Shruti Says by Barkha Khandelwal

Bhaj Govindam 

This is an important verse for all of us. Many a times I have heard people mentioning the names of many realised souls, and use them as an example to justify their own indulgence in life - Saying that they also indulge. On the other hand, the other extreme is also true, where people quote the example of fakirs who just wander around and feel that by aping them, they will also get realisation.

The irony is, they don't realise that what they see is the final out come, the end and not the means. They fail to see that, ones one experiences God, no matter what the situation outside, the inner self dwells in the divine bliss. He could be sitting in Yoga or Indulging in Bhog, he could be alone or in a crowd, he remains established in his true Sat Chit Anand Swaroop.

For, this realised one sees bhog in yog and yog in bhog. In the crowd or alone he is always in ekanth. 

Verse 19

योगरतो वाभोगरतोवा, 

सङ्गरतो वा सङ्गवीहिनः।

यस्य ब्रह्मणि रमते चित्तं, 

नन्दति नन्दति नन्दत्येव॥

कोई योग में लगा हो या भोग में, 

संग में आसक्त हो या निसंग हो, 

पर जिसका मन ब्रह्म में लगा है वो ही आनंद करता है, 

आनंद ही करता है॥

Yogarato Va Bhogarato Va

Sangarato Va Sangavihinah

Yasya Brahmani Ramate Cittam

Nandati Nandati Nandatyeva

The nineteenth verse said to me - Shruti Says🌷

Immersed in Yoga (Penance or Tapa),

or Indulging in Bhog (material world),

or in the crowd (in the midst of worldly relations),

or alone (silently sitting in a isolated place) ,

The one who has become one with Brahman,

has experienced Brahman,

or the one who only sees Brahman,

revels in divine bliss/anand always.

——————————

If we go to cremation ground, we see the body is put on the fire and it is burning away. The Body is burning and so is the wood on which the body has been put, it is all buring alike. The person/ Chandal, holds a stick and keeps putting the the wood which falls off or the body part which fall off back into the fire pyre. Till all of it is properly burnt. In the end he also puts the stick which he was holding into the fire. Why? Because the job of the stick is done, the wood and body alike all burnt, all ash and not the stick is no longer needed.

What is this stick? A thing that keeps reminding us that ‘I am that’, and initially it is needed the tapas, the sadhan, the penance and when that reminder is no longer, when one is established in the self. This stick can be thrown as well.

The stick is all that we do reach this state. Reading the scriptures , chanting, Japa, Tapa etc is a way of removing the over bearing conditioning and developing the spiritual muscle, and when that has been developed, and the realisation happens both the spiritual practice and the ego is dropped. We don’t remain anymore, it is all that divine and for that, to be in the own self, nothing is needed.

• Now, for some gyanis or the awakened ones the material world is nothing at all, they roam around as recluse.

• For others, they have to be in some kind of activity, they have to be working in the material world, and no one can guess their level of realisation.

• There could be yet others, who could be having families and friends and totally come across as average indulging people, again no on can guess their level of realisation also.

In other words they come in all shapes and sizes. Who will know the elevated state of these people, only those who have this urge to realise the divine, they will be drawn to any one of the above and will know, as their need to know the truth will draw them to the realised ones. They will be able to smell the love that emanates, because of being in that state.

This reminds me of a story of a Sage and a King. 

There ones lived a great sage in the outskirt of the kingdom. He was considered to be a realised soul and many visited him. The word reached the King and he was eager to meet him. Not only, did he go to meet him, but he also got the sage back to the place with him. The sage agreed, as the king truly wanted the sage to come and bless him with his wise counsel.

The king made fine arrangements for the sage, he made sure that all the luxurious that the king enjoyed are made available to the sage. The softest of beds, the choicest of cloths and most elaborate meals. The sage did not decline any of this, he wore the silks, ate the sweets and enjoyed the shows put up for him. Days rolled by and the sage lived like the second king in the place. 

Now the king started having second thought and doubts, about the authenticity of this sage. He felt that this can not be a sage, look at him indulging. He is an ordinary man who can not resists the pull of the material world. He wondered if he has been deceived by this fraud sage.

