Don't Look at the Moon!!

On the day (night) of Ganesh Chathurti, we are warned not to look at the moon... Mythology says that if you look at the moon on this night, then you will get blamed for something you didn't do!

So don't look at the moon!!!

This particular belief sounds quite odd... What if the rays of the moon touch you? Will you still get blamed? If you look at the reflection of the moon in water: You are not looking up at the sky, you are looking down and there it is... in the puddle of water! What then?!

Well, at least this Ganesh Chathurti, we in Bangalore Ashram were spared from the naughtiness of the moon... the sky was overcast and there was no chance to see the moon... but no one was taking any chances, everyone was walking about focused intently on the ground :)

Is there some deeper meaning to this? You bet there is! And i am not going to make you wait till tomorrow to read it either :)

The moon symbolizes the mind... Just as the moon waxes and wanes, the mind goes up and down... Some days it makes you feel good, other times it can drag you down into the pits of despair for the smallest of reasons... The mind is what constantly gets you into trouble...


Ganesha is the Lord of Wisdom and it is He who teaches us how to get over the vagrancies of the mind, how to be established firmly in Knowledge and let nothing shake us out from the Bliss of the Being. And so on the day when we are going to celebrate Lord Ganesha, we don't look at the moon... meaning Follow Knowledge, not your little mind!

Don't look at the moon! Don't let that small mind of yours rule you... Be in Knowledge, Be wise, Be happy!

Jai Gurudeva!
love
bawa

PS more about Lord Ganesha coming up...  

Ashram Memories

Last YES!+ advanced course in the ashram was a Sattvic blast!


600 young people from all over India and a sprinkling from abroad arrived at the ashram for the YES!+ advance course. The sad part was that we had to refuse a little over 200 ‘cos the ashram was stretched to capacity (acco wise) and they were not quick enough to act on the registration (habits, patterns, old and new impressions made them believe everything can be done by trying in the last minute of the eleventh hour). Alas!

The excitement in the air was at its peak since four fifths of them were coming to the ashram for the first time. It reminded me of my first advance course back in ‘95 and how we could feel the energy from a few kilometers away while riding in the bus on route to the ashram.

By the way, those who came a day earlier (always a good idea) were treated to a session of Mathemagic with Bawa.


The YES!+ stay was in Khodays – a hostel style acco just across the ashram border, very much like the IIT hostel I stayed in with 280 rooms with 4 wings (2 for girls and 2 for boys).


Some of the early birds who arrived first chose the rooms closer to the stairs to avoid walking all the way down the corridor and others chose to leave that convenience to those coming later. The later who thought about others were rewarded with the best view of the entire ashram from their rooms.


Coincidentally that night Guruji spoke about Tyagabuddhi (an attitude of sacrifice), how you open yourself to receiving the highest with tyaga. I felt the creation is truly a play of paradoxes – when you let go something dear, the best gets to you.

I visited and saw the rooms they were staying in in the afternoon and taught a few disgruntled participants to flush the toilet. Guruji also visited in the night and he too went into the rooms and even in the toilets to see everything was in order. I felt good about myself for having the foresight to check everything and not to mention that the girls and the boys in their night clothes were thrilled to bits seeing him when they least expected… and prayed most…

The day of talking was incredibly boisterous and yet it brought an amazing sense of serenity in its passing. You have heard about the evening in Roma and an evening in Paris, but the evening in the ashram is something to live for and sing about. Ashram is an enchanting land, sizzling with magic at every step. Steeped in tradition, rooted in ancient wisdom and dazzling with new born freshness. The evening in the ashram ambience is when nature shamelessly romances and flirts with the spirit of every thing and every being – trees, clouds, birds, animals, humans and even stones. The cool weather and the heady and lingering breeze caressing the leaves in the trees and delightfully ruffling the garments on the body and anything that falls in its way. The ashram breeze copiously suffused with sattva never fails to tickle my prana to an intoxicating high!


As silence descended over the ashram, the love became more and more dense, intense and palpable. The meditations were blissful, the processes; thought silencing and joy provoking.

Teeny weeny tiny bit of discontent that people had for staying in Khoday’s and doing the advance course in kitchen top and not in Vishalakshi, was soon doused by an overwhelming sense of contentment. We usually go to a shrine or a place of worship and meditate there to soak in the pure and powerful vibrations of sattva there. Imagine living in it the whole day, makes every cell of the being pulsating and sparkling with Sssshivaaa energy…


The divine is singing to you through the birds. (Guruji had once started a meditation with that line). So true!!! When all the birds are celebrating their evening home coming, the participants too were feeling more and more by the day that they have reached home. And truly there is no place on the planet like home.

On day three, Guruji came to the session and walked in between rows of jubilant participants and mass hysteria (more of miss hersteria).


And yet everyone was disciplined and hence Guruji had the freedom to do what he wanted and needed. More than pushing one selves onto him, the youngsters followed the principle of pulling him to them by their devotion and intensity of longing. After the darshan (blessings), we all sat silently with eyes closed and immersed ourselves with the shower of blessings.

The knowledge that Guruji showered in Satsang was delicious, delectable and delightful about which I will blog here and there.


The last day after the last process, as everyone opened their eyes, there was Guruji sitting in the teacher’s seat. People rubbed their eyes, they jumped out of their seats cos for the life of them, they could not believe that Guruji was actually there. It took a full half hour of spontaneous sharing by almost everyone how they were praying deeply that Guruji should come right away. And Guruji had to make an absolutely unscheduled visit to be with them. It is said “Bhakt bhagavan ko sirf bhav se bandh sakte hai”. You can pull god only with devotion.

