it. But we try to keep death out of the town.

Insanity has gone too far in the West, because in the absence of the theory of reincarnation there is more fear of death there than here in the East. We have some consolation that never mind, at least the soul will not die. Though soul is not our own knowing, yet there is some consolation, so never mind. There is someone within us: nainam chhindanti shastrani, no weapon can destroy it, no fire can consume it -- at least we have read this in the Gita, and that brings consolation. At the time of death only the body will die, we shall remain. And then there are lives after lives, it is a long journey; there is no hurry as there is infinite time available.
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on October 04, 2005, 09:45:00 AM
God is a thief.........Many more things are going to happen.

In India, hari is one of the names of god. It is one of the most beautiful names ever invented for god. It means the thief, one who steals people's hearts, mm? That is the meaning of it -- big thief. God is a thief, and you never know when he starts entering you, and when he takes possession of you. You know only when he has already stolen your heart.

Ordinarily we think that human beings choose god -- that is wrong. God first chooses you. Only when he chooses can you choose him, otherwise not.

The very desire to seek truth, the very desire to know what all this is, the very thirst to know god, shows that he has entered -- the thief has already entered. There are millions of people who don't have any desire; god is a meaningless term for them -- so meaningless that they are not even ready to deny it.

They don't bother either way whether god is or is not. It seems irrelevant to them. They are indifferent.

Then suddenly one day one arises in the morning, and a new thirst, a new longing, and a new hope is born... out of the unknown! Just the night before there was not even a hint, and the person had not been doing anything to earn it, and suddenly he is possessed.

That's why hindus call god the thief. He comes when you are fast asleep and steals your heart. He comes when you are engaged in the world and steals your heart. Only when he has chosen you, do vou start choosing him.

Hari means the thief, and devi means the divine; the divine thief. Remember it, and if the thief comes, help him, mm? (chuckling) because he is not the enemy -- he is your friend. And when he wants to steal your heart, surrender -- don't resist... don't fight with him.

The natural tendency is to fight. Because one does not want to surrender, one wants to remain oneself, and when god comes, you are simply effaced, wiped away. He is like a flood! So one becomes afraid... one starts trembling. God looks like death -- and people are very much afraid of death.

God is going to be your death, because when he comes, he wants to possess you so totally that he does not leave anything behind... he does not leave you at all. He absorbs you. He is a thief and he is a great spendthrift.

He gives himself so much that you are flooded, you are gone and wiped away. So remember this -- any day he will knock!

When you have come here, that means he has already knocked. Deep in your unconscious you have heard the knock, otherwise you would not be here. Nothing happens accidentally. If you are here, you may not be aware why you are here, how you have come, but something in your unconscious has grown. Your conscious may become aware later on, but a great journey has started -- you are a pilgrim. And I would like you to prepare.... Many more things are going to happen.
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on October 09, 2005, 06:31:56 AM
Drop the bag that you are carrying~~~~Be a man of understanding and try it!!!

There is one story about Hotei, a Zen master. One day he was passing through a village. On his shoulders he always carried a very big bag full of many toys, chocolates and sweets for children.

Somebody asked him, "Hotei, we have heard that you are just playing a role, acting. We have heard that you are a Zen master, so why do you go on wasting your time just giving toys to children? And if you are really a Zen master then show us what Zen is." Zen means the real spirit of religion.

Hotei dropped his bag, immediately he dropped his bag. They couldn't follow, so they said, "What do you mean?"

He said, "This is all. If you drop the burden, this is all."

They asked, "Okay, then what is the next step?"

So he put his bag again on his shoulders and started walking.

"This is the next step. But now I am not carrying. I know now that the burden is not me. Now the whole burden has become just toys for children and they will enjoy it."

The second step is to drop the bag that you are carrying, and carry it again only when you are not carrying it. Then you can carry the whole world; then there is no problem -- you are not identified with it. The second step is to drop the bag. So be Hotei, and drop whatsoever you have been carrying so long. And it is just ugly, whatsoever you are carrying. Sadness, ugliness, hatred, suffering, anger, jealousy -- things like this you are carrying. And if you have become a big wound it is no surprise, it is what you are carrying. So in the second step you have to throw down whatsoever there is in it.

You will look mad, because madness is there. You have been suppressing it up to now. Your sanity is false, it is just on the surface, not even skin-deep. You can be made insane immediately.

Someone hits you and the sanity is gone, someone insults you and the sanity is gone. It is not even skin-deep, it is just there boiling. You are carrying yourself somehow. You are a miracle. How do you go on with so many madnesses within? How do you manage it? In the second step don't manage, just throw it out. Become mad, go mad.

Remember, when you become mad consciously you remain a witness. Madness is beautiful if you are conscious -- you enjoy it.

The more you throw it out the less burdened you are, and you feel that your energy is purified. You feel that now you can fly in the sky. Now there are no boundaries to you, you have become weightless. Now the whole gravitation of the earth cannot pull you down to the earth, you have become greater. You can transcend this pull now; this pull works because you carry so much burden. The second step is to go mad consciously. Those who are intelligent will go mad consciously, those who are stupid will go on holding. So don't be stupid; be a man of understanding and try it.
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on October 10, 2005, 09:30:03 AM
"Drop it".......Drop your ego, your Personality.

A great king, Prasenjita, came to Buddha. He brought a beautiful lotus flower. It was out of season, and it has its own story.

A shoemaker had a pond behind his house. And suddenly they were puzzled -- out of season a beautiful blue lotus. It had never happened before. So the shoemaker thought, "Somebody who goes every day to worship Buddha and listen to Buddha may purchase it. Perhaps one rupee?" The poor man could not think it could be more.

As he came out of his house the richest man of the town was going to pay his respects to Buddha. He suddenly stopped his chariot and he asked Sudas -- that was the name of the shoemaker -- "How much will you take for this flower?"

Sudas said, "I have never sold flowers, never purchased them. It is better you give your offer. It is out of season."

The richest man, according to his dignity, said, "I will give you one hundred rupees" -- beyond the conception of Sudas.

But just then another chariot stopped. The king was going to Buddha, and the king said to Sudas, "I have purchased that flower. I will pay ten times more than the rich man is offering you."

This was even more surprising -- one thousand rupees for one flower! So that flower was a revelation to Sudas. He thought, "I am so poor I cannot afford to refuse, but my whole being says, `Refuse this offer. Go yourself to Buddha and offer the flower directly.' But my poverty is so much I cannot afford it."

The king thought, "Perhaps he considers the price is not yet right." He said to Sudas, "Don't think. Whatever you want to ask will be given. I have offered one thousand rupees. Do you want ten thousand rupees, one hundred thousand rupees?"

Sudas was going mad. One hundred thousand rupees he cannot even count!

Prasenjita ordered his people to deliver one hundred thousand rupees to Sudas.

Of course, the rich man did not contest it, it was futile. The king would not accept defeat in any way. It could even lead to bloodshed.

And when Prasenjita offered the flower to Buddha, all that Buddha said was, "Drop it." He dropped the flower. What else can you do before a buddha if he says, "Drop the flower"?

Now he was standing with empty hands and Buddha again said, "Drop it too!" This was beyond the mind and its comprehension.

Sariputra said to Prasenjita, "Buddha does not mean the flower; Buddha means the ego. You are so full of ego; even offering, touching the feet of Buddha, your ego has not changed even a little bit. And to be with Buddha, the only way is to drop your ego, your personality."

Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on October 11, 2005, 06:24:46 AM
"Nainam Chhindanti Shastrani" -- you cannot cut me with weapons --"Naham Dahati Pavakah" -- and you cannot burn me with fire. You are absolutely powerless as far as I am concerned.

Alexander the Great was going back from India, and at the very frontiers of India he remembered that his teacher, Aristotle, the father of Western logic, had asked him, "When you come back from India you will be bringing gifts for everybody; bring just one thing as a gift for me.

Alexander said, "Just say, and it will be brought to you."

He said, "I want to see a sannyasin. I have heard so much from travelers about sannyasins. It seems they are a different species of humanity; it seems they are far above us. If you can bring a sannyasin I will be immensely happy."

Alexander said, "This is a small thing. If you had asked me to bring the Himalayas I could have dragged it back to Greece. A sannyasin? --no problem."

And he remembered, although he had collected so much garbage. At the last he remembered, "My God, I have forgotten to bring a sannyasin."

But he was still on the frontiers of India, so he inquired of people, "Can I find a sannyasin nearby?"

They said, "It is a little difficult if you really want an authentic sannyasin; otherwise, this country is full of sannyasins."

Alexander said, "I want an absolutely authentic sannyasin, because I cannot offer to my teacher a phony fellow. Wherever you tell us I will go."

They said, "You don't have to go too far. Just a few miles back you may have passed by the side of a river where an old sage lives. He lives naked, and as far as we know in this part of the country there is no one who has a higher consciousness, more blissfulness, than this old sage."

Alexander sent two of his generals first, because he thought it was below his dignity to go and ask the sannyasin. Those two generals went, and the sannyasin was standing naked by the side of the river. They told him, "Alexander the Great wants you to be the royal guest. Everything you need, all the luxuries possible will be made available to you for your whole life, but you have to come with us to Greece."

The sannyasin looked at them and said, "You seem to be utter idiots. A man who calls himself Alexander the Great must be just an egoist, and a sannyasin cannot accept the invitation of any egoist. I can come running to somebody who is humble, even without invitation. Just go back and tell your Alexander the Great what I have told you."

Contd...

Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on October 11, 2005, 06:31:26 AM
"Nainam Chhindanti Shastrani" -- you cannot cut me with weapons --"Naham Dahati Pavakah" -- and you cannot burn me with fire. You are absolutely powerless as far as I am concerned.

Although they were great generals of Alexander, they started shaking, became nervous. The old man was so strong; his voice just pierced like arrows in their hearts. They came back and they told Alexander that that man was difficult.

Alexander said, "How difficult? I have never met any difficulty in my life. I am the world conqueror. I will see myself; I am coming, just lead the way."

On the way those two generals trial to persuade him: "It is better to leave this man alone. He seems to be very strange; he says that the person who calls himself `the great' is simply ignorant, does not know anything, and he says, `I would have come to anyone uninvited if there was simplicity, innocence, love, humbleness, but power cannot move me a single inch.'"

Alexander said, "You don't be worried. He does not know me and he does not know my sword." He pulled out his sword as he reached the sannyasin, just to make him afraid. He was thinking the sannyasin would become afraid, but he started laughing.

Alexander looked very embarrassed. What to do...? The sannyasin said, "Yes, that's perfectly okay. You can cut off my head. Cut it! -- I am ordering you."

Alexander said, "Nobody orders me!"

The old man said, "You are strange. What do you want of me?"

Alexander said, "I want you to come with me to Greece. You will be my royal guest."

He said, "I used to be a king myself. I dropped my kingdom, I dropped all my possessions in search of something which is immortal -- and I have found it. That's why I ordered you to cut off my head.

Why are you feeling so shaky? You are a world conqueror; I am a poor sannyasin with nothing."

Alexander said, "Don't make me mad by your statements. I am a dangerous man; I can really cut off your head."

He said, "I am more dangerous than you. When the head falls on the ground, you will be seeing it from the outside, I will be seeing it from the inside. You cannot kill me. I have reached the point where there is no birth and no death; that's why I say you cannot move me a single inch. All your power is just impotent."

Against a single sannyasin the power of a world conqueror is absolutely impotent, for the simple reason that the man of meditation knows that he is not the body. And everything else that he used to be identified with -- the wife, the children, the money, the power, the prestige are all left far away. Just a pure consciousness, just a flame of light has remained within him which is indestructible.

Krishna says, in one of his most beautiful statements, "Nainam Chhindanti Shastrani" -- you cannot cut me with weapons -- "Naham Dahati Pavakah" -- and you cannot burn me with fire. You are absolutely powerless as far as I am concerned.
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on October 12, 2005, 02:26:22 AM
Be in the world, but don't let the world enter in you....Remain aloof, aware and silently watching

A man had a very beautiful house that even the king wanted to purchase. He had made it with such love -- he himself was an architect -- and the king was jealous because even his palace was not so beautiful. All sorts of rich people had offered that whatever money he wanted he could have, but the man always refused. The palace that he had made was a small palace, hidden in a thick garden, with shrubs, rosebushes.

One day he had gone out and when he came home there was a vast crowd and his house was on fire. Either it may have been the conspiracy of the king or the conspiracy of other people who were very jealous of his house. He was an old man, but tears started flowing from his ... eyes. It was not just a house for him, it was his very creativity. He was so identified with it, as if it was not the house burning but him. Such a deep attachment...

And then his son came running and told him, "Father, you need not cry for that house. Last night I sold it to the king. He was offering any price we want and there was no question of any negotiation, so I asked three times the price. We can make a house three times bigger, and then the king will know... It is already old and you have so many new ideas, it is a good opportunity."

The moment he heard that the house was sold, tears disappeared. In fact he started laughing -- this is a great coincidence. He started talking with son and with his neighbors, "Perhaps I may purchase the land back, because what is the king going to do with the land? And I will make a three times bigger and more beautiful palace." He started already dreaming about the future, and the palace was burning.

His second son came running and he told him, "Yes, my older brother is right. We had agreed to sell, but it was only verbal. Neither had the money been given to us, nor had even a sales deed been written.

We were waiting for you." Again the tears came -- because now the king is not going to purchase it, he is not going to give the money. He forgot all about the palace three times bigger and he was again crying like a small child. What happened?

The attachment... the identification... the moment you are unidentified with your body, even if the body is on the funeral pyre there will be no problem for you. It is as if somebody else is being burned. You can also stand by the side in the crowd and nobody will see you.

To be in the being, more and more one has to learn unidentification with everything. Use everything but don't get attached. I have been telling you to be in the world but don't be of the world. Be in the world, but don't let the world enter in you. I have been saying the same thing in other words. Don't be identified. Use this whole existence, but don't be possessive. Remain aloof, aware and silently watching.


Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on October 13, 2005, 11:59:16 AM
A single moment of lived experience is an eternity unto self........It is beyond time; you touch the very soul of life.

There is an old story. In the days of the Upanishads there was a great king, Yayati. His death came. He was a hundred years old. When death came he started crying and weeping. Death said, 'This doesn't suit you, a great emperor, a brave man. What are you doing? Why are you crying and weeping like a child? Why are you trembling like a leaf in a strong wind? What has happened to you?' Yayati said, 'You have come and I have not yet been able to live. Please give me a little more time so that I can live. I did many things, I fought in many wars. I accumulated much wealth, I have made a great kingdom. I have added much to my father's wealth but I have not lived. In fact, there was no time to live, and you came. No, this is unjust. You give me a little more time!' Death said, 'But I have to take somebody. Okay, make an arrangement. If one of your sons is ready to die for you, I will take him.'

Yayati had one hundred sons, thousands of wives. He asked, he called his sons. The older ones wouldn't listen. They had themselves become cunning and they were in the same trap.

One, the eldest, was seventy. He said, 'But I have also not lived. What about me? At least you have lived a hundred years, I have lived only seventy. I should be given a little more of a chance.' The youngest, who was just sixteen or seventeen, came, touched his father's feet, and said, 'I am ready.' Even death felt com passion for this boy. Death knew that he was innocent, not versed in the ways of the world, did not know what he was doing. Death whispered in the ear of the boy, 'What are you doing? You fool! Look at your father.

At the age of a hundred he is not ready to die, and you are just seventeen! You have not even touched life.' The boy said, 'The life is finished! Because my father at the age of a hundred feels still that he has not been able to live, so what is the point? Even if I live a hundred years, it is going to be the same. It is better to let him live my life. If he cannot live in a hundred years, then the whole thing is pointless.'

The son died and the father lived a hundred years more. Again death knocked and again he started crying and weeping. He said, 'I completely forgot. I was again increasing wealth, expanding the kingdom, and the hundred years have gone as if in a dream. You are again here and I have not lived.' And this continued.

The death came again and again and she would take one of the sons. Yayati lived for one thousand years more.

A beautiful story, but the same happened again. One thou sand years passed and death came. Yayati was trembling and weeping and crying. Death said, 'But now it is too much. You have lived one thousand years and you again say that you have not been able to live.' Yayati said, 'How can one live in the here and now? I always postpone: tomorrow and tomorrow. And tomorrow? -- suddenly you are there.'

Postponing life is the only sin that I can call sin. Don't postpone. If you want to live, live here and now. Forget the past, forget the future; this is the only moment, this is the only existential moment -- live it. Once lost it cannot be recovered, you cannot reclaim it. -

If you start living in the present, you will not think of the future and you will not cling to life. When you live, you have known life, you are satisfied, satiated. Your whole being feels blessed. There is no need for any compensation. There is no need for death to come after a hundred years and see you trembling and weeping and crying. If death comes right now you will be ready: you have lived, you have enjoyed, you have celebrated. A single moment of really being alive is enough, and one thousand years of an unreal life are not enough. One thousand or one million years of an unlived life are not worth while; and I tell you, a single moment of lived experience is an eternity unto self.

It is beyond time; you touch the very soul of life. And then there is no death, no worry, no clinging. You can leave life any moment and you know that nothing is left. You have enjoyed it to the very full, to the very brink. You are overflowing with it, you are ready.

A man who is ready to die in a deep celebrating mood is the man who has really lived. Clinging to life shows that you have not been able to live. Embracing death as part of life shows that you have lived well. You are contented.
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on October 15, 2005, 07:25:50 AM
Jesus says, `Those who are last in this world will be the first in the Kingdom of my God.'

Jesus must have been talking about such a man -- rich, generous. And I tell you: if you are generous, you are rich; and if you are not generous, you may be in an illusion that you are rich, but you are poor.

Generosity is the real richness.

And to be generous, to share, you don't need many things. To be generous, you just have to share whatsoever you have. You may not have much -- that is not the point. Who has much? Who can ever have enough? It is never much, it is never enough. You may not have anything at all, you may be just a beggar on the road, but still you can be generous.

Can't you smile when a stranger passes by? You can smile, you can share your being with a stranger, and then you are generous. Can't you sing when somebody is sad? You can be generous -- smiles cost nothing. But you have become so miserly that even before smiling you think thrice: to smile or not to smile? to sing or not to sing? to dance or not to dance? -- in fact, to be or not to be?

Share your being if you have nothing. And that is the greatest wealth -- everybody is born with it. Share your being! Stretch your hand, move towards the other, with love in the heart. Don't think anybody is a stranger. Nobody is. Or, everybody is. If you share, nobody is. If you don't share, everybody is.

You may be a very rich man, but a miser, a non-sharing one. Then your own children are strangers, then your own wife is a stranger -- because how can you meet a miserly man? He is closed.
 
He is already dead in his grave. How can you move towards a miserly man? If you move, he escapes. He is always afraid, because whenever somebody comes close, sharing starts. Even shaking hands a miserly man feels is dangerous, because who knows? -- friendship may grow out of it, and then there is danger.

A miserly man is always alert, on guard, not to allow anybody too close. He keeps everybody at a distance. A smile is dangerous because it breaks distances. If you smile at a beggar on the road, the distance is bridged. He is no more a beggar, he has become a friend. Now, if he is hungry, you will have to do something. It is better to go on without smiling. It is safe, more economical, less dangerous -- no risk in it.

It is not a question of sharing something. It is a question of simple sharing -- whatsoever you have! If you don't have anything else, you have a warm body -- you can sit close with somebody and give your warmth. You can smile, you can dance, you can sing; you can laugh, and help the other to laugh. And when two persons laugh together, their beings are one in that moment. When two persons can smile together, suddenly all distance dissolves -- you are bridged.

So don't think that to be generous you have to be rich. Just the contrary is the case: if you want to be rich, be generous. And so many riches are always available; so many gifts you bring with your life, and you take with your death with yourself.

You could have shared, and through sharing you would have become aware how rich existence makes you, and how poor you live.

And the more you share, the more your being starts flowing. The more it flows, newer springs are always filling the river again and again. And you remain fresh.

Only a generous man is fresh. A non-generous man, a closed, miserly man, becomes dirty -- bound to become so. It is just like a well.

Nobody comes to it, and the well is not ready to give its water to anybody, then what will happen to the well? Fresh springs will not be supplying it because there is no need. The old water will become more and more dirty. The whole well will be dead. Fresh, living waters are not coming into it. This is how it has happened to many of us.

Invite people to share you.
 
Invite people to drink you.
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on October 16, 2005, 10:57:40 PM
Become aware, and every thing disappears~~~~~~~

A thief came to Nagarjuna, a Buddhist mystic. The thief said, 'Listen, I have been to many teachers and many Masters. They all know me because I am a famous thief, in fact, the master thief of this kingdom, so I am known all over. Just the moment I reach them they say, "First you have to leave stealing, robbing people. First drop your way of life and then something can happen." But that I cannot do. So the thing stops then and there. Now I have come to you.

What do you say?

Nagarjuna said, 'Then you must have gone to thieves, not to Masters. Why should a Master be worried about your stealing or not stealing? I am not concerned. You do one thing. you go on stealing, robbing people -- but rob them with awareness.' The thief said, 'This I can do.' And he was caught, trapped.

After two weeks passed, he came back to Nagarjuna and said, 'You are a deceiver, you have tricked me. Last night I entered for the first time into the palace of the King, but because of you I tried to be alert. I opened the treasury. Thousands of precious diamonds were there, but because of you I had to come out of the palace empty-handed.' Nagarjuna said, 'Tell me what happened.' The thief said, 'Whenever I would be alert and I would try to take those diamonds, the hand would not move. If the hand moved, then I was not alert. For two, three hours I struggled. I tried to be alert and take those diamonds, but it was impossible. Many times I took those diamonds, but then I was not alert so I had to put them back. Whenever I was alert, the hand would not move.' Nagarjuna said, 'That's the whole thing. You have understood the point.'

Without alertness you can be angry, violent, possessive, jealous. These are the offshoots but not the roots. With alertness you cannot be angry, you cannot be jealous, you cannot be aggressive, violent, greedy.

Ordinary morality teaches you not to be greedy, not to be angry. That is ordinary morality. That doesn't help much. At the most a little suppressed personality is created. Greed remains, anger remains, but you can have a little social morality. It may help as a lubricant in the society, but nothing much happens.

Patanjali is not teaching ordinary morality. Patanjali is teaching the very root of all religion, the very science of religion. He says, 'Bring every effect to the cause.' And the cause is always unalertness, unawareness, avidya. Become aware, and every. thing disappears.



Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on October 25, 2005, 07:26:00 AM
Don't accumulate that which by giving disappears; only accumulate that which by giving accumulates..........

Two men prayed, and went their separate ways. One gathered wealth and power, people said he was famous, but there was no peace in him. The other saw the hearts of men -- glowing as lamps even in the darkness of their Own secret fears. He too had found richness and power; and his wealth, his power, was love. When simply, kindly, tenderly he touched his fellowmen with all the richness and power of this love, the light within grew clear and bright with courage and with peace.

Both men one day stood before that golden door through which all men must pass to the greater life beyond. The angel in the soul of each asked, "What do you bring with you? What have you to give?"....

God always asks, "What do you bring with you? What have you to give?" God goes on giving to you, but finally, the last day before you enter into his innermost shrine, he asks, "Now, what have you brought for me? What's your gift for me?"

... The one who was famous recounted his exploits. Why, there was no end to the people he knew, and the places he had been, and the things he had done -- and the things he had accumulated.

But the angel answered, "These are not acceptable. These things that you did, you did for yourself. I see no love in them".

If there is ego there cannot be love. Remember this. I am going to discuss it later on, because it is one of the most important things: if there is ego there can be no love.

... And the famous one sank outside the golden door and wept....

For the first time he could see the whole futility of all his efforts. It was almost like a dream that has passed and his hands are empty. If you are too full of things, one day or other you will see your hands are empty. It was dream stuff that you were carrying in your hands; they have always been empty. You were just dreaming that something is there. Because you were afraid of emptiness, you had projected something, you had believed. You have never looked deeply whether really it is there or not.

... And the famous man sank outside the golden door and wept. He had been too busy to be kind....

Too occupied to love, too engaged to be himself, too concerned with futile things to be concerned with the essential.

... Then the angel in the soul of the other asked, "And what do you bring? What have you to give?"

And he answered, saying, "No one knows my name. They called me the wanderer, the dreamer. I have only a little light in my heart, and that which I have, I have shared with the souls of men"....

The real people look like dreamers in this world of mad people.

Always the sages have been known as wanderers, dreamers, poets, imaginative, living somewhere, lotus-eaters, navel-gazers. These types of labels have been given to real people because the world belongs to paper people. They are not real. Paper people, whenever they come across a real person, call him "dreamer," "poet." That is their way of condemning him, and that is their way of defending themselves.

... And he answered, saying, "No one knows my name. They called me the wanderer, the dreamer. I have only a little light in my heart -- nothing else, just a little light in my heart -- and that which I have, I have shared with the souls of men."

Then the angel said, "Oh, blessed one, you have the greatest gift of all. It is love. Always and always, there is enough and to spare. Enter"....

That's the beauty of love: the more you give, the more you have it. Let this be a criterion in your life: don't accumulate that which by giving disappears; only accumulate that which by giving accumulates. Only accumulate that which by sharing increases and grows. That is worth: which you can share and by its very sharing it grows and you have more than before.

... "Always and always, there is enough and to spare. Enter."

Then said the wanderer, "But first let me give the extra measure to my brother, that we may both walk through the door."
 
The angel was silent; for in that moment a great light shone around the simple wanderer like a radiant mantle, enveloping both himself and his friend.
The golden door was opened wide and they walked through it together.

He shared at the very last moment also. This is real richness. A miser is never rich; if you are attached to things in the world, you are not rich. Richness arises out of the heart. Richness is a quality of the heart, glowing with love.
   
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Dipika on October 30, 2005, 06:54:45 AM
What Devotion Can Achieve
A milkmaid used to supply milk to a Brahmin priest living on the other
side of a river. Owing to the irregularities of the boat service, she
could not supply him milk punctually every day. Once, being rebuked for
going late, the poor woman said, "What can I do? I start early from my
house, but have to wait for a long time at the river 'bank for the
boatman and the passengers." The priest said, Woman ! they cross the
ocean of life by uttering the - name ' of God, and cannot you cross this
little river ? "
The simplehearted woman became very glad at heart on 'earning this
easy means of crossing the river. From the next day the milk was being
supplied early in the morning. One day the priest said to the woman, How is
it that you are no longer late nowadays?" She said, I cross the river by
uttering the name of the Lord as you told me to do, and don’t .stand now in
need of a boatman. The priest could not belive this and said “Can you show
me how you cross the river? The woman took him with her and began to walk
over the water. Looking behind, the woman saw the priest in a plight and
said, How is it, Sir, that you are uttering the name of God with your mouth,
but at the same time with your hands you are trying to keep your cloth
untouched by water ? ' You do not 'fully rely on Him” Total self surrender
and absolute faith in God are at the root of all miraculous deeds.
He who has not given up sinful ways, whose senses have not been restrained,
who is unmeditative, and whose mind is devoid of peace, cannot attaint Him,
even by a highly cultivated intelligence.

(Adopted from the Book Pearls of Wisdom by His Holiness Swami Kesavaiahji)

Sai baba let your holy lotus feet be our sole refuge.OMSAIRAM

dipika duggal
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on November 06, 2005, 04:19:57 AM
If you want Miracle to happen.....Be a Fool like!!!

Just today I was reading a story. A man who used to work as a joker, as a fool in a circus, got tired of the whole game. He was bored, so he entered a monastery, became a sannyasin.

But they were very serious people and he had never known any seriousness. He had lived out of humour, and there he was a misfit. He could not laugh, he could not dance, he could not hop and jog and make people laugh. They were serious, sombre people, long faces, great saints and monks and very ascetic -- so he was out of his element. He could not believe it. What to do? How to pray? How to meditate? He was simply a man who could laugh and who could help people to laugh.

For a few days he suffered very much in the monastery. Then he found a small temple in the monastery, far away in a corner. Nobody used to visit it, so he went there. There was a Buddha statue, so he talked to Buddha, saying, 'Help me. I am a fool and these people are all wise. I have worked my whole life as a fool, and now in the end it is very difficult to change my old habits. I feel you will understand me.' He said to Buddha, 'I cannot pray because I don't know how to -- and I don't think I will ever be able to learn it. The seriousness of it is so much. I cannot meditate, so I will do whatsoever I can. If you enjoy, good. If you don't enjoy, tolerate me.'

So before that statue of the Buddha he started dancing and doing things -- his tricks that he used to do in the circus. He became very happy. The whole monastery was thinking that something had happened to the fool -- he was so radiant. Every morning he would disappear, every evening he would disappear, so the head monk became curious.

What had happened to this man -- he had become almost luminous. What was he doing?

So one day they followed him. What was happening there the head monk could not believe, because the fool was talking to Buddha, joking, dancing and jumping and playing around. The head monk was simply aghast; he could not believe it.

Then the miracle happened. Whether it really happened or not, is not the point. The miracle happened that the statue of Buddha arose and, hand in hand with the fool, he started dancing and joking.

We all have a very serious habit of the mind. We are just the reverse of that fool, and we have fallen into wrong company. We have a serious habit of looking at life -- and this whole company is non-serious! I am against that seriousness, so in contrast we feel very much in difficulty.

Start mixing. Forget your old past. Start mixing and playing and be like a fool. That is going to be your prayer -- and one day you will see that Buddha is dancing with you. Start from right this moment. I am not saying to prepare for it, to get ready for it -- you are ready for it. Trust me -- you are ready for it. Right from this moment, start jumping.

Sai Ram!
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on November 07, 2005, 11:55:48 AM
Just Drop it! `Drop your personality'......... Drop this mask, be just human.

One great king, Prasenjita, contemporary to Gautam Buddha, had come to see Gautam Buddha for the first time. His wife had been a lay-disciple of Gautam Buddha for a long time before she was married to Prasenjita.

She was a daughter of a greater king.

So when Gautam Buddha came to Prasenjita's capital, the wife said to the husband, "It does not look right that when a man like Gautam Buddha comes to your capital, you don't go to welcome him. I am going. He is sure to ask about you. What am I to say?"

The husband thought for a moment, and he said, "Okay, I am coming also. But because I am coming for the first time, I would like to give him some present. I have one very great diamond; even emperors are jealous because of that diamond. Buddha must appreciate it, so I will take the diamond."

The wife started laughing. She said, "Rather than the diamond, it will be better if you take a lotus flower from our big pond. To the Buddha the lotus flower is more beautiful. What will he do with the diamond? It will be an unnecessary burden."

He said, "I will take both and let us see who wins."

So he came on his golden chariot to the commune of Buddha, where ten thousand monks were sitting around him. Just before he was going to start his morning talk, the golden chariot of the king stopped, so he waited for the king to come in.

The king came in front of him, and first he offered Buddha the diamond. Buddha said, "Drop it!" It was very difficult for Prasenjita to drop his diamond -- that was his very life! -- but not to drop it also was difficult.

Before ten thousand people Buddha had said it -- "and you have offered the diamond so it no longer belongs to you."

He hesitated. Buddha said, "Drop it!" So he dropped the diamond, reluctantly, and offered the lotus flower with the other hand.

Buddha said, "Drop it!" Prasenjita thought, "Is this man crazy?" He dropped the lotus flower, and Buddha said, "Don't you listen? Drop it!"

He said, "Both my hands are empty. Now what do you want me to drop?"

At that moment, one of the oldest disciples of Buddha, Sariputra, said, "You don't understand. Buddha is not saying to drop the diamond, or to drop the flower. He is saying, `Drop your personality. Drop that you are a king. Drop this mask, be just human, because through the mask it is impossible for me to approach you.'"

He had never thought about it. But a great silence, and ten thousand people... and he fell spontaneously at the feet of Buddha.

Buddha said, "That's what I have been telling you: drop it. Now sit down. Be just human. Here nobody is an emperor and nobody is a beggar. Here everybody is himself. Just be yourself. This being an emperor can be taken away from you.

"Someday somebody will conquer your kingdom and you will be a beggar. This emperorhood is not your essential part. It can be stolen, it can be conquered, it can be destroyed. Better you yourself drop it -- that is more manly -- and just remain your authentic being."


Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on November 15, 2005, 02:46:02 AM
We are all brothers and sisters and we are all in the same boat.........

It is a story about a zen master who was a master to a chinese Emperor. It happened that the Emperor was defeated and had to escape into the mountains; he took the master with him. The master was surprised because this man was absolutely a different man, he was no more an emperor; all that he was putting on disappeared. He had never seen the Emperor walking, and he saw him running -- just like an ordinary man! They were travelling miles every day, and running!

The Emperor felt very hungry, and the master was surprised because that was one of the problems of the Emperor -- that he has lost his appetite; all emperors lose their appetites. Now after running for miles, by the evening when they reached a small village he was so hungry that he said, 'Master, find something, anything will do; I am so hungry!' They could not find anything: it was such a small, poor village, that only sweet potatoes were available. In china, sweet potato is not thought to be human food; it is given only to pigs. And that was the only thing available; one poor man offered some.

The Emperor ate them and he liked the sweet potatoes so much that he said, 'I have never eaten anything so delicious!' He ate like an ordinary labourer, with his hands -- no golden spoons, nothing and he slept a very sound sleep.

That was another problem: he was suffering from insomnia for years. -- that's also part of being an emperor. The appetite always goes when you are rich, sleep goes when you are rich. These two things god allows only to poor people!

He slept... he snored! The master was awakened two, three, times in the night because he was snoring so much! He had never heard him snore, mm? -- people like emperors don't snore! Even in their sleep, if they sleep at all, they follow a certain etiquette, they remain appropriate.

Now this was too much -- snoring like a labourer, a farmer, a fisherman -- and in the morning the master said to the Emperor 'What were you doing? You snored!'

The Emperor said, 'Forget all about it! I am feeling so happy, I have never felt so happy in my whole life. It is good that the kingdom is lost. I have become alive!'
After one week of running towards the mountains, all airs, all that pretension, all that pseudo-personality disappeared, and the Emperor was just as a human being -- as any other. Even the master started forgetting that he was the Emperor.

After two, three weeks, things changed: the enemies left, the Emperor came back, and within a single moment -- as he entered the capital and was received with a golden chariot -- all those airs were there again. The master could see that he was a totally different man! Suddenly everything changed, and next day the Emperor was suffering from loss of appetite and after two, three days he was saying that sleep did not come.

And the master said, 'But now you know! Don't ask me and don't bother me about this nonsense! Now you know all this can be changed.'

The Emperor said, 'That almost seems like a dream that we had; it is not possible. Now I am an emperor.'

Remember: each human being -- maybe the human being is Alexander the Great or just a beggar on the roadside -- each human being is as fragile as anybody else. Deep down he is the same -- the same consciousness, the same fear, the same death, the same lust, the same love: all exists the same.

So don't be worried about that. Accept yourself, allow your unconscious to be revealed to you. This is how each human being is. By knowing it, you become a separate kind of human being. By accepting it, cherishing it, you bring a revolution to your life. And when you look at others with that understanding, you will not find strangers; you will find all are friends.

Everybody is looking for a friend. Everybody is hiding behind a wall and waiting for somebody to say 'hello', somebody to say, 'Why are you there? Come out! I am waiting for you!'... somebody to hold hands with. Everybody is waiting for that -- somebody to hug, somebody to love and be loved by....

There is nobody who is in any way different from you. Once you understand yourself you have understood the whole humanity. In that very understanding a great vision arises in which we are all brothers and sisters and we are all in the same boat.
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on November 21, 2005, 09:45:12 AM
Anything that is too much cannot be expressed, cannot be conveyed, cannot be communicated.

A man came and spat on Buddha's face.

He was very angry. He was a Brahmin and Buddha was saying things which the priests were very angry about. Buddha wiped it off and asked the man, "Have you anything more to say?"

His disciple, Ananda, became very angry . He was so angry that he asked Buddha, "Just give me permission to put this man right. This is too much! I cannot tolerate it."

Buddha said, "But he has not spat on your face. This is my face. Secondly just look at the man! In what great trouble he is -- just look at the man! Feel compassion for him.

He wants to say something to me, but words are inadequate -- that is my problem, my whole life's long problem. And I see the man in the same situation. I want to relate things to you that I have come to know, but I cannot relate them because words are inadequate. And this man is in the same boat: he is so angry that no word can express his anger. Just as I am in so much love that no word, no act, can express it. I see this man's difficulty -- hence he has spat. Just see!"

Buddha is seeing, Ananda is also seeing. Buddha is simply collecting a factual memory; Ananda is creating a psychological memory.

The man could not believe his ears, what Buddha was saying. He was very much shocked. He would not have been shocked if Buddha had hit him back, or Ananda had jumped upon him.

There would have been no shock; that would have been expected, that would have been natural.

That's how human beings react. But Buddha FEELING for the man, seeing his difficulty.... The man went, could not sleep the whole night, pondered over it, meditated over it. Started feeling a great hurt, started feeling what he had done. A wound opened in his heart.

Early in the morning, he rushed to Buddha's feet, fell down on Buddha's feet, kissed his feet. And Buddha said to Ananda, "Look, again the same problem! Now he is feeling so much for me, he cannot speak in words. He is touching my feet.

"Man is so helpless. Anything that is too much cannot be expressed, cannot be conveyed, cannot be communicated. Some gesture has to be found to symbolize it. Look!"

And the man started crying and he said, "Excuse me, sir. I am immensely sorry. It was absolute stupidity on my part to spit on you, a man like you."

Buddha said, "Forget about it! The man you spat upon is no more, and the man who spat is no more. You are new, I am new! Look -- this sun that is rising is new. Everything is new. The yester-day is no more. Be finished with it! And how can I forgive? because you never spat on me. You spat on somebody who has departed."

Consciousness is a continuous river.

So Drop you memory, I mean psycho-logical memory; I don't mean factual memory. Buddha remembers perfectly that yesterday this man had spat on him, but he also remembers that neither this man is the same nor is he the same.

That chapter is closed; it is not worth carrying it your whole life. But you go on carrying. Somebody had said something to you ten years before and you are still carrying it. Your mother was angry when you were a child and you are still carrying it. Your father had slapped you when you were just small and you are still carrying it, and you may be seventy years old.

These psychological memories go on burdening you They destroy your freedom, they destroy your aliveness, they encage you. Factual memory is perfectly okay.

And one thing more to be understood: when there is no psychological memory, the factual memory is very accurate -- because the psychological memory is a disturbance. When you are very much psychologically disturbed, how can you remember accurately? It is impossible! You are trembling, you are shaking, you are in a kind of earthquake -- how can you remember exactly? You will exaggerate; you will add something, you will delete something, you will make something new out of it. You cannot be relied upon.

Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on November 27, 2005, 11:34:49 AM
Go slowly, patiently, not in a hurry............

Today I will tell you one small story. Once it happened that two monks were traveling. They crossed a river in a boat, and the ferryman said to them, "Where are you going? If you are going to the city beyond this valley, go slowly."

But the old monk said, "If we go slowly we will never reach, because we have heard that the gates of that city are closed after sunset, and we have just one or two hours at the most, and it is a very long distance.

If we go slowly we will never reach, and we will have to wait outside the city. And the outside of the city is dangerous -- wild animals and everything -- so we will have to make haste."

The ferryman said, "Okay, but this is my experience: those who go slowly, reach."

The other monk listened to it. He was a young man and he thought, "I don't know this part of the country, and this ferryman may be right, so it is better to follow his advice." So he walked slowly, leisurely, as if not going anywhere, not in a hurry, just for a walk.

The old man hurried, started running. He had many scriptures on his back. Then he fell down: tired, carrying weight, old, and in such a hurry, so tense, he fell down. The man who was not in a hurry simply walked and reached.

The ferryman was coming and he came near the old man. He was lying by the side of the road; his leg was broken and blood was oozing out. The ferryman said, "I told you that this has been always so: those who walk slowly reach, those who are in a hurry always manage to stumble somewhere or other. These parts are dangerous. The road is rough and you are an old man. And I had advised you, but you wouldn't listen to me."

This is one of the Korean Zen stories, and this is how it is in life. Go slowly, patiently, not in a hurry, because the goal is not somewhere else -- it is within you.

When you are not in a hurry you will feel it; when you are in a hurry you cannot feel it because you are so tense. If you are not going anywhere at all, then you can feel it more immediately.
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on December 03, 2005, 03:17:42 AM
Religion Vs. Religious

Corpses cannot do any good to anybody, unless you like stinking things. It is a question of preference.
 
Religion means something dead.

A roseflower alive, dancing in the sun, in the wind, surrounded by its aura of perfume, is one thing. You can find a roseflower, dry and dead, in THE HOLY BIBLE, GITA too; people keep them. The color has faded, the fragrance is gone, there is no life in it. It only reminds you of a flower, it is no longer a flower. There is no longer any juice in it, it is dead, dry. Even to call it a roseflower is not right -- it is only a corpse. Religions are corpses.

Religious experience is the living rose. Religious experience is individual. Religion is an organization, and the moment truth is organized it dies. Truth can have a beating heart only in the individual, because organization has no heart. Organization does not breathe, organization is just a graveyard.

All religions are graveyards. Yes, underneath the graves there are people who have once been alive, who had once loved, sang songs, danced, laughed. But now it is only a graveyard. Those people may be there only just as skeletons.

Religion is always dead. Religious experience is always alive. Religious experience has given tremendous riches to humanity. Religion has simply harmed. Religious experience needs no priests, no churches, no ritual, no God, no heaven, no hell. It needs only an inward journey, because there is the real shrine. There is the source of your life, of your love, of your joy, of your celebration.

Moving inwards, you will find living sources, living waters which are eternal. And the man who finds it can help others. He cannot give to you his experience, but he can explain it to you -- in a very rudimentary way, because words are not capable of expressing the wordless. But he can try. He can at least create an urge in you -- which is dormant in every human being -- to enter into your own being.

And once you know yourself, you know there is no death. Once you know yourself, you know there is no inferiority. Once you know yourself, a tremendous rejoicing arises in you which wants to create. It wants to sing, it wants to dance, it wants to compose music. To different individuals it will happen in different ways.

Religious experience has been a benediction, a tremendous blessing -- but to very few people, because most of the people don't bother about individual experience. They simply become Christians, Hindus, Mohammedans, Jews. They become part of an organization which promises, "Just believe in THE HOLY BIBLE, in the TORAH. Believe in the GITA, in the KORAN. Just belief is needed on your part and you will reach to the ultimate state of bliss, to paradise."

Organized religions are cheap. They have not helped anybody; they have harmed millions. They have created thousands of wars, burned living human beings -- they have called them crusades, jihads, wars of religion, wars for God.

Every kind of nuisance has been committed in the name of religion.

It is time -- we should get rid of religions and start searching for religious experience, which has never harmed anybody.
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on December 05, 2005, 10:20:38 AM
Don't search for the home, because there is none............The home was always where you were

The king heard one night the sound of footsteps, somebody walking on the roof of his palace. He could not believe it. The palace was so well guarded -- how had somebody reached the top?

He shouted, "Who are you?"

And the man on the roof shouted, "You should ask it of yourself first: who are you?"

The king rushed out and called the guards to catch hold of the man, but he was not found. And the next day, again there was a stranger. But the king recognized the voice --it was the same man. And the strange behavior that he had shown the night before... to walk on the roof and then to talk in such a way, and to say to the king, "First you should ask, who are you? You don't even know that and you are worried about me! You do your business -- I'm doing mine."

The man was fighting with the guard at the gate of the palace and saying, "I want to stay in this caravanserai for a few days."

The guard was saying again and again, "You seem to be an absolute idiot; this is not a caravanserai! This is the palace of the king, his home!"

And the man said, "Then I would like to see the man who lives in such an illusion."

The king was listening: he recognized the voice.

He called the guard and said, "Bring that man in." And he asked him, "Are you the same man who was on the roof?"

The man said, "Yes."

"And what were you doing there?"

He said, "My camel was lost, so I was searching for it."

He said, "You seem to be really mad! Your camel was lost on my roof? Has anybody ever heard of camels getting lost on the roofs of houses? And now you are fighting with my guard and calling my home a caravanserai! This is very disrespectful to me: I am the king, and this is my home, and you have to learn how to behave!"

And the man started laughing. He said, "Strange! You are telling me to learn how to behave, and you don't know at all what behavior means! Because I came here once before, and I found another man in your place. He was also saying that this is his home. I had come before that too, and there was another man and he was also saying that this is his home. Now you are saying this is your home!"

The king said, "That man was my father, who has died. And the first time you came you met my grandfather."

The stranger said, "That is what I wanted to make clear to you, that they called this their home, and then they had to leave it behind. They could not take it with them. It is a caravanserai. This is an understanding, that many people have been here who thought it was their home, and they are all gone.

You will be gone when I come next time! When so many people stay here and come and go, this is a caravanserai!"

"And I also wanted to stay for a few days, so what is wrong? You will stay a few days, your father stayed a few days, his father stayed a few days, and this has been going on for centuries. But I am not illusioned: to me it is a caravanserai."

I told my father, "One day you will also understand that this is not home, because in this world we are born and the day we are born, we start dying. You can call your homes your graves, but you cannot call them homes, because you are only dying in them, you are not living!"

And since then I have been in many houses which people thought were my homes, and I have been telling them that they were not, that there is no possibility.

It is good to understand that we are wanderers, gypsies -- searching for something, certainly. But the search can either be for a home... that means some security, some warmth, some coziness, some love from the outside, from somebody else -- and that is the wrong way. That is the way of the worldly man -- and he always ends in misery.

A sannyasin basically recognizes the fact that the search is not for a home, the search is for: who is this being? -- the being who is born homeless, and will remain always homeless.

Don't search for the home, because there is none.

Search for your self, because there is one! And finding that one, suddenly, miraculously, the whole existence becomes your home. And you don't create it, you don't project it, you don't make it. Suddenly it is a revelation. You cannot believe how you have been missing it up to now. The home was always where you were.
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on December 07, 2005, 08:35:01 AM
You yourself will have to raise your finger..........

Buddha was born, and the fifth day after his birth, according to the custom, the best of the pundits got together and gave him the name Siddhartha. The meaning of Siddhartha is fulfillment of desire, fulfillment of hope, attainment of wealth, attainment of destination. After waiting his whole life, after hoping and dreaming and going through many disappointments, at last a son was born to Shudhodhana in his old age -- certainly he was a 'Siddhartha'! The pundits had given him the correct name.

There were eight great pundits. The king asked them to tell him the future of the newborn baby. Seven pundits raised their hands and pointed two fingers. The king did not understand, he said, "I do not understand these gestures so please tell me clearly."

The seven pundits said that there are two alternatives: either he will be a great emperor or he will renounce everything and be a great sannyasin. Either he will be a great emperor or he will be a great sannyasin.

Only one pundit kept quiet. He was the youngest of them all. His name was Kodanna. But he was the most intelligent. The king asked him "Why are you quiet? You have not raised the two fingers!"

Kodanna said, "The two fingers can be raised at the birth of everyone because these two alternatives are for everyone: either this world or sannyas -- these two alternatives are for all. These pundits, therefore, have not said anything important about Buddha by raising two fingers. Well, I raise only one -- he will be a sannyasin!"

On hearing this Shudhodhana started crying. The unfortunate mind of man always behaves like this. He knew that Kodanna was an all-knowing astrologer. He was young but very luminous and his words, his prophecy will certainly turn out to be true. The other pundits had talked about the possibility of his being a great emperor, but Kodanna had disregarded that alternative. He said that the boy will definitely be a buddha.

The king felt happy when these pundits said that he will be an emperor. He did not give any importance to the other alternative of his becoming a sannyasin, because if one can be an emperor then why should one think of becoming a sannyasin? But Kodanna destroyed this hope by raising one finger.

The king tried to console himself by thinking that Kodanna is just one person and there are seven pundits opposing him.

Man always goes on consoling himself like this: seven will be right and one will be wrong. But only that one proved to be right -- and it is good that only that one proved to be right.

At the time of your birth also, whether the pundits are called or not, nature raises two fingers. Nature puts forward two alternatives: either to be lost in unconsciousness or to be awakened in consciousness. Either collect the outer wealth, run the race of becoming a great emperor, or collect the inner wealth, rest in your being. Always remember Kodanna's one finger. In real life no Kodanna will meet you with a raised finger. You yourself will have to raise your finger.
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on December 10, 2005, 08:05:16 AM
Can anything which is useless in death be useful in life?.......Death exposes everything.
 

There is a Sufi story. To earn his living a Sufi fakir used to work as a ferryman on a river. One day a village pundit wanted to go across the river. The fakir offered to take him across free of charge. He used to charge one or two paisa for the journey. The pundit sat down in the boat and the fakir started rowing. They were the only people in the boat.  

The pundit asked him, "Can you read and write?" What else can a pundit ask? He wants to teach others whatever he knows himself. We can give to others only what we have.

Pundits are obsessed with their so-called knowledge. He could not see the radiance of the fakir, he took him to be an ordinary boatman. But the fakir was an extraordinary man. The pundit did not know that the godliness about which he had been contemplating, hearing and discussing was present in this extraordinary man. It was peeping through him. If he had eyes to see he could have found in the fakir all that he had dreamed about and read about in the scriptures. Something was present there. But all that the pundit could ask was, "Do you know reading and writing?"

Well, if a pundit even meets God he is sure to ask, "Where is your certificate? What is your education?" A pundit has his own world, he lives in his own world of words and scriptures.

The fakir replied, "No, I do not know reading and writing. I am absolutely illiterate and rustic." If there was an iota of awareness in the pundit he would have seen the utter humility of the fakir. To accept one's own ignorance is the first step towards self-knowledge. If one accepts one's ignorance wholeheartedly then it can become the last step also. When you are acutely aware of not knowing anything then your ego is bound to disappear, its very foundation will give way. The building of the ego will fall down and you will slip into egolessness. That is the door from where one can be in contact with the divine.

The fakir said, "I don't know anything.

I am absolutely illiterate."

On hearing this the pundit remarked, "Then one-fourth of your life is wasted."

The boat sailed a little farther. The pundit asked again, "But you must know arithmetic at least? It is necessary for maintaining accounts."

The fakir said, "I do not possess anything so there is no need to maintain any accounts. Whatever I earn during the day, I spend by the evening. I do not earn more than the need of my daily bread. By the night I am a fakir again. Then in the morning I start earning again. Existence has been providing for me enough until now so why should I worry about tomorrow? If somebody gives me money, it is all right. If somebody does not give me anything, even then it is all right. I have lived up to now and will be able to live in the future also. Neither the giver gives anything which lasts forever nor the one who does not give takes away something which may be a loss forever -- it is all just a play."

On hearing this the pundit said, "Well, half of your life is wasted." Just at that time a storm started, the boat began to toss over the waves and it seemed that it may sink any moment. The fakir laughed because the pundit got very frightened. Who will not when death is imminent? The pundit used to talk of deathlessness, used to say that the soul is immortal, but these scholarly claims of the soul, of deathlessness, are of no use when faced by death.

The fakir asked him, "Do you know how to swim?"

The pundit answered, "No, not at all."

The fakir said, "Then the whole of your life is wasted! I am going to jump because this boat will sink."

When you are about to be drowned, when death surrounds you, you will be saved only if you know how to swim... swimming in death. If you do not know how to swim in death, then death will drown you. It has drowned you many times before too, but you have not woken up yet, you have not learned to swim yet. At the time of death your knowledge of languages -- no matter how many languages you know -- as well as your knowledge of grammar, will be absolutely useless.

Death is the criterion. Whatever is useful at the time of death is wisdom and whatever is useless at the time of death is scholarliness. Go on testing whatever you know on this criterion. Keep this touchstone always with you just as a goldsmith goes on testing the gold on the touchstone. Whatever is useful, helpful at the time of death, is true knowledge, and whatever is useless and deceptive is nothing but scholarliness.

And can anything which is useless in death be useful in life? What is of no use even in death, how can it be useful in life? -- because death is the ultimate culmination of life.

It is the pinnacle of life. It is the festival of life. Whatever is useful in death is useful in life. Although it is easy to deceive in life it is impossible to deceive in death. Death exposes everything.
 
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on December 11, 2005, 12:57:30 AM
We should not forget about our death......about our graves."

I heard the following story from a pious brother. Hopefully, this story will be beneficial for everyone,
 
Once a man saw in his dream, that a lion was chasing him. The man ran to a tree, climbed on to it and sat on a branch. He looked down and saw that the lion was still there waiting for him. The man then looked to his side where the branch he was sitting on was attached to the tree and saw that two rats were circling around and eating the branch. One rat was black and the other one was white. The branch would fall on the ground very soon. The man then looked below again with fear and discovered that a big black snake had come and settled directly under him. The snake opened its mouth right under the man so that he will fall into it. The man then looked up to see if there was anything that he could hold on to. He saw another branch with a honeycomb. Drops of honey were falling from it. The man wanted to taste one of the drops. So, he put his tongue out and tasted one of the fallen drops of honey. The honey was amazing in taste. So, he wanted to taste another drop. As he did, he got lost into the sweetness of the honey. Meanwhile, he forgot about the two rats eating his branch away, the lion on the ground and the snake that is sitting right under him. After a while, he woke up from his sleep.
 
To get the meaning behind this dream, the man went to a a scholar slave of God. The scholar said "The lion you saw is your death. It always chases you and goes where ever you go. The two rats, one black and one white, are the night and the day. Black one is the night and the white one is the day. They circle around, coming one after another, to eat your time as they take you closer to death. The big black snake with a dark mouth is your grave. It's there, just waiting for you to fall into it. The honeycomb is this world and the sweet honey is the luxaries of this world. We like to taste a drop of the luxaries of this world but it's very sweet. Then we taste another drop and yet another. Meanwhile, we get lost into it and we forget about our time, we forget about our death and we forget about our graves."
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on December 13, 2005, 11:14:31 AM
Life is the circumference: God is the centre. If you touch God, all is yours.....

Once Haroun-Al Rashid, the Caliph of Baghdad, was celebrating a royal occasion.

He ordered a grand display of all manner of jewellery and artwork for the occasion, and invited not only courtiers and nobles but many commoners also.

At the height of the celebrations, the Sultan developed a magnanimous mood and all of a sudden he ordered every person present to touch any article they liked, and that article, no matter how precious, would belong to that person. No sooner was the royal command given than a rush was made to possess the costliest thing within reach.

A beautiful slave girl, remaining composed and serene by the side of the throne asked the Sultan to reaffirm his command. On receiving affirmation, the slave girl immediately touched the Caliph himself on the arm saying, "Why should I run after those things when the master of them all is here?"

The Sultan, in admiration of the insight shown by the girl, complimented her and said, "Now that you possess me, the whole of my kingdom is yours."

Life is the circumference: God is the centre. If you touch God, all is yours; if you have arrived at the centre, then the whole belongs to you.
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on December 15, 2005, 10:29:00 AM
Man gives whatever is useless...........

There is a story in the Kathopanishad -- because of that story, that Upanishad is called Kathopanishad; katha means story.

Nachiketa's father performed a big yajna, a religious ritual. After the yajna he gave away many gifts. Nachiketa is a small child. He is sitting near and asking his father again and again, "Will you give away everything?"

The father said, "Whatever I have I shall give. Everything will be given in charity." Nachiketa saw that his father was giving away only the cows which were incapable of giving milk.

People usually give away such things in charity which have become useless. The father was distributing with enthusiasm and pleasure things which are of no use. Nachiketa's intellect is fresh, the father's intellect is old.

So what Nachiketa could see, the father could not see. Nachiketa said, "What is the use of giving these cows who stopped giving milk long ago? The poor brahmins, to whom you are giving them, will have to take the trouble of feeding them. This is not a good deed at all." The father told him to keep quiet.

But just like a little child Nachiketa went on asking him, "If you are giving away everything of yours then to whom are you going to give me? To whom will you give me?" When he asked this question several times, the father got very annoyed and said, "I will give you to death."

Man gives whatever is useless; you also distribute those things which are of no use to you. I see that a few things keep on rotating -- they keep on going from one person to another. They are of no use to anyone, so people go on distributing them. You give it to someone, then he passes it on to another person. It is just giving for the sake of giving.
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on December 16, 2005, 09:52:56 AM
Charaiveti: move on, move on........

Bertrand Russell has a beautiful story....

A Christian priest had a dream that he had died, and of course reached heaven. But he was very shocked because the doors of heaven were so big that he could not see where they ended. In all directions, as far as he could see, there was the door. And he himself, compared to the door, looked like an ant. He was very shocked: "This is very disrespectful. I was hoping that God would be here at the gate, and angels would be playing on their harps, `Allelujah!'"

The gate was closed. He knocked, but he himself wondered, "Who is going to hear?" The gate was so vast; his knock was such a small sound, almost inaudible. It took him three days continuously knocking.

Then Saint Peter opened a window and looked down. He had one thousand eyes. The priest immediately fell on his knees, and said, "God."

Saint Peter said, "I'm not God, I'm just the gatekeeper. You must have heard, my name is Saint Peter. As far as God is concerned, I have not yet been able to see him. It is a very vast space. Although I have one thousand eyes, I have not yet been able, in two thousand years, to find him."

The priest said, "This is unbelievable. What about Jesus Christ?"

Saint Peter said, "I have not found him either, the place is so big. I have been searching for two thousand years. And who are you?"

He said, "I am a Christian priest from the earth."

Saint Peter said, "This won't do. What is the index number of your earth, which earth? There are millions of earths; each star has its own solar system, has its own planets, its own moons, its own earths. So you give me the index number, and I will run to the library to find out from which earth you are coming."

The priest said, "My God! I have never heard about any index number. I'm coming from the solar system."

Saint Peter said, "Each star has its own solar system, and there are millions of solar systems. Again, you will have to give me the index number."

It became a nightmare. There was no question of his getting a welcome. First, he had to give his identity; only then would the doors open. Saint Peter disappeared, telling him, "I'm going to the library. Perhaps the librarian can help me."

Waiting, and waiting, and waiting... perhaps thousands of years passed... he woke up from this nightmare, and he said, "My God! It is better to be alive; I don't want to go to such a heaven. I cancel all the prayers that I have made before. It is so humiliating."

But this is the situation.

To us, our earth looks so big; compared to the sun, it is nothing. To us, our sun looks so big; compared to the stars, it is nothing. And the stars compared to the universe are nothing -- just soap bubbles.

Just as mind is getting more and more baffled as it is approaching into the deeper realms of objective reality, in the same way, meditation goes on and on -- new spaces go on opening up. It is never that you come to a place at which you can say, "This is the dead end of the street." There is no dead end of the street -- neither inwards, nor outwards. Both are infinite.

Hence, the feeling coming to you that there is "yet so much more," is absolutely correct -- and it is going to remain relevant forever! It is not that one day you will say, "Now the journey is finished."

There is no goal, there is only a beautiful pilgrimage. Make the most of it -- outwardly and inwardly. Have all possible experiences, and move on.

Gautam Buddha used to end his sermons every day with the word charaiveti: move on, move on. Never stop and think that you have come to the end.
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on December 22, 2005, 03:34:27 AM
'What is there that is mine? It is all HIS

I have heard about a woman who died, and when the angels came to take her, they enquired 'Have you ever done any good deed? Otherwise you will have to go to hell'. She thought and thought, and then she remembered the one good deed she had done. Once to a beggar she had given a carrot -- just one carrot. But God is compassionate and. the angels were very very helpful. They said 'Okay, this will do'.

So they called for the carrot... it appeared. They told the woman, 'Hang on to the carrot and it will fly like a rocket and take you into heaven'. So she started rising high... she felt very happy. An old beggar appeared. He clutched at the hem of her torn dress and was elevated along with her. A third candidate for mercy began similarly to be uplifted being suspended from the foot of the beggar. A long series of persons, one below the other, began to be drawn up by that single carrot. Strange as it may seem, the woman felt no weight from all these souls hanging from her!

When she was just near the gate, she looked down.

It was such a big line -- almost touching the earth. She said 'Hey! What are you doing? This is my carrot! Be off! 'She waved her hand to keep them away -- and the carrot was lost -- and she fell with the whole queue!
 
So misers will come back from the gate of heaven, because of their very claim 'This is my carrot'.

But if you are really giving and if you really enjoy giving, you will always feel 'What is there that is mine? It is all theirs. One comes empty-handed, goes empty-handed, so what am I giving? Just returning gifts of God to his infinite forms around'.

Love always feels inadequate. Be tremendously happy about it. And always remember, never tell anybody 'This is my carrot'? All these people are going to hang with you!
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on December 24, 2005, 09:48:18 AM
The freedom of the soul is moksha.

There was a very handsome young man named Narcissus who fell in love with a young woman named Echo. This name is worth pondering over.

People fall in love with echoes. You always fall in love where you hear your own voice, where your own ego is satisfied, where you find yourself in the hidden form. Your love is nothing but the extension of your ego. Echo also fell in love with him. Echo has to fall in love because she is the echo of your voice. There is no possibility or way of her being separate from you.

But one day a mishap occurred. It had to be so, because mishap is certain in the life of one who gets deceived by echoes -- one who falls in love with his own voice.

Narcissus had gone to the forest. There he saw his own reflection in the lake, which was absolutely calm, there was not even a ripple. He was enchanted. In the lake, which was like a mirror, he saw his own face. But he saw it for the first time. It was so lovely! Who does not like his own face? People love only their own faces. Narcissus became hypnotized; he could not move, he became still. Attachment creates this type of stillness. He was afraid to move lest the reflection break. He just did not move from there. Echo kept on waiting for him. And when Narcissus did not return, love died.
 
Echo... your voice can echo only if you go on humming. If your humming stops, then for a little while the echo will be heard in the mountains and then it will be lost.

Narcissus did not come back.

They say that standing at that lake Narcissus became a plant: there is a plant named Narcissus which is found by lakes, streams and rivers. If you ever come across it you must watch it carefully: it is always looking into the water, it is always looking at its own reflection.

This is a wonderful mythological story. If you become enchanted by yourself then you lose consciousness; then you do not remain a human being, you become a plant. Then the humanity in you disappears, your inner soul is negated, you fall back. A plant has no freedom. Man is free, he can walk. A plant cannot do so, it doesn't have feet, it has roots. Narcissus became a plant -- it means that any person who gets caught in the reflections of the ego, his feet become roots, he stops; his pace stops and he loses his freedom of movement.

This happens to almost all people. The Upanishads say that when a man loves his wife, actually it is not the wife whom he loves but through the wife he loves himself. A man does not actually love his children but in the children, through the children, he loves himself. Children are a mirror, the wife is also a mirror. And every man is Narcissus.

The doors of the ultimate freedom cannot open with this kind of mental condition of man; in fact it finishes whatever little freedom he has. You should have had wings so that you could fly towards the divine -- but you lost even your feet!

Do you understand the bondage of the tree? It cannot move.
 
It has to stand wherever it is, it cannot move even an inch from where it is standing. It is helpless, it has no freedom to move.

Man can move, he can walk. A bird can fly. But there is a limit to the movement of the body; at a certain point it gets tired, and that tiredness will become the bondage. And even if a bird is able to fly for miles, you cannot measure the sky in miles. It will get tired -- there is a limit to the body. And freedom can be freedom only when it is unlimited. The freedom of the soul is needed. When the soul has wings and it can fly without any limit, without any obstacle, without any chains, then that is moksha, liberation.

Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: OmSaiRamNowOn on December 24, 2005, 01:12:16 PM
Sai Ram Ramesh Bhaiya. "The freedom of the soul is moksha" is v deep. Pls explain more when you get chance.

OM SAI RAM !
OM SAI SRI SAI JAYA JAYA SAI !!
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on December 26, 2005, 07:48:45 AM
Come to the real! And the real is always herenow........

Remember the famous Jesus parable? -- and Jesus has told the most beautiful parables ever told in the world. Nobody has ever been able to surpass him.

The parable is: A man, a very rich man, has a great garden. The grapes are ripe. He sends his manager to the marketplace to bring a few laborers. Those grapes have to be collected, otherwise they will start falling, they will start rotting. A few laborers come and they start working. By the afternoon it is realized that these people are not enough, so more are called. When the sun is almost setting it is realized that even this will not do, so more laborers are called. And then the sun sets and the darkness descends and they all gather, and the owner of the garden gives everybody the same amount of money -- to those who had come in the morning and to those who had come in the afternoon, and even to those who had just come and had only worked not more than half an hour. Naturally, the people who had come in the morning became annoyed, irritated, angry. They said, "What is this? This is unfair!

We worked the whole day and we get the same amount of money for our work. And these people have just come, they have not even worked at all -- they are also getting the same amount of money? This is unfair!"

And the master started laughing and he said, "Just think of one thing: is whatsoever you have got not enough for your labor?"

They said, "It is enough.

It is in fact double what we ordinarily get from somebody else."

The master said, "Then why are you worried about others? This is my money. You have got double what you would have got anywhere else, but you are not happy. You are being miserable because I have given to others. This is my money and I have so much to give. My treasures are full, I am burdened. I give to these laborers not because they have worked, but because I have so much that I don't know what to do with it. Why are you angry?"

Jesus tells this parable in reference to God. And he says, "When you are facing God He will give you not because you have done this or you have done that -- not because of your worth -- but because He has so much. He is burdened, He is burdened like a cloud full of rain. It has to rain not because the earth is worthy. Have you not watched the clouds come? -- and they rain on all kinds of soil. They rain on stones, rocks, they rain on fertile soil; they rain also on wastelands where nothing grows and nothing will ever grow.

Exactly like that, when a flower opens up, its fragrance is released to the winds, in all the directions. To whomsoever passes by the road, it is available; it makes no distinction between the worthy and the unworthy.

The law of karma says you will get only that which you earn. And I want to say to you: you don't get according to your worth, you get according to God's abundance -- sinners and saints, all; good and bad, all. The only thing that is needed is... are you ready to receive it? I am not talking about worthiness. I am simply saying: are you open to receiving it? Are you ready, available, vulnerable, so when it showers on you you can let it soak in?

Who is available? One who lives in the present, moment-to-moment, is available to God. And this I am saying to you because this has been MY experience. I am not talking philosophy to you, but simply stating what I have experienced. God gives out of His abundance. But you are not available, you are in the past or in the future. The future is not yet, the past is no more. You move in shadows.

Come to the real! And the real is always herenow. God knows only one time and that is now and only one space, that is here.
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on January 02, 2006, 06:59:22 AM
A dog wags its tail — the tail does not wag the dog.....

A cowherd took his cows to the meadows every morning and brought them back to the cowshed at the end of the day. One evening, as he was tying the cows up for the night, the boy found that one of them was missing her rope. He feared that she might run away, but it was too late to go and buy a new rope.
 
The boy didn’t know what to do, so he went to a wise man who lived nearby and sought his advice. The wise man told the boy to pretend to tie the cow, and make sure that the cow saw him doing it. The boy did as the wise man had suggested.
 
The next morning the boy discovered that the cow had remained still throughout the night. He untied all the cows as usual, and they all went outside. He was about to go to the meadows when he noticed that the cow with the missing rope was still in the cowshed.
   
She was standing on the same spot where she had been all night. He tried to coax her to join the herd, but she wouldn’t budge. The boy was perplexed. He went back to the wise man who said, “The cow still thinks she is tied up. Go back and pretend to untie her”. The boy did as he was told, and the cow happily left the cowshed. This is what the guru does with the ego of the disciple.
   
The guru helps untie that which was never there. Like the cow, due to our ignorance, we believe that we are bound by the ego when, in fact, we are completely free. We need to be convinced of this, however.
   
The ego is an illusion with no existence of its own. It appears to be real because it is animated by the atman. The ego itself can be compared to dead matter; for without the atman, it would have no life.
   
Stop supporting the ego, and it will withdraw and disappear. We ourselves lend the unreal ego its reality. Expose it for what it is, or rather, for what it isn’t, and that will be the end of it.
   
A dog wags its tail — the tail does not wag the dog. The same is true with the mind. The mind, or the ego, should be nothing more than a useful tool; a sadhaka (spiritual seeker) shouldn’t let herself be ruled by the whims and fancies of the mind. The ego consists of our thoughts and our mind.
   
Our thoughts are our own creation. We make them real by cooperating with them. If we withdraw our support, they will dissolve. We simply have to observe our thoughts.
   
A lion made of sandalwood is real to a child, but to a grown-up it’s a piece of sandalwood. For the child, the wood is concealed, revealing only the lion. The grown-up may also enjoy the lion, but he knows it is not real. For him, the wood is real, not the lion.
   
In the same way, to a Selfrealised soul, the entire universe is nothing but the essence, the “wood” that comprises everything, the Absolute Brahmn or Consciousness.
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on January 03, 2006, 05:14:50 AM
Man is humanity. You are the world.

There is a beautiful story in the Upanishads: A young man, Swetaketu, came back from his guru's house, from his GURUKUL, the family of his guru, learned, and of course, as young men are bound to be, very proud of his learning. Haughty. Egoistic. His father, the seer Uddalak, watched him coming -- he was coming, entering the village, and his father watched him from the window. The father became sad: This is not learning! He has become a man of knowledge. This is not knowing! Uddalak said to his own heart: I had not sent him for this. He missed the point! He wasted his time! Because knowing is humble -- not humble in the sense that it is opposite to ego, it is not related to ego at all, not even as an opposite, because even the opposite carries something of it.

Not feeling that his son is humble, the father became very very sad. He is getting old, and here comes this boy having wasted many years of his life -- why does he look so PROUD? Knowing always makes you humble.

This word humble is beautiful. It comes from the root HUMUS, the root really means earthy, of the earth, non.pretentious, and the same root is the base of the words HUMAN and HUMANITY. You become human only when you become humble, you become humble only when you are of the earth -- of the earth in the sense: unpretentious, simple, unconditioned, earthy.

Here comes the son so proud and haughty, he must have become a man of knowledge -- and he had become one. He came, he touched his father's feet, but it was just a formality. How can a man who has become so egoistic bow down?

The father said, Swetaketu, I see your body bent, but not you. And what misfortune has happened to you? Why do you look so haughty? A man of knowing becomes humble, Swetaketu. Have you heard anything about that One, knowing which, one knows all?

Swetaketu said: What are you talking about? How can one know all by knowing one? Absurd! I have known all that could be known in the university, I have become as profound as one can become in all the subjects that are taught there. I have exhausted the whole possibility of learning. When my master said to me: Now you know all and you can go back home, then only I came back -- but of what you are speaking, that 'one' -- never heard of it. Nobody talked about it in the university. Grammar we learnt, language, history, myth, philosophy, theology, religion, poetry -- everything that is known to man I have learnt, and I have become proficient, and I have attained to the highest degree that the university can confer, but we never heard about that 'one' -- what are you talking about? Have you gone mad? How can one know all by knowing one?

Uddalak said, Yes, that One is you.

Swetaketu, TAT TWAM ASI, that art thou. If you know this One you will know all, and all that you have known is just rot. You have wasted your energy. Go back! Never come again unless you know that One by knowing which all is known. Because, said Uddalak to his son, in our family no one has been a brahmin just by name. We have called ourselves brahmins because we have known the Brahma. You don't belong to our family if you don't know that One, go back!

That One are you, that art thou. A very small seed, almost invisible to yourself. Unless you search deep, and search long, with perseverance and patience, you will not encounter it.

That seed is within you, that is your within ness, and the whole vast world is nothing but you written on a large canvas. Man is humanity. You are the world.
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on January 07, 2006, 10:22:03 AM
Whoever has learnt one lesson has learnt all.......

There is a story in the Mahabharata that Dronacharya thought that the boy Yudhishthira was the most intelligent of all the Pandavas and Kauravas, but after a few days' experience it seemed that he was quite dull. The other children were learning new lessons every day and were making rapid progress, but Yudhishthira was stuck on the first lesson. In the end Drona's patience also became exhausted so he asked him, "How long are you going to take to learn the first lesson? Aren't you going forwards?"

Yudhishthira replied, "What is the sense in learning the second lesson while the first lesson is not understood?"

The first lesson was regarding truth. The other children had read it, memorized it and had proceeded to the second lesson.

But Yudhishthira said, "Until I start speaking the truth, how can I go to the second lesson? Please do not hurry me."

Then Drona understood! Looking at Yudhishthira's mental condition Drona understood for the first time that there can be no other lesson after truth. Then he told Yudhishthira, "There is no need for you to hurry up. By learning, by understanding this first lesson, you will understand, you will know all the lessons. Just reading the lessons is one thing and living the lesson is an entirely different thing."

At the end of the story, when all the Pandava brothers were climbing up to heaven, one by one they began falling down. Only Yudhishthira and his dog -- who was truth -- arrived at the gate of heaven. The truth reached heaven and the one who accompanied the truth reached heaven. It was his dog who had always lived with him and was of great integrity. Even his brothers did not have that much integrity, they fell on the way.

But the dog had never doubted, his faith was unlimited. All his life he had obeyed Yudhishthira. Even Yudhishthira was surprised to see that all his brothers had fallen down and only this dog could reach the gate of heaven with him. The door opened and Yudhishthira was welcomed, but the gatekeeper said, "Only you can come in, the dog cannot come in. No dog has ever entered heaven before this. Even human beings come here with great difficulty."

On hearing this Yudhishthira said, "Then I too cannot come in. This dog who was with me all my life, who has come all the way to the gates of heaven where even my brothers could not come, who has so much faith in me -- I cannot forsake him at any cost, otherwise I would consider myself worse than a dog! I am not going to leave him. Please close the door."

Then the whole of heaven laughed happily. All the gods gathered there and requested him to come in. Then Yudhishthira noticed that the dog was not a dog, it was Lord Krishna himself. It was his test! If at that time Yudhishthira had forsaken the dog and had entered the gate without him, then he would have missed heaven. That was the test of his love, of his faith, of his integrity. Yudhishthira learnt only one lesson -- truth; that was enough to take him to heaven. Arjuna took a long time to learn it. Krishna spoke the whole of the Gita but even then Arjuna went on doubting. Yudhishthira learnt only one small lesson in his life and that was the lesson of truth. Even the teacher had doubted his intelligence because he was stuck on the first lesson, but he soon realized that there is no other lesson after the first one.

Whoever has learnt one lesson has learnt all. Do not try to learn everything, otherwise you will miss -- a little, A LITTLE OF THE GITA. If there is a little awareness of the divine, if you have heard even a little of the song of the divine, if your ears have heard even a part of that song, if even one word has gone to your heart, then that will become the seed.

It will sprout and become a tree, and you will be filled up with unlimited fragrance. All is hidden in that one seed.

Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on January 08, 2006, 01:41:33 AM
A fakir never asks, HE fakir always gives........

There was a Mohammedan fakir named Farid. The people of his village asked him to request the emperor Akbar to open a school in the village, as Akbar had great regard for him. Farid had never asked Akbar for anything. A fakir never asks, the fakir always gives.

But since the people of the village had insisted on his seeing Akbar he could not refuse them, so he went. He had never visited the palace before this, but now he had to go.

He arrived there quite early in the morning and was told that the emperor was praying in his personal mosque. So Farid went and stood at the back. Akbar did not know this. He completed his prayer, raised his hands towards the sky, and said, "Oh God! Whatever you have given me is not enough, I want much more than this. Please make my kingdom much bigger than this. Please increase my wealth and my fame."

Farid just could not believe his ears. The great Emperor Akbar, who had such a vast kingdom, was still asking for more. He was still begging! So Farid thought, how could he ask from a person who is still asking for more? -- because opening a school means spending some money, he will have that much less.

If he is asking God then I can also ask him directly. Why have an agent in between? He turned around. When Akbar got up he saw Farid going down the stairs. He ran after him and asked him the reason for his coming. Akbar had great regard for Farid and he used to go for his darshan from time to time, but Farid had never before visited Akbar. Akbar asked him, "Why did you come? Why are you going back?"

Farid said, "I came to meet an emperor, to ask him for something, but instead I saw a beggar so I am going back. How can I ask from a person who is begging, asking for more? I do not want to make you poorer. I had to come because the people of the village insisted on my asking if you would open a school. But now I will not ask you, I will ask God for it. When you go on asking him for so many things, I can also ask him directly."
Akbar told Farid many times that he would open the school, but Farid refused him saying, "One does not ask for help from beggars. Only real emperors can help."

These emperors are actually poor beggars! They are asking for more. But this country has produced such emperors who are not beggars; if you look into them you will find that they are more precious than all the precious stones!

A person sitting by the roadside may look like a beggar, but if you look carefully there is an emperor hidden within him. ... Because if you look at the emperors carefully you will find beggars within them. They go on asking for more.
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on January 11, 2006, 11:12:53 AM
Do not do anything. Just move within and know it.

People go on worshipping idols. They make God an object also because we cannot feel comfortable unless something is there in front of us.

We feel uncomfortable, uneasy. A God unknown, unknowable, is difficult. We create an idol and then we put the idol in front of us and worship it.
 
This is stupid in a way because you created the idol and now you are worshipping it as the creator. You worship the idol as if the idol created you. You created the idol; the real creator is hidden behind. Really, God is not in the worshipped object, it is in the worshipper. It is not in the object to which you pray, it is in the innermost source from where the prayer bubbles up, from where the prayer comes up. It is always within. But for us something becomes significant only when it is without because we have become fixed in a mode where everything to be, must be objective. That creates the problem, so we have created temples and churches and mosques just to objectify that which cannot be objectified. But human stupidity is such....

Mohammed preached that he cannot be objectified; you cannot make any idol of him. He was right. He was saying what the Upanishad was saying. But what have the Mohammedans done? They thought it was their duty to destroy idols, to destroy temples, to set them on fire. Because he cannot be objectified, so wherever he is objectified, "Destroy the object."

See the human stupidity: Mohammed was trying to say that you can forget the object and move within. But they did not forget the object, they became obsessed with the object again.

"Move and destroy!" So someone is worshipping God in a stone and someone is destroying the stone but both are attached to the stone in their own ways and both think that the stone is very significant -- one to worship it and the other to destroy it. One feels that if he does not worship this stone he will not be religious, and one feels that if he does not destroy this stone he will not be religious. The stone is for both very significant. We go on moving to the object. Either we love or we hate, but the object remains there.

The emphasis of those who have known is to forget the object and remain with the subjectivity alone. Do not create any object, any image, any name, any form. Do not create anything. The creator is already there; you cannot improve upon it.

Do not do anything. Just move within and know it.
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on January 13, 2006, 09:52:09 AM
A rare woman, and a rare man, and a rare story....

There is an ancient story:

One very famous book, one of the greatest ever written, is a commentary on the Brahma Sutras written by Vrihaspati. The name of the commentary is very strange: the name of the commentary is Bhamati. It is strange because it has nothing to do with the Brahma Sutras, one of the greatest expositions of the philosophy of advaita, nondualism.
 
Bhamati is the name of Vrihaspati's wife. What connection can there be between the commentary on the Brahma Sutras and Vrihaspati's wife? There is some secret hidden in it. Vrihaspati must have been a man of deep concentration -- he was a great philosopher. He got married because his father was getting old and he wanted Vrihaspati to be married. And in the old days obedience was the simple way; it was naturally so -- people used to follow their parents' wishes.

There was no question of saying no, so Vrihaspati said yes.

He was married to Bhamati but he was not a man who needed a wife or needed a family. His whole concentration was on the great commentary that he was writing on the Brahma Sutras. He was so absorbed that he brought the wife home and forgot all about her.

The wife took every care of Vrihaspati. That too is no longer possible -- who can take care of such a husband who has completely forgotten her? He had no idea who she was or what her name was. He had never even asked her name. She served him like a shadow. She never came in front of him because he might get distracted, disturbed.

And he was continuously writing his commentary. He was in a hurry because he had taken a vow in his heart that the day the commentary was complete he would renounce the world, and he wanted to renounce the world as soon as possible. Day in, day out, he was writing. Late into the night he would go on writing. Sometimes the candle burned out, and the wife would come up from behind and just put a candle there. Once in a while he will see the wife's hand bringing food, taking away the thali and the plates, but he was so concentrated on his work he never inquired. "Who is this woman?"

It is a beautiful story; whether it really happened or not is not the point. But I don't think that wives could have been so nice even in those old days.

One hopes... but hopes are never fulfilled.

Years passed and the night came when the commentary was completed. Vrihaspati closed the book, the wife came and removed the candle. Now he was free from the commentary and the absorption. He asked the woman, "Who are you? And why do you go on serving me like this?"

The woman said, "I am absolutely blessed that at least you ask my name. It is more than I could have asked for. You must have forgotten... many days have passed. And you were so absorbed in your work, how can you remember, how can one expect to remember? I am Bhamati; you married me a few years ago. Since then I have been serving you."

And tears rolled down Vrihaspati's cheeks, and he said, "Now it is too late because I have taken a vow that the day the commentary was completed I would renounce the world. It is too late; I cannot be a husband to you anymore. I have renounced the world. Closing the book is closing this chapter of my life. I am now a sannyasin. But I feel tremendously grateful to you. You are a rare woman. Just out of gratitude I will call my commentary Bhamati."

Hence his commentary on the Brahma Sutras is called Bhamati. On the surface there is no relation between Bhamati and the Brahma Sutras, but that is what Vrihaspati called it. And he said to his wife, "That way your story will be remembered for centuries." Yes, many centuries have passed, and I have remembered it, and now you will remember it.

A rare woman, and a rare man, and a rare story....
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on January 18, 2006, 11:04:48 AM
YOU fit more now.....You have to contribute YOUR fragrance.

A king went into his garden and found wilted and dying trees, shrubs and flowers. The oak said it was dying because it could not be tall like the pine. Turning to the pine, he found it drooping because it was unable to bear grapes like the vine. And the vine was dying because it could not blossom like the rose. He found heartsease blooming and as fresh as ever. Upon inquiry, he received this reply:

"I took it for granted that when you planted me you wanted heartsease. If you had desired an oak, a vine or a rose, you would have planted them. So I thought, since you had put me here, I should do the best I can to be what you want. I can be nothing but what I am, and I am trying to be that to the best of my ability."

The heartsease is saying what Buddha has said. You are here because this existence needs you as you are. Otherwise somebody else would have been here! -- the existence would not have helped you to be here, would not have created you.

You are fulfilling something very essential, something very fundamental, AS YOU ARE.

And everyone go on teaching you, "Become a Buddha, become a Christ, become a Krishna." Nobody tells you just to be yourself. Why should you become a Buddha? If God wanted a Buddha he could have produced as many Buddhas as he wanted. He produced only one Buddha, and that was enough. And he was satisfied to his heart's desire, utterly satisfied. Since then he has not produced another Buddha or another Christ. He has created you instead. Just think of the respect that the universe has given to you. You have been chosen! -- not Buddha, not Christ, not Krishna.

You will be needed more, that's why. YOU fit more now. Their work is done, they contributed their fragrance to existence. Now you have to contribute YOUR fragrance.

And you are not to go anywhere and you are not to become somebody.

You are perfect as you are. You are already in that space called paradise. Start enjoying it, don't make a problem out of it. The moment you create a problem out of it, you stop enjoying. How can you enjoy unless you solve the problem. And one problem creates ten problems... ad nauseam.

Cut the first problem! Life is not a problem. Buddha says: Life is simple.
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on January 20, 2006, 11:30:37 AM
This is a mirror palace; it consists only of mirrors......

Once it happened...

Ramakrishna was drinking tea. A few disciples were sitting there, Vivekananda was also there, and Ramakrishna started saying 'This cup of tea is God himself.' NOW, this was too much for Vivekananda. He was a well-educated man, logical, rational -- this looked like absolute nonsense. 'A cup of tea... and God? Ramakrishna must be mad. Now, this is going too far.'

Just to reject the whole idea he went out -- just as a protest. He didn't say anything to Ramakrishna, but the protest was there; he simply went out. Another friend of his followed him, and they both started smoking outside the temple. And they were both laughing and joking about Ramakrishna and 'the absurd things he sometimes says'. Now look, a cup of tea... and God? This is utter nonsense!' While they were talking, suddenly Ramakrishna came out. They were a little embarrassed because they were smoking.
 
Ramakrishna touched Vivekananda, and suddenly everything changed with that touch: he could see even the cigarette and the smoke as God. And for three days that consciousness persisted.

After three days he fell at Ramakrishna's feet and said 'I'm sorry. Everything is God. Now I know. But give me back that experience, now I don't want to come back.'

Ramakrishna said 'Given, it can't be eternal. You will have to come back unless you rise to it. It was a gift. It is as if somebody is asleep and dreaming, and you shake him up, and he opens his eyes and looks at you. But his inner sleep is not complete: for a moment he wakes up, and then falls into sleep again.' Ramakrishna said 'It was just like that. I simply shook you up because I could see the protest, I could see that you think this is absurd.'

And it looks absurd because we don't know what reality is. I am reflecting you, you are reflecting me, and so on and so forth. The trees are reflecting you, and you are reflecting the trees, and so on and so forth. All mirrors -- in all shapes and sizes. This is a mirror palace; it consists only of mirrors because it consists only of consciousness.
 
The only discovery of all the Buddhas is that only consciousness is real, only consciousness is. You can call it God, you can call it enlightenment, you can call it NIRVANA, or whatsoever you choose to call it you can call it, but those are only names, differences in names.

The message is simple and clear and loud: that we all consist of pure consciousness.

If you can stop the constant flow of thoughts even just for a moment, you will be able to see it.
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on January 26, 2006, 10:57:27 PM
Just do small small things with awareness........

A disciple was going on a pilgrimage.

He asked Buddha, "I will be away from you for many months. The only thing that I am afraid of is the existence of women. Here with you I can keep myself disciplined, but alone I am afraid -- afraid of myself. If I see a woman, what am I supposed to do?"

Buddha said, "Just look down at the ground four feet ahead, don't look at the woman. That will be enough to avoid the woman. Just looking down four feet ahead of you is enough to walk. And you will not be seeing the face and the beauty or whether it is a man or a woman."

The disciple said, "That's right, but sometimes there may be a situation in which I will not be aware that a woman is coming and before I look down I will have already seen her. Then what to do? Then even looking down on the ground won't help. And the possibility is there...." So he asked, "Then what to do?"

Buddha smiled and he said, "Then don't talk to her. Just go on moving and don't look back."

But the disciple asked, "But there could be a situation in which the woman starts talking. Then just out of etiquette... and a bhikkhu, a disciple of Buddha, has to be graceful and cultured. If a woman asks something, am I not supposed to listen to it? Am I not supposed to answer her?"

Buddha said, "Okay, so you can talk, but don't touch her."

The disciple said, "Just one thing more: in a certain situation it can happen that you have to touch a woman.

For example, some accident has happened. A woman has fallen into a ditch, or a bullock cart has gone into a ditch and the woman is underneath the bullock cart. Do you suppose that I should simply go on moving without saying anything, without touching her? -- because I will have to take her out of the ditch or from underneath the cart and then I will have to touch her. What do you say about that?"

Buddha laughed and he said, "Then do only one thing: just remain aware."

The bhikkhu said, "That's okay, that I can do."

Now, small things he cannot do, but awareness, "Yes," he says, "that I can do." ... Because who can see your awareness? It is simply an inside phenomenon; only you know whether you are aware or not aware. Now he has asked permission to do everything. Creating imaginary situations he has asked for exceptions.

So although there are thirty-three thousand minor rules and ten thousand major rules, Buddhists have been doing all the same things that others are doing who have not even heard about these forty-three thousand rules.

Rules can't help. If they are imposed from the outside they are utterly useless -- not only useless but they burden you, and unnecessarily burden you.

Drop the legal mind! If you really want to know the law, the ultimate law, and if you want to live according to the ultimate law, don't be legal.