Now, after a few weeks he could not control himself and looked the sage straight in the eye and said, Why are you so revered? To me you are no different from what I am. An ordinary mortal who relishes the pleasures of the world. You do exactly what I do.

• How are you any different from me?

The sage smiled and did not reply. He went to his palace, and after a while came out. Just the way he had entered for the first time, wearing the same tattered cloths, which barely covered his body, bare feet and empty handed, as he possessed nothing. With the same smile still glowing on his face, he started walking. 

He walked outside the place, toward the gates. The king was chasing him, stop you have not answered my question, How are we different, he exclaimed. The sage, did not find it important to answer. So, he kept walking and the King kept chasing him, following him and kept on questioning him. The sage did not answer, and kept walking out the city, to the forest and near the river and was about to cross. The walk, went on for a few days, non-stop, and the king kept following, till they reached this river.

Finally, when they were about to cross the river, the king said, stop I can’t go any further, I have to go back. To which, the sage finally broke his silence and answered, well that my King is the difference between you and me, I don’t have to go back.

You are bound, by family, duty, attachment and so on. I am free, I am not bound by anything. Nor does anything affect me. If I get a meal, I accept it, if I get no meal I am fine with it. If some days it is a stale piece of bread I am grateful, on other days when I am given rich meal I am fine. 

The days when I sleep under the sun or rain I am fine, on other days when I am made to sleep on a soft bed I am fine. With the silk robe or a tattered cloth I am fine. In abuse and praise I am unaffected. 

The king kept hearing, and how he felt ashamed of judging this great Mahatma, by his outer behaviour. The king fell at the feet of this Mahatma, and asked for forgiveness. The sage said he was never offended, saying this the says crossed the river, and walked on, never to be seen again. But, the king had to head back.

That is the difference between the one who has experienced God and the one who has not. There are only two categories, the one who has felt and the one who has not felt the divine touch. There is no grey area here and it is best not to pretend also. Let’s look at an analogy to understand better how to reach that state realisation and how difficult it is to hold on to it;

Making of Ghee (clarified Butter) 

1. Cow - Satvik peity
2. Grass - Japa, penace, sacred observance, yama, niyama, blessed virtues and religious practices
3. Milk - Love when she sees the calf
4. Hind leg tie - Quietism
5. Pot - Faith
6. milker - Pure mind
7. Milk - Supreme righteousness 
8. Boil Milk on fire of - Desirelessness
9. Cool it - Contentment and forbearance 
10. Congealed using curd - fortitude + mind control
11. churn curd 
12. vessel - cheerfulness
13. stick - reflection
14. base - self restraint
15. string - truthful and agreeable words
16. Butter - Pure excellent holy butter of dispassion
17. put on fire - Yoga 
18. Fuel - Karma good and bad
19. scum is removed - worldly attachment
20. Ghee finally - Gyan 
21. Cool Ghee - with buddhi/reasaon/vivek 
22. Cold pure ghee - widsom

Now use this Ghee to light the Lamp

1. Lamp -Chitta
2. Stand - Even mindedness 
3. Cotton (wick) - Trancedental state beyond prakrit - (waking, dream, dreamless, stave, rajas and tamas)
4. Light the lamp - Immediate knowledge
5. Flame - Knowledge of self - Tat tvam ashi

Lamp is on, darkness of duality disappears, wah, we have light soo, buddhi can see and decide to untie the knot.

But….

Winds - Maya comes 

Winds - Riddhi, siddhi, troubles, 5 senses let in the windsss

And here goes off, the light of the lamp, because of the wind and again darkness prevails…

The one who revels in the divine is always in anand/bliss, no wind can ever blow the light that shines bright, as he has become the line and then that which is torture for the world, becomes an ever lasting source of joy - In yog or Bhog, with people or without - he is always established in the self and basks in ekanth.

Akelaapan v/s Ekanth

'अकेलापन' इस संसार में सबसे बड़ी सज़ा है.!

 और 'एकांत' सबसे बड़ा वरदान.!

ये दो समानार्थी दिखने वाले शब्दों के अर्थ आकाश पाताल का अंतर है।

अकेलेपन में छटपटाहट है, एकांत में आराम.!