And He in turn pulls you totally by his love. Give the best of your excuses, but you will get pulled to the ashram on 9th September for the 10-14 September (Bawa’s Birthday Special) YES!+ Advance Course.

And here's Guruji saying bye before leaving on a day trip to Mysore this morning after Rudra Pooja...


Jai Gurudev
love
Dinesh  

An Interesting Equation

Many charming stories about Lord Krishna are told... One of them is about His fight with the Serpent King Kaaliya. The (very) young Krishna jumps into the waters of a lake known to be inhabited by an extremely poisonous many hooded snake called Kaaliya. He emerges victorious (of course!) and is seen dancing on the many hoods of the snake.


As a "punishment", He charges the snake to become the guardian of the very waters he terrorized and protect the nearby villagers from other demons, etc.

Its a beautiful story... told to all young children in India and i think the world over to illustrate the bravery and spunk of Lord Krishna... but there is a fantastic interpretation that Guruji told us and it really blew my mind away when i heard it for the first time...


A snake signifies awareness, a heightened alertness, a desire for absolute perfection. And when a person has this, he becomes quite a terror to people around him, constantly berating them, scolding them because very few, if any, can live up to their standards. A person who is not so alert is very easy to get along with... but a person who has high standards and expects everyone around him to toe the line continuously becomes very much like Kaaliya the snake, spitting poison and fire on all around him :)

Krishna signifies Love. When Love is dancing on top of Kaaliya... When Love has defeated Kaaliya, then the same person who was earlier a source of fear to his surroundings, becomes a source of great peace...

Krishna brings about a very interesting equation:

Absolute perfection + Love = Bliss for the person concerned as well as the people around him!

Krishna doesn't kill the snake, He just subdues it and then charges it to protect! So the Lord appreciates perfection, only by His presence (dancing on the heads of perfection) he converts a malignant terror into a benevolent guardian!

So all you perfectionists out there reading this... tinge your perfection with love (keep the Lord in your mind at all times, allow Him to dance on your head...) and give birth to Bliss inside you as well as all around you! :)

Jai Gurudeva!
love
bawa  

Photos from Guru Poornima 2008

Dinesh and i have been traveling like crazy for the past few days and are going to be traveling again in a few days... also at vishu's home in bombay, there is no internet (hint hint to bombay volunteers to get that up and running)

So i have not been able to write as much as i want to, and wont be able to in the coming few days as well... things should be back to normal after 15th August... meanwhile take a chance and come and see if there is anything new... but what i would really recommend is go over all the things we have written so far... there is some really nice stuff here worth reading and worth reading again :)

Do cook some fo the recipes and post comments on how they taste... i have some really nice recipes coming up in a few days, experimenting is on :)

Finally, the make over for this blog is getting ready, its looking really cool, cant wait to show it off to everyone :), but it is still at least 15 days away i think...

Here are a few irristible photos of Guruji on the night of this years Guru Poornima... enjoy them :)








Jai Gurudeva!
love
bawa  

Guru Poornima 2008

Here is the transcript of Guruji's talk in the Satsang on Guru Poornima, 18th July 2008 (slightly edited for better readability):

How many of you are thinking "Guruji say something?"…Huh?

What is there to talk?

What is there to talk? Hmm..?

We all are happy & celebrating

Meditation, singing, celebrating on Guru Poornima day is considered very auspicious thing. Certain days in a year when you participate in satsang and meditate it compensates for the other days which you have not done….hahahaha :)

That doesn't mean…that u can take this as an excuse for not meditating everyday.

One of those days is Guru Poornima. In satsang you participate and get the merit of not doing for many days (during the year)….hmmmm

(someone asked Guruji why are you so sweet)

I am made like this…..

Apple is sweet, that is how it is made, apple is sweet by nature... isn't it?

Hmmmmmmmmm

What else?

Yes, today you all can have one wish…whatever wish you want to have…just before going to bed make a wish in your mind, our intentions are powerful and they manifest in the right congenial time, at right place with right attitude, they just click.

All blessings are there for everybody... lots of blessings

Universe is showering blessing. You only have to catch it. Open to it

You know in Sanskrit Guru means 'heavy' which is weighty, Guruji is light but words of Guru is weighty and Gravitational force is called Gurutva in Sanskrit.

So many meanings… :)

Hmmmmmm

You know our 5 fingers , all the 5 planets are there. Thumb indicates – victory (u win) right!! Who wins? One who fights... who fights? Commander in chief military (this is Mars)

2^nd Finger (index finger) is Jupiter is Guru…..its the indicator…when you want to show the way its like this... Throughout the world this is how the way is shown... This is Jupiter…..what do u do with this? Pointer indicates. What does Guru do? He indicates/ points out. So that is Jupiter.

Saturn, one of the farthest planet is Saturn, the biggest, tall, Saturn is servant. You know servant has to good and well built, if the servant is weaker then master then how can he carry the luggage. Servant have to carry the luggage of the Master, king or anybody for which he has to be strong. Tall servant.

Then the king…where do u put your ring? jewels, that is ring finger (this is sun) nobody puts ring here to the thumb, but where do they put the ring? In the ring finger…in fact we call it ring finger. King cannot stay alone but he needs servant along with him. So this is sun cannot stand alone.

The little one is the business one, its mercury. on one side of the Sun stands Mercury- business man and on the other side is Saturn- servant.

And Jupiter. So all the planets are in the hand, its indicated when Jupiter and Mars are together meaning the power is together with wisdom in the commander in chief that is called chin mudra.

And when all the king, servant, business man all together its chinmay mudra its higher consciousness in society, cause when wisdom dominates its higher consciousness. And there is beauty, love and abundance.