Manmade laws are worthless.
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on February 04, 2006, 09:33:51 AM
~~~~~~God and the Spider~~~~~~

During World War II, a US marine was separated from his unit on a Pacific island.  The fighting had been intense, and in the smoke and the crossfire he had lost touch with his comrades.

Alone in the jungle, he could hear enemy soldiers coming in his direction. Scrambling for cover, he found his way up a high ridge to several small caves in the rock. Quickly he crawled inside one of the caves. Although safe for the moment, he realized that once the enemy soldiers looking for him swept up the ridge, they would quickly search all the caves and he would be killed.

As he waited, he prayed, God, if it be your will, please protect me.  Whatever your will though, I love you and trust you.  After praying, he lay quietly listening to the enemy begin to draw close. He thought, Well, I guess God is not going to help me out of this one.  Then he saw a spider begin to build a web over the front of his cave.

As he watched, listening to the enemy searching for him all the while, the spider layered strand after strand of web across the opening of the cave.

He thought what I need is a brick wall and what God has sent me is a spider web.
 
God does have a sense of humor.

As the enemy drew closer he watched from the darkness of his hideout and could see them searching one cave after another. As the ycame to his, he got ready to make his last stand. To his amazement, however, after glancing in the direction of his cave, they moved on.

Suddenly, he realized that with the spider web over the entrance, his cave looked as if no one had entered for quite a while.
 
God, forgive me, prayed the young man. I had forgotten that in you a spider's web is stronger than a brick wall.

We all face times of great trouble. When we do, it is so easy to forget the victories that God would work in our lives, sometimes in the most surprising ways.
 
Remember:

Whatever is happening in your life, with God, a mere spider's web can become a brick wall of protection.

Believe He is with you always.
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on February 16, 2006, 05:13:07 AM
Do Spiritual Sadhana with Shardha and Saburi

A husband and wife lived in a small village. They were earning enough money to have four meals a day. Every day, a beggar used to come to their doorstep for food. The beggar was very stubborn in nature. He would never go away until food was given. The wife and husband felt very uncomfortable about the beggar's stubbornness. Therefore, they devised a plan to send the beggar away. When the beggar came to their doorstep for food, both the wife and husband started fighting with each other. They started shouting loudly on each other. The beggar observed this and went away. Once the beggar was out of sight, both of them congratulated each other for their best show of false pretence. The husband told the wife that, "I shouted at you as if it was real." The wife replied to the husband, "I cried so much as if it was real." The beggar came back and told them, "I had also gone away as if it was real, and now, I am back again."

This story shows the power of Maya in one's life. It can come back at any time like the beggar in the story. In Sai Satcharitha, Sri Sai talks about the power of Maya. (Ch. 13). Sri Sai says, "It is the Adi Maya of Sri Hari who distracted even Brahma and other Gods. Without ceaseless Hari-bhajan, there is no release from this Maya. Follow your goal, consistent with what has gone before, and what is to follow; always act in compliance with what has been ordained. Forever be content and never leave any place because of worry or anxiety." As long as one is living in the world, one should not abandon studying or listening to the Scriptures and contemplating the meanings-Sastra sravana (Sri Sai advised the devotees to read jnaneswari, Gurucharitra), Devotion to the Guru-Guru bhajana (Guru Gholap darshan to Mule ji), and Worship of one's own chosen Deity - Devatarchana (worship of Lord Siva by Megha). At the same time, one should not turn the sadhana into another ego booster. Sincere and Genuine spiritual sadhana makes the person to become humble by showing the vastness and greatness of the infinite. The spiritual practice should be done with a understanding that,"Thy will be done." Shraddha (devotion and faith in Guru and his teachings) and Saburi (forbearance to the different situations in life with a feeling of surrender to the lotus feet of the Guru) are necessary to make the spiritual practice fruitful.

(Contributed by Sai Devotee)

Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on March 01, 2006, 09:50:32 AM
Sarva Bhuta Hite Ratah........

Love is the essence of evolution because hate and violence that follow in its wake can put a stop to the very process of evolution. Love is the essence of religion too, for it is religion (not organised religion) that teaches ethics and compassion.

The story goes that once the Devil and his close friend went for a walk. The devil picked up something from the ground and put it in his pocket. When he was asked by his friend what he had picked up, he said: "I have picked up the Truth". The friend said: "If you picked up the Truth, then your time is up because Truth is the opposite of what you symbolise". The devil smiled and said, "Don't worry my friend, I will organise it". You know what I mean?

Of course, organisation is necessary but we should see that the core is not corroded by the trappings. The evolved human being is not judged by the number of cars he owns or his bank balance. He is judged by his capacity to understand and love; by his compassionate nature and strong desire for peace — all hallmarks of an evolved being.

The ancient Vedic prayer Sarve Bhavantu Sukhina says, "May the whole world be happy". Clearly, love is the essence of life. Love is a many-splendoured entity. Physical love or spiritual love has the same source, although it manifests at different degrees. Love and compassion are pure unadulterated love, that give out of its fullness, and is the essence of all religion.

The compassion and love of all humanity of the Buddha is well known. Love is the parent of ahimsa or non-violence. It is love that shares, cares and gives. It is the foundation of dharma. The Sufis call love mohabbat. Love which is slowly sublimated is divine love. The sufi mystic Jalaluddin Rumi's poetry of love, The Maznavi, reflects this mohabbat.

In fact the Qur'an starts by saying 'Bismillah-ir-Rehman-ir-Rahim' which means "In the name of God, the Compassionate". Compassion is the highest manifestation of love. When the great Teacher of Galilee, Jesus Christ, was crucified, it is said that Peter the Apostle reached for the sword, only to be reprimanded by his master — "Put down thy sword, Peter, for he who raises the sword shall perish by it". In the Gita, Krishna says to Arjuna, "The first and foremost qualification of a religious person is Sarva bhuta hite ratah — he should have love and concern for all living beings in the universe".

Sowing the seeds of love in our hearts is the only solution to the problems of the world. Great literature, sublime poetry, exquisite works of art have all been inspired by love and compassion. It is unselfish love for humanity which is the culmination and the highest point to which love can soar to. When that happens, one lives for the good of others. The highest evolutionary attainment is the experience of love for all human beings. And if we claim to be religious and neglect this aspect we are religious only in name.

Ramakrishna Paramahamsa felt so much love and compassion for others that he would experience excruciating pain whenever he felt another's sorrow. To love and serve those in sorrow and pain, he declared, was the best way to serve God.

Change should begin with the individual. Once we sow the seeds of love in our hearts, they will sprout and yield the fruits of compassion not only for the individual concerned, but for all.
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: OmSaiRamNowOn on March 01, 2006, 10:19:50 AM
Jai Sai Ram

Action with Love is Right Conduct.
Speak with Love and it becomes Truth.
Thinking with Love results in Peace.
Understanding with Love leads to non-violence.

Om Sai Ram.


OM SAI RAM !
OM SAI SRI SAI JAYA JAYA SAI !!

-Anju
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on April 11, 2006, 10:51:34 AM
Puppies for sale......

A farmer had some puppies he needed to sell. He painted a sign advertising the 4 pups. And set about nailing it to a post on the edge of his yard. As he was driving the last nail into the post, he felt a tug on his overalls. He looked down into the eyes of a little boy.

"Mister," he said, "I want to buy "one of your puppies."

"Well," said the farmer, as he rubbed the sweat off the back of his neck, "These puppies come from fine parents and cost a good deal of money."

The boy dropped his head for a moment. Then reaching deep into his pocket, he pulled out a handful of change and held it up to the farmer. "I've got thirty-nine cents. Is that enough to take a look?"

"Sure," said the farmer. And with that he let out a whistle. "Here, Dolly!" he called. Out from the doghouse and down the ramp ran. Dolly followed by four little balls of fur. The little boy pressed his face against the chain link fence. His eyes danced with delight. As the dogs made their way to the fence.

The little boy noticed something else stirring inside the doghouse. Slowly another little ball appeared, this one noticeably smaller. Down the ramp it slid. Then in a some what awkward manner, the little pup began hobbling toward the others, doing its best to catch up....

"I want that one," the little boy said, pointing to the runt. The farmer knelt down at the boy's side and said, "Son, you don't want that puppy. He will never be able to run and play with you like these other dogs would."

With that the little boy stepped back from the fence, reached down, and began rolling up one leg of his trousers. In doing so he revealed a steel brace running down both sides of his leg attaching itself to a specially made shoe.

Looking back up at the farmer, he said, "You see sir, I don't run too well myself, and he will need someone who understands."

With tears in his eyes, the farmer reached down and picked up the little pup.

Holding it carefully he handed it to the little boy.

"How much?" asked the little boy. "No charge," answered the farmer, "There's no charge for love."

The world is full of people who need someone who understands.

Show your friends how much you care.
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: OmSaiRamNowOn on April 19, 2006, 09:29:36 AM
A long story but the message is beautiful.

The Elephant And The Monk


Once there lived a strong, young elephant named Meruprabh. One day a part of a huge forest caught fire and the fire spread rapidly, fanned by strong winds. The animals were scared.

When would the fire stop? Meruprabh along with 700 other elephants cleared one part of the forest of vegetation to prevent the fire from spreading. This clearing became a haven for animals seeking shelter from the fire and they huddled there till the fire went out. Animals who normally hunted each other now sat or stood close in amity. Fear was palpable.

Soon this clearing was so full that there was no space for even a grain of sesame. Packed it was, in both space and tension. At that time as Meruprabh also stood, he felt his knee itch. He had to scratch himself. He lifted the other leg and scratched himself. What a relief it was! Scratching, he reflected, was one of the pleasures of life.

But no sooner had he afforded himself a little pleasure he looked down to find a little rabbit scurrying into the space that had been cleared when he lifted his leg. Breathing heavily the rabbit snuggled into the space. What happens to Meruprabh's leg? As he held it above the ground, he realised that if he put it down, he would crush the rabbit. Could he nudge the rabbit to a side? Oh no, there was simply no space. Meruprabh folded his leg and decided to hold it there rather than hurt the hapless frightened creature.

One day and night passed. The forest fire was still raging. The animals did not move. Not even Meruprabh. He kept standing with one leg folded.

The second and third day too passed. Finally the flames subsided and the animals venturing out cautiously in the beginning ran out to see if it were safe to return to their homes. Only Meruprabh continued to stand. His leg had become stiff and he could not put it down now. When he tried to straighten it, he felt a shooting pain and losing his balance, he tumbled over. He lay there like that for a long time till he quietly succumbed to it.

"No being is to be harmed for all beings desire to live and no one wishes to die", Mahavira taught his followers. For his exemplary act of compassion Meruprabh earned the privilege of being born a king in his next birth and in that very same birth, he eventually became a monk. This story is related when prince Megha, ordained as a monk with permission from his parents, enters the ashram. He spends a very uncomfortable night. The floor is hard for the prince who was accustomed to velvet beds. It is cold too. Moreover, all the senior monks are up and about even in the late hours of the night. They give him room in a corridor and so he gets disturbed when each of them passes by. Night seemed endless and finally at daybreak the newly initiated monk went to his teacher. He stood there, speechless. He wanted to leave. He wanted to go home.

The minutes ticked by. The teacher, watching his discomfort, said: "Go child and get back to work. Do not give up so easily. This discomfort is nothing as compared to what you faced in your last birth when you were not even a human being. You gave up your life in compassion, today you fret about a small pain? Because you exhibited such extraordinary compassion you were able to be born as a prince and even attained monkhood. Now enjoy the fruits of your good deeds." The monk, gaining new insight and realising the gift of his birth, became one of the most sincere disciples of the sangha.

-By Sudhamahi Regunathan
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: OmSaiRamNowOn on April 24, 2006, 03:19:33 PM
A very tired traveler came to the banks of a river.

There was no bridge by which he could cross. It was winter, and the surface of the river was covered with ice. It was getting dark, and he wanted to reach the other side while there was enough light to see.  He debated about whether or not the ice would bear his weight. Finally, after much hesitation and fear, he got down on his knees and began very cautiously to creep across the surface of the ice.  He hoped that by distributing the weight of his body, the ice would be less apt to break under the load.

After he made his slow and painful journey about halfway across the river, he suddenly heard the sound of singing behind him.  Out of the dusk, there came a 4-horse load of coal driven by a man singing merrily as he went to his carefree way.  Here was the traveler, fearfully inching his way on his hands and knees.  And there, as if whisked along by the winter's wind, went the driver, his horses, his sled, and the heavy load of coal over the same river!

The story illustrates how many of us go through life.

Some stands on the bank of decisions unable to make up their minds about the course to take.  Others stand on the banks trying to muster enough courage to cross over to the other side of the task or problem encountered.  On the other hand, some individuals crawl and creep through life for fear of thin ice.

Their faith is not strong enough to hold them up.

Still there are those who whisked along whistling as they go.  Their faith is UNSHAKABLE.

.... When we face the river of difficulties, we do not have to fear, nor do we creep through life. God has promised to help, and with God's help we can merrily make our way to the other side safely .
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on April 25, 2006, 01:23:09 PM
MANTRA MEANS A MAGIC FORUMULA........

It happened: A man was very afraid of ghosts. And unfortunately he had to pass the cemetery every day, coming and going. And sometimes he was late, and in the night he had to pass the cemetery. His house was behind the cemetery, and very close to it. And he was so afraid of ghosts that his life was a constant torture. He could not sleep: the whole night he was disturbed by the ghosts. Sometimes they were knocking on the doors, and sometimes moving inside the house, and he could hear their footsteps and their whisperings. Sometimes they would come very close to him and he could even feel their breath.

He was in a constant hell.

He went to a master, and the master said, "This is nothing. You have come to the right person." Just like I say to you! "Take this Mantra -- this is enough, and you need not be worried. You just put this mantra in a small golden box and carry the box always. You can hang it around your neck."

It is just like the locket: it is a mantra; or it is like the magic box that I give to sannyasins who are going far away from me. It is a magic box, it is a mantra.

The master said, "You keep this mantra. You need not even repeat it; it is so potent that it need not be repeated. You just keep it in the box. Keep the box with you and no ghost will ever trouble you." And it really happened: that day he passed through the cemetery almost as if he was going for a morning walk. Never before had it been so easy. He used to run! He used to scream and shout, and he had to sing songs while passing. That day he walked very slowly with the box in his hand, and it really worked! No ghosts. He was even standing in the middle of the cemetery, waiting for somebody to come, and no ghost turned up. It was utter silence.

Then he went home. He put the box underneath his pillow. That night nobody knocked on the door, nobody whispered, nobody came close to him. That was the first time in his whole life that he slept well. It was a great mantra. But now he became too attached to the box.

He could not leave it anywhere, the whole day he had to carry it everywhere.

People started asking, "Why do you go on carrying this box?"

And he said, "This is my safety, my security."

He became so afraid that now if some day this box was lost, "I will be in great trouble, and those ghosts will take great revenge!" Eating -- and he had his box. And in the toilet -- he had his box. Making love to his woman -- and he had his box. He was going crazy! And now the fear was too much: if it is stolen, if somebody plays a trick or if he loses it somewhere, or if something happens to the box, then what? "Then for months those ghosts are hankering to create trouble for me! They will jump upon me from everywhere, and they will kill me!"

The master inquired one day about how things were going.

He said, "Everything is good. Everything is perfectly good, but now I am being tortured by my own fears. Again I cannot sleep. The whole night I have to see whether the box is still there. Again and again I have to wake myself up and search for the box. And if sometimes it slips here and there in the bed and I cannot find... it is so frightening! I get so scared!"

The master said, "Now I will give you another mantra. You throw this box."

Then he said, "Then how am I going to protect myself from the ghosts?"

The master said, "They are not there.

This box is just nonsense. Those ghosts are not there; that's why this box has worked. Those ghosts are only in your imagination. If they were really there they would not be afraid of the box. It is just your idea, those ghosts were your idea. Now you have got a better idea, because you have got a master. And the master has given you a box, a magic spell. Now be more understanding: the ghosts are not there, that's why this box has helped. Now there is no need to get so obsessed with the box. Throw it away!"

A mantra is a spell to take away things which are not really there. For example, a mantra will help you to drop the ego. Ego is a ghost, just an idea. That's why I say to you that I am here to take away things which are not really with you, and to give you things which are really there. I am here to give you that which you already have, and I have to take away that which you never had but which you are thinking that you have. Your miseries, your hurts, your ambitions, your jealousies, your fears, greeds, hatreds, attachments -- those are all ghosts.

A mantra is just a trick, a strategy to help you drop your ghosts. Once you have dropped those ghosts then the mantra has to be dropped too. One need not carry the mantra anymore the moment he feels the ghosts have disappeared. And then you will laugh at the whole absurdity: the ghosts were false and the mantra was false -- but it helped.
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on April 28, 2006, 12:58:20 PM
'NAILS IN THE FENCE'

There once was a little boy who had a bad Temper. His Father gave him a bag of nails and told him that every time he loose his Temper, he must hammer a nail into the back Of the fence. The first day the boy had Driven 37 nails into the fence. Over the next Few weeks, as he learned to control his Anger, the number of nails hammered daily gradually dwindled down.

He discovered It was easier to hold his temper than to Drive those nails into the fence.  Finally the day came when the boy didn't  Lose his temper at all. He told his father about it and the father suggest ed that the Boy now pull out one nail for each day that he was able to hold his temper.  

The days passed and the young boy was finally able to tell his father that all the nails were gone. The father took his son by the Hand and led him to the fence. He said, "You Have done well, my son, but look at the Holes in the fence. The fence will never be The same. When you say things in anger, they leave a scar just like this one. You Can put a knife in a man and draw it out. It won't matter how many times you say I'm Sorry, the wound is still there.

" A verbal Wound is as bad as a physical one.  Friends are very rare jewels, indeed. They Make you smile and encourage you to succeed.  They lend an ear, they share words of praise and they always want to open their hearts to us."

You all are my brothers and sisters and see how BABA SAI has graced me and honoured me to have so many brothers and sisters in so short a time.

Please forgive me if I have ever left a hole in any one's heart in my ignorance.

MAY BABA SAI BLESS ALL....TO WATCH THEIR TEMPER......



Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on April 30, 2006, 03:55:14 AM
Life and Death: A Prison of Our Own Making

Every one of us is pre-programmed, in accordance with the culture, family, society or religion we are born into and grow up with. Most of us are indifferent to the fact that we operate with little awareness. So we end up living in a self-made prison.

Once a philosopher asked a cobbler - who was himself a Sufi saint - to repair his shoe. The cobbler expressed his inability to do so as he was about to close his shop for the day. If his shoe were not repaired immediately, he would have only one shoe to wear, explained the philosopher to the cobbler. “Please, this is urgent,” he pleaded.

“You may please borrow my shoe for the other foot'', said the cobbler. ''But I don't wear another's shoes,'' said the philosopher. ''If you can borrow someone's ideas why not a shoe?'' asked the cobbler. Truly, our ideas are largely borrowed ones. Borrowed ideas have become a part of our inner programming. Myths and disempowering words and thoughts have invaded our inner engineering.  

Learn to observe life deeply. If you observe yourself deeply you will find that you are not one 'I' but multiple 'I's. There is an 'I' that supports you and another 'I' that pulls you down. You should learn to de-identify from the negative 'I' and invite the positive 'I'. Can we observe how we touch the outer world with our inner thoughts and attitudes? If our thoughts and attitudes are negative, a negative system gets created. Then the negative system takes control of our life, develops its own survival mechanism and we become slaves of that system. The art of wise living is to dismantle the negative system from our lives.  

We have to learn the art of inner separation and not allow inner thoughts and attitudes of negativity to eat into our lives. Negative, ignorant, addictive, narrow, foolish 'I's eat our life forces just as rats eat crops. Some 'I's in us are our friends and some, our enemies. To recognise and de-identify ourselves with the negative 'I's is 'inner separation'.  

If we identify with negative thoughts and emotions coming from multiple 'I's and feel them to be our true self, it will lead to chaos and conflict. Any thought or emotion that passes through us is not ours. The traffic on the pavement does not belong to us... neither does the traffic of thoughts. We should learn to select and reject, only then we will not find ourselves in prison.

Don't allow moods that emerge from the negative 'I' to overtake your life. Allow wise influences to impact your life. Don't allow the influences of darkness impact your life. Allow the influences of the Sun to energise you. Learn to be in association with the conscious humanity and not the sleeping humanity. This will make you look at ordinary things in a new way. A new “will” will be created. A new meaning will emerge. A new understanding will guide you and give you wings to fly.  

Be like the bee which goes from one flower to another, savouring the nectar from each of them. A fly, on the other hand, sits on garbage, and then flies to a sweetmeat shop and again to the gutter and back to the rose garden. The fly is alternating between goodness and toxin. But the bee picks and chooses from what is available and is attracted to the good alone and hence flies from one flower to another. Being like a bee in life, will enable us to move from one form of goodness to another, and we will be attracted to all the sacredness of existence. To be like a fly is to indulge in negativities like anger, hatred and jealousies and then visiting the temples and shrines for prayer.
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: OmSaiRamNowOn on May 01, 2006, 01:33:04 PM
How Rich Are We?

One day a father and his rich family took his son to a trip to the country with the firm purpose to show him how poor people can be. They spent a day and a night in the farm of a very poor family.

When they got back from their trip, the father asked his son, "How was the trip?"

"Very good Dad!"

"Did you see how poor people can be?" the father asked.

"Yeah!"

"And what did you learn?"

The son answered, "I saw that we have a dog at home, and they have four. We have a pool that reaches to the middle of the garden; they have a creek that has no end. We have imported lamps in the garden; they have the stars. Our patio reaches to the front yard; they have a whole horizon."

When the little boy was finishing, his father was speechless.

His son added, "Thanks, Dad, for showing me how poor we are!"

Isn't it true that it all depends on the way you look at things? If you have love, friends, family, health, good humor and a positive attitude towards life - you've got everything!

You can't buy any of these things, but still you can have all the material possessions you can imagine, provisions for the future, etc., but if you are poor of spirit, you have nothing!
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on May 01, 2006, 11:12:24 PM
Life and Death: The River, a Cow and a Butterfly

"Tell me mighty river! Are you changing or are you constant?" asked the butterfly. The river chortled as it sped along, over rocky pebbles and around mossy little hills. "Why, can't you see?" it replied. "Do I look still to you?"  

"No, of course you are not still. You are always moving. But are you not the same river?" The butterfly asked a trifle hesitantly. "Yes, indeed I am the same river that has flowed down the mountains and through this forest for so many, many years!" said the river grandly. "But your waters are constantly flowing away... which part of you is the same?"  

"No part of me is the same, my flighty friend!" answered the river, with a hearty laugh. "I keep losing water every time the sun shines and I keep gaining water every time the rain falls! I merge into the sea, and I began from a humble spring, I keep changing; in change, I am constant... I have neither a beginning nor an end..."  

"What happens to the water that leaves you, river? Where does it go?" asked the butterfly, a trifle confused. "Oh, it goes up into the clouds, and then falls down as rain onto the ground, or into some other river or sea... every drop has gone on a long journey, you know, before it comes and joins me! And it will leave me sooner or later, to go on yet another journey."  

"Why, that means all the oceans and clouds are in you!" squealed the butterfly, excitedly. "Yes", replied the river, "I appear to be limited to this stream, but I contain many worlds hidden inside me." Then a disturbing thought struck the butterfly. "Can water ever disappear into nothing, river?" it asked, curiously. "No, my friend, nothing in this world can ever become nothing. All that is will always be. It may change form, like the water turning into a cloud, then into rain and then the sea... but what is can never cease to be."  

"I think I'm beginning to understand!" said the butterfly, excitedly. "Just as I changed form but remained the same insect, you, too, keep changing form but are still the same river!" "That's right,” said the river as it sped along, and so did the butterfly...

The swishy sound of grass being chewed woke up the butterfly from its gentle snooze. Who was this?

Dark gentle eyes looked down at the butterfly from a big white and brown face. "Moo! Moo-oo-ooo!" inquired the cow, loudly. "And what are you doing here?" "Oh, just resting in this soft grass. How are you this evening?" asked the butterfly, politely.

"Very well indeed. But it's been a few days since the cowherd gave me a bath, and I miss that... when the water flows over my back and falls down my sides, I feel like there is nothing for me to resist or push: I just let go completely, and enjoy the feel of the cool water splashing all over my body." The cow's eyes rolled over in delight, just at the mention of such a delightful experience...

"You have taught me the secret of living, dear cow!" said the butterfly, exultantly. "As you enjoy your bath, so must we all enjoy every moment of this precious existence! For there is a purpose behind every event, a direction in each change... all of which is dictated by a simple law that says energy can neither be created nor destroyed: only transformed. Energy is eternal."

As it sank back on the cool green grass, the butterfly knew that its time had come. It knew, too, that it would merely be transformed now, from one form of energy to another. What came next? It didn't matter.
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on May 03, 2006, 02:41:52 AM
Don't Change the World . . .

Once upon a time, there was a king who ruled a prosperous country. One day, he went for a trip to some distant areas of his country. When he was back to his palace, he complained that his feet were very painful, because it was the first time that he went for such a long trip, and the road that he went through was very rough and stony. He then ordered his people to cover every road of the entire country with leather. Definitely, this would need thousands of cows' skin, and would cost a huge amount of money.
 
Then one of his wise servant dared himself to tell the king, "Why do you have to spend that unnecessary amount of money ? Why don't you just cut a little piece of leather to cover your feet ?"
 
The king was surprised, but he later agreed to his suggestion, to make a "shoe" for himself.
 
There is actually a valuable lesson of life in this story : to make this world a happy place to live, you better change yourself - your heart; and not the world . . .

Diamond was just another piece of coal that did well under pressure Either I will find a way or I will make one.....
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on May 15, 2006, 02:22:24 AM
Many years ago in a small Indian village,

A farmer had the misfortune Of owing a large sum of money to a village moneylender. The Moneylender, who was old and ugly, fancied the farmer's beautiful Daughter. So he proposed a bargain.

He said he would forgo the farmer's debt if he could marry his Daughter. Both the farmer and his daughter were horrified by the Proposal.

So the cunning money-lender suggested that they let Providence decide the matter. He told them that he would put a black Pebble and a white pebble into an empty money bag. Then the girl would have to pick one pebble from the bag.

1) If she picked the black pebble, she would become his wife and her father's debt would be forgiven.

2) If she picked the white pebble she need not marry him and her father's debt would still be forgiven.

3) But if she refused to pick a pebble, her father would be thrown into Jail.

They were standing on a pebble strewn path in the farmer's field. As They talked, the moneylender bent over to pick up two pebbles. As he Picked them up, the sharp-eyed girl noticed that he had picked up two Black pebbles and put them into the bag.

He then asked the girl to pick A pebble from the bag.

Now, imagine that you were standing in the field. What would you have Done if you were the girl? If you had to advise her, what would you Have told her?

Careful analysis would produce three possibilities:

1. The girl should refuse to take a pebble.

2. The girl should show that there were two black pebbles in the bag And expose the money-lender as a cheat.

3. The girl should pick a black pebble and sacrifice herself in order to save her father from his debt and imprisonment.

Take a moment to ponder over the story. The above story is used with The hope that it will make us appreciate the difference between lateral and logical thinking.

The girl's dilemma cannot be solved with Traditional logical thinking. Think of the consequences if she chooses The above logical answers.

What would you recommend to the Girl to do?

Well, here is what she did ....

The girl put her hand into the moneybag and drew out a pebble. Without Looking at it, she fumbled and let it fall onto the pebble- trewn path Where it immediately became lost among all the other pebbles.

"Oh, how clumsy of me," she said. "But never mind, if you look into the Bag for the one that is left, you will be able to tell which pebble I Picked."

Since the remaining pebble is black, it must be assumed that she had Picked the white one. And since the money-lender dared not admit his Dishonesty, the girl changed what seemed an impossible situation into An extremely advantageous one.

MORAL OF THE STORY:

Most complex problems do have a solution. It is only that we don't attempt to think.
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on May 17, 2006, 10:21:01 AM
"The Club 99"

Once upon a time, there lived a King who, despite his luxurious lifestyle, was neither happy nor content.

One day, the King came upon a servant who was singing happily while he worked. This fascinated the King; why was he, the Supreme Ruler of the Land, unhappy and gloomy, while

A lowly servant had so much joy. The King asked the servant, " Why are you so happy?"

The man replied, " Your Majesty, I am nothing but a servant, but my family and I don't need too much - just a roof over our heads and warm food to fill our tummies ."

The king was not satisfied with that reply. Later in the day, he sought the advice of his most trusted advisor. After hearing the King's woes and the servant's story, the advisor said, " Your Majesty, I believe that the servant has not been made part of The 99 Club."

" The 99 Club? And what exactly is that?" the King inquired.

The advisor replied, " Your Majesty, to truly know what The 99 Club is, place 99 Gold coins in a bag and leave it at this servant's doorstep."

When the servant saw the bag, he took it into his house. When he opened the bag, he let out a great shout of joy... So many gold coins!

He began to count them. After several counts, he was at last convinced that there were 99 coins. He wondered, " What could've happened to that last gold coin? Surely, no one would leave 99 coins! "

 He looked everywhere he could, but that final coin was elusive. Finally, exhausted, he decided that he was going to have to work harder than ever to earn that gold coin and complete his collection.

From that day, the servant's life was changed. He was overworked, horribly grumpy, and castigated his family for not helping him make that 100th gold coin. He stopped singing while he worked.

Witnessing this drastic transformation, the King was puzzled. When he sought his advisor's help, the advisor said, " Your Majesty, the servant has now officially joined The 99 Club. "

He continued, " The 99 Club is a name given to those people who have enough to be happy but are never contented, because they're always yearning and striving for that extra 1 telling to themselves: "Let me get that one final thing and then I will be happy for life ."

We can be happy, even with very little in our lives, but the minute we're given something bigger and better, we want even more! We lose our sleep, our happiness, we hurt the people around us; all these as a price for our growing needs and desires. That's what joining The 99 Club is all about."
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: OmSaiRamNowOn on May 18, 2006, 02:01:59 PM
An Indian farmer and his child were toiling in the fields. It was almost dark by the time they had finished their work and the farmer said to the child, "Wow! It's getting dark! Quickly pack up the tools and run. Let's run quickly!"

"Relax. We're not far from home and we know the way home. Why are you in such a panic?" asked the child.

"There's something you don't know. I'm generally fearless. I'm not afraid of tigers or lions. I'm only afraid of the night. When the night comes, I'm completely powerless. The night is most terrifying to me. I'm really frightened of it. I can't stand it," answered the farmer.

It so happened that a lion was hiding nearby and overheard their conversation. "What's this thing called 'the night'? How could it be more fearful than I am? I must find out about it," the lion mused as it moved closer to the farmer, hoping to learn more about this "night" that was even more frightening than itself.

Then darkness fell and the farsighted farmer couldn't see nearby objects clearly. He only saw the vague outline of an animal approaching, thought it was the donkey he had recently lost, and beat the lion several times, saying, "I've been looking for you all day. Where have you been? How dare you come back so late?"

"This is the end of me," the lion thought with regret. "How could I have been so stupid as to come so close to this thing called 'the night' that beat me just now? It's really horrifying. What should I do now?" As these thoughts flashed through the lion's mind, the farmer again slapped it several times, urging it to go home with him. The petrified lion then obediently followed the farmer back to his house.

It was even darker when they reached home. Since the farmer continued to mistake the lion for his donkey, he tied it in a corner outside his house before he went to bed. That night, the lion stayed out in the cold, starving, petrified and not knowing what to expect of "the night" when morning dawned. It believed that the farmer was "the night."

Early the next morning, before dawn broke, the farmer got up and took his "donkey" to the fields. On the way, another lion passed by and found it hilarious to see a lion obediently following a farmer. It then approached the captive lion and asked, "What are you doing? Why are you walking behind this man?"

"Shh! Keep your voice down and leave quickly. Don't you know that this being walking in front is something called 'the night.' He's very terrible. Last night, he beat me and shackled me, leaving me cold and starving the entire night. I have no idea where he's taking me now. Run along or your life will be in danger!"

After hearing this story, the other lion said, "You're incredible. You idiot! You're a lion, the king of animals! You've been deceived! Just roar at him now and you'll know who is more terrifying." The lion accepted his advice and roared loudly, so the farmer took a closer look. Now that the sky had become brighter, he saw that it was a lion. Wow! He bolted like lightning, and the lion was free again.

The moral of this story is that we humans have wisdom, immense power and status. However, if we're stupid, ignorantly follow the Prince of the Devils, and are thus controlled by karma, we can't possibly be liberated. However, if another soul who knows who he is and is not afraid comes to teach us what to do, we can be liberated. This is what a Guru does.



OM SAI RAM !
OM SAI SRI SAI JAYA JAYA SAI !!

-Anju
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on May 19, 2006, 12:32:55 AM
JAI SAI RAM!!!

Anju dear just fantastic...wonderful meaning full story.  Amazing still when time comes to know.....we fail.  Fail in our ignorance.  This is what happening with all of us.....we have been forced to live with false notion right from our birth till death....life after life same old pattern goes on with us.  Only blessed few who in real sense surenders to Guru...gets to know it....the real meaning of liberation.

OM SAI RAM!!!
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on May 19, 2006, 09:24:47 AM
This has meaning 4 all of us . . .

One day, when I was a freshman in high school, I saw a kid from my class was walking home from school. His name was Kyle. It looked like he was carrying all of his books. I thought to myself, "Why would anyone bring home all his books on a Friday? He must really be a nerd."

I had quite a weekend planned (parties and a football game with my friends tomorrow afternoon), so I shrugged my shoulders and went on.

As I was walking, I saw a bunch of kids running toward him. They ran at him, knocking all his books out of his arms and tripping him so he landed in the dirt. His glasses went flying, and I saw them land in the grass about ten feet from him. He looked up and I saw this terrible sadness in his eyes.

My heart went out to him. So, I jogged over to him and as he crawled around looking for his glasses, and I saw a tear in his eye. As I handed him his glasses, I said, "Those guys are jerks. They really should get lives." He looked at me and said, "Hey thanks!" There was a big smile on his face. It was one of those smiles that showed real gratitude.

I helped him pick up his books, and asked him where he lived. As it turned out, he lived near me, so I asked him why I had never seen him before. He said he had gone to private school before now.

I would have never hung out with a private school kid before. We walked all the way home, and I carried some of his books. He turned out to be a pretty cool kid. I asked him if he wanted to play a little football with my friends. He said yes. We hung out all weekend and the  more I got to know Kyle, the more I liked him, and my  friends thought the same of him.

Monday morning came, and there was Kyle with the huge stack of books again. I stopped him and said, "Boy, you are gonna really build some serious muscles with this pile of books everyday!" He just laughed and handed me half the books.

Over the next four years, Kyle and I became best  friends. When we were seniors, we began to think about college. Kyle decided on Georgetown, and I was going to Duke. I knew that we would always be
friends, that the miles would never be a problem. He was going to be a doctor, and I was going for business on a football scholarship.

Kyle was valedictorian of our class. I teased him all the time about being a nerd. He had to prepare a speech for graduation.

I was so glad it wasn't me having to get up there and speak. Graduation day, I saw Kyle. He looked great. He was one of those guys that really found himself during high school. He filled out and actually looked good in glasses.
 
He had more dates than I had and all the girls loved him. Boy, sometimes I was jealous.

Today was one of those days. I could see that he was nervous about his speech. So, I smacked him on the back and said, "Hey, big guy, you'll be great!" He looked at me with one of those looks (the really grateful one) and smiled. "Thanks," he said.

As he started his speech, he cleared his throat, and began. "Graduation is a time to thank those who helped you make it through those tough years. Your parents, your teachers, your siblings, maybe a coach...but mostly your friends. I am here to tell all of you that being a friend to someone is the best gift you can give them. I am going to tell you a story."

I just looked at my friend with disbelief as he told the story of the first day we met. He had planned to kill himself over the weekend. He talked of how he had cleaned out his locker so his Mom wouldn't have to do it later and was carrying his stuff home. He looked hard at me and gave me a little smile.

"Thankfully, I was saved. My friend saved me from doing the unspeakable."

I heard the gasp go through the crowd as this handsome, popular boy told us all about his weakest moment. I saw his Mom and dad looking at me and smiling that same grateful smile. Not until that moment did I realize it's depth.

Never underestimate the power of your actions. With one small gesture you can change a person's life. For better or for worse.

God puts us all in each other's lives to impact one another in some way. Look for God in others.

"Friends for me are like angels who lift us to our feet when our wings have trouble remembering how to fly."

There is no beginning or end..Yesterday is history. . . Tomorrow is mystery. . . Today is a gift. . .
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on May 21, 2006, 12:51:27 AM
True Promise  

" How long will you be poring over that newspaper? Will you come Here right away and make your darling daughter eat her food ?"

I tossed the paper away and rushed to the scene. My only Daughter Sindu looked frightened. Tears were welling up in her Eyes. In front of her was a bowl filled to its brim with Curd Rice.
 
Sindu is a nice child, quite intelligent for her age. She has Just turned eight. She particularly detested Curd Rice. My mother and my wife are orthodox and believe firmly in the 'cooling effects' of Curd Rice. I cleared my throat and picked Up the bowl.
 
" Sindu, darling, why don't you take a few mouthful of this Curd Rice? Just for Dad's sake, dear. If you don't, your Mom will Shout at me ."
 
I could sense my wife's scowl behind my back. Sindu softened a Bit and wiped her tears with the back of her hands. "OK, Dad. I will eat not just a few mouthfuls, but the whole lot of this.
 
But, you should..." Sindu hesitated. "Dad, if I eat this entire Curd Rice, will you give me whatever I ask for?" "Oh sure, darling."
 
"Promise?"

"Promise."
 
I covered the pink soft hand extended by my daughter with mine and clinched the deal.

" Ask Mom also to give a similar promise," my daughter insisted. My wife slapped her hand on Sindu's muttering "Promise," Without any emotion .
 
Now I became a bit anxious. " Sindu, you shouldn't insist on Getting a computer or any such expensive items. Dad does not Have that kind of money right now. OK ?"
 
" No, Dad. I do not want anything expensive."
 
Slowly and painfully, she finished eating the whole quantity. I was silently angry with my wife and my mother for forcing my Child to eat something that she detested.
 
After the ordeal was through, Sindu came to me with her eyes Wide with expectation. All of our attention was on her.

" Dad, I want to have my head shaved off this Sunday," Was her demand!
 
" Atrocious!" shouted my wife, " a girl child having her head Shaved off? Impossible!"

" Never in our family!" my mother rasped. " She has been watching Too much of television. Our culture is getting totally spoiled With these TV programs!"
 
" Sindu, why don't you ask for something else? We will be sad Seeing you with a clean-shaven head."

" No, Dad. I do not want anything else," Sindu said with Finality.
 
" Please Sindu, why don't you try to understand our feelings?" I tried to plead with her.

" Dad, you saw how difficult it was for me to eat that Curd Rice," Sindu was in tears. " And you promised to grant me Whatever I ask for. Now, you are going back on your words.  Was it not you who told me the story of King Harishchandra and Its moral that we should honor our promises no matter what ?"

It was time for me to call the shots. " Our promise must be kept."
 
" Are you out your mind?" chorused my mother and wife.
 
" No. If we go back on our promises, she will never learn to Honour her own. Sindu, your wish will be fulfilled."
 
With her head clean-shaven, Sindu had a round-face, and her eyes Looked big and beautiful.
 
On Monday morning, I dropped her at her school. It was a sight To watch my hairless Sindu walking towards her classroom. She turned around and waved.

I waved back with a smile. Just then, a boy alighted from a Car, and shouted, " Sinduja, please wait for me!"
 
What struck me was the hairless head of that boy. " Maybe that is the `in' stuff," I thought.
 
" Sir, your daughter Sinduja is great indeed!" Without introducing herself, a lady got out of the car, and Continued, " That boy who is walking along with your daughter is My son Harish. He is suffering from leukemia."
 
She paused to muffle her sobs. " Harish could not attend the School for the whole of the last month. He lost all of his hair Due to the side effects of the chemotherapy. He refused to come Back to school fearing the unintentional but cruel teasing of The schoolmates.
 
" Sinduja visited him last week and promised him that she will Take care of the teasing issue. But I never imagined she would Sacrifice her lovely hair for the sake of my son! Sir, you and Your wife are blessed to have such a noble soul as your Daughter."
 
I stood transfixed. And then, I wept.

" My little Angel, you have taught me what love is?"
 
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on May 22, 2006, 12:54:06 AM
Spot the Emperor in the Story of Fakir Mian Mir

Mian Mir was a Muslim saint of great renown. He lived a pure life. Being a man of God, no barriers of caste or creed marked his thought. He loved those who loved God. He was a pir to millions of Muslims and was a close friend of Arjun, the Guru of countless Hindus.

At the instance of Guru Arjun, Pir Mian Mir laid the foundation stone of Harmandir of Amritsar, the most sacred temple of Sikhs. The temple is held in equally great esteem and reverence by the Hindus. To maintain the dignity of this temple many Sikhs later paid heavily with their heads. Never before and, for that matter, never after has the foundation stone of the highest religious seat of a religion ever been laid by the head of another religion. This remains the unique privilege of the Sikh temple.

Mian Mir was a friend of God-loving people and he would shun worldly, selfish men, covetous amirs and ambitious nawabs who ran after fakirs to get their blessings for successful continuation of acts of aggression against others. To stop such people from coming to see him, Mian Mir posted his followers at the gate of his house.

Once Jahangir, the emperor of India, with all his retinue, came to pay homage to the great fakir. He came with the pomp and show of a great king. Mian Mir’s sentinels stopped the emperor at the gate and requested him to wait until their master had given him permission to enter. Jahangir felt slighted. No one had ever dared delay or question his entry to any place in his kingdom. Yet he controlled his temper and composed himself. He waited for permission.
   
After a little while emperor Jahangir was ushered into the presence of the fakir. Unable to hide his wounded vanity, Jahangir, as soon as he entered the holy presence of Mian Mir, asked him in Persian: “Ba dare-darvis darbane nalbayd?” — Why should there be a sentry at the gate of a fakir?
   
Pir Mian Mir, who was one with the great Allah, caring little for the emperor’s angst, replied in Persian: “Babayd keh sage dunia na ayad” — So that selfish men may not enter.
   
The emperor was ashamed and asked forgiveness. Then with folded hands Jahangir requested Mian Mir to pray for the success of the campaign which he intended to launch for the conquest of the Deccan. Meanwhile, a poor Muslim entered and, bowing his head to Mian Mir, made an offering of a rupee before him. Mian Mir asked the devotee to pick up the rupee and give it to the poorest, most needy person in the audience. The devotee went from one dervish (disciple) to another but none accepted the rupee. The devotee returned to Mian Mir with the rupee saying: “Lord, none of the dervishes will accept the rupee. None is in need, it seems”.
   
“Go and give this rupee to him”, said the fakir, pointing to Jahangir. “He is the poorest and most needy of the lot. Not content with a big kingdom, he covets the kingdom of the Deccan. For that he has come all the way from Delhi to beg. His hunger is like a fire that burns all the more furiously with more wood. It has made him needy, greedy and grim. Go and give the rupee to him”. Who was the emperor? Jahangir or Mian Mir?
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on May 29, 2006, 11:03:04 AM
The House of 1000 Mirrors

Our life is actually a reflection of our thoughts and actions.

Long ago in a small, far away village, there was place known as the House of 1000 Mirrors.

A small, happy little dog learned of this place and decided to visit. When he arrived, he bounced happily up the stairs to the doorway of the house.

He looked through the doorway with his ears lifted high and his tail wagging as fast as it could.

To his great surprise, he found himself staring at 1000 other happy little dogs with their tails wagging just as fast as his.

He smiled a great smile, and was answered with 1000 great smiles just as warm and friendly.

As he left the House, he thought to himself, "This is a wonderful place. I will come back and visit it often."

In this same village, another little dog, who was not quite as happy as the first one, decided to visit the house.

He slowly climbed the stairs and hung his head low as he looked into the door. When he saw the 1000 unfriendly looking dogs staring back at him, he growled at them and was horrified to see 1000 little dogs growling back at him.

As he left, he thought to himself, "That is a horrible place, and I will never go back there again."

ALL THE FACES IN THE WORLD ARE MIRRORS.

JUST OBSERVE WHAT KIND OF REFLECTIONS DO YOU SEE IN THE FACES OF THE PEOPLE YOU MEET?
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on May 30, 2006, 07:14:00 AM
Dream without Wisdom

Once upon a time, there was a man with a big family who desperately needed a big house. He didn't have enough money to buy a big house, though. So his family lived wherever they could. They were always cold, and crowded and uncomfortable, and they longed for a big house.
 
The man heard one day that gold had been discovered, high up on a mountain. So he set off up the mountain with his pick axe, hoping to find enough gold to buy a big, warm house for his family.

On the first day, right in the middle of the narrow mountain trail stood a tree -- not a huge tree, yet big enough to block the path. So the man used his pick axe to cut down the tree. It rolled down the side of the mountain into a meadow far below. The man continued along the path to the area where gold had been discovered. All day long he chipped into the side of the mountain with his pick axe, yet he found no gold.
 
The next day, he was surprised to see that the tree had grown back, and was again blocking his path. So again he cut it down, and it rolled down the side of the mountain to the meadow far below. Again the man searched all day for gold, only to come back empty handed.
 
For six months this went on. Day after day, the tree would grow back. Day after day, the man would cut it down. And day after day, the man would return to his family empty handed.
 
Then one day, the man happened to glance down, and was astonished to see a big, beautiful new house in the middle of the meadow below. Surely this must be the new home of someone who has found the gold, he thought. Perhaps they'll tell me where they found it. He ran excitedly down the mountain and knocked on the door of the house.
 
"What a beautiful house you have," he said to the woman who answered the door. "Did you pay for it with the gold you found on the mountain?" "Heavens no," said the woman. "I am just a poor widow. I have no gold. But each day for the last six months, a freshly cut log has rolled down the mountain. My children and I simply gathered the logs together to build this big, beautiful house."
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: OmSaiRamNowOn on May 30, 2006, 11:56:56 AM
Right Speech
-------------

One night, Emperor Akbar dreamt that he had lost all his teeth, except one. The next morning he invited all the astrologers of his kingdom to interpret this dream.

After a long discussion, the astrologers prophesized that all his relatives would die before him.

Akbar was very upset by this interpretation and so sent away all the astrologers without any reward.

Later that day, Birbal entered the court. Akbar related his dream and asked him to interpret it. After thinking for a while Birbal replied that the Emperor would live a longer and more fulfilled life than any of his relatives.

Akbar was pleased with Birbal's explanation and rewarded him handsomely.
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on June 02, 2006, 11:26:01 AM
Give Thanks

God once sent two angels to earth to gather the prayers of humanity. The first angel was asked to collect all those prayers that were essentially requests from people asking God for something. The second angel was asked to collect all the prayers of thanksgiving.

   The two angels agreed to meet in a month with their collections. They began their task. The first angel collecting prayers that appealed to God for something became extremely busy. Several baskets were needed to hold those prayers — asking for more money, better health, bigger house, car, computer, jewellery and clothing. Some prayed for a spouse, for children, or for better relationships. There were so many such prayers that the angel had to obtain a van to cart them.

   Meanwhile, the second angel travelled far and wide looking for prayers of thankfulness. Several days went by with hardly a prayer of gratitude heard. All that this angel heard were prayers asking for things.

   A month later the two angels returned to God. The angel collecting prayers for requests was laden with many baskets. The angel collecting prayers of thankfulness had only a few, a small amount compared to the prayers requesting things.

   The story illustrates the human condition. Many of us request others to do things for us, but how many of us thank them? Similarly, we pray to God for so many things that we want, but do we thank God? A similar situation is faced by parents and teachers. However, when there is feedback of appreciation, it is heartwarming for the parent or teacher, to receive thanks from their children or students for what they do for them feels good. It is not that they ever cease to sacrifice and serve selflessly, but it’s nice to know that the gift of love they give is acknowledged and appreciated.

   We are fortunate to be born as humans. Only as humans do we have the faculty to know ourselves and to realise God. For this we should thank God every day of our lives. Once a man went to Heaven and God told him that he was lucky to have a human form. The man asked God, “Why are humans so special?” God first showed the man insects, birds, lizards and other creatures. “Notice that they all have their heads turned down towards earth”. Humans can look up. They are the only ones that can lift their sights from the world to see God in the spiritual realms above. Human beings are blessed with a special faculty to gain spiritual knowledge. That opportunity is offered to every human being, but few make use of it. One needs to meditate to make full use of the gift.

   By meditating daily we can achieve union with God and realise that we are part of God. By meditation on the inner Light and Sound of God, we can slowly and steadily achieve true happiness and fulfilment.

   Let us thank God for the many gifts we have received — for our birth, health, food, clothing, shelter and for our families. Let us also thank God for our education and for our jobs. However, let us not thank God merely with words but with deeds, by leading lives of nonviolence, truthfulness, purity, humility and selfless service. Meditate daily so that we can connect with the inner Light and Sound which is the means by which we can turn to our true nature.
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on June 03, 2006, 10:19:49 AM
'PUT THE GLASS DOWN TODAY'

A professor began his class by holding up a glass with some water in it.

He held it up for all to see; asked the students,' How much do you think this glass weighs?'

'50gms!' .... '100gms!' ......'125gms' ......the students answered.
 
'I really don't know unless I weigh it,' said the professor,'but, my question is:

What would happen if I held it up like this for a few minutes?'

'Nothing' the students said.
 
'Ok what would happen if I held it up like this for an hour?' the professor asked.

'Your arm would begin to ache' said one of the students.
 
'You're right, now what would happen if I held it for a day?'
 
'Your arm could go numb, you might have severe muscle stress; paralysis; have to go to hospital for sure!'ventured another student; all the students laughed.
 
'Very good.  But during all this, did the weight of the glass change?' asked the professor. 'No' the students said.
 
Then what caused the arm ache & the muscle stress? 'The students were puzzled.

'Put the glass down!' said one of the students.
 
'Exactly!' said the professor.' Life's problems are something like this.

Hold it for a few minutes in your head; they seem OK.

Think of them for a long time & they begin to ache. Hold it even longer & they begin to paralyze you. You will not be able to do anything.

It's important to think of the challenges (problems) in your life, but EVEN MORE IMPORTANT to 'put them down' at the end of every day before you go to sleep.

That way, you are not stressed, you wake up every day fresh & strong & can handle any issue, any challenge that comes your way!'

Remember to 'PUT THE GLASS DOWN TODAY'
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: OmSaiRamNowOn on June 07, 2006, 10:37:06 AM
There is a beautiful story of a kasturi-mriga, or musk deer, that brings out the nature of all spiritual sadhana. Once, while roaming about and frolicking among hills and dales, the kasturi-mriga was suddenly aware of an exquisitely beautiful scent, the like of which it had never known. The scent stirred the inner depths of its soul so profoundly that it determined to find the source.

So keen was its longing that notwithstanding the severity of cold or the intensity of scorching heat, by day as well as by night, the deer carried on its desperate search for the source of the sweet scent. It knew no fear or hesitation but undaunted went on its elusive search, until at last, happening to lose its foothold on a cliff, it had a precipitous fall resulting in a fatal injury. While breathing its last, the deer found that the scent that had ravished its heart and inspired all these efforts came from its own navel. This last moment of the deer's life was its happiest, and there was on its face inexpressible peace.

All spiritual sadhanas of the aspirant are like the efforts of the kasturi-mriga. The final fructification of sadhana involves the termination of the ego-life of the aspirant. At that moment there is the realization that he himself has, in a sense, been the object of all his search and endeavor. All that he suffered and enjoyed — all his risks and adventures, all his sacrifices and desperate strivings — were intended for achieving true Self-knowledge, in which he loses his limited individuality only to discover that he is really identical with God, who is in everything.
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on June 07, 2006, 12:50:05 PM
JAI SAI RAM!!!

Yehi Toh....Still we are roaming around unnecessarily and lost in the Dark Alleys when light is very much inside us.  Come lets join hands with BABA SAI HE will show us and lead the way towards light.

BABA SAI ASTO MA SADGAMAYA! TAMASO MAA JYOTIRGAMAYA! MRITYORMA AMRITAM GAMAYA!

BABA SAI Lead us from Asat (evil) towards Sat (Good).  Lead us from the darkness towards light.  Lead us from death towards immortality.

OM SAI RAM!!!
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on June 10, 2006, 10:13:58 AM
Khali Haath Aye Hain.....Khali Haath Jayenge - "Empty handed we have come and empty handed we will go."

There is very instructive incident involving the life of Alexander, the great Greek king.
 
Alexander, after conquering many kingdoms, was returning home. On the way, he fell ill and it took him to his death bed. With death staring him in his face, Alexander realized how his conquests, his great army, his sharp sword and all his wealth were of no consequence.
 
He now longed to reach home to see his mother's face and bid her his last adieu. But, he had to accept the fact that his sinking health would not permit Him to reach his distant homeland. So,The mighty conqueror lay prostrate and pale, helplessly waiting to breathe his last. He called his generals and said, "I will depart from this world soon,
 
I have three wishes, please carry them out without fail." With tears flowing down Their cheeks, the generals agreed to abide by their king's last wishes.
 
"My first desire is that," said Alexander, " My physicians alone must carry my coffin." After a pause, he continued, " Secondly, I desire that when my coffin is being carried to the grave, the path leading to the graveyard be strewn with gold, silver and precious stones which I have collected in my treasury.
 
"The king felt exhausted after saying this. He took a minute's rest and continued. "My third and last wish is that both my hands be kept dangling out of my coffin."  
 
The people who had gathered there wondered at the king's strange wishes. But no one dare bring the question to their lips.

Alexander's favorite general kissed his hand and pressed them to his heart. " O king, we assure you that your wishes will all be fulfilled.
 
But tell us why do you make such strange wishes?"
 
At this Alexander took a deep breath and said: " I would like the world to know of the three lessons I have just learnt. I want my physicians to carry my coffin because people should realize that no doctor can really cure any body.
 
They are powerless and cannot save a person from the clutches of death. So let not people take life for granted.
 
The second wish of strewing gold, silver and other riches on the way to the graveyard is to tell People that not even a fraction of gold will come with me. I spent all my life earning riches but cannot take anything with me. Let people realize that it is a sheer waste of time to chase wealth.
 
And about my third wish of having my hands dangling out of the coffin, I wish people to know that I came empty handed into this world and empty handed I go out of this world."

With these words, the king closed his eyes. Soon he let death conquer him and breathed his last. . . . .
 
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on June 13, 2006, 12:14:34 PM
The most important body part
 
My mother used to ask me: "What is the most important part of the body?"

Through the years I would take a guess at what I thought was the correct answer. When I was younger, I thought sound was very important to us as humans, so I said, "My ears, Mommy."

She said, "No Many people are deaf. But you keep thinking about it and I will ask you again soon."

Several years passed before she asked me again. Since making my first attempt, I had contemplated the correct answer. So this time I told her, "Mommy, sight is very important to everybody, so it must be our eyes."

She looked at me and told me, "You are learning fast, but the answer is not correct because there are many people who are blind."

Stumped again, I continued my quest for knowledge. Over the years, Mother asked me a couple more times and always her answer was, "No, but you are getting smarter every year, my child."

Then last year, my grandpa died. Everybody was hurt. Everybody was crying. Even my father cried. I remember that especially because it was only the second time I saw him cry. My Mom looked at me when it was our turn to say our final good-bye to Grandpa.

She asked me, "Do you know the most important body part yet, my dear?"

I was shocked when she asked me this now. I always thought this was a game between her and me. She saw the confusion on my face and told me, "This question is very important. It shows that you have really lived in your life. For every body part you gave me in the past, I have told you was wrong and I have given you an example why. But today is the day you need to learn this important lesson."

She looked down at me as only a mother can. I saw her eyes well up with tears. She said, "My dear, the most important body part is your shoulder."

I asked, "Is it because it holds up my head?"

She replied, "No, it is because it can hold the head of a friend or a loved one when they cry. Everybody needs a shoulder to cry on sometime in life, my dear. I only hope that you have enough love and friends that you will always have a shoulder to cry on when you need it."

Then and there I knew the most important body part is not a selfish one. It is sympathetic to the pain of others. People will forget what you said... People will forget what you did.... But people will NEVER forget how you made them feel.

True or not, the story makes you stop and think. Be blessed. Be a blessing. Get your shoulder ready...
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on June 16, 2006, 04:43:54 AM
How the 'obvious' obviously escapes our eyes!

"God is riding on his pony across the skies, keeping an eye on every little action of yours, my little child," said the old man. What made him rather handsome was his utter lack of physical beauty. The rats had robbed all his teeth from under the pillow but his smile was divine—toothless and without any snarl. He had clouds in his eyes and a sense of nonchalance for everything around him.

The children of the village loved his antics and the little anecdotes he told them so effortlessly. His lack of pretense made the villagers adore him. He loved everybody and had a smile for everybody.

The biggest mysteries and the best hidden secrets in life are those that are omnipresent and glaring at you. The old man was remarkable in a way. He cried your tears and shared your laughter. Enthusiasm perpetuated around him. Yet he was unaffected by anything. He spoke of God but never prayed. Guilt was an emotion unknown to him. The old man appeared to be a cross between a gypsy and a saint. He gurgled with joy, his thoughts were lofty and yet there was a tranquility within him that was beyond the scope of mere mortals.

One of his favorite stories was how he had quietly woken up one night and hidden behind a tree to see God wander into the village, careful not to be identified. "He stepped into a puddle and wet his ankles and the pony laughed!" remarked the old man rather gleefully to the wonderstruck children around him. "Then God went into the village temple and sat down in deep despair. Tears trickled down his angelic face and the nearby jungles began to reverberate with the weeping of animals. I guess God too feels sad sometimes," the old man mused.

"Unable to see so beautiful a face cry, I patted God on his shoulder and squeezed his hand gently. The big round benevolent eyes beckoned me to soothe God. I was dumbfounded at the lack of godliness and glimpses of weakness in our creator. We are always praying to him for help. But he too has to fight his own battles! God made man and gave us the earth—a festival of gaiety and colors and springs and watermelons in the desert. And we pay our due by thanking him vociferously through temples and mosques," the old man went on rather thoughtfully. "Come to think of it, God would have been much happier if we appreciated his world more silently." He added a few moments later: "When I patted God's shoulder, pearls of truth fell from his mouth. 'Religion makes me cry,' uttered God sadly. He then sat on his pony and rode off into the distant horizon."

The children and the village folk stared at the old man, envying him for his encounter with God. They too stayed awake in the long nights hoping for a miracle encounter but nothing happened. The old man smiled mischievously. His identity was still a secret. He wondered how the 'obvious' obviously escapes our eyes!

Isn't???
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: OmSaiRamNowOn on June 19, 2006, 11:41:37 AM
Once there was an old alley cat walking down the street looking for his dinner. As he walked along he came upon a beautiful young cat who was running around in circles chasing her tail. Around and around she went trying as hard as she could to catch her tail.

The old alley cat stopped and asked her, "What are you doing?"

The young cat slowed down and replied that she had been taught that joy, happiness, success and luck were all in the tip of her tail.

"All that I have to do is catch the end of my tail, and I will have the happy life, she said.

The old alley cat replied, "I've been around for a long time, and I know that joy, happiness, success and luck are in the tip of my tail; but, you know if I don't chase it and work my very hardest and don't worry about it, the happy life follows me wherever I go. My tail follows me everywhere, so I don't need to chase it."

Happiness isn't a place, a time, or a possession. You have to make it happen. The ways to make it happen is to stop worrying about everything and just go about your business, and do your very best. Then, if you really work hard, your happiness will follow you just like the alley cat's tail.
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on June 21, 2006, 01:44:36 AM
Nature, Nurture: Supreme Power of Prakriti...We are helpless puppets of the Prakriti.

The inner temperament determined by nature, and the quality of work developed by nurture, define a man. The physical and mental characteristics of an individual are supreme; they determine his interactions with the world, overriding all other considerations.
 
   Asks Krishna in the Bhagavad Gita: “Even a learned man behaves according to his nature, so what will repression accomplish?” A childless king decreed that upon his death, succession would be decided by the royal elephant. Upon his demise, the royal elephant picked up a cobbler and put him on the throne. Familiar with the trials and tribulations of a common man, he set about remedying them in a manner he understood best. His first royal order bewildered the court. “From now on”, the cobbler-king declared, “the currency of this kingdom shall no longer be made of flimsy paper — all currency notes henceforth shall be made of leather!” A cobbler remains a cobbler even when anointed as a king. It is easy to take a boy out of the village, but very difficult to take the village out of the boy. That’s the power of nature.
   A frog and a scorpion were returning home after completing a period of spiritual tutelage from their guru. En route they had to cross a river in flood. The scorpion requested his friend the frog to carry him across the river.

   “Never”, said the frog, “if you should sting me while crossing, I shall surely drown”. The scorpion retorted: “Even if you do not trust me, you must at least realise that if I bit you while crossing, both of us would drown. Out of self-interest alone, I would be constrained from stinging you”.

   Reluctantly, the frog took the scorpion on his back and began swimming across the river. Halfway across the river, the scorpion savagely stung the frog. As the paralysed frog sank beneath the waves, he wailed, “O friend, what made you decide to kill both of us?” The scorpion realising his own dire fate, cried out, “I could not help myself — after all it is my nature!”

   How do you respond to the world and people in it? We all respond according to our nature. A saint was bathing in the Ganges when he noticed a scorpion fall in the river from an overhanging branch. Seeing the struggling and drowning scorpion, the saint picked it out of the water and attempted to carry it to dry land.

   The scorpion immediately stung the rescuing hand. Shocked by the pain, the saint dropped the scorpion into the water. Recovering from the pain, the saint again rescued the scorpion. Once again he was rewarded by another sting resulting in his dropping it back into the water. An exasperated onlooker remarked, “Why does the stupid scorpion keep stinging the hand that rescues it? And why do you keep trying to help it?” The saint smiled and replied, “The scorpion cannot help stinging the hand that rescues it for that is its nature. I cannot help continuing to rescue the scorpion because that is my nature”.

   All of us are helpless puppets of the Prakriti that imprisons us. An awareness of the limited latitude we enjoy, allows us to surrender to our destiny. Recognising that those around us also are helplessly acting according to their natures, frees us from judgment and takes us towards acceptance and love.
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: OmSaiRamNowOn on June 21, 2006, 01:32:38 PM
The Big Fish

Two men went fishing. One was an experienced fisherman, the other wasn’t. Every time the experienced fisherman caught a big fish, he put it in his ice chest to keep it fresh. Whenever the inexperienced fisherman caught a big fish, he threw it back. The experienced
fisherman watched this go on all day and finally got tired of seeing the man waste good fish. “Why do you keep throwing back all the big fish you catch?” he asked. The inexperienced fisherman replied, “I only have a small frying pan.” Sometimes, like that fisherman, we throwback the big plans, big dreams, big jobs, big opportunities that God gives us. Our faith is too small. We laugh at that fisherman who didn’t figure out that all he needed was a bigger frying pan, yet how ready are we to increase the size of our faith?
Whether it’s a problem or a possibility, God will never give you anything bigger than you can handle. That means we can confidently walk into anything God brings our way. Nothing is too big for God.

REMEMBER
Stop telling God you’ve got big problems.
Tell your problems you’ve got a BIG GOD!
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on June 26, 2006, 09:32:09 AM
The Real Love.....

Ramkrishna Paramhans was a great devotee of the mother goddess, Kali. And it was not a formality, it was not just like going every Sunday to the church. He was the priest of the temple of Kali, but his behavior was strange. Sometimes he would worship, sometimes he would not open the doors of the temple at all. Sometimes he would worship the whole day, from morning to evening, till he fell down unconscious from dancing.

Rani Rasmani had made the temple near the Ganges in Calcutta -- a beautiful temple and a very scenic place. But Rani Rasmani, although she was a queen of a small kingdom, belonged to the fourth caste of the Hindus, the untouchables. So no brahmin was ready to become a priest in the temple of an untouchable. For years there was no priest. Rasmani was very much in trouble. She looked all over Bengal; she was ready to give any salary the priest wanted, but no brahmin was ready to worship in a temple of a sudra, an untouchable.

But when Ramakrishna was approached, he said, "I will come." Even Rasmani was a little puzzled: the man seems to be a little mad, because no brahmin was ready to come. Ramakrishna said, "Whether the temple is made by an untouchable or by a brahmin, the highest caste, the mother Kali is the same; it doesn't matter. I am coming, and whatever salary you feel is right, must be right. I don't know much about money -- you are a queen, your decision will be far better."

When she heard that sometimes he dances, sings songs the whole day, and sometimes he does not even open the door, Rani Rasmani called him and said, "This is not right."

He said, "Nobody can say to me what is right and what is wrong: it is a love affair. Only I know and my mother Kali knows. Sometimes I get angry at her when she does not behave. I have been for three days dancing, and she has not even given a little vision to me? Now let her be punished! I am not going to open the doors, and I am not going to offer the food."

Rasmani said, "You are strange! You are supposed to be a priest -- you have to do the ritual."

He said, "I am not a priest, and I am not supposed to do any ritual. I love! I love the Kali in my village. I will continue; if you are worried you can stop my salary... because when I prepare food for Kali first I taste it, then I offer it to her. So that's enough, I don't need much -- I can just taste a little more!"
 
This was unimaginable. In India you cannot taste anything and then offer it to God, or to a goddess. Rasmani said, "This is too much!"

He said, "No. My mother used to do the same. She would taste everything before she gave it to me. Was it worth giving or not? Has the taste come out right or not? I cannot offer anything to my mother without tasting it."

This man, Ramakrishna, was really in love with that statue.
 
Nobody was there, but his love was real. The goddess was unreal, but his love was not unreal.
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on June 27, 2006, 04:53:46 AM
Basket of Water.....

An old man lived on a farm in the mountains with his young grandson. Each morning Grandpa was up early sitting at the kitchen table reading his Gita.

His grandson wanted to be just like him and tried to imitate him in every way he could. One day the grandson asked, "Baba, I try to read the Gita just like you but I don't understand it, and what I do understand I forget as soon as I close the book. What good does reading the Gita do?"

The Grandfather quietly turned from putting coal in the stove and replied, "Take this coal basket down to the river and bring me back a basket of water." The boy did as he was told,

but all the water leaked out before he got back to the house. The grandfather laughed and said, "You'll have to move a little faster next time," and sent him back to the river with the basket to try again.

This time the boy ran faster, but again the basket was empty before he returned home. Out of breath, he told his grandfather that it was impossible to carry water in a basket, and he went to get a bucket instead.

The old man said, "I don't want a bucket of water; I want a basket of water. You're just not trying hard enough," and he went out of the door to watch the boy try again.

At this point, the boy knew it was impossible, but he wanted to show his grandfather that even if he ran as fast as he could, the water would leak out before he got back o the house.

The boy again dipped the basket into river and ran hard, but when he reached his grandfather the basket was again empty.

Out of breath, he said, "See Baba, it's  useless!"

"So you think it is useless?" The old man said, "Look at the basket."

The boy looked at the basket and for the first time realized that the basket was different. It had been transformed from a dirty old coal basket and was now clean, inside and out.

"Son, that's what happens when you read the Gita. You might not understand or remember everything, but when you read it, you will be changed, inside and out. That is the work of God in our lives."
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: OmSaiRamNowOn on June 27, 2006, 10:13:26 AM
Very nice message in the story. Thank you Bhai for posting such lessons.


OM SAI RAM !
OM SAI SRI SAI JAYA JAYA SAI !!

-Anju
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on June 27, 2006, 11:50:57 AM
Elephant & Frog

An elephant came to the edge of a stream of clear rushing water.   Being thirsty, the elephant leaned over, dropped its trunk into the cool water and... plunk.
 
"What? What happened?" the elephant cried. "I can't see! My eye...   it fell in the water! Oh nooooooh," the elephant wailed in a panic,   "I lost my eye!"
 
And, in fact, the elephant's right eye had popped out of its socket and fallen into the stream. The elephant searched frantically for the eye, groping with its trunk along the bottom of the stream.  The more he groped, the cloudier the water became. That made him panic even more, and he started churning up great piles of sand, until he couldn't see anything.
 
Then the elephant heard the sound of laughing.   Furious, he looked around to see who it was, and saw a little green frog sitting on a log, laughing and laughing.
 
"You think this is funny?" the elephant shouted. "I lose an eye and that makes you laugh?"  "What's funny is to see how upset you are. Calm down and everything will be fine," the frog replied.
 
The elephant felt a little ashamed and took the frog's advice.  He stopped moving his trunk around, and soon the water became clearer as the sand sank to the bottom. And there in the stream lay his eye.   He reached for it with his trunk and popped it back into its socket.   And then he thanked the frog.
 
There's nothing funny about losing an eye... the sudden panic, thrashing around in murky water, desperation... that's exactly what happens to us when we lose control  and panic. Our haste makes us blind.   Wait until the situation becomes clear and the black clouds disperse.
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on June 29, 2006, 02:48:16 AM
Why Your Mother Always Walks Beside You

The young mother set her foot on the path of life. “Is this the long way?” she asked. The guide said: “Yes, but the way is hard, and you will be old before you reach the end of it. But the end will be better than the beginning”.

   But the young mother was happy, and she would not believe that anything could be better than these years. So she played with her children, and gathered flowers for them along the way, bathed them in the clear streams; and the sun shone on them. But the young mother cried, “Nothing will ever be lovelier than this.
 
   Then the night came, and the storm, the path was dark, and the children shook with fear and cold. The mother drew them close and covered them with her mantle. The children said, “Mother, we are not afraid, for you are near, and no harm can come”.
 
   The morning came, there was a hill ahead, and the children climbed and grew weary, and the mother was weary. But at all times she said to the children, “A little patience and we are there”. So the children climbed. When they reached the top they said, “Mother, we would not have done it without you”.

   The mother, when she lay down at night, looked up at the stars and said, “This is a better day than the last, for my children have learned fortitude in the face of hardness. Yesterday I gave them courage; today, I have given them strength”.
 
   The next day came strange clouds which darkened the earth, clouds of war and hate and evil. The children groped and stumbled. The mother said: “Look up. Lift your eyes to the light. The children looked up and saw the clouds above in an everlasting glory, which guided them beyond the darkness. That night the mother said, “This is the best day of all, for I have shown my children God”. The days went on, the weeks, the months and the years. The mother grew old and she was little and bent, but her children were tall and strong, and walked with courage. When the way was rough, they lifted her, for she was as light as a feather. At last they came to a hill and beyond they could see a shining road and golden gates flung wide open.

   The mother said, “I have reached the end of my journey. Now I know the end is better than the beginning, for my children can walk alone, and their children after them”. The children said, “You will always walk with us, Mother, even when you have gone through the gates”. As they stood and watched her as she went on alone, the gates closed after her. They said: “We cannot see her but she is with us still. A mother like ours is more than a memory, she is a living presence...”.

   Your mother is always with you... She’s the whisper of the leaves as you walk down the street. She’s the smell of soap in your freshly laundered socks. She’s the cool hand on your brow when you’re not well. Your mother lives inside your laughter. She’s crystallised in every tear drop. She’s the place you came from, your first home. She’s the map you follow with every step you take. She’s your first love and your first heartbreak, and nothing on earth can separate you. Not time, not space... not even death!
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on June 30, 2006, 01:41:13 AM
“Sangham Sharanam Gachhami, Dhammam Sharanam Gachhami”.

The most attractive thing in Vaishali, the capital city of Lichhavis, was the beautiful dancer Amrapali. She was named after the mango grove she was first found in. Everybody was eager to win her love. She chose to be the Nagarvadhu, wife to the whole city.

   One day, Amrapali saw a young monk. Mesmerised by his calm and attractive presence, she followed him. The sanyasi settled down beneath a mango tree, unmindful of her presence. Unable to attract his attention, she spoke: “Sir, please introduce yourself. Why do you lead an ascetic life in your youth?” “In search of Truth”, replied the monk. Amrapali was first taken aback. She then teased him: “Of what use is the Truth that wastes your youth?” The monk smiled: “Lady, Absolute Happiness can only be attained thus for the happiness you seek is transitory pleasure”.

   Amrapali persisted. “Dear, leave this delusion and enjoy my hospitality which even royalty desires to experience”, offered Amrapali. The monk thought for a moment and said, “I will ask my master. If he allows me, I will come”. Then he took out a ripe Amra Phal (mango) from his bag and gave it to her with the instruction that the fruit be preserved without decay till his return.

   The monk returned to Buddha’s shelter and narrated the incident. Buddha gave him permission to stay with Amrapali, much to the puzzlement of other disciples. Buddha calmly said, “I have looked into his eyes — there was no desire. If I had said ‘no’, even then he would have obliged. I trust his meditation”.

   In the meantime, Amrapali tried all methods to keep the mango fresh, but failed. After one month, the young monk returned. Passionately infatuated, she approached him. The monk ordered, “Lady! Bring me the Amra Phal”. She did so; but the mango had decayed, emitting foul odour and was full of worms. She asked, “Dear, of what use is this rotten fruit to you?” The monk slowly removed the mango-stone from the fruit. Showing her the rotten skin, he spoke, “Where has the beauty, aroma and taste of the fruit gone? Whereas, the mango-stone is intact and free of decay”. “Of what use is this mango-stone”, argued the courtesan.

   The monk smilingly explained, “The mangostone is the most useful. As a seed, it has the potential to regenerate a new body. Likewise, a human being’s meditation is never wasted. This mango-stone signifies the eternal Soul. The protection of the Soul is the real shield; that is the absolute Happiness. Recognise this Truth, Amrapali. You, who could not save the decay of this Amra Phal, how long can you protect your own body from disintegration?”

   The Nagarvadhu was speechless; it was as if she had been awakened from a deep sleep. Moved, she asked forgiveness of the young monk. She felt cleansed and expressed her desire to see the monk’s master. Later, Buddha visited Vaishali and stayed at Amrapali’s abode. She touched Buddha’s feet and said, “I tried my best to attract your monk, but he convinced me by his awareness that real life is in your shelter”. She renunciated the life of a courtesan and donated her belongings to the Buddhist Sangha. Buddha accepted her in the monastery as a disciple, to the chant of “Sangham Sharanam Gachhami, Dhammam Sharanam Gachhami”.
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on July 03, 2006, 12:55:42 AM
"RAINBOW"......Come Lets Join our Hands together

Once upon a time, The colors of the world Started to quarrel. All claimed they were the best, The most important, The most useful, The favorite.

"GREEN" said,

"Clearly I am the most important ... I am the sign of life and of hope; I was chosen for grass, trees and leaves, Without me, all animals would die;Look over the countryside And you will see that I am in the majority."

"BLUE" interrupted,

"You only think about the earth, But consider the sky and the sea ... It is the water that is the basis of life And it is drawn up by the clouds from the deep sea;  The sky gives space and peace and serenity, Without my peace, you would all be nothing."

"YELLOW"" chuckled,

"You are all so serious ...I bring laughter, gaiety, and warmth into the world, The sun, the moon and the stars are all yellow; Every time you look at a sunflower,  The whole world starts to smile, Without me there would be no fun."

"ORANGE"" started next to blow her trumpet ..
 
"I am the color of health and strength, I may be scarce, but I am precious For I serve the needs of human life, I carry the most important vitamins; Think of carrots, pumpkins, oranges, and mangoes,I don't hang around all the time, But when I do, I fill the sky at sunrise or sunset,  My beauty is so striking that no one gives Another thought to any of you."

"RED"" could stand it no longer so he shouted out ...
 
"I am the ruler of all of you! I am blood ... life's blood!I am the color of danger and of bravery, I am willing to fight for a cause,I bring fire into the blood; Without me, the earth would be as empty as the moon,I am the color of passion and of love, The red rose, the poinsettia and the poppy."

"PURPLE"" rose up to his full height,

He was very tall and spoke with great pomp ..."I am the color of royalty and power, Kings, chiefs, and bishops have always chosen me For I am the sign of authority and wisdom, People do not question me! They listen and obey."

Finally "INDIGO" spoke,

Much more quietly than all the others, But with just as much determination ...

"Think of me. I am the color of silence, You hardly notice me,But without me you all become superficial; I represent thought and reflection, twilight and deep water, You need me for balance and contrast, For prayer and inner peace."

And so the colors went on boasting, Each convinced of his or her own superiority. Their quarreling became louder and louder. Suddenly there was a startling flash of bright lightning! Thunder rolled and boomed! Rain started to pour down relentlessly.

The colors crouched down in fear, Drawing close to one another for comfort.

In the midst of the clamor, "RAIN" began to speak ..."You foolish colors, fighting amongst yourselves, Each trying to dominate the rest; Don't you know that you were each made For a special purpose, unique and different? Join hands with one another and come to me."

Doing as they were told, the colors united and joined hands.The rain continued, "From now on, when it rains, Each of you will stretch across the sky In a great bow of color as a reminder That you can all live in peace.The Rainbow is a sign of hope for tomorrow."

And so, whenever a good rain washes the world, and a Rainbow appears in the sky, let us remember to appreciate one another. There is something very SPECIAL in each and every one of us. We have all been gifted with the ability to make a DIFFERENCE.
 
If we can become AWARE of that GIFT, we gain through the STRENGTH of our VISION, the POWER to SHAPE THE FUTURE
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on July 04, 2006, 02:12:00 AM
Who’s Afraid of the Big Bad Boggart?

Long, long ago, Rabbit, known to be a fearless and respected warrior, was a great friend of Eye Walker, a witch with great magical powers. Out climbing a high mountain one hot day, Rabbit declared, “I’m tired and so thirsty”. Eye Walker, picking up a leaf, blew on it, turning it to a gourd of water. Rabbit drank it all, saying nothing. Later, when he said “I’m so hungry”, Eye Walker picked up a stone, blew on it, handing Rabbit a turnip that he ate with relish, still not saying a word.

   They had almost reached the top when Rabbit fell, rolling all the way down to the bottom. Eye Walker used a magic salve which eased his pains and healed his broken bones in minutes. Still, Rabbit didn’t say a thing.

   Some days later Eye Walker, hoping to go on another long walk, searched high and low for Rabbit, who was nowhere to be found. A week later, she met him quite by accident. “Rabbit, why are you hiding and avoiding me?” she asked.

   “Because your magic scares me. Stay away from me”.

   “I used my powers to help you, and now you refuse my friendship!” Sadly, she added, “Though I can easily destroy you with my magic, I won’t, because we have been such good friends. But, from this day forward I lay a curse on you and your kind. From now on, you will attract what you fear, and your fears will come to you”.
 
   A frightened Rabbit now shouts: “Eagle, don’t you dare come near me!” If he feels Eagle hasn’t heard him, Rabbit yells even louder, “Eagle, stay away from me, do you hear!” Eagle, now hearing Rabbit, can come find him, and kill and eat him.

   An old proverb cautions us: What you most wish for and what you most fear will both come true! If we believe that we can influence, if not actually create our own ‘realities’, then it makes sense that by wanting something desperately or not wanting something equally desperately — we give those ‘things’ a lot of energy to help them manifest in our lives.

   Befriending our fears has often been offered as a solution; easier said than done, we hear ourselves say! However, a popular set of children’s books shows us another brilliant and often effective way, by introducing us to The Boggart ...

   In Celtic mythology, a boggart was a mischievous household spirit, given to making life miserable for those in whose houses it decided to stay. In the Harry Potter books, a boggart is given an intriguing new twist as a kind of shapeshifter. When anyone looks at it, it changes shape to become whatever that person fears the most.
 
   Due to its tendency to hide in relatively small, dark, enclosed places, such as in closets, under beds, or in tree hollows, it is quite likely that the boggart’s natural form is fairly small; only when we give it any importance does it seem HUGE!

   Now here comes the best part — to make the boggart disappear, you can use the ‘Riddikulus’ spell, knowing that boggarts are weakened by laughter. This is achieved by transforming the image of your greatest fear into something else, something amusing or silly — therefore harmless — pointing a wand at the boggart and confidently saying: “Riddikulus”.

   What’s your boggart? And how will you use the spell?
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on July 06, 2006, 01:26:44 PM
FLOUR FALLEN INTO THE MUD

Kabeer Keecharr Aataa Gir Pariaa Kishoo Na Aaio Haath. Peesat Peesat Chaabiaa Soee Nibihiaa Saath :

Kabeer, the flour has fallen into the mud; nothing has come into my hands. That which was eaten while it was being ground - that alone is of any use

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Everyone must be knowing as to how the flour was grinded in old days in villages of India. Ladies used to get up every night early and grind fresh flour (Aataa Peesan) for about couple of hours, enough to make Rotee etc. for the entire family and any guests. Manual grinding-mill called Chakkee consisting of two circular grinding stones (Purre or millstones) was commonly used. The top stone of the circular mill apparatus had a little hole (Moree) in its middle for pouring grains (Daane), and a handle near the edge to facilitate its rotating on the bottom stone. Around both stones was a small and narrow channel (usually made of clay) to collect flour. At times many ladies from the neighborhood would assemble in one place to grind the flour together in a concert like manner, mothers with their infants in their laps. They would joyously sing folk songs (Lok Geet), and eat a bit of grains here and there while grinding. They would generally finish this daily chore before the day light (Poh Pahatanee), collect their flour and walk in the dark and often muddy street back to their respective homes. It was very natural and wonderful scene, not easy to describe. Sometime, while walking back to their homes, one would slip in the unlighted muddy street (Galee), spilling her entire flour into the mud! Baabaa Kabir Sahib is using that incident here as an example to impart Spiritual Wisdom to all of us.
 
There are some Spiritual suggestions offered by this verse. First, many of us visit a religious place or attend a Spiritual activity for couple of hours here and there, and as soon we leave the place, we end up engaging ourselves rest of the day in the worldly nonsense (lust, anger, greed, attachment, self-conceit, jealousy, stubborn mindedness and there numerous variations), leading us to actions that cause grief or inconvenience to other living entities, and serious damage to the environment and ecology of the planet. Such efforts of ours visiting religious places or attending Spiritual activities for few hours and than allowing in rest of the time our life to fritter away in the pursuit of sense objects is similar to the efforts of the woman whose flour has fallen into the mud and has nothing to show for her labor. It is like shaking off whatever we learn right there, and head home empty handed. By just attending cogragation, the mind thinks it has become Dharmaatamaa, Spiritual or better than others, without applying the teachings to daily life. This ia trap of our mind (false ego-sense or Haume). A little story may elaborate this point.

A shop keeper took his young son to a religious congregation. His young son enjoyed it so much that he regularly started going there by himself. One day he was alone minding his father's shop. A cow came and started eating flour from one of the the barrels in the shop. The son saw it but did not stop the cow from eating the flour. Meanwhile his father showed up at the shop and became furious upon seeing a cow eating flour, and his son doing nothing about it. The old man angrily inquired, "Are you brain damaged? Do you not see the cow eating flour?". "Yes father, I see it", replied the son. "Then why are you not doing anything about it?", asked the father. "Because I heard in the yesterday's congregation that the same One God ravels in all beings", explained the son. The old man said, "You fool, you are supposed to shake off all you learn right there in the congregation. You are not supposed to bring any teachings home! Look at me, I have been attending the congregation all my life, have I become like you? No, because I leave teachings behind right there before departing the congregation!"

Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on July 07, 2006, 02:48:26 AM
Be Cool, Draw Energy From Spiritual Devotion

Have you seen how peacefully a child sleeps in the lap of his parent, even in a noisy, crowded local train? The hustle-bustle disturbs everyone, but not the child, due to his implicit faith in the protection of his parent.

   All of us strive diligently to overcome our many fears: financial, familial, social, academic and physical. However, the necessary security measures like insurances, helmets, buzzer alarms and health check-ups fail to free us from a disconcerting sense of insecurity within us. Why?

   All fear originates in an unbalanced, unrealistic material conception of life. The material aspect of our life has its importance; we need to feed, clothe, house and provide for ourselves and our loved ones. Krishna says in the Bhagavad Gita that when we seek our sense of identity, self-worth, security and pleasure exclusively from our material positions and possessions, we open ourselves to fear. Because the material realm is characterised by constant, unpredictable changes, which often threaten to destroy or harm whatever is dear to us. We prepare ourselves to face some of the small, predictable and controllable changes, but still we consciously or subconsciously dread the huge, unpredictable and uncontrollable changes.

   How should we overcome fear? The more things change, the more we need to embrace the things that don’t change: “Of the material, there is no endurance and of the spiritual, there is no cessation”. Beyond the stage of material activity that preoccupies our mind lies a vast, unexplored realm of spiritual tranquillity. We are spiritual beings, souls, originally from a spiritual world, the kingdom of God, who is our eternal loving father. Currently we are occupying material bodies and inhabiting this material world. The more we harmonise with our spiritual nature, the more we become fearless. Understanding that we are, at our core, spiritual and, hence indestructible, fills us with an unshakeable selfsecurity; we recognise that worldly upheavals that affect our material assets have no power whatsoever to hurt us.

   By chanting the holy names of BABA SAI like the Sai Mahamantra, we progressively experience both our own spiritual identity and BABA’s protective presence and guidance in our life. The more we enrich our faith by chanting, the more our devotion for BABA increases. And when we make our life’s work a devotional offering for His service, we focus more on the object of our service. This shift of focus releases large reserves of mental energy, which are choked by our worry about the future. Chanting gives us the calmness to see that almost all fears are more perceived than experienced. The more we become free from fear of the future, the more we can fully absorb ourselves in our present duties.

   Spiritual principles and practices empower us to access and utilise even our material talents better. Ultimately spirituality is the only way to conquer the greatest of all fears — death. For a mature devotee, death is not a fearful termination of existence, but a joyful reunion with BABA SAI. Just as the child stays peaceful amidst chaos, let us become tranquil amidst ups and downs by empowering ourselves with spiritual devotion.
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on July 11, 2006, 02:21:48 AM
Happy Gurupoornima....Guru as Guiding Light To Achieve Harmony

Everyone experiences the soul inside the body. The ‘I’ is different from body, sense organs, mind, vital airs and also knowledge. We refer to ‘my’ hand, ‘my’ eyes, ‘my’ mind and ‘my’ knowledge, thereby differentiating the soul from the body and sense organs.
   
The body is meant for the use of the soul. The body is also supported by the soul. Unlike a cup which supports water, which is inside it, the soul which is actually inside the body supports the body. If the soul leaves the body, the body just cannot support itself and it falls. Also, the body is controlled by the soul. Soul is the one which makes the decisions on what the body should do. Philosopher-saint Ramanuja extended this relationship of body-soul to the entire universe and God. The entire universe is the body of God. The Vedic texts declare univocally this bodysoul relationship of the entire universe with God.
   
God lives within all in the universe as the inner-self. Hence all are meant for the purpose of God, are supported and are controlled by God. God is also the inner-self of our self. Our self is also being controlled and supported by Him and is meant for His purpose only. This kind of a perception can lead to harmony.
   
In our body, one hand would not cause injury to the other hand as it knows that both hands are part of the same self. In the same way, one person would not cause injury to another if this view of all things being the body of God is realised. Then no one would cause injury to anyone else. Would it not lead to a wonderful, peaceful world?
   
If there is an injury in one of the legs, would the hands not help in applying balm, massaging it? This is because the legs and hands belong to the same self. In the same way, if we realise that all beings are the body of the Supreme One, would one not help another in trouble instinctively? Would that not lead to a harmonious world?
   
Though we can easily understand such a concept, it is most difficult to practise because one needs to train the mind to start thinking in this direction. This can be achieved by meditation or upaasana which yogis practise and so they start seeing God in everyone. People like Ramakrishna Paramahansa, Ramana Maharshi and Aurobindo were yogis who practised such views and people around them have actually seen this. Hence one cannot say that it is not practically possible to adopt such a view in life. It is only through hard practice and ‘sadhana’ that one can train the mind to practise the perspective of seeing God as the universal self.
   
The Upanishads, Gita and other texts have detailed methods of bringing such concepts to practice. But it is very difficult for one to read, understand and assimilate the message of these texts directly. Hence one needs to go to a guru who has understood and practised these realities and study all these universal truths under the guru and then put them into practice.
   
A spiritual aspirant has to first identify a guru or wait for a guru to come to him and then get initiated into the spiritual path and continue it till the end with the single goal of getting liberated.
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on July 16, 2006, 01:01:11 AM
Parable Of The Pencil - Pencil story

The Pencil Maker took the pencil aside, just before putting him into the box.

"There are 5 things you need to know," he told the pencil, "Before I send you out into the world. Always remember them and never forget, and you will become the best pencil you can be."

"One: You will be able to do many great things, but only if you allow yourself to be held in Someone's hand."

"Two: You will experience a painful sharpening from time to time, but you'll need it to become a better pencil."

"Three: You will be able to correct any mistakes you might make."

"Four: The most important part of you will always be what's inside."

"And Five: On every surface you are used on, you must leave your mark. No matter what the condition, you must continue to write."