अकेलेपन में घबराहट है, एकांत में शांति।

जब तक हमारी नज़ बाहरकी ओर है तब तक हम अकेलापन महसूस करते हैं.!

जैसे ही नज़र भीतर की ओर मुड़ी, तो एकांत अनुभव होने लगता है।

ये जीवन और कुछ नहीं, वस्तुतः अकेलेपन से एकांत की ओर एक यात्रा ही है.!

ऐसी यात्रा जिसमें, रास्ता भी हम हैं, राही भी हम हैं और मंज़िल भी हम ही हैं.!!

Hari Om 🙏

Geeta Chapter 2 Verse 8,9,10

Bhagwat 10th November 2020

Bhaj Govindam 

This verse written by Sureshvaracharya beautifully paints the picture of a true carefree Fakir, a true Vairagi, a person who has renounced this world from inside out. He stays in divine masti always. This dohas of kabir explain the state of mind of such a person so beautifully.

Khada hai kabir pehne aapni garibi 

seenha thoke jhadta hai aapni fakiri.

Duniya ka bhaa nahin bole sachi boli re

chene ga kya koi us se uski khali jholi re 

badi takat hai garibi mai.

Maan lagyo mera yaar fakiri mai 

Jo sukh pavega Ram bhajan mai 

Jo sukh pavega naam bhajan mai 

Woh sukh nahin amiri mai.

Haath mai tumba bagal mai sotah 

hai charo disha jagiri mai.

Bhala bura saab ka sunlijae

kar gujraan garibi mai.

prem nagar mai rehni humari 

hai phalibadi aaye saburi mai .

aakhir yeh taan khakh milega 

kyo feere magruri mai.

Kahe kabir suno bhai sadhu 

sahib mileage saburi mai.

Verse 18

सुर मंदिर तरु मूल निवासः, 

शय्या भूतल मजिनं वासः। 

सर्व परिग्रह भोग त्यागः, 

कस्य सुखं न करोति विरागः॥

देव मंदिर या पेड़ के नीचे निवास, पृथ्वी जैसी शय्या, अकेले ही रहने वाले, सभी संग्रहों और सुखों का त्याग करने वाले वैराग्य से किसको आनंद की प्राप्ति नहीं होगी॥

Suramandiratarumulanivasah

Sayya Bhutalamajinam Vasah

Sarvaparigrahabhogatyagah

Kasya Sukham Na Karoti Viragah

The Eighteeth verse said to me - Shruti Says🌷

The one who sleeps on the floor of a mandir or under the tree, 

The bare floor is his bed and wears bare minimum to cover the self, and lives alone,

Who has given up on all accumulation or possession and is free from all desires and wants,

Who will not get joy from this vairagi,

or 

How can this kind of a Vairagi not be constant bliss.

———————————————

There is this constant game going on - we all call it as Maya/dilusion. The one who has decided not to play this game is free. It is very simple, stop playing this game. This game has two main players - Ego and Expectation. This game also offers the fruits which never satiates the players - it is known as Trishna - Desires. The more you eat this fruit the more hungry you get and the more you drink the juice, the more thirsty you become. The game thrives on attachment, and makes the player believe that it is love that he harbours. The innocent players don’t know that attachment not even close to being in love.

This is a never ending game. Like a hamster, one keeps running on the wheel to reach where - no where. But, still one runs and runs, till one can run no more. Yearns and yearns, till one can think no more, enticed by her enchanting dance, this Maya robs one of his very essence, and is left a skeleton of desires. She plays the games, she sets the rules, and the rest just have an imaginary say and control. But, it is just her call after all.

Stop playing the game, and she will lose her grip. 

Stop indulging her, and she will have to quit.

Per 

Yeh rah nahin aasan, 

sunle hey bande. 

yeh aag ka dariya hai,

aur doob ke janan hai.

This path of a Fakir is not for the weak of heart. 

Jegar chahiye shero jesa. Nikalte tau bohot hai, per Fakir koi ek virla he ban pata hai. Baki sanyasiyo ke chole mai, yogi ke bhesh mai bhogi hi reh jaate hai.