So whole story is in the fingers.

And children when they are born they put on this mudra, all the babies sleeps in chin mudra , they are so wise. Chinmay mudra. Carefree mind. Joyful mind is chinmay mudra, baby sleeps on that and when they start walking. They suck the thumb u know…is means …now no more in 4 legs….its now 2 legs and 2 arms….so the nature teaches us the whole yoga. Its very good…very good…

See the guru principal is prevalent in all the culture of the society of the world. Even here in America you can't play soccer without a coach or mentor. You need a guide, even when you need to write P.hd, no body will give you doctorate when you don't have u guide. Am I correct...? You have to work under some guide.

And word guide comes from the original Sanskrit word Guru. Sanskrit its Guru and in English it becomes guide, so in every field you need a mentor and in a field which is so abstract and subtle like spirituality, consciousness then definitely needs a mentor and that is a Satguru!

Mother is a first guru for everybody and each one of you should play the role of Guru for at least some people in your life. When you want nothing from them other then their own happiness their own progress. Can you be guru like that for some people? Like you become father or mother to somebody you should also be Guru to someone. Don't have to tell them "I am your Guru". Now you have to play the role of the Guru. Never, assert that u are a Guru. Be light like a flower that is Art of Living. Do u see what I am saying?

Play the role of the guru in the sense you are caring for them unconditionally. You care for them without expecting what they are going to do for you and what the result is going to be. Unconditional care for someone. Start with few and it can spread to many…that you all can do…isn't it?

Can everybody be?

In fact Guru Tatva it is principal light within us, the light in our heart, the light in our life. Hmmm... Viveka….wisdom that tatva also dawns …ok….

So….when you come here in this path, in this Knowledge you will never go empty handed. Just ask, there is proverb its "Ask and it shall be given!"….that is what Guru Poornima all about...

Definitely!....ask it shall be given...

Lets us sing few bhajans!

 

Heaven on my Mind

Guruji, a legend says that Sant Tukaram went to heaven in his physical body... I too want to do that, is it possible?

Why do you want to goto heaven in your physical body? When you fly from Bangalore to Bombay, do you insist that you take the seat you sat on along with you in Bombay?! I paid for that seat, now you give it to me... wouldn't that sound completely ridiculous?! :)That seat is there for you to be comfortable while you are on the plane... you don't take the seat with you once you reach the destination, that would be just plain silly... even thinking about is sounds so stupid doesn't it!

Same way, wanting to "goto heaven" in your physical body is so silly!

When the legend says that Sant Tukaram went to heaven in his physical body, it means that he got enlightened while he was still in his physical body, right here on earth... not that he went to heaven with his body :)

and this is something you can aspire to... Enlightenment right here and in your present body!

Jai Gurudeva!
Love
bawa  

How Important is it to Meditate?

How important is meditation, spirituality?

There is an ancient story from the Shiva Puranas: Shiva marries Shakti the daughter of Daksha Prajapati. For some reasons Daksha starts to dislike Shiva, and when he arranges a big difficult, elaborate Yagya and celebration, doesn't invite Shiva and Shakti to particiapte. Shakti sees many devas and devis decked up and smiling, going for the yagya and asks them about their destination and when told about it, is completely surprized she and Shiva were not invited...

After arguing with Shiva about going to the party, she has her way and bejeweled and smiling leaves for her fathers abode... Her father is not happy to see her at all, and insults her and her husband Shiva in front of the entire assembly. Shakti is outraged and immolates herself screaming that she will be born again to wed Shiva, but this time from a father who she can be proud of...

When Shiva hears that his beloved wife is no more, He comes to the scene along with all his ganas and wreaks havoc... the way only Shiva can! It ends with chopping off and spectacular destruction of the head of Daksha Prajapati and a premature ending of the Yagya...

All the gathered assembly then bows down in abject fear and prays to Lord Shiva for mercy and compassion and somehow to make the Yagya complete. Shiva (in his characteristic way) chops off the head of a goat and attaches that to the body of Daksha Prajapati and brings him back to life so that the Yagya can be completed. The Yagya is completed... All praise the glory of Lord Shiva...




That's a nice story, but it contains a beautiful secret: Daksha Prajapati is the one who is most skillful, the most adept... and that's required to rule and be the King. Now when there is skill, Shakti (power) will actually even manifest, but will not stay long without the deep, blissful, meditative Shiva tatwa (essence of Shiva)...

Shiva then comes along and chops off the head of Daksha, symbolizing the annihilation of ego and replaces it with a goat's head. And here the symbolizing is really superb: Shiva is conveying that the most elaborate, difficult Yagya... which requires so much skill and such adeptness can be done even by a goat!... When the presence of Shiva is manifest!!

Guruji added similarly having all the skill in life, all the success, whatever you wish will still make you feel hollow, incomplete unless you also have with all that spirituality and meditation.

He had once said: " You loose the right to eat if you have not done your meditation for that day!!" (Agar Dhyan nahi kiya, to tumhe khana khane ka koi hak nahi hai!)

Without the essence of Shiva, Life is like a huge elaborate wedding without the bride and the groom... You got everything, the flowers, the music, the dancers, the fragrances, the poojaris, the witnesses, the food, the laughter, the tears, the noise, the confusion, the gifts, the jewelry... everything needed for the perfect wedding... but with the bride and groom missing, there would be no point...

Laugh, Sing, Dance, Meditate... (Remember to do Seva as well!:))

Jai Gurudeva!
love
bawa  

Knowledge for a Monday Morning

Guruji traditionally talks in Kannada (the local language of Bangalore, Karnataka) on Sunday evenings. He really wants to preserve the culture and traditions of Karnataka, so He says at least on Sunday evenings when there are a lot of people from Bangalore city in the Satsang, He would speak Kannada...