The pencil understood and promised to remember, and went into the box with purpose in its heart.

Now replacing the place of the pencil with you.  Always remember them and never forget, and you will become the best person you can be.

One: You will be able to do many great things, but only if you allow yourself to be held in God's hand. And allow other human beings to access you for the many gifts you possess.

Two: You will experience a painful sharpening from time to time, by going through various problems in life, but you'll need it to become a stronger person.

Three: You will be able to correct any mistakes you might make.

Four: The most important part of you will always be what's on the inside.

And Five: On every surface you walk through, you must leave your mark. No matter what the situation, you must continue to do your duties.

Allow this parable on the pencil to encourage you to know that you are a special person and only you can fulfill the purpose to which you were born to accomplish.

Never allow yourself to get discouraged and think that your life is insignificant and cannot make a change.
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: OmSaiRamNowOn on July 18, 2006, 11:32:48 AM
SPELL OF LIFE

There was a king who had a servant who was a great drunkard. Once, wishing to amuse himself, the king told the other servants to give the man a lot to drink and to put him into his own bed when he was completely overcome. When the day broke, there were musicians playing, as was the custom, and ten or twelve girls were singing in the king's room to waken him.

When the servant awoke he thought, 'What has happened to me? Last night I was a servant; now I am in the king's bed and everything is kingly! Am I a servant or am I a king?' When he looked at the girls, they all bowed. Everyone called him 'Your Majesty'.

He got up and went out. Then he came to the Durbar. There he was seated on a throne and all the vizirs came, bowed before him, and presented their addresses. He thought, 'I must be a king. If I had only been a king in the bedroom, it would have been nothing, but here too everyone bows and says "Your Majesty!"'

The whole day he enjoyed his kingship. But in the evening his wife came. The night before, when he did not come home, she had thought that perhaps he was lying drunk somewhere. She looked for him everywhere, and when she could not find him she went to the palace. No one stopped her, because the king had given his orders. When her husband saw her he looked at her as if she were death; he thought, 'I cannot be a king, because if I were, my wife would not be here. I shall have to go with her!' She said, 'What are you doing here? You did not come home; I have had no food, and you are enjoying yourself here. Come with me.' He said, 'I do not know you; go away.' But she said, 'You are my husband, come with me.' And she dragged him away, while he kept on saying, 'I am a king, I am a king.'

Man in his dream of life is always running after the passing clouds. And when does he awaken? When the wife comes. And what is the wife? The wife is the destructiveness of nature; and when she comes as death he sees that all that he has and all that he calls his own will be left behind: his name, his fame, his possessions. Everything is for those who live, and for him there is only the grave. He can take nothing with him. Then he realizes that none of these things can give him everlasting peace and satisfaction, and he looks for something which can give him these.

It is only a question of his consciousness.A awakened person dies before his death, and experiences in life what the condition will be after death. In other words, he invites his wife to visit him, and welcomes her through his kingship, so that he may not have to be dragged away by her but may even enjoy life with her, with his wife on earth.
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on July 26, 2006, 06:13:05 AM
The Infinite Power of Positive Thinking

To make our life a meaningful one, we need to mind our thoughts, for our thoughts are the foundation, the inspiration, the motivating power of our deeds. We create our entire world by the way we think. Thoughts are the causes and conditions are the effects.

   Our circumstances and conditions are not dictated by the world outside; it is the world inside us that creates the outside. Self-awareness comes from the mind which means soul. Mind is the sum total of the states of consciousness grouped under thought, will and feeling. Besides self-consciousness we have the power to choose and think. Krishna says: ‘‘No man resteth a moment inactive’’. Even when inactive on the bodily plane, we are all the time acting on the thought plane. Therefore if we observe ourselves, we can easily mould our thoughts. If our thoughts are pure and noble, naturally actions follow the same. If our thoughts are filled with jealousy, hatred and greed, our actions will be the same.

   Karmically, however, thought or intent is more responsible and dynamic than an act. One may perform a charitable act, but if he does not think charitably and is doing the act just for the sake of gain and glory, it is his thoughts that will determine the result. Theosophy teaches us that every thought, no matter how fleeting, leaves a seed in the mind of the thinker. These small seeds together go to make up a large thought seed and determine one’s general character. Our thoughts affect the whole body. Each thought once generated and sent out becomes independent of the brain and mind and will live upon its own energy depending upon its intensity.

   Trying to keep a thought from our mind can produce the very state we are trying to avoid. We can alter our environment to create the mood. When, for instance, we are depressed, if we sit by ourselves trying to think cheerful thoughts, we often do not succeed. But if we mix with people who are cheerful we can bring about a change in our mood and thoughts. Every thought we think, every act we perform, creates in us an impression, and that impression, like everything else, is subject to cyclic law and becomes repetitive in our mind. So we alone have the choice to create our thoughts and develop the kind of impressions that make our action more positive.

   We fill our heads with trivial facts but we have not thought of our transformation. We have advanced technologically but it is only a step. Everything around us is changing drastically but human nature remains the same and we are influenced by our surroundings and our environment. We have no time to think about our own Self, this impacts our thoughts and the type of impressions we create in our mind.

   Let us choose the thought seeds of right ideas, noble and courageous aspirations that will be received by minds of the same nature. Right introspection will be required of us to determine what we really desire to effect. Everything in the universe is inter-related and interdependent, that we live in one another and by accepting the grand principle of universal brotherhood, we shall be in a position to appreciate what a heavy responsibility is ever ours to think right. Let us reflect and send loving and helpful thoughts and lighten the load of the world’s suffering.
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on July 27, 2006, 11:51:53 AM
God Exists.....

A man went to a barber shop to have his hair cut and his beard trimmed.

As the barber began to work, they began to have a good conversation. They talked about so many things and various subjects.

When they eventually touched on the subject of God, the barber said: "I don't believe that God exists."

"Why do you say that?" asked the customer.

"Well, you just have to go out in the street to realize that God doesn't exist. Tell me, if God exists, would there be so many sick people? Would there be abandoned children? If God existed, there would be neither suffering nor pain. I can't imagine a loving God who would allow all of these things."

The customer thought for a moment, but didn't respond because he didn't want to start an argument.

The barber finished his job and the customer left the shop. Just after he left the barbershop, he saw a man in the street with long, stringy, dirty hair and an untrimmed beard. He looked dirty and unkempt.

The customer turned back and entered the barber shop again and he said to the barber: "You know what? Barbers do not exist."

"How can you say that?" asked the surprised barber. "I am here, and I am a barber. And I just worked on you!"

"No!" the customer exclaimed. "Barbers don't exist because if they did, there would be no people with dirty long hair and untrimmed beards, like that man outside."

"Ah, but barbers DO exist! " answered the barber. "What happens, is,
people do not come to me."

"Exactly!"- affirmed the customer.

"That's the point! God, too, DOES exist! What happens, is, people don't go to HIM and do not look for Him. That's why there's so much pain and suffering in the world."  

If you think God exists, forward this argument on to other people...
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on July 29, 2006, 03:03:52 AM
The Carpenter's House

An elderly carpenter was ready to retire. He told his employer-contractor of his plans to leave the house building business and live a more leisurely life with his wife enjoying his extended family.

He would miss the paycheck, but he needed to retire. They could get by.

The contractor was sorry to see his good worker go and asked if he could build just one more house as a personal favor. The carpenter said yes, but in time it was easy to see that his heart was not in his work. He resorted to shoddy workmanship and used inferior materials. It was an unfortunate way to end his career.

When the carpenter finished his work and the builder came to inspect the house, the contractor handed the front-door key to the carpenter. "This is your house," he said, "my gift to you."

What a shock! What a shame! If he had only known he was building his own house, he would have done it all so differently. Now he had to live i n the home he had built none too well.

So it is with us. We build our lives in a distracted way, reacting rather than acting, willing to put up less than the best. At important points we do not give the job our best effort. Then with a shock we look at the situation we have created and find that we are now living in the house we have built. If we had realized that we would have done it differently.

Think of yourself as the carpenter. Think about your house. Each day you hammer a nail, place a board, or erect a wall. Build wisely. It is the only life you will ever build. Even if you live it for only one day more, that day deserves to be lived graciously and with dignity. The plaque on the wall says, "Life is a do-it-yourself project." Your life tomorrow will be the result of your attitudes and the choices you make today.
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on July 29, 2006, 12:02:46 PM
Remove Blockages and Transform Your Life

Spiritual blockages are the result of mistakes of previous lives and also current life. These are ‘te’ or bad karma; harmful acts and even thoughts that you create will add to your bad karma. All aspects of one’s life are recorded in the Akashic records, or the Book of Life, which contains the history of every soul in the universe since Creation.

   Service that benefits humanity and the universe is categorised as good karma and those that harm, as bad karma. A person with good karma will receive divine blessings. Bad karma, however, is the root of blockages and disasters.

   You may or may not believe in karma. I am merely sharing my personal knowledge and views on the subject. As human beings in the physical world, we are subject to the laws of our country, state, and city. When we break these laws, we may become involved with lawyers and judges. You may not realise that every soul is subject to the spiritual laws of the universe. And, just as there are lawyers and judges in the physical world, there are lawyers and judges (so to speak) in the spiritual world, too. The effects of karma could appear instantly, or in years, or even lifetimes. If you are disciplined and committed to serving humanity, you will be freed of bad karma. Its effects will be obliterated or softened/postponed.

   Potential disasters in an individual’s life can be deferred or even averted. The more you serve, the more blessings you will receive. Think about yourself. Evaluate every aspect of your life. Some parts of your life are clearly blessed, others may not be. Correct your mistakes. Offer pure service to transform your life. It should be obvious that I believe deeply in reincarnation from my personal experience and my open spiritual channels. You may not believe in reincarnation and that is fine. But I am convinced that when we die, our soul goes to the universe, and later it will return. Up down, up down — every soul goes up and comes back to begin another life.

   The law of karma is epitomised by this Chinese saying: ‘‘Heaven is the most fair’’. For example, parents who honour, respect, and love their own parents a great deal will generally have children who love and honour them. The converse is also true. Karma is the reason why the Golden Rule can be found in a wide range of cultures and spiritual traditions. Do unto others as you would have them do unto you, because if you give love to others, you will receive love in return. If you argue with, disrespect, abuse, or hate others, you will receive conflict, disharmony, and bad treatment in return.
   
Spiritual blockages or bad karma are the root blockages in life. Think about your own life and the lives of your loved ones and friends. Do any of them make the same mistakes or encounter the same blockages again and again in their personal lives, their careers, or their family and romantic relationships? Why are they “stuck” in the same patterns? Why do some of them have such “bad luck’’? The answer is karma. If you are on a spiritual journey, you are searching for deep soul wisdom. Wisdom about karma is a key to making any spiritual journey. When you learn how to cleanse bad karma and remove spiritual blockages with your soul, mind and body, your life will be absolutely transformed.
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on August 03, 2006, 09:03:56 AM
A Box Full of Kisses

The story goes that some time ago, a man punished his 3-year-old daughter for wasting a roll of gold wrapping paper. Money was tight and he became infuriated when the child tried to decorate a box to put under the Christmas tree. Nevertheless, the little girl brought the gift to her father the next morning and said, "This is for you, Daddy."

The man was embarrassed by his earlier overreaction, but his anger flared again when he found out the box was empty. He yelled at her, stating, "Don't you know, when you give someone a present, there is supposed to be something inside? The little girl looked up at him with tears in her eyes and cried, "Oh, Daddy, it's not empty at all. I blew kisses into the box. They're all for you, Daddy."

The father was crushed. He put his arms around his little girl, and he begged for her forgiveness.

Only a short time later, an accident took the life of the child. It is also told that her father kept that gold box by his bed for many years and, whenever he was discouraged, he would take out an imaginary kiss and remember the love of the child who had put it there.

In a very real sense, each one of us, as humans beings, have been given a gold container filled with unconditional love and kisses... from our children, family members, friends, and God. There is simply no other possession, anyone could hold, more precious than this.
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on August 06, 2006, 11:09:33 AM
I'm Flying!

Once upon a time there was a little boy who was raised in an orphanage.

The little boy had always wished that he could fly like a bird. It was very difficult for him to understand why he could not fly. There were birds at the zoo that were much bigger than he, and they could fly. "Why can't I?" he thought. "Is there something wrong with me?" he wondered.

There was another little boy who was crippled. He had always wished that he could walk and run like other little boys and girls. "Why can't I be like them?" he thought.

One day the little orphan boy, who had wanted to fly like a bird, ran away from the orphanage. He came upon a park where he saw the little boy, who could not walk or run, playing in the sandbox.

He ran over to the little boy and asked him if he had ever wanted to fly like a bird.

"No," said the little boy who could not walk or run. "But I have wondered what i t would be like to walk and run like other boys and girls."

"That is very sad," said the little boy who wanted to fly. "Do you think we could be friends?" he said to the little boy in the sandbox.

"Sure," said the little boy.

The two little boys played for hours. They made sand castles and made really funny sounds with their mouths. Sounds which made them laugh real hard. Then the little boy's father came with a wheelchair to pick up his son. The little boy who had always wanted to fly ran over to the boy's father and whispered something into his ear.

"That would be OK," said the man.

The little boy who had always wanted to fly like a bird ran over to his new friend and said, "You are my only friend and I wish that there was something that I could do to make you walk and run like other little boys and girls. But I can't. But there is something that I can do for you."

The little orphan boy turned around and told his new friend to slide up onto his back. He then began to run across the grass. Faster and faster he ran, carrying the little crippled boy on his back. Faster and harder he ran across the park. Harder and harder he made his legs travel. Soon the wind just whistled across the two little boys' faces.

The little boy's father began to cry as he watched his beautiful little crippled son flapping his arms up and down in the wind, all the while yelling at the top of his voice,

"I'M FLYING, DADDY. I'M FLYING!"
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on August 12, 2006, 02:09:50 AM
Hanuman and Ram: Hanuman and Ram - Bond of Brothers

Hanuman, the monkey-god, was an ardent devotee of Rama. His devotion took him wherever he was required to help Rama tide over difficulties. Most famously, Hanuman searched and found Ram's kidnapped consort Sita, brought vital healing herbs from the mountain to make a seriously wounded Lakshman well, and acted as the commander of Ram's forces.  

Hanuman, therefore, is popularly referred to as the sankat mochan , resolver of problems, easy to please. He was born on Chaitra Shukla Purnima, and there are many legends surrounding his birth. He is also known as Shankarsuvan, Kesarinandan, Pawansut - that is, son of Shankar, of Kesari and Anjani and of Pawan, the god of the winds respectively.  

Following the churning of the ocean, gods and demons fought for the possession of amrit , the celestial ambrosia. Vishnu took the form of enchantress Mohini to deflect the attention of the demons. However, Shankar got attracted by Mohini's beauty and the resulting seed was implanted in the womb of Anjani. Since Hanuman was born of Shankar's seed, he is known as Shankarsuvan.  

Another legend says Hanuman was the incarnation of the 11th Rudra. In the Yajur Veda Rudra is first called Mahadeva. The 11 Rudras are all forms of Shiva. Ravana did penance to propitiate Shiva. He offered his 10 heads to the 10 Rudras. He, however, left the eleventh Rudra unpropitiated. Shiva, pleased with Ravana's tapasya, granted him the boon to become immortal. He could not be killed by anything other than monkeys and human beings. Shiva knew that Vishnu was soon to incarnate Himself as Rama. Also wishing to witness Rama's leela, Shiva appeared on earth as a monkey, Hanuman.

Both the Skand Purana and Valmiki's Ramayana speak of the apsara dancer, Punjikasthala, who annoyed Indra. He cursed her to be born a she-monkey in her next birth. She was born to Kunjar, the monkey-king and was named Anjani. She was married to a monkey chieftain, Kesari. The childless couple did tapasya and propitiated the wind-god. The wind-god manifested himself, and granted the boon that his incarnation would be born to Anjani. So she gave birth to Hanuman who was also called Pawansut.  

The Hanuman Purana claims that his real name was Sundar, meaning beautiful. Most Hindu families organise the recitation of the Sundar Kand, as part of Ramkatha, as it is considered auspicious.
 
There is yet another interesting legend in the Anand Ramayana. The apsara Suvarchala enraged Brahma, the lord of creation, who cursed her that she would be born as a she-vulture. Brahma said that she would be redeemed from her curse in the Treta Yug when she took a portion of charu or sweet kheer (rice pudding) from the hands of Kaikeyi, and dropped it from her beak.

King Dashrath got four sons after he performed the putreshti yagya and propitiated Agnidevta. The god of fire offered Dashrath a bowl of charu which was divided among the three queens, Kaushalaya, Kaikeyi and Sumitra. When Kaikeyi was about to eat it a she-vulture swooped down and snatched a part of it, and took flight. But she found it too hot to swallow and dropped it on top of a mountain, where Anjani was engrossed in penance. Anjani caught the prasad and ate it. The "vulture" regained her original form and flew to heaven. Anjani became pregnant, like the three queens of Dashrath and gave birth to Hanuman. So in a way, Rama and Hanuman are brothers, born of the effect of the same divine prasad.
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on August 13, 2006, 01:42:32 AM
3 WISHES.....

There is very instructive incident involving the life of Alexander, the great Greek king.
 
Alexander, after conquering many kingdoms, was returning home. On the way, he fell ill and it took him to his death bed. With death staring him in his face, Alexander realized how his conquests, his great army, his sharp sword and all his wealth were of no consequence.
 
He now longed to reach home to see his mother's face and bid her his last adieu. But, he had to accept the fact that his sinking health would not permit Him to reach his distant homeland. So,The mighty conqueror lay prostrate and pale, helplessly waiting to breathe his last. He called his generals and said, "I will depart from this world soon,
 
I have three wishes, please carry them out without fail." With tears flowing down their cheeks, the generals agreed to abide by their king's last wishes.
 
"My first desire is that," said Alexander, " My physicians alone must carry my coffin." After a pause, he continued, " Secondly, I desire that when my coffin is being carried to the grave, the path leading to the graveyard be strewn with gold, silver and precious stones which I have collected in my treasury.
 
"The king felt exhausted after saying this. He took a minute's rest and continued. "My third and last wish is that both my hands be kept dangling out of my coffin."
 
The people who had gathered there wondered at the king's strange wishes. But no one dare bring the question to their lips.

Alexander's favorite general kissed his hand and pressed them to his heart. " O king, we assure you that your wishes will all be fulfilled.
 
But tell us why do you make such strange wishes?"
 
At this Alexander took a deep breath and said: " I would like the world to know of the three lessons I have just learnt. I want my physicians to carry my coffin because people should realize that no doctor can really cure any body.
 
They are powerless and cannot save a person from the clutches of death. So let not people take life for granted .
 
The second wish of strewing gold, silver and other riches on the way to the graveyard is to tell People that not even a fraction of gold will come with me. I spent all my life earning riches but cannot take anything with me. Let people realize that it is a sheer waste of time to chase wealth.
 
And about my third wish of having my hands dangling out of the coffin, I wish people to know that I came empty handed into this world and empty handed I go out of this world."

With these words, the king closed his eyes. Soon he let death conquer him and breathed his last. . . . .
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on August 20, 2006, 12:23:54 PM
NEVER EAT ANYTHING WITHOUT SHARING IT WITH OTHERS

In Ch. 24, Sai Baba has conveyed this principle very effectively by making fun of Annasaheb Dabholkar, the author of Shri Sai Satcharita, when some grains of gram were seen stuck in the folds of his coat's sleeve. Sai Baba further explained that, when no person or animal is present nearly, one should offer it to Baba by remembering Him. This will result in the devotee avoiding food, which is impure and not fit to be enjoyed. He further explained that this method should be employed not in case of the sense of
taste only but in case of all senses viz. sight," touch etc. also.

To illustrate this, Hemadpant in the same Chapter, has narrated the story of Sudama - a co-student of Shri Krishna and Balaram in the ashram of their Guru Sandipani. Once when these students were collecting firewood in the forest, Krishna was thirsty and asked for some water. Sudama advised him not to drink water without eating something. Shri Krishna, therefore, rested his head on Sudama's lap and slept. After sometime Shri Krishna woke up and heard Sudama chewing something. Shri Krishna asked Sudama as to what he was
eating. But, Sudama, although he was eating grams, told Shri Krishna a lie that he was not eating anything; but his teeth were chattering because of cold. Later, as a result of this, Sudama, although a churn of Lord Krishna, had to pass his life in utter poverty.

However, when he later offered Shri Krishna a handful of parched rice, earned by his wife with her own labour, Shri Krishna was pleased and gave him a golden mansion to live and enjoy.

Baba Himself never ate anything without sharing it with others. Everyday He used to go out begging and whatever food was collected. He used to place it in the earthen bowl in the Masjid. Some beggars used to pinch 3-4 breads and dogs and birds used to eat out of it; but Baba never drove them away.

Whenever any devotee offered Him fruits and richly cooked food, He hardly tasted it and distributed amongst the devotees present. Every afternoon, when in the Dwarkamai, the meal was served and ready to cat, Baba used to call out for Bade Baba (a Fakir from Malegaon) and used to make him seat next to Him on His left respectfully as an honoured guest. Not only this, but after the meal, Baba used to pay him Rs. 50 as dakshina and walk with him upto 100 paces to see him off.

In the Taittiriya Upanishad, Anuvak 11, it is slated 'Atithi Devo Bhava (May the guest be, to thee, a God). In Bhagvat Geeta also Shri Krishna in Ch. 3, says, Yadnyashishtashinaha santo muchyante sarvakilbishaih | Bhujjate te twagham papa ye pachantyatmakaranaat ||13|| (The virtuous, who partake of what is left after sacrifice, are absolved of all sins. The sinful ones, who only cook and eat for themselves eat only sin.) Thus Sai Baba taught this principle of not partaking any food without sharing with others both by precept and example very effectively.

'Atithi' (guest) literally means 'without date'. Hence a guest in the above context should mean, one, who appears unexpectedly and stays not more than one day or date. In the present days of towering prices and food rationing, therefore, this meaning would have to be borne in mind to ensure that an unwanted and persisting person docs not take advantage of our generous nature.
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: OmSaiRamNowOn on September 01, 2006, 07:40:58 AM
THE TEST

The King trudged through the mud and filth littering the streets of the poorest quarter of the city. His tattered shoes were old and worn and the rain seeped through his hood. He was a long way from the palace’s secret door but was enjoying his evening habitual freedom from court ceremony and the burdens of outrageous wealth. That night he was looking for someone to teach, someone who needed to understand the value of happiness.

Leaning over a windowsill, the King saw a bare room, partially lit by a candle on a table. Before it was a meager meal, consisting of a chipped mug of water and a small hunk of bread. Seated, his face golden in the candle’s light, was a man praising God and thanking Him for this great meal.

“Hello, my friend!” shouted the King, thrusting his head further into the window. “How are you?”
   

Smiling, the man looked up and replied, “Oh, I am so fortunate! A visitor, a guest has come! Please come in and share my meal with me.”

   The King entered the tiny room, pulled up a rickety chair and seated himself opposite his host. Confident in his disguise, the King said, “You seem to be in a very joyful mood today.”

“Yes, I had a great day.”

“You’ve had a great day?” teased the King. “How can you say this, when you’re living in such disgusting surroundings with just a little piece of hard bread to eat? This is a great day for you?”

“Yes, I am a cobbler and today earned just enough money to pay the rent, all my expenses, and the remainder bought this little piece of bread. It is a great day. You see, my philosophy is, ‘Day by day, by God’s blessings, my life keeps improving.’”
 

“Is that so?” sneered the King.

“Yes, yes! It has always worked for me,” cried the cobbler. “It’s the source of my happiness. This is why I am praising God.”

“Thank you very much my friend,” said the King. He shared the pathetic meal with his host in silence. Later, as he trudged back to his palace, he thought that this cobbler was the perfect person to train about the value of happiness.

The next morning the King issued a new edict. The messengers and town criers scurried through the city, shouting from every corner that it was now illegal for anyone to have their shoes repaired by another person. The King was satisfied and wondered if the man would be so happy that evening.

In the seedy street he heard the man chanting even louder. The praises of God were echoing, filling the street with joyful sound. The King poked his head through the open window and saw the same scene: the man sitting there with tears in his eyes praising the grace of God, in the same bare room, with the same rough-hewn table, the same but shrinking candle, the chipped mug of water, the small piece of bread…and a wedge of cheese.

The man saw the astonished King and motioned him inside. “Oh please come in, my friend. Please share my meal with me.”

“So,” asked the King, “how are you doing?”

“Oh, I have had a wonderful day today.”

The man said, “I heard the edict of the King as I was standing in front of my shop and I wondered what to do. As you may remember, I believe that day by day, by God’s blessings, surely everything gets better. Anyway, I saw an old woman carrying a bucket of water and I offered to help her. She showed me where to take the water, thanked me and blessed me and gave me a little copper coin. I thought, “This is wonderful! I’ll just help people to carry water today.” I made more money than when I was mending shoes. This is why I am praising God, because my philosophy is true. Day by day, when one has faith in God, everything improves.”

“Oh is that so? I am very happy for you” said the King as he shared the little bread and cheese. As before, the King trudged back to the secret gate in the palace walls and the poor man went to sleep without guessing the identity of his visitor.
   

   The following morning the King issued a new edict. The messengers and town criers scurried through the city, shouting from every corner that everybody must carry their own water.

The royal day passed with the King impatient to see how his friend was faring. That night, he slipped out, incognito, into the street. He was still a block away from the poor man’s house when he heard the praises resounding more loudly and joyfully than before. Once again the King was invited to share the meal and as he swigged a cup of wine, said, “So I see you have had a very good day today.”

“Oh yes, praise God,” the poor man replied.

“Well, correct me if I’m wrong, but I thought I heard that it was forbidden to carry water. Didn’t the King issue a new edict?”
 

“Yes, I heard it too. I was standing outside wondering what to do, when I saw some men carrying a big bundle of wood on their backs. I said, “Hello brothers! Where are you going?” And they replied that they were woodcutters on their way to the forest to chop wood, and then bring it back to the city. So I said, “Can I help you?” The woodcutters agreed, saying they could use someone to help carry the wood. I spent a wonderful day taking exercise and filling my lungs with fresh air in the forest, which is such a beautiful clean place to work. I came back with a stronger physical body, ruddy cheeks, and even more money than when I was carrying water and more than when I was repairing shoes. So this is why I have this splendid meal today, which I am going to share with you. You see, my friend, as I told you, day by day, everything gets better and better by God’s grace.”

The King finished the last bite of his meal, pushed aside his empty plate, and said, “Is that so? Thank you very much.”
   

He stomped back home to his palace and spent a sleepless night thinking how to make the poor man have a real taste of misery. He felt certain there was a way to get this man. Soon he constructed a wily plot. The following morning he issued a new edict stating that all woodcutters must become guards of the royal palace. There would be no exceptions. The cunning King thought that he had trapped the man now. Palace guards, unlike all the other professions the poor man had tried, were only paid at the end of the month. The day of the edict was the 15th, so the man would not have any money for two weeks. “We’ll see how he survives with his ‘day by day everything gets better’ philosophical nonsense,” mused the King.

   The following morning was cold and the fog clung to the damp streets and wound itself around the town criers and the messengers as they spread the King’s newest edict. The poor man had reached the gates of the city and was looking forward to spending another day in the forest when he heard that he had a new job. Nevertheless, he willingly went and enrolled as one of the guards.

A new uniform, a beautiful shiny new sword and a solid pair of boots were thrust into his arms, and before long he was happily standing guard at the palace door. At the end of the evening he went to his captain and said, “I have had a wonderful day today. Thank you very much. May I now have my salary?”

“Salary? What salary?” the captain laughed. “Don’t you know we only pay at the end of the month?”
 

Crestfallen, the poor man managed to stammer, “Oh no, I didn’t know that.” He left the palace, walking home with his shiny sword by his side. As he walked he contemplated what he could eat while waiting for two weeks without any money. Finally, he pawned his sword to a blacksmith. The blacksmith gave him enough money to live comfortably on for two weeks.

“It would never do to be a guard without a weapon,” he muttered to himself as he formulated a plan. “I know! I’ll fashion a wooden sword that fits exactly into the sheath and if I paint the handle black, it will look like a metal sword.” The fake wooden sword looked perfect. No one would ever guess it was not the genuine article.

He hung up his uniform, and with a deep sigh of satisfaction sat down to his evening meal. Suddenly, he saw a huge pair of eyes bulging at him from the darkness of the street. His friend, the anonymous King, was looking at him. He was astonished to see the poor man’s table groaning under a fine carafe of wine, a jug of water, a huge crusty loaf of bread, and a hunk of cheese. Incredulous, he stammered, “H-h-hello my friend, you have had an excellent day, I see.”

“Yes, please come and share my meal with me. Today, by God’s grace, everything is getting and better, as you can plainly see.”

The man started relating his adventures of the day and how he had become a palace guard. “Yes, yes, look my uniform is over there.” Then he went on to innocently confess the entire story of the counterfeit sword to the King.

   

The King devised a plot to trap the man in the palace. The captain of the guard, obeying the King’s orders, marched in front of the palace driving a prisoner before him. “You there!” he barked at the poor man. “This criminal has been condemned to death by the King. The King orders you to execute him immediately. Chop off his head with your sword.”

The King smiled to himself as he saw the trap sprung. The poor man swallowed and put his hand on the handle of his useless sword, trying to avoid the eyes of the terrified convict and felt the whole palace glaring at him, waiting for his decisive stroke. Nevertheless, he took a moment to calmly assess his situation. Obviously, the wooden sword was useless to cut off a man’s head. The seconds stretched elastically as he contemplated his ghastly order. The other guards shifted nervously; the captain raised an eyebrow; the King leaned forward in his seat and a small bead of perspiration rolled down the criminal’s cheek and splashed on to the ground.

Inspiration came to the poor man. He firmly gripped the handle of the sword and shouted so that everyone could hear: “As God is my witness, if this man is guilty, let my sword cut off his head; but if this man is innocent, let my sword turn to wood!”

A gasp rippled through the crowd. The sword held high above the poor man’s head had become a plain piece of wood! Everyone fell to their knees shouting, “It’s a miracle!”

The King bowed to him from his window and mentally congratulated his unknowing disciple, “My friend, today you have completed the course.”

If you want choices in your life, train yourself to remain calm and confident and trust that God will help you and provide a solution. Every time our poor man was tested by being placed in a difficult situation, he thought calmly about it, prayed to God…and a solution always came to him that eventually improved his welfare.
   

Further, it is the role of God and spiritual mentors to give some trouble to their children, in order that they may grow in faith and confidence in themselves and in God. As Paramahamsa Yogananda once said, “Problems are a necessary ingredient in life and make it worthwhile. Meet everybody and every circumstance in the battlefield of life with the courage of a hero and the smile of a conqueror. Misery is really your best friend because it awakens your search for God.”

 
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on September 13, 2006, 10:08:42 PM
They have wishes, too.....

Story goes as below:

Venkatesh (an IT guy) describes how his gesture of booking an air ticket for his father, his maiden flight, brought forth a rush of emotions and made him (Venkatesh) realize how much we all take for granted when it comes to our parents.

My parents left for our native place on Thursday and we went to the airport to see them off. In fact, my father had never traveled by air before, so I just took this opportunity to make him experience the same. In spite of being asked to book tickets by train, I got them tickets on Jet Airways.

The moment I handed over the tickets to him, he was surprised to see hat I had booked them by air. The excitement was very apparent on his face, waiting for the time of travel.

Just like a school boy, he was preparing himself on that day and we all went to the airport, right from using the trolley for his luggage, the baggage check-in and asking for window seat and waiting restlessly for the security check-in to happen. He was thoroughly enjoying himself and I, too, was overcome with joy watching him experience all these things.

As they were about to go in for the security check-in, he walked upto with tears in his eyes and thanked me. He became very emotional and it was not as if I had done something great but the fact that this meant a great deal to him.

When he said thanks, I told him there was no need to thank me.

But later, Thinking about the entire incident, I looked back at my life.

As a child how many dreams our parents have made come true. Without understanding the financial situation, we ask for cricket bats, dresses, toys, outings, etc.

Irrespective of their affordability, they have catered to all our needs. Did we ever think about the sacrifices they had to make to accommodate many of our wishes? Did we ever say
thanks for all that they have done for us?

Same way, today when it comes to our children, we always think that we should put them in a good school. Regardless of the amount of donation, we will ensure that we will have to give the child the best, theme parks, toys, etc.

But we tend to forget that our parents have sacrificed a lot for our sake to see us happy, so it is our responsibility to ensure that their dreams are realized and what they failed to see when they were young, it is our responsibility to ensure that they
experience all those and their life is complete.

Many times, when my parents had asked me some questions, I have actually answered back without patience. When my daughter asks me something, I have been very polite in answering. Now I realize how they would have felt at those moments.

Let us realize that old age is a second childhood and just as we take care of our children, the same attention and same care need to be given to our parents and elders.

Rather than my dad saying thank you to me, I would want to say sorry for making him wait so long for this small dream. I do realize how much he has sacrificed for my sake and I will do my best to give the best possible attention to all their wishes.

Just because they are old does not mean that they will have to give up Everything and keep sacrificing for their grandchildren also. They have wishes, too.

Cheers,
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: hema.rg on September 15, 2006, 09:20:23 AM
There is a prison in each of us all.....We are imprisoned in this small body. This one is very true....
Am new to this forum and am really lucky to be here..

OM SAI SRI SAI JAI JAI SAI
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on September 17, 2006, 11:19:36 AM
"Good Corn...."

There was a farmer who grew superior quality and award-winning corn.

Each year he entered his corn in the state fair where it won honour and prizes.

One year a newspaper reporter interviewed him and learnt something interesting about how he grew it.

The reporter discovered that the farmer shared his seed corn with his neighbors.

"How can you afford to share your best seed corn with your neighbors when they are entering corn in competition with yours each year?" the reporter asked.

"Why sir," said the farmer, "didn't you know? The wind picks up  pollen from the ripening corn and swirls it from field to field.

If my neighbors grow inferior, sub-standard and poor quality corn, cross-pollination will steadily degrade the quality of my corn.

If I am to grow good corn, I must help my neighbours grow good corn."

The farmer gave a superb insight into the connectedness of life. His corn cannot improve unless his neighbour's corn also improves.

So it is in other dimensions! Those who choose to be at harmony must help their neighbours and colleagues to be at peace, those who choose to live well must help others to live well, for the value of a life is measured by the lives it touches.

And those who choose to be happy must help others to find happiness for the welfare of each is bound up with the welfare of all.

If we are to grow good quality corn, we must help our neighbors grow good quality corn too....

Never take some one for granted, Hold every person Close to your Heart because you might wake up one day and realise that you have lost a diamond while you were too busy collecting stones."
Remember this always in life.
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on September 18, 2006, 11:29:51 AM
Peace Message
 
I am your Brother – yes, this is true
 
When The Creator of this World created this world The Super Power made a pair of each living organism.   They gave birth to the same creations and these young ones again gave birth to their young ones.  So the population of all creatures started multiplying.   By this relation all human beings are brothers and sisters.  So by this fact I am your brother.  For the sake of this relationship would you mind listening to me for a few moments.  
 
Well thanks a lot for giving me your precious moments.   Well do not get scared.  Neither I want to sell some thing nor I am asking any precious thing from you.  I am just worried for the happenings of this world.   Why the hell people are treating their brothers and sisters like enemies?  Why the people are engaged in destroying this beautiful world?   I just want to stop these enemies of humanity.  Therefore I just want to talk to you.  If you listen to me it may be good for this world.   It may give some consolation to my heart.
 
First of all the human was created then the world, do you know that?   Yes this is true. The Creator of this World and the universe had created angles and Jinn (Satan) in the beginning.  When the God decided to create this human being The God announced to the angles and Satan, "I am creating such a creature who will be Khalifa (Supreme) of you all".   Then the God created the human with some mud and put soul into it.  Then the God asked angles and Jinn to bow down against the human.   The angles are the most obedient since beginning and they obeyed God at once.  But the Jinn got annoyed and in a proud voice replied to the God "You have created him from mud and I have been created from fire so I am better than him. Why should I bow down against him?"   Since that day the Jinn had been cursed and degraded by God and since then he had been called Satan (the evil power). The God then explained to the angles, "The human being is better than you because I have given them hunger, sexual desire and innovative brain still he will worship me."  
 
The God has given us brain. It can be used to think about good and bad activities of this world.   The God has awarded us the best features and all the living and nonliving things are made to serve us.  Animals give us milk, eggs, meat, leather and ride. Plants give us fresh air, fruits, vegetables, grains and medicines etc. Whether you take animals, trees, rivers, ponds, air or fire all of them are serving the mankind. If they all are at your services how can you be their enemy? If you destroy your servants, who will be there to serve you".  The God has given us brain so that we can realize his greatness and we can understand the secrets of this universe.
 
To understand the secrets of this universe we should know religion and science both.   If you really understand this universe you would admire and love all the belongings of this universe.  If you love nature The God will love you.   The God does not expect much from us.  The Almighty expects from us to love this world and some words of thanks for his generosity.   Yes the prayers we perform are the thanks giving process. The Almighty expect from us that we should thank him atleast 5 times a day.  Why can't we do this little thanks giving process against so many generosities which have been are enjoyed by us.
 
The Almighty had given us power in the form of atom so that we can utilize it in some constructive works but we are so unfortunate that we have created an atom bomb to destroy this beautiful world. Today we are planning to destroy the world and after that we want to rule on it.   After all to whom do we want to destroy?  Should we destroy our brother and sisters?  Should we destroy our innocent servants who are always ready to serve us without any interest? If we destroy this beautiful world then where do we stay?
 
I do not want any thing else. I just want that we should recognize the Creator of the universe. We should accept the relation of humanity and we should realize that we should love this world. Finally I would like to say that we should not hate this world. If you really agree with me please arrange to convey my message to others.
 
Your lovingly Brother

Ramesh Ramnani
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on September 20, 2006, 10:29:02 AM
You All are Roses....Roses of BABA SAI....

A certain man planted a rose and watered it faithfully and before it blossomed, he examined it.

He saw the bud that would soon blossom, but noticed thorns upon the stem and he thought, "How can any beautiful flower come from a plant burdened with so many sharp thorns? Saddened by this thought, he neglected to water the rose, and just before it was ready to bloom... it died.

So it is with many people. Within every soul there is a rose. The God-like qualities planted in us at birth, grow amid the thorns of our faults. Many of us look at ourselves and see only the thorns, the defects.

We despair, thinking that nothing good can possibly come from us. We neglect to water the good within us, and eventually it dies. We never realize our potential.

Some people do not see the rose within themselves; someone else must show it to them. One of the greatest gifts a person can possess is to be able to reach past the thorns of another, and find the rose within them.
 
This is one of the characteristic of love... to look at a person, know their true faults and accepting that person into your life... all the while recognizing the nobility in their soul. Help others to realize they can overcome their faults. If we show them the "rose" within themselves, they will conquer their thorns. Only then will they blossom many times over.
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on September 21, 2006, 12:07:30 PM
Imagine you are at an Airport. While you're waiting for your flight, you  notice a kiosk selling cookies. You buy a box, put them in your traveling  bag and then you patiently search for an available seat so you can sit down and enjoy your cookies. Finally, you find a seat next to a gentleman.

You reach down into your traveling bag and pull out your box of cookies.  As  you do so, you notice that the gentleman starts watching you intensely.

He  stares as you open the box and his eyes follow your hand as you pick up  the cookie and bring it to your mouth. Just then he reaches over and takes  one of your cookies from the box, and eats it!

You're more than a little  surprised at this. Actually, you're at a loss for words. Not only does he  take one cookie, but also he alternates with you. For every one cookie you  take, he takes one.

Now, what's your immediate impression of this guy? Crazy? Greedy?He's got  some nerve?  Can you imagine the words you might use to describe this man  to your associates back at the office? Meanwhile, you both continue eating  the cookies until there's just one left. To your surprise, the man reaches  over and takes it.  But then he does something unexpected. He breaks it in  half, and gives half to you. After he's finished with his half he gets up,  and without a word, he leaves.

You think to yourself, "Did this really happen?" You're left sitting there dumbfounded and still hungry. So you go back to the kiosk and buy another box of cookies. You then return to your seat and begin opening your new  box of cookies when you glance down into your traveling bag.

Sitting there  in your bag is your original box of cookies - still unopened.   Only then do you realize that when you reached down earlier, you had  reached into the other man's bag, and grabbed his box of cookies by  mistake.  Now what do you think of the man?Generous? Tolerant?

You've just  experienced a profound paradigm shift. You're seeing things from a new  point of view. Is it time to change your point of view?

Moral

Many a times, we are clouded by our own instincts and predispositions.  These hamper our relationship with our peers, subordinates and superiors.  Try to be non-judgmental and look beyond the obvious.

Celebrate Life ........
 
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on September 26, 2006, 03:07:27 AM
Two plus two may not necessarily equal to four....

A baby announces its arrival in the world with its shrill cries; a man announces his departure from the world by his unbroken stony silence. The book of life covering the period between birth and death contains pages of joy and sorrow, success and failure, triumph and tragedy, pleasure and pain, fulfilment and disappointment, health and sickness. Life is a mixed bag of pairs of opposites. Highs and lows are interwoven and form integral parts of the mosaic of Life.
   
It is our basic nature to seek happiness. Do we get it? When we look around we find ourselves surrounded by suffering. We feel uneasy; that we are perched on an island of some happiness, surrounded on all sides by deep and dark waters of unhappiness. Is happiness just a mirage? The fact is that there is neither undiluted happiness, nor unabated unhappiness. Life is both. However, the nature of pain is such that it appears that the unhappy phase of life is interminably long.

When we are faced with unhappy situations, we may derive some comfort by observing and learning from Nature. A cold and dark night yields to the refreshing morning sun, with its soothing rays of warmth, radiating light dispelling darkness. After every chilly winter, there comes the spring, bringing warmth, hope and cheer. At the end of a dark, long tunnel, there is light.
   
Happiness is a state of mind, which keeps us in a state of well-being. Several important ingredients go to make the ‘commodity’ known as happiness. But this precious commodity is simply not available in a departmental store. While money can buy pleasures, it cannot buy happiness. A rich man need not necessarily be happy. By the same token a poor man need not necessarily be unhappy. Happiness has to be experienced from within. A fairly comfortable financial position, cordial and harmonious family relations and good health contribute to a happy life. But these alone would not ensure enduring happiness. Many a time we script unhappiness for ourselves and for others.
   
The mind reacts to external stimuli and this could sometimes bring us happiness or unhappiness. For enduring happiness, the internal war that rages within our minds should first cease. We should come to terms with external ground realities. As physical training keeps the body in good shape, so also mental training helps in keeping the mind tranquil and balanced in the face of adversity.
   
Things happen not as we want them to, but according to a pre-ordained scheme of things, over which we have little control. We were not consulted about the choice of our parents, place of birth, our sex. Neither will we be consulted about our time of death, its place and manner. The cards are dealt to us. We have to play them to the best of our ability. We do not gain anything by fretting or fuming over things over which we have no control whatsoever. We only become unhappy in the process. Accept gracefully the things given to us, the good or bad, and abjectly surrender to the dictates of destiny.
   
Life does not lend itself to strictly scientific analysis. In the rough and tumble of life two plus two may not necessarily equal to four. There are many questions for which we have no answers.
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on September 28, 2006, 05:10:55 AM
Grace is the Lubrication.....

Many truly scintillating human beings have happened — they have shone brighter than the stars in the sky. Why is it that somebody seems to have come with enormous capability and somebody else has to struggle with every little thing in his life?

People say, "he's gifted". Nobody is gifted; you have to earn everything. Either you earn joyfully, or you earn miserably — that is all the choice there is.

There are a variety of sadhana through which one earns. But the simplest way, the easiest way and also the most self-destructive way, is devotion.

What is Grace, first of all? If you look at yourself as a machine — you have brains, body, everything. But what you call as 'Grace' is the lubrication.

Without lubrication you have a great engine but you get stuck at every point, like the many number of people who are intelligent and capable, but often they get stuck because there is no lubrication.

Devotion would be the easiest way to become receptive to this Grace, so that the process of life becomes graceful.

The cunning mind, however, is unable to devote itself to anybody or anything. You can sing songs of devotion, but you have your own calculation: What has God done for me? Calculating minds cannot be devout.

Trying to be devout will be just a waste of time, and life. A devotee is not somebody's devotee; devotion is a quality.

Devotion means a certain single-pointedness — you are constantly focused towards one thing. To such a person, Grace will happen naturally and he becomes receptive.

What or whom you are devoted to is not the issue. What you need to know is, God does not exist. But where there is a devotee, God exists.

So the power of devotion is such that it can create the Creator. Thinking minds always have an allergy to devotion, because devotees have made such fools of themselves.

This is simply because fear is passing off as devotion. Extreme deviousness is passing off as devotion right now, with a large population.

If one knows the joy of devotion; devotion is truly for the intelligent, not for the stupid because without devotion there is no profundity to your life. Nothing is worthwhile if you analyse it with your thought.

Whole existence, inclu-ding you and everybody else, is worth anything if you just cut it down with the knife of your intellect.

Only when devotion arises, there is depth. Devotion does not mean going to the temple and chanting 'Ram, Ram'.

Anybody who is one-pointed; anybody who can absolutely give himself to whatever he is doing, is a natural devotee. He need not have a deity to become a devotee — he is a devotee. God will happen.

It is not because there is God that devotion has come. Because there is devotion, God has happened. Knowing devotion just as an emotion, maybe makes your life a little sweet; devotion, however, is more than that.

It is intended to completely demolish you the way you are. If you just become a little better — that is not the intention of the devotion; devotion means dissolution. The root word for 'devotion' is 'dissolve'. Only one who is willing to dissolve himself can be a true devotee. In what and how is not the point.
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on October 01, 2006, 08:48:45 AM
We all have 4 Women-Men inside....

Walking through a forest, a man chanced to meet four beautiful women. Greeting them, he introduced himself. The tall and slim woman said: “My name is Buddhi (intellect), I live in man’s head”. The woman with kohllined eyes said: “I am Lajja, I live in the eyes of man as modesty and present myself as decorum in behaviour”. The third lady had a welltoned body. “I am Himmat”, she said. “I live in man’s heart. I give him the courage to live”. The traveller bowed low. The fourth lady had rosy cheeks and radiated freshness. “My name is Tandurusti (health). I live in man’s stomach”, she said.
   
As the traveller went ahead, his thoughts went back to the four women he had met. At the end of the forest, he met four young men. “I am Krodh (anger)”, said the first man who was handsome but for his brows, which were always knitted. “Where do you live”, the traveller asked. “I live in man’s head”, said Krodh. The traveller said this was not possible. He had just met Buddhi and she lived in the head. Krodh said “Till I enter, Buddhi remains. Once I enter, she runs away”. Krodh had strong muscles and a forceful personality. The second man was Laalach (greed). “I live in people’s eyes”, he said. Once again the traveller interjected to say “Only Lajja lives there”. “Just place a bag of gold coins and see how Lajja runs away from people’s eyes. Or offer a position of power. Desire does not believe in modesty, shame or decorum. It is an expression of greed”.
 
Who would the third man be? “I am Bhay (fear)”, the sickly-looking man was saying. “I live in people’s hearts”. “Is it not the residence of Himmat?” the traveller asked. “When people do not obey their conscience, they are always afraid. They do wrong and so are full of fear of being caught. That is why Himmat wanders homeless while I reside comfortably in people’s hearts. Sometimes when I dominate, people say they have a heart attack and go to the doctor. They give me even more space when and if they come back”.

“My name is Rog (disease)”, said the fourth man. He looked healthy. “I live in people’s stomachs. They are forever downing intoxicants that goes into their stomach, feeding me. I know you will wonder where Tandurusti went. She does not stand a chance. Everybody wants her but it is me they feed when they drink, smoke and partake of other such substances”.

A healthy and happy life seems to be within reach. But so are problems. If we invite problems, is it fair to blame it all on fate? Can we make small resolves that will make some space for Buddhi, Lajja, Himmat and Tandurusti within us? Small resolves like: ‘‘I will control my anger for today. I will limit my possessions. I will try to remove fear. I will not give in to temptations that lead me to ill health’’. Small vows or anuvrats are firm steppingstones to a happier and healthier life.

All it takes to be able to live a holistic life is to resist temptation, taking one step at a time. Health, happiness and peace will be within reach.
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on October 02, 2006, 11:31:44 AM
Everybody is making noise.....Understanding is nil.

Once a great emperor, a chakravartin, who ruled the whole earth, decided that if the whole world stopped all kinds of noise even for a single minute, that silence would be some incredible experience. But how to convince people to stop totally for one minute -- the whole world stopping for one minute, no talking? Even though he was a great emperor, it was not feasible. He inquired of his wise men.
They said, "That seems to be an impossible task. How can we manage it? How will we guard? Who can prevent people from talking and making noise? Millions of people! Your army is big, but compared to the people your army is nothing."

Then a mystic rose and said to the king, "I can manage it. I know the secret."

He whispered the secret into the ears of the king and the secret worked. The secret was very strange -- as the ways of the mystics are always very strange. On the surface they look like one thing, deep down they are something else -- maybe exactly the opposite of how they appear on the surface.

The mystic told the king, "You make an announcement that on a particular day at twelve o'clock midday, the whole world has to shout together the sound 'Hoo' for one minute.

The whole world has to shout it! Nobody is allowed not to shout, everybody has to participate."

The king said, "What are you talking about? I want the world to fall into absolute peace for one minute!"

The mystic said, "I know people! You just follow what I am saying, and what you want will happen."

And it really happened. The king made the declaration, the day was fixed, and people waited eagerly for that moment. The whole world shouting "Hoo" for one minute -- it was going to be something extraordinary! Everybody thought, "I am not going to shout, I will listen. Why miss such an opportunity? The king himself wants to listen, why should I miss the opportunity? And who is to find out? When the whole world is shouting Hoo, who is to find out that I have not been a participant?"

And that's how everybody thought. At exactly twelve o'clock, for one minute there was absolute silence -- not even a single noise. The mystic had managed it. And the king was transformed by the silence it was so deep -- its beauty, its music, its exquisite grace. It became the beginning of his own meditation.

If just the outside noise stopping for one minute gives you such stillness, such sweet silence, what will happen when your inside mind stops making noise? It was a turning point in the life of the emperor.

But ordinarily the world is continuously making noise; everybody is making noise.

Everybody wants to be somebody, hence everybody has to pretend, to shout loudly. Everybody has to prove that "you can't treat me as a nobody."

Hence in the world there is no communication: the husband shouting at the wife, the wife shouting at the husband -- and nobody understands anybody else. The world lacks understanding absolutely, totally. Understanding is nil. People somehow go on dragging themselves.
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on October 03, 2006, 11:06:44 AM
The Choice is Ours: Chaos or Cosmos

Raghunath was a wealthy man.  He was rich materially and spiritually. One night he was robbed. His close friend visited him and expressed his sympathy. Raghunath said, “They have robbed me of my material wealth but not my real wealth. They have robbed me of my perishable wealth but not my imperishable wealth”.

Real wealth is love, devotion and purity.  With these, one will experience life differently. God gives us problems to humble us and not to tumble us. When bad things happen to good people they become better, not bitter. Raghunath further elaborated to his friend, “All the wealth that I had was a loan from the Lord.  I was only a trustee. Nothing is mine; everything is His.  He has the right to take it whenever he wants”.

The power of detachment is a great wealth. The power of devotion is an asset. Why don’t we work for such wealth? This is because the mind has not been purified. With impure mind one craves for impure things. With pure mind one is committed for pure things. Mantras help us to purify the mind. Yoga uplifts. Wealth and power without pure mind is like providing a knife to a mad man.  He can even kill himself.

The object of yoga is to free you of psychological mess.  The condition of your mind really determines the quality of your life. To a good body, everyone says ‘yes’. But to a good mind, people say ‘no’. This ignorance is adversely affecting the quality of life.
   
Our mind has the capacity to imagine. This can be good or bad. Our imagination projects a reality. This projected reality appears to be the only reality. This projected reality is superimposed on the external reality. The internal projected reality is superimposed on the external reality. Now the external reality is not seen and only the projected reality is seen. It is in this confusion that one lives and suffers.
   
An individual expects his partner to be like this or that. This is a projected reality. But the fact is that the object reality is different. The husband is disappointed with his wife or vice versa, not for what she is but for what she should be. External reality does not fit into his subjective reality. Many suffer from this. So all this happens in a world that is within us, our mind. Mantras chanted with devotion and understanding purify the mind.
   
If we leave unchecked this imaginary processes, they become mechanical. A negative system is created. These negative systems in turn take over our lives. We lose control. You will become more unconscious and suffer from this mechanical process. For example, if one goes on seeing unpleasant things in life, it becomes a habit. Then a negative system is created. Then one will helplessly see the negative. The system will start justifying why one is doing what one is doing. The system will try to protect itself. The system gets into a survival mode. Then you will not live in the cosmos but in chaos.
   
Yoga is a wonderful science to dismantle this negative system and create a great inner order. When the inner world of our mind is orderly then we will see the external order as being more orderly.
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on October 04, 2006, 06:47:56 AM
The Hunter And the Thirsty Deer.....

In Rupa, a city in western Arunachal Pradesh, lived two brothers. The older brother was a Buddhist Lama, the younger, a hunter. Everyday the hunter would go out into the forest and bring back fresh meat. The Lama would eat it too, even though he believed it was wrong to kill. His brother would reassure him: “You are not killing. I am. Just eat and be merry”. The Lama would then keep quiet.
   
One day the hunter brought back very tasty meat. After enjoying it, the Lama repented his action. He decided to give up meat. He told his brother, “Not only have I decided never to eat meat again, I feel you should not kill”.
   
The hunter was by now used to the Lama’s pontification. He told his brother, “I too felt bad today, maybe because I saw the child of the female monkey that I brought home to eat. It was searching for its mother. I keep thinking about the child. But still, I cannot stop hunting. I get my livelihood from that”.
   
Meditating, the Lama came up with a solution: “I will turn into a red deer. If you are able to kill me, you will be a skilled hunter and to hunt is not a sin. But if you are not able to kill me then it means that to kill is a sin and you should stop it forthwith”. The hunter agreed to this suggestion.
   
The Lama went into the forest and turned into a deer. His brother arrived soon after with his hunting dog. The chase began. Many hours passed; the sun began to set. Still the hunter hadn’t killed the deer. Several hours later, exhausted, the hunter reached a stream and cupped his palms to drink some water. That was when he saw the deer from the corner of his eye. With its large eyes looking hither and thither, the deer came out of the dense forest, cautiously, one step at a time, to take a sip of water. It seemed very thirsty and tired, too.
   
Even before the deer could put its lips to the water, the hunting dog tried to pounce on it. Drawing back quickly, the deer began to run. The hunter called back his dog. He could have cried to see his brother so tired and thirsty and yet not able to drink even a drop of water for fear of being killed. “Come back”, he shouted to his dog and holding the dog with his hands, he called out to the deer, “I cannot kill you, brother”.
   
The hunter sat down with his head in his hands. “Please drink a sip of water”, he begged of the deer. “You have won. I have lost”. “Thank you”, replied the deer. After a few hurried sips of water, the deer told his brother, “I did not think you could kill me. I will never change back to human form because I hope all hunters like you will be able to see their brother in me and will stop killing”.
   
The hunter gave up hunting and instead spent time feeding the animals of the forest. In every animal he saw a brother or a sister, a father or a mother. In every fellow being he saw himself. “This is the only teaching mankind needs to learn”, he would tell every villager he met. “If we can see ourselves in every fellow being, we will make this place a nicer one to live in”.
   
Today is World Animal Day.
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: OmSaiRamNowOn on October 05, 2006, 11:37:02 AM
Serve Man, Serve God

Once upon a time, there lived a poor, old cobbler
named Martin. He had just enough food to
eat every day. But he had a kind
heart and he loved God. One day,
God appeared in his dream and told
him that He would visit him the next
day and asked Martin to keep something
nice for Him to eat.

Martin got up the next morning, and used all his
money to buy vegetables. He made a
tasty broth for the Lord. Looking out
of the window, Martin saw an old
man shivering in the cold outside.
Martin gave the old man his blanket
and the only cup of tea he had made
for himself. Then came an old
woman, nearly fainting with hunger.
Martin gave her a part of the warm
broth he had made for God and
some fruits. She blessed him and left. Then he
heard a baby crying. Looking out, he saw a
poor mother weeping because she had no milk
to give her hungry baby. Martin gave her all the
milk he had. The child smiled at him after
drinking the milk. It was getting
dark. Martin was very
sad. Now, even if God came,
he only had a little cold broth
to give Him, not even milk or
fruits. He begged God to forgive
him.

Suddenly, he heard footsteps
outside and a strange light entered
his room. In that light,
there appeared and passed before
him, the shivering old
man, the starving old woman
and the mother with the hungry
baby. Then, in that beautiful
light, Martin heard God’s
voice say, “It was I! It was I!
It was I.” And the light vanished! God blessed
Martin because he had served the poor.
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on October 11, 2006, 11:54:39 AM
THE DONKEY

One day a farmer's donkey fell down into a well. The animal cried piteously for hours as the farmer tried to figure out what to do. Finally, he decided the animal was old, and the well needed to be covered up anyway; it just wasn't worth it to retrieve the donkey.

He invited all his neighbors to come over and help him. They all grabbed a shovel and began to shovel dirt into the well. At first, the donkey realized what was happening and cried horribly. Then, to everyone's amazement he quieted down.

A few shovel loads later, the farmer finally looked down the well. He was astonished at what he saw. With each shovel of dirt that hit his back, the donkey was doing something amazing. He would shake it off and take a step up.

As the farmer's neighbors continued to shovel dirt on top of the animal, he would shake it off and take a step up. Pretty soon, everyone was amazed as the donkey stepped up over the edge of the well and happily trotted off!

Life is going to shovel dirt on you, all kinds of dirt. The trick to getting out of the well is to shake it off and take a step up. Each of our troubles is a steppingstone. We can get out of the deepest wells just by not stopping, never giving up! Shake it off and take a step up.

Remember the five simple rules to be happy:
 
1. Free your heart from hatred - Forgive.
2. Free your mind from worries - Most never happen.
3. Live simply and appreciate what you have.
4. Give more.
5. Expect less
 
NOW --------

Enough of that crap . . .
 
The donkey later came back, and beat the sh*t out of the farmer who had tried to bury him. The gash from the bite got infected, and the farmer eventually died in agony from septic shock.

MORAL FROM TODAY'S LESSON:
 
When you do something wrong, and try to cover up, it always comes back to bite you.
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: SaiServant on October 12, 2006, 07:42:28 AM
Jai Sai Ram!!
The story is simply fantastic Ramesh Bhai!!!Keep it up!!
Om Sai Ram!

Sunita Raina
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on October 14, 2006, 07:53:04 AM
Success bound to happen if.......

Attitude determines the lifestyle of a person and it develops when perception is followed by projection. Positive and negative attitudes are acquired by an individual over a period of time and according to their development, human beings fall into three categories: There are those who imagine and project difficulties in any undertaking even before they start work and end up doing nothing. They are like the car which will not start unless given a push. The second kind are called Prarambh Shura. They are inspired initially, but give up for lack of perseverance. The third are those who become more and more inspired to execute a job, the more they face challenges and difficulties.

Even if you are successful, negativity in attitude can crop up at any time for unknown reasons.

Remember:

1.You alone are responsible for your attitude.  
2.As is your attitude, so are your perceptions.
3.As is your perception, so is your interaction with the world.
4.As is the interaction, so is the experience of life and,
5.As is the experience, so is the quality of life.
   
Student often say that, before and after an examination, "I remember everything but during the examination, I forget things”. This happens only because of the attitude problem. People who have negative attitude think and project only negative things and they develop it to such an extent that even a positive thinking person can become a victim of their presence. Such negative people can do nothing and they don’t allow anybody else to do anything.
   
Negative attitudes are the result of a weak personality at the physical, emotional and intellectual level. Physical strength can be gained by proper intake of food, and regular exercise. Some are obsessed with their figure. They torture their bodies. They get cranky and misunderstand anything their parents say. This is a negative attitude, the reason being that when you don’t eat properly you think about food. When you do this, the food has gone to your head. Good health helps us to come out of negativity.
   
Emotional stamina too is a must. Emotional strength is gained by discovering some altar in life — it could be God, your guru, an idea; surrender yourself at that altar with total involvement and faith. Put logic away because by logic, no problems are solved. By love alone all problems get dissolved.
   
When we apply our faculty of intellect and enquiry in doing a job successfully, it is vital to get things done not ‘because of all odds’ but ‘despite all odds’. Enquire into ‘how a thing is possible’. One must also remember that life is not about being successful, it is also the ability to go through both success and failure with grace. In success, we enjoy and from failure, we learn.
   
When we have mastered the art of learning from failures, it leads to success ultimately. This attitude towards failure is a positive one. When these three aspects of your personality are cultivated and developed systematically, you grow and develop Atma balam or inner strength. With inner strength, positivity becomes the foundation of our expression. The Mundaka Upanishad says that the Truth is not revealed to cowards. Success is not for weaklings. When you have physical strength, emotional beauty and intellectual capacity, your attitude becomes positive. With this positive attitude, you jump into the battle of life, and success is bound to happen.
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: OmSaiRamNowOn on October 24, 2006, 05:10:21 PM
A ray of hope and light

Once Wealth and Poverty approached a merchant and introduced themselves as Goddesses. The merchant offered his salutations to both of them and said: "May I know what brings you to my humble tenement?" The Goddess of Wealth said: "We want you to judge and tell us as to who is more beautiful between us two?"

The merchant was in a fix. He knew he was between the devil and the deep sea. If he were to declare wealth as more beautiful than poverty, poverty would curse him. If he were to declare poverty as more beautiful, than wealth, wealth would forsake him. However, he regained his composure and said: "I have great respect for you both. Would you please act according to my instructions? Then only I can judge properly." The Goddesses agreed. He said: "Mother wealth, would you please go to the entrance (gates) and walk into the house? Mother, poverty! Would you please walk from here towards the gates? I can have a good look at you both, from near and far." The two Goddesses did walk as the merchant wished them to. Then the merchant happily declared: "Mother wealth! You appear very beautiful when you enter the house. Mother poverty! You look very beautiful when you leave the house!" The Goddesses appreciated the wit and wisdom of the merchant. The Goddess of wealth happily stayed in his house while the Goddess of poverty cheerfully walked away.

Moral - When a serious problem confronts us, if we look within and think calmly, a ray of hope and light will beam forth and show us the way.
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on October 25, 2006, 09:59:45 AM
May Baba Sai Bless U Enough!

Recently, I overheard a mother and daughter in their last Moments together at the airport as the daughter's departure had been announced.  Standing near the security gate, they hugged and the mother said,

             "I love you and I wish you enough."

The daughter replied, "Mom, our life together has been more than enough. Your love is all I ever needed. I wish you enough, too, Mom."

They kissed and the daughter left. The mother walked over to the window where I sat.  Standing there, I could see she wanted and needed to cry.

I tried not to intrude on her privacy but she welcomed me in by asking, "Did you ever say good-bye to someone knowing it would be forever?"

"Yes, I have," I replied.  "Forgive me for asking but why is this a forever good-bye?"

"I am old and she lives so far away. I have challenges ahead and the reality is the next trip back will be for my funeral," she said.

When you were saying good-bye, I heard you say, "I wish you enough." May I ask what that means?"

She began to smile. "That's a wish that has been handed down from other generations. My parents used to say it to everyone." She paused a moment and looked up as if trying to remember it in detail and she smiled even more.

"When we said 'I wish you enough' we were wanting the other person to have a life filled with just enough good things to sustain them".

Then turning toward me, s he shared the fo llowing, reciting it from memory.

         I wish you enough sun to keep your attitude bright.

         I wish you enough rain to appreciate the sun more.

         I wish you enough happiness to keep your spirit alive.

         I wish you enough pain so that the smallest joys in life appear much bigger.  

        I wish you enough gain to satisfy your wanting.

         I wish you enough loss to appreciate all that you possess.

        I wish you enough helloes to get you through the final good-bye.

She then began to cry and walked away. They say it takes a minute to find a special person, An hour to appreciate them, A day to love them, And an entire life to forget them.

TAKE TIME TO LIVE!

To all my friends brothers and sisters and loved ones,

MAY BABA SAI BLESS YOU ENOUGH!

I WISH YOU ENOUGH TOO!
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: OmSaiRamNowOn on October 25, 2006, 10:21:15 AM
Wonderfully touching message Ramesh Bhai. Thank you for sharing it in the forum. I wish you and dear brothers and sisters enough too !!

Aum Sai Ram !
SAI SAI SAI SAI SAI
SAI SAI SAI SAI
SAI SAI

-Anju
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on October 29, 2006, 09:43:06 AM
Still Further.....

There is a very old Sufi story: A man went to a Sufi fakir asking the secret of attaining God. The fakir proceeded to recount the following tale:

A woodcutter went every day to the forest to cut wood. Each day he would gather wood, carry it to town and sell it. Whatever he got would be barely enough to give him a meal. Sometimes he managed to buy a little food; at other times he went to sleep hungry.
 
A fakir who used to stay in the same jungle watched him every day. He was filled with pity for this miserable man who barely managed to keep alive.

One day he told him, "Every day for the last so many years I have been watching you. You are such a foolish fellow. Why don't you go still further into the jungle?" The wood-cutter asked, "How will that help?" The fakir replied, "Whoever went deeper within became wealthy. Go in, and you will find mines of copper."

The man went a little further and he found the copper mine. He began to sell copper. Once again he met the fakir who said, "Foolish fellow, go still further. There are mines of silver there." The man went and found the silver mines. He now began to sell silver and became very rich.

One day he met the fakir again who said to him, "Had you any sense you would have taken the hint by now. You have failed to understand. Go still further, you fool, for there are gold mines there!" The man penetrated deeper into the forest and found the gold, but he got totally involved in the gold.

He must have been a man like us, this woodcutter. Wherever we go we get involved. We don't think of getting up from where we sit. The fakir felt sorry for this man. One day he went to him again and said, "You really lack intelligence. So many times I goaded you to go onward to go still further, and you have not understood me. Now you are outwardly very rich, but within you are as miserable a wretch as before. Go still further, there are mines of diamonds." The man went further in.

Then, after some years, the fakir happened to meet him again. He rebuked him as before. Even though he was the owner of huge palaces and all that wealth could buy, the fakir was sorry for him. "You are as poor as ever within," said the fakir. "All this gold and silver and diamonds are on the outside. Go still further.

"Now where?" asked the man. "Why don't you leave me in peace? Why are you goading me on and on? Now what is left to be attained after getting these diamonds?"

The fakir replied, "Beyond that is my ashram and only I can give you the genuine diamonds. They are diamonds of meditation. Until now you sought the mines outside, now your search for the mines within must begin." And though the man had heard about the jewels within, he was not ready to seek them. Besides, he claimed that this talk was beyond him, so he begged to be allowed to stay where he was.

The fakir said, "As you wish. But remember, these mines within will not remain forever -- today I am, tomorrow I may not be. The mines you dig now will remain. They always were, they always will be."

The mines of meditation manifest rarely -- sometimes once in a thousand years. Sometimes some person discovers it and becomes an entrance to it. Such a person is the guru, and Nanak refers to his temple as gurudwara, guru's door -- a beautiful name for a temple. He who comes upon the mine of meditation during his lifetime becomes an opening for others, but he does not live forever.

And you? You are so blind that you go past the door and do not see it! Your eyes are fixed on the visible wealth and not the true wealth that is invisible.

Remember this maxim: Still further. Until you reach God you should hold it always to your heart. If you halt before that, you will wander.
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on October 30, 2006, 09:16:01 AM
The Greatest Man Is Nobody....

It happened that Buddha renounced the kingdom. Then he went searching from one forest to another, from one ashram to another, from one master to another, walking. He had never walked before without shoes but now he was just a beggar. He was passing along the bank of a river, walking on the sand, and his footprints were left.

While resting in the shade of a tree an astrologer saw him. The astrologer was returning from Kashi, from the seat of learning. He had become proficient in astrology, had become perfect, and now that he had become a great doctor of astrology he was coming back to his home town to practice. He looked at the footprint on the wet sand and he became disturbed: These footprints could not belong to an ordinary man walking on the sand without shoes during such a hot summer, at noontime! These feet belong to a great emperor, a CHAKRAVARTIN.
 
A chakravartin is the emperor who rules the whole world. All the symbols were there showing that this man was a chakravartin, an emperor of the whole world of the six continents. And why should a chakravartin walk barefoot on the sand on such a hot summer afternoon? It was impossible!

The astrologer was carrying his most valuable books. He thought, "If this is possible I should throw these books in the river and forget astrology forever, because this is absurd.

It is very, very difficult to find a man who has the feet of a chakravartin. Once in millions of years a man becomes a chakravartin, and what is this chakravartin doing here?"
 
So he followed the footprints to their source and he looked at Buddha who was sitting resting under a tree with closed eyes, and he became more disturbed. This astrologer became absolutely disturbed because the face was also the face of a chakravartin. But the man looked like a beggar, with his begging bowl just there by his side, with torn clothes. But the face looked like that of a chakravartin, so what should he do?

He said, "I am very disturbed, put me at ease. There is only one question I have to ask. I have seen and studied your footprints. They should belong to a chakravartin, to a great emperor who rules over all the world, the whole earth is his kingdom -- and you are a beggar. So what should I do? Should I throw away all my astrology books? My twelve years of effort in Kashi have been wasted and those people there are fools.
 
I have wasted the most important part of my life, so put me at ease. Tell me, what should I do?"

Buddha said, "You need not worry. This will not happen again. You take your books, go to the town, start your practice and don't bother about me. I was born to be a chakravartin. These footprints carry my past."

All footprints carry your past -- the lines on your hand, your palm, carry your past. That is why astrology, palmistry, is always true about the past, never so true about the future, and absolutely untrue about a buddha, because one who throws off his whole past moves into the unknown -- you cannot predict his future.

Buddha said, "You will not come to such a troublesome man again. Don't you worry, this will not happen again, take it as an exception."

But the astrologer said, "A few more questions. I would like to know who you are: am I really seeing a dream? A chakravartin sitting like a beggar? Who are you? Are you an emperor in disguise?"

Buddha said, "No."

Then the astrologer asked, "But your face looks so beautiful, so calm, so filled with inner silence. Who are you? Are you an angel from paradise?"
 
Buddha said, "No."

The astrologer asked one more question, saying, "It seems impolite to ask, but you have created the desire and the urge. Are you a human being? If you are not an emperor, a chakravartin, if you are not a DEVA from paradise, are you a human being?"
 
And Buddha said, "No, I am nobody.

I don't belong to any form, to any name."

The astrologer said, "You have disturbed me even more now. What do you mean?"

This is what Buddha meant..I am Nobody.
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on November 03, 2006, 11:08:36 AM
Life and Death : The River, a Cow and a Butterfly

"Tell me mighty river! Are you changing or are you constant?" asked the butterfly. The river chortled as it sped along, over rocky pebbles and around mossy little hills. "Why, can't you see?" it replied. "Do I look still to you?"

"No, of course you are not still. You are always moving. But are you not the same river?" The butterfly asked a trifle hesitantly. "Yes, indeed I am the same river that has flowed down the mountains and through this forest for so many, many years!" said the river grandly. "But your waters are constantly flowing away... which part of you is the same?"

"No part of me is the same, my flighty friend!" answered the river, with a hearty laugh. "I keep losing water every time the sun shines and I keep gaining water every time the rain falls! I merge into the sea, and I began from a humble spring, I keep changing; in change, I am constant... I have neither a beginning nor an end..."

"What happens to the water that leaves you, river? Where does it go?" asked the butterfly, a trifle confused. "Oh, it goes up into the clouds, and then falls down as rain onto the ground, or into some other river or sea... every drop has gone on a long journey, you know, before it comes and joins me! And it will leave me sooner or later, to go on yet another journey."

"Why, that means all the oceans and clouds are in you!" squealed the butterfly, excitedly. "Yes", replied the river, "I appear to be limited to this stream, but I contain many worlds hidden inside me." Then a disturbing thought struck the butterfly. "Can water ever disappear into nothing, river?" it asked, curiously. "No, my friend, nothing in this world can ever become nothing. All that is will always be. It may change form, like the water turning into a cloud, then into rain and then the sea... but what is can never cease to be."

"I think I'm beginning to understand!" said the butterfly, excitedly. "Just as I changed form but remained the same insect, you, too, keep changing form but are still the same river!" "That's right,” said the river as it sped along, and so did the butterfly...

The swishy sound of grass being chewed woke up the butterfly from its gentle snooze. Who was this?

Dark gentle eyes looked down at the butterfly from a big white and brown face. "Moo! Moo-oo-ooo!" inquired the cow, loudly. "And what are you doing here?" "Oh, just resting in this soft grass. How are you this evening?" asked the butterfly, politely.

"Very well indeed. But it's been a few days since the cowherd gave me a bath, and I miss that... when the water flows over my back and falls down my sides, I feel like there is nothing for me to resist or push: I just let go completely, and enjoy the feel of the cool water splashing all over my body." The cow's eyes rolled over in delight, just at the mention of such a delightful experience...

"You have taught me the secret of living, dear cow!" said the butterfly, exultantly. "As you enjoy your bath, so must we all enjoy every moment of this precious existence! For there is a purpose behind every event, a direction in each change... all of which is dictated by a simple law that says energy can neither be created nor destroyed: only transformed. Energy is eternal."

As it sank back on the cool green grass, the butterfly knew that its time had come. It knew, too, that it would merely be transformed now, from one form of energy to another. What came next? It didn't matter.
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: SaiServant on November 04, 2006, 01:15:31 PM
Jai Sai Ram!!

Profound thoughts at their best!! Ramesh Bhai, thanks for summing up our existence in this short piece! Only change is constant. Yet, the spirit is unchanging! Eternal, timeless spirit changes garb only. Lord Krishna and Gautama Bhuddha wouldn't agree less. Thanks again for this beautiful story!

Om Sai Ram!!

Sunita Raina
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on November 12, 2006, 12:17:08 PM
You Can be at Peace
               
My dear friends I love you so very much. As you watch your world in chaos understand that you can be at peace. As you watch the arguments and diversified opinions, know that in the long run there is only one mind, that allows for all perspectives, and that is MY mind. There is only one love seeking to be expressed, acknowledged, given, and received through all humanity and that is MY love. There is one heart beating within each soul and that is MY Heart.                        

So why does I allow for the chaos? Because you learn from it. With every war on your planet there is a yearning for peace. With every deception a desire arises for greater truth. With every angry moment, a resolve to change. And so dear ones whether it is your world that you witness in chaos or the stirrings of your own heart, know that there is a great truth arising from this stirring and that truth is love.                  

When you find yourself in times that challenge you instead of immediately assuming you did something wrong, make an assumption that you can create a more loving reality for yourself in spite of circumstances. When you watch the news and see people hurling accusations at each other, know that the more loving reality is a desire for truth to be examined and experienced at deeper levels. When you find yourself in anger, find the truth behind the anger... and with compassion act on that. You can't change the world. You can't change others. But you can indeed search within your own heart and find compassionate words or actions that can propel you towards a greater reality.                    

Don't judge yourselves dear ones. You are doing beautiful work bringing MY love and light to the surface upon your planet. Stay in joy when you find it. Don't feel guilty for allowing yourself good when others are in chaos. It is by filling your cup that you will create a desire to spill it, by giving to yourself what you require that you will find the authentic desire to share with others. It is by paying your bills first that you create abundance to share, by feeding your own families that they have a desire to assist those in need, and by choosing to be around uplifting situations and people that you find the strength of compassion to be around those who are not when you must.              

Gift yourselves with MY love first and you will remain steadfast beacons of light in a chaotic world that is truly birthing itself into a new and greater reality.                  

I love you so very much....

Yours truly...BABA SAI
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on November 14, 2006, 10:01:38 PM
Your palace will become full again...If

There is a very famous sufi story about a great king who was dying. He had three sons and all were very wise and he was very worried about whom to choose to be his successor. They were all the same age so age could not be the deciding factor, and they were all beautiful, all healthy and all intelligent. It was almost impossible to decide so he asked a very old aged man, his old advisor, what to do. The old advisor said, 'I will do a sort of a test.'

He called all the three boys and gave to each a palace and a certain amount of money, a very small amount of money, and told them, 'With this amount of money you have to fill your palace completely; it should not be empty.' It was difficult. The palaces were very big and the money was only a very small amount.

The first young man thought and thought and brooded. It was impossible to fill that empty palace with such a small amount of money! He could not get any furniture; even curtains were not possible. Paintings, chandeliers, impossible; so what to do? He could only think of one thing -- that rubbish could be used with that amount of money.

So he filled the whole palace with rubbish, because the man had not said with what to fill it but just that it should be full. So he said, 'Perfectly logical.'

The second boy thought very much but could not find a way. Up to the last moment he thought and contemplated but it was impossible. He was not ready to fill it with rubbish and there was no other thing that could be purchased with that amount of money, so the palace remained empty.

The third boy purchased a few small earthen lamps, incense, a few flowers. He burned the incense and the whole palace was full of the perfume. And he burned those small earthen, very cheap lamps and the whole house was full of light. And when the king came to see all the three palaces, there was just a small garland for him and a few flowers, that was all.

They rejected the first house because the condition was fulfilled -- the man had filled his house -- but with rubbish. The second was a failure because the house was empty and full of darkness because the boy had not been able to decide what to do. The third was chosen as the successor because with such a small amount of money he managed to fill the house -- and not only to fill it; it was overfull, flowing. Light was going outside on the road and the perfume was going with the winds.
 
Your house right now is like the second boy's palace -- empty. It was like the first boy's palace before, but now the junk, the rubbish has been thrown out.

It is like the second man's house.
 
Wait! Just the fragrance of love and the light of meditation will do. Your palace will become full again, and full with something which is tremendously valuable -- and of course, it costs nothing.

So don't be worried. Things are going perfectly well. Just meditate more and love more. Emptiness is good!

One should retains what one should needs and forgets that which was useless.  When the past drops, of course future planning also stops because the future is nothing but the past projected.
 
So this is what I want to convey. This is what I want to happen to everybody. If it is happening, don't be worried. And one will feel empty because the junkyard is gone. You will feel empty. Now there is no need to fill it with anything. Remain in this emptiness. Just one thing -- be loving. That emptiness will start by and by being filled with something new. That will be love.
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: OmSaiRamNowOn on November 15, 2006, 03:19:35 AM
Story of Gajendra

The elephant Gajendra was thirsty and wanted to drink water from a river. It knew that the crocodile was in the river, but it thought that it was stronger and hence would not be pulled by the crocodile. Even as it started drinking the water, the crocodile caught hold of it and would not let it go and the elephant tried to use its might and pull itself away. After some time, when the pain was unbearable, it turned to the Lord and screamed for help and the Lord also saved it.

We are all like the elephant and we are so filled by our arrogance and ego that we think, everything is under our control in this world. The desire for all objects in this world is like the thirst of the elephant and we go towards all the worldly objects, thinking that this crocodile will not be able to catch hold of us. But when we start getting attached to our possessions, they pull us more and more and cause us immeasurable pain. We are pained because we want to possess all the things that we cannot have. We are in pain because we are afraid that somebody might take it away from us. We are in pain when they are finally taken away from us. So this crocodile of attachment to our possessions, that has kept us in its hold, causes us so much pain before and during the time we possess an object and even after it is taken away. To get rid of this crocodile, we need to turn ourselves to God and seek His divine help.
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on November 15, 2006, 12:45:35 PM
Cultivate and invite prosperity

Prosperity and wealth is not just an abundance of money but the health and time to enjoy it...

True prosperity includes peace of mind, contentment, the company of good friends and good books. To connect to energies of abundance and prosperity do the following:

Respect your physical body. Take care of hygiene. Do not give in to addictions which abuse your body — be it cigarettes, alcohol, anger or overwork.

Remind yourself everyday that your body is a devoted servant with you only in this lifetime.  Treat it well while you have it. Learn to relax the muscles by a technique called progressive muscle relaxation, where you first tense a body part and then relax, releasing the tension.

Do a self massage using long strokes on the limbs and rotatory movements on abdomen. (takes about 3-5 minutes)

Eat your meals with reverence. Pause a moment before you begin a meal.  Say a small prayer of gratitude. Eat calmly and quietly enjoying every morsel. Chew each morsel 30-40 times, savouring every bit.

When you wake up in the morning connect to earth energies by touching the ground and paying a silent homage to mother earth and receiving her blessings.

Try to tend to a garden, watering it and looking after plants. If that is not possible look after at least one potted plant.  Offer every guest or visitor to your house, water and something to eat, according to your situation and capacity. Put aside a small part of your earning for sharing with others Avoid unnecessary clutter and accumulation of acquisitions. Learn to let go. Violence at home drives away prosperity Sit in vajrasana, that is, folding your legs underneath you and sitting on your haunches. Keep your spine straight and close your eyes (as in figure). Focus on the breath at your nostrils. Now, visualize a shining red ruby sitting on the tip of your nose. Chant the akshar “lam” (sound for base chakra) feeling the vibrations at the base of your body Check your attitude. If you believe that money is the root of all evil, you will be blocking your abundance. Money fulfils desire .The selfish acquisition and hoarding of money is evil.

MAY BABA SAI BLESS YOU AND GRACE YOU WITH ABUNDANCE
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: OmSaiRamNowOn on November 16, 2006, 12:50:15 AM
Two Boxes

I have in my hands two boxes which God gave me to hold
He said, "Put all your sorrows in the black, And all your joys in the gold."

I heeded His words, and in the two boxes
Both my joys and sorrows I stored
But though the gold became heavier each day
The black was as light as before
With curiosity, I opened the black I wanted to find out why
And I saw, in the base of the box, a hole
Which my sorrows had fallen out by.

I showed the hole to God, and mused aloud,
"I wonder where my sorrows could be."
He smiled a gentle smile at me."
"My child, they're all here with me."

I asked, "God, why give me the boxes,
Why the gold, and the black with the hole?"
"My child, the gold is for you to count your
blessings, The black is for you to let go."
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on November 16, 2006, 11:04:53 PM
Knowing & Understanding: There’s A Difference

A man with eight PhDs — he was proud of his achievement — met a monk. The monk asked him, “Why have you been so foolish in life?” The man said: “But I have eight PhDs!” “I have understood you; it is foolish to spend the best part of life reading instead of enjoying the birds, stars and the moon”, said the monk. “You may have knowledge but not clarity; you may know a lot and yet understand nothing”.

What does one have to understand about life?

You have many centres: Intellectual centre, an emotional centre and a body centre. In each centre, there is a mechanical and magnetic part. The mechanical part acts like a machine while the magnetic part acts with ore awareness. You have to transform yourself. Your mechanical movements and thinking have to change. Your mechanical emotions like jealousy and hatred have to be overcome. You can do this by bringing in more awareness. Then a complete being will emerge. When you increase awareness, even poison can turn into medicine; and with no awareness, medicine can become poison.

Why are we so mechanical?

A king dreamt that he was a beggar. His guru, in his dreams, told him the truth that he was a king and not a beggar. Now was he to argue with his guru or just wake up? The question of “why” cannot be answered. When did time begin? You cannot answer such a question. Which came first, egg or hen? There is a logical fallacy in the very question. Realise that we are mechanical. Bring in more awareness and see the lifetransformation. Even inert objects have life. Treat any object with loving awareness and it will guide you mysteriously. Your intuition and purity have to increase to receive this message. When you bathe, lovingly talk to water.

In a relationship, is it not necessary to judge?

Keep yourself relaxed. Increase your awareness and love. Not to judge should not be a conclusion. Don’t make it a demand or compulsion. Let there be a choice. There is a difference between ‘should’ and ‘choice’. ‘Should’ creates stress; it limits you to only one option. Choose not to judge. It is not a demand but a wise choice.

The danger of judgment is that you stop seeing the object of judgment and you are more in your judgment. In life, you have to make judgments, but don’t be a victim of your judgments. Suppose a thief enters your house, you have to judge him but then, be open to the possibility that he could change. Suppose you meet him after 10 years, see if he has changed or not. Do you still judge from the memory that he has been a thief? If you do not have this awareness, you will not see the change in a person even if he has changed.

What should one be really aware of?

Negative emotions poison. Like avoiding poisonous food, avoid negative emotions. Don’t identify with them. Don’t participate in them. Choose to create a new will, not be driven by negative emotions. They deplete your energy. They keep you asleep. They are harmful and heavy. They make your life complicated. For example somebody’s success should not be your failure. We define our failure by somebody’s success. We feel jealous seeing someone successful. Jealousy is a great poison.

Compete with your potential. Even if you compete with others, enjoy it. See beauty all around. Do not define your success and failure by someone’s success and failure.
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on November 17, 2006, 12:03:25 PM
BABA's Divine Hand Helps You Fly Into the Fearsome Unknown....

The mother eagle tried hard to induce the little one to leave the nest, but the baby was afraid. Suddenly, the mother rose well above him. “I held my breath, for I knew what was coming”, recounts Christabel Gladwell. ‘‘The little fellow stood on the edge of the nest, looking down at the plunge which he dared not take. There was a sharp cry from behind, which made him alert, tense as a watch-spring. The next instant the mother eagle had swooped, striking the nest at his feet, sending his support of twigs and himself with them and into the air.

‘‘He was afloat now, afloat on the blue air despite himself, and he flapped lustily for life. Over him, under him, beside him, hovered the mother on tireless wings, calling softly that she was there. But the awful fear of the depths and the lance tops of the spruces was upon the little one; his flapping grew wilder; he fell faster and faster.  Suddenly — more in fright than because he had lost his strength — he lost his balance and tipped head downward in the air. It was all over; he folded his wings to be dashed into pieces among the trees. Then like a flash the mother eagle shot under him, his despairing feet touched her broad shoulders, between her wings. He righted himself, rested an instant, found his head; then she dropped like a shot from under him, leaving him to come down on his own wings.

“It was all the work of an instant before I lost them among the trees far below. And when I found them again with my glass, the eaglet was on top of a great pine, and the mother was feeding him”.

Christabel’s story of the mother eagle — first pushing her little one to fly, then protecting the eaglet till it righted itself and then once again leaving it free — could be very similar to the relationship we have to BABA SAI and the way we live life.

Life has a way of challenging us and pushing us to the edge, when our fears could get the better of us and we refuse to move either forward or upward. All the while we feel threatened, alone and fearful, BABA, like the mother eagle hovers over us, protecting us on all sides. And then suddenly, the nest is knocked from under our feet and we are left to negotiate the air and the winds alone.
   