You need a heart like a lion. Many people start on this path, but a Fakir(sorry no english word for this) one in an uncountable number of people can become. The rest just remains as bhogis in the robes of sanyasis and yogis.

For it is Not a journey from outside in, it is the bliss of nothingness, that shines from the inside out. 

Jese Pyaar kiya nahin jata, 

hojata hai.

Wese hi sansar choda nahin jata, 

choot jata hai.

Kaab

Jub maan hari mai lagta hai,

woh maya haar leta hai.

Just like one effortlessly falls in love, the world also effortlessly falls off, when one turns towards God.

Then a fakir is born -

For whom the earth is his bed and the sky his blanket. The whole world becomes his family and he sees the divine in all alike. There is no mine or thine. The need of the body and the mind vanish. He becomes a ‘aalp aahari’ and also an ‘aalp vakta’, who eats very little and talks only when it is absolutely necessary. 

There is no need for company of the world, in ekanth he revels and all he so yearns for, is the company of the lord. Why run after the company of the world which is transient, no relation is permanent and it only leads to akelapan. All are but passing clouds, he knows and hence shuns all as just false images in the shadow of maya.

Kabira khada bazaar mai,

mange sabki kheer,

na kisi se dosti,

na kisi se bare.

Kabir stands in the middle of the market places and prays for everyones well-being,

He has not friends and no foes.

The game of ego and expectations is long over. The entires struggle is where my expectation is not met and my ego gets hurt. The game is within the self he realises, there is no one else causing the hurt. It is all self inflicted pain. Then why would a sensible person play this game of self torture. In a Fakir the ego does not exist, as there is no ‘I’ left - It is all God, Tat Tvam Ashi, Aham Brahmasmi he shouts with joy. The I dissolves in nothingness, there is no ‘I’, there is no ‘ego’ and where there is total surrender at the feet of the God, there is no expectation left. There is always an acceptance, all that is happening is Hari Iccha .

Teri Raaza mai hum raazi,

na koi iccha hai, 

na koi aarzi, 

aur prabhu na humari koi maarzi.

May your will prevail, am happy in whatever you decide,

No wishes, no desires and not even wants cloud the mind any more.

This elated state of existence is wrapped in gushes of bliss, divine bliss, Anand sirf Anand. There is no need for any material possession, all desires have dried up. The one who has Maya Pati (Master of Maya) in his heart, will not want from Maya anymore. 

In Ramji’s Sabha, when Ma Sita gave Ramji a precious necklace. Hanuman crushed each and every bead looking for Ram and Sita in it. He said, 

Jisme nahin hai Sita Ram, woh mere kis kaam ke

Mere liye yeh kankar pathar na kodi na daam ki. 

That which does not have Sita Ram in it are of no use to me,

The greats wealth, which is precious for the world, are all just pebbles and stones, of no value.

Who has Ram and Sita in his heart, what can he want from this false, temporary, transient world, he is able to reach beyond the clutches of this bhav sagar, the ocean of mundane existence.

Ones a tourist asked a sage where are your belonging when he visited his hut, the hut was almost empty, the sage in turn asked the tourist where were his. The tourist said I am just a traveller, I am not to live here for every, am just caring bare minimum with me. The sage said, I am also a tourist in this world, I am not to live here forever either.

Once a rich wealthy man was about to die and he so desired to go to heaven. He asked a sage for help. The sage said, you can go to heaven for sure, but kindly carry a needle, as there are mosquitoes and nets, but you will need a needle to stitch the net. The man said, please tell me how to do so. The sage said do you know, that is impossible. You can’t even carry a needle with you. Why waste your precious life in accumulation and gathering possessions, and later looking after them? It is sad, you accumulate that which you can’t carry and forget that which you can - God/Good Deeds. In this world what you give away goes with you and what you take and keep, is left behind. When you give, God enters you heart, and when you take and accumulate he leaves. 

These kind of Jeevan Muktas, Fakirs, Vairagies, not only dance in divine ecstasy, but everything and everyone that comes in touch with their aura, can feel the tingling of true joy in their very presence. Just being in their vicinity fills one with divine love. He begins to rub off his dispassion on whatever he or she touches. In the heart of the touched, dances the shadow of his divine light. 