So, it's Kannada on Sunday evenings, much to the dismay of all non Kannada speaking people present, who usually can't understand a word of what He says... which feels even worse when the entire (kannada speaking) audience roars with laughter... There is always a good natured hullabaloo from all non Kannadigas every Sunday evening imploring Guruji to speak in a language they understand :)

Yesterday evening was no exception, the Vishalakshi Mantap was packed to capacity, people almost sitting and standing on each other, and when Guruji took the mike to speak, requests to talk in their particular language were shouted out to Guruji, who just played with the mike and smiled... there was the whishawhisha of whispered conversation going on... when Guruji suddenly said:

"SHhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh...."

Still some people continued with some small whispers... and others in the audience started making the Shhhhhhhhh... sound to hush them up... in a few seconds there was silence.

Guruji then said, see in all languages and cultures around the world, when someone says Shhhhhhhh... people go quiet. Shhhhhhhhhhhh... (He drew it out long) means be silent, be quiet...

A hush, a palpable silence in the air.

And when you really like something you say "waah...!" , wow!... The universal way of appreciating something is waah! In all cultures, languages and traditions around the world, when you like something you say "Waah!"

And so, when you are silent hushed, and you love it, then you have found that quiet corner in yourself... you have experienced Shhhhhhhh...waah!!! The essence of Shiva, who is quiet, meditative and blissful!

Shhhhhhhhhhhhhh.... waaahhh!




Om Namah Shivaya!

Jai Gurudeva!!
love
bawa

ps reread the above post and make the Shhhh... sound and the waah! sound aloud every time you see them. You will love the effect!

pps Monday mornings are special in the Ashram, a tradition followed in Ashrams in India for thousands of years is observed, where the enchanting Rudra Pooja is chanted... Click here for my first experience of the Rudra Pooja...  

Idol Worship

There was a request to Guruji to talk on Idol Worship... As usual i don't remember verbatim what He said, it was all in Hindi, here it is freely translated:

This is not an explanation for a gyani (One who dabbles in Knowledge), it's for a premi (a lover)


We require some name and form to anchor our mind to. When we do Pooja to an idol, the starting mantras mean something like, Oh my God, who is within me, come on out here into this idol, so i can play with you! and then we do the Pooja, mimicking God: He has provided us with food, so we offer some rice (as if it's ours to offer, What belongs to God, we simply give to God), and we offer flowers, etc...


Then just as He is doing our aarti with the sun and the moon, we light a small lamp and do His aarti... Pooja means that which is born out of fullness of the heart (Poo ja = jo Poornata se Janam leta hai woh) it's done with deep gratitude and a sense of mischief... and when we have finished, the mantras say, ok, now that i have finished playing with you, come back within me...


Its very difficult for our minds to even begin to comprehend the immensity and vastness that is the (formless) God... so we create a name and a form, and can get some relationship, some anchor and then we worship that...

When the Guru Granth Saheb is printed in the printing press, it is just printed paper... But when it is installed in the home or the Gurudwara, then it becomes Sacred and Holy... It is the consecration of the book that makes it the Guru, and that is through our feelings for it... It's just a book, until we ourselves through our feelings make it the Guru, and venerate it.


(I have to add my own thing here: Pooja when done the right way, gives incomparable deep meditative bliss, to experience just come to the Bangalore Ashram any monday morning at 7:00 am... AND you do get really, really nice food to eat afterward as well! :))

In the days of yore, there were no mobiles or internet, and it was very difficult for a lover to communicate with his beloved... So, whatever had to be said was simply said to a photo... Now, that photo was not the beloved, was it? just a representation of the beloved...

Similarly, we do Pooja to the Idol... as a representation of God!  

Satsangs in June

Satsangs have been out in the open, in the Amphitheatre with the glorious backdrop of the Vishalaskhi Mantap, and that too in the month of June, while the monsoon is just starting to set in!


Amazingly and so very coincidentally(?!), it some how never rains between 7:00 pm to 9:30 pm :)

One of the students complained that his mind runs when he sits for studies. Guruji said that as long as the mind runs in any one subject, its ok. But if it runs in all the subjects then you need to do something very quickly.

Make your studies interesting. He also gave some cute tips on how to make stories to remember various things and have fun doing it.

(edit: I remember in 10th Std, we had to remember the various compositions of metals, the one that sticks still is: Cozy Bra meaning Brass is a combination of Copper and Zinc :))

Another one hated his teachers… so Guruji said thats very good, quickly pass and go to the next class:), if you like your teachers, then you will want to keep staying in the same class :) :)

To the question on many thoughts in the mind. He said that when someone's mind is preoccupied with lot many things, there is no life in the eyes and we miss out on what the divine is bestowing on us. Have you seen the eyes of small children or pets?! They are so full of life.

Thak gaya hai dimag soch soch ke (thinking and thinking all the time, our mind is drained out and fatigued). When thoughts take over us, then feelings go to the background. But when we come more and more into feeling, then the thoughts minimize.

He also talked about the laws of body and mind. Body requires effort and mind is effortlessness. 3 things to live life by. Akinchan – I am nothing. Achah – without desire. Apraytna – without effort.

Feeling that I am nothing, nobody. But Guruji smiled and added a timely caution not to say the same in an interview or when a ticket checker in a train asks you for a ticket, "I am nobody, I am nothing, why do I need to buy a ticket!".