When it seems we would have a free fall and dash ourselves to death, suddenly, the protective hand of OUR BABA — whether through family, friends or compassionate strangers — covers us and we are able to right ourselves again.
   
Repeatedly, we are thrust into the unknown, the uncharted and the uncertain. And like the eaglet we are afraid to encounter what is really the human predicament. But just as we are pushed into an uncertain world, just as we develop cold feet and fall from fear and fright, BABA SAI hovers over us and protects us.
   
Sometimes our sense of timing could be all wrong. We may have a set of plans and believe we could chart our future. Sometimes, our sense of timing could agree with BABA’s, at other times, not. But like the mother eagle, BABA SAI is always in control.
   
At times we believe that we can no longer handle the uncertainty. We cling to the familiar, but the only constant in life is change. Then like the eagle and the eaglet that learns to fly, we will have to trust in the larger scheme of life and the universe, to believe that we have it in us to meet and overcome all that has to be overcome and that we rest in the palm of BABA’s hand. We may yet flounder, but BABA’s protective Divine Hand will bear us up and enable us to walk and to fly.

Feel and Be In BABA'S Divine Hands always.....
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on November 23, 2006, 06:57:00 PM
Brahmin Story

Lord Buddha was sitting under a banyan tree. One day, a furious Brahmin came to him and started abusing him.

The Brahmin thought that Buddha would reciprocate in the same manner, but to his utter surprise, there was not the slightest change in the expression on his face.

Now, the Brahmin became more furious. He hurled more and more abuses at Buddha.

However, Buddha was completely unmoved. Actually there was a look of compassion on his face. Ultimately the Brahmin was tired of abusing him. He asked, "I have been abusing you like anything, but why are you not angry at all ?"

Lord Buddha calmly replied, "My dear brother, I have not accepted a single abuse from you."

"But you heard all of them, didn't you?" The Brahmin argued half-heartedly.

Buddha said, "I do not need the abuses, so why should I even hear them?"

Now the Brahmin was even more puzzled. He could not understand the calm reply from Buddha.

Looking at his disturbed face, Buddha further explained, "All those abuses remain with you."

"It cannot be possible. I have hurled all of them at you," the Brahmin persisted.

Buddha calmly repeated his reply, "But I have not accepted even a single abuse from you ! Dear brother, suppose you give some coins to somebody, and if he does not accept them, with whom will those coins remain?"

The Brahmin replied, "If I have given the coins and not needed by someone, then naturally they would remain with me."

With a meaningful smile on his face, Buddha said, "Now you are right. The same has happened with your abuses. You came here and hurled abuses at me, but I have not accepted a single abuse from you. Hence, all those abuses remain with you only. So there is no reason to be angry with you."

The Brahmin remained speechless. He was ashamed of his behavior and begged for Buddha's forgiveness.
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: SaiServant on November 24, 2006, 07:32:57 AM
Jai Sai Ram!

Buddha certainly had a sense of humour!! More than the wisdom hidden in his approach, he disarmed the opponent by his calm amusement. Smile when you want to shout--this message comes across clearly in this nice story
[:)]

Om Sai Ram!!

Sunita Raina
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on November 27, 2006, 01:43:51 PM
Simple Solutions

Many years ago in a small Indian village,

A farmer had the misfortune Of owing a large sum of money to a village moneylender. The Moneylender, who was old and ugly, fancied the farmer's beautiful Daughter. So he proposed a bargain.

He said he would forgo the farmer's debt if he could marry his Daughter. Both the farmer and his daughter were horrified by the Proposal.

So the cunning money-lender suggested that they let Providence decide the matter. He told them that he would put a black Pebble and a white pebble into an empty money bag. Then the girl would Have to pick one pebble from the bag.

1) If she picked the black pebble, she would become his wife and her father's debt would be forgiven.

2) If she picked the white pebble she need not marry him and her father's debt would still be forgiven.

3) But if she refused to pick a pebble, her father would be thrown into Jail.

They were standing on a pebble strewn path in the farmer's field. As They talked, the moneylender bent over to pick up two pebbles. As he Picked them up, the sharp-eyed girl noticed that he had picked up two Black pebbles and put them into the bag.

He then asked the girl to pick A pebble from the bag.

Now, imagine that you were standing in the field. What would you have Done if you were the girl? If you had to advise her, what would you Have told her?

Careful analysis would produce three possibilities:

1. The girl should refuse to take a pebble.

2. The girl should show that there were two black pebbles in the bag And expose the money-lender as a cheat.

3. The girl should pick a black pebble and sacrifice herself in order To save her father from his debt and imprisonment.

Take a moment to ponder over the story. The above story is used with The hope that it will make us appreciate the difference between lateral And logical thinking.

The girl's dilemma cannot be solved with Traditional logical thinking. Think of the consequences if she chooses The above logical answers.

What would you recommend to the Girl to do?

Well, here is what she did ....

The girl put her hand into the moneybag and drew out a pebble.

Without Looking at it, she fumbled and let it fall onto the pebble-strewn path Where it immediately became lost among all the other pebbles.

"Oh, how clumsy of me," she said. "But never mind, if you look into the Bag for the one that is left, you will be able to tell which pebble I Picked."

Since the remaining pebble is black, it must be assumed that she hadicked the white one. And since the money-lender dared not admit his Dishonesty, the girl changed what seemed an impossible situation into An extremely advantageous one.

MORAL OF THE STORY:

Most complex problems do have a solution. It is only that we don't Attempt to think.
 
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Kavitaparna on November 27, 2006, 10:49:01 PM
OM SRI SAI RAM !

Ramesh Bhayya ! Sai Ram !

An excellent story . A story of the need indeed. As it rightly conveys the moral, every problem has a solution in itself. coz' problem is born after its solution is decided - just as any one is born only after the date of death is decided. Thank you.

 



Om Sri  Sai Ram!  Om Sri  Sai Ram!  Om Sri  Sai Ram!  Om Sri  Sai Ram!  Om Sri  Sai Ram!
Om Sri  Sai Ram!  Om Sri  Sai Ram!  Om Sri  Sai Ram!  Om Sri  Sai Ram!  Om Sri  Sai Ram!
Om Sri  Sai Ram!  Om Sri  Sai Ram!  Om Sri  Sai Ram!  Om Sri  Sai Ram!  Om Sri  Sai Ram!

kavita
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on December 05, 2006, 09:22:35 AM
Only Shared Power is Truly Constructive

The desire to test oneself on the anvil of power seems to be part of human nature. If the Forbes list is indicative of where it is concentrated today, in the Heavens, the list was short, though the quest, as continuous and absorbing.

   Brahma and Vishnu were having a prolonged debate on which of them was more powerful. Finally they consulted the Vedas: The most powerful is Shiva, they declared. Brahma could not control his mirth. “Imagine the chap frolicking with his wife Parvati on funeral grounds is declared the most powerful!”

   Shiva did not appreciate this. So he manifested as the pillar of light and declared that the one who finds its beginning or end would be accepted as the most powerful. Vishnu embarked on the journey and went as deep as he could, but there was no end in sight. He came back and said so.

   Brahma on the other hand was determined to locate the top. As he was agitating in frustration, he saw a pretty flower descend down. Leaping forward he caught hold of the Ketaki flower and asked where it was coming from. “The top of the pillar of fire”, replied the flower. So you have seen the top? How much farther is it?” asked our traveller. Wearily the flower replied, “All I can tell you is that I have been falling for years now, and am still way above the ground”. Arrogant Brahma then made up his mind to do something which would have repercussions on his life for ever.

   Bringing back the flower, he said he had seen the top. But his bluff was called as the linga opened up and Shiva emerged, disgusted that a god of such eminence should stoop to tell a lie... all to prove his superiority. In his rage, from Shiva sprang forth the Kala Bhairava. This frightening and enraged aspect of Shiva plucked out Brahma’s fifth head. Along with it went the pronouncement that nobody would ever worship Brahma on earth.

   A repentant Shiva had to bear the consequences of killing a man. The head he had knocked off, stuck to Kala Bhairava’s hand and like the blood on Lady Macbeth’s hands, would not leave. Bhairava was commanded that he go begging for alms with the skull as his receptacle.

   Laden with guilt, Bhairava wandered aimlessly with his skull vessel. His consciousness was a woman, Brahmahatya, who does not let him forget his heinous act. Finally he reached Vishnu’s abode. Shiva marched into Vishnu’s chamber holding out his skull bowl for alms. Vishnu let pour a stream of blood from his forehead as the only appropriate offering to a guest so honoured as this and offered him advice to go to Varanasi where his sins would be washed off. And that is why till today people believe that a bath in the Ganges at Varanasi will wash off all their sins, for Bhairava lives there, waiting to devour the sins of all beings. The story tells of the oneness of spirit; the oneness of becoming, continuing and perishing. It tells of the need for multiplicity in oneness.
 
   Whether one worships Shiva or Vishnu, one is reflected in the other. It is symbolic not only of Shiva and Vishnu worship, but for catholicity of thought in general. In Vishnu’s offering to Bhairava is the sharing of wisdom and therefore power, the assertion that only shared power can be constructive, for power is the gift of the powerless... it lasts as long as the seemingly powerless is in partnership with the seemingly powerful. This understanding is realisation of the Absolute Self.
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on December 06, 2006, 08:14:10 PM
When the Wind Blows
 
Years ago a farmer owned land along the Atlantic seacoast. He constantly advertised for hired hands. Most people were reluctant to work on farms along the Atlantic. They dreaded the awful storms that raged across the Atlantic, wreaking havoc on the buildings and crops. As the farmer interviewed applicants for the job, he received a steady stream of refusals.
 
Finally, a short, thin man, well past middle age, approached the farmer. "Are you a good farmhand?" the farmer asked him.
 
"Well, I can sleep when the wind blows," answered the little man.
 
Although puzzled by this answer, the farmer, desperate for help, hired him. The little man worked well around the farm, busy from dawn to dusk, and the farmer felt satisfied with the man's work.

Then one night the wind howled loudly in from offshore. Jumping out of bed, the farmer grabbed a lantern and rushed next door to the hired hand's sleeping quarters. He shook the little man and yelled, "Get up! A storm is coming! Tie things down before they blow away!"
 
The little man rolled over in bed and said firmly, "No sir. I told you, I can sleep when the wind blows.."
 
Enraged by the response, the farmer was tempted to fire him on the spot. Instead, he hurried outside to prepare for the storm. To his amazement, he discovered that all of the haystacks had been covered with tarpaulins. The cows were in the barn, the chickens were in the coops, and the doors were barred. The shutters were tightly secured. Everything was tied down. Nothing could blow away.
 
The farmer then understood what his hired hand meant, so he returned to his bed to also sleep while the wind blew.
 
MORAL: When you're prepared, spiritually, mentally, and physically, you have nothing to fear.

Can you sleep when the wind blows through your life? The hired hand in the story was able to sleep because he had secured the farm against the storm.
 
We, as believers in BABA SAI, secure ourselves against the storms of life by grounding ourselves in the Word of HIS..
 
We don't need to understand, we just need to hold HIS hand to have peace in the midst of the storms.

I hope you sleep well!
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on December 07, 2006, 08:54:26 PM
The Master appears when the disciple is ready.....

There is a story about a great mystic:

The mystic was Mohammedan and he lived in a mosque, but he had a Hindu follower. The Hindu was a Brahmin and the Hindu would cook food for him and would bring it to the mosque, and he used to live five miles away from the mosque. And unless the Master ate, he would sit there and wait -- and the Master was a crazy man. Sometimes he would eat in the morning, some-times in the afternoon, sometimes in the evening, sometimes in the night, and the disciple would wait and he would not eat till the Master had eaten. So sometimes he had to remain hungry the whole day. And by the time he reached home he was so tired that he would think, "Tomorrow, now who wants to prepare food again?" He would fall asleep hungry.

One day the Master said, "Listen, you need not come so far. I can come there myself, so tomorrow you prepare the food and I will come. It is too hot to come, and then sometimes you have to wait the whole day -- change it now. You are ready: I will come."

The next day he prepared delicious food for the Master, because he was to come for the first time. He was thrilled. This was grace: his Master is coming to his home! He decorated the house, he threw flowers on the path... but nobody turned up, only a dog. He chased the dog out because the dog wanted to cat, and he chased and the dog would come back and would try to snatch food.

He had seen many dogs, but this dog was strange. He beat the dog but he still came. He really gave him a good beating, then he saw tears coming out of she dog's eyes. And then he disappeared.

Till evening he waited, and then he thought, "This man is crazy -- he may have forgotten." So he took the food, went to the mosque -- and he saw tears in the eyes of the Master. The SAME kind of tears! He was puzzled and he said, "Why are you crying?"

And he said, "Why shouldn't I? You have beaten me so much!"

And the disciple said, "What are you talking about? I, and I can beat you? And you never came and you had promised!"

And the Master said, "I came -- and not only once. At least twelve times!"

Then the disciple remembered the dog -- exactly twelve times the dog had tried to enter.

And the Master said, "You have to be capable of seeing the formless now. Don't be too much attached to the form. Why should I be thought of only in this form, in this body? Why can't you find me in other forms?"

So I say maybe this great seeker had come across God... in fact how can you avoid God? Whomsoever you come across, you always come across God.  But he had great ideas, and even God could not fulfill those ideas. He remained empty, doubtful, untrusting, and the search continued.

And one day when he comes to a man who fulfills his ideas, he creates another problem.

Then the Master says:

"THAT I CANNOT DO -- I cannot accept you as a disciple -- FOR WHILE YOU MAY DESIRE THE PERFECT MASTER, HE, IN TURN, REQUIRES ONLY THE PERFECT PUPIL."

The Master is saying, "Had you prepared yourself these twenty years to be a disciple, you would have found me much earlier. You came across me many times, but you missed. And this time also you have to miss."

This is the Sufi approach for having contact and communion with a Master: become a disciple. Don't search for the Master: search for disciple hood. And let me repeat: the Master appears when the disciple is ready.
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: SaiServant on December 08, 2006, 12:27:58 AM
Jai Sai Ram!!

A nice story Ramesh Bhai!! Thank You!

As someone who lived in Sufi land (Kashmir), here are my humble views. In the life histories of Sai Baba (Sai Satcharita) and other Sufi masters, we notice that Masters appeared as mute animals (dog in this case) or in their real form--in dreams or in person(even after they leave their bodies). True Masters are aware about the corruptibility of human mind and heart. Thus, they may not risk putting their true disciples to falsehood. So, when a Master intends to approach and guide His true devotee, He wouldn't disguise as someone that the seeker fails to recognize. To some extent, the responsibility of following the true Master falls on the disciple also. All scriptures warn spiritual seekers from being led astray by fake teachers. So, a true disciple ought to test anyone approaching him or her as the Guru. Kindly recall Swami Vivekananda's repeated testing of Ramakrishna Paramahamsa, and the latter’s willingness to prove Himself.

In Sai Satcharita, we see how Baba used to get angry when His devotees enquired from others on spiritual matters. It also talks about the ‘false Guru’ Jowhar Ali, who claimed Baba was his disciple. It was Baba's sainthood that He agreed to being a disciple of someone fit to be His servant. Ordinary souls like us are not equipped with immunity to falsehood that Baba had. Someone may claim to be the Master or His ‘representative’ out of egoistic ambitions. Not being cautious and discriminating about whom to regard our Guru can bring the wrath of the true Master who is ever-vigilant on us. Baba has the power to indicate to us who should be taken as His representative (if at all) and who has to be ignored. Let us not forget that He can manifest Himself to any genuine seeker directly, in His recognizable form (in order to convince a doubting disciple), and He can speak to us in the stillness of our hearts. The best way to listen to Him is to stick to the words of His book Sai Satcharita. Let us recognize that the world can have wolves in sheep’s clothing (I’m borrowing that proverb from the holy Bible)!

May Baba Bless all of us with the power of Viveka (discrimination)!!

Om Sai Ram!!


Sunita Raina
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on December 08, 2006, 09:24:59 AM
Grace cannot be bought. It is to be gained....

The relationship between a Perfect Master and a disciple is an inevitable outcome of the intrinsic conditions in the life of the aspirant. It is primarily a relationship between the lover and his divine Beloved. From the spiritual point of view it is the most important relationship that a person can enter. Love that constitutes the core of discipleship stands by itself among the different types of love that prevail in ordinary social relations.

   Mundane love is an interplay between two centres of God and the unconscious; whereas the love implied in discipleship is the love of the God-unconscious for the God-conscious. The love that the aspirant has for the Master is really the response evoked by the greater love the Master has for the aspirant; it is to be placed above all other loves.

   The fundamental requisite for a true disciple is an unquestioning love for the Master. All other streams of love ultimately join this great river of love for the Master and disappear in it. Majnun loved Layla so intensely that every moment of his life he was filled with thoughts about her. He could not eat, drink or sleep without thinking of her; all he wanted was Layla’s happiness. He would gladly have seen her married to some other person if he felt it to be in her interest and would have died for her husband if he had thought she would thereby be happy. The utter-self denial and sincerity of his love led him to his Master.

   When the disciple has wholehearted devotion for the Master, he opens himself to the reception of the divine love that the Master pours into him. All his weaknesses are consumed in this fire of divine love of which he becomes a recipient. If the disciple is to be free from all weaknesses and attain incorruptible and infinite purity, he has to dedicate his life to the Master without any reservations or provisions. His selfsurrender has to be so complete as to allow no room in his mind for even a shadow of self-desire.

   Complete self-surrender and unquestioning love become possible when the disciple has unswerving faith in the Master, an indispensable part of true discipleship. Kalyan was a disciple of Swami Ramdas Samarth, who was a Perfect Master at the time of Shivaji. One day Swami Ramdas asked all his disciples to come to him and pretended to be sick as to be on the point of death. He had placed a mango on the joint of his knee and bound it in a bandage so that it looked like a huge swelling. He pointed to his swelling and told his disciples that it was a malignant tumour and that there was no chance of his living unless someone sucked out the poison from the joint. At the same time, he made it clear to all that whoever sucked out the poison would die instantaneously. All hesitated except Kalyan, who began to do his guru’s bidding. To his surprise Kalyan found sweet mango juice and not poison and Swami Ramdas praised his unswerving faith and self-denying love. To be willing to die for the happiness of the Beloved is true love. Such implicit faith, unfaltering love and undivided loyalty as that of Kalyan can come to the disciple only through the grace of the Master.

   Grace cannot be bought. It is gained by being always ready to serve and reluctant to be served. To serve the Master is to serve one’s own Self in every other self.
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: OmSaiRamNowOn on December 08, 2006, 11:04:58 PM
The Butterfly

A man found a cocoon of a butterfly. One day a small opening appeared. He sat and watched the butterfly for several hours as it struggled to force its body through that little hole. Then it seemed to stop making any progress. It appeared as if it had gotten as far as it could, and it could go no further.

So the man decided to help the butterfly. He took a pair of scissors and snipped off the remaining bit of the cocoon.

The butterfly then emerged easily. But it had a swollen body and small, shriveled wings. The man continued to watch the butterfly because he expected that, at any moment, the wings would enlarge and expand to be able to support the body, which would contract in time.

Neither happened! In fact, the butterfly spent the rest of its life crawling around with a swollen body and shriveled wings. It never was able to fly.
What the man, in his kindness and haste, did not understand was that the restricting cocoon and the struggle required for the butterfly to get through the tiny opening were God's way of forcing fluid from the body of the butterfly into its wings so that it would be ready for flight once it achieved its freedom from the cocoon.

Sometimes struggles are exactly what we need in our lives. If God allowed us to go through our lives without any obstacles, it would cripple us.
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: OmSaiRamNowOn on December 12, 2006, 09:39:43 PM


Once when Samartha Ramadas was moving about the countryside with his disciples, those behind him seeing a fine field of juicy sugar cane entered it and started pulling out the cane, crunching it with great relish. The owner of the field naturally emerged at their behavior and at the loss, to which they were subjecting him, fell upon them with a stout cane. The Master was sorry that his disciples broke the discipline so objectionably drawn by the desire of the tongue for the sweet juice. Next day they reached Emperor Sivaji's place, where a great welcome awaited the Guru and his followers. Sivaji offered to attend personally to the Guru during his ceremonial bath; when Ramadas undressed, Sivaji was shocked to find broad red marks, indicating that he had been beaten! Such was the sensitive sympathy of the great saint, that he received on his back the blows meant for his pupils; Sivaji sent for the owner of the field of cane; and, when he stood shivering in fear before the Emperor and His Guru, Ramadas was requested by Sivaji to inflict on him any punishment he liked. But, Ramadas accepted the fact that wrong was committed by his disciples and blessed the farmer, granting him a boon that his lands would be tax- free for ever.
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on December 13, 2006, 01:12:40 PM
Cycling Furiously on the Wheel of Transmigration

We are always searching... if we get silver, we pine for gold. If we get gold, we want diamonds. Yet, we remain dissatisfied. We look for more. And so we cycle on furiously, on the wheel of transmigration, what Hindus call “the wheel of eighty-four”.

   We have been cycling through life — in manifold species — for millions of years as determined by the law of karma which is based on our good and bad deeds. What, then, should we be seeking? What activities will earn freedom for our soul?

   Four men decided to go in search of riches. They asked a wise man how to find treasures and wealth. He told them to climb a certain mountain. As they climbed, they found a cave filled with silver. One of the four decided to take the silver and go home. The other three continued to climb. They found a cave full of gold. One of the remaining three decided to take the gold and return home. The remaining two men continued to climb and found a cave filled with diamonds. One of them decided to take home the diamonds and climb no further.

   The fourth man thought there atop the mountain, surely more precious riches awaited him. He continued to climb. Finally, on top, he saw a man seated with a spinning wheel that was turning on the top of his head. He asked the climber, “What has brought you to the mountain top?” The climber answered: “I am in search of treasure. My friends stopped climbing when they reached the caves in which they found silver, gold and diamonds. However, I feel certain that there are riches greater than those, and I want to find them”.

   The man with the wheel said: “I know how you can find what you are seeking. Relieve me of the burden of wearing this spinning wheel for a few moments, and I will tell you the secret”. The climber agreed, and let the other fix the spinning wheel onto his head.
 
   The man on the mountain then said: “I am glad to be relieved of this wheel. I have been wearing it for decades. Like you, I had been searching for riches and climbed this mountain with my friends. They too stopped climbing when, in turn, they found the caves of silver, gold and diamonds. I wanted more. Eventually, I reached the top and like you met a man wearing this wheel. He told me what I told you — that he would give me an answer to what I was seeking if I would relieve him of this wheel. He took it off his head and gave it to me. Ever since then I have been cursed by having to wear the heavy burden of this wheel. I could not remove it until someone came and asked me the secret for attaining riches. You are the first one who has come along, and so I gladly pass this wheel onto you. Now, you will wear it until someone else comes along and relieves you of it by asking for the secret to achieving wealth”.

   The man who was now free said further: “This is the wheel of eighty-four. It is a wheel of desires that binds us to the world. The secret of how to attain wealth is answered by wearing this wheel”. The climber knew why the wise man had sent him up to the mountain — to realise that desire and attachment lead us into bondage. The true wealth that we should be seeking is the elimination of desire and bondage to the wheel.
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: OmSaiRamNowOn on December 14, 2006, 09:55:32 PM
Whatever happens...

Once Akbar the mughal emperor and Birbal, his minister were having a chat. While cutting a fruit, Akbar cut his finger slightly and was upset about it. Birbal said "Jahapana, whatever happens is for your good. Do not worry". This irked Akbar and he wanted to score it even with Birbal. He takes him for hunting trip at the end of the day they are tired. Akbar asks Birbal to get down into an abandoned well and fetch water. After Birbal got down, Akbar pulled the rope up, said, "Birbal stay there, what ever happens is for your own good", and left him there. Wandering in the Jungle, Akbar lost his way back and was captured by the Tribes, who decided to offer him as a sacrifice to Goddess Kali. Just before chopping his head off, one of them sees the cut on his finger, asserted that he was not perfect, and hence cannot be offered as "Bali" and they released him. Akbar realized Birbal's words and repented for leaving him in the well and went back to get him. When Akbar explains what happened and apologizes to Birbal for his act, Birbal says "Jahapana, good that you left me, else they would have killed and offered me to kali instead of you".
It's a story, still the moral is priceless. We all know that thinking positively through tough times is not easy. It's hard to practice, easier said than done. Nevertheless, they are great support under difficult circumstances.
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Kavitaparna on December 14, 2006, 11:32:05 PM
OM SRI SAI RAM

'I' have an Akbar in me.
When 'My' wish is not accomplished,
'I' blame Sai for not having fulfilled...
'My' wish OR for not having done things in
'My' favour but,
'I', realise the "ACTUAL" favour done to
'Me' by Baba after a gap of .....indefinite..time

"Oh! the Akbar in 'Me'!, Please try to be patient enough" that you condemn repitition of this".

Om Sri  Sai Ram!  Om Sri  Sai Ram!  Om Sri  Sai Ram!  Om Sri  Sai Ram!  Om Sri  Sai Ram!
Om Sri  Sai Ram!  Om Sri  Sai Ram!  Om Sri  Sai Ram!  Om Sri  Sai Ram!  Om Sri  Sai Ram!
Om Sri  Sai Ram!  Om Sri  Sai Ram!  Om Sri  Sai Ram!  Om Sri  Sai Ram!  Om Sri  Sai Ram!

kavita
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on December 15, 2006, 04:54:46 PM
Life only lasts for one second (death)

"Compared to the great vastness of the cosmos, the ocean of deep time, my individual existence is a blip, a bubble in the foam on the surface of a flowing river. I am a momentary arrangement of atoms and molecules, an arrangement that lives and moves, to be sure, an arrangement that thinks, laughs, appreciates beauty, dreams, and loves.

But a mere arrangement nonetheless, a transient state, an ephemeral gathering. Soon the blip will go out, the bubble will pop, the arrangement will dissolve, molecular bonds released by entropy. My consciousness will cease. But the molecules that once were me will still exist. The atoms that made up my body, iron, carbon, oxygen, nitrogen, and all the heavy elements forged in the crucibles of dying stars, will remain. Liberated from their temporary home, they will rejoin the rest of the planet, taking new shapes, finding new arrangements, becoming part of other life.

I will become merged with everything. I will become part of the trees that grow wherever my ashes are scattered, joining the eco-system of the forest. I will be in the slow green heartwood of the trunks as they patiently tick off the centuries, in the buds that burst forth in spring and in the leaves that explode with colour in autumn. I will be the sparkle of sunlight on the surface of a flowing mountain stream.

I will sink into the earth and mix with the groundwater, eventually flowing back and rejoining the ocean where all life on this planet ultimately began. I will be in the waves that crash on the shore, in the warm sheltered tidal pools, in the coral reefs that bloom with life, and in the depths that echo with whale songs. I will be sub ducted into the planet's core and join the three-hundred-million-year cycle of the continental plates.

I will rise into the sky and, in the fullness of time, become dispersed throughout the atmosphere, until every breath will contain part of me. And billions of years from now, when our sun swells and blasts the Earth's atmosphere away, I will be there, streaming into space to rejoin the stars that gave my atoms birth.

And perhaps some day, billions of years yet beyond that, on some distant planet beneath bright alien skies, an atom that once was part of me will take part in a series of chemical reactions that may ultimately lead to new life, life that will in time leave the sea that gave it birth, crawl up onto the beach, and look up into the cosmos and wonder where it came from.

And the cycle will begin again."

Life only lasts for one second”
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on December 17, 2006, 03:52:09 PM
BABA SAI's Simple Ways......

I am reminded of a beautiful, historical incident:

Nanak, the master of the Sikhs -- the word sikh simply means disciple.

It is unfortunate that it became a religion. Nanak had no idea to make a religion, he was only creating disciples to become masters. He was not creating an organized religion, a church, but that's what happened. Such is the unconsciousness of man.

Nanak was passing through Lahore, which is now in Pakistan. And there was a pseudo-mystic, a false Sufi, a pretender, and he had a great following. When he saw Nanak, he became afraid... and there was nothing to be afraid of. Nanak was alone with his one disciple Mardana, with a musical instrument. Mardana would play and Nanak would sing. They were innocent people.

They were staying outside Lahore when the pseudo-teacher was informed that "A great master has come. They are staying outside the city and many people have already started going towards them."

The pseudo-Sufi was certainly worried. He sent a cup full of milk -- so full that you could not put even a single drop more of milk in it. The disciple who took it said, "What is the meaning?"

The Sufi said, "You don't be worried about the meaning. Take it to Nanak and let us see what happens."

Nanak was offered the cup -- a beautiful cup -- full of milk and he was told, "The Sufi master sends his salutations."

Nanak asked Mardana, "Just there, nearby, are wildflowers. Take up one flower" -- Mardana could not understand what was happening -- and Nanak put that wildflower in the cup and gave it back to the man who had brought it.

He told him, "Take it to your master."

He said, "But I don't understand -- what is the meaning?"

Nanak said, "Your master will understand."

The Sufi had sent the cup full of milk to show that "Here there is no need of any other master; the place is full of Sufis. You are not welcome -- go somewhere else!"

But Nanak floated a flower in the cup, meaning that, "You need not be worried about me. I will not disturb anything -- even in a full cup I will be simply floating like a flower. I am above -- you need not be worried. You can continue your shop, I will not take your customers."

The Sufi was exposed completely to his disciples, because they could compare the presence of those two persons. They sat with Nanak and they immediately saw, as if an arrow had penetrated their being, that some strange joy has arisen in them which has never happened with that Sufi. Soon the Sufi master himself had to come to Nanak to ask forgiveness.

Nanak said, "Who am I to forgive you? Ask forgiveness from existence itself. You have been deceiving thousands of people, delaying their enlightenment. Your crime is great, although nobody will call it a crime because it is so invisible."

This has to be remembered, that if the master is right, anything around him becomes a transforming force. And if the master is not authentic and true, then even the right things simply become exploitation, destruction, slavery.

That's what the false teacher has created in the world -- so many religions... The real teacher will create only religiousness. How can religiousness be Christian, how can religiousness be Hindu?

Religiousness is a quality of the heart -- the mystic rose opening, giving you the sense of your eternity, giving you the sense that you are not this mortal body but an immortal god, that you are pure light and pure love.

And you can share it -- you will have to share it, because when one becomes aware of one's treasures, one becomes like a raincloud.

Too heavy, it has to rain; it has to become unburdened of its treasures.

And this is what OUR BABA SAI has done.  HE has not created any Sect.  Like Nanak, BABA SAI has given us simplest of simple way of Bhakti.
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on December 19, 2006, 10:19:20 PM
Always Keep Happy Flavor around you.

Prem Amrit. Prem means love; Amrit means elixir. Love makes one immortal; love is elixir.

It is love that has been the search down the ages of all the seekers, because it is only through the alchemy of love that one transcends time, and by transcending time, transcends death.

Mind is bound to die, the body is bound to die, but there is something in us, if we become aware of it, which is not going to die. Only that will give us a fearless life. And one becomes aware of that innermost core only in moments of love, never otherwise.

Love opens the doors of the temple of the inner world, because love stops thinking. Love happens in the heart; it has nothing to do with the head. The head disappears in love, and the disappearance of the head is the beginning of a totally new dimension, a new pilgrimage. Love is a feel, not a thought. Love is sensitivity. And slowly slowly, as love deepens, it brings awareness, it makes one more alert.

There are only two ways to reach to God. One is by becoming alert. That is the way of Buddha: be more alert, be more aware, and one day love will follow awareness; it will come as a shadow of it.

The other way is that of love: the way of the Sufis, Bahauddin, Jalaluddin, Rabiya. The way of love means be more and more loving, and one day awareness will come of its own accord as a shadow.
 
And both are right, because love and awareness are two aspects of the same coin; they are inseparably one. Love is one side of the coin, awareness is the other side. If you can find one side you have automatically found the other too.

And for you it will be easier to find love first than awareness. Be in love with life, be simply in love.

It is such a beautiful existence that it is very unbelievable why people are not in love. It is such an incredible existence: each moment is so precious and each atom is so beautiful. Still people are without love! For what they are waiting? We cannot find a better world than this, we cannot find a better existence than this. This is the most perfect existence possible, and the most beautiful and colorful world possible. So many birds singing, and so many trees blooming, and so many mountains and rivers and stars... and still people don't feel any love arising in their hearts. They must be dead. They must have forgotten all about their hearts. They have to be reminded.

Through this forum BABA's function here is to remind you of your heart, to take you slowly slowly towards your heart, to create love energy in you, to help you to become more heartful. All the devices that are being used by HIM -- either they are to bring awareness in you or they are to bring love in you. If one is achieved, the other is achieved automatically.

But you follow the path of love: be a Sufi!

To me life is God, to me there is no other God than life.

And if life is God, then love is the only prayer possible.

And if life is God, then today is important, not tomorrow. If life is God, then one need not worry about the other world. One has to make this moment, the herenow, as beautiful, as blissful, as possible, because the next moment will be born out of it.

One has to make life a celebration, and not only life but death too. One has to live lovingly, dancingly and one has to die lovingly and dancingly. And if one can manage to live and die rejoicing, one has attained. Then BABA SAI is found in your very heart of hearts. Then BABA is not a distant reality but is immediate. Then BABA SAI is not something somewhere else, but herenow. Then BABA is not something to be worshipped but something to be lived.

This way your whole life will be a temple and transforms the ordinary into sacred. Just remember this, and with this remembrance great things are going to happen. BABA never given us any ritual, HE never prescribed us any particular prayer, HE never given any mantra in HIS life time.  HE simply gave us an insight through many of HIS messages. Any ritual will bind you, will make you a slave. Any mantra will be a subtle trap. Any discipline will create a prison around you. Hence HE never given us any discipline. HE simply taught us a love for life -- life as it is, with no shoulds.

And if we can love life as it is, religiousness comes of its own accord. Then your daily routine -- cooking food, cleaning the house, looking after the children, everything that you are doing -- starts having a new quality to it, a new dimension to it.

It becomes your prayer. It will transform your whole life into prayer. Don't do any prayer in addition with your life, but learn to transform your whole life into a prayerfulness.

And this is very simple and easily possible: just a little awareness, remembering, intelligence! And it is always there; we have just to tap it, that's all.

That's good! Much more is going to happen. Things happen only when you are in a happy mood. Things happen only when you are blissfully ready to receive them. Things never happen in negative moods; a very positive state is needed. The more positive you are, the more you are entitled to miracles.

And you are positive, you are happy. Just keep this state. Remember not to fall from it. Remember not to destroy it and not to be distracted from it. Then things simply start happening; one need not do much. But if one is not happy, then one can go on doing many things but nothing will happen. With a negative heart the world simply becomes disconnected. With a happy heart you are bridged, bridged to millions of things around you.

So keep this happy flavor around you.
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on December 20, 2006, 11:06:47 PM
Control your attention, and you control your mind".

A disciple and his teacher were walking through the forest. The disciple was disturbed by the fact that his mind was in constant unrest.

He asked his teacher: "Why most people's minds are restless, and only a few possess a calm mind? What can one do to still the mind?"

The teacher looked at the disciple, smiled and said:

"I will tell you a story. An elephant was standing and picking leaves from a tree. A small fly came, flying and buzzing near his ear. The elephant waved it away with his long ears. Then the fly came again, and the elephant waved it away once more".

This was repeated several times. Then the elephant asked the fly:

"Why are you so restless and noisy? Why can't you stay for a while in one place?"

The fly answered:

"I am attracted to whatever I see, hear or smell. My five senses pull me constantly in all directions and I cannot resist them. What is your secret? How can you stay so calm and still?"

The elephant stopped eating and said:

"My five senses do not rule my attention. Whatever I do, I get immersed in it. Now that I am eating, I am completely immersed in eating. In this way I can enjoy my food and chew it better. I rule and control my attention, and not the other way around."

Upon hearing these words, the disciple's eyes opened wide and a smile appeared on his face. He looked at his teacher and said:

"I understand! If my five senses are in control of my mind and attention, then my mind is in constant unrest. If I am in charge of my five senses and attention, then my mind becomes calm".

"Yes, that's right", answered the teacher, " The mind is restless and goes wherever the attention is. Control your attention, and you control your mind".
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on December 21, 2006, 03:29:31 PM
Live a balance lifestyle and enjoy Life!

Everyone must have read this story but have you ever got its message in right perspectives?  Read it once more and refresh yourself.  Take it as a reminder!

A Long time ago, there was an Emperor who told his horseman that if he could ride on his horse and cover as much land area as he likes, then the Emperor would give him the area of land he has covered.
 
Sure enough, the horseman quickly jumped onto his horse and rode as fast as possible to cover as much land area as he could. He kept on riding and riding, whipping the horse to go as fast as possible.
 
When he was hungry, thirsty or tired, he did not stop because he wanted to cover as much area as possible. Came to a point when he had covered a substantial area and he was exhausted and was dying. Then he asked himself, "Why did I pushed myself so hard to cover so much land area? Now I am dying and I only need a very small area to bury myself."
 
The above story is similar with the journey of our Life. We push very hard everyday to make more money, to gain power and recognition. We neglect our health, time with our family and to appreciate the surrounding beauty and the hobbies we love to do.
 
One day when we look back, we will realize that we don't really need that much, but then we cannot turn back time for what we have missed.
 
Life is not about making money, acquiring power or recognition. Life is definitely not about work! Work is only necessary to keep us living so as to enjoy the beauty and pleasures of life.
 
Lessons to Learn from The Story:
 
Life is a balance of Work and Play, Family and Personal time. You have to decide how you want to balance your Life. Define your priorities, realize what you are able to compromise but always let some of your decisions be based on your instincts.
 
Happiness is the meaning and the purpose of Life, the whole aim of human existence. So, take it easy, do what you want to do and appreciate nature. Life is fragile, Life is short. Do not take Life for granted. Live a balance lifestyle and enjoy Life!
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on December 23, 2006, 12:50:24 PM
Answer of all answers is silence.....

One day early in the morning when Buddha was out for his morning walk, a man asked him, "Is there a God?"

Buddha looked for a moment into the eyes of the man and said, "No. There is no God at all -- never has been, never will be. You get rid of all this nonsense."

The man was shocked.

Ananda was following Buddha. He always followed him like a shadow, just to be at his service if at any moment, any need arose. He listened -- he had listened to many answers from Buddha -- and it was like a hammer, so crude, so cruel it looked. But he saw the face of Buddha -- tremendous compassion.

In the afternoon of the same day another man came and he asked, "Is there a God?"

Buddha said, "Yes, there is -- always has been, always will be. Seek and find."

Ananda was very much puzzled; he had not forgotten the answer that Buddha gave just that morning, but he could not ask because there were so many other people there.

And before he could ask, another man came by that evening just as the sun was setting. And Buddha was sitting outside underneath a tree, just watching the sunset and the beautiful clouds, and the man asked, "Is there a God?"

Buddha simply motioned his hand, made a gesture to the man to sit down, and himself closed his eyes. The man followed. They sat in silence for a few moments, then the man rose up. It was getting dark, the sun had set. He touched the feet of Buddha, said, "I am grateful for the answer. Thank you very much," and went away.

Now Ananda was all boiling up. When there was nobody there, Ananda asked, "I will not be able to sleep tonight unless you answer me. In a single day, the same question -- and you answer in three ways. To the first person you said 'No, there is no God.' To the second you said, 'Yes, there is.' And to the third you simply motioned with such love for him to sit down and close his eyes. You didn't say anything to him, but something must have transpired, because the man fell into deep silence, he touched your feet, he thanked you also for your answer, although I was there and you had not answered at all. What is going on? You have puzzled me very much."

Buddha said, "No answer was given to you. Why should you be puzzled? It was their question, it was my answer, you were not a party to it."

But Ananda said, "I am not deaf, I was there and I simply listened.

And now those three answers are keeping me very much confused."

Buddha said, "The first man was a believer, he believed in God. He had not really come to inquire, he had come to be confirmed. He wanted his belief to be supported by me, so that he could go and tell people, 'Not only I believe in God, Buddha also believes.' He wanted to use me for his own purposes, hence I had to say no. And I had to be very hard with him, otherwise he was so full of his own ideas he would not have listened. He was a scholar, well acquainted with the scriptures -- I could hear the noise in his head, I could see the turmoil in his being. I had to be very cruel and hard like a hammer, because only then there was a possibility that he might hear. He needed a shock. I shocked him, because I don't want to support anybody's beliefs. All beliefs are wrong. Knowing is a totally different matter.

"And the second man was an atheist, he did not believe in God. He was also a scholar, he was also full of all kinds of ideas, but he was just the opposite to the first man. He had also come for the same purpose. They were opposites, enemies, but the purpose was the same. He wanted me to support his non-belief, his disbelief. That's why I had to say to him with such authority: 'Yes, there is a God -- only God is, and nothing else.' That way I shattered his belief.

"And the third man was really a seeker.

He did not want an answer, he wanted an experience. He had not come to question -- he had no idea, no prejudice -- he had come open, available. He was vulnerable to me, he was a man of great trust. He wanted me to reveal something to him, hence I did not answer him, I simply told him to sit by my side. And, yes, you are right, something transpired...."

... Because something always transpires when two persons can manage to sit in deep silence. And if you can manage to sit in deep silence with a buddha, something of tremendous value is going to happen. His silence is contagious. If you are available and open his silence will pour into your being. It will be like a bath; you will be bathed in his consciousness. You will be cleansed, you will be purified. Your dust will disappear from your mirror. Suddenly you will be able to see; your eyes will be clear.

"... So without giving him any answer, he received the answer. He received the answer of all answers which is silence. That's why he was so grateful, that's why he bowed down 'and touched my feet, that's why he thanked me."

When you come to a Buddha or a Bodhidharma you have to be very alert how you come. Don't come with prejudices, otherwise you will ask childish questions.
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on December 28, 2006, 02:18:42 PM
Aloneness is the First Lesson of Love

Without the other we don’t know who we are, we lose our identity. The other becomes a mirror and we can see our faces in it. Without the other we are suddenly thrown to ourselves. We are greatly inconvenienced because we don’t know who we are when we are alone.
   
With the other, things are clear, defined. We know the name, we know the form, we know the person — Hindu, Christian, Indian, American — there are some ways to define the other. How to define yourself ?
   
Deep down there is an abyss... undefinable emptiness. You start merging into that. It creates fear. You become frightened. You want to rush towards the other. The other helps you to remain out. When there is nobody you are simply left with your emptiness.
   
Nobody wants to be alone. The greatest fear in the world is to be left alone. People do a thousand and one things just not to be left alone. You imitate your neighbours so you are just like them. You lose your individuality, you lose your uniqueness, you just become imitators, because otherwise, you will be left alone.
   
You become part of a crowd, a church, an organisation. Somehow you want to merge with a crowd where you can feel at ease, so that you are not alone.
   
To be alone is really the greatest miracle. That means now you don’t belong to any church or organisation, you don’t belong to any theology or ideology — socialist, communist, fascist, Hindu, Christian, Jain, Buddhist — you don’t belong, you simply are. And you have learnt how to love your indefinable, ineffable reality. You have come to know how to be with yourself.
   
Loneliness is absence of the other. Aloneness is the presence of oneself. Aloneness is very positive. It is an overflowing presence. You are so full of presence that you can fill the whole universe with your presence and there is no need for anybody.
   
If the whole world disappears this zen master will not miss anything; he will be as happy as ever. He will love that tremendous emptiness, this pure infinity. He will not miss anything because he has arrived home. He knows that he himself is enough unto himself.
   
This does not mean that a man who has become enlightened and has come home does not live with others. In fact, only he is capable of being with others. Because he is capable of being with himself he becomes capable of being with others. If you are not capable of being with yourself, how can you be capable of being with others?
   
A man who loves his aloneness is capable of love, and a man who feels loneliness is incapable of love. A man who is happy with himself is full of love, flowing. He does not need anybody’s love, hence he can give. When you are in need how can you give? You are a beggar. And when you can give, much love comes towards you. It is a natural response. The first lesson of love is to learn how to be alone.
   
Try it, to have the feel. Just sit alone sometimes. That’s what meditation is all about — just sitting alone, doing nothing. If you start feeling lonely then there is something missing in your being, then you have not been able yet to understand who you are.
   
Then go deeper into this loneliness until you come to a layer when suddenly loneliness transforms itself into aloneness. Loneliness is the negative aspect of aloneness. If you go deeper into it one moment is bound to come when suddenly you will start feeling the positive aspect of it. Because both aspects are always together.
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on December 30, 2006, 09:08:36 PM
Don't search for the Master: search for disciple hood.

There is a story about a great mystic:

The mystic was Mohammedan and he lived in a mosque, but he had a Hindu follower. The Hindu was a Brahmin and the Hindu would cook food for him and would bring it to the mosque, and he used to live five miles away from the mosque. And unless the Master ate, he would sit there and wait -- and the Master was a crazy man. Sometimes he would eat in the morning, some-times in the afternoon, sometimes in the evening, sometimes in the night, and the disciple would wait and he would not eat till the Master had eaten. So sometimes he had to remain hungry the whole day. And by the time he reached home he was so tired that he would think, "Tomorrow, now who wants to prepare food again?" He would fall asleep hungry.

One day the Master said, "Listen, you need not come so far. I can come there myself, so tomorrow you prepare the food and I will come. It is too hot to come, and then sometimes you have to wait the whole day -- change it now. You are ready: I will come."

The next day he prepared delicious food for the Master, because he was to come for the first time. He was thrilled. This was grace: his Master is coming to his home! He decorated the house, he threw flowers on the path... but nobody turned up, only a dog. He chased the dog out because the dog wanted to cat, and he chased and the dog would come back and would try to snatch food.

He had seen many dogs, but this dog was strange. He beat the dog but he still came. He really gave him a good beating, then he saw tears coming out of she dog's eyes. And then he disappeared.

Till evening he waited, and then he thought, "This man is crazy -- he may have forgotten." So he took the food, went to the mosque -- and he saw tears in the eyes of the Master. The SAME kind of tears! He was puzzled and he said, "Why are you crying?"

And he said, "Why shouldn't I? You have beaten me so much!"

And the disciple said, "What are you talking about? I, and I can beat you? And you never came and you had promised!"

And the Master said, "I came -- and not only once. At least twelve times!"

Then the disciple remembered the dog -- exactly twelve times the dog had tried to enter.

And the Master said, "You have to be capable of seeing the formless now. Don't be too much attached to the form. Why should I be thought of only in this form, in this body? Why can't you find me in other forms?"

So I say maybe this great seeker had come across God... in fact how can you avoid God? Whomsoever you come across, you always come across God.  But he had great ideas, and even God could not fulfill those ideas. He remained empty, doubtful, untrusting, and the search continued.

And one day when he comes to a man who fulfills his ideas, he creates another problem.

Then the Master says:

"THAT I CANNOT DO -- I cannot accept you as a disciple -- FOR WHILE YOU MAY DESIRE THE PERFECT MASTER, HE, IN TURN, REQUIRES ONLY THE PERFECT PUPIL."

The Master is saying, "Had you prepared yourself these twenty years to be a disciple, you would have found me much earlier. You came across me many times, but you missed. And this time also you have to miss."

This is the Sufi approach for having contact and communion with a Master: become a disciple. Don't search for the Master: search for disciple hood. And let me repeat: the Master appears when the disciple is ready.

Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on January 02, 2007, 08:34:58 PM
It Is Faith That Keeps Us All Going

One morning, a college student, on reaching the library, didn’t know where to leave her bag since the entire rack was full. On the security guard’s suggestion, she left it on the counter, like many others. When she returned an hour later, her bag wasn’t there. Mercifully the mobile wasn’t inside, only Rs 350 and many hits of paper, with random jottings. This was the first such incident. The system ran on faith; until one person shattered it.
   
The next day, I was at a temple. There was a designated place to leave footwear, but not helmets, which are now compulsory. I was wary of leaving it unattended. So, I carried it into the temple.
   
A security guard, with a disarming smile, stretched out his hands, and offered to keep the helmet safely. His body language infused a lot of faith in me. I involuntarily handed it over to him, but he didn’t give me a receipt. Just as I was about to enter the temple’s inner premises, the previous day’s incident of a girl losing her bag came to my mind. What if I would be the first one to lose something in the temple, and that too my helmet?
   
No, I won’t take a chance. I turned around. I tore off a piece of paper from the pocket notepad I carry. Splitting it into two pieces, I wrote my name on both. I showed the security guard the tags I had just created. He looked amazed. He obviously wasn’t getting a hang of what I was up to. ‘‘Just to make sure that no one else by mistake picks up my helmet’’, I explained as I tucked one tag under the visor of the helmet and put the other tag into my pocket.
   
“There’s no need for all this...”, he said. The warmth of the smile —that he sported a couple of minutes back when he offered to keep my helmet safely — was missing. God, did I indicate that I didn’t have faith in him? Am I distrusting someone who is genuinely helpful? Within seconds, did I convert a trusting person into a suspicious one? How would I have felt if the world didn’t have trust in me?
   
No. I got to be realistic. I drew on my resources of body language and I told him gently in the friendliest tone, ‘‘Just in case; lot of helmets here...’’ He had a reassuring smile.
   
Yet, I couldn’t still help asking myself: What if I still lost my helmet? What if the guard would have only shrugged his shoulders and said, ‘‘I told you there’s no use keeping all these tags’’. I left those thoughts aside as I moved into the temple. When I brought my palms together in prayer, I realised there were more pressing things in life than a helmet — with or without a tag.
   
When I came back, the helmet was there, but not that security guard. As I picked it up and began walking away, I saw him. With the same disarming smile, he raised his open palms upwards, indicating all was well, not just the helmet, by the Grace of God.
   
Life is about relationships — matrimonial, parental, sibling, fraternal, friendly and even the one with strangers. It’s faith that sustains a relationship, it fuels our daily lives. Faith need not be spiritual. William Adam, the British businessman navigator, said, “Faith is a continuation of reason’’. Henry Bailey, a British author of medical detective short stories, said, ‘‘Faith is a higher faculty than reason”.
   
St Augustine, the first Archbishop of Canterbury, said, “Faith is to believe in what we do not see; and the reward of this faith is to see what we believe”. It’s the faith that we have in one another that makes our lives comfortable.
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Kavitaparna on January 07, 2007, 03:16:45 PM
OM SRI SAI RAM

" Faith can mean believing unconditionally. It can be acceptance of something that one has been told by one who is considered trustworthy. Faith, by its very nature, requires belief outside of known fact. Faith is formed through instinct, intuition, meditation, communing with nature, prayer, or perceived usefulness of a belief system. The raison d' etre for faith seems to lie in the fact that to some who have attained to a sufficient depth of it, it 'works' in lieu of, or even in addition to, rational reason, logic and science".

The beauty of the characteristic compound  "Faith" is that even if any one seldom / often  fails, "Faith" keeps generating abundantly in the human body like any other physiological phenomenon.

It is so vibrant hence needs a proper and thorough CHANNELISING lest the life should be a misery - whatever the aspect be.


Om Sri  Sai Ram!  Om Sri  Sai Ram!  Om Sri  Sai Ram!  Om Sri  Sai Ram!  Om Sri  Sai Ram!
Om Sri  Sai Ram!  Om Sri  Sai Ram!  Om Sri  Sai Ram!  Om Sri  Sai Ram!  Om Sri  Sai Ram!
Om Sri  Sai Ram!  Om Sri  Sai Ram!  Om Sri  Sai Ram!  Om Sri  Sai Ram!  Om Sri  Sai Ram!

kavita
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on January 11, 2007, 09:30:19 PM
The Master’s Method

One day, King Barkat decided to imprison the Master because of his preaching and because of the rebellious ideas he was spreading.

After some months the king fell ill and was confined to bed by a strange paralysis. All the doctors in the land tried to help him with the best medicines, but to no avail. The king wasn’t getting any better; indeed, he was getting worse. One day someone suggested that maybe the Master could help the king, since he was renowned among the people as a great healer.

The king decided to receive him and to ask his advice. The dervish was called and brought before his Majesty and the problem was explained to him. He answered: “Your Majesty, I can help you, but only on one condition: you must give me a sharp knife and then we two must be left alone”. The king was terrified; what would happen if the Master tried to kill him? But he had no choice: he could either remain paralysed, or try this cure.

He thought it over, then, with fear in his heart, he said: “Very well, we will do as you say, but remember that if anything were to happen to me, my courtiers would kill you” . A long, sharp knife was brought, and the king and the Master were left alone in the royal bedroom. Sanai, the Master, grabbed the knife, and, with an evil look in his eye, he leapt upon the king saying: “ At last we are alone, and I can have my revenge!” The terrified king leapt from his bed, screaming that the Master wanted to kill him.

His courtiers rushed in and saw the king running around the room, followed by the Master, who was brandishing the knife in the air.
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on January 12, 2007, 12:21:25 PM
Spot the Emperor in the Story of Fakir Mian Mir

Mian Mir was a Muslim saint of great renown. He lived a pure life. Being a man of God, no barriers of caste or creed marked his thought. He loved those who loved God. He was a pir to millions of Muslims and was a close friend of Arjun, the Guru of countless Hindus.

At the instance of Guru Arjun, Pir Mian Mir laid the foundation stone of Harmandir of Amritsar, the most sacred temple of Sikhs. The temple is held in equally great esteem and reverence by the Hindus. To maintain the dignity of this temple many Sikhs later paid heavily with their heads. Never before and, for that matter, never after has the foundation stone of the highest religious seat of a religion ever been laid by the head of another religion. This remains the unique privilege of the Sikh temple.

Mian Mir was a friend of God-loving people and he would shun worldly, selfish men, covetous amirs and ambitious nawabs who ran after fakirs to get their blessings for successful continuation of acts of aggression against others. To stop such people from coming to see him, Mian Mir posted his followers at the gate of his house.

Once Jahangir, the emperor of India, with all his retinue, came to pay homage to the great fakir. He came with the pomp and show of a great king. Mian Mir’s sentinels stopped the emperor at the gate and requested him to wait until their master had given him permission to enter. Jahangir felt slighted. No one had ever dared delay or question his entry to any place in his kingdom. Yet he controlled his temper and composed himself. He waited for permission.
   
After a little while emperor Jahangir was ushered into the presence of the fakir. Unable to hide his wounded vanity, Jahangir, as soon as he entered the holy presence of Mian Mir, asked him in Persian: “Ba dare-darvis darbane nalbayd?” — Why should there be a sentry at the gate of a fakir?
   
Pir Mian Mir, who was one with the great Allah, caring little for the emperor’s angst, replied in Persian: “Babayd keh sage dunia na ayad” —So that selfish men may not enter.
   
The emperor was ashamed and asked forgiveness. Then with folded hands Jahangir requested Mian Mir to pray for the success of the campaign which he intended to launch for the conquest of the Deccan.

Meanwhile, a poor Muslim entered and, bowing his head to Mian Mir, made an offering of a rupee before him. Mian Mir asked the devotee to pick up the rupee and give it to the poorest, most needy person in the audience. The devotee went from one dervish (disciple) to another but none accepted the rupee. The devotee returned to Mian Mir with the rupee saying: “Lord, none of the dervishes will accept the rupee. None is in need, it seems”.
   
“Go and give this rupee to him”, said the fakir, pointing to Jahangir. “He is the poorest and most needy of the lot. Not content with a big kingdom, he covets the kingdom of the Deccan. For that he has come all the way from Delhi to beg. His hunger is like a fire that burns all the more furiously with more wood. It has made him needy, greedy and grim. Go and give the rupee to him”. Who was the emperor? Jahangir or Mian Mir?

Trust in the Guru fully.  That is the only sadhana.  I am the slave of my devotee.  Stay by me and keep quiet.  I will do the rest.  What is our duty?  To behave properly.  That is enough.  My eye is ever on those who love me.  Whatever you do, wherever you may be, always bear this in mind:I am always aware of everything you do.  I will not allow my devotees to come to harm.  If a devotee is about to fall, I stretch out my hands to support him or her.  I think of my people day and night.  I say their names over and over.
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on January 13, 2007, 08:15:00 PM
Householder First and Saint, Afterward

You wish to tightly embrace the Beloved. There is joy only when you embrace the one who is your near and dear. Love must be present. When you love intensely, the entire experience is centred inside you. That is the soul-centred state.

   If you do not want to embrace, that is not love. You embrace within yourself the Supreme who resides within the body. Then all will become One as that is Supreme joy or bliss beyond the body, although sheltering the body. That is love, when with one intention, one wish, there is complete merging with HIM. How can there be an occasion for separation?

   Unless one is a householder, one cannot be a saint. Enjoy life and love with HIM manifest as Mahanam. If you regard your spouse as a conveyer of HIS Love and do unto your relation as you should do unto HIM, and if your spouse responds accordingly and vice versa, your marital life would blossom with love.

   Family and friends we love enable us to experience Divine love. However, we get too attached to them, forget HIM and ultimately, suffer. It is like enjoying the outer husk of a coconut, the tasteless part, while overlooking its inner substance, which is the delicious core.

   Nobody is anybody’s. Relationships are meant to generate more love, not sense of possession. Everything, everybody, everywhere is the same. There is no difference. Similarly, gender does not matter. Male and female are One. All mind function, too, is false. Do your duty. Make the best use of your talents with loving submission. For instance, never pine for anybody who leaves you. There is no point in worrying.

   Can a mind be in love with another mind? A person cannot truly love another person. The mind attached with the body automatically develops self-interest, attachments, attractions, distractions, wherefrom come tiredness, depressions, and differences. Until, as a result of various trials the mind becomes conscious of and gets yoked with Him — Who resides within as the holder of the body and mind — until then, we cannot relish the taste of constant Bliss.

   Is there any love of a body, by a body? It is the atman, soul, the individual life force, which is your lifelong friend. HIS Love is All pervading. He makes love to Himself only. He in fact, sees Himself in everyone. Again, with HIM where is the male-female difference? All is in reality One substance, isn’t it? Change your angle of vision. Recognise the Truth.

   You have no right to harm anybody. You have no right to exploit anybody in any sense — politically, economically, or spiritually. Be of good cheer. Your relations are HIS Grace embodied unto you. Be with that Grace and have faith in HIM.

   Worldly love is tainted with selfishness and falsehood. Today’s love will be upset tomorrow when interests clash and differences come up. So human love is selfish. It is not steady and constant in degree. That is why sorrows, blows and jolts come that cause hurt and make life burdensome. Human love is fickle, fragile and imbued with egoism. Remember Him. His Love is pure and everlasting.

   What is happiness or unhappiness? We don’t know. Divine love is bliss. Satisfy the needs of physical life. Do your duty to your family. Above all, remember the Mahanam at the same time.
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on January 14, 2007, 01:49:01 PM
Health, happiness and peace all are within reach.

Walking through a forest, a man chanced to meet four beautiful women. Greeting them, he introduced himself. The tall and slim woman said: “My name is Buddhi (intellect), I live in man’s head”. The woman with kohllined eyes said: “I am Lajja, I live in the eyes of man as modesty and present myself as decorum in behaviour”. The third lady had a welltoned body. “I am Himmat”, she said. “I live in man’s heart. I give him the courage to live”. The traveller bowed low. The fourth lady had rosy cheeks and radiated freshness. “My name is Tandurusti (health). I live in man’s stomach”, she said.
   
As the traveller went ahead, his thoughts went back to the four women he had met. At the end of the forest, he met four young men. “I am Krodh (anger)”, said the first man who was handsome but for his brows, which were always knitted. “Where do you live”, the traveller asked. “I live in man’s head”, said Krodh. The traveller said this was not possible. He had just met Buddhi and she lived in the head. Krodh said “Till I enter, Buddhi remains. Once I enter, she runs away”. Krodh had strong muscles and a forceful personality. The second man was Laalach (greed). “I live in people’s eyes”, he said. Once again the traveller interjected to say “Only Lajja lives there”. “Just place a bag of gold coins and see how Lajja runs away from people’s eyes. Or offer a position of power. Desire does not believe in modesty, shame or decorum. It is an expression of greed”.
   
Who would the third man be? “I am Bhay (fear)”, the sickly-looking man was saying. “I live in people’s hearts”. “Is it not the residence of Himmat?” the traveller asked. “When people do not obey their conscience, they are always afraid. They do wrong and so are full of fear of being caught. That is why Himmat wanders homeless while I reside comfortably in people’s hearts. Sometimes when I dominate, people say they have a heart attack and go to the doctor. They give me even more space when and if they come back”.
   
“My name is Rog (disease)”, said the fourth man. He looked healthy. “I live in people’s stomachs. They are forever downing intoxicants that goes into their stomach, feeding me. I know you will wonder where Tandurusti went. She does not stand a chance. Everybody wants her but it is me they feed when they drink, smoke and partake of other such substances”.
   
A healthy and happy life seems to be within reach. But so are problems. If we invite problems, is it fair to blame it all on fate? Can we make small resolves that will make some space for Buddhi, Lajja, Himmat and Tandurusti within us? Small resolves like: ‘‘I will control my anger for today. I will limit my possessions. I will try to remove fear. I will not give in to temptations that lead me to ill health’’. Small vows or anuvrats are firm steppingstones to a happier and healthier life.
   
All it takes to be able to live a holistic life is to resist temptation, taking one step at a time. Health, happiness and peace will be within reach.
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: SaiServant on January 16, 2007, 05:47:57 AM
Jai Sai Ram!!

A beautiful story, as always!! Thanks dearest Ramesh Bhai!!

I would say, why give only some space to these four graceful ladies. Give them all the space you have. It is better to host such lovely ladies in your house, than those dangerous guys [:)]

Om Sai Ram!
Om Sai Ram!
[:)]

Sunita Raina
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on January 16, 2007, 02:46:37 PM
JAI SAI RAM!!!

My dearest Sunita...When we start with some ultimately it becomes more.  In BABA SAI's kingdom some will become HIS abundance...

One more thing all of us already have the company of these gracious ladies in our homes but we seldom recognise them instead unseen guys like 'Krodh', 'Lallach', 'Bhay' and 'Rog' have encroached their place silently without our knowing and in our ignorance we go on feeding those unseen guests time and again.  In that feeding we go on fattening them so much that hardly any space is left for our gracious friendly ladies for even breathing.[;)]  Isn't?

MAY BABA SAI BLESS US WITH THAT VISION TO RECOGNISE THOSE UNSEEN REAL ANEMIES...

OM SAI RAM!!!

Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on January 17, 2007, 03:09:38 PM
Don’t Put An Oak Tree In A Flower Pot

A monkey, which leaves the tree and swims in a lake is inferior to fish. A race horse kept in a beautiful and posh apartment is inferior to a rat. A good swordsman wielding a plough to cultivate a piece of land is inferior to a peasant. In the same way, people who are not summoned to a higher self are rendered inferior.

“I am uncomfortable talking to people, I feel shy, I can’t mix with people, I feel diffident in getting jobs done by others, I am an introvert. How can you help me?” A woman once asked. Living right is about striking the right balance. We have to balance our work and home, body and mind. We should balance between being outer winners and inner winners.

A woodcutter had to struggle hard to earn two meals a day. He met a monk. The monk advised him, “Don’t stop at the edge of the forest, go right in. One day’s work will fetch you one month’s food”. The woodcutter followed the advice. Deep within the forest, he found sandalwood trees. He was very happy. He expressed his gratitude to the monk.

The monk advised again, “Take the risk of going still deeper into the forest. A day’s work will fetch you food for six months. This time he found a silver mine. He thanked the monk again. The monk said, “If you trust me and go still deeper into the forest, one day’s work will make you earn enough to fetch your food for a lifetime”. This also turned out to be true. For he found a gold mine.

   The woodcutter wondered, “Why then does the monk still stay at the edge of the forest and not venture into the forest, as he has been advising me?” He expressed his doubts to the monk. The monk replied, “If you want to be eternally happy, sit under this tree and I will teach you to go within. Then you will be eternally happy”.
   
To be an outer winner, one has to explore the outside world. To be an inner winner, one has to go within oneself. The kingdom of heaven is within us. The balance between being an outer winner and being an inner winner is what would make us feel good.
   
Why are you shy? You are shy because you are not feeling good or you are preoccupied in looking good. When you are not feeling good, even if you try to do a good act, it might turn out to be the other way.
   
You say you are uncomfortable being with people. Your discomfort may be due to the lack of people skills. You should help people to bring out their best and that is possible only if your best comes out. Your best comes out if you balance being an outer and an inner winner. Learn to motivate yourself and others. Learn to be at peace with the imperfection in yourself and others. Shed your ego.
   
Don’t be shy, for shyness could be a form of ego, So reject the games that ego plays with you.

A woodpecker was pecking at an oak tree. A lightning struck the tree and felled it. The woodpecker flew away and boasted, “I never knew I was so strong. I can make a tree fall”.

Drop your ego. You will find people as God’s messengers conveying divine messages to you, teaching you through their failures and successes. Most of us are like an oak tree in a flowerpot. The flowerpot is like the ego and our being is like the oak tree. Do not confine yourself to the ego. Drop your lower self and let your higher self guide you. This is the meaning of yoga; being yoked to the higher self.
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on January 19, 2007, 11:35:26 AM
Spiritual realisation is everybody’s birthright....  

Anyone can be a Gautam Buddha, but not everybody can be a Michelangelo or Nietzsche. This is because spiritual realisation is everybody’s birthright. It is not a talent like painting, music, poetry, or dancing; it is not genius either. A genius has tremendous intelligence, but it is still of the mind.

Enlightenment is not of the mind, it is not intellect; it is intelligence of a totally different order. People like Friedrich Nietzsche who have missed the journey towards their own selves were great intellectuals, geniuses unparalleled — but all that belongs to the mind. And to be a Gautam Buddha, Guru Nanak or BABA SAI is to get out of the mind. It does not matter whether you had a big mind or small mind, a mediocre mind, or you are a genius; the point is that you should be out of the mind. The moment you are out of the mind, you are in yourself.

So the strange thing is that the more a person is intellectual, the farther he goes away from himself. His intellect takes him to faraway stars. He is a genius, he may create great poetry, great sculpture. But as far as you are concerned, you are not to be created, you are already there.

The genius creates, the meditator discovers. Consciousness has nothing to do with creativity, it has nothing to do with inventiveness, it has nothing to do with science or art; it has something to do with tremendous silence, peace, a centring.
   
When an ordinary man meditates, he comes to the same space of blissfulness as Nietzsche, Einstein or Russell. That space of blissfulness will not be different, will not be richer for Bertrand Russell because he is a great intellectual. Those values don’t matter outside of the mind.
 
It is as if you all fall asleep here; you will be dreaming. Somebody may have a very beautiful dream, and somebody may have a nightmare. But both are dreams. And when they wake up, they will know that the beautiful dream and the nightmare are not different — they are both dreams. They are nonexistential, mind projections.
   
This is great and good news because it means a woodcutter or a fisherman can become Gautam Buddha. An uneducated Jesus, an uneducated Kabir or BABA SAI, who doesn’t show any indication of genius, can still become enlightened, because enlightenment is not a talent, it is discovering your being. And the being of everyone is absolutely equal. Suddenly all distinctions, talents of the mind, disappear. There is only pure sky where you cannot make any distinctions of higher and lower.

Enlightenment is the very nature of things. But it has never been said that way; on the contrary, people’s minds have been corrupted by creating a goal against nature, giving it beautiful names, “supernature”. And man was caught in this because of a very simple reason: The nature of things is already where you are. It is not an excitement and it is not a challenge to your ego. It is not a faraway star. Mind wants for its nourishment something very difficult, something almost impossible. Only if you can achieve the impossible can you feel you are somebody special.

Enlightenment is not a talent. It is not like somebody being born a painter or a poet or a scientist — those are talents. Enlightenment is simply everybody’s very source of life; it is realising the fact that “I am that which I have always wanted to be, and I have never been anything else and I cannot be anything else, ever”.
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on January 21, 2007, 12:17:39 PM
For all my beloved brothers and sisters...

I sometime don't understand if so many people in the world were loving, where does war come from? From where is all kinds of violence continuously coming? From where is hatred arising if everybody is so loving?

You have to love your children, your wife, your husband, your parents, your gurus, elders, neighbors -- there are even teachers like Jesus who say you have to love your enemies too.

Just don't love yourself! This strange logic has destroyed your very roots of loving.
 
I say unto you: first and foremost, love yourself. And if you can love yourself, others will start getting your love very naturally, without any pretensions, very spontaneously. A man full of love soon starts overflowing. You cannot contain your love into the small space you have within you; your love is far greater than you are. Your love can fill the whole earth. A single man's love can fill the whole universe. It is so vast that you can go on sharing with everybody.

But if your very source remains closed, then all that is left is to pretend. Everybody is pretending; that's why there is so much talk about love, so much poetry, so much literature. And if you look around, you don't find love anywhere, you never encounter it.

I want the whole universe to be a loving, rejoicing universe. But I see where humanity has failed, where its teachers, messengers of God and saviors have taken a wrong route. They listened to logic and they forgot that logic is absolutely man-made; it has nothing to do with your nature.

Nature has no obligation to fulfill logical conclusions. If your nature can be heard, it will become a simple thing to understand.
 
Love yourself, so that all your loving sources become open, all blocks are removed. And if you can love yourself -- with all your frailties, with all your weaknesses, with all your errors -- you can love anybody in the world. You will have tremendous compassion and understanding, because you commit the same mistakes; the same are your errors, the same are your frailties.

The people who have never loved themselves have never come in contact with themselves. Yes, they are in contact with others, but it is a very strange situation: if you are not in contact with yourself, how can you be in contact with others?

Who is going to be in contact with others?

Who are you?

At that point you simply don't know. You know that you have a contact with your friend, you have a contact with your children, you have a contact with your mother -- but who are you? And the same is the situation of your mother, your friend, your children -- they don't know who they are. Nobody knows who he is, and everybody is in contact with everybody else. Can you think of any greater insanity than this situation?

Once you become an outsider, settled, confirmed, you will be surprised that now authentic contacts start happening, because now you are in contact with your own being.

You have such a magnetic pull that those who are seeking, those who are searching, those who are longing for something to happen in their life -- those who don't want to live an empty and meaningless life will start coming in contact with you.

This contact will have some great significance. You will be fulfilling each other without destroying each other. You will be loving but not possessive. You will help but you will not enslave. You will support -- but not to exploit; just out of your love, friendliness, out of your understanding, whatever happens will be right.

Of course you will not be part of the big world of retarded people whose mental age is not more than fourteen. This is enough for being a postman or a stationmaster or a president -- any trivia. I don't see any difference between a stationmaster and a president of a country: both are small flies pretending to be something great. You will not be in contact with these psychologically retarded people, but you will come in contact with real, authentic, intelligent, loving human beings who have understanding, who have compassion. And because they can love themselves, they can also love you.

My experience, is very different. The moment my blindness disappeared, the moment I found my own being, I could not believe how my life has changed.

Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on January 22, 2007, 12:14:39 PM
Heaven and Hell

A man once asked if he could visit heaven and hell.

When he reached hell, he was amazed to find people seated around a huge banquet table. The finest foods were piled high on the table. “What a feast! Perhaps hell wasn’t so bad after all!” he thought.

Then he looked more closely at the diners. They were all starving! You see, each diner had been given chopsticks which were three feet long! There was no way they could carry the food to their mouths with these long chopsticks. No one could eat a bite.

What a hell indeed, to sit so close to a banquet and yet be unable to taste even a bite.

The man was then taken to heaven to observe life there.

To his surprise he saw people seated around a banquet table in exactly the same situation. Each person had been given three foot long chopsticks in heaven too!

But here, everyone was happily eating the delicious food.

The residents of heaven were using their yard long chopsticks to feed each other!

Some people look at a glass of water declaring it half full. While others insist it is half empty. It has been said that a fool can make a Hell out of Heaven.

It is also true that a wise one knows how to make Heaven anywhere he or she goes.
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: OmSaiRamNowOn on January 22, 2007, 10:34:12 PM
Add the God Principle in our daily lives

One rich man owned 19 horses when he died. In his last will and teastament he had written that upon his death, half the horses he owned should go to his only son; one fourth to the village temple and one fifth to the faithful servant.
The village elders could not stop scratching their heads. How can they give half of the 19 horses to the son? You cannot cut up a horse. They puzzled over this dilemma for more than two weeks and then decided to send for a wise man who was living in a neighbouring village.
The wise man came riding on his horse and asked the villagers if he can be of any help to them. The village elders told him about the rich man's last will and testament which stated that half of the (19) horses must be given to his only son, one fourth must go to the temple and one fifth to the faithful servant.
The wise man said he will immediately solve their problem without any delay whatsoever. He had the 19 horses placed in a row standing next to one another. Then he added his own horse as the 20th horse. Now he went about giving half of the 20 horses – that is ten horses to the son. One fourth of 20- that is 5 horses were given to the temple committee. One fifth of twenty- that is 4 horses were given to the faithful servant. Ten plus five plus four made 19 horses. The remaining 20th horse was his own which he promptly mounted, spoke a few inspiring words, and rode back home.
The villagers were simply dumfounded, full of disbelief and filled with admiration. And the parting words of the wise man were inscribed in their hearts and minds which they greatly cherished and passed on to their succeeding generations till today.
The wise man said: In our daily lives, in our daily affairs, simply add God’s name and then go about facing the day’s happenings. Ever come across problems in life that are seemingly insurmountable? (Like the villagers, do we feel that such problems cannot be solved?).
The wise man continued: Add the God Principle in our daily lives and the problems will become lighter and eventually will disappear. In the manner of the ice which, with the addition of the heat principle will turn into water, and that will eventually evaporate as steam and disappear. And how do we add God’s name (God principle) in our daily lives? Through prayers, filled with true love and devotion with sincerity of purpose and dedication that only total faith can bring about. Meditation is a powerful means of directing the mind Godward.
But without true love and devotion entering into it, it remains like a boat without water. It is not difficult to push a boat that is floating in water, but extremely hard to drag the same boat on dry land. In the same way, if our life’s boat floats on the waters of true love and devotion, we can sail easily in it. The principle of love of God and devotion with total faith, (like water) makes easy the voyage of our lives. When the mind is pure and the heart full of simplicity and holiness, such a devotee becomes an instrument in the service of the Lord.
May we all add Sai in everything, become instruments in HIS service, so our life boat floats successfully and sails to destination.
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: SaiServant on January 22, 2007, 11:15:46 PM
Jai Sai Ram!

A beautiful story and message Anju ji. Thank you. May Baba bless you always!!

Om Sai Ram!
Om Sai Ram!
[:)]

Sunita Raina
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: OmSaiRamNowOn on January 22, 2007, 11:40:00 PM
Thank you Sunita Dear, May Sai bless you always. Have a nice day.

Aum Sai Ram !
SAI SAI SAI SAI SAI
SAI SAI SAI SAI
SAI SAI

-Anju
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on January 24, 2007, 02:54:46 PM
Vasant or Spring is King of All Seasons

When winter comes, can spring be far behind? asked Shakespeare. Post-Makara Sankranti, when the earth begins to get closer to the sun, the cold winter begins to yield to delightful spring. Vasant Panchami marks the beginning of Vasant or spring, when it is time for every bush and bower to spring to life with blooms and bursts of colour and fragrance, vibrant as sparklers in festive display.

   The flower is a beautiful symbol of life and regeneration for it leads to seed and then another plant, bush or tree. Hence Vasant is propitiated as Kusumakar or Rituraj, the king of seasons.

   On another plane, it is said that the finest flower of human life is gyan, which is not just information gathering but understanding of the fundamentals of existence — our own and that of the entire universe — which is essential for achieving the goal of human life, that is, achieving perfection and liberation. Scriptures call this tatwa gyan. Krishna says in the Bhagavad Gita that in seasons He is Vasant, ‘Ritunam Kusumakarah’.

   The festival of Vasant is celebrated on the fifth day of the Shukla Paksha and so is called Vasant Panchami; but the concept behind it goes deeper than mere calculation of the days of the moon. To understand the true significance of the festival it would be instructive to understand the essence of Goddess Saraswati, the presiding deity of learning, aesthetics and creativity. Offering prayers to her is customary on Vasant Panchami.

   For most people, Saraswati is a memory of their past, like an old teacher, respectable but irrelevant today. According to legend, she was one of the five children of Brahma, who represents the primeval creative power of the Supreme Being; creation of the world is ascribed to him. The remaining four children of Brahma are the Vedas, representing that corpus of timeless knowledge, principles and systems that regulate the functioning of the Universe. As Brahma’s daughter, Saraswati is represented as the goddess of vidya or applied knowledge; she represents the spread of fundamental knowledge, its principles and systems through the process of application — in short, technology.

   The essence of the concept of Saraswati is in the power that provides the insight for facilitating the application of fundamental knowledge, to make it useful for all. From this perspective Saraswati represents not just technology but also creativity and, therefore, she is regarded as the presiding deity of the five arts. The significance of five or panch affirms this understanding of the nature of Saraswati. The root word ‘panch’, in Sanskrit, implies elaboration, extension or manifestation.

   Appropriately, therefore, Vasant is celebrated on the Panchami of the Shukla Paksha, the day that signifies spread of knowledge through application in practice, innovation and creative adaptation. In earlier times this day was earmarked for the beginning of formal education. The receding severity of the winter at this time of the year made it conducive for holding the upanayan samskar, which was, in turn, sanctified as the commencement of the process of developing authentic insight into the nature of existence.

   What Saraswati represents remains and shall remain relevant for mankind as long as there is need for acquiring knowledge and extending it in practice through creativity. In veneration of this spirit of learning — to achieve nothing less than the aim of life itself — Vasant is an appropriate time to revive our bonding with the tatwa, the element symbolised by Saraswati.
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on January 28, 2007, 06:10:04 PM
Never Judge anyone by appearance.....

One beautiful spring day a red rose blossomed in a forest. Many kinds of trees and plants grew there. As the rose looked around, a pine tree nearby said, "What a beautiful flower. I wish I was that lovely." Another tree said, "Dear pine, do not be sad, we can not have everything."
 
The rose turned its head and remarked, "It seems that I am the most beautiful plant in this forest."
 
A sunflower raised its yellow head and asked, "Why do you say that? In this forest there are many beautiful plants. You are just one of them." The red rose replied, "I see everyone looking at me and admiring me." Then the rose looked at a cactus and said, "Look at that ugly plant full of thorns!" The pine tree said, "Red rose, what kind of talk is this? Who can say what beauty is? You have thorns too."
 
The proud red rose looked angrily at the pine and said, "I thought you had good taste! You do not know what beauty is at all. You can not compare my thorns to that of the cactus."
 
"What a proud flower", thought the trees.

The rose tried to move its roots away from the cactus, but it could not move. As the days passed, the red rose would look at the cactus and say insulting things, like: This plant is useless? How sorry I am to be his neighbor."
 
The cactus never got upset and he even tried to advise the rose, saying, "God did not create any form of life without a purpose."
 
Spring passed, and the weather became very warm. Life became difficult in the forest, as the plants and animals needed water and no rain fell. The red rose began to wilt. One day the rose saw sparrows stick their beaks into the cactus and then fly away, refreshed. This was puzzling, and the red rose asked the pine tree what the birds were doing. The pine tree explained that the birds got water from the cactus. "Does it not hurt when they make holes?" asked the rose.
 
"Yes, but the cactus does not like to see any birds suffer," replied the pine.

The rose opened its eyes in wonder and said, "The cactus has water?"
 
"Yes you can also drink from it. The sparrow can bring water to you if you ask the cactus for help."

The red rose felt too ashamed of its past words and behavior to ask for water from the cactus, but then it finally did ask the cactus for help. The cactus kindly agreed and the birds filled their beaks with water and watered the rose's roots.
 
Lesson to learn from the Story : Thus the rose and all of us learned a lesson that never judged anyone by their appearance again.
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Kavitaparna on February 04, 2007, 04:58:21 PM
A small story

One man busy with his routine longs to visit the Triveni Sangamam in vain. One day somehow, he gets rid of all his responsibilities temporarily (aged parents, wife, small children, cattle, etc) – by entrusting them to neighbourers and proceeds to the Sangamam. Those were olden days and one had to walk thru dense forests etc.

He proceeds his journey enquiring the route. At some place, he learns that there, in one of the forests, lives a young man who is a Mahathma. He decides to take rest at his place for a day and proceed since that should be the last day of his journey.

He enters the hut of this young man and finds him busy serving his old parents. The traveller asks him the route to Sangamam and expresses his wish to halt in his hut for a day. The young man would not bother to reply and would be busy assisting his aged parents in brushing the teeth, bathing, dressing up, feeding them and finally putting them to relaxation. Then finally answers the Traveller “ You may please stay here as long as you wish. As regards, Triveni Sangamam, I have no idea since all the day I am busy with my parents and my routine – arranging for food items fetching firewood etc.
However, people say it should be some where here nearby only”.

This is a great shock to the traveller since that was the last stage in his journey, he thought this young man would guide him. How foolish is this Young man? I am coming all the way from several miles for this Sangamam while, this young man being so near the Sangamam did not ever bother to even know the route. How he can be called a Mahatma? With these thoughts, the traveller spends that night there. Early morning around 3.00 am, when all were asleep, the traveler notices three ladies – looking ugly coming in side the hut. They come in and touch the feet of the young man (who would be in deep sleep) and their appearance changes from ugly to angels like. Then start to return.

Our traveller stops them outside the hut and asks them who they were. One of them says, “I am Ganga and these two are my sisters – Yamuna and Saraswati. Daily several sinners take bath in us; dip in us and leave all their sins in us. By the end of the day we three get saturated with all these sins and our form becomes ugly. To get rid of these sins and get back our original divinity, we come for darshan of this young man who does not know anything other than serving his aged parents. This task alone is his routine, pooja and everything”. They vanish. The traveler without a second thought rushes back to his place for taking back the charge of his responsibilities.

Thus, a person who serves aged/ sick / needy himself becomes resepectable even to Gods and Godesses.


Om Sri  Sai Ram!  Om Sri  Sai Ram!  Om Sri  Sai Ram!  Om Sri  Sai Ram!  Om Sri  Sai Ram!
Om Sri  Sai Ram!  Om Sri  Sai Ram!  Om Sri  Sai Ram!  Om Sri  Sai Ram!  Om Sri  Sai Ram!
Om Sri  Sai Ram!  Om Sri  Sai Ram!  Om Sri  Sai Ram!  Om Sri  Sai Ram!  Om Sri  Sai Ram!

kavita
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on February 09, 2007, 04:47:08 PM
The Emperor

An emperor in the Far East was growing old and knew it was time to choose his successor. Instead of choosing one of his assistants or his children, he decided something different. He called young people in the kingdom together one day. He said, "It is time for me to step down and choose the next emperor. I have decided to choose one of you."

The kids were shocked! But the emperor continued. "I am going to give each one of you a seed today. One very special seed. I want you to plant the seed, water it and come back here after one year from today with what you have grown from this one seed. I will then judge the plants that you bring, and the one I choose will be the next emperor!"

One boy named Ling was there that day and he, like the others, received a seed. He went home and excitedly told his mother the story. She helped him get a pot and planting soil, and he planted the seed and watered it carefully. Every day he would water it and watch to see if it had grown. After about three weeks, some of the other youths began to talk about their seeds and the plants that were beginning to grow.

Ling kept checking his seed, but nothing ever grew. 3 weeks, 4 weeks, 5 weeks went by. Still nothing. By now, others were talking about their plants but Ling didn't have a plant, and he felt like a failure. Six months went by, still nothing in Ling's pot. He just knew he had killed his seed.

Everyone else had trees and tall plants, but he had nothing. Ling didn't say anything to his friends, however. He just kept waiting for his seed to grow.

A year finally went by and all the youths of the kingdom brought their plants to the emperor for inspection. Ling told his mother that he wasn't going to take an empty pot. But honest about what happened, Ling felt sick to his stomach, but he knew his mother was right. He took his empty pot to the palace. When Ling arrived, he was amazed at the variety of plants grown by the other youths. They were beautiful in all shapes and sizes. Ling put his empty pot on the floor and many of the other kinds laughed at him. A few felt sorry for him and just said, "Hey nice try."

When the emperor arrived, he surveyed the room and greeted the young people. Ling just tried to hide in the back. "What great plants, trees and flowers you have grown," said the emperor. "Today, one of you will be appointed the next emperor!" All of a sudden, the emperor spotted Ling at the back of the room with his empty pot. He ordered his guards to bring him to the front. Ling was terrified. "The emperor knows I'm a failure! Maybe he will have me killed!"

When Ling got to the front, the Emperor asked his name. "My name is Ling," he replied. All the kids were laughing and making fun of him. The emperor asked everyone to quiet down. He looked at Ling, and then announced to the crowd, "Behold your new emperor! His name is Ling!" Ling couldn't believe it. Ling couldn't even grow his seed. How could he be the new emperor?

Then the emperor said, "One year ago today, I gave everyone here a seed. I told you to take the seed, plant it, water it, and bring it back to me today. But I gave you all boiled seeds, which would not grow. All of you, except Ling, have brought me trees and plants and flowers. When you found that the seed would not grow, you substituted another seed for the one I gave you. Ling was the only one with the courage and honesty to bring me a pot with my seed in it. Therefore, he is the one who will be the new emperor!"

If you plant honesty, you will reap trust.
If you plant goodness, you will reap friends.
If you plant humility, you will reap greatness.
If you plant perseverance, you will reap victory.
If you plant consideration, you will reap harmony.
If you plant hard work, you will reap success.
If you plant forgiveness, you will reap reconciliation.
If you plant openness, you will reap intimacy.
If you plant patience, you will reap improvements.
If you plant faith, you will reap miracles.

But
If you plant dishonesty, you will reap distrust.
If you plant selfishness, you will reap loneliness.
If you plant pride, you will reap destruction.
If you plant envy, you will reap trouble.
If you plant laziness, you will reap stagnation.
If you plant bitterness, you will reap isolation.
If you plant greed, you will reap loss.
If you plant gossip, you will reap enemies.
If you plant worries, you will reap wrinkles.
If you plant sin, you will reap guilt.

So be careful what you plant now, It will determine what you will reap tomorrow, The seeds you now scatter, Will make life worse or better, your life or the ones who will come after. Yes, someday, you will enjoy the fruits, or you will pay for the choices you plant today
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: SaiServant on February 09, 2007, 09:37:52 PM
Jai Sai Ram!!

A nice story dear Ramesh Bhai!

Centuries ago, Saint Francis wrote this beautiful prayer:

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.
Where there is hatred, let me sow love
Where there is injury, let me sow pardon
Where there is doubt, let me sow faith
Where there is despair, let me sow hope
Where there is darkness, let me sow light
Where there is sadness, let me sow joy

Divine Master,
Grant that I may not so much seek
To be consoled, as to console
To be understood, as to understand,
To be loved, as to love

For it is in giving that we receive,
It is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
It is in dying that we are born to eternal life.

Om Sai Ram!
Om Sai Ram!


[:)]

Sunita Raina
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on February 15, 2007, 02:43:41 AM
Enrich Yourself With Your Mistakes  

Mistakes cannot be avoided, but we can learn how to become rich by them. Unless we teach ourselves to fail wisely, we cannot succeed in life gracefully.

Our gratitude should free us; not bind us. Four people were carrying a boat on their head. Someone asked them why they were carrying it. They said, “We are grateful to the boat that helped us cross the river. Our gratitude does not allow us to abandon the boat”.

Religion should set us free and not bind us. Many people use religion to hold people in bondage and so kill the spirit of religion. A man fell into a well. He did not drown, as the well was not full. He cried out for help. A Buddhist monk passing by said to him: “Buddha’s last sermon was, we should be a light unto ourselves; since you are not, you have fallen. If I save you, the darkness in you will make you fall again into the well; so create light within and that light will help you come out”. He went away without helping. A little later, a Hindu renunciate passing by said to him: “It is because of your past deeds that you have fallen. Even if I help you now, your past deeds will make you fall again. Perform a noble act and earn divine approval. Good deeds will help you come out”. He, too, walked away.

A disciple of Confucius saw the man in distress. He assured him, “I will definitely help, but first I will go and tell the village authorities how important the teaching of Confucius is. Confucius teaches that society is more important than individuals. Meanwhile, you keep screaming; it will warn others of the danger of falling into wells. Then the village authorities will ensure that every well is covered properly”. He too went away.

The person who happened to come next immediately helped the man out of the well. Then he made a request, “Any time you fall into a well, please call only me and no one else. Not only should you fall, but you should also ask others to fall. I will definitely come and help; thus doing good service to you all, I can go to heaven”.

Can we serve without being selfish? Prayer without service is not prayer; Service without prayer is not service. True prayer and sincere service are the two wings of spirituality. In the southern part of India, people plant coconut trees. There is a saying, “Water the plant for five years, reap coconuts for life”.

Do good deeds, have trust and patience; the higher centre will open up in you and you will witness a miracle of life. If a cup is placed upside down, even if it rains, the cup will not fill up. But if the cup is kept properly, it can fill up. You can really serve others only when you have compassion in your heart. A heart without compassion cannot serve.

There was an enlightened monk, and he was an embodiment of goodness. His disciples could not understand one thing about him. He used to rob, get intentionally caught, and go to jail. On being released, he would do the same.

When asked why he did that, he would say, “I have no other way to enter jail, and the prisoners need my teaching”. Compassion has its own logic. Let compassion, service, goodness be your living gods. God does not exist in temples, churches, mosques... God is in love, goodness, and service. In the name of service, do not forget yourself. In serving yourself, do not forget others
.


मेरा साँई प्यारा साँई सबसे न्यारा मेरा साँई
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on February 21, 2007, 11:01:21 PM
Discover Your Potential Through Practice of Yoga