The fakir sings filled with Anand -

Maan lagyo mera yaar fakiri mai 

Jo sukh paoo Ram bhajan mai 

Jo sukh pavega naam bhajan mai 

Woh sukh nahin amiri mai

Maan lagyo mera yaar fakiri mai 

Hari Om 

Geeta Chapter 2 Verse 6,7

Bhagwat 3rd November 2020

Bhaj Govindam 

Though written by another disciple, this verse is a direct continuation of the previous verses. It is like the last verses flows directly into this verse. They talk about the then prevalent exploitation and dominance of Sanathan Dharma by a few, and how people were being mislead. This glorious way of life was wrapped up in layers of blind rituals and taboos, to a great extent it still is. 

There goes a story - That during the prayer, a family had to tie a black cat which roamed around their house, to keep it away from the alter. However, generations later, because the true reason for tying the cat was lost, this actually became a part of the family ritual, they considered it not possible to complete the prayer without a black cat, believing that the cat is essential for this prayer, they would actually get a black cat specially for the occasion and tie it for the prayers. 

This is exactly what is happening today. When the masses behave like illiterates and find it beyond their ability to read the original scriptures and understand the deeper meanings, what else can be expected, but the downfall of this eternal way of life.

Guru Subodhaji is also saying just like old age (verse 15), coloured robes (verse 16), pilgrimage, penance and charity (Verse 17) do not directly translate into a desire free, liberated state.

Here, he is NOT against pilgrimages, fasting/penance or charity. Here, Karma Kandh is NOT being condemned, but the ignorance with which it is being done is being ridiculed. He is emphasising, that when these holy endeavours are under taken, a clarity is needed on;

• Who is doing this?
• Who should get the benefit?
• Why are we doing this?
• How this should be done?
• The Final Test

Verse 17

कुरुते गङ्गासागरगमनं, 

व्रतपरिपालनमथवा दानम्।

ज्ञानविहिनः सर्वमतेन, 

मुक्तिं न भजति जन्मशतेन॥१७॥

किसी भी धर्म के अनुसार ज्ञान रहित रह कर गंगासागर जाने से, व्रत रखने से और दान देने से सौ जन्मों में भी मुक्ति नहीं प्राप्त हो सकती है॥१७॥

Kurute Gangasagaragamanam

Vrataparipalanamathava Danam

Jnanavihinah Sarvamatena

Bhajati Na Muktim Janmasatena

The Seventeenth verse said to me - Shruti Says🌷

There is no point in going for pilgrimages, 

Or observing fast/penance nor giving Charity,

If one does these out of ignorant selfish reasons.

These pious acts done without true knowledge and pure intentions,

cannot give liberation even in a thousand years,

So say all dharms in unison. 

———————————————

Who is doing this? 

Who should get the benefit?

Till we are in Deh Buddhi or body consciousness and the feeling that I am the doer (Karta Bhav) and I am the beneficiary (Bhogta Bhav) is there, all the activities be it as noble as pilgrimage, penance or charity, will lead to only bondage and not liberation. The reason is simple, ‘I’ binds. 

The moment one sees God in his very self and others. When he starts seeing no second. That very moment the ‘Doer-ship and the I’ dissolve and the knot of ignorance in the heart is broken, all the doubts vanish and the entire stock of his karmas get dissolved. All activities of man mainly leads to transmigration, but the same, when offered to the Lord, lose their binding character.

We should also remember that, all that we are able to do is by the grace of the Lord, without his will moving even one leaf is not possible. We are but the puppet in the hand of God, we need to be just the flute in Krishna’s hand. Then remains no bhogta nor any Karta. 

Krishna and The Flute

Everyday Krishna would go in the garden and say to all the plants, “I love you”. The plants would respond back happily “Krishna, we love You, too”. 

One day Krishna rushed into the garden very alarmed. He went to the bamboo plant and the bamboo plant asked, “Krishna, whats wrong with you?” Krishna said “I have something to ask from you, but it is very difficult”. The bamboo said “Tell me: if I can, I will give it to you”. So Krishna said “I need your life. I need to cut you”. 