He said 'Vyavahar me vedant nahi hona chahiye' (in societal interactions or worldly matter, you should not wrongly use philosophy of oneness). He gave another example of 2 people were traveling in a bus after a Vedanta discourse. One of them felt someone's hand going into his trouser pocket. It turned out to be the other person's hand and when caught he said, "all along you have heard knowledge talks, 'we are all one', what's the big deal, your pocket, my pocket, your money, my money". His wise friend replied, "In that case, I think I need to turn myself over to the police:)!


What if someone responds to your love with deceit ('chall')? 'Lat ke liye lat, phat ke liye phat'. Guruji said that you need to respond with yukti (skill) in love. But if you continue to love unconditionally, in course of time that person will also start feeling the pinch …

There were about 40 top researchers from the country who have been studying the great knowledge base of this land and how advanced in various fields India was in ancient times. Guruji talked at length about how this whole wealth of wisdom was systematically destroyed under the British rule by Macaulay. The researchers, each a academic giant in his/her own field, were here under Guruji's guidance to do a combined effort together so that they can leverage each other's work and get this knowledge across to India and the rest of the world.

Guruji is nowadays continuing further to what he has already commented on the Patanjali Yoga Sutras. I won't write anything from that here, wait for the tapes to come out and listen to them yourselves!!

The knowledge is flowing deep and delicious ('rasmaya')!

PS: as usual since i have edited this post, it says its from me, actually dinesh wrote it...

 

... and then...

...We railwayed back to the ashram and what an eventful last few days we had here!

The whole of India is talking about the agitation of the Gujjar community against the Rajasthan Government. Since being proactive happens to be Guruji’s mantra, he visited Bayana where the first round of talks were going to happen between the two parties and mediated between them.

When he reached the place, there were the top brass of BJP and the Rajasthan Government welcoming him and about 50,000 Gujjars on the railway tracks. His presence itself diffused the tension so palpably. This was commented by one of the reporters, not by a devotee. His talk alleviated the animosity and brought much needed solace. Also, they have been protesting from quite a few days and that place was pretty dirty with food in leaves strewn around along with a stink. I was told that as Guruji walked in, there was a strong gush of wind and all the leaves were blown away along with the stench where Guruji was supposed to stand and talk. It’s amazing how nature also loves and supports someone who walks in love and talks in love. The mediation was pretty successful and the talks moved on to the next level on a very positive note.

Then the newspaper headlines in Karnataka state were kidnapped by the farmers agitation- farmers fighting for fertilizers. Guruji held a press conference and called various experts from around India, many working through our Sri Sri Institute of Agriculture and inspired farmers to adopt non-chemical methods of farming. Guruji said how it was so ironical that farmers are fighting for fertilizers... this was like fighting for poison!!

Using natural methods will give much more yield within a years time onwards as was amply demonstrated by the experts country-wide. Guruji then send a agriculturists team to North Karnataka which was the epicenter of the agitation to continue the transformation happening elsewhere through our youth leaders.

Then the Chattisgarh Chief Minister came to ashram especially to meet Guruji and was thoroughly impressed by the work of our volunteers in his state which is infested with Naxalite violence (sponsored by Communists).

Time and again we have seen that, peace and a deep experience of love seems to take hold over whoever follows him in thoughts, words or action.

Satsangs were packed with sparkling knowledge and the amphitheatre filled with rainy wafted scents and cool caressing breeze. More than 2000 people floating in the bliss of the advance course.

For snippets of Knowledge from the Satsangs, come back here tomorrow!! :)

PS: This post is by Dinesh, i just edited it, so it says i wrote it :)  

Door Bell

Q: Gurudev, can it happen that the door bell rings and when I open the door, I see You standing in front of me?


















A: Yes of course it can. You see me in everyone and it will happen!!  

The Flower and the String

Accuracy warning: Freely translated from hindi to english, from whatever i can remember :)

The West Bengal Adv course people have come to the Ashram, and the Orissa Adv course people have not yet left :)... A few frayed tempers, lots of walking up and down, no bed, no place to keep luggage, etc later everyone got together for Satsang... Just looking at Guruji yesterday night was enough to soothe away all the issues and everyone sang and danced with Grace and utter devotion. It was quite magical and the energy in VM was peaking, and i could feel waves of bliss rolling over myself and everyone there...

And i thought, Guruji wont speak much tonight... but i was wrong!

What are you? A flower or the string? The string binds the flowers together makes them into a garland, but without the flowers, what good is the string, and without the string, its not possible to have a garland... a flower is there just for some time, a string stays for ever...



While we pondered, what we were... He continued saying you are both! When you see yourself as an individual jiva full of Knowledge, you are the flower, a fully blossomed consiousness... and when you see yourself as the universal consciousness, you are the string! and then He mischievously added, and if there is no Knowledge in the jiva, you become a thorn :)

In an earlier Satsang, He had talked about Hanuman... When Hanuman was asked What is it like to be Hanuman, He had replied, When i am this body, then i am just Ram's servant (das), and when i look with the Knowledge, then i see myself as part of Ram, and when i see myself as the Soul, then i see there is no difference between Me and Ram and everything and everyone else!


So in the body, do Seva, with Knowledge see yourself as part of the Guru, and when you meditate, then know yourself to be no different from the universal consciousness!

Staying at the Ashram, being in Satsang everyday, so many things get resolved, so much Knowledge and love... Like dinesh likes to say, its not about what you learned, it more about what you unlearn and drop...

Guruji concluded the Satsang saying on the Ashram there is only one Rule:
You can come here with all the troubles and worries that you may have, but you are not allowed to take any back!!!  

Guruji's tips on food

Here is an almost direct transcript of what Guruji said in a recent visit to coimbatore...

Guruji : How many of you have body pains early in the morning, raise
your hand ?

