Spirituality

Why We Shout In Anger?

I had no intention to update something like this on my blog when I have a 100 other things to do & I had planned to come up with something good as it is long I wrote something. But, this story had to be preserved somewhere.

Came across this on FB & fell in love with it instantly!

Here it goes :

“Why We Shout In Anger”

A Hindu saint who was visiting river Ganges to take bath found a group of family members on the banks, shouting in anger at each other. He turned to his disciples smiled ‘n asked.

‘Why do people shout in anger shout at each other?’

Disciples thought for a while, one of them said, ‘Because we lose our calm, we shout.’

‘But, why should you shout when the other person is just next to you? You can as well tell him what you have to say in a soft manner.’ asked the saint

Disciples gave some other answers but none satisfied the other disciples.
Finally the saint explained, .

‘When two people are angry at each other, their hearts distance a lot. To cover that distance they must shout to be able to hear each other. The angrier they are, the stronger they will have to shout to hear each other to cover that great distance.

What happens when two people fall in love? They don’t shout at each other but talk softly, Because their hearts are very close. The distance between them is either nonexistent or very small…’

The saint continued, ‘When they love each other even more, what happens? They do not speak, only whisper ‘n they get even closer to each other in their love. Finally they even need not whisper, they only look at each other ‘n that’s all. That is how close two people are when they love each other.’

He looked at his disciples and said.

‘So when you argue do not let your hearts get distant, Do not say words that distance each other more, Or else there will come a day when the distance is so great that you will not find the path to return.’

So simply explained! Spirituality is all about logic not gyaan. Only if we have the right eye to see that.

Ik Onkar Sat Naam : English Translation

I do not really understand Punjabi so google helped me with this. This song has always calmed me down even though I never knew the meaning. Today I finally looked it up. There were 1000 articles and more on the internet which gave the meaning, but I wanted to write it down and never forget. And yes, the prayer is still on repeat play.

(Some info – it is a part of Mool Mantar which is said to be the most important concept in ‘Guru Granth Sahib ji’ and is the basis of Sikh theology.)

Ik Onkara Sat Naam ( Mool Mantar) ik onkaar sat naam kartaa purakh nirbh-a-o nirvair akaal moorat ajoonee saibhn gur parsaad

There is only one God. His Name is the only Truth. His personality is the most Creative. His form is the only Immortal thing. He is without Fear or Enmity. He is unborn and self-illuminated. He can be obtained by Guru’s grace.

Jap.
Embrace His meditation.

Aad sach jugaad sach.
True in the prime, True in the beginning of ages,

Hai bhee sach naanak hosee bhee sach.
True He is even now and True He verily, shall be, O Nanak!

Sochai soch naa hov-a-ee jay sochee lakh vaar.
By pondering on God, man cannot have a conception of Him, even though he may ponder over lacs of times.

Chupai chup naa hov-a-ee jay laa-i rahaa liv taar.
Even though one be silent and remains absorbed in Lord’s constant love he obtains not mind’s silence.

Bhukhi-aa bhukh naa utree jay bannaa puree-aa bhaar.
The hunger of the hungry departs not, even though they may pile up loads of the world’s valuables.

Sehas si-aanpaa lakh hoh taa ik naa chalai naal.
Man may possess thousands and lacs of wits, but not even one (goes with him) avails him in the Lord’s court.

Kiv sachi-aaraa ho-ee-ai kiv koorhai tutai paal.
How can we be true and how can the screen of untruth be rent?

Hukam rajaa-ee chalnaa naanak likhi-aa naal.
O Nanak! By obeying, the pre-ordained order of the Lord’s will.

See the video : Ik Onkar

Source : http://tigershetty.wordpress.com/tag/ik-onkar-english-translation/

When God gives you a Hug!

Heard this somewhere – Make God your addiction and partner in life. You’ll feel flying and much more… Not that I am even near to this. But yes, in a different way I do pray. Below is a first time attempt at dedicating a poetry to God. And I am sure God is hi-tech enough to read it when He is free 🙂

I wish I could feel, what it feels
When nothing else exists, only love…
I wish I could feel, what it feels
When God, you give me a hug…

No other person, no other being
No foe, no friend I want this feeling from
I only want to know today
What it feels, when God, you give me a hug.

‘A hug from a friend, heals a lot of things’
God! I want to experience it from you…
‘You forgive us for almost everything’ so I have heard
I offer my sincere apologies, just give me a hug!

I am not turning to you, in my difficult times
No! I am not being selfish…
I am a dumb kid and all I am asking for is
Like that favorite toy of mine, today I need that hug.

I need you to embrace your child today
I need you to lock me in your sturdy arms
A cage please construct, I will take my people in
I need you to cast some protective charm

You are the best friend I have
Privy to my life, like none ever could be
In good, in bad, have always remembered you
And I know you have always been with me.

I know you are always around,
Caring in some way or the other
But today I just want to know what it feels,
When God, you give me a hug!