The bamboo thought for a while and then said “You don’t have any other choice. You don’t have any other way?” Krishna said, “No, no other way”. And it said “OK”. 

So Krishna cut the bamboo, made holes in it, and each time, while he was doing that, the bamboo was crying with pain, because he was hurting the bamboo so much. Krishna made a beautiful flute out of it. And this flute was with Krishna all the time.

Even the Gopis were jealous of the flute. They said, “Look, Krishna is our Lord, but yet we get to spend only some time with him. He wakes up with you, He sleeps with you, all the time you are with him”. So one day they asked the bamboo, “Tell us the secret of it. What secret do you have, that the Lord treasures you so much?” 

And the bamboo said, 

“The secret is that I’m empty inside. And the Lord does whatever he wants with me.”

Why are we doing this?

This we have discussed in great length in verse 16 (Sadhana vs Sadhan) - It is a means or the end. In Shrimad Bhagwat Mahapuran, when Bhagirath was urging Ma Ganga to descend to earth, she asked a prominent question, will quote directly from the Granth;

Ma Ganga: I am not inclined to go down to the terrestrial region (Mrtyu Lokh) for people will wash aways there sins into me. Where will I wash off that sin myself.

Bhagirath: Ma, pious souls who have given up attachment to actions as well as to their fruit, are pure of mind, foremost amongst the knower of Brahma and capable of purifying the whole world, shall wash off your sin through the very contact of their body while bathing in your water. For in them in their hearts dwells Sri Hari, the destroyer of sins.

We have to ask ourselves which category do we fall in, the purifier or the sinner. The same Pilgrimage, penance and Charity can be an end and the means, depending on who is doing it. We have to evaluate where we stand, and we have to be honest to ourself.

How this should be done?

In a nut shell: 

• pilgrimage + Divine Wisdom, Penance + Divine Wisdom and Charity + Divine Wisdom = Vigyan (True knowledge of the self)
• Pilgrimage + Ignorance, Penance + Ignorance and Charity + Ignorance = Manifold increase in Delusion 

Note: The rain water is pure, if it falls on the rose petal it is called dew drops, and if it falls in the drain it not fit for drinking. 

Lets delve deeper;

Pilgrimage (Tirath)

These days most people are just like tick mark tourist. They have to tick visiting a place in their spiritual tourist list. However, it is not only a place, but the company of a saint and also the amount of time spent with holy people on the tirath sthan, and contemplating on the divine on that spot. We need to become one with that place, and go like Ramji with an ‘Udasin Vrath’, where most comforts are given up. 

In olden days, when a person left on Tirath yatra it was never sure if that person would return. It was a journey taken even at the expense of ones own life. The yearning for the Lord and the belief that he is there, is the foundation stone of pilgrimage. 

If there is this kind of devotion towards the Triath, the person can not return with desires for the material world, they get burnt there and returns a pure individual who has felt the presence of Lord.

We can not and should not undermine the importance of these holy places. The question is not if we should visit, but how we should visit and post the visit what changes have to be made in our life.

Penance (Tapas)

Here there is no debate if Tapas is needed or not. Tapas and Penance is needed.

We all try to find an easy ways and quote people like Raja Janak and Gurus, who seem to be indulging. They had done their share of tapas to reach a stage where they could be in the midst of luxury and yet not get attached to it. It is a wrong comparison we make between them and us. 

If milk debate that just like butter, it can also be put into water and maintain its own identity, it is a funny state of affairs. Most wise people would just leave the fool alone, and not even indulge in a debate with the dim wit.

All Subodhaji is saying here is, be aware of where you are in your Sadhana (Refer to Sadhana Vs Sadhan in verse 16) 

• Be aware if it is a means or the end that you are working on?
• Is there effort or now one has reached a phase of effortless effort?
• The tapas is to gain from the Lord or to gain the Lord himself?

Dana (Charity)

What is Charity?

Charity is giving till it hurts, it pinches. Beyond what you need, is best used in charity. Most of us use charity as brownie points to cover our self indulgence, and give us a sense of comfort that we have also done something for the greater good.