If there are two piles, one of gold and one of dirt, we will always choose the pile of gold. If the dirt and gold are mixed, we will separate the gold from the dirt. But are we able to do that with ourselves? Our personality is a combination of both rubbish and gold, and generally we are affected by the rubbish and we ignore the gold. Despite having so much to give, so much to receive, and with so many positive qualities within, we identify with the negative.

The purpose of yoga is to create the awareness to separate the negative from the positive. We have to reject the negative and connect with the positive. Why do we react? Why do we desire one thing and not another? Reactions are a result of identification with negativity and dislikes. Actions follow positivity.

Neither meditation nor performance of asanas is important. We can practise asanas only as long as we are fit. We practise meditation only as long as there is the desire. If there is no desire to practise yoga, we give it up. If we just revolve around our likes and dislikes, actions and reactions, desires and rejections all our life, it means we have not learned the lesson to bring out the positivity. That positivity has to be expressed in every situation whether it is an exam, a human relationship, social living or reclusive living. This is the understanding that yoga tries to give. This understanding cannot be intellectual. It has to be an experiential understanding of the process that leads to self-development and infuses one with contentment, peace and tranquillity.

We go through various experiences, some good, some bad. Whenever we react, it is a bad experience and whenever we accept and act, it is a positive experience. Positivity and acceptance have to be our focus if we want to succeed in life. If this focus is lost, we cannot claim to be practitioners of yoga, only practitioners of asana, or meditation.

Change has to come from within. This is not a momentary gain, but a gain of positivity in life. The satisfaction or fulfilment we experience within is due to harmony, which is both external and internal. If we only identify with the inner experience of happiness, but react externally in our attitudes, behaviour, relationships and communication, then that experience can never be complete. That is the true meaning of yoga. In the third sutra of the Yoga Sutras, Patanjali discusses being established in one’s own nature as the seer, the drashta. To be established in one’s own nature means there has to be harmony, a flow in life. This optimism and balance does not encounter nor is affected by blocks.

A river will simply flow around a large rock on the river bed and carry on with its journey. It does not come into conflict with an immovable object. We all need to learn this lesson, because personal attainment is only a selfish subjective attainment, which can be lost at any time. It is easy to attain and also easy to lose because life follows a principle of give and take. This is the flow of life with which yoga identifies.

At this stage yoga becomes a way of life, not just a practice. There is identification with and expression of nature which is balanced, positive and optimistic, and one attains physical health, mental health and spiritual wealth.
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: tana on February 22, 2007, 06:41:00 AM
OM SAI RAM...

A LITTLE BOYS TEMPER

There once was a little boy who had a bad temper. His father gave him a bag of nails and told him that every time he lost his temper, he must hammer a nail into the fence.

The first day the boy had driven 37 nails into the fence. Over the next few weeks as he learned to control his anger, the number of nails hammered daily, gradually dwindled down. He discovered it was easier to hold his temper than to drive those nails into the fence. Finally the day came when the boy didn't lose his temper at all. He told his father about it and the father suggested that the boy now pull out one nail for each day that he was able to hold his temper.

The days passed and the young boy was finally able to tell his father that all the nails were gone. The father took his son by the hand and led him to the fence. He said "you have done well, my son, but look at the holes in the fence. The fence will never be the same. When you say things in anger, they leave a scar just like this one."

You can put a knife in a man and draw it out. It won't matter how many times you say I'm sorry, the wound is still there.

Make sure you control your temper the next time you are tempted to say something you will regret later.

JAI SAI RAM....
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on February 25, 2007, 07:29:06 AM
जय सांई राम।।।

प्रेम और लक्ष्मी  
 
पुराने जमाने की बात है। किसी नगर में एक सेठ रहता था। एक रात उसके स्वप्न में लक्ष्मी जी प्रकट हुईं और बोलीं, 'सेठ, अब तुम्हारा पुण्य समाप्त हो गया है, इसलिए मैं तुम्हारे घर से जाने वाली हूं। जाने से पहले मुझसे जो भी मांगना चाहो मांग लो।'

सेठ बोला, 'माँ, कल सुबह अपने परिवार के लोगों से सलाह करके तय करूंगा कि क्या मांगना है।'

' ठीक है वत्स, कल बता देना। ' यह कह कर लक्ष्मी अदृश्य हो गईं। सुबह जब सेठ की आंखें खुलीं तो उसे वह सपना याद आया। उसने परिवार वालों को सपने की बात बताई। परिवार में किसी ने धन दौलत मांगने की बात कही, तो किसी ने महल और किसी ने स्वर्ण भंडार की। लेकिन सेठ की सबसे छोटी बहू चुपचाप घर वालों की बातें सुनती रही।

अंत में सेठ ने छोटी बहू से कहा, 'बहू, तुम कुछ नहीं बोल रही हो। तुम भी कुछ बताओ।'

बहू बोली, 'पिता जी, जब लक्ष्मी घर से जाना ही चाहती हैं तो यह सब मिल भी जाए तो क्या फर्क पड़ता है। कोई भी धन-संपदा हमारे पास टिकेगी नहीं और टिकेगी भी तो हम आपस में लड़ झगड़ कर उसे नष्ट कर देंगे। इसलिए आप तो यह मांगिए कि हमारे परिवार में प्रेम बना रहे, सद्भभावना बनी रहे। अगर हम सब में प्रेम और सद्भभावना बनी रहेगी तो विपत्ति के दिन ठीक से गुजर जाएंगे।'

सेठ को छोटी बहू की बात पसंद आ गई। उस रात भी सेठ को फिर स्वप्न में लक्ष्मी दिखाई पड़ीं। लक्ष्मी ने पूछा, 'सेठ, आज तो तुमने परिवार के साथ सलाह-मशविरा कर लिया होगा। बताओ क्या मांग रहे हो?'

सेठ बोला, 'देवी, मैं तो चाहता हूं कि आप हमारे घर से जाए ही नहीं लेकिन यदि जाना ही चाहती हैं तो यह वरदान देती जाएं कि हमारे परिवार में परस्पर प्रेम और सद्भभावना बनी रहे।'

लक्ष्मी जी बोलीं, 'सेठ, अब मैं तुम्हारे घर से नहीं जाऊंगी। क्योंकि जिस कुटुंब में प्रेम और सद्भभावना होगी वहां मुझे रहना ही होगा।'

आईये हम सब बाबा सांई को प्रेम के रुप में अपने धर में जगह देकर स्थापित करें और हमेशा के लिये परिवार में बाबा-लक्ष्मी के प्रेम और सद्धभावना के फूल खिलाते रहें।

 
अपना सांई प्यारा सांई सबसे न्यारा अपना सांई


ॐ सांई राम।।।
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on February 26, 2007, 02:25:10 AM
जय सांई राम।।।

बगदाद के खलीफा उमरजान बहुत ईमानदार इंसान थे। उनका हृदय त्याग की भावना से परिपूर्ण था। वे धन और ऐश्वर्य से दूर ही रहते थे। वे राजकाज और प्रजा की सेवा के बदले प्रत्येक दिन का मेहनताना केवल तीन दिरहाम (बगदाद का सिक्का) लिया करते थे। वे उसी से अपने परिवार का पालन पोषण करते थे।

एक दिन उनकी बेगम ने कहा, 'पांच दिन बाद ईद का त्योहार आने वाला है। यदि आप तीन दिन की तनख्वाह खजाने से अग्रिम लाकर मुझे दे दें तो मैं बच्चों के नए कपड़े बनवा लूं।' खलीफा ने बेगम सेकहा, 'तुम कैसी अजीब बात कह रही हो। यदि आज या कल मेरे प्राण निकल गए तो यह कर्ज कौन चुकाएगा?' फिर कुछ पल रुककर खलीफा ने कहा, 'यदि तुम खुदा से मेरी तीन दिन की जिंदगी का पट्टा ला दो तो मुझे राज्य के खजाने से तीन दिन का अग्रिम वेतन लेने में कोई ऐतराज नहीं होगा।'

बेगम अपने पति की ईमानदारी देखकर हतप्रभ रह गई और चुप हो गई।


अपना सांई प्यारा सांई सबसे न्यारा अपना सांई


ॐ सांई राम।।।
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on February 26, 2007, 06:30:48 AM
जय सांई राम।।।

संसार वैसा ही है जैसा हम सोचते हैं   
 
संसार वैसा ही है जैसा हम सोचते हैं। अपने ही अन्दर के भावों की प्रतिच्छाया हम बाहर देखते हैं। हम जो भी देखते या करते हैं, वह पानी के एक ऐसे गिलास की तरह है, जो आधा भरा हुआ है और आधा खाली। अगर हम निराशावादी हैं और केवल किसी बात का नकारात्मक पक्ष देखते हैं, तो संसार के प्रति हमारा दृष्टिकोण भी आनन्द रहित होगा। और यदि हम आशावादी हैं तो हमें चारों ओर सब कुछ सकारात्मक दिखाई देगा।

एक बार महान दार्शनिक सुकरात एथेंस के द्वार के बाहर बैठे थे, तभी एक व्यक्ति ने उनके पास आकर पूछा, 'मैं सोचता हूँ कि यहाँ आकर रहने लगूँ। क्या आप बता सकते हैं कि यहाँ के लोग कैसे हैं? सुकरात ने उत्तर दिया- तुम्हें यहाँ के बारे में बता कर मुझे बहुत प्रसन्नता होगी, परन्तु यह बताओ कि तुम्हारा पहला आश्रय कैसा था? वह व्यक्ति बोला- ओह, बिल्कुल बकवास। वहाँ के लोग पीछे से वार करते हैं, जीना दूभर हो गया था। सुकरात थोड़ा उदास होकर बोले, तब तो आप कहीं और चले जाएं, यहाँ भी वैसे ही लोग हैं।

थोड़ी देर में वहीं एक और व्यक्ति आया। उसने भी पहले व्यक्ति जैसा प्रश्न सुकरात से पूछा। सुकरात ने भी पहले की ही तरह प्रश्न दोहराया कि उसका पहला आश्रय स्थल कैसा था? वह व्यक्ति मुस्करा कर बोला, वहाँ के लोग बहुत ही स्नेही हैं, वहाँ का वातावरण बहुत ही स्वस्थ है। सब एक दूसरे का आदर, सहायता करते हैं। सुकरात ने कहा, मित्र! एथेंस में तुम्हारा स्वागत है, यहाँ भी वैसा ही वातावरण है।

बहुत सी स्थितियों का सीधा सम्बन्ध हमारे अपने व्यवहार से है। दूसरों के साथ हमारे कैसे सम्बन्ध हैं, हमारे अन्दर कैसी भावनाएँ हैं, मित्रों, परिवारजनों या अपने सहकर्मियों से हम खुद कैसा व्यवहार करते हैं। हम दूसरों के प्रति कैसा दृष्टिकोण रखते हैं, वह भी कुछ हद तक हमारे अन्दर की सोच का नतीजा है। साधारणतया हम दूसरों को या दुनिया को हर बात के लिए दोषी ठहराते हैं। जिस वस्तु को हम यथार्थ समझते हैं, वह केवल हमारी अपनी धारणाओं व विचारों का ही निकास है। जो कुछ भी हम देखते हैं, सुनते हैं, अनुभव करते हैं, छूते हैं, सूंघते हैं, वह सब हमारे अन्दर का ही प्रतिबिम्ब है। व्यक्ति जैसा सोचता है, वैसा ही बन जाता है।

जिन विचारों, विश्वासों, अनुभवों आदि की ओर हम आकर्षित हो रहे हैं, वे हमारे अपने ही विचारों, विश्वासों आदि का नतीजा है और उन्हें हमें स्वयं ही संयमित करना होगा। जो व्यक्ति यह सोचता है कि वह किसी काम का नहीं है, उसमें कोई योग्यता नहीं है, तो उसे वैसा ही प्राप्त भी होगा और वह जो कुछ भी कहेगा, वह महत्वहीन साबित होगा। जब हम यह सोचते हैं कि हम कुछ ऊँचा या अच्छा लक्ष्य प्राप्त कर सकते हैं, तब कुछ न कुछ पा सकते हैं। समय बीतने के साथ वह विश्वास स्वत: हमारे हर काम में झलकेगा। हम आगे बढ़ते जाएंगे और आदर सम्मान पाते रहेंगे।

हमारा मस्तिष्क विचार पैदा करने वाली वर्कशॉप है, जिसमें दिन भर अनगिनत विचार पैदा होते रहते हैं। हमें केवल अपना आत्म-आविष्कार करना होता है और एक सकारात्मक राह पर चलने का निश्चय करना होता है।

हमारे विचार, हमारी सोच हमारे जीवन पर गहरा प्रभाव छोड़ते हैं। अगर वे नकारात्मक हैं तो वे हमें असन्तोष और असफलता की ओर जाते हैं। हमारे अपने अन्दर के भाव जैसे होंगे उसके अनुरूप वे हमारे इर्द गिर्द वातावरण बना लेंगे। कई बार जीवन में ऐसी परिस्थितियां भी बन जाती हैं, जब हम दुख प्राप्त करते हैं, पर अपने नकारात्मक विचारों से हम उस दुख को और बढ़ा लेते हैं। जो कुछ हम चाहते हैं वह है नहीं और जो है उससे हम सन्तुष्ट नहीं। हम इसलिए दुखी हैं कि हम अब जिस स्थिति में हैं उससे अच्छी स्थिति प्राप्त करने के लिए छटपटाते रहते हैं। जब हमारा मन, शांत, संतुलित, स्वस्थ और सकारात्मक होगा,  मन में बाबा सांई के प्रति श्रध्दा और अपने जीवन के प्रति सबूरी होगी तो समझ लेना हम जिन्दगी की हर छोटी बड़ी जंग आसानी से जीत सकेगें और हम जहाँ भी जाएंगे, प्रसन्नता और शांति ही बिखेरेंगे।


मेरा सांई प्यारा सांई सबसे न्यारा मेरा सांई


ॐ सांई राम।।।

Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on February 27, 2007, 08:34:49 AM
जय सांई राम।।।

सच्ची पूजा  
 
एक दिन एक नवयुवक स्वामी विवेकानन्द के आश्रम में पहुंचा। स्वामी जी के चरण स्पर्श कर वह शांत बैठ गया। स्वामी जी ने आशीर्वाद देने के बाद उससे पूछा, 'वत्स, तुम किसी चिंता में उलझे मालूम पड़ते हो।' नवयुवक ने विनम्र भाव से कहा, 'भगवन, मैं बहुत परेशान हूं। मेरी समस्या का समाधान करें।' विवेकानंद ने युवक से कहा, 'वत्स, नि:संकोच अपनी समस्या मुझे बताओ। मैं अवश्य तुम्हारी समस्या के समाधान का कोई सार्थक और सरल उपाय सुझाऊंगा।'

' स्वामी जी। मैंने अनेक धर्मग्रंथों का अध्ययन किया। कई पंथों से जुड़ा, पर आज तक यह नहीं जान पाया कि वास्तविक सत्य क्या है, पूजा क्या है? ईश्वर का साक्षात्कार कैसे संभव है?' विवेकानन्द ने स्नेहपूर्वक पूछा,' वत्स, तुमने परमपिता परमात्मा की प्राप्ति के लिए अब तक क्या उपाय किए हैं?'

' हे महामुनि योगी, मैं जब कमरे का दरवाजा बंद कर समाधि लगाकर प्रभु के ध्यान में बैठता हूं तो मेरा मन स्थिर नहीं रह पाता। इधर-उधर भटकता रहता है। कृपया ध्यान स्थिर रखने का कोई सरल उपाय सुझाएं।' विवेकानंद ने मुस्कराकर कहा, 'दरवाजा बंद करने की जरूरत नहीं है। दरवाजा खोलकर बाहर निकलो। संसार के दीन-दुखी, दरिद्र और असहाय रोगियों के पास जाओ। लाखों लोग तुम्हारी सहायता पाने की प्रतीक्षा में हैं। जाति, धर्म, नस्ल, पंथ के भेदभाव के बिना, नि:स्वार्थ रूप से तन, मन, धन से मानव सेवा में लग जाओ। भूखों को खाना दो। प्यासों को पानी पिलाओ। जितना हो सके मन, वचन और कर्म से दूसरों पर उपकार करो वत्स। स्मरण रखो परसेवा, दया, सहानुभूति तथा दरिद नारायण की सेवा ही सच्ची प्रभु पूजा और भक्ति है। परोपकार से ही तुम्हारे अशांत, चंचल मन को शांति एवं प्रभु दर्शन की सुखद अनुभूति प्राप्त होगी। मानव सेवा ही आत्मशांति का कल्याणकारी मुक्ति मार्ग है। परमार्थ परसेवा में अपना सर्वस्व निछावर करने वाले मानव संसार में महान और पूज्य बन अमर हो जाते हैं।'

स्वामी विवेकानंद की बात सुनकर जैसे उस नवयुवक की आंखें खुल गईं। वह उनके चरण स्पर्श कर मानव कल्याण के अभियान पर उत्साह के साथ निकल पड़ा। 

अपना सांई प्यारा सांई सबसे न्यारा मेरा सांई


ॐ सांई राम।।।
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on March 02, 2007, 08:30:53 AM
जय सांई राम।।।

कड़वी ककड़ी  

हकीम लुकमान प्रसिद्ध यूनानी चिकित्सक थे, लेकिन चिकित्सक बनने से पहले बचपन में उन्होंने एक दास के रूप में जीवन गुजारा था। लुकमान के स्वामी बहुत नेकदिल इंसान थे और उनके प्रति बहुत स्नेह रखते थे। एक दिन लुकमान के स्वामी की ककड़ी खाने की इच्छा हुई। लुकमान ने कहीं से लाकर उनको ककड़ी दे दी। ज्यों ही स्वामी ने ककड़ी मुंह में डाली, उन्हें पता नहीं क्या हुआ, उन्होंने उसे बिना खाए ही अपने मुंह से निकाल कर लुकमान को देते हुए कहा, 'ले, इसे तू खा ले।' लुकमान पूरी ककड़ी खा गए। लुकमान के स्वामी समझते थे कि ककड़ी बहुत कड़वी है, इसलिए लुकमान भी इसे खाएंगे नहीं और फेंक देंगे। लेकिन जब लुकमान सारी ककड़ी चाव से खा गए तो स्वामी को बहुत आश्चर्य हुआ। उन्होंने पूछा, 'यह तो बहुत कड़वी ककड़ी थी, तू इतनी कड़वी ककड़ी को किस तरह खा गया।'

लुकमान ने स्वामी को जवाब दिया, 'हुजूर, आप मुझे इतना ज्यादा मानते हैं। मुझे आपने कभी दास समझा ही नहीं। कोई दुख नहीं दिया, प्रेमपूर्वक अच्छा-अच्छा स्वादिष्ट पकवान खाने को देते हैं। यहां मैं हर प्रकार से सुख भोगता हूं। तो क्या आपके हाथ की एक कड़वी ककड़ी नहीं खा सकता। यह तो मेरा सौभाग्य था कि आपके हाथ से मुझे ककड़ी खाने को मिली। मालिक, आप ही तो हमें बताते हैं कि जो परमात्मा हमेशा सुख देता है, यदि उसी के हाथ से कभी दुख भी आए तो उस दुख को प्रसन्नतापूर्वक सह लेना चाहिए। यह तो एक कड़वी ककड़ी थी, यदि आप के हाथ से मुझे कोई बड़ा कष्ट भी मिले तो मैं उसे हंसी-खुशी स्वीकार करूंगा।'

लुकमान के स्वामी यह सुनकर काफी प्रभावित हुए। उन्होंने कहा, 'लुकमान तुम महान हो। मैं तुम्हारे जवाब से बेहद खुश हूं। आज से तुम गुलाम नहीं रहे। जाओ स्वतंत्रता का जीवन जीओ।' दासता से मुक्ति पाकर लुकमान ने उसी दिन से कड़ी मेहनत शुरू कर दी। अपने कठोर अध्ययन के बल पर उन्होंने चिकित्सा क्षेत्र में महारत हासिल की। अपने इस हुनर का इस्तेमाल उन्होंने मानवता की सेवा में किया।


अपना सांई प्यारा सांई सबसे न्यारा अपना सांई

ॐ सांई राम।।।
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on March 03, 2007, 09:10:01 PM
JAI SAI RAM!!!

BABA AS POTTER WE AS HIS BEAUTIFUL TEACUPS

There was a couple who used to go  to shop in the beautiful stores. They both liked antiques and pottery and especially teacups. One day in this beautiful shop they saw a beautiful teacup. They said, "May we see that? We've never seen one quite so beautiful." As the lady handed it to them, suddenly the teacup spoke.

 "You don't understand," it said. "I haven't always been a teacup. There was a time when I was red and I was clay." My master took me and rolled me and patted me over and over and I yelled out, "let me alone", but he only smiled, "Not yet."

 "Then I was placed on a spinning wheel," the teacup said, "and suddenly I was spun around and around and around. Stop it! I'm getting dizzy!" I screamed. But the master only nodded and said, 'Not yet."

Then he put me in the oven. I never felt such heat. I wondered why he wanted to burn me, and I yelled and knocked at the door. I could see him through the opening and I could read his lips as He shook his head, "Not yet."

Finally the door opened, he put me on the shelf, and I began to cool. "There, that's better," I said. And he brushed and painted me all over. The fumes were horrible. I thought I would gag. "Stop it, stop it!" I cried. He only nodded, "Not yet."

Then suddenly he put me back into the oven, not like the first one. This was twice as hot and I knew I would suffocate. I begged. I pleaded. I screamed. I cried. All the time I could see him through the opening nodding his head saying, "Not yet."

Then I knew there wasn't any hope. I would never make it. I was ready to give up. But the door opened and he took me out and placed me on the shelf. One hour later he handed me a mirror and said, "Look at yourself." And I did. I said, "That's not me; that couldn't be me. It's beautiful. I'm beautiful."

"I want you to remember, then," he said, "I know it hurts to be rolled and patted, but if I had left you alone, you'd have dried up. I know it made you dizzy to spin around on the wheel, but if I had stopped, you would have crumbled. I knew it hurt and was hot and disagreeable in the oven, but if I hadn't put you there, you would have cracked. I know the fumes were bad when I brushed and painted you all over, but if I hadn't done that, you never would have hardened; you would not have had any color in your life. And if I hadn't put you back in that second oven, you wouldn't survive for very long because the hardness would not have held. Now you are a finished product. You are what I had in mind when I first began with you."

BABA SAI knows what HE's doing (for all of us). HE is the Potter, and we are HIS clay. HE will mould us and make us, So that we may be made into a flawless piece of work to fulfill HIS good, pleasing, and perfect will.

OM SAI RAM!!!

 
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on March 05, 2007, 01:48:02 AM
The Story of a Wallet

Once an old man was travelling by train on a pilgrimage to Brindavan. At night, whilst he was asleep, his wallet fell from his pocket. A co-passenger found it the next morning and enquired as to whom the wallet belonged. The old man said it was his. A picture of Sri Sai Baba inside the wallet was proof that the wallet really belonged to him.

The old man then began to relate the story of the wallet. He soon had a group of eager listeners around him. Lifting up the purse for all to see, the old man said: This purse has a long history behind it. My father gave it to me years ago when I was a mere schoolboy. I kept my little pocket money in it and also a photograph of my parents.

Years passed. I grew up and began studying at university. Like every youth, I became conscious of my appearance. I replaced my parents’ photograph with that of my own and I would look at it often. I had become my own admirer.

Then came marriage. Self-admiration gave way to the consciousness of a family. Out went my own picture and I replaced it with that of my wife’s. During the day I would open the wallet many times and gaze at the picture. All tiredness vanished and I would resume my work with enthusiasm.

Then came the birth of my first child. What a joy I experienced when I became a father! I would eagerly rush home after work to play with my little baby. Needless to say, my wife’s picture had already made way for the child’s.

The old man paused. Wiping his tearful eyes, he looked around and said in a sad voice: Friends, my parents passed away long ago. My wife too died five years ago. My son- my only son- is now married. He is too busy with his career and his family. He has no time for me. I now stand on the brink of death. I do not know what awaits me in future. Everything I loved, everything I considered my own, has left me.

A picture of SRI SAI BABA now occupies the place in my wallet. I know HEwill never leave me. I wish now that I had kept HIS picture with me right from the beginning! HE alone is true; all others are just passing shadows.

These earthly ties are transitory. Today they seem to be the be-all and end-all of life, and tomorrow they vanish. Your real tie is with BABA SAI.  BABA is one’s very own. It is the eternal relationship. HE is ever looking after you. Call on the BABA who pervades the entire universe. He will shower HIS blessings upon you.

Your wealth will remain on earth; your cattle will remain in the stables, Your wife will come till the entrance door, your relatives and friends will come till the cremation ground, your body will accompany you till the funeral pyre, but on the way beyond this life only your Karmas will accompany you.

From The Mahabharata

In the Divine plan, one day each union must end with separation.  In the Mahabharata, Bhishma said: Develop this attitude based on wisdom:

I am alone. There is no one who is mine; nor do I belong to anyone. Even this body does not belong to me. These objects of the world are not mine; nor do they belong to others. Or, all things belong equally to all beings. Therefore there is no need for any mind to grieve over these.
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: OmSaiRamNowOn on March 05, 2007, 01:49:50 PM
Jai Sai Ram. Ramesh Bhai ji…nice thoughts..but so difficult to live with the mentioned wisdom. May Sai bless us so we may be knowledgeable on remembering SAI always and do something useful in this life as devotional service in Holy lotus feet of Lord, without developing much attachment for any of our actions and belongings and relations.
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on March 05, 2007, 10:43:47 PM
जय सांई राम।।।

मृत्यु से साक्षात्कार  

तीन व्यक्ति किसी जंगल से गुजर रहे थे। तभी उन्हें एक महात्मा मिले। वे तीनों उनके पास गए और उन्हें प्रणाम कर कहा, 'हम लोग जीवन में ही मृत्यु का साक्षात्कार करना चाहते हैं। कोई रास्ता दिखाइए।' महात्मा ने सामने खड़े पहाड़ की एक गुफा की ओर इशारा करते हुए कहा, 'तुम लोग उस गुफा में जाओ। वहां तुम्हारा मृत्यु से साक्षात्कार हो जाएगा।'

तीनों चलकर तेजी से गुफा में पहुंचे। अंदर झांका तो देखा वहां सोने का ढेर रखा था। उन्होंने कुछ देर विचार-विमर्श करने के बाद सोना घर ले जाने का निश्चय किया। एक ने कहा, 'तुम दोनों पास के गांव से रोटी और पानी ले आओ। मैं सोने की रखवाली करता हूं।' दो साथी चले गए। थोड़ी देर में एक साथी भोजन लेकर लौटा। उसने जैसे ही गुफा में प्रवेश किया वहां सोने की रखवाली के लिए मौजूद साथी ने तलवार से उसकी हत्या कर दी। एक और साथी जब थोड़ी देर बाद पानी लेकर घुसा तो उसने उसे भी मौत के घाट उतार दिया। उसने उनका लाया भोजन खाकर सोना अकेले ले जाने का निर्णय किया। लेकिन रोटी खाते ही उसे चक्कर आ गया और वह चल बसा। रोटी लाने वाले उसके साथी ने उसमें जहर मिला दिया था। 
 

अपना सांई प्यारा सांई सबसे न्यारा अपना सांई


ॐ सांई राम।।।
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on March 06, 2007, 07:39:44 AM
जय सांई राम।।।
प्रेम भक्ति का अंकुर न्यारो - प्रेम किससे होता है यह महत्वपूर्ण नहीं है, प्रेम हुआ यह बहुत मूल्यवान है।

प्रेम एक ऐसी अद्भुत संजीवनी है, जिसके लिए सृष्टि का हर प्राणी तरसता है-फिर चाहे वे पशु पक्षी हों या मनुष्य। प्रेम की सकारात्मक शक्ति पेड़ पौधों को भी नव जीवन देती है। वे ज्यादा तेजी से बढ़ने लगते हैं, अधिक हरे-भरे हो जाते हैं, अगर प्रेम से उन्हें सींचा जाए। यह प्राणों की गहरी प्यास है, जो सिर्फ प्रेम जल से ही बुझती है। सबके भीतर जलती है इसकी लौ, लेकिन प्रेम की परिभाषा कोई कर नहीं सका। भक्ति सूत्र जैसे ग्रंथ में भक्ति का अद्वितीय विवेचन करने वाले महर्षि नारद भी अंतत: हार कर कह उठे: अनिर्वचनीयं पे्रम स्वरूपम। प्रेम का स्वरूप अनिर्वचनीय है।

भक्ति की परिभाषा देते हुए पहले ही सूत्र में वे लिखते हैं, सा तु अस्मिन परम प्रेम रूपा। भक्ति जो है, वह उससे परम प्रेम स्वरूप होती है। उससे किससे इसे वे स्पष्ट नहीं करते। क्योंकि वह अमूर्त है, अनाम है। अगर भक्ति की आध्यात्किता को छोडें और मानवीय प्रेम की बात करें तो जब किसी से प्रेम हो जाता है, उस व्यक्ति के गहरे केंद्र से संबंध जुड़ जाता है। उसका चेहरा खो जाता है। शुरुआत भले ही चेहरे से होती हो, लेकिन जैसे गहरे उतरते हैं तो केवल अहसास शेष रहता है। इस अहसास का क्या नाम है? उसकी चुंबकीय शक्ति का क्या रूप है? इसलिए नारद मुनि का यह कहना कि प्रेमी अनाम होता है, बहुत अर्थपूर्ण है। आदमी जहां खड़ा है, वहीं से तो पहला कदम उठाएगा न! भक्ति का रास्ता प्रेम की गली से ही गुजरता है। ऊपर से देखने पर भक्ति बिलकुल सामान्य लगती है। बल्कि ऐसा माना जाता है कि योग, ध्यान, वेदान्त, सांख्य ये सब अत्यंत कठिन और दुरूह मार्ग हैं और भक्ति तो बिलकुल साधारण है। भक्त को रोने-गाने के सिवाय कोई काम ही नहीं रहता। लेकिन भक्ति सर्वाधिक कठिन है।

कबीर कहते हैं, भगति करै कोई सूरमा जाति बरन कुल खोय। प्रेम की पगडंडी आंसुओं से पटी है। मीरा ने लिखा है, अंसुअन जल सींच सींच प्रेम बेलि बोई। भक्ति की राह आंसुओं से भीगी क्यों है? क्योंकि भक्ति हृदय में जीती है। उसके आंसू दुख के आंसू नहीं होते, यह छलकता हुआ हृदय रस होता है। कोई भी भाव अतिशय हो जाए तो छलकने लगता है। ये आंसू मन के मैल को धोकर भाव-शरीर को एकदम निर्मल और स्वच्छ बना देते हैं। असल में भावनाओं का यह ऐश्वर्य भक्ति की खास पहचान है। यह हर किसी के बस की बात नहीं। बहुत मजबूत दिल और उतना ही मजबूत जिस्म चाहिए तो भक्ति का पेड़ मनोभूमि में उग सकता है। इधर आधुनिक मानव भक्ति की इस रस पूर्ण उन्मनी दशा से वंचित रह गया है। जैसे-जैसे बुद्धिवाद का उदय हुआ, वह लोगों के दिल-ओ-दिमाग पर छा गया, वैसे-वैसे मनुष्य की प्रेम की क्षमता कम होती गई। दिमाग मजबूत होता गया और दिल सिकुड़ता गया। स्वर्गीय अमृता प्रीतम ने बड़ी खूबसूरती से कहा है, आज मैं किसी के मुंह से प्रेम और भक्ति के अल्फाज सुनती भी हूं तो ऐसे घबराए हुए से, मानों दूसरों के बाग में से चुराए हुए फूल हों। बात सच है। प्रेम की चाहत तो लोगों में बहुत है, लेकिन उसके लिए वह माहौल नहीं, जिसमें प्रेम पनपे। प्रेम के चर्चे तो बहुत हैं, लेकिन प्रेम में वह गहराई नहीं है, जो भक्ति के समुंदर को अपने सीने में समा ले। इस विज्ञान युग में प्रेम  और भक्ति कैसे पनपेगी? अंतर्दृष्टि यही है कि प्रेम के साथ ध्यान को जोड़ें। ध्यान और प्रेम दो पंख हैं जिसके सहारे मनुष्य आसमान में उड़ सकता है। प्रेम है मन से मन का मिलन, काम है तन से तन का मिलन और भक्ति है, आत्मा का आत्मा से मिलन। प्रेम बीच की कड़ी है। एक तरफ काम है, दूसरी तरफ भक्ति। प्रेम को चाहिए कि वह ऊर्ध्वगति करे। अकेला प्रेम एक भाव है,  अकेला उड़ान भरने में असमर्थ है, लेकिन वह ध्यान का सहारा ले तो उसके पंखों में बल आ जाएगा। ध्यान एक रूपांतरण का विज्ञान है, जो ऊर्जा को निरंतर ऊर्ध्वगामी कर सकती है।

वस्तुत: प्रेम को भक्ति में परिवर्तित करना वैसे ही है, जैसे पानी को उबाल कर भाप बनाना। प्रेम को निकृष्ट भाव ईष्र्या, काम, भय, आधिपत्य से विलग कर, निष्काम ऊर्जा में बदलना भक्ति की कीमिया है। नारद ने बड़ी महीन बात कही है कि पूजा अनुराग पूर्वक होना चाहिए, रूखी सूखी नहीं। उसकी व्याख्या इस प्रकार कर सकते हैं: प्रेम आस्तिकता की पहली गंध, पहली लहर, आस्तिकता की तरफ पहला कदम। कम से कम एक में ही सही, परमात्मा दिखा तो। और एक में दिखा तो सब में दिख सकता है। लेकिन जल्दी ही तुम्हारी प्रेम की आंख धुंधली पड़ जाती है। जिसमें तुम्हें परमात्मा दिखा था वह भी एक ख्वाब, एक सपना हो जाता है। जल्दी ही तुम भूल जाते हो, धूल जम जाती है। जब प्रेम की घटना घटे तो जल्दी करना उसे पूजा बनाने की, अन्यथा समय ढांक देगा। इसलिए मैं कहता हूं, पूजा जवानी के दिन हैं। लेकिन लोग कहते हैं, पूजा बुढ़ापे में करेंगे। इतना फासला प्रेम में और पूजा में होगा तो प्रेम मर जाएगा, पूजा न आ पाएगी। और असलियत यह है कि प्रेम ही पूजा बनता है।

प्रेम के मरने से पूजा नहीं आती, प्रेम के पूरे निखरने से पूजा आती है। एक में जो दिखाई पड़ा है, अब इस सूत्र को पकड़ लेना इसको औरों में भी देखने की कोशिश करना। जरा आंख ताजी हो, लहर नई हो, उमंग अभी जोश भरी हो, उत्साह युवा हो तो जल्दी कर लेना। जो तुम्हें अपने प्रेमी में, प्रेयसी में, बच्चे में दिखा हो, अपने मित्र में दिखा हो, जल्दी करना, क्योंकि उस वक्त तुम्हारे पास आंख है, उस वक्त जगत को गौर कर देख लेना, और तुम अचानक पाओगे, वह सभी के भीतर छिपा है, क्योंकि उसके अतिरिक्त और कोई भी नहीं है। प्रेम किससे होता है यह महत्वपूर्ण नहीं है, प्रेम हुआ यह बहुत मूल्यवान है। दूसरा तो सिर्फ बहाना है, घटना तो अपने भीतर हृदय के अतल में घटती है। लेकिन किसी भी बहाने से हो, उसकी याद आ जाए यह क्या कम है।
हम खुदा के कभी कायल न थे
उनको देखा तो खुदा याद आया।



सांई रहम नज़र करना बच्चों का पालन करना।


ॐ सांई राम।।।
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on March 08, 2007, 08:28:40 AM
जय सांई राम।।।

सच्चाई की जीत  

प्राचीन काल में एक राजा था। वह अपने गुरु की हर बात माना करता था। जब कभी भी उसे महत्वपूर्ण निर्णय लेने होते थे, वह फौरन अपने गुरु के पास चला जाता था और उनकी आज्ञा के मुताबिक ही कार्य करता था। इस तरह राजा अपने प्रांत की शासन व्यवस्था दुरुस्त रखता था।

चूंकि उस राजा का कोई बच्चा नहीं था, इसलिए एक दिन उसने मन ही मन सोचा कि उसके बाद उसका उत्तराधिकारी कौन होगा? इस समस्या के हल के लिए राजा अपने गुरु के पास पहुंचा।

गुरु ने कहा, वत्स घबराने की आवश्यकता नहीं है। मैं एक तरकीब बताता हूं, जिससे तुम अपना सही उत्तराधिकारी तलाश लोगे। गुरुजी ने अपने एक भक्त को बुलाया और उसके कानों में कुछ कहा। कुछ देर बाद वह भक्त वापस आया और एक बड़े थैले में बीज भर कर ले आया।

बीज से भरा वह बड़ा थैला राजा को सुपुर्द करते हुए गुरुजी ने कहा, वत्स यह कोई सामान्य गुरुजी की नजर अश्विन पर पड़ी, जो अपना खाली गमला छिपाने की कोशिश कर रहा था। गुरुजी ने राजा से कहा - तुम्हें तुम्हारा उत्तराधिकारी मिल गया। वह लड़का, जो खाली गमला लेकर आया है, वही अगला राजा बनने योग्य है।
 
थैला नहीं है। इसमें विशेष किस्म के बीज भरे हैं। तुम्हारे राज्य में जितने भी बच्चे हैं, उन्हें बुलाकर एक-एक बीज सबको बांट दो। बच्चों से कहना कि बीज को अपने-अपने घरों में ले जाएं और प्रतिदिन उसे अच्छी तरह पानी से सींचे और पौधा बड़ा होने तक उसकी देखभाल भी करें। एक साल बाद हम यह देखेंगे कि किसने किस तरह से पौधों की देखभाल की है? फिर हम तुम्हारे उत्तराधिकारी का निर्णय करेंगे।

राजा ने पूरे राज्य के तमाम होनहार बच्चों को बुलवाकर मुनादी करा दी कि उन्हीं में से कोई एक अगला राजा होगा। राजा ने सभी बच्चों को एक-एक बीज देकर आवश्यक निर्देश दिया कि अगले साल सभी बच्चों को वापस बुलाया जाएगा और पौधे की स्थिति को देखकर ही यह तय किया जाएगा कि उसका उत्तराधिकारी कौन होगा?

बच्चों की भीड़ में अश्विन नाम का एक लड़का था, जो ईमानदार होने के साथ-साथ दयालु भी था। वह बीज को लेकर अपने घर पहुंचा और अपनी मां से सारी बातें बताई। मां-बेटे दोनों बहुत उत्साहित थे। दोनों ने साथ मिलकर ईश्वर की प्रार्थना की और बीज को एक गमले में बोया। हर दिन सुबह-सुबह अश्विन उसमें पानी डालता, प्रकाश की पर्याप्त व्यवस्था करता और उसकी अच्छी तरह देखभाल करता। इसी तरह समय बीतता गया, मगर कुछ दिन के बाद अश्विन के चेहरे पर निराशा के बादल छाने लगे, क्योंकि वह बीज अंकुरित ही नहीं हो सका। जब यह तय हो गया कि वह बीज मर चुका है, तो अश्विन बहुत दुखी हुआ। हालांकि वह अब भी आशा का दामन छोड़ नहीं पा रहा था। बावजूद इसके कि वह बीज मर चुका था, वह रोज उसी तरह उसमें पानी डालता और ईश्वर से प्रार्थना करता कि किसी तरह उसमें पौधा उगे। दूसरी तरफ, जब वह स्कूल पहुंचा, तो अपने साथियों से तरह-तरह की बातें सुन-सुन कर और परेशान हो गया। कोई कहता कि उसके बीज से एक अद्भुत पौधा निकला है, तो कोई कहता कि उसका पौधा बड़ी तेजी से बढ़ रहा है। जितने मुंह, उतनी बातें..।

अंत में वह दिन आ गया, जब राजा ने सभी बच्चों को अपने-अपने पौधे लेकर राजदरबार में हाजिर होने को कहा। अश्विन दुखी था कि उसके बीज से तो पौधा निकला ही नहीं..। इसके बावजूद वह अपना खाली गमला लेकर राजदरबार पहुंच गया। वहां पहुंचकर जब उसने दूसरे बच्चों के खूबसूरत गमले को देखा, तो और ज्यादा परेशान हो गया और अब वह अपना खाली गमला छिपाने लगा। इतने में राजा अपने गुरु के साथ पहुंच गए और बच्चों का राजदरबार में स्वागत किया।

राजा ने गुरुजी से पूछा, चूंकि सभी पौधे खूबसूरत हैं, इसलिए हम यह कैसे तय करेंगे कि किसका सबसे अच्छा है और कौन अगला राजा बनने लायक है?

गुरुजी की नजर अश्विन पर पड़ी, जो अपना खाली गमला छिपाने की कोशिश कर रहा था। गुरुजी ने राजा से कहा - तुम्हें तुम्हारा उत्तराधिकारी मिल गया। वह लड़का, जो खाली गमला लेकर आया है, वही अगला राजा बनने योग्य है।

मगर गुरुजी इसका गमला तो खाली है..इसमें तो पौधे उगे ही नहीं..! राजा ने कहा।

गुरुजी मुस्कुराते हुए बोले, राजन् मैंने जितने भी बीज दिए, सभी पहले से ही मरे हुए थे। उनमें से पौधे निकलने की कोई संभावना ही नहीं रह गई थी। ये जितने भी खूबसूरत पौधे तुम देख रहे हो, वे किसी अन्य बीज के हैं। राजा बनने के लोभ में सभी ने एक से बढ़कर एक पौधे उगा लिए, मगर इस बालक ने अपनी ईमानदारी दिखाई और वही बीज ले आया, जो इसे दिया गया था। अत: यही तुम्हारा उत्तराधिकारी होने योग्य है।

यह सुनते ही अश्विन खुशी से उछल पड़ा और गुरुजी के पैरों पर गिर गया..।

अपना सांई प्यारा सांई सबसे न्यारा अपना सांई


ॐ सांई राम।।।
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on March 10, 2007, 02:44:50 AM
जय सांई राम।।।

धर्म के प्रसार से कलियुग, सतयुग में परिवर्तित होगा  

जीवन में प्रेम पाना है तो प्रेम बांटो, इज्जत पानी है तो इज्जत दो और ज्ञानी व मानव बनना है तो ज्ञान व मानवता का प्रसार करो। मानव धर्म के प्रसार से ही कलियुग, सतयुग में परिवर्तित होगा।

मनुष्य को अपने विवेक अनुसार कर्म करने का अधिकार है मगर जो मनुष्य बिना सोचे-विचारे कार्य करता है तो निश्चित ही बाद में उसे पछताना पड़ता है। एक बार एक प्रतापी राजा ने अपने राज्य विस्तार के लिए पड़ोसी राज्य पर आक्रमण किया। उस युद्ध में हजारों आदमी मारे गए। युद्ध में विजय के बाद राजा युद्ध के मैदान में अपने मंत्री के साथ यह देखने के लिए जाता है कि मैंने कितने लोगों को मारा। घूमते-घूमते उसने वहां कुछ गीदड़ों को आपस में बातचीत करते सुना। चूंकि राजा का मंत्री जानवरों की बोली समझता था इसलिए उसने मंत्री से पूछा कि बताओ ये गीदड़ आपस में क्या बातचीत कर रहे हैं। तब मंत्री ने कहा कि महाराजा यह बड़ा गीदड़ छोटे गीदड़ से कह रहा है कि न जाने किस मूर्ख ने इतने आदमियों को मार दिया है। यह सुनकर राजा अपने मंत्री से कहता है कि इससे पूछो कि यह गीदड़ हमें मूर्ख क्यों कह रहा है। मंत्री ने गीदड़ों की भाषा में जब उस बड़े गीदड़ से पूछा कि एक शूरवीर राजा को तुम मूर्ख कैसे कहते हो। तब गीदड़ ने जवाब दिया कि हमे जब भूख लगती है तो हम एक दो जानवरों को मारते हैं और ज्यादा भूख हुई तो हम तीसरे जानवर को मारते हैं। चार पांच जानवरों को मारने के बाद तो बड़े से बड़े जानवर की भूख भी शांत हो जाती है। यहां इतने लोगों को मारने के बाद भी इन्हें कोई नहीं खा रहा है। लगता है कि उसकी भूख शांत है बिना भूख के ही लोगों को मारता जा रहा है इसलिए मुझे उस व्यक्ति को मूर्ख कहना पड़ा।

बात बड़ी सरल लगती है पर इस कथा में मानव समाज के लिए कितना बड़ा उपदेश है कि हम तो जानवरों से भी निम्न हो गए हैं। जब हम किसी को जीवित नहीं कर सकते तो मारने का हमें क्या अधिकार है। जब हम किसी को प्रेम नहीं दे सकते, दया नहीं कर सकते तो उसके सताने का हमें क्या अधिकार है। जब हम समाज को प्रेम और एकता के सूत्र में नहीं बांध सकते तो हमें समाज में घृणा फैलाने का,फूट डालने का क्या अधिकार है। इसीलिए हमें किसी का अहित करने का कोई अधिकार नहीं है। इससे हमें शिक्षा मिलती है कि धर्म का प्रसार कर जीवन के भवसागर को पार किया जा सकता है।
 
अपना सांई प्यारा सांई सबसे न्यारा अपना सांई


ॐ सांई राम।।।
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: jaishri on March 10, 2007, 09:31:03 AM
thanks for all those  stories.. no thoughts!
here is some thing for that i want to share.

who is right?

one day a man was walking in the sun... holding a donkey in one hand and his small son in the other. he  then met a passer by who commented.. look this foolish man, going in the hot sun along with his donkey. he should put his son on the donkey and walk and make the child comfy.
so the man did as was suggested.

little while later another person came along.. he commented thus. look at this son.. an old father is walking and the son who is young is cooly riding the donkey! 
this also seemed reasonable.

the man pondered a while and then he also alighted the donkey.. thinking he is  accepting both the suggestions .
a little while along the road , he met yet another person.
 this stranger then said.. look at these people, poor donkey it s so hot and both are sitting on it . what cruelty towards the animal. surely at elast one should walk.

 really this is the case in life. more often than not in my past i have been confronted with varied advice and never had the wisdom to choose.
till sai has started speaking  from my heart. now i feel the best decisions are the one we take, after careful consideration. this must be backed by the single
reason that it suits us. not to please some one, .
 many things in life may seem strange and unfair in others eyes. but only we know why . we are doing some thing. let sai give us all the courage of conviction. sai ram..
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on March 12, 2007, 08:13:35 AM
JAI SAI RAM!!!

Lessons on Life  

There was a man who had four sons. He wanted his sons to learn not to judge things too quickly. So he sent them each on a quest, in turn, to go and look at a pear tree that was a great distance away.

The first son went in the winter, the second in the spring, the third in summer, and the youngest son in the fall.

When they had all gone and come back, he called them together to describe what they had seen

The first son said that the tree was ugly, bent, and twisted. The second son said no it was covered with green buds and full of  promise.

The third son disagreed; he said it was laden with blossoms that smelled so sweet and looked so beautiful, it was the most graceful thing he had ever seen.

The last son disagreed with all of them; he said it was ripe and drooping with fruit, full of life and fulfillment.

The man then explained to his sons that they were all right, because they had each seen but only one season in the tree's life.

He told them that you cannot judge a tree, or a person, by only one season, and that the essence of who they are and the pleasure, joy, and love that come from that life can only be measured at the end, when all the seasons  are up.

If you give up when it's winter, you will miss the promise of your spring, the beauty of your summer, fulfillment of your fall.

Moral:

Don't let the pain of one season destroy the joy of all the rest.
Don't  judge life by one difficult season.
Persevere through the difficult patches and better times are sure to come some time or later.

Help Ever Hurt Never - Baba


OM SAI RAM!!!
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: OmSaiRamNowOn on March 12, 2007, 09:06:49 AM
Jai Sai Ram. Excellent story to convey the right message. If only we can have enough saburi, patience..and be not so judgemental..we will definitely experience the beautiful seasons.
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on March 13, 2007, 09:15:07 AM
ॐ सांई राम।।।

ईमानदारी की शक्ति  
 
एक बार राजस्थान में भारी अकाल पड़ा। चारों तरफ त्राहि-त्राहि मची थी। लोग अन्न के लिए तरस कर रह गए थे। वर्षा का मौसम खत्म होने को था, लेकिन बारिश की एक बूंद जमीन पर नहीं गिरी। जमीन सूख कर पत्थर हो गई थी। वहां का राजा बहुत परेशान था। उसने कई तरह के अनुष्ठान और यज्ञ कराए, दान दिए, लेकिन वर्षा नहीं हुई। एक दिन किसी ने राजा से कहा, 'महाराज, इस नगर में एक व्यापारी रहता है। यदि वह चाहे तो वर्षा हो सकती है।' राजा उस व्यापारी के पास गया और बोला, 'भाई, आप कोई उपाय कीजिए जिससे वर्षा हो जाए। व्यापारी हाथ जोड़ कर बोला, 'महाराज, मैं एक साधारण आदमी हूं। भला मैं कैसे वर्षा करा सकता हूं।' लेकिन राजा नहीं माना और वहीं अनशन पर बैठ गया और बोला, 'मैं यहां से तब तक नहीं जाऊंगा जब तक वर्षा नहीं हो जाती।'

अंत में व्यापारी ने अपना तराजू उठाया। आंगन में खड़ा होकर आकाश की तरफ मुंह करके बोला,' हे देवता, आप साक्षी हैं कि मैंने इस तराजू से कभी कम या ज्यादा नहीं तौला है। हमेशा ईमानदारी बरती है। यदि यह तराजू हमेशा सत्य और ईमान का सौदा ही तौलता रहा है तो हे देवराज इंद्र, मेरी और इस तराजू की ईमानदारी की रक्षा करो। वर्षा कराओ प्रभु।' कुछ ही देर बाद आकाश में बादल मंडराने लगे और देखते ही देखते वर्षा शुरू हो गई। बहुत तेज बारिश हुई। यह देख कर राजा चकित हो गया और बोला, 'सेठ, मैंने न जाने कितने अनुष्ठान कराए, लेकिन इंद्र भगवान खुश नहीं हुए और वर्षा नहीं हुई। तुम्हारे एक शब्द में वह कौन सा जादू था कि देखते ही देखते धरती वर्षा से लबालब हो गई।'

व्यापारी बोला,' महाराज हमारे अंदर वर्षा कराने की कोई शक्ति नहीं है। यह तो इस तराजू की ईमानदारी की शक्ति है। ईमानदारी के आगे भगवान भी झुक जाते हैं। महाराज आज लोगबाग अपने स्वार्थ के लिए सत्कर्म करना भूल गए हैं। ईमानदारी भूल गए हैं। यही समस्त दुखों और कष्टों का कारण है। इन सबका निवारण ईमानदारी है।'
 

अपना सांई प्यारा सांई सबसे न्यारा अपना सांई


ॐ सांई राम।।।
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: OmSaiRamNowOn on March 13, 2007, 09:58:07 AM
JAI SAI RAM.

Once there lived a beggar in a village. One fine day in the village path appeared the golden chariot of God in front of him. He was very happy as he thought he would get a good amount of alms that will end his poverty. The chariot stopped. God glanced at him and came down with a smile. He held out his right hand and said, "What have you to give to me?"

The astonished beggar said to himself, "What a jest! God is opening His palms to me—a beggar!" He stood confused for a few moments and then he took out a little grain of corn from his bag and put it on the hand of God.

At the end of day the beggar emptied his bag and, lo and behold, he found a little grain of gold in the poor heap of alms he had received. He bitterly wept and lamented his miserliness. He wished he had had the heart to give his all to God.

The moral of this story is: (a) the secret of receiving is giving. The beggar received a grain of gold in return for a grain of corn. Not only this, when you give, God entitles you to receive more than what you give. Didn’t the bagger receive gold in return for the corn, he gave? (b) The more you give, the more you receive. Had the beggar given more, he would have received more.
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on March 13, 2007, 10:18:46 AM
जय सांई राम।।।

बहुत खूब। बहुत बढ़िया सन्देश है छोटी सी कहानी में हम सब के लिये।

इसीलिये तो कहते है अपना सब कुछ अर्पित कर दो बाबा को, समर्पित कर दो सब कुछ जो भी जिसको तुम अपना कहते हो। समर्पित करते ही सब कुछ उसका तुम्हारा हो जायेगा। जानती हो क्या है वो जिसको हम अपना कहते है, अपना मान के संजो कर रखते है सारी उम्र...अन्त तक.?


अपना सांई प्यारा सांई सबसे न्यारा अपना सांई


ॐ सांई राम।।।
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: OmSaiRamNowOn on March 13, 2007, 10:46:16 AM
Ab Bhai ji,,humari samjh kahan itni ki ein sawalon kaa jawab den..kya aap Ego ko refer kar rahen hai ya fir Fear ko? Acha Ab aap hi bata dena kal kyonki aap tou makadi ki giraft sey bachkar soney jaa chuke hain..hum yehann par apne mind ko socheny denge tab tak.
Jai Sai Ram.
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Kavitaparna on March 13, 2007, 11:05:50 AM
OM SRI SAI RAM

SO MUCH FOR THAT MUCH !  HOW MUCH FOR THIS MUCH ?

Once, there lived a poor man in a hut. He grew lot of green leafy vegetables in his back yard and lived on selling them daily which was hardly sufficient.

He had a deep feeling of donating things to the poor but he him self being poor, could not help. So, he went on donating one bunch of greens everyday.

For this act of his, God made him a King in his next birth. Due to the Poorva Punya, the King had the knowledge of his previous birth and started to grow a big garden of greens. He started to donate bunches of greens to all daily.

But, while donating, he would say "SO MUCH FOR THAT MUCH !  HOW MUCH FOR THIS MUCH ?"

God has observed this and got irritated. One day, he himself came to take the alms (greens) and the moment the

king uttered 'SO MUCH FOR THAT MUCH !  HOW MUCH FOR THIS MUCH' ,

God replied "THIS MUCH ONLY FOR THIS MUCH" and disappeared.

Jai Sai Ram

Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: OmSaiRamNowOn on March 13, 2007, 11:22:18 AM
Kavita Didi,  this story you have posted has really puzzled me so much that I am asking you.. pls explain if possible.  I am getting message that king could have done much much more in his current birth rathe rthan what he is doing when affordability is not an issue yet he did only "THIS MUCH". When he was poor and couldnt even afford to eat..he then donated greens too ( he did THAT MUCH). Hence God was is not happy and stated "THIS MUCH ONLY FOR THIS MUCH" ???
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Kavitaparna on March 14, 2007, 12:16:33 AM
OM SRI SAI RAM

Dear Anju ji, Sai Ram

The king in his previous birth, though not well posited, donated a single bunch of green everyday and was blessed to become a king. But, even after becoming a king, he thought, by giving several bunches of greens a day would take him to a much higher position in the next birth which the God did not like and said THIS MUCH ONLY FOR THIS MUCH ( that means you will get greens only in return of greens).

God gives us more to do better things. In other words, as we go upwards,       ( whatever be the aspect - financial / spiritual ) we should act accordingly.

Baba bless us all
Sai Ram
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on March 14, 2007, 02:55:32 AM
Is That So???????

Hakuin Zenji, an 18th century Japanese Zen master, was known for his piety. It so happened once that an unmarried girl from his neighbourhood got big with child. When questioned by her parents, she named the monk as the father of the unborn child. Enraged, the parents minced no words and lambasted the monk severely. Hakuin Zenji would neither refute nor accept the allegation. “Is that so?” was all he would reiterate.

When the child saw the light of the day, it was brought to Hakuin Zenji. The monk would now find food for two, though in the wake of his soiled reputation, he would, many a time, receive more barbs than food. By the time the year was out, the girl-mother could stand it no longer and revealed the identity of her lover, a fish market help, to her parents. The parents apologised to the monk, repeatedly begged his forgiveness and the custody of the child. The sage handed over the child to them, mumbling a whisper: “Is that so?”

Innocence is neither defensive nor offensive, neither reactive nor proactive. When first the monk said, “Is that so?”, he perhaps meant: “Is this what these people believe?” As he was aware of who he was, he was like an alien to their belief system. He didn’t depend upon their opinion to define himself. To him the charges were irrelevant offscourings that called for no response either in yes or no. While his reputation played see-saw, he turned around and spoke to existence: “Is that so?” A man of piety owes his allegiance only to existence.

When the child was brought to him, he took yet another existential dispensation. A sage does not question anything dished out to him by existence. Any hesitation would be tantamount to a disregard of existence. J Krishnamurti would call such an attitude “choicelessness” but a sage does not choose even “choicelessness” because that would mean losing his inner dynamics, his inner balance. In Zazen Wasan, Hakuin Zenji’s song in praise of zazen, he sings: “We stand beyond ego and past clever words/ Then the gate to oneness of cause-and-effect is thrown open”.

What the child needed immediately was a father’s love and protection and not the gossiper of idle village folks. Being in present was his metier. And so he baby-sat the child till the day he was asked to part with it. Had he not developed any bond with the child? We don’t know. We only know that he remained rooted in the fulcrum of his inner balance. For him depth of living was more meaningful than any length of living. For length we scour the past and the future but depth happens in the hear and now. There was no knee-jerk action from him, only a lover’s plaint to existence: “Is that so?”, that is to say, What is this joke, now?

The sound of one hand clapping is a beautiful gift of Hakuin Zenji to Zen. This koan like any real koan cannot be solved. But it is an existential treat to be experienced. We who bobble in the ambit of bubble chambers created and sustained by a ceaseless flow of frivolous thoughts, would do well to work on it to get a glimpse of Hakuin Zenji’s envious, yet accomplishable, state.
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: OmSaiRamNowOn on March 14, 2007, 12:26:14 PM
Jai Sai Ram.

There was once a man who was very rich and very miserly at the same time. The villagers disliked him intensely. One day he said to them, "Either you're jealous of me or you don't understand my love of money-God alone knows. But you dislike me; that much I know. When I die, I won't take anything with me. I will leave it all for others. I will make a will, and I will give everything to charity. Then everyone will be happy."
Even then people mocked and laughed at him. The rich man said to them, "What is the matter with you? Can't you wait a few years to see my money go to charity?"
The villagers didn't believe him. He said, "Do you think I'm immortal? I'll die like everyone else, and then my money will go to charities." He couldn't understand why they didn't believe him.
One day he went for a walk. All of a sudden it started raining heavily, so he took shelter under a tree. Under this tree he saw a pig and a cow. The pig and the cow entered into conversation, and the man overheard what they were saying.
The pig said to the cow, "How is it that everybody appreciates you and nobody appreciates me? When I die, I provide people with bacon, ham and sausage. People can also use my bristles. I give three or four things, whereas you give only one thing: milk. Why do people appreciate you all the time and not me?"  

The cow said to the pig, "Look, I give them milk while I'm alive. They see that I am generous with what I have. But you don't give them anything while you're alive. Only after you're dead do you give ham, bacon and so forth. People don't believe in the future; they believe in the present. If you give while you are alive, people will appreciate you. It is quite simple."
From that moment on, the rich man gave all he had to the poor.
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on March 15, 2007, 08:02:39 AM
The World Is What You Like To Think It Is  

Socrates was sitting outside of the gates of Athens. A man came up to him and said, “I am thinking about moving into Athens. Can you please tell me what it is like to live here?” Socrates replied, “I would be happy to tell you, but first would you please tell me what it was like in your previous home city?” The man roared, “Oh, it was awful. The people stab you in the back and rob you blind. I am leaving only enemies”. Socrates frowned and continued, “Well, you best be on your way because you will find the same thing here in Athens”.

Later another man stopped to speak to Socrates and inquired, “I was considering moving here to Athens. Can you tell me what it is like to live here?” Socrates asked the visitor: “First tell me, what was it like in your previous home city?” The man smiled and said, “Where i come from the people all work together and help each other. Kindness is everywhere and you are never treated with anything but the utmost respect”. “Welcome to Athens”, smiled Socrates, “You will find the same thing here”.

The world is what we think it is. The outside is a reflection of our inner self. If we look at the negative side of things, then our outlook would be bleak. And if we are an optimistic we would feel that positive things surround us everywhere. The first person had negative traits whereas the second person had everything good to say about his home city.

Most situations in our life can be seen as a relationship interaction, be it a personal relationship such as internal dialogues, or our dealings with a friend, family member, or co-worker. All things around us are merely reflections of our self-emanations. If we learn to live our lives with this understanding, then we have no one to blame for our lives. Usually we want to blame other people and the outside world for everything. The physical world is a projection of our beliefs and feelings which we then think is “reality”. As a man thinks, so he becomes.

To take charge of our lives, we have to go within and become intensely honest with ourselves about ourselves. Start accepting that whatever comes to us comes because we have attracted it with thoughts, beliefs and feelings. We can take charge of our lives by taking charge of our thoughts, beliefs, feelings and tendencies.

Belief is the thermostat that regulates what we accomplish. A person who believes he is worth little, receives little. If you believe you are unimportant, so everything you do has an unimportant mark. As time goes by, lack of belief in ourselves shows in the way we talk, walk, act. Unless we readjust our thermostat, we shrink in our own estimation. And, since others see in us what we see in ourselves, we grow smaller in the estimation of others.

You are a product of your thoughts. When you adjust your thermostat, you move forward. When you believe in yourself, good things do start happening. Your mind is a conception workshop producing numberless thoughts. You have to explore your inner self, “Think doubt and fail; Think victory and succeed”.  
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on March 16, 2007, 05:12:22 AM

Enjoy Differences For Variety Spices Life  

A young couple asked, “We have been married for several years but the only thing common between us is our irreconcilability. We are not able to make decisions; our indecisiveness is our common point. We don’t even smile at each other. What do we do?” My response is simple: Celebrate. Celebrate your differences. Make your differences fuel your togetherness. Just imagine how boring life would be if there were no differences.

Often people say they are upset that life is full of contradictions. Life is not so small that we can put it into compartments like good and bad, right and wrong, evil and noble. Life is vast; so vast that it is big enough to include contradictions in its fold.

The Kali symbol is a good illustration of this. Goddess Kali is shown dancing on the chest of her husband, Shiva. She loves her husband and at the same time dances on his chest, almost killing him. Life is full of contradictions. One has to accept them gracefully and at the same time change whatever is possible. We also have to learn to accept what cannot be changed.

While we’re discussing differences, let us also accept the fact that the context of a relationship should be one of love, and not of expectation. Love has to go through transformation and purification. Only then would we find that we are bigger than our differences, and that we are slaves to differences.

Differences add richness, variety and spice to life. One should be creative in a relationship. In a music concert, there would be different musical instruments but all of them are harmonised to create symphony. The many tones, pitches and notes come together in a pleasing symphony. Exactly in the same way, you are different, your spouse is different. Learn to enjoy the differences.

The most important aspect in a relationship is that we should stand for transformation and growth. Transformation involves de-hypnotising ourselves. We are hypnotised into believing that love begins where differences end. Differences in fact add richness to life. The only thing one should be alert to is that differences should not be based on the ego; but on inner growth.

We can operate either from personality or from innocence. Personality comes from ego while innocence comes from a childlike nature. That which arises out of ego makes you feel heavy whereas what arises out of childlike innocence makes you feel light. When we are happy and pure and operate from innocence, our logic will have a different lustre, our understanding would have a different aura. It becomes divine. On the contrary, when we are impure and unhappy, our logic becomes dull and dry.

The greatest decision one has to make is the decision to be good, happy and helpful to humanity. In every organisation it is important to take healthy decisions and create good discipline. This adds character to organisational culture. Enjoy life’s differences and make decisions that take you closer to your destination:

Life is an opportunity, cash in on it./
Life is an adventure, get into it./
Life is a tragedy, grow from it./
Life is a struggle, make it sacred./
Life is a song, sing it./
Life is a promise, meet it./
Life is a game, play it./
Life is a duty, fulfil it./
Life is a challenge, face it./
Life is a dream, realise it./
Life is beauty, feel it./
Life is bliss, experience it
.

Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on March 17, 2007, 01:16:57 AM
जय सांई राम।।।

प्राचीन समय की बात है. एक नगर में अत्यंत समृद्ध सेठ रहता था. उसकी अत्यंत रुपवती विवाह योग्य कन्या ने अपने विवाह के लिए बड़ी विचित्र किस्म की शर्त रखी थी. शर्त यह थी कि जो युवक कीचड़ से भरे तालाब में नख-शिख तक डुबकी लगाने के उपरांत एक गिलास जल से अपने शरीर को भली प्रकार साफ कर लेगा, उसी से वह विवाह करेगी.

यूँ तो शर्त आसान सी प्रतीत होती थी, परंतु सैकड़ों युवक इस कोशिश में असफल रहे थे. एक गिलास पानी में समस्त शरीर का कीचड़ भला कैसे साफ हो सकता था. सेठ को अपनी कन्या के विवाह की चिन्ता सता रही थी. परंतु उस रुपवती कन्या का कहना था कि कोई न कोई बुद्धिशाली युवक किसी दिन आएगा और उसकी इस शर्त को पूरा कर उसे ब्याह ले जाएगा. अन्यथा, उसे कुंवारी रहना ही मंजूर है.

अंततः दूर देश के एक अत्यंत चतुर युवक को इस स्वयंवर के बारे में पता चला. वह उस रुपवती कन्या से ब्याह रचाने चल पड़ा. उसने कीचड़ भरे तालाब में डुबकी लगाई और धूप में खड़ा हो गया. फिर साथ लाए बांस की पतली कमचियों से कीचड़ को छीलकर-रगड़-रगड़ कर छुड़ाया. धूप में शरीर का बाकी बचा कीचड़ जब सूखकर महीन धूल में परिवर्तित हो गया तो उसने उसे भी रगड़ कर और झाड़कर साफ कर लिया. तदुपरांत एक गिलास जल से उसने अपने हाथ, और मुँह धो लिए. वह अत्यंत स्वच्छ, सद्यः स्नान किया हुआ प्रतीत हो रहा था.

रुपवती कन्या ने यह देखने के बाद अपने विवाह की स्वीकृति दे दी.

परंतु युवक ने कहा – नहीं. विवाह से पहले मैं भी इस कन्या की परीक्षा लूंगा. इसे भी मेरी परीक्षा में खरा उतरना होगा तभी मैं इससे विवाह करूंगा, अन्यथा नहीं. उसने उस रुपवती कन्या को एक सेर धान देते हुए कहा – अगर तुम सिर्फ इन्हीं और इतने ही धान का उपयोग कर मुझे छप्पन प्रकार के व्यंजन बनाकर मुझे भर पेट खिला सकती हो, तब तो तुम मेरी जीवनसंगिनी बनने के काबिल हो, अन्यथा नहीं.

उस रुपवती कन्या ने वह परीक्षा स्वीकार की और उसकी इस शर्त को पूरा करने के लिए उससे एक वर्ष का समय मांगा.

एक वर्ष बीतने के पश्चात् निश्चित समय पर वह युवक उस रुपवती कन्या के पास पहुँचा. उस रुपवती कन्या ने उसके लिए छप्पन प्रकार के विविध पकवान थालों में भर-भर कर सजा रखे थे. भोजन ग्रहण करने से पहले उस युवक ने आश्चर्य मिश्रित प्रसन्नता से पूछा – एक सेर धान से तुमने इतने सारे पकवान कैसे तैयार कर लिए?

उस रुपवती कन्या ने जवाब दिया – मैंने एक वर्ष का समय आपसे इसीलिए तो चाहा था. मैंने सेर भर धान को बढ़िया खेतों में बुआई करवाई और उसकी अच्छी फसल लेने के उपरांत उससे सौदा कर पकवानों की सामग्रियाँ ले लीं और इतने पकवान तैयार किए हैं. इन पकवानों में एक सेर धान और मेरी मेहनत के अलावा और कुछ भी नहीं लगा है.

इस प्रकार, उस चतुर युवक और रुपवती कन्या का बड़े ही धूमधाम से ब्याह हो गया.

अपना सांई प्यारा सांई सबसे न्यारा अपना सांई


ॐ सांई राम।।।
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: mainhoonsaibeti on March 18, 2007, 05:21:52 AM
The Ant & the Contact Lens


Brenda was a young woman who was invited to go rock climbing. Although she was scared to death, she went with her group to a tremendous granite cliff. In spite of her fear, she put on the gear, took hold on the rope and started up the face of that rock. Well, she got to a ledge where she could take a breather. As she was hanging on there, the safety rope snapped against Brenda's eye and knocked out her contact lens.

Well, here she is on a rock ledge, with hundreds of feet Below her and hundreds of feet above her. Of course, she looked and looked and looked, hoping it had landed on the ledge, but it just wasn't there. Here she was, far from home, her sight now blurry. She was desperate and began to get upset, so she prayed to the Lord to help her to find it.

When she got to the top, a friend examined her eye and her clothing for the lens, but there was no contact lens to be found. She sat down, despondent, with the rest of the party, waiting for the rest of them to make it up the face of the cliff.

She looked out across range after range of mountains, thinking of that Bible verse that says, "The eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth." She thought, "Lord, You can see all these mountains. You know every  stone and leaf, and You know exactly where my contact lens is. Please help me."

Finally, they walked down the trail to the bottom. At the bottom there was a new party of climbers just starting up the face of the cliff. One of them shouted out, "Hey, you guys! Anybody lose a contact lens?" Well, that would be startling enough, but you know why the climber saw it?  An ant was moving slowly across the face of the rock, carrying it.

Brenda told me that her father is a cartoonist. When she told him the  incredible story of the ant, the prayer, and the contact lens, he drew a picture of an ant lugging that contact lens with the words, "Lord, I don't know why You want me to carry this thing. I can't eat it, and it's awfully heavy. But if this is what You want me do, I'll carry it for You."

I think it would probably do some of us good to occasionally say, "God, I don't know why you want me to carry this load. I can see no good in it and it's awfully heavy. But, if you want Me to carry it, I will." God doesn't call the qualified, He qualifies the called.


Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on March 18, 2007, 06:46:13 AM
JAI SAI RAM!!!

This is it! Just Wonderful! Very Nice Story...काश़। 'उसके' हर एक्शन को हम लोग Appreciate करना सीख सकें।

OM SAI RAM!!!
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: mainhoonsaibeti on March 19, 2007, 11:36:55 PM
Jai Sai Ram

Thanks Rameshji
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: mainhoonsaibeti on March 19, 2007, 11:38:17 PM
The Dart Board


A young lady named Sally, relates an experience she had in a seminary class, given by her teacher, whom we'll call Brother Smith. She says Brother Smith was known for his elaborate object lessons. One particular day, Sally walked into seminary and knew they were in for another fun day.

On the wall was a big target and on a nearby table were many darts. Brother Smith told the students to draw a picture of someone that they disliked or someone who had made them angry, and he would allow them to throw darts at the person's picture. Sally's girlfriend (on her right), drew a picture of a girl who had stolen her boyfriend. Another friend (on her left), drew a picture of his little brother. Sally drew a picture of Brother Smith, putting a great deal of detail into her drawing, even drawing pimples on his face. Sally was pleased at the overall effect she had achieved.

The class lined up and began throwing darts, with much laughter and hilarity. Some of the students threw their darts with such force that their targets were ripping apart. Sally looked forward to her turn, and was filled with disappointment when Brother Smith, because of time limits, asked the students to return to their seats. As Sally sat thinking about how angry she was because she didn't have a chance to throw any darts at her target, Brother Smith began removing the target from the wall. Underneath the target was a picture of God...

A complete hush fell over the room as each student viewed the mangled picture of the Lord; holes and jagged marks covered His face and His eyes were pierced out. Brother Smith said only these words, "In as much as ye have done it unto the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto Me." No other words were necessary; the tear-filled eyes of each student focused only on the picture . The students remained in their seats . . . even after the bell rang . . . then slowly left the classroom, tears  streaming down their faces. Enough Said!!! "And the King will answer and say to them, 'Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.'" Matthew 25:40

Share this story with the people on your list. Our Lord Jesus Christ said: "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another." (John. 13:34-35) May God bless you. Your servant in the Lord Jesus Christ.

Submitted by: Radek Dobias
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Kavitaparna on March 20, 2007, 08:03:57 AM
The Ant & the Contact Lens


Brenda was a young woman who was invited to go rock climbing. Although she was scared to death, she went with her group to a tremendous granite cliff. In spite of her fear, she put on the gear, took hold on the rope and started up the face of that rock. Well, she got to a ledge where she could take a breather. As she was hanging on there, the safety rope snapped against Brenda's eye and knocked out her contact lens.

Well, here she is on a rock ledge, with hundreds of feet Below her and hundreds of feet above her. Of course, she looked and looked and looked, hoping it had landed on the ledge, but it just wasn't there. Here she was, far from home, her sight now blurry. She was desperate and began to get upset, so she prayed to the Lord to help her to find it.

When she got to the top, a friend examined her eye and her clothing for the lens, but there was no contact lens to be found. She sat down, despondent, with the rest of the party, waiting for the rest of them to make it up the face of the cliff.

She looked out across range after range of mountains, thinking of that Bible verse that says, "The eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth." She thought, "Lord, You can see all these mountains. You know every  stone and leaf, and You know exactly where my contact lens is. Please help me."

Finally, they walked down the trail to the bottom. At the bottom there was a new party of climbers just starting up the face of the cliff. One of them shouted out, "Hey, you guys! Anybody lose a contact lens?" Well, that would be startling enough, but you know why the climber saw it?  An ant was moving slowly across the face of the rock, carrying it.

Brenda told me that her father is a cartoonist. When she told him the  incredible story of the ant, the prayer, and the contact lens, he drew a picture of an ant lugging that contact lens with the words, "Lord, I don't know why You want me to carry this thing. I can't eat it, and it's awfully heavy. But if this is what You want me do, I'll carry it for You."

I think it would probably do some of us good to occasionally say, "God, I don't know why you want me to carry this load. I can see no good in it and it's awfully heavy. But, if you want Me to carry it, I will." God doesn't call the qualified, He qualifies the called.

OM SRI SAI RAM

Maihoonsaibeti ji, Sai Ram!

Thanks for this  excellent story.

Like the ant carrying the load without knowing the purpose but certainly feeling the load too much for her, we all do feel - the struggles - that are beyond our capacities to undergo ..many a time...there is definitely a purpose..which we are not aware ...infact need not be aware of....

If we are aware of one thing that there would be ceratinly some purpose behind whatsoever struggles / problems that we face that is more than enough.

Jai Sai Ram
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on March 20, 2007, 08:28:00 AM
JAI SAI RAM!!!

One small story, It is said that once Darkness went before BABA. Placing her head on HIS feet, she began to cry. BABA asked. "What is the matter, what is bothering you?"

"I am very unhappy?" she said. "I am terribly scared of your Sun. Every morning, as soon as he gets up, he begins to chase me. By evening when I am completely exhausted, he somehow lets me alone. I hardly manage to rest the night when I find him standing at my door. Then again the chase starts. He has been after my life ever since time began. What have I done that he harasses me so?"

BABA sent for the Sun and questioned him: "Why you erase Darkness? What has she done?"

"Darkness?" asked the sun. "Who is Darkness? I have never met her. Where does she live? I have never set eyes on her, so how can I harass her? At least I should be acquainted with my foe! Please call her so that I may beg her forgiveness and clear the misunderstanding."

BABA could not persuade Darkness to come before the Sun.

This happened billions of years ago, they say. The problem remains still unsolved, for darkness is not the opposite of light but its absence.

Understand well the difference between "opposite" and "absence." If darkness is the opposite of light, we could throw a handful on a lamp and the light would go out. We cannot do that for the simple reason that, darkness is the absence, the non-presence, the non-being of light. It has no existence of its own. Light has its own existence. When light is not, what remains is darkness. Darkness cannot he removed. It cannot be dealt with, directly. If you want to bring in darkness, you will have to do something to light.

OM SAI RAM!!!

Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Radha on March 20, 2007, 10:51:47 PM
Om Sai Ram!!

A man saw a vision of his whole life traced along a shore. As he looked back in time he saw two sets of footprints in the sand, his own and Baba's. He noticed that at the lowest and saddest times of his life only one set showed. He complained, "Baba, you promised to walk with me through life. Why did you leave me when I needed You most? Baba answeres:" I did not leave you. During difficult times, when you see only one set of footprints, it was then that I caried you."

Om Sai Ram!!

Radha.
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Radha on March 20, 2007, 10:56:04 PM
Om Sai Ram!!

 Faith and Doubt
Doubt sees the obstacles,
Faith sees the way;
Doubt sees the blackest night,
Faith sees the day;
Doubt dreads to take a step,
Faith soars on high;
Doubt questions,"Who believes"?
Faith answers, " I."

Om Sai Ram!!

Radha.
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Radha on March 20, 2007, 11:16:05 PM
Om Sai Ram!!

Challenges

Challenges have a charm.
They keep our hearts ever warm.
Awaken our hidden gifts,
Bring out the best in us.

Like a hidden mighty cell,
Woking like a magic spell,
Draws forth daring dreams,
Seething with growing steam.

A grain of wheat unchallenged,
Remains always unchanged,
Challenged by the daring world ,
Bears fruit a hundred fold.

Should we not face boldly,
Lifes precious challenges?
Should we not accept galdly
Life-giving challenges?

Om Sai Ram!!

Radha.
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Kavitaparna on March 21, 2007, 12:42:09 AM
Om Sai Ram!!

 Faith and Doubt
Doubt sees the obstacles,
Faith sees the way;
Doubt sees the blackest night,
Faith sees the day;
Doubt dreads to take a step,
Faith soars on high;
Doubt questions,"Who believes"?
Faith answers, " I."

Om Sai Ram!!

Radha.

om sri sai ram

Sai Ram, Radha ji!

A very nice poem giving out positive vibrations

Baba bless us all of us

jai Sai Ram!
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on March 22, 2007, 06:41:54 AM
Transform Heat To Light With Inner Alchemy

Do not use heat as heat: use it as light. When you think anger is coming to you, close your eyes and meditate on what anger is. Dig deep inside and find out the source from where it is coming. When we get angry we begin to think about the object of anger, about who has created it, and not of the source of anger, from where it is coming. When you get angry, close your eyes. This is the right moment to meditate. Go deep, and you will come to the source of heat from where the accumulated energy is bursting forth to go out.

Observe it; do not indulge in it — because if you indulge in it, it will be thrown out without being transformed. And do not suppress it — because if you suppress it, it will be thrown back to the original source which is overflowing. It cannot absorb it. It will be thrown back again with a more forceful movement. Just be conscious. Move inward to the source. This very movement slows down the process; this very observation transforms the quality of anger, because this calm observation is an antidote.

Anger and calm observation are different phenomena. When this calm observation enters into anger, it changes the energy, the very chemical composition of it, and heat becomes light. Then the anger is neither thrown back to the original source which cannot contain it because it is overflowing, nor is it thrown to the object in a foolish wastage. Then this energy neither moves out to the object of anger, nor is it suppressed back to the original source. This energy moves to the periphery of your body as light. When diffused, anger becomes ojas, an inner light.

So do not be disturbed and disappointed if you have much anger. That only shows you have much energy. A person born without anger cannot be transformed. He has no energy. So be happy that you have energy, but do not misuse it. Energy in itself is neutral. This is the secret science of inner alchemy — to change heat into light, to change coal into diamond, to change baser elements into gold.

Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: OmSaiRamNowOn on March 22, 2007, 01:36:11 PM
Jai Sai Ram. I have read this story several times in the past and each time I have read with same interest like today and its good to revise the lesson it conveys so I thought to convery to dear bandhus as well.

Love and Time

Once upon a time, there was an island where all the feelings lived: Happiness, Sadness, Knowledge, and all of the others, including Love. One day it was announced to the feelings that the island would sink, so all constructed boats and left. Except for Love.

Love was the only one who stayed. Love wanted to hold out until the last possible moment.

When the island had almost sunk, Love decided to ask for help.

Richness was passing by Love in a grand boat. Love said,
"Richness, can you take me with you?"
Richness answered, "No, I can't. There is a lot of gold and silver in my boat. There is no place here for you."

Love decided to ask Vanity who was also passing by in a beautiful vessel. "Vanity, please help me!"
"I can't help you, Love. You are all wet and might damage my boat," Vanity answered.

Sadness was close by so Love asked, "Sadness, let me go with you."
"Oh . . . Love, I am so sad that I need to be by myself!"

Happiness passed by Love, too, but she was so happy that she did not even hear when Love called her.

Suddenly, there was a voice, "Come, Love, I will take you." It was an elder. So blessed and overjoyed, Love even forgot to ask the elder where they were going. When they arrived at dry land, the elder went her own way. Realizing how much was owed the elder,

Love asked Knowledge, another elder, "Who Helped me?"
"It was Time," Knowledge answered.
"Time?" asked Love. "But why did Time help me?"
Knowledge smiled with deep wisdom and answered, "Because only Time is capable of understanding how valuable Love is."
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on March 23, 2007, 07:43:41 AM
जय सांई राम।।।

आज मैं आप सबको दीप के बारे में बताता हूं। किसी मंगल कार्य को प्रारंभ करने से पूर्व दीप जलाने का विधान है। जैसे-जैसे सभ्यता का विकास हुआ, वैसे-वैसे दीप के रूप बदलते गए। अब ये सोने से लेकर अन्य सभी धातुओं के बनने लगे हैं, हीरे जड़े दीप भी होते हैं, लेकिन पहला दीप जो इस संसार में जला, वह माटी का ही था। माटी के उस दीप ने हम सबको यह संदेश दिया कि मैं माटी का दीप हूँ, प्रकाशित होने जा रहा हूँ और तुम भी माटी के ही दीप हो, इसलिए प्रकाशित होकर धरती पर रहना।

वह हमें बताता है कि मैं बहुत छोटा हूँ, तुम बहुत बड़े हो। लेकिन मैं केवल इसलिए जल रहा हूँ कि मेरा छोटा-सा प्रकाश, यदि तुम्हें थोड़ी भी प्रेरणा दे पाए, तो मेरा जलना सार्थक हो जाएगा। दीप अपने कर्त्तव्य का पूरी तरह से पालन करता है। वह जलता है, तो बुझता भी है। आप निश्चित मानिए कि किसी दीप को लाख प्रयत्नों से जलाकर रखने का यत्न किया जाए, लेकिन काल संसार में प्रत्येक दीप को बुझाता ही है।

माटी का दीप थोड़ा-सा स्नेह लेकर, थोड़ा सा तेल लेकर जलता है और मानवता से कहता है कि मैं प्रकाश देने के लिए प्रस्तुत हूं, जाग्रत हूँ, पुरुषार्थ कर रहा हूं, अंधकार से लड़ रहा हूँ, प्रमाद को पराजित कर रहा हूँ। हे मानव! मुझसे एक प्रेरणा लेना, तुम भी जलना अंधेरे के सामने, अन्याय के सामने अपने पुरुषार्थ के दीप को, अपने विवेक को निरंतर प्रकाशित रखने का प्रयत्न करना।

यह तो आप सब जानते ही हो कि माटी के दीप की सीमा है। स्नेह उसे मिला, पर कितना मिल पाता है। रात लम्बी होती है। भोर होने तक वह टिमटिमाता रहता है, उसे बड़ी प्रसन्नता है कि मैं अब तक अंधेरे से लड़ता रहा। मैं थक रहा हूं, लेकिन मुस्करा रहा हूँ, क्योंकि इतनी लम्बी लड़ाई लड़ी है। मेरे उस संघर्ष को देखकर ही उषा की अरुणाई ने अपनी लालिमा चारों ओर बिखेरी है। अब यदि बुझ भी जाऊँ तो कोई चिंता नहीं। बाल-रवि की लालिमा आश्वासन दे रही है- कर्तव्य की वेदी पर तुमने अपने प्राण चढ़ा दिए हैं। अब शेष लोग अपने कर्त्तव्य पालन के लिए अपने आप तुमसे प्रेरणा लेंगे।

देखो, पग-पग पर छल-बल से उस दीप को बुझाने का प्रयत्न संसार में होता है। ऐसा ही हमारे-तुम्हारे साथ भी होता है। यदि मनुष्य उस छलबल से पराजित हो जाए तो वह मानवता की पराजय है। क्योंकि मानव तो परमात्मा का वह विजेता पुत्र है, जो काल से भी लड़कर अपने विवेक को जगाए रखने का प्रयत्न करता है, जो यमराज के द्वार पर नचिकेता बन कर प्रश्न करता है। यदि किसी के विवेक का दीप जलता रहे, तो वह नचिकेता-भाव में जीकर यमराज से भी अपने प्रश्नों का उत्तर प्राप्त कर सकता है।

आँधी के कारण बहुत साधनापूर्वक सँजोया गया दीप पहले टिमटिमाता है, फिर संघर्ष करता है। तूफान और दीये की लड़ाई प्रसिद्ध है। वह बार-बार प्रज्ज्वलित रहने का प्रयत्न करता है। ऐसी ही आवश्यकता उस समय होती है जब हमारे अंतर का दीप विषय-वासनाओं की बयार चलने से टिमटिमाता है।

आपने देखा होगा, बड़े-बड़े सम्मेलन और यज्ञों में दीप प्रकट किया जाता है, पुरोहित काँच की चिमनी से उसे ढक देता है कि दीप बुझ न जाए, पर प्रकाश भी बाहर जाता रहे। जब वह ऐसा कर देता है तो बयार बहुत प्रयत्न करती है, लेकिन दीप बुझता नहीं और वह बड़े आनन्द के साथ जलता रहता है और प्रकाश देता है। इसी प्रकार से मेरा और आपका अंतर-दीप जल रहा हो, विषय-बयार चल रही हो, तब बाबा सांई के वचनों और उनके आशीर्वाद के कवच से अपने दीप को बचाने का यदि प्रयत्न कर लिया जाए तो माया रूपी झंझावात से हम अपने को बचा ले जाएंगे।

मैं इस लेख के माध्यम से सबको  यह कंहूगा कि आज से आप भी अपने घर में बाबा का दीप जलाना शुरु कीजिये फिर देखिये कैसे बाबा आपके घर में सदा के लिये बस जायेगें।

अपना सांई सबका सांई सबसे प्यारा अपना सांई.....न्यारा सांई।


ॐ सांई राम।।।


Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on March 24, 2007, 08:00:39 AM
ॐ सांई राम।।।

एक दिन एक राजा कहीं जा रहा था। रास्ते में उसे एक बूढ़ा मिला। उसकी सफेद दाढ़ी काफी चमक रही थी। राजा ने रुककर उसका हालचाल पूछा, फिर बातों ही बातों में सवाल किया, 'महाशय आपकी उम्र क्या होगी?' बूढ़े ने उत्तर दिया, 'श्रीमान केवल चार वर्ष।' यह सुनकर राजा को बड़ा क्रोध आया। उसने कहा, 'आपको शर्म आनी चाहिए। आप इतने बूढ़े होकर भी मजाक करते हैं। आपको पता है मैं कौन हूं।' फिर राजा अपने गुस्से पर काबू करते हुए बोला,' आपको अस्सी से कम कौन कहेगा।' राजा की बात सुनकर बूढ़ा मुस्कराया। उसने नम्रता से उत्तर दिया, 'श्रीमान, आपका अनुमान ठीक है। पर इनमें से छिहत्तर साल मैंने यूं ही बर्बाद किए हैं। केवल अपनी और अपने बच्चों की चिंता की। न तो किसी गरीब की सहायता की और न ही कोई दूसरा नेक काम किया। पिछले चार वर्षों में ही मैंने जीवन का वास्तविक ध्येय समझा है। इसलिए मेरी आयु केवल चार साल है।'

अपना सांई प्यारा सांई सबसे न्यारा अपना सांई


ॐ सांई राम।।।
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on March 25, 2007, 09:51:04 AM
"Flight of the alone to the alone".

THERE WAS ONCE A KING who had three sons. Desiring to determine the fitness of each of them for the prospective job of ruling the kingdom, he hit upon a strange test.

The king ordered his sons to accompany him, with bows and arrows, on a ride into the country. Pausing at a spot beside the road near an open field, the king pointed out a vulture sitting on a tree limb, within easy bow shot.

"I wish you to shoot at that vulture," said the king to his eldest son. "But tell me first, what do you see?"
Wonderingly, the prince replied, "Why, I see grass, the clouds, the sky, the river, a tree, and..."

"Enough!" said the king, and beckoned the second son to make ready to shoot. The latter was about to do so when his father again said, "Tell me first, what do you see?"

"Ah, I see the horses, the ground, a field of wheat, and an old dead tree with a vulture on it," answered the youth.

"Never mind shooting it," the king said, and turning to his youngest son, ordered him to hit the vulture, and again repeated the question, "First, what do you see?"

The youth replied deliberately, not taking his gaze for an instant from his intended victim as he drew taut the bowstring and aimed the shaft, "I see," he said, "the point where the wings join the body.

.." and the young man let fly the arrow and the bird tumbled to the ground.

The third son became the king.

The kingdom belongs to those who can work in a concentrated way -- and with the kingdom of the within, more so. The way of moving in life with a direction. with a goal, with a clearcut vision, crystallizes your energies. The goal is just an excuse. The direction is just a device.

Ordinarily you are scattered all over the place, one part going in this direction, another part going in another direction. Ordinarily you are many, a mob, and each fragment of your being is constantly contradicting the other fragment. How can you achieve anything in life? How can you feel fulfilled? If misery becomes your whole story, and if life proves to be nothing but a tragedy, there is no need to wonder. Except you, nobody else is responsible.

You have an inexhaustible source of energy, but even that can be wasted. If your fragments are in a kind of civil war you will not achieve anything worthwhile -- to say nothing about God, to say nothing about truth. You will not achieve ANYTHING worthwhile, because all realization, either of the without or of the within, needs one thing absolutely: that you be one -- so that your whole energy can pour into your work, so that your whole energy can become a quest.

Questions you have many; that is not going to help unless all your questions are together and create a quest in you.

When your life becomes a quest, when it has a direction, it starts moving towards fulfillment. Then it will have crystallization. Crystallization means slowly, slowly you become one piece, slowly, slowly individuation arises in you. And the ultimate realization of truth is nothing but the ultimate realization of unity within your being. That is the meaning of the word 'God'. God is not there somewhere in the heavens, waiting for you. God is waiting within you, but you can find Him only if you are one -- because only the one can find the one. Remember the famous words of the great mystic, Plotinus: "Flight of the alone to the alone".
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on April 03, 2007, 12:25:44 AM
Steer Your Mind to Selfless Service  

Be engaged always in the service of people. The human body is anyway impermanent, so it is better it wears out in service. Constant effort and hard work are absolutely essential. If ten rupees is earned by hard work, we must return a thousand rupees to society through more hard work.
   
Prayer and worship are not enough. There is no difference between the Creator and His creation. Do you need to show a candle to the sun? Similarly, you do not need to worship God. He is within you and in everybody around you. In service to His creation you establish contact with the Creator. Krishna, even though he was complete in himself, still worked relentlessly. Arjuna however wanted to run away from the scene. You cannot run away. You have to do your bit. Not always will the situation be to your liking. You may not be able to change it. You can only change your mind, your attitude. If your neighbour makes too much noise, you can complain to the police. If your street is noisy, you can move elsewhere, but if your mind is creating all the chaos, what do you do? Recognise those circumstances we can change and those we have to accept.
   
A king got pricked by a thorn when he was out hunting. He was furious and ordered that his entire kingdom be carpeted. His ministers were in a fix. Wherefrom would they get so many rolls of carpet? A senior minister offered the suggestion that the king wear shoes and thankfully the king appreciated him. Similarly, we too should be able to change our attitude, we cannot expect the world to change.
   
How can we change our attitude? For that, mind control is important. Our mind is like an old car that stops only after colliding against some object, for its brakes don’t work well. Modern cars come to a standstill the moment you apply the power brakes. The mind is like a supermarket with many thoughts. In a supermarket we do not buy everything and anything. We take only that which we want. Similarly, we should let only some thoughts develop and let the others disappear. The mind is like an elephant. An elephant, along its path, keeps plucking, tearing at any branch or leaves that come its way. But when the mahout keeps it on track, it is focused and walks a straight path. To still the mind and to have its remote control in our hands, we need meditation.
   
However, people meditate, do japa while their mind is travelling elsewhere. To steer the mind you need to be aware, to be mindful. If someone were pointing a gun at you, how conscious you would be of yourself ! It is that kind of alertness or awareness that we should have all the time. If we are close to fire, how careful would we be! That is how careful we should be with every moment of our life. The mind is like water, it is always turning downwards weighed down by our many desires and worldly aspirations. Water always flows downwards. But look at fire, it always leaps upwards. If you put fire under water, it sends water also upwards in the form of steam. We should be like that. Our mind should be able to be light and alert.
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on April 04, 2007, 11:45:20 PM
जय सांई राम।।।

दुनिया में रहकर दुनिया का तलबगार नहीं  

एक हकीम साहब थे। वे ज्ञानी-ध्यानी पुरुष थे। बोलते कम और सुनते ज्यादा थे। उनके हाथ में शफा थी। मरीज से एकाध सवाल करके ही बीमारी की तह तक पहुंच जाते। दूर-दूर से लोग उनके पास इलाज कराने आते थे। हकीम साहब आमतौर पर अपना दवाखाना सुबह और शाम के वक्त खोलते थे, लेकिन कोई रोगी बेवक्त भी आ गया, तो उनके माथे पर शिकन तक नहीं आती थी।

हकीम साहब मरीजों का इलाज तो करते थे, पर वे इसके बदले किसी से कुछ मांगते नहीं थे। जो जितना दे गया, जो कुछ दे गया, उसे ही खुशी-खुशी कबूल कर लेते। सिर्फ यही नहीं, जिसके पास देने के लिए कुछ नहीं होता था, वह भी उनके यहां से निराश नहीं लौटता था। उनकी एक खूबी और थी। उन्हें चीजों की जितनी जरूरत होती, उतनी वे रख लेते, बाकी को जरूरतमंदों में बांट देते। इस क्रम में उनकी शादी की उम्र निकल गई। शक्ल सूरत से भी वे अधेड़ दिखने लगे। अब इस उम्र और चेहरे-मोहरे को देखते हुए भला कौन औरत उनसे निकाह करती?

जिंदगी यूं ही चल रही थी, बिना किसी हलचल के। पर तभी एक घटना घटी। उस घटना ने हकीम साहब की जिंदगी बदल कर रख दी। हुआ यह कि बस्ती की एक लड़की गर्भवती हो गई। मां-बाप ने लड़की से इस बारे में पूछा, तो उसने कह दिया कि पेट में पल रहा बच्चा हकीम साहब का है। इस बात पर पहले तो घरवालों को यकीन नहीं हुआ, लेकिन लड़की कसमें खाने लगी। मां-बाप का परेशान होना लाजमी था। भला ऐसी लड़की से अब कौन शादी करता? उन्होंने ठान लिया कि उनकी लड़की की नाजायज औलाद इस घर में नहीं रहेगी।

ऐसी स्थिति में जो होना था, आखिर वही हुआ। युवती ने एक बच्चे को जन्म दिया। परिवार वाले उस बच्चे को लेकर हकीम साहब के यहां पहुंचे। चीखे-चिल्लाए, उन्हें खरी-खोटी सुनाई और कहा- संभालो अपने बच्चे को। हकीम साहब ने किसी से कुछ नहीं कहा। हाथ बढ़ाकर बच्चा ले लिया और उसे प्यार करने लगे। यह खबर आंधी की तरह फैल गई। जो लोग कल तक हकीम साहब को फकीर, फरिश्ता कहते थे और न जाने कितनी महान शख्सियतों के समकक्ष ठहराते थे, वही लोग अब हकीम साहब के नाम पर थू-थू करने लगे। जितने मुंह, उतनी बातें। कोई कहता कि बड़ा संत बनता था। मालूम नहीं कितने और क्या-क्या गुल खिलाए होंगे, इस हकीम ने। ऐसी हवस थी, तो शादी ही कर लेता। वगैरह-वगैरह।

दवाखाना अब भी सुबह शाम खुलता था, लेकिन अब वहां भूले से भी कोई नहीं आता। लोगों ने बहू-बेटियों को हिदायत दे दी कि भूलकर भी उस लंपट हकीम के घर के आसपास न जाना। भेड़ की खाल में यह भेड़ियां न जाने कब क्या कर डाले। हकीम साहब अकेले पड़ गए थे। किसी तरह उस बच्चे की परवरिश करने लगे। उधर, बच्चे की मां परेशान रहने लगी। अब उसे रह-रहकर बच्चे की याद आती थी। वह घुलने-घटने लगी। उसकी जिंदगी बोझ बन गई। आखिर एक साल बाद उसने अपने मां-बाप को सच-सच बता दिया कि उसने झूठ बोला था। दरअसल, बच्चे का बाप बस्ती का ही एक नौजवान है। उसे कोई शर्मिंदगी न झेलनी पड़े, इसलिए उसने झूठ बोला था। अब परिवार वालों को अपनी हरकत पर पश्चाताप हुआ। वे हकीम साहब के पास पहुंचे। उनसे माफी मांगी और बच्चा वापस मांगा। हकीम साहब ने कुछ कहे बिना, मुस्कराते हुए बच्चे को लड़की की गोद में डालकर उसके सिर पर हाथ रख दिया।

इस बोध कथा का नायक योग की शिक्षा नहीं देता, लेकिन कर्म, वचन से एक वह सच्चा योगी साबित होता है। वह दुख में दुखी नहीं होता और सुख में बहुत प्रसन्न भी नहीं होता। वह अपने ज्ञान और विद्वता का ढिंढोरा नहीं पीटता। वह सदा अहंकार से दूर रहता है। चेले-चाटुकारों की फौज के साथ नहीं चलता। सुख-सुविधाओं से संपन्न घर में निवास नहीं करता। बड़ी-बड़ी गाड़ियों में नहीं घूमता। किसी से कुछ मांगता नहीं है। भूख लगे, तो जहां जो रूखा-सूखा मिल जाए, वही खा-पी लेता है।

साथ ही, कोई उस पर बेजा आरोप लगाए, तो ऐसी स्थिति में भी वह अपना मानसिक संतुलन नहीं खोता। पलट कर इल्जाम नहीं लगाने लगता। करारा जवाब देने की बजाय शांत रहता है। वह किसी व्यक्ति, जाति संप्रदाय, धर्म और देश की आलोचना नहीं करता। दुनियावी बातों से निलिर्प्त रहता है। मिर्जा गालिब के शब्दों में कहें तो दुनिया में रहता है, पर दुनिया का तलबगार नहीं होता है।  

अपना सांई प्यारा सांई सबसे न्यारा अपना सांई


ॐ सांई राम।।।


Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: mainhoonsaibeti on April 09, 2007, 03:36:48 AM
A funny story tells about an old lady who was living in the village.
She had never owned nor even been in a car before. One day, she was returning home from the market carrying a big heavy basket on her  head, when a rich man riding his car passed by. Kindly, he offered to drive the lady to her home. She thanked him and got into the car with her basket.

On the way, the man glanced at the lady in the mirror, still holding  her basket over her head. Astonished, he asked her to lay the basket down  in the car and rest. The old lady naively replied, "Oh my son, your car  is carrying me; this is enough, I should not burden it carrying my basket too!" What an innocently funny response!

We sometimes do the same with God. Everyday, God carries us during the  day. Still, we insist on carrying our heavy baskets of worries and  fear of the future, for family, kids, spouses, money, jobs, etc... We are carried by Almighty Hands, watched over by Sleepless Eyes and God  plans our future. Let us then relax and lay down everything in God's Hands. The old lady, if she agreed to lay down the basket, would have to  carry it again when she returned home. But the beautiful thing about God is that once we cast our heavy basket in His Hands we do not need to
think about it anymore.

"Delight yourself also in the  LORD,
and He shall give you the desires
of your heart."


Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on April 09, 2007, 05:51:18 AM


OUR OWN BEGGING BOWL

A beggar knocks on the doors of an emperor; it is early morning, even a little dark, the sun has not yet come over the horizon. The emperor was coming out for a morning walk in his beautiful garden; otherwise it would have been difficult for the beggar to have an appointment with him. But there was no mediator to prevent him.

The emperor said, "What do you want?"

The beggar said, "Before you ask that, think twice!"

The emperor had never seen such a lion of a man; he has fought wars, has won victories, has made it clear that nobody is more powerful than him, but suddenly this beggar says to him, "Think twice of what you are saying, because you may not be able to fulfill it!"

The king said, "Don't be worried, that is my concern; you ask what you want, it will be done!" The beggar laughed.

.. the emperor could not understand the laughter.

The beggar said, "You see my begging bowl? I want it to be filled! It does not matter with what, the only condition is that it should be filled, it should be full. You can still say no, but if you say yes, then you are taking a risk."

The emperor's time to laugh had come, because a beggar's bowl... and he is being given a condition! He told his premier to fill the beggar's bowl with diamonds, so that this beggar can know who he is asking.
The beggar again said, "Think twice."

And soon it became apparent that the beggar was right, because the moment the diamonds were poured into his begging bowl, they simply disappeared. More diamonds, more emeralds, more rubies -- the king had tremendous treasures, but within hours everything was gone and the begging bowl was still empty.
The word spread like wildfire in the capital; thousands of people arrived to see this miraculous incident. When the precious stones were finished, the king said, "Bring out all the gold and silver, everything! My whole kingdom is at stake, my whole integrity is being challenged."

But by the evening everything had disappeared in the beggar's bowl and there were only two beggars left -- one used to be the emperor.

The emperor said, "Before I touch your feet and ask your forgiveness for not listening to your warning to think twice, just please tell me the secret of this begging bowl."

The beggar said, "There is no secret. I found this begging bowl on a funeral ground, it is a human skull. I have polished it, made it look like a bowl. I am a poor man, I cannot even purchase a bowl, but because it is a human skull, you go on pouring anything into it and it disappears."

The story is tremendously meaningful. Have you ever thought about your own begging bowl? Everything disappears: power, prestige, respectability, riches, everything disappears and your begging bowl goes on opening its mouth for more and more. And because of this continuous effort for more, you go on missing this. The "more" takes you away from this. The desire, the longing for something else takes you away from this moment.

And there are only two kinds of people in the world: the majority is running after shadows, they will never be fulfilled. Their begging bowls will remain with them till they enter their graves.

And a very small minority, one in a million, stops running, just remains standing here and now, drops all desires, asks for nothing and suddenly he finds everything within himself.

This is the door of the kingdom of God.
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on April 16, 2007, 04:30:29 AM
JAI SAI RAM!!!

Attn: Acknowledgement Dept.: Thank You BABA SAI!

I dreamt that I went to Heaven and an angel was showing me around.

We walked side-by-side inside a large workroom filled with angels. My angel guide stopped in front of the first section and said, "This is the Receiving Section. Here, all petitions to BABA SAI said in prayer are received." I looked around in this area, and it was terribly busy with so many angels sorting out petitions written on voluminous paper sheets and scraps from people all over the world. Then we moved on down a long corridor until we reached the second section. The angel then said to me, "This is the Packaging and Delivery Section. Here, the graces and blessings the people asked for are processed and delivered to the living persons who asked for them."

I noticed again how busy it was there. There were many angels working hard at that station, since so many blessings h! ad been requested and were being packaged for delivery to Earth. Finally at the farthest end of the long corridor we stopped at the door of a very small station. To my great surprise, only one angel was seated there, idly doing nothing. "This is the Acknowledgment Section," my angel friend quietly admitted to me. He seemed embarrassed.

"How is it that? There's no work going on here?" I asked.

"So sad," the angel sighed. "After people receive the blessings that they asked for, very few send back acknowledgments."

"How does one acknowledge BABA's blessings?" I asked. "Simple," the angel answered. "Just say, 'Thank you, BABA.'"

OK, what now? How can I start?

Angel said If you can post this message on to your forum and tell all your brothers and sisters that someone like you always thinks of them as very special and tell them that they are more blessed than over two billion people in the world who cannot read at all.

Have a good day, count your blessings, and if you want, pass this along to remind everyone else how blessed we all are.

"Thank you BABA SAI, for giving me this blessed forum and the ability to share my dream and for giving me so many wonderful brothers and sisters to share it with."

OM SAI RAM!!!
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: saibetino1 on April 16, 2007, 04:55:39 AM
JAI SAI RAM!!!

Attn: Acknowledgement Dept.: Thank You BABA SAI!

I dreamt that I went to Heaven and an angel was showing me around.

We walked side-by-side inside a large workroom filled with angels. My angel guide stopped in front of the first section and said, "This is the Receiving Section. Here, all petitions to BABA SAI said in prayer are received." I looked around in this area, and it was terribly busy with so many angels sorting out petitions written on voluminous paper sheets and scraps from people all over the world. Then we moved on down a long corridor until we reached the second section. The angel then said to me, "This is the Packaging and Delivery Section. Here, the graces and blessings the people asked for are processed and delivered to the living persons who asked for them."

I noticed again how busy it was there. There were many angels working hard at that station, since so many blessings h! ad been requested and were being packaged for delivery to Earth. Finally at the farthest end of the long corridor we stopped at the door of a very small station. To my great surprise, only one angel was seated there, idly doing nothing. "This is the Acknowledgment Section," my angel friend quietly admitted to me. He seemed embarrassed.

"How is it that? There's no work going on here?" I asked.

"So sad," the angel sighed. "After people receive the blessings that they asked for, very few send back acknowledgments."

"How does one acknowledge BABA's blessings?" I asked. "Simple," the angel answered. "Just say, 'Thank you, BABA.'"

OK, what now? How can I start?

Angel said If you can post this message on to your forum and tell all your brothers and sisters that someone like you always thinks of them as very special and tell them that they are more blessed than over two billion people in the world who cannot read at all.

Have a good day, count your blessings, and if you want, pass this along to remind everyone else how blessed we all are.

"Thank you BABA SAI, for giving me this blessed forum and the ability to share my dream and for giving me so many wonderful brothers and sisters to share it with."

OM SAI RAM!!!



OM SAI RAM OM SAI RAM,

     LOVELY very lovely ....Thnx , thnx thnx thnx thnx thnx thnx thnx thnx thnx thnx ..............indefinite thnx to my GOD  for each n every moment... we all love u SAI....

sai sai sai
neelam
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on April 18, 2007, 03:15:46 AM
When The Blind Lead the Blind 
 
The Search for truth makes us look for a guru who can guide us in the right direction. But can we be sure that the guru knows where the truth lies?

Today, so many people feel frustration and hopelessness in their life that they are in a rush to find someone who can give them a mantra of hope, of happiness. Such people end up with pseudo-masters. Ninety percent of these so-called gurus are not real masters; they are pretenders. But they have huge followings, thanks to TV, where anyone can spend money and attract large crowds with false promises. This is the greatest crime in the name of religion and spirituality. About such people, Guru Nanak said: “Andha andha thelia, dono koop pedant” (“The blind lead the blind and both fall into the ditch.”)

There is a beautiful incident from Nanak’s life. the enlightened master was passing through Lahore. A pseudo-mystic, a false Sufi, a pretender there had a great following. When he saw Nanak, he was afraid, though there was nothing to be afraid of. Nanak was alone with his disciple Mardana. Mardana would play a musical instrument and Nanak would sing. They were innocent people.

An informer told the pseudo-teacher: “A great master has come. He is staying outside the city and many people have already started going to him.” The pseudo-Sufi was certainly worried. He sent a cup full of milk, so full you couldn’t put another drop into it. The disciple who had to take it to Nanak said, “What does this mean?”

The pseudo-Sufi said, “You don’t worry about the meaning. Take it to Nanak and let us see what happens.”

Nanak was offered the cup and told, “The Sufi master sends his salutations.” Nanak told Mardana, “Just there, nearby, are wildflowers. Pick one.” Mardana couldn’t understand what was happening. Nanak put that wildflower in the cup and gave it back to the messenger. All he said was, “Take this to your master.” Again, he said, “But I don’t understand!” Nanak said, “Your master will.”

The Sufi had sent the cup full of milk to say: “Here, there is no need for any other master. The place is full of Sufis. You are not welcome—go elsewhere!” But Nanak floated a flower in the cup, to say: “You need not be worried about me. I will not disturb anything. Even in a full cup, I will simply float like a flower. I am above—you need not worry. You can continue your shop, I will not take your customers.”

The Sufi was completely exposed to his disciples, because they could compare the presence of these two persons. They sat with Nanak and immediately, as if an arrow had penetrated their beings, some strange joy arose in them, which had never happened with that so-called Sufi. Soon, he himself came to Nanak to beg forgiveness.

And Nanak said, “Who am I to forgive you? Ask forgiveness from existence itself. You have been deceiving thousands, delaying their enlightenment. Your crime is great, though nobody will call it a crime because it is so invisible.”
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: tana on April 18, 2007, 05:27:26 AM
JAI SAI RAM!!!

Attn: Acknowledgement Dept.: Thank You BABA SAI!

I dreamt that I went to Heaven and an angel was showing me around.

We walked side-by-side inside a large workroom filled with angels. My angel guide stopped in front of the first section and said, "This is the Receiving Section. Here, all petitions to BABA SAI said in prayer are received." I looked around in this area, and it was terribly busy with so many angels sorting out petitions written on voluminous paper sheets and scraps from people all over the world. Then we moved on down a long corridor until we reached the second section. The angel then said to me, "This is the Packaging and Delivery Section. Here, the graces and blessings the people asked for are processed and delivered to the living persons who asked for them."

I noticed again how busy it was there. There were many angels working hard at that station, since so many blessings h! ad been requested and were being packaged for delivery to Earth. Finally at the farthest end of the long corridor we stopped at the door of a very small station. To my great surprise, only one angel was seated there, idly doing nothing. "This is the Acknowledgment Section," my angel friend quietly admitted to me. He seemed embarrassed.

"How is it that? There's no work going on here?" I asked.

"So sad," the angel sighed. "After people receive the blessings that they asked for, very few send back acknowledgments."

"How does one acknowledge BABA's blessings?" I asked. "Simple," the angel answered. "Just say, 'Thank you, BABA.'"

OK, what now? How can I start?

Angel said If you can post this message on to your forum and tell all your brothers and sisters that someone like you always thinks of them as very special and tell them that they are more blessed than over two billion people in the world who cannot read at all.

Have a good day, count your blessings, and if you want, pass this along to remind everyone else how blessed we all are.

"Thank you BABA SAI, for giving me this blessed forum and the ability to share my dream and for giving me so many wonderful brothers and sisters to share it with."

OM SAI RAM!!!



om sai ram...

Ramesh bhai....

Really....we r so lucky ....BABA blessed us this DWARKA MAI...

THANK YOU SAI.....

jai sai ram....
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: mainhoonsaibeti on April 18, 2007, 06:53:47 AM
Om Sai Ram

Thanks for the wonderful stories

Thank You Sai Baba
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on April 28, 2007, 08:47:38 AM
JAI SAI RAM!!!

One small story. It is said that once Darkness went before God. Placing her head on His feet, she began to cry. God asked. "What is the matter, what is bothering you?"

"I am very unhappy?" she said. "I am terribly scared of your Sun. Every morning, as soon as he gets up, he begins to chase me. By evening when I am completely exhausted, he somehow lets me alone. I hardly manage to rest the night when I find him standing at my door. Then again the chase starts. He has been after my life ever since time began. What have I done that he harasses me so?"

God sent for the Sun and questioned him: "Why you erase Darkness? What has she done?"

"Darkness?" asked the sun. "Who is Darkness? I have never met her. Where does she live? I have never set eyes on her, so how can I harass her? At least I should be acquainted with my foe! Please call her so that I may beg her forgiveness and clear the misunderstanding."

God could not persuade Darkness to come before the Sun.

This happened billions of years ago, they say. The problem remains still unsolved, for darkness is not the opposite of light but its absence.

Understand well the difference between "opposite" and "absence." If darkness is the opposite of light, we could throw a handful on a lamp and the light would go out. We cannot do that for the simple reason that, darkness is the absence, the non-presence, the non-being of light. It has no existence of its own. Light has its own existence. When light is not, what remains is darkness. Darkness cannot he removed. It cannot be dealt with, directly. If you want to bring in darkness, you will have to do something to light.

OM SAI RAM!!!
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on May 02, 2007, 12:33:14 AM
Bit lengthy but read it till End....This is beautiful! Try not to cry.

When you're down to nothing, God is up to something."    

She jumped up as soon as she saw the surgeon come out of the operating room.  She said:  "How is my little boy ?  Is he going to be all right ?  When can I see him ?"

The surgeon said, "I'm sorry.  We did all we could, but your boy didn't make it."

Sally said, "Why do little children get cancer ?  Doesn't God care any more ?  Where were you, God, when my son needed you ?"

The surgeon asked, "Would you like some time alone with your son ?  One of the nurses will be out in a few minutes, before he's transported to the university."

Sally asked the nurse to stay with her while she said good bye to son.  She ran her fingers lovingly through his thick red curly hair.  "Would you like a lock of his hair ?" the nurse asked.

Sally nodded yes.  The nurse cut a lock of the boy's hair, put it in a plastic bag and handed it to Sally.

The mother said, "It was Jimmy's idea to donate his body to the University for Study.  He said it might help somebody else.  "I said no at first, but Jimmy said, 'Mom, I won't be using it after I die.  Maybe it will help some other little boy spend one more day with his Mom."  She went on, "My Jimmy had a heart of gold.  Always thinking of someone else.  Always wanting to help others if he could."

Sally walked out of Children's Mercy Hospital for the last time, after spending most of the last six months there.  She put the bag with Jimmy's belongings on the seat beside her in the car.

The drive home was difficult.  It was even harder to enter the empty house.  She carried Jimmy's belongings, and the plastic bag with the lock of his hair to her son's room.

She started placing the model cars and other personal things back in his room exactly where he had always kept them.  She laid down across his bed and, hugging his pillow, cried herself to sleep.

It was around midnight when Sally awoke.  Laying beside her on the bed was a folded letter.  The letter said :

"Dear Mom, I know you're going to miss me;  but don't think that I will ever forget you, or stop loving you, just 'cause I'm not around to say "I Love You" .  I will always love you, Mom, even more with each day. Someday we will see each other again.  Until then, if you want to adopt a little boy so you won't be so lonely, that's okay with me.  He can have my room and old stuff to play with.  But, if you decide to get a girl instead, she probably wouldn't like the same things us boys do.  You'll have to buy her dolls and stuff girls like, you know.  Don't be sad thinking about me.  This really is a neat place.  Grandma and Grandpa met me as soon as I got here and showed me around some, but it will take a long time to see everything.  The angels are so cool.  I love to watch them fly.  And, you know what?  Jesus doesn't look like any of his pictures.  Yet, when I saw Him, I knew it was Him.  Jesus himself took me to see GOD !  And guess what, Mom ?  I got to sit on God's knee and talk to Him, like I was somebody important.  That's when I told Him that I wanted to write you a letter, to tell you good bye and everything.  But I already knew that wasn't allowed.  Well, you know what Mom ?  God handed me some paper and His own personal pen to write you this letter.  I think Gabriel is the name of the angel who is going to drop this letter off to you.  God said for me to give you the answer to one of the questions you asked Him 'Where was He when I needed him?'  "God said He was in the same place with me, as when His son Jesus was on the cross.  He was right there, as He always is with all His children.  Oh, by the way, Mom, no one else c an see what I've written except you.  To everyone else this is just a blank piece of paper.  Isn't that cool ?  I have to give God His pen back now. He needs it to write some more names in the Book of Life.  Tonight I get to sit at the table with Jesus for supper.  I'm sure the food will be great.

Oh, I almost forgot to tell you.  I don't hurt anymore.  The cancer is all gone.  I'm glad because I couldn't stand that pain anymore and God couldn't stand to see me hurt so much, either.  That's when He sent The Angel of Mercy to come get me.  The Angel said I was a Special Delivery !  How about that ?

Signed with Love from God, Jesus & Me.
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Radha on May 04, 2007, 03:56:47 PM
Jai Sai Ram!!!
Ramesh bhai,

It is one of the most beautiful and touching stories I have every read.....but was hard to hold back.
The pain of losing someone you love is unexplainable.....the only thought that convinces the bleeding heart is the thought that your loved one is with God and free of pain.

Om Sai Ram!!!
Radha.
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on May 05, 2007, 08:34:42 AM
The Agony and Ecstasy Of Human Suffering  

The moment you absorb somebody else’s misery, pain and suffering, it is transformed. The natural tendency is to avoid it; to protect yourself against suffering. To keep aloof, not to sympathise, not to empathise. People, even when they sympathise, pay lip service; they don’t mean it. If they really meant it, they could have helped the other person.
   
There are people, if you meet them you feel an unburdening. When they are gone, you feel light, flowing, more vibrant, more alive — as if they have taken a great burden off your chest, as if they have poured some nectar into your being. You feel a dance within your heart when they leave. You wait for them to come to you; you seek their company, you enjoy it, because you are nourished by their presence.
   
The opposite kind of people also exist. If they meet you they leave you more burdened than you ever were. You feel you have been sucked, your energy is lower. They have taken something from your energy and they have not given anything to you.
   
If people avoid you, remember, they are not responsible. Something in you makes them avoid you. If people don’t want to meet you, if they find excuses to escape from you, remember, you must be doing something negative to their energy.
   
If people seek you, become friendly immediately, and they feel a certain affinity, that means you must be knowingly or unknowingly helping them. Everybody is burdened with great misery, everybody is under great suffering, everybody’s heart is hurting.
   
We go on avoiding our own misery. If you feel miserable, you put on the radio or TV and you become engaged. You start reading the newspaper so that you can forget your misery, or you go to the movies, or you go to your lover. You keep yourself away from yourself, so that you need not see the wound, so that you need not look at how much it hurts within.
   