(There was about 25% of the crowd raising their hands)

Guruji : You know why? We eat the crops that are cultivated by using chemical fertilizers. This causes a lot of diseases in our body. Do you understand? We don't detoxify the body. To get good yield we use artificial chemical fertilizers and pesticides. Because of these fertilizers, soil turns toxic and the produce from the soil in turn becomes toxic and our body gets toxic substances as we eat them which cause disease and pain.

How many have hip, joint, back pains and different kinds of headaches. I don't want you to tell me the number of head aches that you have at home!!! If we have to get rid of all these pains and diseases, we have to go back to our traditional method of farming. We have to do natural farming, Zero budget farming low-cost, more yield, better health. So we have to take this as a revolution to the farmers. (edit: Buy and eat organic produce!!)

You know the white sugar is termed as white poison in western countries. As it stops the nutrients from being absorbed by the body. The children who consume a lot of sugar are mostly lean because of lack of nutrition. If you stop giving them sugar, they will start getting healthier. We eat a lot of sugar and reduce our body growth as well. So
instead of white sugar you should start consuming cane sugar (edit: jaggery is great if cane sugar is not available) which is in turn good for the body. It helps the liver as it has minerals.

The only difference that you may notice is that gulab jamuns would look much darker and jalebis would be of a different color!!! It does not matter.

Similarly we need to learn breathing practices to keep our body healthy and
earn meditation to get peace of mind and these things are very much
essential for life. We should have knowledge and awareness on meditation,
breathing practices and food.

After 30 -32 years everyone should take 3 Triphala tablets at night. (edit: I take 1 almost everyday, if not feeling too good in stomach, take 2-3) It
sets right all the three doshas, vata, pitha and kapha in the body. . It eliminates toxins from the body. Even if there is a problem with the food, Triphala clears the stomach and helps in good elimination the next morning. It also maximizes anti- oxidization in the body. All of you should take "Triphala" and you can see the effect in your body within 5 to 7 days.

Devavati is a good cure for amebiosis and other diseases caused by change in food and water. It is harmless and everyone must carry Devavati with them wherever they go. It replaces antibiotics like Flagyl and others. Two to three "Deva Vati" can cure almost every minor and many major ailments.

In India , what ever we prepare we add turmeric in it. You know why? Because of its anti-oxidant properties and it has medicinal value. In 1980, we called upon scientists for a conference in Delhi . When asked about the use of turmeric, they said it is just a color pigment without any value. Today the foreigners say turmeric is an antioxidant and it can give immunization against Cancer and we still do not understand its real value.

In Tamil Nadu we add turmeric in the pickles, especially the lemon pickles. Turmeric means Goddess Devi. She is incarnation of lemon, turmeric, and neem. All the three plants are considered sacred in our country and they all give good energy to our body.

If we grow lemon and tulsi in each and every house we can have good health in our country.

You know in our country there is a shortfall in the production of pulses. We are importing nearly 40% of the pulses and if this continues we will not have sufficient food In the future. So we have to plant pulses in our home gardens and our women can do it.

My Grandmother was in Papanasam even at the age of 92 years she used to do
things for herself and she had a good system of eating. Like, eating Agathi Keerai , on every "Dwadesi" day ( The day after Ekadesi Fasting (edit: Fast on at least a few Ekadashis every year, Ekadashi is the 11th day of the waxing moon)) and she used to take two kinds of vegetables . She had laid rules for herself and hence had a lot of energy. In the next generation the energy level came down and now in our generation it is getting lower.

One more interesting thing you should know is our Idly is considered to be one of the most nutritious food in the World. Because it contains carbohydrates, proteins,
enzymes, fats, amino acids and fiber. Idly is said to be a complete food... that's nice to know dont you think so?

Every one should consume ghee (edit: in moderation). Ghee helps the body to absorb nutrients.

If I start talking on food I can go on for hours together...

and He stopped :)

Jai Gurudev

 

The fax

This happened in Rishikesh, almost 14 years ago.

Late one night, Guruji called me and gave me a slip of paper with a number on it. He told me that i should fax (emails were non existent then!) to this number a message saying that Guruji cannot make it to the function. This was one of the first things Guruji had ever told me to do.

I immediately went to the telephone booth to do it, and found that it was closed, and that they could do it only in the morning. So, i went to bed. The next morning, the slip of paper and the precious number on it had disappeared.

AAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I searched and searched, retraced my steps from the phone booth, but no paper. In Rishikesh that time, from my room, you could clearly see Guruji's room. I started to look out furtively and avoid Him... and succeeded for the entire day. I hoped He would forget about it. You have NO idea the kind of mental turmoil i was having.




Then it was Satsang time. I sat at the very end of the hall, hiding behind some fat women.

Bhajans started, He glided in. For once i did all i could to hide and not get noticed...

He did His customary hmmmmm... looked straight in my direction and said, bawa have you done the fax yet? In a full satsang hall!!! I wanted the ground to open up and swallow me... everyone turned around and looked for me... i stammered, i lost the slip of paper Guruji... there was a collective gasp from the audience... He said, lost it? Oh I dont have the number, and we have to send the fax by tomorrow. How did you loose it?! Find it and do the fax by tomorrow!

All this is happening in front of 500+ people!

omygodomygodomygodomygod.... thats all i thought of during Satsang.

After Satsang, i ran to my room and started to methodically search for that $%^## slip of paper. It had simply vanished from the earth. I searched everywhere. Even on top of the fan blades. Then i searched again, and somewhere fell asleep... woke up early morning with a start and searched yet again, and again... i was exhausted... deep gloom... darkness all around in the middle of the afternoon...