Twisted Introductions :)

As college came to an end, a lot many things were coming to me in flashback. the 3 years just flew by !! It seems as if it was yesterday that I landed in Kolkata with Dad to begin a new journey. As if it was just yesterday that I attended my first day at college… LBC i.e. Language & Business Communication ! Wham !! what a class it was. We all were so impressed… One thing is for sure. Rani Ma’m… u rock 🙂

Why am I suddenly remembering my first day of all days ! Because, I stumbled upon our first assignment while rummaging for something else in my shelf (which I obviously didn’t find 😛 )

Here are TWISTED INTRODUCTIONS ; a unique way in which we were made to introduce by Rani Mam on our very first day, very first class. It has some superb questions which surely helped me understand myself better. Give it a shot.. If nothing, it is huge fun 🙂 (Below are My answers )

1) If you were a colour, which colour would you be and why?

A) If I were a color, I would be white. I know many of us will be white but I am sure I will be a completely different shade, there are so many kinds of white. White because it is the color that has every other color in it. Split it through a prism and you will see all the 7 colors that form the rainbow. So am I. And so is everyone of us. We have all the colors of life. Just some refraction needs to be done.
White, for me, is who I am… and it also happens to be my favorite color when I shop (also black 😛 ). white clothes are my weakness 🙂

2) If you were a song, which song would you be and why?

A) The song would be – ‘Khwaja mere khwaja’ from the movie ‘Jodha Akbar’. One song which I can listen to, any many number of times… fab to the core. Unparalleled beauty of lyrics and music. Ultimate spiritual song I have heard ever. Fab Sufi stuff… Connectedness !! 🙂

3) If you were an animal, which animal would you be and why ?

A) If I were an animal (most of my friends reading this are laughing I know; coz they must be thinking- “isme if waali kya baat hai.. ye toh hai hee janwar”… Right u are guys 🙂 )… OK, If I were an animal I would be… umm… Tigress. I remember having read ‘Aunt Jennifer’s tigers’ back in school. And those sleek, royal, chivalric creatures always remind me of what one should be in life; at any given moment. That, it is so very important to not lose the ‘who’ part inside u whatever happens. Tigress; also happens to stand for ‘womanhood’ 🙂

4) If you were a piece of fabric, which fabric would you be and why ?

A) If I were a piece of fabric I would be ‘Muslin‘ (Malmal in Hindi). Having never seen muslin myself, the stories of this great Indian fabric continue to enchant me forever. For the lesser people who do not know what it is, Muslin is an Indian fabric- so sleek and supple that a whole ‘thaan’ could be fitted into a box built on a finger ring. the fabric stands for Indianness, uniqueness.. very fluid and very much traditional. Not only in looks but also in outlook. A blend of style and simplicity.

5) If you were a book, which book would you be and why ?

A) I could be so many 🙂 . But then, if I had to choose one, it would be ‘Bhagavad Gita’ anyday. It is too vast and beautiful to be incorporated within in one lifetime. Yet, even if 1% of it could be learned, life would be different. I would be the book because ; it is the only book from where I have tried to imbibe a few things in life..things that have changed me for good. And I owe a lot to the one person who made me read it… eternal gratitude ! 🙂

6) If you were a cooked meal, what would you be and why ?

A) Although, I am not very fond of it (though, things have changed now), ‘Rice‘ is one cooked meal that would define me. One thing that goes well with all kinds of people- the rich who have it as fried rice, basmati, biryani etc and the poor u have it as just boiled rice, or the young who prefer it experimented or the old who prefer to keep it simple… A dish that enriches whatever it falls into. Rice is loved all over; be it mixed with sugar or salt… the one indian delicacy we can’t live without.

7) If you were a cartoon character, what would you be and why ?

A) The easiest answer of all- ofcourse it would be ‘Jerry‘. Not because he is cute but because he symbolises the easiness and lightness of life for me… Growing with only Tom & Jerry on my cartoon list I learned that- 1) No matter how serious a route life takes, never miss out on the FUN part, 2) If you fight with your loved ones like you are enemies, at the end you do love them in a way that they are the sole reason of your existence & 3) Size is just a number 🙂 All big things come in small packages !!

8 ) If you were a game, what game would you be and why?

A) This question had my favorite answer 🙂 . Life in itself is a big game. Hence, I would be life itself. One tough game which we all play according to our own rules. Yes, there are rules created by many people. But then, if you notice, you always played along your choices (If not yet noticed,, do retrospect). LOVE IT OR HATE IT, YOU GOT TO PLAY IT. And trust me, you cannot lose. One life !

Life is a gift, life is song... 
Life is right, life is wrong... 
Life is a beauty, life is a midget.. 
Depends on you, take it or leave it...

But most importantly, life is blessing... 
Don't u worry, HE is watching...

Live happy… It’s not that difficult !