If you are feeling miserable, let it become a meditation. Sit silently, close the doors. First feel the misery with as much intensity as possible. Feel the hurt. If somebody has insulted you, feel thankful to him that he has given you an opportunity to feel a deep wound. He has opened a wound in you. The wound may be created by many insults that you have suffered in your whole life; he may not be the cause of all the suffering, but he has triggered a process.
   
Just close your room, sit silently, with no anger for the person but with total awareness of the feeling that is arising in you — that you have been rejected, insulted. And then you will be surprised that not only is this man there: all the people that have ever insulted you will start moving in your memory.
   
You will not only remember them, you will start reliving them. Feel the hurt, the pain, don’t avoid it. Just be silent, utterly alone. Don’t even pray, because that again is a drug, you are becoming occupied, you escape from yourself. A new journey has started in your life, you are moving into a new kind of being — because immediately, the moment you accept the pain with no rejection, its energy and quality changes. It is no longer pain. In fact, you are simply surprised! You cannot believe that suffering can be transformed into ecstasy, that pain can become joy.
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on May 14, 2007, 08:22:57 AM
The Eloquence Of Absolute Silence

Laws of science are not based on any belief system, they are rooted in existential reality which is universal. Hence one who follows a ‘religion’ can simply be ‘religious’ but not a Hindu, Muslim or Christian. The existential reality for such a religious person is beyond birth, special identity or nationality. It is universal. One may ask: If matter can exist by the same law universally, why ‘God’ needs so many different laws to be? Why can not God have the same universality? In order to realise this universality, this oneness, this non-divisibility of the phenomenon called ‘God’, one needs to learn how to be silent.

To makes this point through a story. A monk was once a guest in a village. The village people invited him to their temple and asked him to say something about God. The monk said, “Please forgive me, so many have tried to explain God before and yet no one seems to have heard or understood them. Please leave me alone”. The people would not give up. So he agreed to meet them. He said, “Before i speak another word, tell me, do you know if God exists?” The villagers raised their hands in affirmation. The monk said, “Since you already know about God there is nothing left for me to say. You have known the ultimate”.

The people were keen on hearing the monk so they went again and begged him to come to the temple and speak. They had agreed amongst themselves that if the monk asked them about God they will be honest and deny they know anything. The monk asked them the same question. Have you experienced God? The villagers said, “No, we don’t know anything about God, so please speak”. The monk said, “Then the matter is over. If there is no God, then where is the need to talk about Him?”

The people were at a loss, but they did not give up. They made the request once again. They said, “This time we have given a great deal of thought and now we have a third answer to your question”. The monk said, “That’s meaningless. Truth is not something one thinks about, only lies need a lot of thinking. So go away”.
   
The villagers begged him again to speak to them. The monk arrived and again asked, “Is there God? Do you know? Have you seen? Have you experienced?” The villagers were prepared. So half of the congregation raised hands and said ‘yes’; the remaining half raised their hands and said God does not exist. The monk said, “Since half of you know and half of you don’t, why don’t those of you who know tell the others who don’t? Why do you need me to speak?” And he left.
   
Later, someone asked the monk if he would have gone to the temple the fourth time if the villagers had so requested. He said he would have. “I waited for them to come once more; and if they had given no reply to my question, if they had remained silent, i would have had to speak — for their silence would have proved they were sincere about their quest”.
   
One cannot say if God is or is not. All answers are borrowed, given by others — in fact, by those who themselves have never known God. Because, had they known God, they would have remained silent, too.
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on May 18, 2007, 03:47:50 AM
Humour As A Vehicle For Spirituality  

Once when Adi Sankaracharya was passing through a forest, an elephant came rushing towards him. To save himself, Sankara too started running. Seeing this from a distance, a disciple shouted rather mockingly.
 
 “Kim palaynasi; Gajopi mithya?” — Why are you running; the elephant too is an illusion? — alluding to Sankara’s famous precept, ‘‘Brahmn satyam, jagat mithya” — The Supreme being is the only truth; the world is merely an illusion. Not to be outdone, the seer replied: “Mam palayanopi mithya!” — My escaping, too, is an illusion!
   
One does not know if the story is true but Indian scriptures do often resort to humour to convey a spiritual idea. There are many tales of gods using ready wit to clear the eversceptical mind of Narad muni. The Bhakti poets carried forward this tradition. Surdas’s deep devotion to the child Krishna is laced with humour. In a poem, he narrates how when Krishna was caught red-handed while stealing butter, he defended himself before Yashoda by alleging that the complaining gopi had deliberately smeared butter on his face to show him as a thief.
   
Krishna was known for his practical jokes. He played one on his dear friend Sudama when the latter visited him after many years. All poor Sudama could afford to take for his friend was a fistful of parched rice. But seeing Krishna’s opulent court Sudama shrank with shame and tried to hide his modest offering. Krishna noticed this and joked that Sudama must have brought something so precious that he was trying to hide it. Saying this the lord of Dwarka snatched the rice and consumed it with great delight.
   
Krishna carried the joke further. He gave nothing to his indigent friend. So, Sudama returned disheartened. His dismay turned to amazement when he found that his small hut had vanished and in its place stood an opulent palace. Only when his wife, now bedecked with the finest jewellery, greeted him did he realise what a pleasant joke his friend had played on him.
   
Tulsidas used humour in the Ramcharitmanas to convey the love between the Lord Rama and Kewat. When Rama wanted to cross the Saryu river along with Sita and Lakshman, Kewat, the boatman, insisted on washing Ram’s feet. This he wanted to do so he could get absolution by consuming the charnamrit. But like a child Kewat did not reveal his true purpose. Instead, he said that if the dust on Rama’s feet touched his boat, it might turn into a woman and he might lose his only source of livelihood. The allusion, here, was to the transformation of the stone into Ahilya. The allknowing Rama laughed inwardly at the boatman’s ingenious excuse and gladly allowed himself to be ‘fooled’ by his devotee.
   
Sufi mystic Mulla Nasaruddin used humour and absurdity to drive home deeply spiritual ideas. Absurdity is also integral to koan used by Zen masters to shock a disciple’s rational mind into instant spiritual enlightenment. A koan is a question, dialogue, statement or story. Watching a flag flapping in the wind a monk says, “The flag is moving”. Another says, “The wind is moving”. Overhearing this a Zen master says, “Neither the flag nor the wind but your mind is moving”.
   
There is something truly spiritual about pure humour.
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: shambi_me on May 22, 2007, 06:48:34 AM
Om Sri Sai Ram

what beautiful stories....

Thank You My Baba Sai.
Thank You so much Deva for this great school, our Dwarakamai.

Sai Ram Sai Ram Sai Ram Sai Ram Sai Ram

Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on May 22, 2007, 09:07:02 AM
Dream Even When There’s Hate All Around  

In the fairy tale ‘The Last Dream of the Old Oak Tree’, the oak tree felt sorry for the day-fly that lived but a day, while the tree was already 365 years old. The tree’s sympathy only puzzled the day-fly who was happy with the thousands of moments of happiness that it enjoyed by dancing in the sun, smelling the clover and the honeysuckle. The day-fly’s day ended as happily as he spent it, as he settled down on a blade of grass.
   
The story is not meant to be an apology for sensual and momentary happiness. It merely conveys that dreams are the substance of life all around us. If we do not allow ourselves to be defeated, crushed and oppressed, we will be able to enjoy the green shoots of grass pressing through the stones on the sidewalk, soak in the wildflowers growing by railway tracks, snatch pleasure from patches of blue sky visible despite high-rise buildings, follow the rhythm of waves either crashing against or gently touching the seashore.
   
We will be able to dream even when hate is all around us. We will stop clinging to the gate that has just been closed on us and look towards the one that has just opened to us.
   
Cultivating a garden requires hours of vigorous digging, planting, watering and weeding. There are times of intense movement. There are also times of quiet when life grows underground, in silence and darkness. Cultivating one’s soul is like cultivating a garden. There is a time of preparation, of readying the soil. The sowing of seeds is followed by a period of waiting and nurturing. The flowering and the fruit only come as a result of backbreaking work, constant selfgiving and taking in all that is life-sustaining from the world around us.
   
It is said that miracles are only a prayer away. Prayer is also a question of what we see. A morning cup of coffee is a moment of grace by itself. A child’s face lit up by a smile is an invitation to laughter. A regular schedule of work and rest are a source of deep ease and comfort.
   
Why do flowers open to the morning light? Because morning is the moment of awakening, of wonder, a time for tenderness and beauty. It is a time to start the day with happy dreams when the day is yet unspoiled.
   
Many of us hem ourselves in a closed horizon. We hesitate to dream. There is something about the way we live life that kills the quiet joy of the day-fly in us. We need not all grow into oaks. Not all who are old in years are also wise. Years can bring experience, but without the ability and will to nurse our dreams we lose the opportunity to make a difference.
   
Life is full of questions. We are questions ourselves. If there were only answers, there would no longer be a sense of mystery. Deep down within, there is the precious child that is longing to dream. Forget yesterday. It has gone, like the water and sand that sift through our fingers. Live today because it is all you have. And your tomorrows will rise like eagles from the dreams that you have woven from the even and uneven threads of your life.
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on May 23, 2007, 05:36:44 AM
Unfold The Universe With Storytelling  

In early cultures the world over, the storyteller had a special place. Before written language was used, historic, religious, and cultural knowledge was passed from generation to generation orally, and as the keeper of all this collective knowledge, the storyteller was one of the most important people in the community.
   
A story from Kazakhstan shows the value placed on storytelling and storytellers: It was the seventh day. God had finished making the world. Tired but happy, he suddenly realised he had forgotten to give human beings their brains. Calling some angels, he handed them jugs filled with this important ‘ingredient’ and said, “Go quickly, and make sure you give all humans their brains”. The angels flew down to Earth and found so many people, there were not enough brains to go round! So they made sure they gave each one a little.
   
God looked down on creation and was really sad to see wars, poverty, hunger selfishness and tears. “I think i know why”, he declared, “human beings have only got a bit of brain each”. So God created a few more people, making sure he filled their brains right up to the top. He filled those brains with sparkling words — stories, songs, poetry and music. These were storytellers God sent down to Earth, to tell and sing wisdom into foolish human hearts.
   
While some stories can be deliberately told to perpetuate a narrow world view, most traditional stories can provide the ‘larger context’ within which we are invited to move beyond conflict. Conflict comes from a limited view that looks like you and i are separate. Story has the capacity to hold differing perspectives in the same story, and offer the wide-angle view that invites us to transcend our differences. Most significantly, even if it doesn’t solve our differences; it creates something that’s bigger than our differences. In the power to tell a story lies the power to shape our reality, to alter our perceptions, to create new worlds of experience.
   
The best storytellers are those who also listen, because inputs can come from many sources. In Stories From The Mountains and Beyond, Granny Sue reminds us: “...We must first hear stories from some source, whether it be another person, a book, our own inner voice, or the physical world around us. We need to be listening and aware to hear the stories being gifted to us daily... stories told with a glance, in a song, in children playing a game. Stories in the wind in the trees, birds calling, water trickling over rocks, the soft swish of snow falling...”. All these have stories for those willing to listen.
   
David Spangler says, “We are a storytelling, story-loving species. Let someone be spinning a good tale at a gathering and watch a crowd collect to listen... If, as St John says, in the Beginning was the Word, then the Story followed directly after, unfolding the universe from the imagination of God. In emulation of the divine, we have sought to duplicate that moment of creation by being storytellers, too”.
   
Reading a story is wonderful, but being in the presence of a storyteller who gifts you a story from her heart is a truly wondrous experience. A kind of ‘field’ is created between the storyteller and listeners that creates a space to learn, change and grow.
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on May 29, 2007, 04:12:44 AM
LOVE IS A GARDEN....

Prem means love.  Love is a garden: much care has to be taken of it. It is not just weeds that grow on their own -- if you want rose bushes and lotuses, then much care and attention is needed.

A garden has to be created. It is an art, and the greatest art about it is that it should not know that it has been created, that the hands of man should remain hidden, that the hands of man should only be instruments in the hands of God. They should not interfere; they should only bring the message of the divine. They should in no way hinder; they should only be silent, co-operative, empty vehicles.

A tree has to be helped, watered, taken care of, but allowed to be its own. It is not to be tampered with; it has to be allowed to grow in its own natural way. The most beautiful garden is that which looks like a forest. It is not a forest, it is a garden; it has been created with great tenderness. It is poetry composed of trees, but composed in such a way that the poet is invisible. If the poet is too visible, he has destroyed the whole thing. The garden has to be made but it should not be -- at least not on the surface -- man-made.

It should be natural, not artificial.

There is a great story of a Zen master who was a great gardener; the emperor used to learn from him. The emperor was creating a big garden so that one day the master could be invited to see. If he approved, that meant that the king had learned the art -- that was going to be the king's examination.

The master came. The king had really prepared hard; thousands of people were involved in the garden. Everything was so clean, so perfect, that the king was absolutely certain that the master would not be able to find any fault. But when the master came, the king became afraid, scared. The master wouldn't smile; he looked at the whole garden and he was very serious.
 
That was rare; he had never been seen so serious. Finally he said 'I don't see any dead leaves in the garden. Where are the dead leaves?' The king said 'We have thrown them out, just to keep everything clean.'

The master went out, brought back many dead leaves and threw them in the garden. The wind started taking those dead leaves all over the place... and the rustling sounds of the dead leaves. The master smiled, and he said 'Now it looks like something divine! Without these leaves it was so dead, it had no sound. And how can a garden be without dead leaves? How can life be without death? They are partners together. If green leaves are there, then dead leaves are to be there on the ground.

To remove them is artificial.'

Love is a garden. It has to be spontaneous, natural -- and yet one has to be very artful. It is a paradox: to be artful and to be spontaneous.
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on May 31, 2007, 01:18:24 AM
Drops of Oil....

There is almost a similar story in our scriptures about Narada Mharshi...

Now the same message in a slightly different way...

A certain shopkeeper sent his son to learn about the secret of happiness from the wisest man in the world. The lad wandered through the desert for forty days, and finally came upon a beautiful castle, high atop a mountain.

It was there that the wise man lived.

Rather than finding a saintly man though, our young lad, on entering the main room of the castle, saw a hive of activity tradesmen came and went, people were conversing in the corners, a small orchestra was playing soft music, and there was a table covered with platters of the most delicious food in that part of the world.

The wise man listened attentively to the boy's explanation of why he had come, but told him that he didn't have just then to explain the secret of happiness.

He suggested that the boy look around the palace and return in two hours. Meanwhile, I want to ask you to do something, said the wise man, handing the boy a teaspoon that held two drops of oil. As you wander around, carry this spoon without allowing the oil to spill.

The boy began climbing and descending the many stairways of the castle, keeping his eyes fixed on the spoon. After two hours, he returned to the room where the wise man was.

Well, said the wise man, did you see the Persian tapestries that are hanging in the dining hall? Did you see the garden that took the master gardener 10 years to create? Did you notice the beautiful parchments in my library?

The boy was embarrassed, and confessed that he had observed nothing. His only concern had been not to spill the oil that the wise man had entrusted to him.

Then go back and observe the marvels of my world, said the wise man. Relieved, the boy picked up the spoon and returned to his exploration of the palace, this time observing all the works of art on the ceilings and the walls. He saw the gardens and the mountains all around him, the beauty of the flowers. Upon returning to the wise man, he related in detail everything he had seen.

But where are the drops of oil I entrusted to you, asked the wise man. Looking down at the spoon he held, the boy saw that the oil was gone. Well, there is only one piece of advice I can give you, said the wisest of wise men. The secret of happiness is to see all the marvels of the world, and never to forget the drops of oil on the spoon.

This story serves as just a little reminder that while we get all caught up in the frenzy of work and assignments, we mustn't forget about the drops of oil, the things in life that really matter... friends, family, stuffed toys... and the ties that bind..THINGS REALLY MATTER IN LIFE... IN THE LONG RUN...GOAL OF LIFE...
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on June 01, 2007, 12:20:06 AM
Tune In So That You Can Listen Right....  

To listen is so difficult. To listen means to be here, now. To listen means to be without any thought. To listen means to be alert and aware. If these conditions are fulfilled, only then you listen.
   
The mind goes on spinning a thousand and one thoughts, and the mind goes on moving — in the past, in the future. How can you listen? And whatever you listen to, it will not be right listening at all. You will listen to something else which has not been said at all, you will go on missing that which is said — because you will not be in tune.
   
To listen well ordinarily means to listen in a deep receptivity. When you listen, if you are arguing, judging, saying, “Yes, this is right because it fits with my ideology and this is not right because it doesn’t...” If you are continuously sorting out things inside, you are listening but you are not listening well. You are listening with your past mind interfering. It is not you judging, it is your past. You have read and heard a few things, you have been conditioned for a few things. The past wants to perpetuate itself. It does not allow anything new; it allows only the old that fits with it.
   
To listen rightly means to listen obediently. This word obedience is beautiful. You will be surprised to know that the original root from which the word obedience comes is obedire — it means ‘a thorough listening’. If you listen totally you will obey. You will not need any decision on your part. Truth is self-evident. Or as the Jewish tradition says, ‘to bare your ear’. If you have really opened your ear and there is no interference and no disturbance inside, and no distraction, you have not only opened your ear, you have opened your heart. And if the seed falls into the heart, sooner or later it will become a tree.
   
Ear locks have to be removed. Fear of truth is the basic lock. You are afraid of the truth because you have lived in lies... for so long that all those lies are afraid, if truth comes they will all have to leave you. The moment you come closer to truth, the mind will become disturbed. It will create much stir, raise much dust, create a cloud around you so that you cannot hear what truth is.
   
Buddha has said that unless you are fearless you will not attain to truth. When you bow in a church, mosque or temple, to a statue, scripture, or tradition, where is your bowing coming from? Just watch inside — and you will find fear, fear and fear. Faith appears only on death of fear.
   
Faith means trust. How can a fearful man trust? He is always thinking, protecting, defending. How can he trust? To trust, you need courage. To trust, you need to take risk. To trust, you need to move into danger.    

The Chinese ideogram for crisis consists of two symbols: one means danger, another means opportunity. Yes, that moment is a critical moment when you are facing danger and opportunity, both. If you don’t go into danger you will miss the opportunity. If you want opportunity you will have to go into danger. Those who know how to live dangerously, only they are religious.
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: OmSaiRamNowOn on June 01, 2007, 11:46:32 AM
Jai Sai Ram. Hare Krsna !

Traditionally, Hinduism comprises of sixteen special ceremonies. Amongst them, the naming ceremony one of the most important. This ceremony is performed on the tenth or twelfth day after the birth. This ceremony has immense importance, as the name of an individual does affect his personality and life to some extent it not totally. It is mentioned in the Srimadbhagwat Mahapurana that there was a hard working Brahmin named Ajaannil.

Listening to his father’s orders he would regularly go to the forest to collect wood etc. One day as usual he went to the forest and saw a man along with a prostitute. Seeing this he also got involved with the prostitute. Since that day, he squandered whatever little money he earned on the prostitute. After some time this licentious Brahmin came across a great saint and kept the name of his son 'Narayana' on the saint’s advice. When the Brahmin was in his death bed and when the lord of death Yamaraj came to take him away the Brahmin looking at his ferocious and scary form became scared and immediately called his loving son shouting Narayana. Listening to the word 'Narayana' Lord Vishnu’s agents ran to bring the Brahmin. So eventually this Brahmin escaped Yama loka and attained Vishnu loka.

In this way even famous saint poet Tulsidas has praised the importance of a name.

KALYUGA KEVAL NAAM UCHAARA|

SUMIRA SUMIRA NAR SITARAHI PAARA||
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on June 03, 2007, 10:02:45 AM
The Hunger for God, is not an ordinary hunger....

Nanak was a guest of a Mohammedan nabob. For Nanak there were no Hindus and no Mohammedans; the sage observes no sectarian boundaries. The nabob said to Nanak, "If you really mean what you say -- that there is no Hindu, no Mohammedan -- then come along with us to the mosque. Since today is Friday, let us pray together."

Nanak readily agreed, but he insisted, "I shall offer prayers only if you also pray." The nabob replied, "What a strange condition to set! That is exactly why I am going."

The news spread like wildfire through the village. Everyone gathered at the mosque. The Hindus were greatly upset, and the members of Nanak's family were particularly abusive; everyone thought Nanak was becoming a Mohammedan. In such a way do people burden others with their own fears.

Nanak reached the mosque and the prayers were begun. The nabob was very annoyed with Nanak because, whenever he turned around to look, he found Nanak still erect, neither bowing now offering prayers, but just standing like a statue.
 
The nabob raced through his prayers as quickly as possible, because how can a person pray when he is angry? Finally he turned to Nanak and said, "You are a fraud. You are neither saint nor seeker! You promised to pray but you never did."

Nanak said, "I did promise, but have you forgotten the conditions? I said I would pray provided you also prayed. But you didn't, so how could I pray?"

"What are you saying? Are you in your right senses? There are so many witnesses here; everyone saw me offering prayers!"

"I can't believe these other witnesses because I was looking within you all the time. You were buying horses in Kabul."

The nabob was taken aback because that was exactly what he was doing. His favorite horse had died just that morning and he was still strongly affected by the loss of such a fine animal. His mind was preoccupied with how to reach Kabul as early as possible to buy another thoroughbred. To him a horse was a symbol of status and honor.

"And the priest who led the prayers," continued Nanak, "was busy gathering the harvest in his fields." The priest admitted that he was worried about his harvest that was ready to be reaped. "Now please tell me, did you offer your prayers so that I could offer mine?"

You force yourself to pray, you force yourself to worship, to meditate -- it is all meaningless. By bending the body into certain postures you cannot force the mind to follow suit.

The cacophony of the mind continues, and in fact it becomes louder and more intense. When the body was engaged in some activity the energy was divided. Now when the body sits absolutely inactive, all the energy flows to the mind and the thoughts spin at even greater speed!

This is why when people sit to meditate, the mind becomes more and more active... a real avalanche of thoughts cascading one upon the other! You sit to worship, but the marketplace still grips your thoughts. You go to the temple and ring the bells, but the mind races in other directions. Normally the mind is not so restless. You go to see a film and the mind is quiet and you feel at peace, but no sooner do you enter the temple or mosque or church it becomes its most restive. What is the reason? The theater is linked to your desires. In the movies all the things that you are filled with are brought out, all the rubbish, all the trash. It strikes a chord within you. In the temple what you hear touches nothing within, and hence the confusion.

Nanak is saying that by enforcing silence you will gain nothing, because you cannot attain that silence. Even if you remain in constant meditation, nothing is going to happen. The hunger cannot be appeased even by a mountain of bread, because this is not a hunger that can be appeased by bread. The hunger for meditation, the hunger for God, is not an ordinary hunger.
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on June 05, 2007, 09:21:09 PM
Go, Tell The Story, Sing A Song  

In families of our traditional storytellers, the children make a break with the profession — most often because they barely manage to scrape together a living. Our Ajis, or grandmothers were our link with the world of story, but these days with the decline in inter-generational living, we lose out on that as well.
   
Telling, we have believed, must happen. Many cultures believe that if you have a story to tell — and don’t tell it — strange things will happen. Stories have unique and startling ways of making sure they get told!
   
A Kannada story narrated by A K Ramanujan, who collected and edited the most definitive collections of Indian folktales, is a wonderful example of this. This is how it goes:
   
There once lived a woman who knew a story. She also knew a song. But she kept them to herself, she never told anyone the story or sang the song. Imprisoned within her, the untold story and unsung song felt choked, trapped. They decided to run away.
   
One day, as she slept with her mouth open, the story escaped; it fell out of her, and taking on the material form of a pair of shoes, sat outside the house. The song too hurriedly followed, and took the shape of something like a man’s coat, and hung on a peg.
   
This caused the husband to be very suspicious, especially when she kept insisting she did not know whose they were or where they had come from. In a rage, he picked up his blanket, and went off to the nearby temple to sleep.
   
The flames in the lamps of the town, once they were put out, did not really go out. They moved to the temple and spent each night there, gossiping together till the lamps were lit again the following day. On this night, all the lamps from all the houses had reached the temple — except one, which came in much later. “Why are you so late tonight?” the others asked. “Because at my house, the couple quarrelled late into the night”, said the flame. “Why did they quarrel?” The flame told them the events. As he finished, the other flames asked: “But where did the coat and shoes come from?”
   
“The lady of our house knows a story and a song. She never tells the story, and has never sung the song to anyone. The story and the song got suffocated inside; so they got out and have turned into a coat and a pair of shoes. Seeing this made the husband furious. It seems they took revenge”.
   
The husband, lying under his blanket in the temple, heard the lamp’s explanation. His suspicions were cleared. When he got home at dawn, he woke up his sleeping wife and asked her about her story and her song.
   
“What story? What song?” she asked. She had, sadly, forgotten both of them.
   
Among the Cree of Manitoba, there is a similar belief that stories, when they are not told, live in their own villages where they go about their own lives. Every now and then, however, a story will leave its village and seek a person to inhabit. Some person will abruptly be possessed by the story, and soon will find herself telling the tale, singing it back into active circulation.
   
Go tell the story; sing the song.
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on June 08, 2007, 12:23:35 AM
It Is Not Too Difficult To Lead An Extraordinary Life....  

You can lead either of two kinds of lives: An ordinary life or an extraordinary life. When you lead an ordinary life, you move along with the current of your desires, preoccupied in fulfilling your own goals, aims and agendas. Ordinary beings are only conscious of their own life. Extraordinary beings are conscious of their life and are also constantly aware of Divinity. They are confident that God’s Grace will resolve all their problems. They know that whatever life brings is ultimately for the best.
   
Those who lead an extraordinary life enjoy every minute of it. To them, every moment is precious. Even ordinary circumstances elicit a different response from them. If you believe that you are extraordinary, then you start looking at the world differently. When you think that you are born special, you will lead a special life. Constant hope makes our life extraordinary. Without this, life is drab and ordinary. If we look at life as a problem, it becomes ordinary but if we look at it as an opportunity, it becomes extraordinary.
   
This bowl beside me is full of fragrant roses. If i pick up a single rose and look at it, it is really beautiful. There is no need for any comparison. Like all the other roses here, it is unique. If we have the habit of comparing ourselves with others, our self-confidence sometimes soars and sometimes crashes. A truly extraordinary life is never based on comparison. It is the result of constant blossoming within. Human life is a rare privilege. Why waste a single minute of this precious gift or lose a single opportunity to make it extraordinary?
   
If we cultivate the art of savouring every moment of life even when it brings unexpected challenges to us, our life becomes extraordinary. When there is interest, we feel exuberant and joyful. When there is no interest, life is mechanical and ordinary.
   
If we are travelling and our vehicle breaks down in the countryside, do we take the opportunity to revel in the natural beauty around us? Or do we fret, fume and grumble? When we perceive the best in everything, life becomes extraordinary and memorable. When we live life like this, a special feeling arises in us. Our life is full of zest and joy. We can never completely control what happens in the external world around us, but our internal world is in our hands. We can allow it to be ugly or choose to make it beautiful.
   
When we enjoy every moment and every circumstance that comes our way, one negative element that flavours each day of our present existence disappears. This element is TENSION. Stress, tension, boredom, depression, impatience and frustration become things of the past. These emotions which were slowly draining away the energy of the Soul disappear. When we enjoy every moment of life, it is always full of wonder and never grows stale.
   
Each and every situation that comes our way is not custom-made to fit our present frame of mind. If every circumstance were to our liking, internal growth and transformation would never take place; our life would become stagnant and sub-human. So it is our own perception that decides whether our life remains ordinary or becomes extraordinary. Life will always pose challenges; it is up to us to make it joyous. Flow like a river, revelling in every moment of life.

Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on June 09, 2007, 12:28:17 AM
Krishna’s Humility And Infinite Love  

Narada, one of Krishna’s close friends, set out one day to the palace to give Krishna a message. But as he approached the huge palace, a palace guard stopped him and sternly said: “You cannot enter here”.
   
“What do you mean i cannot enter? I am Narada. I have access to Krishna’s bed chamber”. Which was true. Narada was so close to Krishna that he had permission to come anytime, anywhere, to see him. The guard, however, was adamant and replied: “I know who you are, but on this particular occasion you must remain here. The Lord Himself has ordered me to stop anybody from meeting him just now”.
   
“What do you mean by saying ‘on this particular occasion’? What is it that the Lord is doing that i can’t go to see him?” The guard said: “He said he wanted to pray”. “Pray? My Lord is praying? To whom does he pray? Who is greater than my Lord?” Thus demanding answers, Narada accused the guard of blasphemy.
   
The dutiful guard stuck to his guns and refused to let Narada enter, saying: “I am only telling you what he told me. He said he wanted to pray and that i should not let anyone in because he did not want to be disturbed while he is praying”. Narada had no choice but to wait, and all sorts of confused thoughts were going through his head... Narada simply could not understand why the Lord should pray and wondered who he addressed his prayers to.
   
After half an hour or so, Krishna came out of his room and saw Narada waiting outside the door. He greeted Narada warmly but Narada was so agitated that he made only the most perfunctory of greetings. “What’s wrong?” Krishna asked. “You seem upset”.
   
Narada was so upset, in fact, that he totally forgot about the message he had come to deliver; he actually forgot that that was why he had come in the first place. Narada blurted out: “The palace guard said you were praying and that you were not to be disturbed”. “Yes, that is so”, Krishna affirmed.
   
“But to whom do you pray?” asked Narada, whose confidence in the Lord was shaken by Krishna’s admission. Narada was worried, too. Why should Krishna, the All-Knowing One, have to pray, and for what?
   
As though reading Narada’s thoughts, Krishna laughed. “Do you really want to see to whom i pray? Come with me”. And Krishna led Narada to his prayer room. “Here, here is my God”, Krishna said.
   
And what did Narada see? He saw little figures, images of Krishna’s mandali. There was a little figure of Narada, of Arjuna, of all the close ones. “These are the ones i pray to”, Krishna explained. “I pray to my lovers. You see, the whole purpose of Creation was so that my love might flow. I eternally love my creation, but periodically i take birth to receive the love of my lovers. My lovers worship me and i worship their love for me”.    

A chastised Narada began to understand that it was the Lord’s humility and infinite love that made him so lovable and approachable.
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on June 16, 2007, 10:16:15 AM
Joy Is Sorrow, Life Is Death: Accept Anekant  

When knowledge or wisdom is absent, facts can be misused. If there is balance, such a situation does not arise. A balanced view takes into account as many aspects as possible. This is the anekanta principle.
   
The one who has perspective of anekanta does not take a single-dimensional view of things that could twist logic. In the explanation of universal laws anekanta has lent balance. Even in the world of conduct and thoughts, anekanta plays an important role. Restraint and equanimity are also results of anekanta. Without the anekanta view there would be no reason for restraint. Through anekanta we accept the coexistence of opposites as a fact.
   
Everything has its limits. There is need for equanimity. Both loss and gain are to be accepted. It is the norm that if there is gain there will also be loss and if there is loss, there will be gain, too. The two are mutually connected. The two are, in fact, one. The difference is only in time or space.
   
There is no distance between happiness and sorrow or life and death, they both go together. Sometimes one feels happy and life seems bright and sometimes one feels sad and life seems miserable. Where is the distance between water pulleys? It is one single chain. The wheels bring in water, empty it and return. Wheels full of water and empty of water keep coming and going. They work together. Similarly, joy and sorrow work together. Life and death work together.
   
There is no second that belongs entirely to life or entirely to death. The first second of life is also the first second of death. Death is not an event that is to take place only after 70-80 years. It can take place even in the first second. With the first second of birth the event of death also takes place. Creation and destruction go hand in hand. One cannot find even one man who has been only praised, never condemned, or always condemned and never praised. Both go together. The balance is maintained.
   
Loss and gain, praise and insults, life and death, all of them go together. We have a problem when we do not go along with them. If we learn to go along with them then we will be truly spiritual, followers of anekanta. This way our problems come under our control. But we are very strange, we don’t usually adopt a balanced view. We do not like to move along with the principle of anekanta; we want to move independently.
   
An individual wants gain but not loss, joy but not sorrow, life but not death, and he wants praise, never condemnation. He then forgets the universal rule. In this dualistic world, nothing comes alone. Everything is in pairs. Man is ignorant. He wants to break the order of anekanta and wants only a single dimension.
   
When the world and nature have a rule, how can it be broken? Yet man makes his own single-dimensional perspective. Under pressure of not wanting loss but wanting gain, not wanting insults but wanting praise, man falls victim to unidimensional perception.
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on June 20, 2007, 01:12:16 AM
Accept Responsibility For Everything. And Nothing  


What happens when you take your life in your own hands? You would have no one to blame. Selfresponsibility is the cornerstone of self-realisation. Achieving it is an ongoing process. We begin by placing responsibility outside self. We like to say you are responsible. We hold the doctor responsible for a treatment going awry; a friend responsible for the break-up; the government, judicial system, police, and plumber for our myriad problems. We hold the ‘other’ responsible.
   
At some point in life, this sense of responsibility expands to an acceptance that we, too, play a part — that both, the other and self, are responsible. So we acknowledge the fact that we are responsible. Initially this is more easily discernible in personal relationships.
   
Now comes the third phase of responsibility and understanding “i am responsible”, moving from ‘you’ to ‘we’ to complete self-responsibility, which is the beginning of spiritual growth. At this point we acknowledge our creatorhood and view how we are indeed completely responsible for our personal realities, environment and world; we view self as the cause of outer effects — as the energy field that draws from around us.
   
Most of us are at varying stages of this self-empowering responsibility — from it being wholly intellectual to it being a larger part of our beingness. Then we would observe the friend, doctor, government, as a reflection of self, and seek to redress the outside by addressing it from within.
   
Once self-responsibility becomes as natural a response in our personal lives as the former two, we ought to expand it further: having moved from you are responsible, to we are responsible, to i am responsible, we need to stretch this to no one is responsible. This deeper truth is yet intellectual for most; but this is where anyone on the journey to Self is headed.
   
There is a dawning that no one is responsible because everything is happening for the larger whole — call it larger self, universe or God. This is not a shelving of responsibility as it may appear, but a deep acceptance of the Oneness pervading all and the perfection of its functioning.
   
As these inner workings of Self become increasingly apparent and clearer to our waking consciousness we take one more leap — that there is nothing to be responsible for. Concepts like Maya — the play of creation, Shakespeare’s ‘the world is but a stage’ and quantum physics theory of the ‘now moment’ — have tried to describe this deepest of understandings but can only point towards it. This stage cannot be an intellectual understanding but must be as experientially ‘real’ as the former experiences we have journeyed along. Analogies may help: you would not invade a country on awakening from a dream of being attacked, nor would you penalise the friend who jails you while playing monopoly!
   
For most the first two stages of responsibility are completely experiential and the last two perhaps completely intellectual — with some being poised somewhere along the middle. This centrifugal point of complete selfresponsibility is what we must expand to. Once that empowering tilt happens, we would be able to make self-responsibility as natural a part of our human experience as anything else.
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on June 28, 2007, 10:25:14 PM
Angry Thoughts Have A Way Of Getting Back To You  

We may think that no one knows what we are thinking, but our thoughts produce vibrations that can be picked up by others at a subtle level. Once, one of Emperor Akbar’s ministers advised him to be careful about what he thought of others.
   
The minister said, “Thoughts are very potent. Let us try this experiment. See that man coming down the road? As he approaches, i want you to think angry thoughts about him and let us see what happens”. The emperor looked at the stranger and thought, “This stranger should be beaten up”. When the stranger drew near, Akbar asked him, “What did you think when you saw my face”. “Excuse me, emperor, but i wanted to beat you up and break your head”.
   
No words were spoken; no actions were done, but the angry thoughts of Akbar towards the man were picked up, and the stranger was tempted to react in a violent way. We may not say anything, but our anger may create a negative vibration all around through aggressive body language, facial gestures, and angry tone of voice. This not only affects the recipient of our anger, it also boomerangs on us, disturbing our peace of mind.
   
We can deal with anger in several ways. One way is to project the long-term consequences of our anger as a deterrent. Or set a goal and then realise the effect that anger may have in preventing us from attaining that goal. A third way is to use meditation to break the physiological response to anger.
   
Projecting the future consequences of anger can prevent us from acting with anger. Becoming conscious of this could help us respond nonviolently to situations, as did Gautama Buddha when someone abused him one day. Buddha listened patiently and since there was no reaction, the abuses stopped coming his way.
   
If we set a goal to meditate every day, then we can guard against intrusion on that time. Say to yourself: “If i allow this anger to take control, then it is going to cause me to waste sitting and thinking about how angry i am. How can i calmly meditate and focus on what i am seeing within?’’ To have fruitful meditation we need to overcome anger, but to overcome anger we need to meditate. It is not so much a catch-22 situation, however, as it is a cycle of success.
   
No matter what level of meditation we are at, the time we spend meditating can calm us down so that we do not respond to a situation of anger. Meditation provides us with a physiological response to control the anger. Our heartbeat slows during meditation, which has the corresponding effect of slowing down our brain waves. We enter a more relaxed state of body and mind. In such a state, anger has less chance to gain strength.
   
As we calm down and our anger subsides, we can increase our concentration in meditation. The more time we spend in meditation, the more practised we become in being calm and balanced. [/size]
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on June 30, 2007, 08:57:32 AM
Dhai Akshar Prem Ke: It’s All About Love....

Kabir was no scholar; yet he expressed the very essence of life: “Love’s not grown in gardens,/ Love’s not sold at market./ He who wants it, king or commoner,/ gives his head and takes it”.
   
There is only one way to obtain love: the man who wants love gives his head. He will have to sacrifice his ego, his pretence, his false show. This is what Kabir means by ‘head’. There are two dimensions to this. One aspect is that your ego — that is contained in the head — must disappear. Love means the transformation of the centre. An egoist considers himself to be the centre. He says, “I must be saved even at the cost of the whole world”. The ego is aggressive, so when the egoist shows his love for someone he destroys him; he tries to destroy the other’s individuality. In this kind of false love countless people have lost their individuality.
   
The second meaning is, losing your thoughts. Your head is a collection of thoughts. Your mind is nothing but a vast crowd of thoughts. And it is a very busy and active crowd indeed. Because of it your whole energy is wasted, and you have no energy left for love. The head is an exploiter. It drains you to such an extent that the flow of energy is unable to reach your heart. And 99 per cent of your thoughts are useless; they have no substance.
   
When you are sitting quietly, do you ever observe your thoughts? Have you ever watched the rubbish that goes on in your mind? What do you hope to achieve by permitting all this rubbish? It goes on, day and night, in your waking hours and in your dreams. Even the most trivial thought consumes energy. Scientists conclude that the amount of energy you would expend in one hour digging a pit is the same as the amount you expend in 15 minutes of thinking and worrying. So mental activity requires four times more energy than physical activity.
   
These days, man’s physical activity has decreased, but his mental activity has increased. The head has become an exploiter; it does not allow energy to flow anywhere else. The head consumes all of the energy. The heart is not aggressive. It waits.
   
Kabir says, many people spend their lives reading. They read countless books and scriptures and finally they die, but they do not attain to wisdom. Wisdom has no relation to information. As you keep on reading and listening and accumulating facts your memory becomes very full, and you will know much without really knowing anything.
   
According to Kabir, a man of letters is a scholar who has only read about love. The Hindi word for love is ‘prem’, and is made up of two and a half letters. Kabir says to read these two and a half letters in a book is meaningless. Only when a person falls in love with someone do the two and half letters of ‘Prem’('प्रेम') become complete. One letter is for the lover, the second is for the beloved and the half is for something unknown that exists between the two.
   
No matter how hard you try, love never becomes complete. You are never content... It is also an indication that it is everlasting. Remember, whatsoever attains to completion, dies. To remain incomplete is love’s nature. So a lover is never satisfied and therefore his joy is endless. [/size]
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on July 02, 2007, 09:55:53 PM
You Can Free Yourself Like The Mouse That Soared High  

There’s an American Indian tale of a mouse that heard a roaring in its ears and set out to discover what it was. The mouse had to first give up one of its mouse ways of seeing things in order to grow. When the mouse had given away its eyes to help two other animals and was without sight, defenceless, it was picked up by an eagle. Before the mouse knew, it was flying and could see the splendour all around. The mouse was gifted with a new vision.
   
When we have tunnel vision we cannot see the contrariness in things and ourselves. We do not see both the tiger and the lamb in us. We cannot see that we are both weak and strong, innocent and guilty, right and wrong. It is only when we are at peace with the conflict inside us, are we able to love all the ways the world can be outside us. “The farmer may only be planting a seed, but if he opens his eyes he is feeding the whole world”, said Omaha Bee.
   
The mouse in the story had to discover another way of looking at itself and reality. We grow only when we replace shortsightedness with a vision that reaches out. The mouse way is to be small minded and petty. In the mouse way we are quick to label people and events. We become self-righteous and picky. We tend to see ourselves as moral guardians and so condemn “others”.
   
Then, like the mouse, somehow we lose ourselves along the way. All the familiar landmarks of life we clung to are no longer there to prop us up. Like the mouse, we give away something that is precious to us, which is often our “mouse way” of seeing things and reality. We reach out to others or go beyond ourselves. We go deeper and search wider in the world outside to ourselves. Tunnel vision gives way to a new reality.
   
To the external eye, we are all doing the same things in life — walking, talking, eating, sleeping, rising, washing, travelling, writing or driving. But internally, we are not really doing the same things at all. For some the motions of life are mechanical, done without any meaning attached to them. For others, every motion is driven by a goal or higher purpose.
   
Buddhist mindfulness is all about doing the same things in life in a different way. When we become less mechanical and more purposeful, the power and energy of God begin to flow through us. We begin to cocreate with God, rather than remain empty receptacles that cannot receive His grace.
   
There are those who use language in life to create by realising the power of words to shape reality. There are others who use language to communicate — sometimes positive things, sometimes negative. Those who like to remain with the mouse way of looking at things and doing things remain at the level of superficiality. Language and words are often used by these people to disrupt and destroy.
   
Plant a seed. But remember why you are planting a seed. Will your action and motivation remain like that of the farmer who could not see beyond his own field? Those who know that a seed can and does feed the whole world, will experience the splendour of the world. Build a new vision.
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: tana on July 09, 2007, 01:50:54 AM
ॐ सांई राम....

कृतघ्नता~~~

शिकारी एक हिरण का पीछा कर रहा था । दौङता हुआ हिरण अचानक रुका और एक लता के पीछे छिप गया । शिकारी उसे ढूढता हुआ आगे निकल गया ।हरी भरी लता को देख कर हिरण के मूंह में पानी आ गया और उसने लता खाना प्रारम्भ कर दिया ।थोङी ही देर में उसने लता का काफी भाग खा लिया ।
उसी समय शिकारीउसे ढूढता हुआ पुनः वही आ गया । अब हिरण के लिए लता के पास छिपना संभव नहीं था  क्योंकि वह उस लता को खा चुका था । पहले उसी लता की ओट ने उसे बचा लिया था।
शिकारी ने खुले में खङे हिरण को मार गिराया मरते समय हिरण सोच रहा थ कि जो अपने आश्रय देने वाले के साथ कृतघ्नता करता है उसका हश्र यही होता है जो मेरा हुआ ।


जय सांई राम....
   
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on July 09, 2007, 09:14:11 AM
Why Few Are Interested In The Art of Dying

There are hundreds of popular institutions that teach us how to make our lives better. To make them more healthy, more organised, more productive, more stress-free and, hopefully, more happy. Interestingly, though death is such an important happening in our lives, we do not pay much attention to it and there is no institution that really teaches about death, what it means and how it affects us. There seems to be no takers for a course in the Art of Dying!
   
All of us fear death because death brings to an end our life on earth and also because we are apprehensive of what will happen to us after we die. To not get intimidated by fear of death we must know the art of dying.
   
What is death? Krishna says in the Bhagavad Gita that He is death (kala) in the form of Time (also kala). Time consumes everything, from the tiniest atom to all those mighty universes in the material world. The Vedic concept of death is that it is an integral part and a recurrent happening in the continuous life of every living entity on earth. Krishna tells Arjuna in chapter two that there is no death for the jiva or soul, “Never was there a time when I did not exist, nor you, nor these rulers of men. Nor shall all of us cease to be hereafter”. Death pertains only to the physical body and “...the soul merely changes bodies just as the body changes clothes”.
   
The Katha Upanishad explains the Vedic concept of death and Garuda Purana deals comprehensively with rituals pertaining to death, graphically describing the soul’s journey after death to its next birth.
   
Most believe death is the ultimate happening in one’s life. But there is more, depending on your karma. Each new birth affords us an opportunity to better our circumstances through performing good karma, which means following the injunctions laid down in the shastras. We, however, choose to fritter away our lives in mundane activities mainly to satisfy our sensual cravings.
   
Adi Shankaracharya says that one is very fortunate to have got human birth for it is the only vehicle by which one can attain the ultimate goal of life, moksha or liberation, and hence it must not be wasted in living a frivolous life. More fortunate is he who has a burning desire for liberation. And still more fortunate is the one to get a bona fide spiritual master to take him to this goal.
   
Krishna says: “Whatever object a person thinks of at the time of death, he attains to that object alone... Whoever thinks of only Me even at the time of death, attains to My state on abandoning his body. There is no doubt about this”. He once again reinforces: “He who, at the time of his death, engages himself in remembering the Supreme Lord with full devotion, will certainly attain to Him”. This is possible only if one has Him constantly in one’s thoughts for which one needs to do spiritual practice or sadhana.
   
Some even crave a painful death so that they are forced to cry out to God, thereby remembering Him during the last moments. However, if your desire to be with Him is consistent and strong, it will manifest at the final hour so that you are united with Him.
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on July 10, 2007, 10:34:27 PM
A beautiful love story


A long time ago, before the world was created and humans set foot on it, God had put all the human "qualities" in a separate room. Since all the qualities were bored they decided to play hide & seek.

"Madness" was one of the qualities and he shouted: "I want to count, I want to count!" And since nobody was crazy enough to want to seek "Madness", all the other qualities agreed. So "Madness" leaned against a tree and started to  count:

"One, two, three..." As "Madness" counted, the qualities went hiding.  "Treason" hid in a pile of garbage.. "Lie " said that it would hide under a stone, but hid  at the bottom of  the lake.  And Madness continued to count "... seventy nine, eighty, eighty one..." By this time, all the qualities were already hidden-except "Love ".

For stupid as "Love " is, he could not decide where to hide.  And this should not surprise us, because we all know how difficult it is to hide "Love".

"Madness": "...ninety five, ninety six, ninety seven..." Just when "Madness" got to one hundred..... ...."Love" jumped into a rose bush where he hid.

And Madness turned around and shouted: "I'm coming, I'm coming!" As Madness turned around, "Laziness" was the first to be found, because "Laziness" was too lazy to hide. "Madness" searched madly and found "Lie" at the bottom of the lake. One by one, Madness found them all - except Love. Madness was getting desperate, unable to find Love.

Envious of Love, "Envy" whispered to "Madness ": "You only need to find Love, and Love is hiding in the rose bush."

"Madness" Jumped on the rose bush and he heard loud cry. The thorns in the bush had pierced "Loves" eyes.

Hearing the commotion God came into the room and saw what had happened. He got very angry and cursed "Madness" and said since "Love" has become blind because of u... ..u shall always be with him"

And so it came about that from that day on, Love is blind and is always accompanied by Madness.!
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on July 11, 2007, 08:12:30 PM
Story Of A Sanyasi Who Ate Fish  

A recent meeting with a monk of a high order — who admitted his ‘weakness’ for fish — proved to be an unusual and enlightening experience. Seeing my shocked expression he explained that being born in Bengal he was brought up on fish and so it was part of his normal diet.
   
The monk’s explanation confused me. Wasn’t a spiritual seeker or monk supposed to protect all living beings? Could not a person who had courage to leave the world in search of God have the willpower to give up desires of the palate?
   
The sanyasi who ate fish had put me in a dilemma. Thinking it was better to read up rather than argue, led me to Krishna’s words in the Gita, chapter 17, verse 8: “All things in this universe can be categorised by three qualities — sattvic, rajasic and tamasic. Foods that promote longevity, intelligence, strength, health, happiness and delight, which are sweet, bland, nourishing and are agreeable, are dear to the sattvic person”. Food that can produce such an effect on the mind is sattvic.
   
Swami Ranganathananda points out that food never produces similar results for all people. The same food can be good for one person and can be poison for another.
   
Ramana Maharshi was once confronted with a similar query in his ashram at Tiruvannamalai, the town at the foot of the holy hill Arunachala. A European lady spiritual seeker, Pigott, wanted to know whether vegetarian food was necessary for achieving Self-realisation as many like her were accustomed to a non-vegetarian diet. Would not switching to sattvic (nonstimulating) diet adversely affect her health and weaken the mind? Maharshi pointed out to a European, a Evans-Wentz sitting beside him, who had happily taken to a vegetarian diet.
   
The Maharshi was not one to be critical of anyone’s food or other habits. To him, a strong mind was one which was ungovernable while for the devotee, a strong mind was a powerful mind, a mind which had the power to eliminate worldly attachment.
   
The Maharshi explained that quality of food had an influence on the mind because the mind feeds on the food it consumes. Custom and culture that one is used to tend to get altered to adapt to changes in one’s (new) environment. And food tastes can always be acquired with practice. When there is a clash, it is not the food that causes misery but the ego and thoughts arising from it.
   
The Maharshi said food restrictions apply to spiritual seekers but not to realised souls as they are already stabilised and cannot be influenced by intake of one kind of food or other. A genuine seeker will persist, anyway, to overpower his mind, regardless.
   
The thought behind a sattvic diet is that digestive organs should be free of irritation. Such food is most conducive to the development of pure qualities of mind. Foods inducing constipation, drowsiness, or excitement are to be preferably avoided. Some people also observe fasts in the hope of advancing better on the spiritual path.
   
Maharshi said that fasting was a means, not an end. Through fasting there must be spiritual development as well. But absolute fasting weakens the mind and one must have adequate strength for spiritual quest. So it is preferable that one eats sattvic food but in moderation, to continue the spiritual journey. To the realised, however, it does not matter, either way.
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on July 14, 2007, 08:56:55 AM
Don’t Be Jealous Of What Others Achieve

I am jealous of successful people. I am not able to enjoy my life. Am i miserable because I come from an unhappy home?
   
There are certain aspects in life over which you have full control and there are others on which you have none. But you have to live wisely. What does this involve? Wise living would include accommodating both the controllable and uncontrollable variables of life.
   
You come from an unhappy home. You have no choice in this matter. But you have a choice not to be a victim of an unhappy home.
   
I’ll tell you a story: A father and his two sons lived in a single room. The father used to come home drunk every day and watch TV, disturbing his children at study time. The elder son concentrated on his studies while the younger son followed in father’s footsteps. As adults, the older boy got an award for excellence as a citizen of the town while the younger son was imprisoned for a petty crime.
   
When they were interviewed, the younger son said, “I became like this because of my father, who created a bad atmosphere at home”. The elder son said, “I attribute my success to my drunken father and the unhappy home atmosphere; i was determined to be different”.
   
The situation was the same, and the response, different. It is our response that determines quality of life.
   
Jealousy exists when one has not learnt to rejoice in the success of others. Jealousy also exists when there is unwise comparison.
   
A man prays: “Lord, please fulfil my prayers. I will forever be grateful to you”.
   
The Lord advises, “Son, the more I fulfil your desires, the more you will be unhappy. Your being is in unhappiness. Focus on changing the state of your being and not on the fulfilling of your desires”.
   
But the man insists and the Lord says: “I will fulfil your desires but with one condition. Whatever you get, the whole city will get double of it”.
   
The man happily agreed. He prayed for a palatial house and next moment, he had one. But his happiness vanished when he noticed two palatial houses in his neighbourhood. This led to anger and jealousy. He felt it was his effort that pleased the Lord but others had reaped the rewards. He decided to teach them a lesson.
   
He prayed again, “Oh! Lord, please remove one of my eyes”. Suddenly he found others had lost both their eyes. He felt very happy. The very next day he found all the people in his town had taken their lives. He was now lonely. The ‘joy’ of making the whole town blind was short-lived.
   
Tagore tells an interesting tale. A young seeker set out in search of the Lord. He met thousands of people. Many years passed. He reached the Himalayan valley. The atmosphere was inviting. He felt that could be the abode of the Lord.
   
He entered a beautiful cottage and found a board “God resides here”. His joy knew no bounds as his search had come to an end. When he was about to knock on the door, an interesting soliloquy overpowered his mind. His mind said, “I have enjoyed my search all these years. The enjoyment derived from the search will come to an end, the moment i meet the Lord...”
   
If one can enjoy one’s search and derive satisfaction from that itself, there is fulfilment. We have to teach ourselves to enjoy our search, our journey.
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on July 15, 2007, 11:47:02 AM
Once upon a time....Always

Once upon a time there was an island where all the feelings lived. One day there was a storm in the sea and island was about to get drown.

Every feeling was scared but luv made a boat to escape. Every feeling boarded the boat.
 
One feeling was left on the island.

Luv got down to see who it was. It was ego....

Luv tried and tried but ego was not moving, luv tried again but ego didn't wanna go with them.

Luv tried hard and also the water was rising.
 
Everyone asked luv to leave him and come back on the boat. But luv was made to luv.
 
At last luv died with ego on that island.

moral of the story:         
 
Luv dies because of ego.
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on August 14, 2007, 10:30:45 PM
Live In The Present  

Tantra talks about four seals, four mudras. To attain to the ultimate, a person passes through four doors; he has to open four locks. Those four locks are called four mudras.
   
The first mudra is karma mudra. It is the outermost door, the periphery of your being. Karma means action, is the outermost core of your being. What you do is your periphery. You hate or kill somebody, you love or protect somebody. Action is the outermost part of your being.
   
The first seal is opened through becoming total in your action. Whatsoever you do, do totally, and there will arise great joy, not by repeating some mantra, but by doing it totally. If you are angry, be totally angry; and be fully aware of your anger, anger will disappear one day. You have understood it. It can be dropped now. Anything that is understood can be dropped easily. Only non-understood things go on hanging around you.
   
Remember, Tantra is scientific. It does not say: Repeat a mantra. It says: Become aware in your action.
   
The second seal is called gyana mudra — a little deeper and more inner than the first — that is somewhat like knowledge. Action is the outermost thing, knowledge is a little deeper. You can watch what i am doing, you cannot watch what i am knowing. Knowing is inner.
   
Now, start knowing what you really know, and stop believing things which you really don’t know. Somebody asks you “Is there a God?” and you say “Yes, God is”. Do you really know? If you don’t know, please don’t say that you do. Say “I don’t know”. If you are honest and you only say what you know, and you only believe what you know, the second lock will be broken. False knowledge is the enemy of true knowledge. And all beliefs are false knowledge; you simply believe them.
   
Out of a hundred things you will be unburdened of almost 98. Only a few things will remain that you really know. You will feel great freedom. Your head will not be so heavy. And with that freedom and weightlessness you enter the second mudra.
   
The third mudra is called samaya mudra. Samaya means time. Knowledge has disappeared, you are only in the now; only the purest of time has remained. Watch, meditate over it. In the now-moment, there is no knowledge. Knowledge is always about past. Just this moment, what do you know? Nothing is known.
   
So samaya mudra is to be in this moment. Ordinarily you think that past, present and future are three divisions of time; that is not the Tantra understanding. Tantra says: Only present is time. Past is not, it has already gone. Future is not, it has not come yet. Only the present is. To be in the present is to be really in time. Otherwise you are either in memory or you are in dreams, both of which are delusions. So the third seal is broken by being in the now.
   
The fourth seal is called mahamudra, the great gesture, the innermost, like space. Now, purest space has remained. Action, knowing, time, space — these are the four seals. Space is your innermost core, the hub of the wheel, or the centre of the cyclone. In your innermost emptiness is space, sky. These are the three layers: of time, of knowing, of action. These are the four seals to be broken.
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: tana on September 01, 2007, 12:48:40 AM
Om Sai Ram~~~

The Cross
 
 

 
The young man was at the end of his rope.

Seeing no way out, he dropped to his knees in prayer.

"Lord, I can't go on ," he said. "I have too heavy a cross to bear."

The Lord replied, "My son, if you can't bear its weight, just place your cross inside this room. Then, open that other door and pick out any cross you wish.

"The man was filled with relief.

Thank you, Lord," he sighed, and he did as he was told.

Upon entering the other door, he saw many crosses, some so large the tops were not visible.

Then, he spotted a tiny cross leaning against a far wall.

"I'd like that one, Lord," he whispered.

And the Lord replied, "My son, that is the cross you just brought in."

When life's problems seem overwhelming, it helps to look around and see what other people are coping with. You may consider yourself far more fortunate than you imagined.

Jai Sai Ram~~~
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: tana on September 09, 2007, 10:45:59 PM
Om Sai Ram~~~

Two Angels ~~~
 
Two traveling angels stopped to spend the night in the home of a wealthy family.


The family was rude and refused to let the angels stay in the mansion's guest room. Instead the angels were given a space in the cold basement.


As they made their bed on the hard floor, the older angel saw a hole in the wall and repaired it. When the younger angel asked why, the older angel replied... " Things aren't always what they seem".


The next night the pair came to rest at the house of a very poor, but very hospitable farmer and his wife.


After sharing what little food they had the couple let the angels sleep in their bed where they could have a good night's rest. When the sun came up the next morning the angels found the farmer and his wife in tears. Their only cow, whose milk had been their sole income, lay dead in the field.


The younger angel was infuriated and asked the older angel "how could you have let this happen!? The first man had everything, yet you helped him," she accused. "The second family had little but was willing to share everything, and you let their cow die."


"Things aren't always what they seem," the older angel replied. "When we stayed in the basement of the mansion, I noticed there was gold stored in that hole in the wall.


Since the owner was so obsessed with greed and unwilling to share his good fortune, I sealed the wall so he wouldn't find it. Then last night as we slept in the farmers bed, the angel of death came for his wife. I gave her the cow instead. Things aren't always what they seem."




Sometimes this is exactly what happens when things don't turn out the way they should. If you have faith, you just need to trust that every outcome is always to your advantage. You might not know it until some time later.  

Jai Sai Ram~~~
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: mainhoonsaibeti on September 13, 2007, 02:27:12 AM
A Letter To You From Satan  

I saw you yesterday as you began your daily chores. You awoke without  kneeling to pray. As a matter of fact, you didn't even bless your  meals, or pray before going to bed last night. You are so unthankful, I like that about you. I cannot tell you how glad I am that you have not changed your way of living, fool, you are mine.

Remember you and I have been going steady for years, and I still don't  love you yet. As a matter of fact, I hate you, because I hate God. I am only  using you to get even with God. He kicked me out of heaven, and I'm going  to use you as long as possible to pay him back.

You see, FOOL, GOD LOVES YOU and HE has great plans in store for you. But you have yield your life to me, and I'm going to make your life a  living hell. That way, we'll be together twice. This will really hurt God.  Thanks to you, I'm really showing Him who's boss in your life with all of the good times we had. We have been watching dirty movies, cursing people out, stealing, lying, being hypocritical, fornicating, overeating, telling dirty jokes, gossiping, being judgmental, back stabbing people, disrespecting adults, and those in leadership positions, no respect for the Church, bad attitudes. Surely you don't want to give all this up. Come on, Fool, let's burn together forever. I've got some hot plans for us.

This is just a letter of appreciation from me to you. I'd like to say "THANKS" for letting me use you for most of your foolish life. You are so  gullible, I laugh at you. When you are tempted to sin, you give in HA HA  HA, you make me sick. sin is beginning to take it's toll on your life. You  look 20 years older, and now, I need new blood. So go ahead and teach some children how to sin. All you have to do is smoke, get drunk or drink while under-aged, cheat, gamble, gossip, fornicate, and live being as selfish as possible. Do all of this in the presence of children and they will do it too. Kids are like that.

Well Fool, I have to let you go for now. I'll be back in a couple of seconds to tempt you again. If you were smart, you would run somewhere, confess your sins, and live for God with what little bit of life that you have left. It's not my nature to warn anyone, but to be your age and still sinning, it's becoming a bit ridiculous. Don't get me wrong, I still hate you. IT'S JUST THAT YOU'D MAKE A BETTER FOOL FOR CHRIST.

P.S.: If you really love me, you won't share this letter with anyone.
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: tana on November 05, 2007, 10:41:33 PM
Om Sai Ram~~~

No God or Know God?  

An atheist professor of philosophy speaks to his class on the problem Science has with God, The Almighty.


He asks one of his new students to stand and.....

Prof: So you believe in God?

Student: Absolutely, sir.


Prof: Is God good?

Student: Sure.




Prof: Is God all-powerful?

Student: Yes.


Prof: My brother died of cancer even though he prayed to God to heal him.


Most of us would attempt to help others who are ill. But God didn't. How is this God good then? Hmm? (Student is silent.)


Prof: You can't answer, can you? Let's start again, young fellow. Is God good?

Student: Yes.


Prof: Is Satan good ?

Student: No.


Prof: Where does Satan come from?

Student: From...God.. .


Prof: That's right. Tell me son, is there evil in this world?

Student: Yes.


Prof: Evil is everywhere, isn't it? And God did make everything. Correct?

Student: Yes.


Prof: So who created evil?

(Student does not answer. )



Prof: Is there sickness? Immorality? Hatred? Ugliness? All these terrible things exist in the world, don't they?

Student: Yes, sir.



Prof: So, who created them?

( Student has no answer.)



Prof: Science says you have 5 senses you use to identify and observe the world around you. Tell me, son...Have you ever seen God?

Student: No, sir.



Prof: Tell us if you have ever heard your God?

Student: No, sir.


Prof: Have you ever felt your God, tasted your God, smelt your God? Have you ever had any sensory perception of God for that matter?

Student: No, sir. I'm afraid I haven't.



Prof: Yet you still believe in Him ?

Student: Yes.



Prof: According to empirical, testable, demonstrable protocol, science says your GOD doesn't exist. What do you say to that, son?

Student: Nothing. I only have my faith.



Prof: Yes. Faith. And that is the problem science has.



Student: Professor, is there such a thing as heat?

Prof: Yes.



Student: And is there such a thing as cold?

Prof: Yes.



Student: No sir. There isn't.


(The lecture theatre becomes very quiet with this turn of events .)



Student: Sir, you can have lots of heat, even more heat, superheat, mega heat, white heat, a little heat or no heat. But we don't have anything called cold. We can hit 458 degrees below zero which is no heat,


But we can't go any further after that. There is no such thing as cold. Cold is only a word we use to describe the absence of heat. We cannot measure cold.


Heat is energy. Cold is not the opposite of heat, sir, just the absence of it.



(There is pin-drop silence in the lecture theatre .)


Student: What about darkness, Professor? Is there such a thing as darkness?

Prof: Yes. What is night if there isn't darkness?



Student: You're wrong again, sir. Darkness is the absence of something. You can have low light, normal light, bright light, flashing light....But if you have no light constantly, you have nothing and its called darkness, isn't it? In reality, darkness isn't.


If it were you would be able to make darkness darker, wouldn't you?



Prof: So what is the point you are making, young man?

Student: Sir, my point is your philosophical premise is flawed.

Prof: Flawed? Can you explain how?



Student: Sir, you are working on the premise of duality. You argue there is life and then there is death, a good God and a bad God. You are viewing the concept of God as something finite, something we can measure.


Sir, science can't even explain a thought. It uses electricity and magnetism, but has never seen, much less fully understood either one.


To view death as the opposite of life is to be ignorant of the fact that death cannot exist as a substantive thing. Death is not the opposite of life: just the absence of it. Now tell me, Professor. Do you teach your students that they evolved from a monkey?


Prof: If you are referring to the natural evolutionary process, yes, of course, I do.

Student: Have you ever observed evolution with your own eyes, sir?


(The Professor shakes his head with a smile, beginning to realize where the argument is going.)



Student: Since no one has ever observed the process of evolution at work and cannot even prove that this process is an on-going endeavour, are you not teaching your opinion, sir? Are you not a scientist but a preacher?


(The class is in uproar .)


Student: Is there anyone in the class who has ever seen the Professor's brain?


(The class breaks out into laughter.)


Student: Is there anyone here who has ever heard the Professor's brain, felt it, touched or smelt it? No one appears to have done so. So, according to the established rules of empirical, stable, demonstrable protocol, science says that you have no brain, sir.


With all due respect, sir, how do we then trust your lectures, sir?



(The room is silent . The professor stares at the student, his face unfathomable. )



Prof: I guess you'll have to take them on faith, son.


Student: That is it sir... The link between man & god is FAITH .

That is all that keeps things moving & alive....... ......... ..


Jai Sai Ram~~~
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: tana on November 15, 2007, 04:36:25 AM
Om Sai Ram~~~

Love by Swami Vivekananda~~~

I once had a friend who grew to be very close to me. Once when we were sitting at the edge of a swimming pool, she filled the palm of her hand with some water and held it before me, and said this: "You see this water carefully contained on my hand? It symbolizes Love.



" This was how I saw it: As long as you keep your hand caringly open and allow  it to remain there, it will always be there. However, if you attempt to  close your fingers round it and try to posses it, it will spill through the  first cracks it finds.




This is the greatest mistake that people do when they meet love ... They try  to posses it, they  demand, they expect ... And just like the water spilling out of your hand, love will retrieve from you. For love is meant to be free,


You can not change its nature.





If there are people you love, allow them to be free beings.




Give and don't expect.

Advise, but don't order.

Ask, but never demand.




It might sound simple,   but it is a lesson that may take a lifetime to truly practice.




It is the secret to true love.To truly practice it, you must  sincerely feel no expectations from those who you love, and yet an  unconditional caring."




Passing thought ... Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take;  but by the moments that take our breath away.

Jai Sai Ram~~~
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: tana on November 27, 2007, 01:16:46 AM
Om Sai Ram~~~

WHEN ONE DOOR CLOSES, ANOTHER DOOR OPENS~~~

Becky Ellis was a loving, beautiful little girl; a third grader. She also suffered of Cerebral Palsy, which is a disease that effects a person physically. Becky had three sisters; Sara 14, Melissa 18, who suffered from mental retardation, and Laura who was 19. They were a loving family who lived with Christ in their hearts.

In the winter of '97 around Christmas time, they had gone up to the mountain, where they had a cabin, and rode snowmobiles in the snow. Becky, along with another woman, unfortunately lost control of their snowmobile and crashed right into a tree killing little Becky almost instantly.

Many people loved Becky; she was a very friendly, a bright little girl, and was missed by many. However that's only the beginning of the story.

The family asked one of their close family friends to attend Becky's funeral, a pastor. The pastor and his wife had been trying to have a baby for quite some years, and it just never happened. Two days before the funeral, the pastor's wife discovered that she was pregnant. Not only had she finally become pregnant, but the baby was born later that year in October, on the same day of little Becky's birthday.

That just shows you two things,
The Lord does answer prayers,
And that when one door closes, another door opens~~~


 
Jai Sai Ram~~~
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: tana on December 03, 2007, 12:01:21 AM
Om Sai Ram~~~

Life and A Cup Of Coffee~~~


When things in your life seem almost too much to handle, when 24 hours in a day are not enough, remember the mayonnaise  jar......and the coffee.

A professor stood before his philosophy class and had some items in front of him. When the class began, wordlessly he picked  up a very large and empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with golf balls. He then asked the students if the jar was  full. They agreed that it was.

So the professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them intothe jar. He shook the jar lightly. The pebbles rolled  into the open areas between the golf balls. He then asked the students again if the jar was full. They agreed it was.

The professor next picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. Of course, the sand filled up everything else. He  asked once more if the jar was full. The students responded with a unanimous "Yes."

The professor then produced two cups of coffee from under the table and poured the entire contents into the jar, effectively  filling the empty space between the sand. The students laughed.

"Now," said the professor, as the laughter subsided, "I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life.

The golf ball are the important things--your family, your children, your health, your friends, your favorite passions--things  that if everything else was lost and only they remained, your life would still be full.

The pebbles are the other things that matter like your job, your house, your car.

The sand is everything else--the small stuff."

"If you put the sand into the jar first," he continued, "there is no room for the pebbles or the golf balls. The same goes for life.

If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff, you will never have room for the things that are  important to you.

Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness.
Play with your children.
Take time to get  medical checkups.
Take your spouse out to dinner.
Play another 18 holes.
There will always be time to clean the house and fix  the disposal.

"Take care of the golf balls first, the things that really matter. Set your priorities. The rest is just sand."

One of the students raised her hand and inquired what the coffee represented.

The professor smiled. "I'm glad you asked. It just goes to show you that no matter how full your life may seem,
there's  always room for a cup of coffee with ur friend."

 
Jai Sai Ram~~~
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: tana on December 05, 2007, 04:41:48 AM
Om Sai Ram~~~

A wonderful story~~~
 
 
A woman came out of her house and saw 3 old men with long white beards sitting in her front yard. She did not recognize them. She said "I don't think I know you, but you must be hungry. Please come in and have something to eat."
 

" Is the man of the house home?", they asked.


"No", she replied. "He's out." 


"Then we cannot come in", they replied.


In the evening when her husband came home, she told him what had happened.


"Go tell them I am home and invite them in!"


The woman went out and invited the men in"
 

" We do not go into a House together," they replied.

 
"Why is that?" she asked.
 

One of the old men explained: "His name is Wealth," he said pointing to one of his friends, and said pointing to another one, "He is Success, and I am Love." Then he added, "Now go in and discuss with your husband which one of us you want in your home."
 

The woman went in and told her husband what was said. Her husband was overjoyed. "How n ice!!", he said. "Since that is the case, let us invite Wealth. Let him come and fill our home with wealth!"
 

His wife disagreed. "My dear, why don't we invite Success?"
 

Their daughter was listening from the other corner of the house. She jumped in with her own suggestion: "Would it not be better to invite Love? Our home will then be filled with love!"
 

"Let us heed our daughter's advice," said the husband to his wife.


"Go out and invite Love to be our guest ."


The woman went out and asked the 3 old men, "Which one of you is Love? Please come in and be our guest."
 

Love got up and started walking toward the house. The other 2 also got up and followed him. Surprised, t he lady asked Wealth and Success: "I only invited Love, Why are you coming in?"
 

The old men replied together: "If you had invited Wealth or Success, the other two of us would've stayed out, but since you invited Love, wherever He goes, we go with him. Wherever there is Love, there is also Wealth and Success ~~~

Jai Sai Ram~~~
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on December 09, 2007, 07:44:51 AM
The Carpenter's House  

An elderly carpenter was ready to retire. He told his employer-contractor of his plans to leave the house building business and live a more leisurely life with his wife enjoying his extended family.

He would miss the paycheck, but he needed to retire. They could get by. The contractor was sorry to see his good worker go and asked if he could build just one more house as a personal favor. The carpenter said yes, but in time it was easy to see that his heart was not in his work. He resorted to shoddy workmanship and used inferior materials. It was an unfortunate way to end his career.

When the carpenter finished his work and the builder came to inspect the house, the contractor handed the front-door key to the carpenter. "This is your house," he said, "my gift to you."

What a shock! What a shame! If he had only known he was building his own house, he would have done it all so differently. Now he had to live i n the home he had built none too well.

So it is with us. We build our lives in a distracted way, reacting rather than acting, willing to put up less than the best. At important points we do not give the job our best effort. Then with a shock we look at the situation we have created and find that we are now living in the house we have built. If we had realized that we would have done it differently.

Think of yourself as the carpenter. Think about your house. Each day you hammer a nail, place a board, or erect a wall. Build wisely. It is the only life you will ever build. Even if you live it for only one day more, that day deserves to be lived graciously and with dignity. The plaque on the wall says, "Life is a do-it-yourself project." Your life tomorrow will be the result of your attitudes and the choices you make today.
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on December 10, 2007, 09:38:32 PM
Things aren't always what they seem  

Everyone must have read this story....still I am posting it again

Two traveling angels stopped to spend the night in the home of a wealthy family. The family was rude and refused to let the angels stay in the mansion's guest room. Instead the angels were given a small space in the cold basement. As they made their bed on the hard floor, the older angel saw a hole in the wall and repaired it. When the younger angel asked why, the older angel replied, "Things aren't always what they seem."
                                                               
The next night the pair came to rest at the house of a very poor, but very hospitable farmer and his wife. After sharing what little food they had, the couple let the angels sleep in their bed where they could have a good night's rest. When the sun came up the next morning the angels found the farmer and his wife in tears. Their only cow, whose milk had been their sole income, lay dead in the field. The younger angel was infuriated and asked the older angel "How could you have let this happen? The first man had everything, yet you helped him," she accused.  "The second family had little but was willing to share everything, and you let the cow die."                                                       

"Things aren't always what they seem," the older angel replied. "When we stayed in the basement of the mansion, I noticed there was gold stored in that hole in the wall. Since the owner was so obsessed with greed and unwilling to share his good fortune, I sealed the wall so he wouldn't find it. Then last night as we slept in the farmers bed, the angel of death came for his wife. I gave him the cow instead. Things aren't always what they seem."
                                                       
Sometimes that is exactly what happens when things don't turn out the way they should. If you have faith, you just need to trust that every out come is always to your advantage. You might not know it until some time later...
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: tana on December 12, 2007, 11:02:22 PM
Om Sai Ram~~~

A Reason, A Season or a Lifetime !

People come into your life for a reason, a season, or a lifetime. When you figure out which it is, you know exactly what to do.

When someone is in your life for a REASON, it is usually to meet a need you have expressed outwardly or inwardly. They have come to assist you through a difficulty, to provide you with guidance and support, to aid you physically, emotionally, or spiritually. They may seem like a godsend, and they are. They are there for the reason you need them to be. Then, without any wrong doing on your part or at an inconvenient time, this person will say or do something to bring the relationship to an end. Sometimes they die. Sometimes they walk away. Sometimes they act up or out and force you to take a stand. What we must realize is that our need has been met, our desire fulfilled; their work is done. The prayer you sent up has been answered and it is now time to move on.

When people come into your life for a SEASON, it is because your turn has come to share, grow, or learn. They may bring you an experience of peace or make you laugh. They may teach you something you have never done. They usually give you an unbelievable amount of joy. Believe it! It is real! But, only for a season.

LIFETIME relationships teach you lifetime lessons; those things you must build upon in order to have a solid emotional foundation. Your job is to accept the lesson, love the person/people (anyway); and put what you have learned to use in all other relationships and areas of your life. It is said that love is blind but friendship is clairvoyant.


Author Unknown 


Jai Sai Ram~~~
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: ANKITA on December 13, 2007, 02:23:31 AM
Wait For The Brick

A young and successful executive was traveling down a neighborhood street, going a bit too fast in his new Jaguar. He was watching for kids darting out from between parked cars and slowed down when he thought he saw something. As his car passed, no children appeared. Instead, a brick smashed into the Jag's side door! He slammed on the brakes and drove the Jag back to the spot where the brick had been thrown. The angry driver then jumped out of the car, grabbed the nearest kid and pushed him up against a parked car, shouting, "What was that all about and who are you?
Just what the heck are you doing?
That's a new car and that brick you threw is going to cost a lot of money.
Why did you do it?"
The young boy was apologetic. "Please mister ... please, I'm sorry... I didn't know what else to do," he pleaded.
"I threw the brick because no one else would stop..."
With tears dripping down his face and off his chin, the youth pointed to a spot just around a parked car.
"It's my brother," he said.
"He rolled off the curb and fell out of his wheelchair and I can't lift him up."
Now sobbing, the boy asked the stunned executive, "Would you please help me get him back into his wheelchair? He's hurt and he's too heavy for me."
Moved beyond words, the driver tried to swallow the rapidly swelling lump in his throat. He hurriedly lifted the handicapped boy back into the wheelchair, then took out his fancy handkerchief and dabbed at the fresh scrapes and cuts. A quick look told him everything was going to be okay.
"Thank you and may God bless you," the grateful child told the stranger.
Too shook up for words, the man simply watched the little boy push his wheelchair-bound brother down the sidewalk toward their home. It was a long, slow walk back to the Jaguar. The damage was very noticeable, but the driver never bothered to repair the dented side door. He kept the dent there to remind him of this message: Don't go through life so fast that someone has to throw a brick at you to get your attention!
God whispers in our souls and speaks to our hearts. Sometimes when we don't have time to listen, He has to throw a brick at us.
It's our choice: Listen to the whisper ... or wait for the brick! 
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on December 13, 2007, 03:43:27 AM
The Prophet  

The Prophet is a unique book by Kahlil Gibran. In it a person asks, "Speak to us of love." And the hero of this book, Al Mustafa, says, "Love each other but do not possess each other. Be near each other but not too near. You should be like the pillars of a temple which hold the same roof and yet remain far from each other. If the pillars of the temple come nearer, then the roof will fall down. Keep a little distance from the lover so that there can be some free space between the two. If this empty space is absolutely lost then you will be trespassing on each other, attacking each other."

But all these things are written in books. In real life we take away all the freedom from the person we love because we are afraid that his love may turn somewhere else: somebody else may become the possessor of the love which I have. We are always afraid of losing whatever we have. If we have money, then we are afraid of losing money. If we have love, then we are afraid of losing love. Because of this fear, freedom becomes impossible.

The flower of freedom blossoms only in a state of fearlessness. The only yearning one has is for freedom. Everyone's inner search is for liberation.

Wherever you get this freedom, you will be overjoyed. You will become sad whenever you feel the bondage. If you are sad then the reason is very clear: you wanted freedom but got chains.

You wanted the sky but got a prison, you wanted wings for flying but even the feet were cut off, you wanted ultimate freedom and you staked and lost everything you had for it. There is no chance of getting what you hoped for. That is why you are sad.

The meaning of the word god can only be moksha. That is why the great enlightened people have not used the word god. Mahavira talks about moksha and not about God, because there are many illusions with the word god and even the word has created prisons. Buddha also talks about nirvana and not about God, because even the word god has created new bondages -- of being a Hindu, a Muslim or a Christian. A Hindu is tied down to being a Hindu, a Mohammedan is tied down to being a Mohammedan. Somebody is tied to a temple and somebody is tied to a mosque.

Religion is the ultimate freedom. That is why there cannot be any temple or mosque of religion. The day you become really religious you will see the divine in the temple as well as in the mosque. Then sometimes you will pray in the temple and sometimes in the mosque. Actually, there will be no need for you to go to the temple or the mosque; you will be able to see the divine in your own house, you will see him everywhere.
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on December 13, 2007, 08:45:50 AM
NIRVANA.  

A great astrologer saw Buddha. He could not believe his eyes -- that body, that golden aura around the body, those beautiful eyes, as silent as any lake can be, and as deep and as pure as any lake can be, that crystal-clarity, that walking grace. He fell at Buddha's feet and he said, "I have studied astrology, palmistry. My whole life I have been studying types of men, but I have never come across a man like you! To what type do you belong? Are you a god who has descended on the earth? -- because you don't seem to belong to this earth.

I can't see any heaviness in you. You are absolutely light, weightless. I am wondering how you are walking on the earth, because I don't see any gravitation functioning on you. Are you a god who has descended from heaven just to have a look at what is happening on the earth? a messenger from God? a prophet? Who are you?"

And Buddha said, "I am not a god."

The astrologer asked, "Then are you what in Indian mythology is called a YAKSHA?" -- a little bit lower than the gods.

And Buddha said, "No, I am not a YAKSHA either."

"Then who are you? What kind of man, what category to put you in?"

And Buddha said, "I am not a man or a woman."

Now the astrologer was very much puzzled, and he said, "What do you mean? Do you mean you are an animal, an animal spirit, or the spirit of a tree, or the spirit of a mountain or the spirit of a river?" -- because Indian mythology is pantheistic, it believes in all kinds of spirits. "So who are you, the spirit of a rosebush? You look so beautiful, so innocent."

And Buddha said, "No, I am not an animal, nor the spirit of a tree, nor the spirit of a mountain."
"Then who are you?" The astrologer was puzzled very much.

And Buddha said, "I am awareness and nothing else. You cannot categorize me, because all categories are applicable to dreams."

Somebody is dreaming he is a man, somebody else is dreaming she is a woman, and so on and so forth.

Categories belong to the world of dreams. When one becomes awakened one is simply that principle of awakenedness, awareness. One is just a witness and nothing else, a pure witness. All clouds have disappeared: the cloud of a man or a woman, animal, god, trees -- all clouds, all forms have disappeared. One is just a formless awareness, the pure sky, endless, infinite, vast. This awareness is empty of clouds but full of the sky. This is positive emptiness, this is NIRVANA.
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on December 14, 2007, 08:24:08 AM
Lost Treasure

There is a beautiful story about one of the most significant women who has ever lived -- Rabiya al-Adabiya. One evening, as the sun was just setting... she was very old, perhaps ninety years. And she was searching outside on the street for something she had lost.

A young man saw her, and just out of compassion for the old woman -- he was a stranger to the village, he had no idea who she was -- he just asked: "What are you searching for? Can I be of any help? You are very old, the sun has set, and it is becoming darker; it will be impossible for you to find it. Just tell me; I am not engaged in any other work, I can help you."

Rabiya laughed. She said to him, "Thank you for your kindness, stranger."

He said, "Why do you call me stranger?"

She said, "Because nobody of this village would have come to help me; they think I am mad. And perhaps they are right. But I have lost my needle."

The young man said, "Such a small thing like a needle, with your so-ancient eyes, in the darkening evening, how can you hope? -- just tell me exactly where it has fallen. Perhaps -- because the road is big -- if you show me the exact spot, I may still be able to find it."

Rabiya said, "It would have been better if you had not asked that question, because I have not lost it on the road. I have lost it inside my house, but there is too much darkness. I am a poor woman, I don't even have a lamp. Thinking that inside there is so much darkness, finding the needle would be impossible, I was searching outside because there was a little sunlight at the time that I started the search."

The young man said, "Then perhaps your village people are right. You have lost your needle inside the house, and you are searching for it outside! But your madness has a method in it, you have a certain rationality. The reason is, because inside the house there is so much darkness, finding it would be impossible. And outside there is a little light yet, perhaps there is some possibility. But if you have not lost it there, the light will not help."

Rabiya said, "But this is what everybody else in the world is doing, and nobody calls them mad.

They have all lost their treasures within themselves and they are all searching for them outside, because outside there is more light. Because all the senses open outside, it is easier to search there."
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on December 26, 2007, 04:42:31 AM
Empty handed you come....Empty handed you go."  

There is very instructive incident involving the life of Alexander, the great Greek king.
 
Alexander, after conquering many kingdoms, was returning home. On the way, he fell ill and it took him to his death bed. With death staring him in his face, Alexander realized how his conquests, his great army, his sharp sword and all his wealth were of no consequence.
 
He now longed to reach home to see his mother's face and bid her his last adieu. But, he had to accept the fact that his sinking health would not permit Him to reach his distant homeland. So,
The mighty conqueror lay prostrate and pale, helplessly waiting to breathe his last. He called his generals and said, "I will depart from this world soon,
 
I have three wishes, please carry them out without fail." With tears flowing down Their cheeks, the generals agreed to abide by their king's last wishes.
 
" My first desire is that," said Alexander, " My physicians alone must carry my coffin." After a pause, he continued, " Secondly,  I desire that when my coffin is being carried to the grave, the path leading to the graveyard be strewn with gold, silver and precious stones which I have collected in my treasury. 
 
" The king felt exhausted after saying this. He took a minute's rest and continued. "My third and last wish is that both my hands be kept dangling out of my coffin ." 
 
The people who had gathered there wondered at the king's strange wishes. But no one dare bring the question to their lips. Alexander's favorite general kissed his hand and pressed them to his heart. " O king, we assure you that your wishes will all be fulfilled. 
 
But tell us why do you make such strange wishes?"
 
At this Alexander took a deep breath and said: " I would like the world to know of the three lessons I have just learnt. I want my physicians to carry my coffin because people should realize that no doctor can really cure any body .
 
They are powerless and cannot save a person from the clutches of death. So let not people take life for granted. 
 
The second wish of strewing gold, silver and other riches on the way to the graveyard is to tell
 
People that not even a fraction of gold will come with me. I spent all my life earning riches but cannot take anything with me. Let people realize that it is a sheer waste of time to chase wealth.
 
And about my third wish of having my hands dangling out of the coffin, I wish people to know that I came empty handed into this world and empty handed I go out of this world ."

With these words, the king closed his eyes. Soon he let death conquer him and breathed his last. . . . .
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on January 01, 2008, 10:27:48 PM
You are just a guest....  

The ancient story is that a great emperor, being afraid of death, created a palace with a single door. No other doors, no other windows, no way of entering into the palace except from one small door where he had placed a complete row of guards. Guard number one was to be guarded by number two, and guard number two was guarded by number three, and guard number three was guarded by number four.

.. seven guards watching each other! More protection is not possible.
 
A neighboring king heard about it, and he wanted to see this most secure palace. He was welcomed. The owner of the palace took him in, showed him all the facilities inside, that there was no way for any enemy, for any thief, for any killer to enter.

The king was very much impressed. He said, "I will immediately order the same. Just give me the names of the architects, to make the same palace for me in my kingdom."

Talking with each other, they came out to where the chariot of the king was waiting. And when he said, "I'm going to make exactly the same palace. I loved it, the very idea. It is so safe and secure..." a beggar by the side of the road started laughing madly.

Both were stunned. For a moment there was silence.

They both asked the beggar, "Why are you laughing?"

He said, "I'm laughing because there is a loophole in all this, and I know the loophole. I have been sitting in this place for years, begging, so I have been watching the building of the palace."

The emperor asked, "What is the loophole?"

He said, "That one door!"

The emperor laughed. He said, "I have placed seven guards on it. They are guarding on each other, nobody can betray. What is the fear?"

The beggar said, "With due respect, I want to tell you that death will enter and your guards will not be able to see it.

And death is the only insecurity. What else? Do you have any protection against death?"

The emperor was at a loss.

The beggar said, "My suggestion is that if you want really to be secure, tell your builders to raise a wall in place of that door! I still cannot guarantee that death will not enter -- but at least you have made as much effort as possible; close the door and be inside."

The emperor said, "But that means I'm already dead! It becomes a grave, not a palace, if I cannot come out."

The beggar said, "If you think just by closing one door your life will be finished, don't you think that by closing other doors, parts of your life are finished? By closing the windows, other parts of your life are finished? You are going to live at the minimum, while the maximum was available."

Both the kings were surprised to see the intelligence of the beggar. They came close to him and they asked him, "From where have you come?"

He said, "You will not understand. Your fathers were my friends. Once I also used to be an emperor. But seeing the whole unnecessary trouble, I made myself completely secure -- I dropped all walls, all worries, opened all windows. Now for almost half a century nobody has harmed me. I'm just a beggar -- why should anyone harm me? I have nothing to be stolen. I sleep as I have never slept before."

If you really want to be living at the maximum, don't listen to the duality of the mind.

The only security in existence is going beyond the mind.

The beggar was a great Taoist master. His name was Lieh Tzu. But people had forgotten that fifty years before he had dropped his kingdom.

He said, "The only security I have found is in being silent, in being myself, where all duality disappears. Where you and the universe are one, then death cannot do anything."

You have disappeared on your own accord; now there is no way to harm you. There is nobody to harm you. The body is not you, the mind is not you. You are just a guest in a house. Don't get identified with the house, just remember the guest.