Then i just sat down and prayed. I told Guruji (in my head), that i had really really done all i possibly could to find that paper, but i had failed. I really needed His help and His forgiveness...

and no, what happened is not what you think would happen... i didn't miraculously find the paper.

But Guruji called me to His room. He asked me again, did you do the fax? I said with a very heavy heart that i couldn't find the paper. He just smiled and hugged me and said
don't worry, that person just called up now, and I talked to him and told him I cant come... Do you want a sweet?

What relief!! What joy!!! The sun was shining again, the birds were singing and the roses were blooming...

An important lesson learned: Running away from Guruji is never a solution, He can be quite brutal! :). Help will be given and forgiveness is assured, but ONLY when you surrender... and that happens only when you give your 100%... and failing or succeeding is not the point... just giving your 100% and praying.

Jai Gurudeva!
love
bawa  

Monday Mornings

I love Monday mornings at the Ashram especially. I have always loved monday mornings at the Ashram, but somewhere down the line the reason changed... Let me explain:

In the earlier years, a lot of us would be sharing a room, sometimes 12-16 of us would be on an Adv course to share a dorm, and there would be only 2 toilets and bathrooms. To make it in time for the early morning Yoga, which though i didn't like much, i always saw to it that i attended, i would have to get up really early and join the battle for the bathroom :)... a little later, once i had become good friends with Umesh, he would invite me to stay in his room along with 2-3 other people and we would be 4 people in a small ashram room, and again only one bathroom (+ loo) combined between all of us, so now, it was no longer a battle, just a minor skirmish every morning... :)

Except that is, for Mondays... On Mondays in the mornings, there is Rudra Pooja. I never went for Poojas. I thought that it was one of those things that Guruji had to do... you know, that stuff you have to do if you are enlightened :)... I didn't really care at all for any sort of rituals, and more importantly there was no Yoga on Monday mornings and i didn't go for Pooja and everyone else including Umesh did... When i woke up at a leisurely (for the ashram) 7 am, i would have the bathroom all to myself with no one banging the door to hurry up... and i would have a long shower, shampoo my hair 2 times and really savour being King of the Loo :)
... yup, Monday mornings at the ashram were sheer bliss :)

Now one fateful Monday morning, after i had shaved and showered, put on clean ironed clothes, i decided to take a walk to where the Pooja was happening and see if i could catch Guruji as He walked back to His Kutir... and i did... and He looks me up and says ohhhh... good morning!! how was the pooja today morning? i very proudly told Him that i never went for Pooja, it was the only day i got the bathroom to myself :)... He laughed and said, you must attend Pooja, you will love it... and walked away... my heart sank like a stone!! Pooja on Monday mornings??!! oh no!!

A week just flew by and it was Sunday night... Umesh reminded me that i had to come for Pooja the next morning (i think he was just jealous that i had so much time in the loo :)), and with a sinking feeling, i went to sleep... woke up the next morning way earlier than was the norm for Mondays, halfheartedly joined the fray at the bathroom and then went for Pooja...

A shining, smiling Guruji entered the meditation hall, the chanting started, I was sitting fairly near the stage and could smell the fragrances of the incenses and flowers, and as i closed my eyes, i went into a rapturous state i had never experienced before... it was like 10 Sudarshan Kriyas and 5 Adv courses all rolled into one... It was fantastic! I loved it!! After a completely blissful hour or 2 hours i dont know how long... everyone started singing Shiva Bhajans, and i surfaced from some unknown depth and joined in... If Guruji was shining earlier, He was resplendent now and on His face there was something indescribable, a joy, a splendour... all too soon the singing was over, and some final chanting was done and Guruji stood up and with a very very mischievous smile walked directly to me and asked me... so how was your first Pooja? I had almost no words... i blabbered something incoherent, He squeezed my hand and whispered in my ear, I told you, you will love it!... and glided away...



After that magical monday morning, i made it a point that whenever i visited Ashram, even if it was just 5 days or so, a monday would be included in the trip... And now that i live on the Ashram, i really look forward to Monday mornings (and fridays too, thats the day of the Devi Pooja but thats another story...)

Pooja means "jo Poornata se Janam leta hai woh" (That which is born out of fullness of the heart)... When you sit and thank the Divine for all the Blessings that have been bestowed on you... What a fantastic way to start the week! Like i said, i LOVE Monday mornings!!! :)  

Is ignorance better? Can Sanyasis fall in Love?

Amongst a lot of other things that Guruji talked about in the last 2 days, here are 2 things that really stood out :)... He said it all in hindi, and i am freely translating into english from what i remember...

Q: Guruji, one looses their innocence when one gains Knowledge, so shouldn't one simply remain ignorant?
A: Do not confuse innocence with stupidity (bevakufi is the hindi word He used). and then He added, but you should be wary of any ego that may come with Knowledge.

A young guy got up and said Guruji, do sanyasis fall in love? (Kya sanyasis prem kar sakte hai?)

A: yes, yes... but instead of being in love with one person, they are in love with everyone!! There is a difference between being in love and having a relationship. Sanyasis love all and have relationships with none... (sabhi se pyar karte hai, lekin sambandh kissi se nahi)

Jai Gurudeva!
love
bawa  

Happy Birthday Guruji!!

3 months ago, Guruji called me and dinesh and told us, that we should be teaching thousands of people, that we were wasting our time teaching small courses of a few hundred :)
and so was born the Utsav Phenomenon!



We put together a course, which could be taught to thousands of people at a time, modified a few of the original games heavily and decided to include rocking satsangs as part of the course...

The result? Pure Magic!!



I have always wondered what to give Guruji on His birthday every year... i think this year from the entire YES!+ Team, we can very proudly give Guruji His B'day present!