“When god blesses you financially, don’t raise your standards of living, raise your standards of giving."

Charity is only fruitful when you have earned your money in the right way and you are giving it to the right person, with the right intention. 

Types of Chairty:

- Dhan - Donation in the form of money 

- Aana - Food/medicine/cloths etc (quality of charity - food fresh or left overs)

- Smaya -Time

- Gyana - Knowledge

- Abhaya - Fearlessness

Samay Dana - Giving time is bigger than giving money or food. The rest of it can be replenished, however our time when lost can never be recovered. It is precious limited resource. Not only this, we don’t even know how much of it we have left. 

Abhaya Dana - Gift of fearlessness. We have the capacity to give fearlessness to whatever we touch. Today, due to the lack of this, we have alienated ourself from the entire creation. Every other living thing fear the human being. 

Art of giving charity? - “Gupt Dana, Uttam Dana”

When you give charity, from your right hand, the left hand should not know about it. The motive of charity should not be name and fame, it should be greater good. Let’s take it a step forwards, we are just the ‘Nimit’.

Aabdurrahim Khan, popularly know as Raheem was one of the nine pearls (Navaratna) in the Darbar of Samrat Jalalluddin Mohammad Akbar.

Here are a few couplets written by Raheem on Giving(Dan, charity). 

Tabahi laun jeevo bhalo, deebo hoye na dheem;

Jag mein rahibo kuchit gati, uchit na hoye Raheem.

 Living is meaningful till one is able to give to others. 

A life without charity is useless and hence not justified.

Taruvar phal nahi khat hain, sarvar piyahin na pan;

Kahi Raheem parkaj hit, sampati sanchahin sujan.

Trees do not eat their fruits, ponds do not drink their water.

Those who know this, accumulate wealth for the use of others who really need it.

Ve Raheem nar dhanya hain, par upkari ang;

Bantanware ko lage, jyon  mehandi ko rang.

Blessed are those who give to others and live for others.

The one who grinds Mehandi for use of others can not avoid colouring of his own hands.

My favourite: 

Rahim Baba would not look at the people whom he would give to, his eyes would look aways or down. Those beggars who used to accept his donations were very amazed at this act of Rahim, and wondered why is Rahim ashamed of donating. Well, the word spread all over the North India, and Goswami Shree Tulasi Das heard of it. He wrote a little note to Rahim, which was as follows:

Aise deni den jyu'n chitt sikhe hosain

jyon jyon kar uncho kare taso'n niche nain

Tulsi Das basically summarized his practice of donation, and said that everybody should give donation in which your heart is pleased. And he suggests that as you raise your arms to donate your eyes look downward feeling shame. (Tulsi baba knew that Rahim ji was not ashamed, but he asked so that the world would also know how great a donor Rahim baba was.)

Well, when Rahim read this little note, he understood that Goswami ji is Omnipotent, yet he wants him(Rahim) to make a comment for the sake of those(us) who are new in donating. So this is what he wrote back:

Den haar koi aur hai bhejat jo din rain

Log bharam hum par kare'n taso'n niche nain 

Rahim says "he isn't the donor, there is somebody else who sends day and night" I'm only a medium through which he channels his donations. So for those who don't understand this ( which is most of us) will think of me as a great donor. And this is why I feel ashamed while donating.

The Final Test

"Can you sleep when the wind blows?"

Am quoting the following story, it is a super metaphorical exposition of the level of preparedness and a test if our trips to the pilgrimage, our penance and the act of charity has been fruitful or it has been a mere blind ritual done by the condition mind.

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 farm hand?' 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.

When you're prepared, spiritually, mentally, and physically, you have nothing to fear. Can you sleep when the wind blows through your life? The above story goes on to talk about trials in life and if we do our best to understand, accept, and implement the principles learnt by us we will experience a deep sense of security, peace and joy from within. 

We will then be able to 'sleep when the wind blows.' This is truly our Litmus Test.

May our path be graced with the light of wisdom, 

May the darkness of our ignorance diminish.

Hari Om

Sunderkand - Doha 4 onward to Doha 6

Geeta Chapter 2 Verse 4,5

Shrimad Bhagwat Book 9