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: tana on January 02, 2008, 04:39:17 AM
Om Sai Ram~~~

WE LIVE BY FAITH~~~

A man's daughter had asked the local minister to come and pray with her father. When the minister arrived, he found the man lying in bed with his head propped up on two pillows. An empty chair sat beside his bed.

The minister assumed that the old fellow had been informed of his visit. "I guess you were expecting me," he said. "No, who are you?" said the father. "I'm the new minister at your church," he replied. "When I saw the empty chair, I figured you knew I was going to show up." "Oh yeah, the chair," said the bedridden man. "Would you mind closing the door?"

Puzzled, the minister shut the door. "I have never told anyone this, not even my daughter," said the man. "But all of my life I have never known how to pray. At church I used to hear the pastor talk about prayer, but it went right over my head." "I abandoned any attempt at prayer," the old man continued, "until one day about four years ago my best friend said to me, "Joe, prayer is just a simple matter of having a conversation with Jesus. Here is what I suggest. Sit down in a chair; place an empty chair in front of you, and in faith see Jesus on the chair. It's not spooky because he promised, "I'll be with you always." Then just speak to him in the same way you're doing with me right now."

So, I tried it and I've liked it so much that I do it a couple of hours every day. I'm careful though. If my daughter saw me talking to an empty chair, she'd either have a nervous breakdown or send me off to the funny farm."

The minister was deeply moved by the story and encouraged the old man to continue on the journey. Then he prayed with him, anointed him with oil, and returned to the church. Two nights later the daughter called to tell the minister that her daddy had died that afternoon.

"Did he die in peace?" he asked. "Yes, when I left the house about two o' clock, he called me over to his bedside, told me he loved me and kissed me on the cheek. When I got back from the store an hour later, I found him dead. But there was something strange about his death. Apparently, just before Daddy died, he leaned over and rested his head on the chair beside the bed. What do you make of that?" The minister wiped a tear from his eye and said, "I wish we could all go like that."

We live by faith, not by sight~~~
 

Jai Sai Ram~~~
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: ANKITA on January 03, 2008, 12:54:08 AM
EXISTENCE is a FACT. LIVING is an ART

A group of alumni, highly established in their careers, got together to visit their old university professor. Conversation soon turned into complaints about stress in work and life.

Offering his guests coffee, the professor went to the kitchen and returned with a large pot of coffee and an assortment of cups - porcelain, plastic, glass, crystal, some plain looking, some expensive, some exquisite - telling them to help themselves to the coffee.

When all the students had a cup of coffee in hand, the professor said: "If you noticed, all the nice looking expensive cups were taken up, leaving behind the plain and cheap ones. While it is normal for you to want only the best for yourselves, that is the source of your problems and stress. Be assured that the cup itself adds no quality to the coffee. In most cases it is just more expensive and in some cases even hides what we drink. What all of you really wanted was coffee, not the cup, but you consciously went for the best cups... And then you began eyeing each other's cups.

Now consider this: Life is the coffee; the jobs, money and position in society are the cups. They are just tools to hold and contain Life, and the type of cup we have does not define, nor change the quality of life we live.

Sometimes, by concentrating only on the cup, we fail to enjoy the coffee."
"The happiest people don't have the best of everything. They just make the best of everything."
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on January 04, 2008, 07:14:57 AM
Emptiness is good!  

There is a very famous sufi story about a great king who was dying. He had three sons and all were very wise and he was very worried about whom to choose to be his successor. They were all the same age so age could not be the deciding factor, and they were all beautiful, all healthy and all intelligent. It was almost impossible to decide so he asked a very old aged man, his old advisor, what to do. The old advisor said, 'I will do a sort of a test.'

He called all the three boys and gave to each a palace and a certain amount of money, a very small amount of money, and told them, 'With this amount of money you have to fill your palace completely; it should not be empty.' It was difficult. The palaces were very big and the money was only a very small amount.

The first young man thought and thought and brooded. It was impossible to fill that empty palace with such a small amount of money! He could not get any furniture; even curtains were not possible. Paintings, chandeliers, impossible; so what to do? He could only think of one thing -- that rubbish could be used with that amount of money.

So he filled the whole palace with rubbish, because the man had not said with what to fill it but just that it should be full. So he said, 'Perfectly logical.'

The second boy thought very much but could not find a way. Up to the last moment he thought and contemplated but it was impossible. He was not ready to fill it with rubbish and there was no other thing that could be purchased with that amount of money, so the palace remained empty.

The third boy purchased a few small earthen lamps, incense, a few flowers. He burned the incense and the whole palace was full of the perfume. And he burned those small earthen, very cheap lamps and the whole house was full of light. And when the king came to see all the three palaces, there was just a small garland for him and a few flowers, that was all.

They rejected the first house because the condition was fulfilled -- the man had filled his house -- but with rubbish. The second was a failure because the house was empty and full of darkness because the boy had not been able to decide what to do. The third was chosen as the successor because with such a small amount of money he managed to fill the house -- and not only to fill it; it was overfull, flowing. Light was going outside on the road and the perfume was going with the winds.
 
Your house right now is like the second boy's palace -- empty. It was like the first boy's palace before, but now the junk, the rubbish has been thrown out.

It is like the second man's house.
 
Wait! Just the fragrance of love and the light of meditation will do. Your palace will become full again, and full with something which is tremendously valuable -- and of course, it costs nothing.

So don't be worried. Things are going perfectly well. Just meditate more and love more. Emptiness is good!
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: tana on January 05, 2008, 05:33:58 AM
Om Sai Ram~~~

Only A Needle~~~

There was an old merchant. He was as much a miser as he was rich.His only mission in life seemed to be hoarding money.

One morning he saw a mendicant approaching him. at once he came forward with his usual plea : " I have nothing to give you now. Come later.."

"I have not come here to take anything from you, but to give you this Needle, Please keep this and return it to me when you are born again.".. said the mendicant.

The merchant laughed and said, " Are you Mad? How can I carry your Needle to my next birth?"

"No!!" exclaimed the mendicant. "I thought that you must be knowing some secret of carrying things to your next birth. Otherwise how do you justify devoting all your time to hoarding money knowing that you are already old and when you die you cannotcarry your things with you?.."

The mendicant sighed and went away. The merchant stood thoughtful for long. His conduct changed.He began spending his money for good causes...


Jai Sai Ram~~~
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: rajiv uppal on January 06, 2008, 10:00:11 AM
The Making Of A Mother

By the time the Lord made mothers, He was into the sixth day working overtime. An Angel appeared and said "Why are you spending so much time on this one?"

And the Lord answered and said, "Have you read the spec sheet on her? She has to be completely washable, but not elastic; have 200 movable parts, all replaceable; run on black coffee and leftovers; have a lap that can hold three children at one time and that disappears when she stands up; have a kiss that can cure anything from a scraped knee to a broken heart; and have six pairs of hands."

The Angel was astounded at the requirements for this one. "Six pairs of hands! No way!" said the Angel.

The Lord replied, "Oh, it's not the hands that are the problem. It's the three pairs of eyes that mothers must have!"

"And that's on the standard model?" the Angel asked.

The Lord nodded in agreement, "Yep, one pair of eyes are to see through the closed door as she asks her children what they are doing even though she already knows. Another pair in the back of her head are to see what she needs to know even though no one thinks she can. And the third pair are here in the front of her head. They are for looking at an errant child and saying that she understands and loves him or her without even saying a single word."

The Angel tried to stop the Lord "This is too much work for one day. Wait until tomorrow to finish."

"But I can't!" The Lord protested, "I am so close to finishing this creation that is so close to my own heart. She already heals herself when she is sick AND can feed a family of six on a pound of hamburger and can get a nine year old to stand in the shower."

The Angel moved closer and touched the woman, "But you have made her so soft, Lord."

"She is soft," the Lord agreed, "but I have also made her tough. You have no idea what she can endure or accomplish."

"Will she be able to think?" asked the Angel.

The Lord replied, "Not only will she be able to think, she will be able to reason, and negotiate."

The Angel then noticed something and reached out and touched the woman's cheek. "Oops, it looks like You have a leak with this model. I told You that You were trying to put too much into this one."

"That's not a leak." the Lord objected. "That's a tear!"

"What's the tear for?" the Angel asked.

The Lord said, "The tear is her way of expressing her joy, her sorrow, her disappointment, her pain, her loneliness, her grief, and her pride."

The Angel was impressed. "You are a genius, Lord. You thought of everything for this one. You even created the tear!"

The Lord looked at the Angel and smiled and said, "I'm afraid you are wrong again. I created the woman, but she created the tear!"
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: rajiv uppal on January 10, 2008, 06:59:48 AM
Love and Time


Once upon a time, there was an island where all the feelings lived: Happiness, Sadness, Knowledge, and all of the others, including Love. One day it was announced to the feelings that the island would sink, so all constructed boats and left. Except for Love.

Love was the only one who stayed. Love wanted to hold out until the last possible moment.

When the island had almost sunk, Love decided to ask for help.

Richness was passing by Love in a grand boat.

Love said, "Richness, can you take me with you?"

Richness answered, "No, I can't. There is a lot of gold and silver in my boat. There is no place here for you."

Love decided to ask Vanity who was also passing by in a beautiful vessel. "Vanity, please help me!"

"I can't help you, Love. You are all wet and might damage my boat," Vanity answered.

Sadness was close by so Love asked, "Sadness, let me go with you."

"Oh . . . Love, I am so sad that I need to be by myself!"

Happiness passed by Love, too, but she was so happy that she did not even hear when Love called her.

Suddenly, there was a voice, "Come, Love, I will take you." It was an elder.

So blessed and overjoyed, Love even forgot to ask the elder where they were going. When they arrived at dry land, the elder went her own way. Realizing how much was owed the elder,

Love asked Knowledge, another elder, "Who Helped me?"

"It was Time," Knowledge answered.

"Time?" asked Love. "But why did Time help me?"

Knowledge smiled with deep wisdom and answered, "Because only Time is capable of understanding how valuable Love is."


 
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on January 12, 2008, 05:53:44 AM
All is hidden in that one seed....A bit lengthy...but must read till end

There is a story in the Mahabharata that Dronacharya thought that the boy Yudhishthira was the most intelligent of all the Pandavas and Kauravas, but after a few days' experience it seemed that he was quite dull. The other children were learning new lessons every day and were making rapid progress, but Yudhishthira was stuck on the first lesson. In the end Drona's patience also became exhausted so he asked him, "How long are you going to take to learn the first lesson? Aren't you going forwards?"

Yudhishthira replied, "What is the sense in learning the second lesson while the first lesson is not understood?"

The first lesson was regarding truth. The other children had read it, memorized it and had proceeded to the second lesson.

But Yudhishthira said, "Until I start speaking the truth, how can I go to the second lesson? Please do not hurry me."

Then Drona understood! Looking at Yudhishthira's mental condition Drona understood for the first time that there can be no other lesson after truth. Then he told Yudhishthira, "There is no need for you to hurry up. By learning, by understanding this first lesson, you will understand, you will know all the lessons. Just reading the lessons is one thing and living the lesson is an entirely different thing."

At the end of the story, when all the Pandava brothers were climbing up to heaven, one by one they began falling down. Only Yudhishthira and his dog -- who was truth -- arrived at the gate of heaven. The truth reached heaven and the one who accompanied the truth reached heaven. It was his dog who had always lived with him and was of great integrity. Even his brothers did not have that much integrity, they fell on the way.

But the dog had never doubted, his faith was unlimited. All his life he had obeyed Yudhishthira. Even Yudhishthira was surprised to see that all his brothers had fallen down and only this dog could reach the gate of heaven with him. The door opened and Yudhishthira was welcomed, but the gatekeeper said, "Only you can come in, the dog cannot come in. No dog has ever entered heaven before this. Even human beings come here with great difficulty."

On hearing this Yudhishthira said, "Then I too cannot come in. This dog who was with me all my life, who has come all the way to the gates of heaven where even my brothers could not come, who has so much faith in me -- I cannot forsake him at any cost, otherwise I would consider myself worse than a dog! I am not going to leave him. Please close the door."

Then the whole of heaven laughed happily. All the gods gathered there and requested him to come in. Then Yudhishthira noticed that the dog was not a dog, it was Lord Krishna himself. It was his test! If at that time Yudhishthira had forsaken the dog and had entered the gate without him, then he would have missed heaven. That was the test of his love, of his faith, of his integrity. Yudhishthira learnt only one lesson -- truth; that was enough to take him to heaven. Arjuna took a long time to learn it. Krishna spoke the whole of the Gita but even then Arjuna went on doubting. Yudhishthira learnt only one small lesson in his life and that was the lesson of truth. Even the teacher had doubted his intelligence because he was stuck on the first lesson, but he soon realized that there is no other lesson after the first one.

Whoever has learnt one lesson has learnt all. Do not try to learn everything, otherwise you will miss -- a little, A LITTLE OF THE GITA. If there is a little awareness of the divine, if you have heard even a little of the song of the divine, if your ears have heard even a part of that song, if even one word has gone to your heart, then that will become the seed.

It will sprout and become a tree, and you will be filled up with unlimited fragrance. All is hidden in that one seed.
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: ANKITA on January 14, 2008, 02:09:35 AM

A Mother's Sacrifice:

A Very Heart Touching and Inspirational  Story!...........

My mom only had one eye. I hated her... she was such an embarrassment. My mom ran a small shop at a flea market. She collected little weeds and such to sell... anything for the money we needed she was such an embarrassment. There was this one day during elementary school.
I remember that it was field day, and my mom came. I was so embarrassed.
How could she do this to me? I threw her a hateful look and ran out. The next day at school..."Your mom only has one eye?!" and they taunted me.
 
I wished that my mom would just disappear from this world so I said to my mom, "Mom, why don't you have the other eye?! You're only going to make me a laughing stock. Why don't you just die?" My mom did not respond. I guess I felt a little bad, but at the same time, it felt good to think that I had said what I'd wanted to say all this time.
 
May be it was because my mom hadn't punished me, but I didn't think that I had hurt her feelings very badly.
 
That night...I woke up, and went to the kitchen to get a glass of water. My mom was crying there, so quietly, as if she was afraid that she might wake me. I took a look at her, and then turned away. Because of the thing I had said to her earlier, there was something pinching at me in the corner of my heart. Even so, I hated my mother who was crying out of her one eye. So I told myself that I would grow up and become successful, because I hated my one-eyed mom and our desperate poverty.
 
Then I studied really hard. I left my mother and came to Seoul and studied, and got accepted in the Seoul University with all the confidence I had. Then, I got married. I bought a house of my own. Then I had kids, too. Now I'm living happily as a successful man. I like it here because it's a place that doesn't remind me of my mom.
 
This happiness was getting bigger and bigger, when someone unexpected came to see me "What?! Who's this?!" ...It was my mother...Still with her one eye. It felt as if the whole sky was falling apart on me. My little girl ran away, scared of my mom's eye.
 
And I asked her, "Who are you? I don't know you!!!" as if I tried to make that real. I screamed at her "How dare you come to my house and scare my daughter! GET OUT OF HERE! NOW!!!" And to this, my mother quietly answered, "oh, I'm so sorry. I may have gotten the wrong address," and she disappeared. Thank good ness... she doesn't recognize me. I was quite relieved. I told myself that I wasn't going to care, or think about this for the rest of my life.
 
Then a wave of relief came upon me...one day, a letter regarding a school reunion came to my house. I lied to my wife saying that I was going on a business trip. After the reunion, I went down to the old shack, that I used to call a house...just out of curiosity there, I found my mother fallen on the cold ground. But I did not shed a single tear. She had a piece of paper in her hand.... it was a letter to me.
 
She wrote:
My son...
I think my life has been long enough now. And... I won't visit Seoul anymore... but would it be too much to ask if I wanted you to come visit me once in a while? I miss you so much. And I was so glad when I heard you were coming for the reunion. But I decided not to go to the school.... For you... I'm sorry that I only have one eye, and I was an embarrassment for you.
 
You see, when you were very little, you got into an accident, and lost your eye. As a mother, I couldn't stand watching you having to grow up with only one eye... so I gave you mine...I was so proud of my son that was seeing a whole new world for me, in my place, with that eye. I was never upset at you for anything you did. The couple times that you were angry with me. I thought to myself, 'it's because he loves me.' I miss the times when you were still young around me.
 
I miss you so much. I love you. You mean the world to me.
 
My world shattered!!!
 
Then I cried for the person who lived for me... My Mother
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: tana on January 15, 2008, 01:11:01 AM
Om Sai Ram~~~

Don't Change the World - NOT MINE~~~
 
Once upon a time, there was a king who ruled a prosperous country. One day,
he went for a trip to some distant areas of his country. When he was back to
his palace, he complained that his feet were very painful, because it was the first time that he went for such a long trip, and the road that he went through was very rough and stony. He then ordered his people to cover every
road of the entire country with leather. Definitely, this would need thousands of cows' skin, and would cost a huge amount of money.

Then one of his wise servant dared himself to tell the king, "Why do you have to spend that unnecessary amount of money ? Why don't you just cut a little piece of leather to cover your feet ?"

The king was surprised, but he later agreed to his suggestion, to make a
"shoe" for himself.

There is actually a valuable lesson of life in this story : to make this world a happy place to live, you better change yourself - your heart; and not the world . . .

Jai Sai Ram~~~
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on January 21, 2008, 08:07:00 AM
UNDERSTANDING....

A great jeweller died. He had left many valuable stones to his wife, and she was in troubles so she called another jeweller, a friend of her late husband, to sell these stones.

He looked into the stones and he said: Keep them. Right now the market is not running well, and they will not fetch much.

Keep them, whenever I see that the right time has come we will sell them. But, send your son to my shop every day so that I can teach him the art.
 
Years passed. And then the woman again said: Those stones are lying there, and we are poor and we are in difficulty, now sell them. The jeweller said: I will come today.

The jeweller came. He brought the woman's son who had been learning the art of jewellery with him and he told the boy: Now bring those stones. The boy opened the box, looked at the stones. They were useless. The boy laughed, went out, threw the whole box into the road.

The mother started crying: What are you doing? The boy said: They are all useless. They are not valuable at all, not even semi-precious.

But for years the woman had been keeping them as a great treasure, protecting them, so she asked the friend of her dead husband: Why didn't you say this before? He said: Then you may not have believed me. They were useless, but you may not have believed me because that would have been just a knowledge to you. It would have been difficult to trust me. Hence I asked your son to be trained. Now he knows. Now I am not in between.

Did the son wait for a single moment? Once he knew that they were ordinary stones he simply went out and threw them into the street. Not a single moment was lost. It was not a treasure -- finished!

The same happens in life.
 
If you understand a thing, you understand. You never ask, How to do it? The HOW comes only to a knowledgeable person, not to a man of understanding.  Be aware! And there is no HOW to it that understanding is enough unto itself. No effort is needed to practise it. If effort is needed it is not an understanding. And through effort no one reaches the truth, only through understanding.
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: tana on January 29, 2008, 10:18:14 PM
Om Sai Ram~~~

God has the answers~~~

The only survivor of a shipwreck was washed up on a small, uninhabited
island. He prayed feverishly for God to rescue him, and every day he scanned
the horizon for help, but none seemed forthcoming.

Exhausted, he eventually managed to build a little hut out of driftwood to
protect himself from the elements, and to store his few possessions.

But then one day, after scavenging for food, he arrived home to find his
little hut in flames, the smoke rolling up to the sky. The worst had
happened - everything was lost. He was stunned with grief and anger.

"God, how could you do this to me?" he cried.

Early the next day, however, he was awakened by the sound of a ship that was
approaching the island. It had come to rescue him.

"How did you know I was here?" asked the weary man of his rescuers.

"We saw your smoke signal," they replied.

It's easy to get discouraged sometimes when things appear to be going badly.
But we shouldn't lose heart, because God is at work in our lives, even in
the midst of pain and suffering. Remember, next time your little hut is
burning to the ground, it just may be a smoke signal that summons the grace
of God.

For all the negative things we have to say to ourselves, God has a positive answer for it.

Jai Sai Ram~~~

Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on February 01, 2008, 02:14:05 AM
The Power Of Devotion  


A man and his wife lived a simple, pious life. They were so poor that they had barely enough food or clothing. The man made both ends meet by begging and whatever he got the couple offered to God before consuming it themselves.
   
One morning, while reading the Bhagavad Gita, the man came across verse 9.22 where Lord Krishna says: “To those who always worship Me with exclusive devotion, constantly absorbed in thoughts of Me — to them I carry what they lack, and I preserve what they already have”.
   
Perplexed, he thought: “I am a singularly staunch devotee of the Lord and i have Him in my thoughts constantly. Yet He keeps us in abject poverty, giving us nothing. Moreover, why should He who is the creator and master of all the universes, personally carry a devotee’s necessities? I am sure the Lord could not have said these words; someone has interpreted them incorrectly”. So thinking, he struck off the words ‘vahaamy aham’ (i carry) with red ink. He now felt relieved.
   
As the husband set off to seek alms, his wife called out: “There is not a morsel to eat in the house. Get something and come home quickly”.
   
A while later the wife heard someone at the door. At the threshold stood a dark, handsome lad of some 12 years with a huge basket on his head. She could not take her eyes off the young boy, so strikingly attractive was he.
   
“Here, help me put down the basket, Maiya. Your husband has sent these for you”, he said. She lent a hand and as he bent down to put the basket on the floor, she noticed three ugly red gashes on his back, raw and bleeding, as if someone had just struck him with a whip. “Oh my God! What wretched man did this to you?” she burst out. “Maiya, it was your husband who whipped me because he doubted my willingness to deliver this basket to you”. “Wait here”, she said, “I will clean up your wounds”. But when she came back the boy was gone.
 
Soon the husband returned and was surprised to see his wife busy in the kitchen. “What are you cooking?” he asked, “You had said that you did not have anything to eat in the house”. “Why, you sent that huge basket full of fresh vegetables, fruits and grains, lentils and condiments enough to last us six months. But why did you beat the handsome young boy and inflicted three ugly red lash-wounds on his tender back?”
   
“I did not get any alms today, dear wife, so how could i have sent any foodstuffs to you? I never saw the young lad you speak of, so how could i have beaten him?”
   
Thoroughly bewildered by what his wife had said, the husband went into deep thought. He rushed to the Gita he had been reading that morning and opened it to verse 9.22. His heart missed a beat as his eyes focused on the verse. Gone were the three red lines that he had drawn across the words vahaamy aham. He was dumbfounded.

Slowly, tears flowing down his cheeks, he prostrated himself before the deity, “Hey Jagannatha! Forgive me. The wretch that i am; how could i have ever doubted Your words”. Then he turned to his wife: “It was He! How blessed you are to have had darshan of Bhagvan Himself ”.
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on February 07, 2008, 12:14:46 AM
Of Goodness, Intimacy And True Sharing  

A crow found a piece of meat. The moment it picked up the meat, the other crows and eagles began chasing it. The crow soared higher and higher to safeguard the meat. The others chased it relentlessly. Then, suddenly, the crow dropped the meat; the crows and eagles left the chase, and dived towards the meat that had fallen to the ground.
   
Now that the crow was free from its pursuers, it realised a great truth. “I lost the meat, but then, i have gained great freedom!” Similarly, if we drop our ego, our life will get released from tension. Just as the crow could fly at will in the vast sky, we too can soar in the beauty of life!
   
Vedas have four sections — Moksha Shastra, Artha Shastra, Kama Shastra and Dharma Shastra. The Moksha Shastra says: “Only when we drop our ego, do we realise the bliss that is within us!” The Artha Shastra advocates: “Earn money out of love; not out of greed”. Greed can never satisfy us. The Kama Shastra advocates: “Convert sex into prayer”. The Dharma Shastra says: “Let goodness, not ambition, be the foundation of life”. Out of goodness, let ambition arise.
   
Our parents, siblings, spouse and children deserve our love and care. But while we do not share everything with them, we confide freely with a few friends. Over a period of time, a feeling of intimacy develops.
   
To help intimacy grow in your marital relationship; treat your spouse as your friend. Let there be transparency in your words and deeds. Some declare with pride, “I do not discuss office matters at home!” The reason given by couples is, “If i share office matters with my spouse, it might not be understood. It might lead to confusion and worry”. This may be true to some extent. But it is not so difficult to overcome this simple hurdle, it is to prevent a wall rising between the two of you.
   
When you share your troubles, dreams or worries... what will a good friend do? He would just listen, letting you unburden yourself. He would create an atmosphere for meaningful sharing. Mother Teresa would say: “Don’t spend your time in judging others; then you will not have time to love them!”
   
It is absolutely essential that such an intimacy exists between husband and wife. It is worth looking at an advice provided in Christianity to nourish the intimacy between husband, wife and children. “The family that prays together stays together!”
   
In married life, you have to compromise on certain issues which you may not really like or enjoy. One should learn to accommodate the other’s likes and dislikes. Intimacy is bound to develop in the environment of such readiness to accommodate.
   
You receive as much as you give. One is more blessed in giving than in receiving. One should develop an attitude of giving in to the taste and interest of the spouse on less important issues.
   
You have to learn to like what you dislike too and even dislike what you like; so that you are above likes and dislikes. Then you will have likes and dislikes, instead of likes and dislikes having you! This is true mastery. Be a master of likes and dislikes.
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: fatima on February 15, 2008, 05:19:21 AM
A Lobhi cannot get sat-gati

Long time ago, there used to be a Sanyaasi. He was a great Gnyaani. Many used to respect him and many used to come and get Divya-Upadeshams from him. He was a well known Aadhyaatmavetta. He had many shishyas. He did uddharana of many. Even Kings and Mantris used to come to him, have his darshanam and get Gnyaanopadeshams from him.

The Sanyaasi became very old. Since he was a Gyaani, he came to know soon he has to leave his Bhoutika Shariiram. Hence he was doing Bhagavat-naama-smaranam and waiting for Mrutyudevata.
Knowing this, many many from all parts of the country came there to get the last darshanam of the Sanyaasi. True Bhaktas came to have Darshanam of the Sanyaasi and get some Upadesham if possible. However some came expecting to get some shakti or some materialistic benefit from the Sanyaasi. One of them was a Sampanna (rich fellow). He was a lobhi (miser), Kruuraatma, Muurkha. Hoping to get some more wealth he came to have the Darshanam of the Sanyaasi.

The Sanyaasi, who didnt want to meet anybody, seeing this Parama-lobhi, called him. As soon as the Sanyaasi called him, though many many were waiting, the Lobhi got Garvam. He looked at others with an expression like “see how great I am. The Sanyaasi called me only”.

The Lobhi wanted to ask the Sanyaasi why he chose him only to come in. Repeatedly he kept on asking this. Then Sanyaasi replied “I and these people waiting outside, some or the other time, have chance to meet again in some Uurdhva-lokas. Whereas a Lobhi can never get sat-gati. So I can never meet you. Thus I wanted to do some Hitopadesham to you now only”.
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: fatima on February 16, 2008, 04:16:18 AM
Creation Story

The Creator gathered all of Creation and said,

"I want to hide something from the humans until they are ready for it. It is the realization that they create their own reality."

The eagle said, "Give it to me, I will take it to the moon."

The Creator said, "No. One day they will go there and find it."

The salmon said, "I will bury it on the bottom of the ocean."

"No. They will go there too."

The buffalo said, "I will bury it on the Great Plains."

The Creator said, "They will cut into the skin of the Earth and find it even there."

Grandmother Mole, who lives in the breast of Mother Earth, and who has no physical eyes but sees with spiritual eyes,

said, "Put it inside of them."

And the Creator said, "It is done."
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: fatima on February 16, 2008, 04:19:27 AM
A Chance to Start Over
Thomas Edison


It was a cold December night in West Orange, New Jersey. Thomas Edison's factory was humming with activity. Work was proceeding on a variety of fronts as the great inventor was trying to turn more of his dreams into practical realities. Edison's plant, made of concrete and steel, was deemed "fireproof". As you may have already guessed, it wasn't!

On that frigid night in 1914, the sky was lit up by a sensational blaze that had burst through the plant roof. Edison's 24-year-old son, Charles, made a frenzied search for his famous inventor-father. When he finally found him, he was watching the fire. His white hair was blowing in the wind. His face was illuminated by the leaping flames. "My heart ached for him," said Charles. "Here he was, 67 years old, and everything he had worked for was going up in flames. When he saw me, he shouted, 'Charles! Where's your mother?' When I told him I didn't know, he said, 'Find her! Bring her here! She'll never see anything like this as long as she lives.'"

Next morning, Mr. Edison looked at the ruins of his factory and said this of his loss: "There's value in disaster. All our mistakes are burned up. Thank God, we can start anew."

What a wonderful perspective on things that seem at first to be so disastrous. A business failure, divorce, personal dream gone sour . . . whether these things destroy an individual depends largely on the attitude he or she takes toward them. Sort out why it happened, and learn something from the blunders. Think of different approaches that can be taken.

Start over.
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on February 27, 2008, 08:11:52 AM
जय सांई राम।।।   

A wise woman who was traveling in the mountains found a precious stone in a stream.
 
The next day she met another traveler who was hungry, and the wise woman opened her bag to share her food. The hungry traveler saw the precious stone and asked the woman to give it to him.
 
She did so without hesitation.
 
The traveler left rejoicing in his good fortune. He knew the stone was worth enough to give him security for a lifetime. But, a few days later, he came back to return the stone to the wise woman.
 
"I've been thinking," he said.
 
"I know how valuable this stone is, but I give it back in the hope that you can give me something even more precious. Give me what you have within you that enabled you to give me this stone."
 
Sometimes it's not the wealth you have but what's inside you that others need.
 
अपना सांई प्यारा सांई सबसे न्यारा अपना सांई


ॐ सांई राम।।।
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: tana on February 27, 2008, 11:50:33 PM
Om Sai Ram~~~

I want to share nice true story by Mother Teresa. I am sure it can inspire everyone. "Let's be like lamps or candles to light people's life."

Remember the Small Things~~~

Some of my sisters work in Australia. On a reservation, among the Aborigines, there was an elderly man. I can assure you that you have never seen a situation as difficult as that poor old man's. He was completely ignored by everyone. His home was disordered and dirty.

I told him, "Please, let me clean your house, wash your clothes, and make your bed."

He answered, "I'm okay like this. Let it be."

I said again, "You will be still better if you allow me to do it."

He finally agreed. So I was able to clean his house and wash his clothes. I discovered a beautiful lamp, covered with dust. Only God knows how many years had passed since he last lit it.

I said to him, "Don't you light your lamp? Don't you ever use it?"

He answered, "No. No one comes to see me. I have no need to light it. Who would I light it for?"

I asked, "Would you light it every night if the sisters came?"

He replied, "Of course."

From that day on the sisters committed themselves to visiting him every evening. We cleaned the lamp and the sisters would light it every evening.

Two years passed. I had completely forgotten that man. He sent this message: "Tell my friend that the light she lit in my life continues to shine still."

I thought it was a very small thing. We often neglect small things. 

Jai Sai Ram~~~
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: fatima on February 29, 2008, 04:13:33 AM
Finding Buddha  

A monk set off on a long pilgrimage to find the Buddha. He devoted many years to his search until he finally reached the land where the Buddha was said to live. While crossing the river to this country, the monk looked around as the boatman rowed. He noticed something floating towards them. As it got closer, he realized that it was the corpse of a person. When it drifted so close that he could almost touch it, he suddenly recognized the dead body.

It was his own! He lost all control and wailed at the sight of himself, still and lifeless, drifting along the river's currents. That moment was the beginning of his liberation.  
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: fatima on March 01, 2008, 02:16:17 AM
Sharing Happiness

Two men, both seriously ill, occupied the same hospital room. One man was allowed to sit up in his bed for an hour each afternoon to help drain the fluid from his lungs. His bed was next to the room's only window. The other man had to spend all his time flat on his back. The men talked for hours on end. They spoke of their wives and families, their homes, their jobs, their involvement in the military service, where they had been on vacation.

Every afternoon when the man in the bed by the window could sit up, he would pass the time by describing to his roommate all the things he could see outside the window. The man in the other bed began to live for those one hour periods where his world would be broadened and enlivened by all the activity and color of the world outside.

The window overlooked a park with a lovely lake. Ducks and swans played on the water while children sailed their model boats. Young lovers walked arm in arm amidst flowers of every color and a fine view of the city skyline could be seen in the distance. As the man by the window described all this in exquisite detail, the man on the other side of the room would close his eyes and imagine the picturesque scene.

One warm afternoon the man by the window described a parade passing by. Although the other man couldn't hear the band - he could see it in his mind's eye as the gentleman by the window portrayed it with descriptive words.

Days and weeks passed.

One morning, the day nurse arrived to bring water for their baths, only to find the lifeless body of the man by the window, who had died peacefully in his sleep. She was saddened and called the hospital attendants to take the body away. As soon as it seemed appropriate, the other man asked if he could be moved next to the window. The nurse was happy to make the switch, and after making sure he was comfortable, she left him alone.

Slowly, painfully, he propped himself up on one elbow to take his first look at the real world outside. He strained to slowly turn to look out the window beside the bed. It faced a blank wall. The man asked the nurse what could have compelled his deceased roommate who had described such wonderful things outside this window. The nurse responded that the man was blind and could not even see the wall.

She said, "Perhaps he just wanted to encourage you
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: fatima on March 03, 2008, 04:34:57 AM
Life Explained  

A boat docked in a tiny Mexican village. An American tourist complimented the Mexican fisherman on the quality of his fish and asked how long it took him to catch them.

"Not very long," answered the Mexican.

"But then, why didn't you stay out longer and catch more?" asked the American.

The Mexican explained that his small catch was sufficient to meet his needs and those of his family.

The American asked, "But what do you do with the rest of your time?"

"I sleep late, fish a little, play with my children, and take a siesta with my wife. In the evenings, I go into the village to see my friends, have a few drinks, play the guitar, and sing a few songs. I have a full life."

The American interrupted, "I have an MBA from Harvard and I can help you! You should start by fishing longer every day. You can then sell the extra fish you catch. With the extra revenue, you can buy a bigger boat."

"And after that?" asked the Mexican.

"With the extra money the larger boat will bring, you can buy a second one and a third one and so on until you have an entire fleet of trawlers. Instead of selling your fish to a middle man, you can then negotiate directly with the processing plants and maybe even open your own plant. You can then leave this little village and move to Mexico City, Los Angeles, or even New York City! From there you can direct your huge new enterprise."

"How long would that take?" asked the Mexican.

"Twenty, perhaps twenty-five years," replied the American.

"And after that?"

"Afterwards? Well my friend, that's when it gets really interesting," answered the American, laughing. "When your business gets really big, you can start buying and selling stocks and make millions!"

"Millions? Really? And after that?" asked the Mexican.

"After that you'll be able to retire, live in a tiny village near the coast, sleep late, play with your children, catch a few fish, take a siesta with your wife and spend your evenings drinking and enjoying your friends."   
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: fatima on March 04, 2008, 01:23:10 AM
The Moon Cannot Be Stolen

Ryokan, a Zen master, lived the simplest kind of life in a little hut at the foot of a mountain. One evening a thief visited the hut only to discover there was nothing to steal.

Ryokan returned and caught him. "You have come a long way to visit me," he told the prowler, "and you should not return empty-handed. Please take my clothes as a gift."

The thief was bewildered. He took the clothes and slunk away.

Ryoken sat naked, watching the moon. "Poor fellow," he mused, "I wish I could have given him this beautiful moon."

 
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: fatima on March 05, 2008, 03:30:30 AM
Footsteps
Deep in his slumber, one night a man had a very real, yet surreal dream. He dreamt that he was walking along the beach with God. As he looked up at the sky, he saw all the scenes of his life flash by along with two sets of footprints: one set for himself, and another for God.

After all the scenes had flashed before him, he looked back at those footprints and noticed something quite disturbing: At the most difficult times in his life, he saw only one set of footprints.

This deeply troubled the man, so he turned and said to God: "You said that if I followed you, then you would always walk with me through thick and thin. In looking back, I see that during the most painful times there is only one set of footprints. Why did you leave me when I needed you the most?"

"I love you and would never leave. It was during those times when you suffered the most that I carried you." 
 
Though this was originally a religious parable, it is also one of great spiritual depth even for the non-religious. One need only replace "God" with any word they use, be it "Allah," "Universal Connectedness," "Consciousness," "Higher Self," or others, to see that we are not alone, and that there is an energy that is always looking out for the best interests of our spiritual evolution.
 
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: tana on March 11, 2008, 12:12:06 AM
Om Sai Ram~~~

Once upon a time, a very strong woodcutter asked for a job in a timber merchant, and he got it. The pay was really good and so were the work conditions.

 
For that reason, the woodcutter was determined to do his best. His boss gave him an axe and showed him the area where he was supposed to work. The first day, the woodcutter brought 18 trees.

 
"Congratulations, " the boss said. "Go on that way!" Very motivated for the boss' words, the woodcutter try harder the next day, but he only could bring 15 trees. The third day he try even harder, but he only could bring 10 trees. Day after day he was bringing less and less trees.

 
"I must be losing my strength", the woodcutter thought. He went to the boss and apologized, saying that he could not understand what was going on.

 
"When was the last time you sharpened your axe?" the boss asked. "Sharpen? I had no time to sharpen my axe. I have been very busy trying to cut trees...

 
I think you have already got the point from the above story. Many Jobseekers do the same mistake. Its not at all a hard thing to find various job requirements on internet but to get a job what exactly you have to do is Sharpening your axe. What does that mean? If you are a fresher instead of keep on applying for jobs first focus & improve your skills on Aptitude, Reasoning, GD, HR & puzzles etc.

If you are really good at above topics you need not worry about getting a good job.

My dear friends, today many people are rich in this world because  they are not rich in money from childhood but they are rich in Attitude. Attitude, that creates an altitude in your life.


It doesn't matter how much % you got in your previous degree or in which college you studied. It's all about focusing on your weaknesses by introspecting yourself. Turn your weaknesses into strengths. Winners don't do different things but they do things differently.

Finally to make a difference, to reach your goal what all we need is Burning Desire, Determination, Dedication, Positive attitude & commitment .

Jai Sai Ram~~~
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: tana on March 12, 2008, 11:37:21 PM
Om Sai Ram~~~

The Secret of Life~~~

One day, God and a sage are walking across a vast desert. The Sage turns to God and asks, "O Greatest Lord, what are the secret of this life and the appearances of this world?" God smiles and makes no reply. They continue on.

"Child," God finally says. "The sun is hot today, and I am thirsty. Ahead you will find a village. Go there and fetch me a cup of water."

Sage sets off. Arriving at the village, he approaches the first house he sees and knocks at the door. A beautiful young woman answers. The moment Sage looks into her eyes he forgets God's command, and the reason for his mission.

The woman ushers Sage into the house, where he is warmly welcomed by her family. It is as if everyone in this gentle household has been expecting him. Sage is asked to eat with the family, and then to stay the night. He gladly accepts, enjoying the family's warm hospitality, and secretly marveling at the young woman's loveliness.

A week goes by, then two. Sage decides to stay on, and he soon begins to share in the household chores. After the appropriate amount of time passes he asks for the woman's hand in marriage. The family has been expecting nothing less, it turns out. Everyone is overjoyed.


Sage and his young wife settle down in her family's house, where she soon bears him three children, two sons and a daughter.

Years pass. When his wife's mother and father pass away, Sage takes over as head of the household. He opens a small shop in the village and it prospers. Before long he is an honoured citizen of the community and a prominent member of the town council. Giving himself up to the age-old joys and sorrows of village life, Sage lives contentedly for many years.

Then one evening during the monsoon season a violent storm breaks over head, and the river rises so high from the sudden rains that the village begins to flood. Sage gathers his family and leads them through the dark night toward higher ground. But the winds blow so violently and the rain pelts down with such force that one of Sage's sons is washed away.

Sage reaches for the boy, and in so doing lets go of his second son. A moment later a gales wind tears his daughter from his arms. Then his beloved wife is washed away into the roaring darkness.

Sage wails helplessly and claws at the sky. But his cries are drowned by a towering wave that rises from the depths of the terrible night and washes him headlong into the river.

All goes black. Many hours pass; perhaps days. Slowly, painfully, Sage comes to his senses, only to discover that he has been washed onto a sandbank far down the river. It is daytime now, and the storm has passed. But there is no sign of his family anywhere, or, for that matter, of any living creature.

For a long time Sage remains lying on the sand almost mad with sorrow and abandonment. Bits of wreckage float past him in the river. The smell of death is on the wind.
Everything has been taken from him now; all things life-giving and precious have disappeared into the swirling waters. There is little to do, it seems, but weep.

Then, suddenly, Sage hears a voice behind him that makes the blood stop in his veins. "Child," the voice asks, "where is my cup of water?" Sage turns and sees God standing at his side. The river vanishes, and once again he and God are alone in the empty desert. "Where is my water?" God asks again. "I have been waiting for you to bring it now for several minutes."

Sage throws himself at his Lord's feet and begs for forgiveness. "I forgot!" Sage cries again and again.
"I forgot what you asked of me, Great Lord! Forgive me!"

God smiles and says, "Now do you understand the secret behind your life, and the appearances of this world?"

Jai Sai Ram~~~
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on March 17, 2008, 08:44:57 AM
If you want to live, live here and now.....

There is an old story. In the days of the Upanishads there was a great king, Yayati. His death came. He was a hundred years old. When death came he started crying and weeping. Death said, 'This doesn't suit you, a great emperor, a brave man. What are you doing? Why are you crying and weeping like a child? Why are you trembling like a leaf in a strong wind? What has happened to you?' Yayati said, 'You have come and I have not yet been able to live. Please give me a little more time so that I can live. I did many things, I fought in many wars. I accumulated much wealth, I have made a great kingdom. I have added much to my father's wealth but I have not lived. In fact, there was no time to live, and you came. No, this is unjust. You give me a little more time!' Death said, 'But I have to take somebody. Okay, make an arrangement. If one of your sons is ready to die for you, I will take him.'

Yayati had one hundred sons, thousands of wives. He asked, he called his sons. The older ones wouldn't listen. They had themselves become cunning and they were in the same trap. One, the eldest, was seventy. He said, 'But I have also not lived. What about me? At least you have lived a hundred years, I have lived only seventy. I should be given a little more of a chance.' The youngest, who was just sixteen or seventeen, came, touched his father's feet, and said, 'I am ready.' Even death felt com passion for this boy. Death knew that he was innocent, not versed in the ways of the world, did not know what he was doing. Death whispered in the ear of the boy, 'What are you doing? You fool! Look at your father. At the age of a hundred he is not ready to die, and you are just seventeen! You have not even touched life.' The boy said, 'The life is finished! Because my father at the age of a hundred feels still that he has not been able to live, so what is the point? Even if I live a hundred years, it is going to be the same. It is better to let him live my life. If he cannot live in a hundred years, then the whole thing is pointless.'

The son died and the father lived a hundred years more. Again death knocked and again he started crying and weeping. He said, 'I completely forgot. I was again increasing wealth, expanding the kingdom, and the hundred years have gone as if in a dream. You are again here and I have not lived.' And this continued.

The death came again and again and she would take one of the sons. Yayati lived for one thousand years more.

A beautiful story, but the same happened again. One thou sand years passed and death came. Yayati was trembling and weeping and crying. Death said, 'But now it is too much. You have lived one thousand years and you again say that you have not been able to live.' Yayati said, 'How can one live in the here and now? I always postpone: tomorrow and tomorrow. And tomorrow? -- suddenly you are there.'

Postponing life is the only sin that I can call sin. Don't post pone. If you want to live, live here and now. Forget the past, forget the future; this is the only moment, this is the only existential moment -- live it. Once lost it cannot be recovered, you cannot reclaim it. -
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Praveen P V S on March 17, 2008, 09:08:45 AM
Ramesh Bhai, A nice story form me at the right time.
Thanks a lot Ramesh Bhai. Baba thanks for giving me such good family.
Allah Malik.
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: fatima on March 22, 2008, 03:36:17 AM
Struggle

A man found a cocoon of a butterfly. He sat and watched the butterfly for several hours as it struggled to force its body through the little hole at the end.

Eventually, the butterfly stopped making progress. It appeared as if it had gotten as far as it could and it could go no farther. The man decided to help the butterfly, so he took a pair of scissors and snipped off the remaining bit of the cocoon. The butterfly then emerged easily, but it had a swollen body and small, shriveled wings.

The man continued to watch the butterfly because he expected that, at any moment, the wings would enlarge and expand to be able to support the body, which would contract in time.

Neither happened! In fact, the butterfly spent the rest of its life crawling around with a swollen body and shriveled wings. It never was able to fly.

What the man in his kindness and haste did not understand was that the restricting cocoon and the struggle required for the butterfly to get through the tiny opening were nature's way of forcing fluid from the body of the butterfly into its wings so that it would be ready for flight once it achieved its freedom from the cocoon.

Sometimes struggles are exactly what we need in our life. If nature allowed us to go through our life without any obstacles, it would cripple us. We would not be as strong as what we could have been. And we could never fly...   
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: tana on March 23, 2008, 06:28:12 AM
Om Sai Ram~~~

The Broken Pot ~~~

A water bearer in India had two large pots, each hung on the ends of a pole which he carried across his neck. One of the pots had a crack in it, while the other pot was perfect and always delivered a full portion of water.
At the end of the long walk from the stream to the house, the cracked pot arrived only half full. For a full two years this went on daily, with the bearer delivering only one and a half pots full of water to his house.
Of course, the perfect pot was proud of its accomplishments, perfect for which it was made. But the poor cracked pot was ashamed of its own imperfection, and miserable that it was able to accomplish only half of what it had been made to do.
After two years of what it perceived to be a bitter failure, it spoke to the water bearer one day by the stream. "I am ashamed of myself, and I want to apologize to you. I have been able to deliver only half my load because this crack in my side causes water to leak out all the way back to your house. Because of my flaws, you have to do a lot of this work, and you don't get full value from your efforts," the pot said.
The bearer said to the pot, "Did you notice that there were flowers only on your side of the path, but not on the other pot's side? That's because I have always known about your flaw, and I planted flower seeds on your side of the path, and every day while we walk back, you've watered them.
For two years I have been able to pick these beautiful flowers to decorate the table. Without you being just the way you are, there would not be this beauty to grace the house."

Moral~~~

Each of us has our own unique flaws. We're all cracked pots. But it's the cracks and flaws we each have that make our lives together so very interesting and rewarding.


Jai Sai Ram~~~
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: fatima on March 24, 2008, 01:46:17 AM
The Land of Truth  


A certain man believed that the ordinary waking life, as people know it, could not possibly be complete. He
sought the real Teacher of the Age. He read many books and joined many circles, and he heard the words and witnessed the deeds of one master after another. He carried out the commands and spiritual exercises which seemed to him to be most attractive.

He became elated with some of his experiences. At other times he was confused; and he had no idea at all of what his stage was, or where and when his search might end.

This man was reviewing his behavior one day when he suddenly found himself near the house of a certain sage of high repute. In the garden of that house, he encountered Khidr, the secret guide who shows the way to truth.

Khidr took him to a place where he saw people in great distress and woe, and he asked who they were. "We are those who did not follow real teachings, who were not true to our undertakings, who revered self-appointed teachers," they said.

Then the man was taken by Khidr to a place where everyone was attractive and full of joy. He asked who they were. "We are those who did not follow the real Signs of the Way," they said.

"But if you have ignored the Signs, how can you be happy?" asked the traveler.

"Because we chose happiness instead of Truth," said the people, "just as those who chose the self-appointed chose also misery."

"But is happiness not the ideal of man?" asked the man.

"The goal of man is Truth. Truth is more than happiness. The man who has Truth can have whatever mood he wishes, or none," they told him. "We have pretended that Truth is happiness, and happiness Truth, and people have believed us, therefore you, too, have until now imagined that happiness must be the same as Truth. But happiness makes you its prisoner, as does woe."

Then the man found himself back in the garden with Khidr beside him.

"I will grant you one desire," said Khidr.

"I wish to know why I have failed in my search and how I can succeed in it," said the man. "You have all but wasted your life," said Khidr, "because you have been a liar. Your lie has been in seeking personal gratification when you could have been seeking Truth."

"And yet I came to the point where I found you," said the man, " and that is something which happens to hardly anyone at all."

"And you met me," said Khidr, "because you had sufficient sincerity to desire Truth for its own sake, just for an instant. It was that sincerity, in that single instant, which made me answer your call."

Now the man felt an overwhelming desire to find Truth, even if he lost himself.

Khidr, however, was starting to walk away, and the man began to run after him.

"You may not follow me," said Khidr, "because I am returning to the ordinary world, the world of lies, for that is where I have to be, if I am to do my work."

And when the man looked around him again, he realized that he was no longer n the garden of the sage, but standing in the Land of Truth.   
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: tana on April 11, 2008, 03:34:47 AM
Om Sai Ram~~~

One Apple~~~

A teacher teaching Maths to seven-year-old Raj asked him, "If I give you one apple and one apple and one apple, how many apples will you have?"Within a few seconds Raj replied confidently, "Four!"

The dismayed teacher was expecting an effortless correct answer (three). She was disappointed. "Maybe the child did not listen properly," she thought. She repeated, "Raj, listen carefully. If I give you one apple and one apple and one apple, how many apples will you have?"

Raj had seen the disappointment on his teacher's face. He calculated again on his fingers. But within him he was also searching for the answer that will make the teacher happy. His search for the answer was not for the correct one, but the one that will make his teacher happy. This time hesitatingly he replied, "Four…"

The disappointment stayed on the teacher's face. She remembered that Raj liked strawberries. She thought maybe he doesn't like apples and that is making him loose focus. This time with an exaggerated excitement and twinkling in her eyes she asked, "If I give you one strawberry and one strawberry and one strawberry, then how many you will have?"

Seeing the teacher happy, young Raj calculated on his fingers again. There was no pressure on him, but a little on the teacher. She wanted her new approach to succeed. With a hesitating smile young Raj enquired, "Three?"

The teacher now had a victorious smile. Her approach had succeeded. She wanted to congratulate herself. But one last thing remained. Once again she asked him, "Now if I give you one apple and one apple and one more apple how many will you have?"

Promptly Raj answered, "Four!"

The teacher was aghast. "How Raj, how?" she demanded in a little stern and irritated voice.

In a voice that was low and hesitating young Raj replied, "Because I already have one apple in my bag."


"When someone gives you an answer that is different from what you expect don't think they are wrong. There maybe an angle that you have not understood at all. You will have to listen and understand, but never listen with a predetermined notion."

Jai Sai Ram~~~
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on April 21, 2008, 08:14:43 AM
Mirror.....

One day all the employees reached the office and they saw a big notice on the door on which was written:

'Yesterday the person who has been hindering your growth in this company passed away. We invite you to join the funeral in the room that has been prepared in the gym'.

In the beginning, they all got sad for the death of one of their colleagues, but after a while they started getting curious to know who was that man who hindered the growth of his colleagues and the company itself. The excitement in the gym was such that security agents were ordered to control the crowd within the room.

The more people reached the coffin, the more the excitement heated up. Everyone thought: 'Who is this guy who was hindering my progress? Well, at least he died!'. One by one the thrilled employees got closer to the coffin, and when they looked inside it they suddenly became speechless. They stood nearby the coffin, shocked and in silence, as if someone had touched the deepest part of their soul. There was a mirror inside the coffin: everyone who looked inside it could see himself.

There was also a sign next to the mirror that said:

'There is only one person who is capable to set limits to your growth: it is YOU. You are the only person who can revolutionize your life. You are the only person who can influence your happiness, your realization and your success. You are the only person who can help yourself. Your life does not change when your boss changes, when your friends change, when your parents change, when your partner changes, when your company changes. Your life changes when YOU change, when you go beyond your limiting beliefs, when you realize that you are the only one responsible for your life. 'The most important relationship you can have is the one you have with yourself'

Examine yourself, watch yourself. Don't be afraid of difficulties, impossibilities and losses: be a winner, build yourself and your reality. It's the way you face Life that makes the difference
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: fatima on April 24, 2008, 02:55:47 AM


Three Questions


Once a king wanted to know answers to three questions about which he had been contemplating for a long time. One day the king raised these questions in his Court Hall. The questions were: Where is God? In what direction does He cast His look? What does He do? None could answer these questions. The King then summoned with due honor a sage to his court. He asked the sage to answer these questions.

The Sage replied: "Like butter in the milk God is everywhere". To answer the second question the sage asked for a lamp. He lit the lamp and asked the King: "In which direction does this lamp shed its light?" The lamp sheds its light in all the directions" replied the king. The sage said "Likewise God is Effulgence itself and His vision is not directed to a particular place or person. He is all seeing". The king asked: "What does He do?" The sage said: "Since I am in a way instructing you in spiritual matters, I am in the position of a preceptor, you a disciple. So we have to exchange our places. Are you prepared for this?" The king agreed and came down from his elevated position and sat on the seat in which the sage sat. The sage said with a twinkle in his eyes: "This is what God does. He brings down the mighty and elevates the humble. He can make the poor rich and the rich poor. He can do anything. He is all pervading. He is all seeing and Omnipotent." The king was very much pleased with these answers. He expressed his gratitude to the sage and honored him in a fitting manner.

Like the king in the story, every one of us should try to understand the true characteristics of God: God is Omnipresent, Omniscient, and Omnipotent
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: tana on April 24, 2008, 07:06:53 AM
Om Sai Ram~~~

Five More Minutes~~~

While at the park one day, a woman sat down next to a man on a bench near a playground. "That's my son over there," she said, pointing to a little boy in a red sweater who was gliding down the slide.

"He's a fine looking boy," the man said. "That's my son on the swing in the blue sweater." Then, looking at his watch, he called to his son. "What do you say we go, Todd?"

Todd pleaded, "Just five more minutes, Dad. Please? Just five more minutes." The man nodded and Todd continued to swing to his heart's content.

Minutes passed and the father stood and called again to his son. "Time to go now?" Again Todd pleaded, "Five more minutes, Dad. Just five more minutes."

The man smiled and said, "okay."

"My, you certainly are a patient father," the woman responded.

The man smiled and then said, "My older son Tommy was killed by a drunk driver last year while he was riding his bike near here. I never spent much time with Tommy and now I'd give anything for just five more minutes with him. I've vowed not to make the same mistake with Todd. He thinks he has five more minutes to swing. The truth is, I get 'five more minutes' to watch him play."

Life is all about making priorities -- what are your priorities?

Jai Sai Ram~~~
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: fatima on April 28, 2008, 03:40:09 AM
SHAH JAHAN'S HUMILITY

 

While resting one summer’s day during the heat of the noon hour, the great Mogul king, Shah Jahan, was suddenly overcome with thirst. He clapped his hands for a servant to bring him water, but none of the palace servants happened to be nearby. Rising from his couch, he looked in the water jug that was always kept in his chamber. It was empty.

“Water I must have,” said the king, “and that at once. And the only way to get it now is to go to the well and draw it up myself”.

Leaving his royal chamber, he went to the well and drew up a bucket filled with fresh, cold water. But as he leaned forward to draw the bucket to him, his hand got caught in the crank of the wheel. The pain was sudden and severe, and the great king cried aloud in his agony. But, then, recollecting himself, he bowed before the Lord and said:

“O, Beloved Lord, I thank You from the bottom of my heart for this experience. I am such a stupid fool that I do not even know how to take water from a well. Yet, through Your inscrutable grace, You have made me a king”.
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: tana on April 28, 2008, 08:22:04 AM
Om Sai Ram~~~

The Saint and the Scorpion~~~


One morning, after he had finished his meditation, the old man opened his eyes and saw a scorpion floating helplessly in the water.

As the scorpion was washed closer to the tree, the old man quickly stretched himself out on one of the long roots that branched out into the river and reached out to rescue the drowning creature.

As soon as he touched it, the scorpion stung him. Instinctively the man withdrew his hand. A minute later, after he had regained his balance, he stretched himself out again on the roots to save the scorpion.

This time the scorpion stung him so badly with its poisonous tail that his hand became swollen and bloody and his face contorted with pain.

At that moment, a passerby saw the old man stretched out on the roots struggling with the scorpion and shouted: "Hey, stupid old man, what's wrong with you? Only a fool would risk his life for the sake of an ugly, evil creature. Don't you know you could kill yourself trying to save that ungrateful scorpion?"

The old man turned his head. Looking into the stranger's eyes he said calmly, "My friend, just because it is the scorpion's nature to sting, that does not change my nature to save".

Never loose your goodness just because you are dealing with evil~~~

Jai Sai Ram~~~
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: vinuday on May 04, 2008, 04:37:59 AM
The Untold pain of the innocent flower.........

Once there was a flower which had bloomed in its full glory and it was very happy that the plant which is bearing it is the flower’s life, the plant gave the flower strength, confidence and helped the plant to retain its glory by providing it life.
This plant had taken gr8 pain to make the flower born as a bud, then made the bud to blossom in every stage. The plant gave life, care, affection to the bud and made it grow in its full glory.
The flower was ready to experience the happines it would get in its life but then someone saw that flower and told that “ wow that flower is so beautiful.i need that”.The moment the flower and the plant heard this statement they felt very bad as they got scared whether they would pluck the flower and seperate it from the plant,the flower n the plant started crying but they were helpless as they could not do anything,
Finally that person came n plucked the flower from the plant,the moment they plucked the flower from the plant the flower lost its life and started to die slowly, the plant felt so bad and it started crying. The plant cried n cried that n was feeling very bad bcoz it gave its life to make the flower grow, the plant struggled so much to make it blossom, the plant supported the flower to grow in every way and finally with just a pluck someone separated the flower n the plant.
On the other hand the person who plucked the flower felt very happy that he had a very beautiful flower in hand and he took photographs with the flower and he kept it in his house, finally the flower dried in a day and he threw the flower, there ends the life of that beautiful flower.
In this whole story we have forgotten to notice so many things. As far as this story is considered on the outline there is nothing to feel sad about but if we take deep notice then we wud be able to realize that the pain of that flower goes completely untold,
The plant which beared that flower was sad for sumtime and then it recovered bcoz if this one flower goes the plant always has another flower and it wud give care and bring up another flower.
The person who plucked the flower liked the flower and then after his requirement is over he threw it as he did not need it. The person did not take any step or care to bring up this plant. He did not water the plant nor did he not save the plant from sun n wind or he did not even take care of the plant, wt rights does the person have to pluck the flower ?
Did any of us try to at least think what that flower would have felt, we wouldn’t, bcoz we never realize that there are hundreds of things around us and we never make notice of them.

The flower was dying slowly after it was plucked from the plant, slowly all its energy drained out, it started drying, lost all its beauty, the flower was in so much of  pain n tears that it was away from its partner, it cried n cried n cried n suffered so much.........(In real life if we have done a mistake to sum one do we ever realize that we have done a mistake and even if we realize that we have done a mistake do we really think that someone is suffering bcoz of us ?)
When the flower was in pain the person did not mind that n he used the flower for his enhancement, his requirements, even when the flower was crying it still did its duty of giving beauty and spreading fragrance, the flower was in such deep pain and it remained in that pain and slowly died. ( In real life we should try and understand other’s difficulty and we should never use them for our enhancement when they are in pain....)
The plant always had another flower to bloom, the person always had another flower to buy, but it was the flower that had to suffer for no mistake and finally it met death.
The moral of the story is that we see something, if we like it then we should admire it, we can love it but we should never try to get something which is not ours because for everything that is in its position today there is lot of hidden hard work in many ways from many people. If we have worked towards getting something then we have rights to make it ours or to even destroy it but what rights does anyone have to grab things from others just because they like it or just bcoz they can be happy with that or just because they have a requirement for it.
Such people who try to make others things as theirs escape by telling that it is bcoz of the situation they have to do it....Is this right.....No not at all....In every situation we should try to do good to others and never find reasons for doing something wrong and blame fate or situation.......
Friends let us make sure that we will never try to grab anything from anyone for what ever reason it is. we will work hard for what we want and we have a hold only on those things for which we are liable to get.

Sairam
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: tana on May 04, 2008, 06:57:20 AM
Om Sai Ram~~~

Truth Will Be Out ....... Sooner Or Later~~~
 
There was a king who had a large number of courtiers. Each one of these courtiers declared he was ready to sacrifice his life for his master, and that he was the most sincere being ever born.

In course of time, a Sannyasin (saint) came to the king. The king told him that there never was a king who had so many sincere courtiers as he had. The Sannyasin smiled and said he did not believe that.

The king asked the Sannyasin to test it if he liked. So the Sannyasin declared that he would perform a great yajna (sacrifice) which would extend the king's reign by a several years. He put a condition that a small tank should be made into which each one of the courtiers will pour a pitcher of milk, in the dark of night.

The king smiled and said, 'Is this the test?' He asked his courtiers to come to him, and told them what was to be done. They all expressed their joyful assent to the proposal and returned. In the dead of night, they came and emptied their pitchers into the tank.

In the morning, the tank was found to be full of water, with no trace of milk. The courtiers were assembled and questioned about the matter. They admitted that each one of them had thought there would be so many pitchers of milk so his pouring water instead of milk would not be detected!

Moral: If you try to cheat in a team-work, remember it will be found out.

Jai Sai Ram~~~
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on May 04, 2008, 07:20:43 AM

The Untold pain of the innocent flower.........

Friends let us make sure that we will never try to grab anything from anyone for what ever reason it is. we will work hard for what we want and we have a hold only on those things for which we are liable to get.

Sairam
जय सांई राम।।।

Vinu Dear welcome to BABA SAI's Online Mandir.  Nice Inspirational story...Thanks for sharing..

अपना सांई प्यारा सांई सबसे न्यारा अपना सांई


ॐ सांई राम।।।

Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: vinuday on May 04, 2008, 08:07:51 AM
Sairam Rameshji,

Thank you for welcoming me to Our SAIBABA's online mandir,

I am very happy to have received a reply from you for this inspirational story because this is the first time i have shared this story,

I hope that this is of use to everyone....

Thanks to SAIBABA for having to make me share this with everyone,

Sairam
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on May 04, 2008, 08:14:55 AM
जय सांई राम।।।

Walking through a forest, a man chanced to meet four beautiful women. Greeting them, he introduced himself. The tall and slim woman said: “My name is Buddhi (intellect), I live in man’s head”. The woman with kohllined eyes said: “I am Lajja, I live in the eyes of man as modesty and present myself as decorum in behaviour”. The third lady had a welltoned body. “I am Himmat”, she said. “I live in man’s heart. I give him the courage to live”. The traveller bowed low. The fourth lady had rosy cheeks and radiated freshness. “My name is Tandurusti (health). I live in man’s stomach”, she said.

As the traveller went ahead, his thoughts went back to the four women he had met. At the end of the forest, he met four young men. “I am Krodh (anger)”, said the first man who was handsome but for his brows, which were always knitted. “Where do you live”, the traveller asked. “I live in man’s head”, said Krodh. The traveller said this was not possible. He had just met Buddhi and she lived in the head. Krodh said “Till I enter, Buddhi remains. Once I enter, she runs away”. Krodh had strong muscles and a forceful personality. The second man was Laalach (greed). “I live in people’s eyes”, he said. Once again the traveller interjected to say “Only Lajja lives there”. “Just place a bag of gold coins and see how Lajja runs away from people’s eyes. Or offer a position of power. Desire does not believe in modesty, shame or decorum. It is an expression of greed”.

Who would the third man be? “I am Bhay (fear)”, the sickly-looking man was saying. “I live in people’s hearts”. “Is it not the residence of Himmat?” the traveller asked. “When people do not obey their conscience, they are always afraid. They do wrong and so are full of fear of being caught. That is why Himmat wanders homeless while I reside comfortably in people’s hearts. Sometimes when I dominate, people say they have a heart attack and go to the doctor. They give me even more space when and if they come back”.

“My name is Rog (disease)”, said the fourth man. He looked healthy. “I live in people’s stomachs. They are forever downing intoxicants that goes into their stomach, feeding me. I know you will wonder where Tandurusti went. She does not stand a chance. Everybody wants her but it is me they feed when they drink, smoke and partake of other such substances”.

A healthy and happy life seems to be within reach. But so are problems. If we invite problems, is it fair to blame it all on fate? Can we make small resolves that will make some space for Buddhi, Lajja, Himmat and Tandurusti within us? Small resolves like: ‘‘I will control my anger for today. I will limit my possessions. I will try to remove fear. I will not give in to temptations that lead me to ill health’’. Small vows or anuvrats are firm steppingstones to a happier and healthier life.

All it takes to be able to live a holistic life is to resist temptation, taking one step at a time. Health, happiness and peace will be within reach.
   
अपना सांई प्यारा सांई सबसे न्यारा अपना सांई


ॐ सांई राम।।।

Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: tana on May 07, 2008, 09:07:06 AM
Om Sai Ram~~~

The Hut~~~

The only survivor of a shipwreck was washed up on a small, uninhabited island. He prayed feverishly for God to rescue him, and every day he scanned the horizon for help, but none seemed forthcoming. Exhausted, he eventually managed to build a little hut out of Driftwood to protect
himself from the elements, and to store his few possessions. But then one day, after scavenging for food, he arrived home to find his little hut in flames, the smoke rolling up to the sky. The worst had happened everything was lost.

He was stunned with grief and anger.

"God, how could you do this to me? " he cried.

Early the next day, however, he was wakened by the sound of a ship that was approaching the island. It had come to rescue him. "How did you know I was
here? " asked the weary man of his rescuers. "We saw your smoke signal, " they replied.


It 's easy to get discouraged sometimes when things appear to
be going badly. But we shouldn 't lose heart, because God is at work in our lives, even in the midst of pain and suffering. Remember, next time your little hut is burning to the ground, it just may be a smoke signal that summons the grace of God.

For all the negative things we have to say to ourselves, God has positive answer for it~~~
 
 
Jai Sai Ram~~~
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: tana on May 12, 2008, 11:49:41 PM
Om Sai Ram~~~


The Tailor's Needle~~~

A tailor was at work. He took a piece of cloth and with a pair of shining, costly, scissors, he cut the cloth into various bits.

Then he put the pair of scissors at his feet. Then he took a small needle and thread and started to sew the bits of cloth, into a fine shirt. When the spell of sewing was over, he stuck the needle on to his turban.

The tailor's son who was watching it asked him: "Father, the scissors are costly and look so beautiful. But you throw them down at your feet. This needle is worth almost nothing; you can get a dozen for an anna. Yet, you place it carefully on your head itself. Is there any reason for this illogical behaviour?"

"Yes, my son. The scissors have their function, no doubt; but they only cut the cloth into bits. The needle, on the contrary, unites the bits and enhances the value of the cloth. Therefore, the needle to me is more precious and valuable. The value of a thing depends on its utility, son, not on its cost-price or appearance."

Similarly, there are two classes of people in the world-those who create dissensions and disharmony, who separate man from man; and those who bring about peace and harmony, who unite people.


The former are generally the rich people, powerful politicians and kings;

the latter are generally the poor devotees of God, the penniless wandering monks, and mendicants.

The Lord makes use of both to carry on his function of providing the field for the evolution of individual souls.

He throws down on the dust the mighty kings and millionaires who create wars and disharmony; and He keeps the poor, pious devotee over His own head.

In His eyes the scale of values is entirely different!

Jai Sai Ram~~~
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: tana on May 21, 2008, 01:36:36 AM
Om Sai Ram~~~

" Honesty is the Best Policy "~~~


A successful business man was growing old and knew it was time to chose a successor to take over the business. Instead of choosing one of his directors or his children, he decided to do something different.

He called all the young executives in his company together. "It is time for me to step down and choose the next CEO," he said. "I have decided to choose one of you."

The young executives were shocked, but the boss continued. "I am going to give each one of you a seed today - a very special seed. I want you to plant the seed, water it, and come back here one year from today with what you have grown from the seed I have given you. I will then judge the plants that you bring, and the one I choose will be the next CEO."

One man, named Jim, was there that day and he, like the others, received a seed. He went home and excitedly, told his wife the story. She helped him get a pot, soil and compost and he planted the seed. Every day, he would water it and watch to see if it had grown.

After about three weeks, some of the other executives began to talk about their seeds and the plants that were beginning to grow. Jim kept checking his seed, but nothing ever grew.

Three weeks, four weeks, five weeks went by, still nothing. By now, others were talking about their plants, but Jim didn't have a plant and he felt like a failure.

Six months went by - still nothing in Jim's pot. He just knew he had killed his seed. Everyone else had trees and tall plants, but he had nothing. Jim didn't say anything to his colleagues, however. He just kept watering and fertilizing the soil - he so wanted the seed to grow.

A year finally went by and all the young executives of the company brought their plants to the CEO for inspection. Jim told his wife that he wasn't going to take an empty pot. But she asked him to be honest about what happened.

Jim felt sick at his stomach. It was going to be the most embarrassing moment of his life, but he knew his wife was right. He took his empty pot to the board room. When Jim arrived, he was amazed at the variety of plants grown by the other executives. They were beautiful--in all shapes and sizes. Jim put his empty pot on the floor and many of his colleagues laughed. A few felt sorry for him!

When the CEO arrived, he surveyed the room and greeted his young executives. Jim just tried to hide in the back. "My, what great plants, trees, and flowers you have grown," said the CEO. "Today one of you will be appointed the next CEO!"

All of a sudden, the CEO spotted Jim at the back of the room with his empty pot. He ordered the financial director to bring him to the front. Jim was terrified. He thought, "The CEO knows I'm a failure! Maybe he will have me fired!"

When Jim got to the front, the CEO asked him what had happened to his seed. Jim told him the story. The CEO asked everyone to sit down except Jim. He looked at Jim, and then announced to the young executives, "Here is your next Chief Executive! His name is Jim!"

Jim couldn't believe it. Jim couldn't even grow his seed. How could he be the new CEO the others said? Then the CEO said, "One year ago today, I gave everyone in this room a seed.

I told you to take the seed, plant it, water it, and bring it back to Me today. But I gave you all boiled seeds; they were dead - it was not possible for them to grow.

All of you, except Jim, have brought me trees and plants and flowers. "When you found that the seed would not grow, you substituted another seed for the one I gave you. Jim was the only one with the courage and honesty to bring me a pot with my seed in it. Therefore, he is the one who will be the new Chief Executive!"

If you plant honesty, you will reap trust

If you plant goodness, you will reap friends.

If you plant humility, you will reap greatness.

If you plant perseverance, you will reap contentment

If you plant consideration, you will reap perspective.

If you plant hard work, you will reap success.

If you plant forgiveness, you will reap reconciliation.

So, be careful what you plant now; it will determine what you will reap later.
   
 
" What shall you sow, so shall you Reap "  

Jai Sai Ram~~~
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: fatima on May 21, 2008, 03:59:57 AM
The Thief
by Osho


There was one great master, a Buddhist master, Nagarjuna. A thief came to him. The thief had fallen in love with the master because he had never seen such a beautiful person, such infinite grace. The thief asked Nagarjuna, "Is there some possibility of my growth also? But one thing I must make clear to you: I am a thief. And another thing: I cannot leave it, so please don't make it a condition. I will do whatsoever you say, but I cannot stop being a thief. That I have tried many times--it never works, so I have left the whole sport. I have accepted my destiny, that I am going to be a thief and remain a thief, so don't talk about it. From the very beginning let it be clear."

Nagarjuna said, "Why are you afraid? Who is going to talk about your being a thief?"
The thief said, "But whenever I go to a monk, to a religious priest, or to a religious saint, they always say, 'First stop stealing.'"

Nagarjuna laughed and said, "Then you must have gone to thieves; otherwise, why? Why should they be concerned? I am not concerned!"

The thief was very happy. He said, "Then it is okay. It seems that now I can become a disciple. You are the right master."

Nagarjuna accepted him and said, "Now you can go and do whatsoever you like. Only one condition has to be followed: be aware! Go, break into houses, enter, take things, steal; do whatsoever you like, that is of no concern to me, I am not a thief--but do it with full awareness."

The thief couldn't understand that he was falling into the trap. He said, "Then everything is okay. I will try." After three weeks he came back and said, "You are tricky--because if I become aware, I cannot steal. If I steal, awareness disappears. I am in a fix."

Nagarjuna said, "No more talk about your being a thief and stealing. I am not concerned; I am not a thief. Now, you decide! If you want awareness, then you decide. If you don't want it, then too you decide."

The man said, "But now it is difficult. I have tasted it a little, and it is so beautiful--I will leave anything, whatsoever you say. Just the other night for the first time I was able to enter the palace of the king. I opened the treasure. I could have become the richest man in the world--but you were following me and I had to be aware. When I became aware, diamonds looked just like stones, ordinary stones. When I lost awareness, the treasure was there. And I waited and did this many times. I would become aware and I became like a buddha, and I could not even touch it because the whole thing looked foolish, stupid--just stones, what am I doing? Losing myself over stones? But then I would lose awareness; they would become again beautiful, the whole illusion. But finally I decided that they were not worth it."   
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: tana on May 26, 2008, 11:02:30 PM
Om Sai Ram~~~

The Tree That Taught....................


There was a man who had four sons. He wanted his sons to learn not to judge
things too quickly. So he sent them each on a quest, in turn, to go and look
at a pear tree that was a great distance away.

The first son went in the winter, the second in the spring, the third in
summer, and the youngest son in the fall.

When they had all gone and come back, he called them together to describe
what they had seen.

The first son said that the tree was ugly, bent, and twisted. The second son
said no it was covered with green buds and full of  promise.

The third son disagreed; he said it was laden with blossoms that smelled so
sweet and looked so beautiful, it was the most graceful thing he had ever seen.

The last son disagreed with all of them; he said it was ripe and drooping
with fruit, full of life and fulfillment.

The man then explained to his sons that they were all right, because they
had each seen but only one season in the tree's life.

He told them that you cannot judge a tree, or a person, by only one season,
and that the essence of who they are and the pleasure, joy, and love that come from that life can only be measured at the end, when all the seasons are up.

If you give up when it's winter, you will miss the promise of your spring,
the beauty of your summer, fulfillment of your fall.


Don't let the pain of one season destroy the joy of all the rest.
Don't judge life by one difficult season.
Persevere through the difficult patches and better times are sure to come some time or later.  
 
" Never let yesterday's disappointments overshadow tomorrow's dreams!"

Jai Sai Ram~~~
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: tana on May 28, 2008, 12:13:45 AM
Om Sai Ram~~~

No God or Know God??

An atheist professor of philosophy speaks to his class on the problem Science has with God, The Almighty.
He asks one of his new students to stand and.....
 
Prof: So you believe in God?
Student: Absolutely, sir.
Prof: Is God good?
Student: Sure.
Prof: Is God all-powerful?
Student: Yes.
Prof: My brother died of cancer even though he prayed to God to heal him.
Most of us would attempt to help others who are ill. But God didn't. How is this God good then? Hmm? (Student is silent.)
Prof: You can't answer, can you? Let's start again, young fellow. Is God good?
Student: Yes.
Prof: Is Satan good?
Student: No.
Prof: Where does Satan come from?
Student: From...God.. .
Prof: That's right. Tell me son, is there evil in this world?
Student: Yes.
Prof: Evil is everywhere, isn't it? And God did make everything. Correct?
Student: Yes.
Prof: So who created evil?
(Student does not answer.)
Prof: Is there sickness? Immorality? Hatred? Ugliness? All these terrible things exist in the world, don't they?
Student: Yes, sir.
Prof: So, who created them?
(Student has no answer.)
Prof: Science says you have 5 senses you use to identify and observe the world around you. Tell me, son...Have you ever seen God?
Student: No, sir.
Prof: Tell us if you have ever heard your God?
Student: No, sir.
Prof: Have you ever felt your God, tasted your God, smelt your God? Have you ever had any sensory perception of God for that matter?
Student: No, sir. I'm afraid I haven't.
Prof: Yet you still believe in Him?
Student: Yes.
Prof: According to empirical, testable, demonstrable protocol, science says your GOD doesn't exist. What do you say to that, son?
Student: Nothing. I only have my faith.
Prof: Yes. Faith. And that is the problem science has.
Student: Professor, is there such a thing as heat?
Prof: Yes.
Student: And is there such a thing as cold?
Prof: Yes.
Student: No sir. There isn't.
(The lecture theatre becomes very quiet with this turn of events.)
Student: Sir, you can have lots of heat, even more heat, superheat, mega heat, white heat, a little heat or no heat. But we don't have anything called cold. We can hit 458 degrees below zero which is no heat,
but we can't go any further after that. There is no such thing as cold. Cold is only a word we use to describe the absence of heat. We cannot measure cold.
Heat is energy. Cold is not the opposite of heat, sir, just the absence of it.
(There is pin-drop silence in the lecture theatre.)
Student: What about darkness, Professor? Is there such a thing as darkness?
Prof: Yes. What is night if there isn't darkness?
Student: You're wrong again, sir. Darkness is the absence of something. You can have low light, normal light, bright light, flashing light....But if you have no light constantly, you have nothing and its called darkness, isn't it? In reality, darkness isn't.
If it were you would be able to make darkness darker, wouldn't you?
Prof: So what is the point you are making, young man?
Student: Sir, my point is your philosophical premise is flawed.
Prof: Flawed? Can you explain how?
Student: Sir, you are working on the premise of duality. You argue there is life and then there is death, a good God and a bad God. You are viewing the concept of God as something finite, something we can measure.
Sir, science can't even explain a thought. It uses electricity and magnetism, but has never seen, much less fully understood either one.
To view death as the opposite of life is to be ignorant of the fact that death cannot exist as a substantive thing. Death is not the opposite of life: just the absence of it. Now tell me, Professor. Do you teach your students that they evolved from a monkey?
Prof: If you are referring to the natural evolutionary process, yes, of course, I do.
Student: Have you ever observed evolution with your own eyes, sir?
(The Professor shakes his head with a smile, beginning to realize where the argument is going.)
Student: Since no one has ever observed the process of evolution at work and cannot even prove that this process is an on-going endeavour, are you not teaching your opinion, sir? Are you not a scientist but a preacher?
(The class is in uproar.)
Student: Is there anyone in the class who has ever seen the Professor's brain?
(The class breaks out into laughter.)
Student: Is there anyone here who has ever heard the Professor's brain, felt it, touched or smelt it? No one appears to have done so. So, according to the established rules of empirical, stable, demonstrable protocol, science says that you have no brain, sir.
With all due respect, sir, how do we then trust your lectures, sir?
(The room is silent. The professor stares at the student, his face unfathomable. )
Prof: I guess you'll have to take them on faith, son.
Student: That is it sir... The link between man & god is FAITH.
That is all that keeps things moving & alive.......

Jai Sai Ram~~~
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY-(Happiness is an attitude)
Post by: fatima on May 30, 2008, 01:51:11 AM
The 92-year-old, petite, well-poised and proud lady, who is fully dressed each morning by eight o'clock, with her hair fashionably coifed and makeup perfectly applied, even though she is legally blind, moved to a nursing home today.

Her husband of 70 years recently passed away, making the move necessary.

After many hours of waiting patiently in the lobby of the nursing home, she smiled sweetly when told her room was ready. As she maneuvered her walker to the elevator, I provided a visual description of her tiny room, including the eyelet sheets that had been hung on her window.

"I love it," she stated with the enthusiasm of an eight-year-old having just been presented with a new puppy.

"Mrs. Jones, you haven't seen the room .... just wait."

"That doesn't have anything to do with it," she replied.

"Happiness is something you decide on ahead of time. Whether I like my room or not doesn't depend on how the furniture is arranged ... it's how I arrange my mind.

I already decided to love it ... It's a decision I make every morning when I wake up. I have a choice; I can spend the day in bed recounting the difficulty I have with the parts of my body that no longer work, or get out of bed and be thankful for the ones that do. Each day is a gift, and as long as my eyes open I'll focus on the new day and all the happy memories I've stored away ... just for this time in my life."  
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on May 30, 2008, 02:43:15 AM
The Tailor's Needle
 
A tailor was at work. He took a piece of cloth and with a pair of shining, costly, scissors, he cut the cloth into various bits.

Then he put the pair of scissors at his feet. Then he took a small needle and thread and started to sew the bits of cloth, into a fine shirt. When the spell of sewing was over, he stuck the needle on to his turban.
 
The tailor's son who was watching it asked him: "Father, the scissors are costly and look so beautiful. But you throw them down at your feet. This needle is worth almost nothing; you can get a dozen for an anna. Yet, you place it carefully on your head itself. Is there any reason for this illogical behaviour?"

"Yes, my son. The scissors have their function, no doubt; but they only cut the cloth into bits. The needle, on the contrary, unites the bits and enhances the value of the cloth. Therefore, the needle to me is more precious and valuable. The value of a thing depends on its utility, son, not on its cost-price or appearance."

The former are generally the rich people, powerful politicians and kings; the later are generally the poor devotees of BABA, the penniless wandering monks, and mendicants. BABA SAI makes use of both to carry on his function of providing the field for the evolution of individual souls. HE throws down on the dust the mighty kings and millionaires who create wars and disharmony; and He keeps the poor, pious devotee over HIS own head.  In HIS eyes the scale of values is entirely different!

Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: tana on June 02, 2008, 02:04:46 AM
Om Sai Ram~~~

Taking Risks~~~


Two seeds lay side by side in the fertile soil.


The first seed said, "I want to grow! I want to send my roots deep into the soil beneath me, and thrust my sprouts through the earth's crust above me ... I want to unfurl my tender buds like banners to announce the arrival of spring ... I want to feel the warmth of the sun on my face and the blessing of the morning dew on my petals!"

And so she grew...

The second seed said, "I am afraid. If I send my roots into the ground below, I don't know what I will encounter in the dark. If I push my way through the hard soil above me I may damage my delicate sprouts ... what if I let my buds open and a snail tries to eat them? And if I were to open my blossoms, a small child may pull me from the ground. No, it is much better for me to wait until it is safe."

And so she waited...

A yard hen scratching around in the early spring ground for food found the waiting seed and promptly ate it.


Moral of the Story~~~Those of us who refuse to risk and grow get swallowed up by life.

Jai Sai Ram~~~
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY----------------Twins
Post by: fatima on June 04, 2008, 06:37:44 AM
Once upon a time, twin boys were conceived.

Weeks passed and the twins developed. As their awareness grew, they laughed for joy: "Isn't it great that we were conceived? Isn't it great to be alive? "

Together the twins explored their worlds. When they found their mother's cord that gave them life, they sang for joy! "How great our mother's love is, that she shares her own life with us!"

As weeks stretched into months, the twins noticed how much each was changing.

"What does it mean?" one asked.

"It means our stay in this world is drawing to an end." said the other.

"But I don't want to go," said one. "I want to stay here always."

"We have no choice," said the other. "But maybe there is life after birth."

"But how can there be?" responded one. "We will shed our life cord and how can life be possible without it? Besides, we have seen evidence that others were here before us, and none of them has returned to tell us there is life after birth. No, this is the end. Maybe there is no mother after all."

"But there has to be," protested the other. "How else did we get here? How do we remain alive?"

"Have you ever seen our mother?" said one.

"Maybe she only lives in our minds. Maybe we made her up because the idea made us feel good."

So the last days in the womb were filled with deep questioning and fear.

Finally, the moment of birth arrived. When the twins had passed from their world, they opened their eyes and cried for joy - for what they saw exceeded their fondest dreams.  


That is birth ... and that is death.
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Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY-------God Is Stronger
Post by: fatima on June 05, 2008, 04:34:01 AM
Ibotity had climed a tree when the wind blew, the tree split, Ibotity fell, and his leg was broken. "The tree is strong, for it has broke my leg," he said.

"It is the wind which is stronger than the tree" said the tree.

But the wind said that the hill was stronger, since it could stop the wind. Ibotity, of course, thought
that strength was of the hill, to be able to stop the wind, which split the tree, which broke his leg.

"No" said the hill, explaining that the mouse was strong for it could burrow into the hill. But the
mouse denied this: "For I can be killed by the cat" - and so Ibotity thought that the cat must be strongest of all.

Not so; the cat explained that it could be caught by a rope, and Ibotity thought that this, then, must be the strongest thing.

The rope, however explained that it could be cut by iron, which was therefore stronger. The iron, in its turn, denied being strongest, since it could be made soft by fire.

Ibotity now thought that the fire must be strongest, to soften the iron: which cut the rope, which bound the cat, which caught the mouse, which undermined the hill, which stopped the wind, which split the tree - which broke the leg of Ibotity.

The fire then said that the water was stronger; and the water claimed that the canoe was yet stronger, for it cleft the water. But the canoe was overcome by the rock, and the rock by man, and man by the magician, and the magician by the ordeal by poison, and the ordeal of God, so God is the strongest of all:

"Then Ibotity knew that God could beat the ordeal, which stopped the magician, who overwhelms man, who breaks the rock, which overcomes the canoe, which cleaves the water, which puts out the fire, which softens iron, which severs the rope, which binds the cat, which kills the mouse, which undermines the hill, which stops the wind, which splits the tree, which breaks the leg of Ibotity.
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on June 08, 2008, 12:29:04 AM
I Am Not a Liar

Once upon a time there lived a retired school teacher in a small village. In spite of his poor financial condition he used to teach the interested and needy students free of cost. He had great faith in Lord Krishna and the teachings of Bhagvat Gita. One day his wife complained, "There is nothing in the house today for us to eat. Get some grocery items from the shop. He is your friend and will surely lend you something." He became very upset at his condition. He went into his room, took out Bhagvat Gita and with a red pen struck the words "Yogakhemam Vahamyaham (I take care of my devotees)" from the 9th chapter. He said - "Krishna, you utter false words. You are a liar!".

Frustrated with the situation he left the house. He reached the grocer thinking that he would request him to lend something to him. The shopkeeper welcomed him and enquired about his family members. After talking for some time the teacher left the shop. The humble teacher couldn't ask for anything from the shopkeeper.

He was worried about his wife. "She will surely get angry to see my empty hands", he said to himself. In great despair he strolled the whole day here and there as he couldn't gather the courage to face his wife. In the evening he started for his home mentally preparing to face his wife's wrath.

As he reached home his wife darted at him angry words - "Don't you know how to treat children?". He was puzzled at her words. "What's the matter?", he asked. She replied, "In the afternoon one of your student came with all the grocery items that you had sent. He even arranged them neatly in the kitchen. While doing so he was weeping silently. Poor child! When I asked for the reason, with eyes full of tears he replied - Guruji punished me today. He then opened his mouth to revel a sharp cut on his tongue. The red cut was still oozing blood. He further said - Guriji says I am a liar. But tell him I do not lie.." Her words left the teacher speechless.
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: SaiServant on June 08, 2008, 05:06:22 PM
Jai Sai Ram!
A wonderful story, dearest Bhai!  :) God is so sincere and merciful to His devotees!

Om Sai Ram!
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: tana on June 15, 2008, 04:36:56 AM
JAI SAI RAM  :)

Does God Still Speak To Us?  

A young man had been to Wednesday night Bible Study. The Pastor had shared about listening to God and obeying the Lord's voice. The young man couldn't help but wonder, "Does God still speak to people?"

After service he went out with some friends for coffee and pie and they discussed the message. Several different ones talked about how God had led them in different ways. It was about ten o'clock when the young man started driving home. Sitting in his car, he just began to pray, "God.. If you still speak to people speak to me. I will listen. I will do my best to obey." 

As he drove down the main street of his town, he had the strangest thought, stop and buy a gallon of milk. He shook his head and said out loud, "God is that you?" He didn't get a reply and started on toward home. But again, the thought, buy a gallon of milk. The young man thought about Samuel and how he didn't recognize the voice of God, and how little Samuel ran to Eli. "Okay, God, in case that is you, I will buy the milk." It didn't seem like too hard a test of obedience. He could always use the milk. 

He stopped and purchased the gallon of milk and started off toward home. As he passed Seventh street, he again felt the urge, "Turn down that street." This is crazy he thought and drove on past the intersection. 

Again, he felt that he should turn down Seventh Street. At the next intersection, he turned back and headed down Seventh. Half jokingly, he said out loud, "Okay, God, I will". He drove several blocks, when suddenly, he felt like he should stop. 

He pulled over to the curb and looked around. He was in a semi- commercial area of town. It wasn't the best but it wasn't the worst of neighborhoods either. The businesses were closed and most of the houses looked dark like the people were already in bed. 

Again, he sensed something, "Go and give the milk to the people in the house across the street." The young man looked at the house. It was dark and it looked like the people were either gone or they were already asleep. 

He started to open the door and then sat back in the car seat. "Lord, this is insane. Those people are asleep and if I wake them up, they are going to be mad and I will look stupid." 