On the eve of Guruji's 52nd B'day, 10,000+ new people have done the Utsav course. 10,000+ new people will bask in His Grace! 10,000+ new people have got this precious Knowledge!!



In just 3 months since Utsav was born, the YES!+ Team of India (joined by Phillip and Amanda from the US and Alex from Brazil) has managed to teach 10,000+ young people. Dinesh and I taught 7 Utsav Act I courses: 2 in Mumbai, and 1 each in Akola, Amravati, Nagpur, Jalandhar and Bangalore. Saleel and Nanda rocked in Indore...



Our collective Sankalpa had been 10,000+ till July, but i guess Guruji wanted His B'day present earlier than that :)

Happy Birthday our dearest Guruji!!

love
bawa, dinesh, The YES!+ Team...
and all of us...  

Guruji does His bit!

Bangalore Utsav:

On the day one of the Utsav of Bangalore, 2 hours or so before we were ready to begin, the election commissioner suddenly decided that we cannot hold the program in the ground that it was scheduled to be held... They got an order from the Bangalore Municipal Corporation canceling the course... Turned out that the ground was adjacent to the National College where all the ballot boxes of the upcoming Bangalore Elections would be kept, and such a huge gathering was a "security" threat or something like that...

Police were not allowing any workers or volunteers to do anything on the ground, so the pandal was not completed, sound was not ready, stage was in a shambles... All those last minute things that are to be done, couldn't be done... We had close to a 1000 registrations on the course, our team of volunteers and teachers had been working day and night, really hard, for almost 3 months to get the show together and it was about 10 minutes to 5:00 pm , the time Utsav was supposed to start and people were streaming in...

To top all that, the skies were overcast, and there was a faint drizzle of rain as well, threatening to turn into an all out shower... This is the middle of summer... 8th May!! Some confusion with the Bangalore weather Angels for sure! :)

At 5 minutes to 5:00 pm, after a flurry of useless phone calls to "concerned" authorities for the past 2 hours (and 1 phone call to Guruji explaining the situation), Dinesh(?) managed to convince the BMC people at the ground itself to let us do the course for 3 days, Thursday, Friday and Sunday (suggestion from Guruji), we thought we will do Saturday at the Ashram... Saturday being the day of the election.

In 15 Minutes miraculously, the stage, the pandal, the sound, the video... everything simply came together, everyone was registered in and seated and ready to begin... and we started the course only 10 minutes late, at 5:10 pm!

The Election Commissioner had somehow been appeased, how about the Rain Gods? A steady drizzle, very gentle continued for some time... Dinesh mentioned its the God's who were showering their Blessings on all of us... Dinesh and i were fervently praying to Guruji to make it stop raining... It never turned into an all out shower... BUT, it did keep drizzling off and on...

Then it was time for Sudershan Kriya. We told all the participants to pray that it would not rain while we were doing Kriya and meditating... As soon as we chanted Om to get ready to start Kriya. All the rain stopped. Completely. And stayed stopped throughout the hour long Kriya and meditation!

The pandal was in the huge Basvangudi Grounds. We had not cordoned off the entire ground to save costs :). We had just a 1000 registrations, so had cordoned off an area to seat the 1000 comfortably...

For the entire hour of the Kriya, it was not raining at all in the cordoned off area. Just a few feet away, on the grounds, on either side of the pandal it was raining... and about 500 meters away from the pandal it was raining heavily!!

When everyone had finished the Kriya and were read to go home, they found the ground surrounding the pandal to be wet and sticky with mud... just the pandal was absolutely dry...

I remember once Guruji saying that when you are doing something good, nature will bend to cooperate with you... I have a feeling, Guruji gently nudges nature to her bit... by doing His bit!

Jai Gurudeva!
love
bawa  

Gurudev speaks...

There are various online blogs and forums where some (misguided?) people post defamatory and inflammatory things about Guruji... He was asked about this in a recent Satsang, someone who happened to be there wrote an account... Here it is:

In a satsang at the Art of Living centre in Germany last night, someone asked Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: “Guruji, I have observed that Guruphiliac seems to follow your every move and then write negative things about you. Why are they doing this?”

This is the gist of what Guruji said: I have inherited an ancient lineage and my job is to further its cause. Neither by thought, nor through word, nor by deed, have I ever done any harm to anyone, nor will I ever do so in the future; it is simply not in my nature. Nobody can expose me because there is nothing to expose: I stand tall, clean and naked in front of the whole world.
I do whatever maximum good I can, and I inspire others to do so. These people who keep writing about me simply cannot leave me alone - they must be in deep love with me! (laughter) When they keep comparing me with other people all the time, I must have made a very deep impression on them. I cannot help it if they can’t get over me - that’s the way I am! If I am that bad and fake, they should simply be able to ignore me and move onto the truth –why are they are holding onto me, again and again?

If they are trying to teach me a lesson, if their intention is to correct me, then I’m sorry, I am incorrigible! (laughter)

If their idea is to stop people from coming to me, and if people do stop coming just by reading these blogs, then I really thank them; it is good for me, it reduces my responsibility! If they think I am doing this for publicity, they are unaware of the disadvantages of popularity. I pity them. Celebrities enjoy only popularity, but spiritual leaders have a huge responsibility with that popularity. People do not go to celebrities for guidance and blessings, but with spiritual leaders they do.

If they think I have no right to exist on this planet, then they can crucify me; I am afraid neither of death nor of being defamed. I am not afraid, because nothing can destroy me.

We do charity with the hard earned money from our courses. We are, of course, rich with people and with good character, and I am ready to share this wealth with anyone.
Lest they understand that their hatred is nothing but love standing upside down.