Again, he felt like he should go and give the milk. Finally, he opened the door, "Okay God, if this is you, I will go to the door and I will give them the milk. If you want me to look like a crazy person, okay. I want to be obedient. I guess that will count for something but if they don't answer right away, I am out of here." 

He walked across the street and rang the bell. He could hear some noise inside. A man's voice yelled out, "Who is it? What do you want?" Then the door opened before the young man could get away. 

The man was standing there in his jeans and t-shirt. He looked like he just got out of bed. He had a strange look on his face and he didn't seem too happy to have some stranger standing on his doorstep. "What is it?" The young man thrust out the gallon of milk, "Here, I brought this to you." 

The man took the milk and rushed down a hallway speaking loudly in Spanish. Then from down the hall came a woman carrying the milk toward the kitchen. The man was following her holding a baby. The baby was crying. The man had tears streaming down his face. The man began speaking and half crying, "We Were just praying. We had some big bills this month and we ran out of money. We didn't have any milk for our baby. I was just praying and asking God to show me how to get some milk." 

His wife in the kitchen yelled out, "I ask him to send an Angel with some. Are you an Angel?" The young man reached into his wallet and pulled out all the money he had on him and put in the man's hand. 

He turned and walked back toward his car and the tears were streaming down his face. He knew that God still answers prayers. 

SAI RAM  :)

Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on June 17, 2008, 09:53:28 AM
It happened, Buddha was sitting under a tree talking to his disciples. A man came and spat on his face. He wiped it off and he asked the man: What next? What do you want to say next? The man was a little puzzled because he himself never expected that when you spit on somebody's face he will ask, Now, what next? He had had no such experience in his past. He had insulted people, and they had become angry, and they had reacted; or if they were cowards and weaklings they had smiled, trying to bribe the man. But Buddha was like neither; he was not angry, nor in any way offended, nor in any way cowardly, but just matter of fact; he said, What next? There was no reaction on his part.

His disciples became angry, they reacted. Buddha's closest disciple, Anand, said, This is too much, and we cannot tolerate it; you keep your teaching with you and we will just show this man that he cannot do what he has done. He has to be punished for it. Otherwise everybody will start doing things like this.

Buddha said, You keep silent. He has not offended me, but you are offending me. He is new, a stranger, and he may have heard something about me from somebody, has formed some idea, a notion of me. He has not spat on me, he has spat on his notion, his idea of me, because he does not know me at all so how can he spit on me? He must have heard from people something about me -- that this man is an atheist, a dangerous man who is throwing people off their track, a revolutionary, a corrupter -- he must have heard something about me, he has formed a notion, an idea; he has spat on his own idea.

If you think on it deeply, Buddha said, he has spat on his own mind. I am not part of it, and I can see that this poor man must have something else to say -- because this is a way of saying something; spitting is a way of saying something.

There are moments when you feel that language is impotent: in deep love, in intense anger, in hate, in prayer; there are intense moments when language IS impotent. Then you have to do something -- when you are in deep love you kiss the person or embrace the person.

What are you doing? You are saying something. When you are angry, intensely angry, you hit the person, you spit on him -- you are SAYING something.

I can understand him. He must have something more to say, that's why I'm asking, What next?
The man was even more puzzled.

And Buddha said to his disciples, I am more offended by you because you know me and you have lived for years with me and still you react. Puzzled, confused, the man returned home. He could not sleep the whole night. It is difficult, when you see a Buddha, it is difficult to sleep again the way you used to sleep before. Impossible. Again and again he was haunted by the experience, he could not explain it to himself, what had happened. He was trembling all over and perspiring, he had never come across such a man; he had shattered his whole mind and his whole pattern; his whole past.

Next morning he was back there. He threw himself at Buddha's feet. Buddha asked him again, What next?

This too is a way of saying something that cannot be said in language. When you come and touch my feet you are saying something which cannot be said ordinarily, for which all words are a little narrow, it cannot be contained in them.

Contd....
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on June 17, 2008, 09:56:14 AM
Buddha said, Look, Anand. This man is again here, he is saying something. This man is a man of deep emotions.

The man looked at Buddha and said, Forgive me for what I have done yesterday.

Buddha said, Forgive? But I am not the same man to whom you did it. The Ganges goes on flowing. It is never the same Ganges again. Every man is a river. The man you spat upon is no more here. I look just like him but I am not the same; much has happened in these twenty-four hours! The river has flowed so much. Only in appearance I look the same. So I cannot forgive you because I have no grudge against you. And you also are new. I can see you are not the same man who came yesterday, because that man was angry. He was anger, he spat -- and you are bowing at my feet, touching my feet, how can you be the same man? You are not the same man! So let us forget about it; those two -- the man who spat and the man on whom he spat -- both are no more. Come closer, let us talk of something else.

This is response.

Reaction is out of the past. If you react, out of old habits, out of mind, then you are not responding. To be responsive is to be totally alive in THIS moment, here-now.

Response is a beautiful phenomenon, it is life; reaction is dead, ugly, rotten, it is a corpse. Ninety-nine per cent of the time you react, and you call it response. Rarely it happens in your life that you respond; but whenever it happens you have a glimpse; whenever it happens the door to the unknown opens.

I see people, they may have lived with a woman for thirty years, forty years -- they have stopped looking at her! They know she is the old lady, the old woman; they think they know, but the river has been flowing all the time. This woman is not the same one to whom they got married; that is a past phenomenon, that woman exists nowhere now; this is totally a new woman.

Every moment you are being born anew. Every moment you die and every moment you are born. But have you looked lately at your wife, your mother, your father, your friend? You have stopped looking because you think they are all old, so what is the point of looking at them? Go back and look again with fresh eyes, as you would look at a stranger -- and you will be surprised at how much this old woman has changed.

Tremendous changes happen every day. It is a flux, everything goes on flowing, nothing is frozen. But the mind is a dead thing. It is a frozen phenomenon. If you act from the frozen mind you live a dead life -- you don't live really, you are already in the grave.

Drop reactions. And allow more and more responses. To be responsive is to be responsible. To be responsive, to be responding, is to be sensitive. But sensitive to here and now.

Go back to your home and look at your wife with response not with reaction.
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: SaiServant on June 18, 2008, 08:21:00 AM
Jai Sai Baba!

Excellent post, dearest Ramesh Bhai! Equally nice post, dear Tana ji!
Thank you both for enriching our lives with such gems of wisdom.

May baba bless you!  :)

Om Sai Ram!
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on June 18, 2008, 11:41:30 PM
जय सांई राम।।।

Dear Sunita thanks for the Compliments.......Its all HIS....MAY BABA SAI BLESS YOU....

अपना सांई प्यारा सांई सबसे न्यारा अपना सांई


ॐ सांई राम।।।
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Aneel on June 21, 2008, 05:06:37 AM
Jai Sai Ram.....

                                                       WORK IS WORSHIP

Anybody, may be a very affluent or a poor person, can reach the ultimate state of suprem bliss, by offering the flowers of daily chores to the omnipresent God.

There is a well named 'Pisajhari Kuan' in the middle of the road going from Munger to Bhagalpur in Bihar, India.

A 13 year old girl called 'Shyamo' got married. Her husband died a year after her marriage. She became a widow at the young age of 14. Shyamo thought that it is not wise to become an escapist, materialistic & lazy. She made her parents understand her feelings & she started leading a pious & pure life.

Shyamo's parents were very poor. She used to get up early in the morning & earn some money by making flour using grind-stone. Then, she used to take her bath and pray to God & sing praises of His holy name. After that she used to again sit down to make thread using the spin-wheel. If somebody wanted to get food prepared, then she used to do that also. The whole day she used to keep herself busy working with full sincerity & diligence. As a result she used to get sound sleep in the night & easily she was able to concentrate for the short duration she used to pray. As this routine continued, one day Shyamo observed that all those who travel on Munger-Bhagalpur road feel very thirsty. Not only did she earn her living by making flour, thread & cooking, but she also donated all her life-long savings to construct a well for the travellers.

Even today that 'Pakka Kuan' (constructed well) located on the Munger-Bhagalpur road denotes Shyamo's sacrifice, austerity, goodwill and dedication & zeal towards work.

No matter how adverse the circumstances be, if one continues to work diligently without losing faith & hope, then his duties take the form of worship. The peace & contentment experienced by a devotee or a Yogi, the same happiness & peace is evolved in the heart of the one who does his duties with the aim of pleasing God.

Even though Shyamo became a widow at a very young age, she did not let her life get misled, dedicatedly she did her jobs practising self-control, purity in action & pleasing behaviour. That is the reason that even if her body is not existing in this world, but the songs of her good qualities are still being sung...

I wish the people entangled in fighting & creating tension for others get some inspiration from her! If we let the river of self-less services flow in our family & society, then the world would be so great!

Baba Bless All Of Us....
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: tana on June 23, 2008, 07:09:33 AM
Om Sai Ram~~~


The Socrates Triple Filter Test~~~

In ancient Greece, Socrates was reputed to hold knowledge in high esteem. One day an acquaintance met the great philosopher and said, "Do you know what I just heard about your friend?"

"Hold on a minute," Socrates replied. "Before telling me anything, I'd like you to pass a little test. It's called the Triple Filter Test."

"Triple filter?"

"That's right," Socrates continued. "Before you talk to me about my friend, it might be a good idea to take a moment and filter what you're going to say. That's why I call it the triple filter test."

"The first filter is TRUTH. Have you made absolutely sure that what you are about to tell me is true?"
"No," the man said, "actually I just heard about it and..."

'All right," said Socrates. "So you don't really know if it's true or not. Now let's try the second filter, the filter of GOODNESS. Is what you are about to tell me about my friend something good?"
"No, on the contrary..."

"So," Socrates continued, "you want to tell me something bad about him, but you're not certain it's true. You may still pass the test though, because there's one filter left: the filter of USEFULNESS. Is what you want to tell me about my friend going to be useful to me?"

"No, not really."

"Well," concluded Socrates, "if what you want to tell me is neither true nor good nor even useful, why tell it to me at all ?"

Friends, TRY TO USE this triple filter each time you hear loose talk about any of your near & dear friends  :) :) :)


Jai Sai Ram~~~
 
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: tana on June 23, 2008, 07:12:47 AM
Jai Sai Baba!

Excellent post, dearest Ramesh Bhai! Equally nice post, dear Tana ji!
Thank you both for enriching our lives with such gems of wisdom.

May baba bless you!  :)

Om Sai Ram!

Om Sai Ram~~~

Thanks Sunita ji For your compliments....
As Ramesh bhai said...IT'S ALL HIS~~~~

BABA bless you & all of us~~~

Jai Sai Ram~~~
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: tana on June 26, 2008, 01:14:36 AM
Om Sai Ram~~~


When you're down to nothing, God is up to something" ~~~


She jumped up as soon as she saw the surgeon come out of the operating room.  She said:  "How is my little boy ?  Is he going to be all right ?  When can I see him ?"

The surgeon said, "I'm sorry.  We did all we could, but your boy didn't make it."


Sally said, "Why do little children get cancer ?  Doesn't God care any more ?  Where were you, God, when my son needed you ?"

The surgeon asked, "Would you like some time alone with your son ?  One of the nurses will be out in a few minutes, before he's transported to the university."

Sally asked the nurse to stay with her while she said good bye to son.  She ran her fingers lovingly through his thick red curly hair.  "Would you like a lock of his hair ?" the nurse asked.

Sally nodded yes.  The nurse cut a lock of the boy's hair, put it in a plastic bag and handed it to Sally.


The mother said, "It was Jimmy's idea to donate his body to the University for Study.  He said it might help somebody else.  "I said no at first, but Jimmy said, 'Mom, I won't be using it after I die.  Maybe it will help some other little boy spend one more day with his Mom."  She went on, "My Jimmy had a heart of gold.  Always thinking of someone else.  Always wanting to help others if he could."

Sally walked out of Children's Mercy Hospital for the last time, after spending most of the last six months there.  She put the bag with Jimmy's belongings on the seat beside her in the car.

The drive home was difficult.  It was even harder to enter the empty house.  She carried Jimmy's belongings, and the plastic bag with the lock of his hair to her son's room.

She started placing the model cars and other personal things back in his room exactly where he had always kept them.  She laid down across his bed and, hugging his pillow, cried herself to sleep.

It was around midnight when Sally awoke.  Laying beside her on the bed was a folded letter. 

The letter said :

"Dear Mom, I know you're going to miss me;  but don't think that I will ever forget you, or stop loving you, just 'cause I'm not around to say "I Love You" .  I will always love you, Mom, even more with each day. Someday we will see each other again.  Until then, if you want to adopt a little boy so you won't be so lonely, that's okay with me.  He can have my room and old stuff to play with.  But, if you decide to get a girl instead, she probably wouldn't like the same things us boys do.  You'll have to buy her dolls and stuff girls like, you know.  Don't be sad thinking about me.  This really is a neat place.  Grandma and Grandpa met me as soon as I got here and showed me around some, but it will take a long time to see everything.  The angels are so cool.  I love to watch them fly.  And, you know what?  Jesus doesn't look like any of his pictures.  Yet, when I saw Him, I knew it was Him.  Jesus himself took me to see GOD !  And guess what, Mom ?  I got to sit on God's knee and talk to Him, like I was somebody important.  That's when I told Him that I wanted to write you a letter, to tell you good bye and everything.  But I already knew that wasn't allowed.  Well, you know what Mom ?  God handed me some paper and His own personal pen to write you this letter.  I think Gabriel is the name of the angel who is going to drop this letter off to you.  God said for me to give you the answer to one of the questions you asked Him 'Where was He when I needed him ?'  "God said He was in the same place with me, as when His son Jesus was on the cross.  He was right there, as He always is with all His children.  Oh, by the way, Mom, no one else can see what I've written except you.  To everyone else this is just a blank piece of paper.  Isn't that cool ?  I have to give God His pen back now. He needs it to write some more names in the Book of Life.  Tonight I get to sit at the table with Jesus for supper.  I'm sure the food will be great.

Oh, I almost forgot to tell you.  I don't hurt anymore.  The cancer is all gone.  I'm glad because I couldn't stand that pain anymore and God couldn't stand to see me hurt so much, either.  That's when He sent The Angel of Mercy to come get me.  The Angel said I was a Special Delivery !  How about that ?


Signed with Love from God, Jesus & Me.


Jai Sai Ram~~~
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: tana on June 27, 2008, 04:51:51 AM
Om Sai Ram~~~

ACRES OF DIAMONDS~~~

There was a farmer in Africa who was happy and content. He was happy because he was content. He was content because he was happy. One day a wise man came to him and told him about the glory of diamonds and the power that goes along with them. The wise man said, "If you had a diamond the size of your thumb, you could have your own city. If you had a diamond the size of your fist, you could probably own your own country." And then he went away. That night the farmer couldn't sleep. He was unhappy and he was discontent. He was unhappy because he was discontent and discontent because he was unhappy. The next morning he made arrangements to sell off his farm, took care of his family and went in search of diamonds. He looked all over Africa and couldn't find any. He looked all through Europe and couldn't find any. When he got to Spain, he was emotionally, physically and financially broke. He got so disheartened that he threw himself into the Barcelona River and committed suicide. Back home, the person who had bought his farm was watering the camels at a stream that ran through the farm. Across the stream, the rays of the morning sun hit a stone and made it sparkle like a rainbow. He thought it would look good on the mantle piece. He picked up the stone and put it in the living room. That afternoon the wise man came and saw the stone sparkling. He asked, "Is Hafiz back?" The new owner said, "No, why do you ask?" The wise man said, "Because that is a diamond. I recognize one when I see one." The man said, no, that's just a stone I picked up from the stream. Come, I'll show you. There are many more." They went and picked some samples and sent them for analysis. Sure enough, the stones were diamonds. They found that the farm was indeed covered with acres and acres of diamonds.* What is the moral of this story?

There are five morals~~~

1. When our attitude is right, we realize that we are all walking on acres and acres of diamonds.Opportunity is always under our feet. We don't have to go anywhere. All we need to do is recognize it.
2. The grass on the other side always looks greener.
3. While we are dyeing the grass on the other side, there are others who are dyeing the grass on our side. They would be happy to trade places with us.
4. When people don't know how to recognize opportunity, they complain of noise when it knocks.
5. The same opportunity never knocks twice. The next one may be better or worse, but it is never the same one.

Jai Sai Ram~~~
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: tana on June 29, 2008, 01:36:36 AM
Om Sai Ram~~~

know ur ROOTS~~~

There was a huge Apple tree...
A Little boy loved to play with it
He Love to clomb the tree, love to eat apples...love to take the nap under its shadow
Times went on...
The Boy grew up...
And he no longer play around the tree
..
..
..
..
..
One day the boy came....

The Tree asked him..
"Hi..
Come and Play with me.."

The boy relied..
" I m not a kid. I don't play around tree"

"I play with toys. I need money to buy toys."

The Tree said... "I Don't have money but you can take all my apples and sell it .
You will get the MONEY."

The boy picked all the apples of the tree and went...
He sold the apples and gotmoney... he bought lots of toys...
But he didn't turn back...
..
..
The Tree was again sad...
..
..
..
..
One day again the boy came, he became a young man now......

The Tree said... "HI...Why Are you sad? Come and Sit under my shadow...
I m feeling very lonely without you..."

The by said...
"I don't have time...
I work for my family...
I want to build Home for them... I Need money..."

The Tree said.. "I don't have money... You can take my Branches and Trunk... and build you home..."

The Boy Became Happy...
He cut all the branches and trunk of the tree

And built a home for him......

Again the tree became alone..
..
..
..
The boy didn't turned back..
...
Time passes on ..

After Long time the boy came back..
..
..
He was so old...
Looking sad ...
Tired...
And Lonely..

The Tree asked him.. " Why are you Sad..
I Wish .. I can help you...

...but I Don't have Apples.. I don't have branches... Even
I don't have Shadow...
Nothing to Offer you...

The Boy (Old man) Replied...
" I am tired of my life...
I am alone..."
..." I just need you ...
Can I sit down at your roots."
...
..
..
..
..
..
The Boy (Old man) sit down .. Both were happy & weeping...

Is the boy really cruel and selfish ??
??
??
??
??
??
??
??


No...
We all are like him...
And treating our parent like that...

The tree is like our parent
We love to play them when we were kids...
We leave them alone...and come only when...
We are in need or in trouble

We don't have Time for our Parent...

No matter what, parent will always give everything...

To make us happy and solve our problems...
And in return what they want....
Just our company !

Please love to your parent...
Don't forget them...
Give them Time...
Give them your company...
They will be happy by seeing you happy....

Please don't leave you parent...
Gratitude them...
One can gets Child as many as he want, but parent he gets only once...

Jai Sai Ram~~~
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY-----God's Favourite!!!
Post by: fatima on July 01, 2008, 02:47:14 AM
Narada Muni was well known for his devotion towards Lord Vishnu. He always used to chant "Narayana Narayana" (Narayana is one of the names of Lord Vishnu). He used to think that he is the greatest devotee of the Lord.  Once upon a time he went to Vaikuntha, the abode of Lord Vishnu. During their conversation Narada intentionally asked - " O Lord! You have so many devotees. I am curious to know who is your favorite one." Narada was expecting that Lord Vishnu will honor him as his favorite devotee. To his shock Vishnu pointed to a poor farmer on the earth and said, "That poor farmer is my favorite devotee."

With mind full of curiosity Narada went to the farmer's hut. The farmer was very poor and humble. He used to get up early in the morning and before getting up from his bed used to chant Lord's name once. Then the whole day he used to work hard on his field with his other family members. He used to return late in the night. Before going to the bed he again used to chant Lord's name once. Narada was surprised to know that the farmer chanted Lord's name just twice in a day. Narada thought to himself - "I chant the name of my Lord the whole day but still He loves this poor farmer who chants His name only twice in a day."

Narada went back to Vishnu and asked - "O Lord! I visited the farmer and I am surprised to know that he is your favorite devotee. Do you know that he chants your name just twice in a day?" The Lord Vishnu smiled at him and handed over a vessel completely filled with oil. Vishnu said - "Narada! Take this vessel and see me in the evening. Remember that you should always carry this vessel with you and not a single drop of oil should spill from it."

Narada did as the Lord has instructed. Throughout the day he was carrying the oil filled vessel with him taking care than not a single drop is spilling from it. He returned to Vaikuntha in the evening thinking about the whole incidence. As he arrived the Lord welcomed him saying, "I was waiting for you". He looked at the oil vessel and said - "Good! It seems you didn't waste a single drop of oil." Taking a pause he continued - "Now tell me honestly how many times you uttered my name?"

Narada said - "O Lord! You had given me an oil filled vessel and warned me not to spill a single drop of oil. My total attention was on the oil vessel. How can I chant your name when I am busy taking care of the vessel?" Vishnu smilingly said - "You forgot me when you were busy in some mundane task. However, the poor farmer remembers me at least twice a day. He remains so busy earning his bread and butter but still chants my name twice without fail."

Narada understood his mistake.


Moral: It is easy to remember God when you are free from worldly responsibilities. However, it is extremely difficult to remember Him when you are living a householder's life. We should not underestimate householders. It is often believed that spiritual progress can be made only by abandoning worldly life. However, a sincere and honest householder also can attain spiritual goals.
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY---The Rope
Post by: fatima on July 03, 2008, 05:05:00 AM

 
This story is about a mountain climber, who wanted to climb the highest mountain. He began his adventure after many years of preparation, since he wanted the glory just for himself, decided to climb the mountain alone.

He started to climb but it was getting late, and instead of being patient and  prepare his tent to camp, he kept climbing until it got very dark. The night felt heavy in the heights of the mountain, and the man could not see anything. All was black, zero visibility, and the moon and the stars were covered by the clouds.
 
As he was climbing, and only a few feet away from the mountain, he slipped and fell into the air, falling at a great speed. The climber could only see black spots as he went down, and the terrible sensation of being sucked by gravity. He kept falling, and in those moments of great fear, he remembered all the good and bad episodes of his life. He was thinking how close death was getting, when all of a sudden he felt the rope tied to his waist pull him very hard.
 
His body was hanging in the air. Only the rope was holding him, and in that moment of stillness he had no other choice but to scream: HELP ME GOD!!
 
All of a sudden, a deep voice from within answered:

 "What do you want me to do"
 "Save me God"
"Then cut the Rope tied to your waist."
 
There was a moment of silence, and the man decided to hold on to the rope with all his strength. He completely forgot the virtues of patience, and thus did not believe in his inner voice.

The next day, the rescue team found a climber dead and frozen, his body hanging from a rope, his hands holding tight to it, only 10 feet away from the ground.
 
How attached are you to your rope!

Will you let go?

Will you learn to exercise patience!

And listen to your inner voice!

Before it is too late?

 
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on July 20, 2008, 10:01:06 AM
IN ORDER TO GAIN, LOSE!

One man -- very rich, the richest in his country -- became disturbed, became frustrated. He felt that life was meaningless. He had everything that could be purchased, but all that could be purchased proved meaningless. Only something that could not be purchased could have real meaning. He had everything he could purchase -- he could have purchased the whole world -- but what to do now? He was frustrated and deep discontent was within. So he gathered all his valuables, ornaments, gold, jewels, everything, into a big bag, and he started on a journey just to find a man who could give him something valuable, a glimpse of happiness. Then be would present his whole life's earnings to him. He went from one teacher to another, traveled and traveled, but no one was able to give him even a glimpse. And he was ready to give everything -- his whole kingdom.

Then he reached a village and asked for Mulla, who was a fakir living there. A village man told him, "Mulla is just sitting outside the town, meditating under a tree. You go there, and if he cannot give you a glimpse of happiness then forget it. Then you can go to all the corners of the world, but you will never get it. If this man cannot give you a glimpse, then there is no possibility. 

"So the man was very excited. He came to Mulla who was sitting under a tree. The sun was setting. The man said, "I have come for this purpose. My whole life's earnings are here in this bag, and I will give them to you if you can give me a glimpse of happiness. 

"Mulla listened. The evening was descending; it was becoming dark. Without answering him, Mulla snatched the bag from the rich man and ran away. Of course, the rich man followed him crying, weeping and screaming. The village streets were known to Mulla; they were not known to the rich man as he was a stranger, so he couldn't find him. From all over the village people from the whole village started following them. Mulla was just running round and round. The man was mad. He was crying, "I have been robbed of all my life's riches. I am a poor man! I have become a beggar!" He was weeping -- weeping like anything. 

Then Mulla reached the same tree, and he just put the bag before the tree and went behind the tree to hide there. The man came there; he fell on the bag, and started weeping in happiness. Mulla looked from behind the tree and said, "Are you happy, man? Have you had a little glimpse?

“The man said, "I am as happy as anyone can be on this earth."

What happened? To have a peak, a valley is needed. To feel happiness, unhappiness is needed. To know the divine, the world is needed. The world is just a valley. The man was the same, the bag was the same. Nothing new had happened, but now he said that he was happy -- as happy as anyone can be on this earth -- and just a few minutes before he was miserable. Nothing had changed. The man was the same, the bag was the same, and the tree was the same. Nothing had changed, but the man was now happy, dancing. The contrast had happened. Consciousness becomes identified because through identification the world is and through the world you can regain yourself.

When Buddha attained he was asked, "What have you achieved?" He said, "Nothing. On the contrary, I have lost much. I have not attained anything because now I know that whatsoever I have attained was always there; it was my nature. It was never taken away from me, so I have not achieved anything. I have achieved that which was already there, which was already achieved. I have lost only my ignorance."

Identification is ignorance. It is part of this great play -- this BABA’s cosmic LEELA, HIS cosmic play -- that you will have to lose yourself to find yourself again. This losing yourself is just a way, and the only way, to regain yourself. If you have lost too much already, you can regain. If you have not yet lost yourself enough, you will have to lose more. And nothing can be done before that; no help is possible before that. Unless you are lost completely in the valley, in the darkness, in the SANSARA, in the world, nothing can be done. Lose so that you can gain. This looks paradoxical, but this is how the world is, how the very process is.
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY---------Three Tough Questions
Post by: fatima on July 21, 2008, 07:25:06 AM


There was a young man who went overseas to study for quite a long time. When he returned, he asked his parents to find him a religious scholar or any expert who could answer his 3 Questions. Finally, his parents were able to find a Muslim scholar.

Young man: Who are you? Can you answer my questions?

Scholar: I am one of Allah (SubHana Wa Ta`ala )'s slaves and Insha-Allah (God willing), I will be able to answer your questions.

Young man: Are you sure? A lot of Professors and experts were not
able to answer my questions.

Scholar: I will try my best, with the help of Allah(SubHana Wa Ta`ala).

Young Man: I have 3 questions:

1. Does God exist? If so, show me His shape.

2. What is takdir (fate)?

3. If shaitan (Devil) was created from the fire, why at the end he will be thrown to hell that is also created from fire. It certainly will not hurt him at all, since Shaitan (Devil) and the hell were created from fire. Did God not think of it this far?

Suddenly, the Scholar slapped the young man's face very hard.

Young Man (feeling pain): Why do you get angry at me?

Scholar: I am not angry. The slap is my answer to your three questions.

Young Man:
I really don't understand.

Scholar: How do you feel after I slapped you?

Young Man: Of course, I felt the pain.

Scholar: So do you believe that pain exists?

Young Man: Yes.

Scholar: Show me the shape of the pain!

Young Man: I cannot.

Scholar: That is my first answer. All of us feel God's existence without being able to see His shape... Last night, did you dream that you will be slapped by me?

Young Man: No.

Scholar: Did you ever think that you will get a slap from me, today?

Young
Man: No.

Scholar: That is takdir (fate)........ My hand that I used to slap you, what is it created from?

Young Man: It is created from flesh.

Scholar: How about your face, what is it created from?

Young Man: Flesh.

Scholar: How do you feel after I slapped you?

Young Man: In pain.

Scholar: Even though Shaitan (Devil) and also the hell were created from the fire, if Allah wants, insha-Allah (God willing), the hell will become a very painful place for Shaitan (Devil).
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY--------The Tea Cup
Post by: fatima on July 21, 2008, 07:30:30 AM
There was a couple who used to go to England to shop in the beautiful stores. They both liked antiques and pottery and especially teacups. This was their twenty-fifth wedding anniversary.

One day in this beautiful shop they saw a beautiful teacup. They said, "May we see that? We've never seen one quite so beautiful." As the lady handed it to them, suddenly the teacup spoke.

"You don't understand," it said. "I haven't always been a teacup. There was a time when I was red and I was clay. My master took me and rolled me and patted me over and over and I yelled out, 'Let me alone', but he only smiled, 'Not yet.'

"Then I was placed on a spinning wheel," the teacup said, "and suddenly I was spun around and around and around. Stop it! I'm getting dizzy! I screamed. But the master only nodded and said,'Not yet.'

Then he put me in the oven. I never felt such heat. I wondered why he wanted to burn me, and I yelled and knocked at the door. I could see him through the opening and I could read his lips as he shook his head, 'Not yet.'


Finally the door opened, he put me on the shelf, and I began to cool. 'There, that's better', I said. And he brushed and painted me all over. The fumes were horrible. I thought I would gag. 'Stop it, stop it!' I cried. He only nodded, 'Not yet.'

Then suddenly he put me back into the oven, not like the first one. This was twice as hot and I knew I would suffocate. I begged. I pleaded. I screamed. I cried. All the time I could see him through the opening nodding his head saying, 'Not yet.'

Then I knew there wasn't any hope. I would never make it. I was ready to give up. But the door opened and he took me out and placed me on the shelf. One hour later he handed me a mirror and I couldn't believe it was me. It's beautiful. I'm beautiful.'

'I want you to remember, then,' he said, 'I know it hurts to be rolled and patted, but if I had left you alone, you would have dried up.

I know it made you dizzy to spin around on the wheel, but if I had stopped, you would have crumbled.

I knew it hurt and was hot and disagreeable in the oven, but if I hadn't put you there, you would have cracked.

I know the fumes were bad when I brushed and painted you all over, but if I hadn't done that, you never would have hardened; you would not have had any colour in your life.

And if I hadn't put you back in that second oven, you wouldn't survive for very long because the hardness would not have held. Now you are a finished product. You are what I had in mind when I first began with you'.



God knows what He's doing for all of us. He is the potter, and we are His clay. He will mold us and make us, so that we may be made into a flawless piece of work to fulfill His good, pleasing, and perfect will, which we can never escape.

Strange are the ways of a believer for there is good in every affair of his and this is not the case with anyone else except in the case of a believer for if he has an occasion to feel delight, he thanks (God), thus there is a good for him in it, and if he gets into trouble and shows resignation (and endures it patiently), there is a good for him in it.  
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY---------The Three Friends
Post by: fatima on July 23, 2008, 07:50:39 AM
Once the Prophet of God, Hazrat Muhammed (p.b.u.h) was sitting amidst his Sahaba (companions) in the mosque when all of a sudden he said "Today I shall narrate a story to you all which will reveal three riddles for all of you to solve". This hushed the crowd and they all listened to what the Prophet had to
say.

Hazrat Mohammed (p.b.u.h) continued by saying that once a man got to know that the days in his life was numbered and very soon he would be confronted with death. With this knowledge he feared his loneliness in the grave and went
searching for true friends who would help and accompany him.

He knocked on the door of his first friend and asked whether he would help. To this the friend said, "of course, what are we here for." But then the man went on to say that he had very few days to live after which he required help. As
soon as he uttered this statement, the friend said "I am sorry but when death does us apart, there is nothing we can do for you but buy you a place in the graveyard and some cloth (Kafan) to cover your dead body." Grieved but looking
forward to his next friend, the man moved on.

On the second door, when he came face to face with his friend, and after narrating the entire story of his death and asked for help, the same answer was his fate again. The second friend said "I have been there with you all your life
and can help you here. But there's nothing I can do for you after you die except take your corpse to the graveyard and bury you."

Lost in agony and despair, he headed for the third friend, very sure that he would receive the same answer but there was a tinge of hope left. When he confronted the third friend, and told him that he required help, the friend
eagerly volunteered to help. But the man continued to say that I need help after I die. To which the third friend replied, "Do not worry, my dear friend!

I shall accompany you to the grave, be there with you in the grave, even when the angels arrive for questioning (Munkar-o-Nakeer), then assist you on the Pul-e-Sirat (bridge) and then lead you to heaven. "To this the man heaved a sigh of relief and then passed away in peace."

The Prophet (p.b.u.h) then turned and asked his companions if anybody could identify the three friends and the man. When the prevailing silence didn't dissolve, the Prophet continued to say, "The man in the anecdote is any other
human being." The first friend is "money/wealth", things that help us only in life and not after we die.

The second family/friend were the "children/sons and daughters", we strive for them all our life and all they give us is a shoulder to the grave.

And the third and most important friend is "Aamal (deeds)". Who accompany us all the way through.


Moral: Do not strive for materialistic values that will give you nothing and help you in no way in your eternal life. But work and pray and ask forgiveness from God for only the good deeds assist mankind where every other thing loses
value in the life hereafter!
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on July 27, 2008, 08:16:26 AM
A PICTURE IN MY WALLET

A ticket collector in a train found an old worn out wallet in a compartment full of many people. He Looked inside to find the name of its owner. There was no clue. All that there was in it, was some money and a picture of BABA.  He held it up And asked, "Who does this wallet belong to?" An old man said, "That's my wallet, Sir, please give it to me." The ticket collector said, "You'll have to prove that it is yours. Only then I can hand it over to you." The old man smiled a toothless smile and said. "It has a picture of BABA in it."

The ticket collector said, "That is no proof; anyone can have a picture of BABA in his wallet. What is special about that? Why is your picture not there in it like most normal people?"

The old man took a deep breath and said, "Let me tell you why my picture is not there in it. My father gave this wallet to me when I was in school. I used to get a small sum as pocket money then. I had kept a picture of my parents in it.

When I was a teenager I was greatly enamoured by my good looks. I removed my parent's picture and put in, one of my own. I loved to see my own face and my thick black hair. Some years later, I got married. My wife was very beautiful and I Loved her a lot. I replaced my own picture in this wallet with a picture of her. I spent hours gazing at her pretty face.

When my first child was born, my life started a new chapter. I shortened my working hours, to play with my baby. I went late to work and returned home early too. Obviously, my baby's picture occupied the prized position in my wallet."

The old man's eyes brimmed with tears as he went on. "My parents passed away many years ago. Last year my wife too left her mortal coil. My son; my only son is too busy with his family. He has no time to look after me. All that I had ever held close to my heart is far, far away from my reach now. Now I have put this picture of BABA SAI in my wallet. It is only now that I have realized that HE is the eternal companion. HE will never leave me.  Alas! If only I had realized this before.

If only I had loved the BABA SAI all these years, with the same intensity as I loved my family, I would not have been so lonely today!"

The collector quietly gave the wallet to the old man. When the train stopped at the next station, the ticket collector went to the book stall at the platform and asked the salesman, "Do you have any pictures of SAI BABA? I need a small one to put in my wallet!"

 
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: fatima on August 05, 2008, 04:36:20 AM
I dream that I went to Heaven and an angel was showing me around. We walked side-by-side inside a large workroom filled with angels. My angel guide stopped in front of the first section and said, "This is the Receiving Section. Here, all petitions to God said in prayer are received."

I looked around in this area, and it was terribly busy with so many angels sorting out petitions written on voluminous paper sheets and scraps from people all over the world.

Then we moved on down a long corridor until we reached the second section. The angel then said to me, "This is the Packaging and Delivery Section. Here, the graces and blessings the people asked for are processed and delivered to the living persons who asked for them."

I noticed again how busy it was there. There were many angels working hard at that station, since so many blessings had been requested and were being packaged for delivery to Earth.

Finally at the farthest end of the long corridor we stopped at the door of a very small station. To my great surprise, only one angel was seated there, idly doing nothing. "This is the Acknowledgment Section," my angel friend quietly admitted to me. He seemed embarrassed. "How is it that? There's no work going on here?" I asked. "So sad," the angel sighed. "After people receive the blessings that they asked for, very few send back acknowledgments. "How does one acknowledge God's blessings?" I asked. "Simple," the angel answered. "Just say, "Thank you, Lord."

"What blessings should they acknowledge?" I asked.

"If you have food in the refrigerator, clothes on your back, a roof overhead and a place to sleep ... you are richer than 75% of this world."

"If you have money in the bank, in your wallet, and spare change in a dish, you are among the top 8% of the world's wealthy."

"And if you get this on your own computer, you are part of the 1% in the world who has that opportunity."

Also...."If you woke up this morning with more health than illness .... you are more blessed than the many who will not even survive this day."

"If you have never experienced the fear in battle, the loneliness of imprisonment, the agony of torture, or the pangs of starvation ... you are ahead of 700 million people in the world."

"If you can attend a church meeting without the fear of harassment, arrest, torture or death ... you are envied by, and more blessed than, three billion people in the world."

"If your parents are still alive and still married you are very rare."

"If you can hold your head up and smile, you are not the norm, you are unique to all those in doubt and despair."

Ok, what now? How can I start?

If you can read this message, you just received a double blessing in that someone was thinking of you as very special and you are more blessed than over two billion people in the world who cannot read at all.

Have a good day, count your blessings, and if you want, pass this along to remind everyone else how blessed we all are.

Attn: Acknowledge Dept.: Thank You Lord!

"Thank you Lord, for giving me the ability to share this message and for giving me so many wonderful people to share it with."
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: fatima on August 06, 2008, 04:20:40 AM
Tess was a precocious eight year old when she heard her Mom and Dad talking about her little brother, Andrew. All she knew was that he was very sick and they were completely out of money. They were moving to an apartment complex next month because Daddy didn't have the money for the doctor bills and our house. Only a very costly surgery could save him now and it was looking like there was no-one to loan them the money. She heard Daddy say to her tearful Mother with whispered desperation, "Only a miracle can save him now."

Tess went to her bedroom and pulled a glass jelly jar from its hiding place in the closet. She poured all the change out on the floor and counted it carefully. Three times, even. The total had to be exactly perfect. No chance here for mistakes. Carefully placing the coins back in the jar and twisting on the cap, she slipped out the back door and made her way 6 blocks to Rexall's Drug Store with the big red Indian Chief sign above the door. She waited patiently for the pharmacist to give her some attention but he was too busy at this moment. Tess twisted her feet to make a scuffing noise. Nothing. She cleared her throat with the most disgusting sound she could muster. No good.
Finally she took a quarter from her jar and banged it on the glass counter. That did it!
"And what do you want?" the pharmacist asked in an annoyed tone of voice. "I'm talking to my brother from Chicago whom I haven't seen in ages," he said without waiting for a reply to his question.
"Well, I want to talk to you about my brother," Tess answered back in the same annoyed tone. "He's really, really sick... and I want to buy a miracle."
"I beg your pardon?" said the pharmacist.
"His name is Andrew and he has something bad growing inside his head and my Daddy says only a miracle can save him now. So how much does a miracle cost?"
"We don't sell miracles here, little girl. I'm sorry but I can't help you," the pharmacist said, softening a little. "Listen, I have the money to pay for it. If it isn't enough, I will get the rest. Just tell me how much it costs."
The pharmacist's brother was a well dressed man. He stooped down and asked the little girl, "What kind of a miracle does you brother need?"
"I don't know," Tess replied with her eyes welling up. "I just know he's really sick and Mommy says he needs an operation. But my Daddy can't pay for it, so I want to use my money."
"How much do you have?" asked the man from Chicago. "One dollar and eleven cents," Tess answered barely audibly. "And it's all the money I have, but I can get some more if I need to.
"Well, what a coincidence," smiled the man. "A dollar and eleven cents - the exact price of a miracle for little brothers." He took her money in one hand and with the other hand he grasped her mitten and said, "Take me to where you live. I want to see your brother and meet your parents. Let's see if I have the kind of miracle you need."

That well dressed man was Dr. Carlton Armstrong, a surgeon, specialising in neuro-surgery. The operation was completed without charge and it wasn't long until Andrew was home again and doing well. Mom and Dad were happily talking about the chain of events that had led them to this place.
"That surgery," her Mom whispered. "was a real miracle. I wonder how much it would have cost?"
Tess smiled. She knew exactly how much a miracle cost... one dollar and eleven cents ...... plus the faith of a little child.

A miracle is not the suspension of natural law, but the operation of a higher law......
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: tana on August 13, 2008, 12:53:25 AM
Om Sai Ram~~~

Spread what is good~~~

 
The good and the evil- both live together. Sometimes it is difficult to separate the good from the evil. It is our duty to speak well, hear well and think well. We should spread what is good all around us. We should also try and see that the evil does not grow. And if it grows it should not spread. And if it spreads it must be killed.

Once a saint was moving around with his disciples from village to village. They were spreading God's messages. They were spreading knowledge among the common people. After a long time they reached a village full of thieves and other bad men. They did not honour the saint. They did not give food or drink to them. They were not prepared even to listen to the saint's teachings.

While leaving the village the saint said:
"O Lord! Keep this village this way."

The disciples of the saint were very surprised at this. They thought that he would not wish well for the village. But they did not ask him any question.
After some time they reached another village. The villagers welcomed them happily. They were gentle and well-behaved. They were also honest and truthful. They gave them good food and drink and treated them well. They listened to Saint's advice with attention. Finally, they promised the said that they would follow his advice in life.

The saint was very pleased with them. Before leaving the village he prayed to God:"O Lord! May this village be destroyed very soon ! And the villagers be forced to spread in all directions!"

The disciples were very surprised now. They asked the saint:
"O Teacher ! You did not wish evil for the villagers, who were bad. Then, how is it that you are curse this village of the noble and the good?"

The saint smiled and then said :
"Didn't you learn the moral? When I left this village which was full of good men I prayed to God so that the noble villagers spread all over the world and teach others to be good and noble. That way the good can be spread. And when we left the village full of evil men, I prayed that this village stayed that way. In this way the evil would live in that village only and it will not spread."

The disciples then understood the message and followed him happily.

Moral : Spread What is Good, Kill What is Evil~~~


Jai Sai Ram~~~
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY------------Lesson Of Life
Post by: fatima on August 19, 2008, 02:18:13 AM
Wishing to encourage her young son's progress on the piano, a mother took her boy to a Paderewski concert.

After they were seated, the mother spotted a friend in the audience and walked down the aisle to greet her. Seizing the opportunity to explore the wonders of the concert hall, the little boy rose and eventually explored his way through a door marked "NO ADMITTANCE."

When the house lights dimmed and the concert was about to begin, the mother returned to her seat and discovered that the child was missing. Suddenly, the curtains parted and spotlights focused on the impressive Steinway on stage. In horror, the mother saw her little boy sitting at the keyboard, innocently picking out "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star."

At that moment, the great piano master made his entrance, quickly moved to the piano and whispered in the boy's ear, "Don't quit. Keep playing." Then, leaning over, Paderewski reached down with his left hand and began filling in the bass part. Soon his right arm reached around to the other side of the child and he added a running obbligato.

Together, the old master and the young novice transformed a frightening situation into a wonderfully creative, experience. And the audience was mesmerized.  


The lesson: Whatever our situation in life and history -- however outrageous, however desperate, whatever dry spell of the spirit, whatever dark night of the soul -- God is whispering deep within our beings, "Don't quit. Keep playing.

You are not alone. Together we will transform the broken patterns into a masterwork of My creative art.

Together, we will mesmerize the world."
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: fatima on August 30, 2008, 03:17:33 AM
As three travelers crossed the mountains of the Himalaya, they discussed the importance of putting into practice everything they had learned on a spiritual plane. They we so engrossed in their conversation that it was only late at night that they realized that all they had with them was a piece of bread.

They decided not to discuss who deserved to eat it; since they were pious men, they left the decision in the hands of the gods. They prayed that, during the night, a superior spirit should indicate who should receive the food.

The following morning, the three men rose together at sunrise.

"This is my dream," said the first traveler. "I was taken to places I had never visited before, and enjoyed the sort of peace and harmony I have sought in vain during my entire life on earth. In the midst of this paradise, a wise man with a long beard said to me: "you are my chosen one, you never sought pleasure, always renounced all things. And, in order to prove my allegiance to you, I should like you to try a piece of bread."

"That very strange," said the second traveler. "For in my dream, I saw my past of sanctity and my future as a master. As I gazed at that which is to come, I found a man of great wisdom, saying: "You are in greater need of food than your friends, for you shall have to lead many people, and will require strength and energy."

Then the third traveler said:

"In my dream I saw nothing, went nowhere, and found no wise men. However, at a certain hour during the night, I suddenly woke up. And I ate the bread."

The other two were furious:

"And why didn't you call us before making such a personal decision?"

"How could I? You were both so far away, finding masters and having such holy visions! Yesterday we discussed the importance of putting into practice that which we learn on a spiritual plane. In my case, God acted quickly, and had me awake dying of hunger!"  


---contributed by Mohammed Gwath Shattari
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on November 18, 2008, 08:54:02 AM
जय सांई राम।।।

We are entitled to our own space. If for some reason, we are denied it, we have the ability to design our inner space, create our own sky, lush gardens of fragrance with colourful birds that chirp songs dear to our heart and take flight into realms of imagination.But how authentic are our birds and skies if we are not in tune with ourselves? And do we have the ability to spread the goodness of fragrance?

A flower is most perceptive for it is endowed with sensiti-vity to absorb the most brilliant part of nature and reproduce it in its tender petals. It has the ability to imbibe the finest of fragrance and distribute it to the winds that carry it far and beyond. A flower has the ability to share the sweet perfume collected patiently, drop by drop, over time. Why can't we shed debris and burden of a cumbersome past to assimilate the best that nature has to offer, like a stunning rose or lotus do? By bragging about our species' superiority, we have unwittingly limited our growth by undermining all other, much more rewarding and potent possibilities that lie within our reach. Our deep-rooted conditioning devises our fate.

We always have enough excuses to justify our wrongs because the 'rights' are difficult to come by, involving too much effort and a high degree of integrity. We look for an easy way out. Unhealthy compromises have become the norm, be it at work or in relationships, compromises that often camouflage our uncertainties and inferiority complexes, making us feel like inflated superstars. Selfishness, greed for money, name and fame lead us to a dangerous alley that is depressing and dark. We are mostly groping, slouching individuals who refuse to look at our own intimidating reflections having skilfully pre-painted our larger-than-life images on mirrors in garish colours that cannot reflect our true identity. We hide our ugliness and lethargy behind an unworthy hope that we chase aimlessly, running in circles to the rhythm of deafening, dying songs that drown our inner voice.Nature offers us grace, balance, rhythm, song, understanding, compassion, even Bodhic enlightenment.

Then why separate ourselves from the very source of our existence? In order to gain power? Control? To use and abuse? Why can't we be tender like flowers? Why can't humans spread frag-rance and make this world a heaven? Get inspired by sunrise or sunset, floating clouds, the purity of blue sky, swaying green trees and innocent smiles of infants. We are running and struggling against our own flow, fighting a losing battle, feeling dissatisfied, and all in the name of so-called success. Let us first recognise ourselves, explore treasures within. For nature has endowed each one of us with something special, something unique and often exceptionally beautiful.

By all means, let us run the race but, with our own, individual inner self, challenging our own potential, honing our own skills, in tune with our own inner, peaceful self. Then we stand a good chance of becoming flowers and genuinely creative in all our relationships. "It does not matter whether you are a rose or a lotus or a marigold, what matters is the flowering... let your fragrance spread all over!"


अपना सांई प्यारा सांई सबसे न्यारा अपना सांई


ॐ सांई राम।।।
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on December 21, 2008, 07:26:06 AM
जय सांई राम।।।

Programme Yourself For Mind Management  

In every difficulty there is an opportunity. Life is really a choice... to be either wise, not wise or otherwise.

A wise king wanted advice about what to do when he faced a real crisis in his life. He met his master. The master gave him a locket and told him to open it only when he was in difficulty. After some years he was defeated in a battle and he lost his kingdom.
 
He was worried and was hiding in a cave. He suddenly remembered what his master had told him. He opened the locket and there he found a note, “even this will pass”, and a second note which said, “if one door closes another door opens”.

He gained strength from this piece of advice and after a month won his kingdom back. He went to his master and thanked him and asked a question: “Why does the door close?” “The door is always open, your mind is closed,” replied the master.

There are two types of worlds we live in. The visible world and the invisible world. The outer world and the inner world. Our body is in this outer space but our mind is in another space. Just as our body gets dirty if one is in a dirty space our inner self, our mind, gets dirty if we visit dirty areas in the inner world.

If one broods over worry, dislike, anger, jealousy, then our mind is polluted. With such pollution you find the outer world a pain. The real pain is when our mind lives in negativity.

What type of world are we in? This is what one should really be aware of. Where are we placed psychologically is what we have to watch for. One believes that the outer world is the real world and not the inner world of mind.

For example, you are very happy that you are invited to a party where celebrities are attending. Then you see them beautifully dressed. You may feel bad that you are not as rich as they are, you may feel bad that you are not a celebrity. Now tell me, what has impacted your life directly... the outer world or the inner world. The inner world, is it not? So watch that very carefully in your life.

When you don’t watch the mind, what happens? A negative system is created. When you dwell on the negative, your pattern of anger, your pattern of justifying, your pattern of jealousy, creates a negative system. Then the negative system takes over and you lose control of yourself.

It is as though you have installed a programme in your computer and when you open the computer, that particular programme opens up. Then you get angry with the computer. What you have to realise is that it is not the computer that is the source of the problem, it is how you have programmed it, is the problem.

Each time you are negative, watch how you have programmed yourself.

When the world outside is singing and dancing, in the morning sunrise and evening sunset, in the twinkling of the stars and the dancing wind, you feel negative and sick... for it is like mixing bread with mud. Hence don’t create a negative system around you.

अपना सांई प्यारा सांई सबसे न्यारा अपना सांई


ॐ सांई राम।।।
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: dee on December 21, 2008, 10:13:07 PM
As inspiring as ever sir..
SAIOMSAI
Hope we children get to read more and more from you Ramesh sir
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on December 22, 2008, 06:32:50 AM
जय सांई राम।।।

Just Live  

A professor of logic went to a toy shop with his small child aged five years and his wife, who was also very educated, very cultured, and they were looking for a new toy for the child for his birthday. They came across a very puzzling jigsaw puzzle. The father, himself a logician, tried to solve it. He did everything that he could but there seemed to be no possibility of solving it. He started perspiring, because people had gathered in the shop -- and a professor of logic cannot solve a simple jigsaw puzzle which is meant to be solved by children! The wife also helped. Only the child enjoyed the whole game because he was not interested in solving it.

He was suggesting: Do this and that -- and he was the only one who was not troubled.

And then the logician asked the shopowner: What is the matter? If I cannot fit this puzzle together how do you expect that a child of five years will be able to fix it?

The shopowner started laughing, a mad laugh, he said: It is not meant to be solved, this toy is not meant to be solved. This is just to introduce the child to the modern world, to modern life: whatsoever you do, you cannot solve it. It has been made with a specific purpose -- that it cannot be solved!

Life has been made with a specific purpose: that it is purposeless, that it is not something to be solved but something to be lived, enjoyed. You can celebrate it. You can dance it. You can sing it. Millions of possibilities of what to do with life are there, but please, never try to solve it, otherwise you have taken a wrong step. And then never in your life will you again be in step with life.

Who told you that this is a problem -- these trees, this sky, the clouds, the sand, the sea -- who told you that these are problems to be solved? But, the mind wants challenges, something to fight with. Even if there is no problem it creates ghost-problems to solve. By solving them it feels good; ego is enhanced, fulfilled, you have conquered something.

This is the basic standpoint of religion -- that life has to be lived.


अपना सांई प्यारा सांई सबसे न्यारा अपना सांई


ॐ सांई राम।।।
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: veena R on June 20, 2009, 10:04:36 AM
OM SAI RAM

Thanks Ramesh ji...... all those stories are wonderful,rich n inspiring..
we miss u..

om sai ram
om sai ram
om sai ram
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY- Fern And The Bamboo
Post by: SS91 on June 28, 2009, 01:53:04 PM
One day I decided to quit…I quit my job, my relationship, my spirituality…. I wanted to quit my life. I went to the woods to have one last talk with God.

“God”, I said. “Can you give me one good reason not to quit?”

His answer surprised me.

 “Look around”, He said. “Do you see the fern and the bamboo?”

“Yes”, I replied.

“When I planted the fern and the bamboo seeds, I took very good care of them. I gave them light. I gave them water. The fern quickly grew from the earth. Its brilliant green covered the floor. Yet nothing came from the bamboo seed. But I did not quit on the bamboo.


In the second year the fern grew more vibrant and plentiful. And again, nothing came from the
bamboo seed. But I did not quit on the bamboo.

“In year three there was still nothing from the bamboo seed. But I would not quit. The same in year four.

“Then in the fifth year, a tiny sprout emerged from the earth. Compared to the fern, it was seemingly small and insignificant.

But just six months later, the bamboo rose to over 100 feet tall. It had spent the five years growing roots. Those roots made it strong and gave it what it needed to survive. I would not give any of my creations a challenge it could not handle.

“Did you know, my child, that all this time you have been struggling, you have actually been growing roots? I would not quit on the bamboo. I will never quit on you.

“Don’t compare yourself to others.” He said. “The bamboo had a different purpose than the fern. Yet they both make the forest beautiful.

“Your time will come”, God said to me. “You will rise high”

“How high should I rise?” I asked.

“How high will the bamboo rise?” He asked in return.

“As high as it can?” I questioned

“Yes.” He said, “Give me glory by rising as high as you can.”

I left the forest, realizing that God will never give up on me. And He will never give up on you.

Never regret a day in your life.

Good days give you happiness; bad days give you experiences; both are essential to life.


JAISAIRAM




Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on July 18, 2009, 08:20:32 AM
A young boy left his home in search of truth. He met many people; he became richer in awareness of his ignorance. Since people went to forests to meditate, he too went to a thick forest. He did not know how to meditate. So he screamed at the forest to give him knowledge. For years his only mantra was screaming at the forest to give him knowledge. He believed that if you are committed, existence will help you.

   One day, a monk came to him. He asked: “What do you want, my son?” “I want to know what the meaning of life is,” he replied. “Go to the town. The first three persons that you meet will give you the meaning of life,” the monk replied.

   The boy went to the town. The first man he met was doing carpentry work. The next man he met was doing sheet metal work. The third man he met was making strings. Disappointed, he sat on the bank of a river. Suddenly, he heard the sweet strains of violin music. Something mysterious touched him. He suddenly got the answer he was looking for and he started dancing.

   The carpenter was preparing the wood for the violin. The sheet metal worker was preparing metal for the strings and the strings were meant for the violin. Life has everything; all you need is to be able to connect the dots. You need to work out new combinations. And for that you need creative perception...

   You have to change the notion that difficulty is pain. In exercise, there is difficulty but also joy. In sports, there is difficulty but there is joy. In your relationships, when there is difficulty, treat it as joy. Just reprogramme your mind.

   In prayer you don’t have to do anything; just be available to God’s grace. Prayer is a deep readiness to receive God’s flow. It is passive alertness. Go deep and you discover your original mind… it is deep passiveness. A greedy mind is richer than a Buddha, but rich with desires and greed; so a Buddha is ‘poorer’ than you are. The Bible says: “Blessed are the poor for theirs is the kingdom of God.”

   When someone asked Buddha what he attained through his enlightenment, he said: “I did not gain but I lost. I lost my ignorance, my dreams, my dogmas, my likes and dislikes, my ambitions.”

   You can live in two ways – mechanical or meditative. The meditative way involves you being more aware; that awareness is passive alertness. When you are passively alert, you will realise that you are born free; you are not condemned to be not free. You have choices and that is your freedom. When there is no freedom there are no choices.

   Be more meditative and you will make the right choices that will make you grow rather than feel trapped. Substance abuse is a bad choice. This is a mechanical way of living. But the choice is before you.

   If you choose wisely you are in paradise. When you are eating, meditatively eat. Then eating will be a paradise. Totally be in your eating. When you take a bath, be total in taking your bath and a different paradise opens up. Next, bring in love energy into whatever you do… feel your inner being.

   With the energy of silence, be total. You realise that you will be a moving heaven rather than a moving hell.
 
Title: Dear Ramesh ji, SaiRam -Welcome back
Post by: SS91 on July 18, 2009, 05:39:26 PM
SaiRam Ramesh ji,  :)

WELCOME BACK. :)

We all missed you very much. ;)

Sai bless you. :)

JaiSaiRam

SubhaSrini ;D
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: 4urblessings on August 07, 2009, 10:32:37 AM
Interview with God

I dreamed I had an interview with God.

"Come in," God said. "So, you would like to interview Me?"

"If you have the time," I said.

God smiled and said "My time is eternity. It is enough to do everything. What questions do you have in mind to ask me?"

I asked, "What surprises you most about mankind?"

God thought for a few moments and then answered "That they get bored of being children, are in a rush to grow up, and then long to be children again.

That they lose their health to make money and then lose their money to restore their health.

That by thinking anxiously about the future, they forget the present, such that they live neither for the present nor the future.

That they live as if they will never die, and they die as if they had never lived"

God placed my hands in His and we were silent for while. Then I asked,

"As a parent, what are some of life's lessons you want your children to learn?"

God replied with a smile "To learn that they cannot make anyone love them. What they can do is to let themselves be loved.

To learn that what is most valuable is not what they have in their lives, but whom they have in their lives.

To learn that it is not good to compare themselves to others. All will be judged individually on their own merits, not as a group on a comparison basis.

To learn that a rich person is not the one who has the most, but is one who needs the least.

To learn that it only takes a few seconds to open profound wounds in persons we love, and that it takes many years to heal them.

To learn to forgive by practicing forgiveness. To learn that there are persons that love them dearly, but simply do not know how to express or show their feelings.

To learn that money can buy everything but happiness.

To learn that two people can look at the same thing and see it totally differently.

To learn that a true friend is someone who knows everything about them... and likes them anyway.

To learn that it is not always enough that they be forgiven by others, but that they have to forgive themselves."

I sat there for awhile enjoying my visit with God.

I thanked Him for His time and for all that He has done for my family and me.

He replied, "Anytime. I'm here 24 hours a day. All you have to do is ask for me, and I'll answer."
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on August 08, 2009, 08:47:24 AM
Have you noticed small children? The father holds the hand of the child and takes him to the market. The father keeps on holding his hand but the child attempts to free his hand because he wants to become independent, he wants to walk by himself. The father wants to hold onto the hand of the child, but the child wants to free his hand so that he can run by himself.

Man also behaves like this. The divine is holding his hand, otherwise man cannot even live. How are we going to breathe if existence does not breathe through us? How shall we live if existence does not throb in us? But we try to stand on our own feet. Ego always tries to stand on its own feet without the support of anyone else. It seems very insulting to ask for someone's help. It looks pitiable to ask for someone's support. That is why, as the ego of man goes on increasing, worship and prayer are disappearing.

Have you ever noticed that when you bow down in the temple you feel a little uncomfortable? You are afraid that someone may see you bowing down. You kneel down, you fold your hands, but at the same time you make sure that no one is looking at you, because people will say, "You are kneeling down, you are bowing down," and it will hurt your ego.

People have become afraid of bowing down. It is very unfortunate, because whatever is great in life can be attained only by bowing down. It is just like your being thirsty and you are standing in the river but you are not bending down.
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: sagarika on December 04, 2009, 01:52:34 AM
omsairam.

Dear subhasrini ji, Ramesh ji and all

all the stories are awesome, superb.... every story teaches something..

thank u so much for sharing these wonderful lessons..... these stories gives me lot of peace of mind whenever i read it... iam learning many things :)

baba bless you :)

omsairam
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: Ramesh Ramnani on December 05, 2009, 11:19:07 PM
Thanks for the compliments and your liking Sagarika Dear...Wherever I find good readable material I post here for my brothers and sisters...

A king dreams in the night that a dark shadow is putting her hand on his shoulder. He looks back. He is horrified. It is just a dark shadow, but the shadow speaks and says, "There is no need to be worried. I have just come to inform you -- it is not routine; you are a great king; it is an exception -- otherwise I never come to inform anybody. I come without any information."

The king said, "But who are you?"

The dark shadow laughed and said, "I am your death, and be prepared. Tomorrow, as the sun will be setting, I am going to come to you."

Naturally, this nightmare woke him up. Even after he was awake, knowing well that it was only a dream, he was trembling and perspiring. And his heart was beating so loudly he could hear it himself. He immediately called the council of all his wise men, and particularly the royal astrologers, prophets, and told them the dream. He asked them the meaning of it -- is it true that death is going to happen? The astrologers may be able to figure it out.

The wise men, the philosophers, the astrologers, the prophets, all started arguing about the dream. Perhaps it was the first dream analysis! But they could not come to any conclusion, just as they cannot come to any conclusion today. All the dream analysts, the so-called psychoanalysts, differ in their interpretations. You take the same dream to all and you will get different conclusions about the dream. You will be more confused than ever.

And so was the situation of the king from the middle of the night till the morning; he became more and more confused because everybody was saying something different. And when the sun started rising, the old man who used to serve the king... He was not only a servant, he had helped the king from his very childhood. He had taken care of him, because his mother had died and his father had appointed the man to take care of the child because he was his most trustworthy bodyguard. So the king respected him almost like his father.

The old man said, whispered in his ear, "These great thinkers and philosophers and astrologers have argued for centuries and they have never come to any conclusion; do you think they will come to any conclusion within twelve hours? Forget it; that is not possible. These are the people who know only how to argue; they never come to any conclusion. They argue well but the question is not the beauty of the argument, the question is what is the conclusion of all your philosophies? There is no conclusion at all. No two philosophers agree with each other."

The king asked him, "Then what do you propose?"

He said, "My understanding is let them discuss; there is no harm. But you take our fastest horse and get away as far as possible from the palace. It is dangerous to be at this place, for at least the coming twelve hours. After the sun has set, you can start turning back, but not before that." It looked practical. The old man said, "These people can go on arguing; there is no need to stop them. If they come to any conclusion, I will follow you immediately. The best way is towards Damascus, another capital of another kingdom. So I will know where to find you, to give you their conclusion. I will come behind you."

The king was convinced by the old man. He left all those great philosophers discussing, and slipped quietly out of the palace with the best horse he had. The whole day the horse was running as fast as possible. They did not stop to eat or even to drink water. It was not a time to think of water or food. And the horse seemed to be in a certain understanding that it was a very critical moment for his master.

They reached near Damascus, just outside the city, as the sun was setting. They stopped in a mango grove and as he was tying the horse to a tree, he patted it and he said, "You prove to be a great friend. You have never run so fast before; you must have understood my situation. And we have come hundreds of miles away."

As the sun was setting he immediately felt the same hand on his shoulder from behind. The shadow was there and said, "I also have to thank your horse. I was worried whether you would be able to reach this place at the right time or not. That's why I had come to inform you. This is the place destined for your death, and your horse has brought you right on time."
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: SS91 on January 20, 2011, 01:49:56 PM
True Touching Story to Humble Ourselves



I was parked in front of the mall wiping off my car. I had just come from the car wash and was waiting for my husband to get out of work.

Coming my way from across the parking lot was what society would
consider a bum. From the looks of him, he had no car, no home, no clean clothes, and no money. There are times when you feel generous but there are other times that you just don't want to be bothered. This was one of those "don't want to be bothered times."

"I hope he doesn't ask me for any money," I thought. He didn't. He came and sat on the curb in front of the bus stop but he didn't look like he could have enough money to even ride the bus.

After a few minutes he spoke. "That's a very pretty car," he said.

I said, "thanks," and continued wiping off my car. He sat there quietly as I worked. The expected plea for money never came.

As the silence between us widened something inside said, "ask him if he needs any help." I was sure that he would say "yes" but I held true to the inner voice.

"Do you need any help?" I asked.

He answered in three simple but profound words that I shall never forget.

I expected nothing but an outstretched grimy hand. He spoke the three words that shook me.

"Don't we all?" he said.

I was feeling high and mighty, successful and important, above a bum in the street, until those three words hit me like a twelve gauge shotgun.

Don't we all?

I needed help. Maybe not for bus fare or a place to sleep, but I
needed help. I reached in my wallet and gave him not only enough for bus fare, but enough to get a warm meal and shelter for the day.

We often look for wisdom in great men and women. We expect it from
those of higher learning and accomplishments.

No matter how much you have, no matter how much you have accomplished, you need help too.

No matter how little you have, no matter how loaded you are with problems, even without money or a place to sleep, you can give help.

Even if it's just a compliment, you can give that.

Maybe the man was just a homeless stranger wandering the streets. Maybe he was more than that......


JaiSaiRam  ;D
Title: इस दुनिया में सबसे अधिक मूर्ख किस देश में रहते हैं.”
Post by: Pratap Nr.Mishra on August 03, 2011, 12:36:39 PM
 

अकबर और बीरबल : इस दुनिया में सबसे अधिक मूर्ख किस देश में रहते हैं.”

स्रोत :  जागरण जंक्सन

बादशाह अकबर का दरबार लगा हुआ था. सारे दरबारी अपने अपने काम में व्यस्त थे कि अकबर ने बीरबल की तरफ देखते हुये कहा, “बीरबल कई दिनों से एक सवाल मुझे काफ़ी परेशान किये जा रहा है. शायद तुम्हारे पास इस सवाल का कोई जवाब हो.”

बीरबल ने सर झुका कर कहा, “हुज़ूर आप अपना सवाल पूछिये. मैं पूरी कोशिश करूँगा आपके सवाल का वाज़िब जवाब देने की.”

अकबर ने कहा, “बीरबल मुझे ये मालुम करना है कि इस दुनिया में सबसे अधिक मूर्ख किस देश में रहते हैं.”

बीरबल ने कुछ देर सोचा और कहा, “हुज़ूर इस सवाल का जवाब ढूँढने के लिये मुझे संसार के सारे देशों में घूम घूम कर वहाँ के लोगों के बारे में जानकारी लेनी होगी, और ये यात्रा पूरी करने में मुझे कम से कम तीन साल तो लग ही जायेगा.”

अकबर ने तुरंत जवाब दिया, “ठीक है मैं तुम्हें दो साल की मोहलत देता हूँ. आज से ठीक दो साल के बाद यहाँ आकर सारे दरबार के सामने अपना जवाब देना.”

बीरबल ने अदब से सर झुका कर कहा, “तो फिर जहाँपनाह मुझे इज़ाज़त दें, मैं घर जा कर अपनी यात्रा की तैयारी करता हूँ.” ये कह कर बीरबल ने दरबार से विदा ली.

बीरबल को गये हुये पूरे तीन हफ्ते गुज़र गये थे और अकबर को बीरबल के बिना दरबार में सूनापन महसूस होने लगा. बादशाह सलामत आँख मूँद कर ये सोचने लगे कि बीरबल न जाने इस समय किस देश में होगा कि अचानक दरबार में होने वाली खुसर पुसर ने उनकी आँखें खोल दीं – और, अकबर ने अपने सामने बीरबल को हाथ जोड़े खड़ा पाया.

अकबर ने अचंभित हो कर पूछा, “अरे बीरबल तुम इतनी जल्दी कैसे वापस आ गये? और, मेरे सवाल के जवाब का क्या हुआ?”

बीरबल ने कहा, “हुज़ूर मुझे आपके सवाल का जवाब मिल गया है और इसी लिये मैं वापस आ गया हूँ.”

“तो फिर बताओ तुम्हारा जवाब क्या है?” अकबर ने अधीरतापूर्वक पूछा.

बीरबल ने विनती की, “हुज़ूर पहले वचन दीजिये कि मेरा जवाब सुन कर आप मुझे किसी भी तरह का दंड नहीं दीजियेगा.”

“ठीक है मैं वचन देता हूँ. अब तो बताओ तुम्हारा जवाब क्या है?”, अकबर ने कहा.

बीरबल ने सर झुका कर उत्तर दिया, “सरकार दुनिया में सबसे ज्यादा मूर्ख हमारे ही देश हिन्दुस्तान में रहते हैं.”

“पर बीरबल बिना किसी और देश गये सिर्फ़ तीन हफ्तों में तुमने ये कैसे जान लिया कि हिन्दुस्तान में सबसे ज्यादा मूर्ख रहते हैं?” अकबर ने खीजते हुये पूछा.

“हुज़ूर मैं विस्तार से आपको बताता हूँ कि पिछले तीन हफ्तों में मैंने क्या क्या देखा. और, मैंने जो कुछ भी देखा उसी के आधार पर आपके सवाल का जवाब दिया है.”, ये कहते हुये बीरबल ने अपनी पिछले तीन हफ्तों की दास्तान बयान करनी शुरू कर दी.

उस दिन दरबार से जाने के बाद मैं सीधा घर गया और बोरी बिस्तर बाँध कर अगले दिन सुबह सुबह ही विश्व भ्रमण के लिये निकल पड़ा. दो दिन की घुड़सवारी के बाद एक छोटे से नगर में पहुँचा तो देखा कि गुस्से से तमतमाते हुये लोगों की एक भीड़ सड़क पर खड़े वाहनों को आग लगा रही थी और साथ ही साथ ईंटे पत्थर मार कर दुकानों को तोड़ने में लगी हुई थी. मैंने भीड़ में से एक युवक को कोने में खींच कर पूछा कि ये सब क्यों किया जा रहा है. पता चला कि नगर के पीने के पानी वाले कुयें में एक चूहा पाया गया है – बस नागरिकों को आ गया गुस्सा. पहले तो नगर अधिकारी की जम के पिटाई की और फिर तोड़ फ़ोड़ में लग गये. मैंने पूछा कि अखिर चूहे को कुयें में से निकाला किसने – तो जवाब मिला कि चूहा तो अभी भी उसी कुयें में मरा पड़ा है और उसे निकालना तो सरकार का काम है. खैर मैंने गुस्से से लाल पीली भीड़ को समझाने की कोशिश की कि इस तोड़ फ़ोड़ से तो उनको ही नुकसान होगा. अगर सारे वाहन जला दिये तो क्या गधे पर बैठ कर जगह जगह जायेंगे? दुकानें और दुकानों में रखा सामान तुम्हारे जैसे नागरिकों की ही सम्पत्ति है – उसे जलाने से आखिर नुकसान किसका होगा. ये सुनना था कि सारी भीड़ ये चिल्लाते हुये कि मैं एक निकम्मा सरकारी जासूस हूँ मेरी तरफ डंडे ले कर दौड़ पड़ी. सरकार मैं किसी तरह जान बचा कर भागा और पास की ही एक सराय में जा कर छुप गया.

पूरी रात सराय में बिता कर मैं अगले दिन सूरज निकलने से पहले ही आगे के लिये निकल पड़ा. अगले पाँच सात दिन बड़े चैन से गुजरे – कोई बड़ा हादसा भी नहीं हुआ. दो हफ्ते पूरे होने को आये थे और मैं अब तक पिछले नगर की घटना को थोड़ा थोड़ा भूल भी चुका था. पर हुज़ूर-ए-आला अगले दिन जो मैंने देखा वैसा नज़ारा तो शायद नरक में भी देखने को नहीं मिलेगा. शहर की सड़कें खून से लाल थीं, चारों तरफ बच्चों, आदमियों, औरतों, बकरियों और तकरीबन हर चलने फ़िरने वाली चीज़ों की लाशें पड़ी हुई थीं. इमारतें आग में जल रहीं थी. मैंने सड़क के कोने में सहमे से बैठे हुये एक बूढ़े से पूछा कि क्या किसी दुश्मन की फौज ने आ कर ये कहर ढा दिया है. बूढ़े ने आँसू पोंछते हुये बताया शहर में हिन्दू और मुसलमानों के बीच दंगा हो गया और बस मार काट शुरू हो गयी. मैंने विचलित आवाज़ में पूछा कि दंगा शुरू कैसे हुआ. पता चला कि एक आवारा सुअर दौड़ते दौड़ते एक मस्जिद में घुस गया – किसी ने चिल्ला कर कह दिया कि ये किसी हिन्दू की ही करतूत होगी. बस दोनों गुटों के बीच तलवारें तन गयीं और जो भी सामने आया अपने मजहब के लिये कुर्बान हो गया. मुझसे वो सब देखा नहीं गया और मैं घोड़ा तेजी से दौड़ाते हुये उस शहर से कोसों दूर निकल गया.

तीसरा हफ्ता शुरू हो गया था और मैं भगवान से मना रहा था कि हिन्दुस्तान की सीमा पार होने से पहले मुझे अब कोई और बेवकूफी भरा नजारा देखने को न मिले. पर जहाँपनाह शायद ऊपर वाले को इतनी नीचे से कही गयी फरियाद सुनाई नहीं दी. अगले दिन जब मैं मूढ़गढ़ पहुँचा तो क्या देखता हूँ कि युवकों की एक टोली कुछ खास लोगों को चुन चुन कर पीट रही है. मैं एक घायल को ले कर जब चिकित्सालय गया तो पता चला कि सारे चिकित्सक हड़ताल पर हैं और किसी भी मरीज़ को नहीं देखेंगे. खैर मैं उस घायल को चिकित्सालय में ही छोड़ कर बाजार की तरफ चल पड़ा जरूरत का कुछ सामान खरीदने के लिये. बाजार पहुँचा तो पाया कि सारी दुकानें बंद हैं. और, कुछ एक जो खुली हैं उनके दुकानदार अपनी टूटी हुई टाँगो को पकड़ कर अपनी दुकानों को लुटता हुआ देख रहे हैं – पता चला कि वो लोग बंद में हिस्सा न लेने की सज़ा भुगत रहे हैं. सारी स्तिथि से मुझे एक नौजवान ने अवगत कराया जो कि उस समय एक दूसरे युवक की पिटाई करने में जुटा हुआ था. उसने बताया कि जहाँपनाह अकबर ने दो दिन पहले घोषणा की कि अस्सी फीसदी सरकारी नौकरियाँ पिछड़ी जाति के लोगों को ही दी जायेंगी. उसी के विरोध में पिछड़ी जाति के युवकों की पिटाई की जा रही है और पूरे नगर में सब हड़ताल पर हैं. मैंने उस युवक से कहा कि इन पिछड़ी जाति के युवकों को पीट कर तुमको क्या मिलेगा – अरे पीटना ही है तो उसे पीटो जिसने ऐसी घोषणा की. और, हड़ताल और बंद करने से तो हम जैसे साधारण नागरिकों को ही तकलीफ़ उठानी पड़ती है. मेरी बातों को अनसुना कर के वो एक खुली हुई दुकान की तरफ लाठी ले कर दौड़ पड़ा.

हुज़ूर मैंने मन ही मन सोचा कि यहाँ के नागरिक तो मूर्ख हैं ही, पर यहाँ का शाशक तो महा मूर्ख है जिसके दिमाग में इस तरह का वाहयात खयाल आया. बस सरकार मैंने आगे जाना व्यर्थ समझा – मुझे आपके सवाल का जवाब मिल चुका था और मैंने वापस आना ही उचित समझा.

बीरबल की व्याख्या सुन कर अकबर थोड़ी देर शाँत रहे, फ़िर मुस्कुराते हुये बीरबल के पास आ कर बोले, “बीरबल तुम्हारा जवाब सुन कर मुझे बहुत बड़ी राहत मिल गयी है.”

बीरबल ने भ्रमित हो कर अकबर की तरफ़ देखते हुये कहा, “हुज़ूर मैं कुछ समझा नहीं.”

अकबर ने खुलासा किया, “बीरबल अगर इस देश के प्राणी इतने मूर्ख न होते तो मैं इन पर शाशन कैसे कर पाता. और जब तक ये मुल्क़ मूर्खों से भरा रहेगा, तब तक हम और हमारी पीढ़ियाँ यहाँ राज करती रहेंगी. जहाँ तक आरक्षण का सवाल है तो तुम क्यों परेशान होते हो. तुम्हारे बच्चों को कौन सी नौकरी करनी है – कल को जहाँगीर बादशाह बनेगा और तुम्हारे बच्चे शान-ओ-शौकत से उसके दरबार में काम करेंगे. आरक्षण करने से मुझको ये फायदा हुआ कि मूर्खों की एक टोली अब मूर्खों की दो टोलियों में बँट गयी है – इन्हें जितना बाँटते जाओगे, शाशन करने में उतनी ही आसानी होगी. बीरबल तुम्हारे जवाब ने मेरे दिल पर से एक काफ़ी बड़ा बोझ हटा दिया है.”

Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: SS91 on March 20, 2012, 07:08:18 AM
The house with the golden windows  


The little girl lived in a small, very simple, poor house on a hill and as she grew she would play in the small garden and as she grew she was able to see over the garden fence and across the valley to a wonderful house high on the hill - and this house had golden windows, so golden and shining that the little girl would dream of how magic it would be to grow up and live in a house with golden windows instead of an ordinary house like hers.

And although she loved her parents and her family, she yearned to live in such a golden house and dreamed all day about how wonderful and exciting it must feel to live there.

When she got to an age where she gained enough skill and sensibility to go outside her garden fence, she asked her mother is she could go for a bike ride outside the gate and down the lane. After pleading with her, her mother finally allowed her to go, insisting that she kept close to the house and didn't wander too far. The day was beautiful and the little girl knew exactly where she was heading! Down the lane and across the valley, she rode her bike until she got to the gate of the golden house across on the other hill.

As she dismounted her bike and lent it against the gate post, she focused on the path that lead to the house and then on the house itself...and was so disappointed as she realised all the windows were plain and rather dirty, reflecting nothing other than the sad neglect of the house that stood derelict.

So sad she didn't go any further and turned, heart broken as she remounted her bike ... As she glanced up she saw a sight to amaze her...there across the way on her side of the valley was a little house and its windows glistened golden ...as the sun shone on her little home.

She realised that she had been living in her golden house and all the love and care she found there was what made her home the 'golden house'. Everything she dreamed was right there in front of her nose!

JaiSairam  ;D
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: SS91 on March 21, 2012, 01:16:36 PM
Peace of mind  

Once Buddha was walking from one town to another town with a few of his followers. This was in the initial days. While they were travelling, they happened to pass a lake. They stopped there and Buddha told one of his disciples, “I am thirsty. Do get me some water from that lake there.”

The disciple walked up to the lake. When he reached it, he noticed that some people were washing clothes in the water and, right at that moment, a bullock cart started crossing through the lake. As a result, the water became very muddy, very turbid. The disciple thought, “How can I give this muddy water to Buddha to drink!” So he came back and told Buddha, “The water in there is very muddy. I don’t think it is fit to drink.”

After about half an hour, again Buddha asked the same disciple to go back to the lake and get him some water to drink. The disciple obediently went back to the lake. This time he found that the lake had absolutely clear water in it. The mud had settled down and the water above it looked fit to be had. So he collected some water in a pot and brought it to Buddha.

Buddha looked at the water, and then he looked up at the disciple and said, “See what you did to make the water clean. You let it be ... and the mud settled down on its own – and you got clear water... Your mind is also like that. When it is disturbed, just let it be. Give it a little time. It will settle down on its own. You don’t have to put in any effort to calm it down. It will happen. It is effortless.”

What did Buddha emphasize here? He said, “It is effortless.” Having 'peace of mind' is not a strenuous job; it is an effortless process. When there is peace inside you, that peace permeates to the outside. It spreads around you and in the environment, such that people around start feeling that peace and grace.

Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: SS91 on March 24, 2012, 09:02:46 AM

The Frogs and the Tower  

There once was a bunch of tiny frogs...

... who arranged a running competition. The goal was to reach the top of a very high tower. A big crowd had gathered around the tower to see the race and cheer on the contestants...

The race began...

Honestly, no-one in crowd really believed that the tiny frogs would reach the top of the tower. You heard statements such as:

"Oh, WAY too difficult!!"

"They will NEVER make it to the top".

"Not a chance that they will succeed. The tower is too high!"

The tiny frogs began collapsing. One by one ... Except for those who in a fresh tempo were climbing higher and higher...

The crowd continued to yell

"It is too difficult!!! No one will make it!"

More tiny frogs got tired and gave up...

...But ONE continued higher and higher and higher... This one wouldn't give up!

At the end, everyone else had given up climbing the tower. Except for the one tiny frog who, after a big effort, was the only one who reached the top!

Then, all of the other tiny frogs naturally were wondering how this one frog managed to do it.

A contestant asked the tiny frog: How did you find the strength to reach the goal?

It turned out...

That the winner was deaf!!!
;)

JaiSaiRam :)
Title: Fruits of Labour (Story on Hard Work)
Post by: SS91 on April 09, 2012, 02:47:12 PM
Fruits of Labour (Story on Hard Work)

There once lived a rich businessman who had a lazy and fun loving son. The businessman wanted his son to be hard-working and responsible. He wanted him to realize the value of labour. One day he summoned his son and said: "Today, I want you to go out and earn something, failing which you won't have your meals tonight."

The boy was callous and not used to any kind of work. This demand by his father scared him and he went crying straight to his mother. Her heart melted at the sight of tears in her son's eyes. She grew restless. In a bid to help him she gave him a gold coin. In the evening when the father asked his son what he had earned, the son promptly presented him the gold coin. The father then asked him to throw it into a well. The son did as he was told.

The father was a man of wisdom and experience and guessed that the source of the gold coin was the boy's mother. The next day he sent his wife to her parent's town and asked his son to go and earn something with the threat of being denied the night meals if he failed.

This time he went crying to his sister who sympathized with him and gave him a rupee coin out of her own savings. When his father asked him what he had earned the boy tossed the rupee coin at him. The father again asked him to throw it in a well. The son did it quite readily. Again the father's wisdom told him that the rupee coin was not earned by his son. He then sent his daughter to her in-laws' house. He again asked his son to go out and earn with the threat that he shall not have anything for dinner that night.

This time since there was no one to help him out; the son was forced to go to the market in search of work. One of the shopkeepers there told him that he would pay him two rupees if he carried his trunk to his house. The rich man's son could not refuse and was drenched in sweat by the time he finished the job. His feet were trembling and his neck and back were aching. There were rashes on his back. As he returned home and produced the two rupee note before his father and was asked to throw it into the well, the horrified son almost cried out. He could not imagine throwing his hard-earned money like this. He said amid sobbing: "Father! My entire body is aching. My back has rashes and you are asking me to throw the money into the well."

At this the businessman smiled. He told him that one feels the pain only when the fruits of hard labour are wasted. On earlier two occasions he was helped by his mother and sister and therefore had no pain in throwing the coins into the well. The son had now realized the value of hard work. He vowed never to be lazy and safe keep the father's wealth. The father handed over the keys of his shop to the son and promised to guide him through the rest of the life.

Moral of the Story: Some of the life's best lessons come from the hardest situations.


Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: ShAivI on April 20, 2012, 03:32:13 AM
ॐ साईं राम !!!

एक बार एक भला आदमी नदी किनारे बैठा था। तभी उसने देखा
एक बिच्छू पानी में गिर गया है। भले आदमी ने जल्दी से बिच्छू को
हाथ में उठा लिया। बिच्छू ने उस भले आदमी को डंक मार दिया।
बेचारे भले आदमी का हाथ काँपा और बिच्छू पानी में गिर गया।
 
भले आदमी ने बिच्छू को डूबने से बचाने के लिए दुबारा उठा लिया।
बिच्छू ने दुबारा उस भले आदमी को डंक मार दिया। भले आदमी का हाथ
दुबारा काँपा और बिच्छू पानी में गिर गया।
 
भले आदमी ने बिच्छू को डूबने से बचाने के लिए एक बार फिर उठा लिया।
वहाँ एक लड़का उस आदमी का बार-बार बिच्छू को पानी से निकालना और
बार-बार बिच्छू का डंक मारना देख रहा था। उसने आदमी से कहा, "आपको
यह बिच्छू बार-बार डंक मार रहा है फिर भी आप उसे डूबने से क्यों बचाना चाहते हैं?"

भले आदमी ने कहा, "बात यह है बेटा कि बिच्छू का स्वभाव है डंक मारना
और मेरा स्वभाव है बचाना। जब बिच्छू एक कीड़ा होते हुए भी अपना स्वभाव
नहीं छोड़ता तो मैं मनुष्य होकर अपना स्वभाव क्यों छोड़ूँ?"

मनुष्य को कभी भी अपना अच्छा स्वभाव नहीं भूलना चाहिए।

ॐ साईं राम, श्री साईं राम, जय जय साईं राम !!!
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: SS91 on April 26, 2012, 01:02:04 PM

The Boy Who Wanted To Meet God

There once was a little boy who wanted to meet God. He knew it was a long trip to where God lived, so he packed his suitcase with Twinkies and a six-pack of root beer, and he started his journey.

When he had gone about three blocks, he met an old woman. She was sitting in the park, staring at some pigeons. The boy sat down next to her and opened his suitcase. He was about to take a drink from his root beer when he noticed that the old lady looked hungry,so he offered her a Twinkie. She gratefully accepted it and smiled at him. Her smile was so pretty that the boy wanted to see it again, so he offered her a root beer. Once again, she smiled at him. The boy was delighted. They sat there all afternoon eating and smiling, yet they never said a word.

As it grew dark, the boy realized how tired he was and he got up to leave.Before he had gone more than a few steps,he turned around, ran back to the old woman and gave her a hug. She gave him her biggest smile ever.

When the boy opened the door to his own home a short time later,his mother was surprised by the look of joy on his face.

She asked him, "What did you do today that made you so happy? He replied, "I had lunch with God."But before his mother could respond, he added,"You know what? She's got the most beautiful smile I've ever seen!"

Meanwhile, the old woman, also radiant with joy, returned to her home.Her neighbor was stunned by the look of peace on her face,and she asked,"What did you do today that made you so happy?" She replied, "I ate Twinkies in the park with God." But before her neighbor responded, she added, "You know, he's much younger than I expected."

Will someone see God in your smile or kind deeds? Maybe they're not even looking for God, but may see Him in the kindness you show.

Isn't that what we're here for?

It might be a stranger, someone you work with, a family member or friend. Let them see God in you. Show His love in all you do.
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: PiyaSoni on May 10, 2012, 06:11:49 AM
Positive Thinking

Read this, and let it really sink in... Then, choose how you start your day tomorrow...

Jerry is the kind of guy you love to hate. He is always in a good mood and always has something positive to say. When someone would ask him how he was doing, he would reply, "If I were any better, I would be twins!" He was a unique manager because he had several waiters who had followed him around from restaurant to restaurant.

The reason the waiters followed Jerry was because of his attitude. He was a natural motivator. If an employee was having a bad day, Jerry was there telling the employee how to look on the positive side of the situation.

Seeing this style really made me curious, so one day I went up to Jerry and asked him, I don't get it! You can't be a positive person all of the time. How do you do it?" Jerry replied, "Each morning I wake up and say to myself, Jerry, you have two choices today. You can choose to be in a good mood or you can choose to be in a bad mood.

I choose to be in a good mood. Each time something bad happens, I can choose to be a victim or I can choose to learn from it. I choose to learn from it. Every time someone comes to me complaining, I can choose to accept their complaining or I can point out the positive side of life. I choose the positive side of life.

"Yeah, right, it's not that easy," I protested. "Yes, it is," Jerry said. "Life is all about choices. When you cut away all the junk, every situation is a choice. You choose how you react to situations. You choose how people will affect your mood. You choose to be in a good mood or bad mood. The bottom line: It's your choice how you live life."

I reflected on what Jerry said. Soon thereafter, I left the restaurant industry to start my own business. We lost touch, but I often thought about him when I made a choice about life instead of reacting to it.

Several years later, I heard that Jerry did something you are never supposed to do in a restaurant business: he left the back door open one morning and was held up at gun point by three armed robbers. While trying to open the safe, his hand, shaking from nervousness, slipped off the combination. The robbers panicked and shot him. Luckily, Jerry was found relatively quickly and rushed to the local trauma center. After 18 hours of surgery and weeks of intensive care, Jerry was released from the hospital with fragments of the bullets still in his body.

I saw Jerry about six months after the accident. When I asked him how he was, he replied, "If I were any better, I'd be twins. Wanna see my scars?" I declined to see his wounds, but did ask him what had gone through his mind as the robbery took place. “The first thing that went through my mind was that I should have locked the back door," Jerry replied. "Then, as I lay on the floor, I remembered that I had two choices: I could choose to live or I could choose to die. I chose to live."

"Weren't you scared? Did you lose consciousness?" I asked. Jerry continued, "...the paramedics were great. They kept telling me I was going to be fine. But when they wheeled me into the ER and I saw the expressions on the faces of the doctors and nurses, I got really scared. In their eyes, I read 'he's a dead man.'

I knew I needed to take action." " What did you do?" I asked. "Well, there was a big burly nurse shouting questions at me," said Jerry. "She asked if I was allergic to anything. 'Yes,' I replied. The doctors and nurses stopped working as they waited for my reply. I took a deep breath and yelled, 'Bullets!' Over their laughter, I told them, 'I am choosing to live. Operate on me as if I am alive, not dead.'"

Jerry lived thanks to the skill of his doctors, but also because of his amazing attitude. I learned from him that every day we have the choice to live fully. Attitude, after all, is everything.


Positive thinking the the first step towards a happy life.

Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: SS91 on May 15, 2012, 07:18:48 AM


The Eagle  
Once a farmer found an abandoned eagle's nest and in it was an egg still warm. He took the egg back to his farm and laid it in the nest of one of his hens. The egg hatched and the baby eagle grew up along with the other chickens. It pecked about the farmyard, scrabbling for grain. It spent its life within the yard and rarely looked up. When it was very old, one day it lifted up its head and saw above it a wonderful sight - an eagle soaring high above in the sky. Looking at it, the old creature sighed and said to itself, "If only I'd been born an eagle".
Source: an adaptation from an Anthony de Mello story
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: SS91 on May 26, 2012, 08:48:49 AM
(http://rishikajain.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/398322_331072636964548_207716215966858_831084_1326781954_n1.jpg)

A small story with powerful lesson !!!

A boy ‘n a girl were playing together. The boy had a collection of marbles. The girl had some sweets with her.
 
The boy told the girl that he will give her all his marbles in exchange for her sweets. The girl agreed.
 
The boy kept the biggest ‘n the most beautiful marble aside ‘n gave the rest to the girl. The girl gave him all her sweets as she had promised.
 
That night, the girl slept peacefully. But the boy couldn’t sleep as he kept wondering if the girl had hidden some sweets from him the way he had hidden his best marble.

Moral:
If you don’t give your hundred percent in a relationship, you’ll always keep doubting if the other person has given his/her hundred percent.
Title: Re: STORY OF THE DAY
Post by: SS91 on July 05, 2012, 03:14:21 PM

A Rooster Named Ego  There once was a small farm, outside a town, few had ever heard of. It was happy little farm and a quiet little farm, until a young rooster named Ego became big enough to crow.

At first, Ego crowed in morning, like roosters are suppose to. He crowed to let everyone know it was time to get up.

Then one day Ego noticed that every time he crowed the sun came up. “I make the sun come up,” Ego thought to himself. Then he crowed a crow that said, “I am the best. I am greatest. No one is better than me.” He liked crowing this so much he crowed it all day long.

Ego was crowing when the sun went down and he noticed this. Ego said to himself, “My crow made the sun go down.” Then he crowed a crow all night, which said, “No one is greater than me, no one ever has been, and no one will ever be.”

The following morning all the other animals were tired. They hadn’t been able to sleep, because Ego had crowed all night. They thought though, that it was just one night. All the animals knew that every rooster crows too much sometimes. They were sure Ego would stop crowing all the time, about how great he was, but Ego didn’t.

Ego continued to crow day and night. It seemed that Ego didn’t need to sleep. He just needed to crow about how great he was. So the animals decided it was time for Ego to crow someplace else.

Ego the rooster was on top of the chicken coop crowing, when Pig said to him, “My, that’s a mighty fine crow you got there Ego, too bad you’re not up higher.”

Ego stopped crowing for a moment and asked, “Why should I be higher?”

“Well,” Pig said, “If you were up higher, more animals and people could hear you crow?”

Ego realized that Pig was right, that if he crowed from someplace higher, more people could hear him. So Ego look around the farm to see what was the highest place on it. The barn’s roof was the highest place on the farm; so Ego jump into the air and started flapping his wings as hard as he could.

Ego barely made it to the top of the barn. Chickens aren’t the best fliers. Once Ego caught his breath, he looked around. He could see the whole farm and several other farms too. He started crowing so those other farms could hear how great he was too. He crowed and crowed.

Then several barn swallows flew over and landed next to Ego. Pip, a young barn swallow said, “My, that’s such a great crow you have there, too bad you’re not over in that tree on the hill.”

Ego stopped crowing. “Why would I want to be over there?” He asked.

“Well,” Pip replied, “If you crowed from the top of that tree, the whole valley could hear you.”

Ego realized Pip was right and flew down from the barn’s roof. He landed on top of some hay bales, in the back of a truck, driving down the road. When the truck drove past the hill, Ego jumped off. He flapped his wings as hard as he could, until he landed on the highest branch of the tree. After he caught his breath, Ego the rooster started crowing again.

Owl, who had been sleeping, came out of his hole in the tree. “What are you doing up here?” Owl asked Ego.

“I’m crowing.” Ego answered.

“Yes, I know, but why from here?” Owl asked.

“So the whole valley can hear how great I am.” Ego answered.

Owl thought for a moment, then said, “It’s a shame you’re crowing here, and not from town.”

“Why’s it a shame?” Ego asked.

“Well,” Owl said, “They got these very tall buildings in town. If you crowed from the top of one of them, why the whole county could hear you?”

Ego realized that Owl was right, and without so much as a “thank you,” he flew from the tree and landed on the luggage rack of a car headed toward town.

Once the car reach town, Ego started to look around at all the tall buildings. When he saw, what looked like the tallest building, he flew off the car and up to one of the building's ledges. There he rested for a moment, and then few to a higher ledge. Ledge after ledge, he flew until he was on top of the building. Then he started to crow.

Ego crowed and crowed. He let the whole county know how great he was. Soon some pigeons landed next to him.

Curly, a fat pigeon, looked at Ego and asked, “Rooster, why are you crowing here?”

Ego replied, “I'm crowing here, so the whole county can hear how great I am.”

Curly, thought for a moment, then said, “It’s too bad you’re not crowing from the top of that mountain over there?”

“Why would I want to crow from that mountain,” Ego asked?

“Well,” Curly replied, then the whole world could hear you crow.

‘The whole world,” Ego thought excitedly, and flew off the top of the building. He flapped and flapped his wings until her landed on the back of a train, heading toward the mountain.

Occasionally, while Ego was on top of the train, it would blow its horn. When this happened Ego thought the train was trying to crow louder than him, so Ego crowed back. Ego thought his crow was louder. Ego was almost crowed out, by the time the train reached the mountain. He flew off the train, before it went into the tunnel. Then Ego climbed and flew all the way to the top of the mountain.

From the very top of the mountain the next morning Ego crowed to make the sun come up. Then he crowed and crowed and crowed to the whole world, about his greatness. Some say, Ego’s still up on that mountain crowing to the whole world.

The small farm, Ego had once called home, became quiet and happy again. No one missed Ego’s crowing all the time.