To God – With love…

In giving u my strongest faith,                      
I am giving u my utmost care. 

In giving u my utmost care, 
I am giving u my deepest love. 

In giving u my deepest love, 
I am giving u my best self, 

In giving u my best self, 
I am giving u my only God, 

In giving u my only God, 
I am giving u my soul, my existence... my creation

My prayers are all I have for u…

To God, with love 🙂

The Life, the Soul and a Mirror…

Weird as it sounds, the title and the words that follow, must be easy to comprehend… I guess 🙂

There is always so much conflict between what we are, what we have, and what we eventually want to be… isn’t it?

Life- is the part that we have with us. The most beautiful part… The one that has been gifted to us for cherishing and living. There is no running away from it… And it is truly said “there is no use complaining about how you don’t like the shape your life has taken; it’s only as beautiful as you want it to be…”

Soul- is the part that we want to be :)…. our deepest and most desperate desires are hidden behind the veil of our body, in the mesmerizing soul… It is everything that we have ever desired, our true self… our soul is our most beloved part. The part that we most childishly and stubbornly want to be with us forever…

Mirror- shows the reflection of what/ who we are. You look into the mirror and always the real ‘YOU’ looks back, boring into those eyes and spilling out each and every truth about you; sweet, bitter, glorious, beautiful, dark, effulgent etc etc…a myriad of adjectives :).. It is where we see our ego and our alter ego.. our best self. As if, the mirror is our best critique; a piece of glass that never lies and makes the body a ‘see through’ cover for the eyes and heart to introspect !!

I know all this sounds so recondite :P… It appeared so to me; when the idea first came up… OK; I have an analogy that might make it easier :-

The life, the soul and a mirror are the 3 women that come to a man’s life 🙂 . ‘Life’ is the woman that stays forever; as the life partner. ‘Soul’ is the woman he falls madly in love with and wants to BE WITH. ‘Mirror’ is the woman who understands him the best; like a good friend. … And luckiest is the man who looks into the mirror and finds the reflection of his soul as life stands by 🙂 And happiest is the man who looks into the mirror and sees himself exactly as he is. Reminds me of ‘The Mirror of Erised’ 🙂

Any mirror would do. But there is only one soul and only one life 🙂

And, would not it be so beautiful if your life was exactly what your soul was and what your mirror showed you? 🙂 It is not easy; yet important that we strike a balance between- what we have, what we want and who we are… !

A day to Remember !!!

wow feeling!!!

ever made a memory that will live beyond you? agar banayi hai toh u would know what i mean. and if u haven’t made anything of that sort yet; don’t worry…life is long for you. memories hi nahi banai…zindagi lambi toh lagegi hii naa

yesterday was so awesome…pepperchino, mama, mumma…the ride, the ganges and the photo session…even the cranky boat wallah seemed so hilarious…the rude chai wallah seemed so sabhya. essence of bengal with punjabi and bihari tadka…from a rajashthani point of view 🙂 wow…totally fab!!!

the humor was out of the world. but the most beautiful moments that would be so difficult to describe would all be the ones in the math and the temple. show stoppers of the day. it is so true to the word: there is maximum peace at the feet of the almighty…where all predicaments get answered, where the soul rinses itself off the mundane dirt…there is immense tranquility in the vistas of godly presence…all one needs is an honest effort to map the horizons.

spiritual fun at it’s best…the memory is perfect because it has perfect people…and finally some awesome clicks of the day 🙂

sunset over ganges

dakshineshwar ghat

belur math main temple

[slideshow]

Am I Spiritual?

suddenly, out of the blue, i remember an FB comment…”i didn’t know u were so spiritual”. it really got me thinking. am i spiritual? coz, somewhere i believe, spirituality and laziness are like sour neighbors…never together. and perhaps i’m too lazy to be conventionally spiritual.

conventionally spiritual? yeah…like the 100s around me. or 1000s for that matter. people wake up early, have a bath the first thing. ok, maybe the second 😛 . before having anything, they do their puja. it’s nice. brings a routine and discipline into lives. maybe that’s what is the purpose behind it- enforcing a discipline. good hai naa. but the sad part is, i get disqualified on these grounds 🙁

i wake up late (that’s because i sleep late…wow!! what an excuse), i never have a fixed time for bath. it’s not that i sit infront of the mandir daily though i should, at least for 5 mins. phew!!..serious lack in life.

but, i do a lot of temples. any deity. i just love the serenity, the dignified peace even it’s a chaos over there. i went last sunday…enjoyed ganges, enjoyed the peace of ramkrishna ji’s ashram. alas! i forgot to pray. i stood there and just thought “god! m so confused. i don’t now what i want to ask you for.” it happens with me always. i never know what i should tell him when i go to tell him. so, i do that as and when i remember.

does that qualify for spirituality? i guess not…

To the men who taught me to believe in God…

i thank god really…for the day he brought these two people on earth…

i believe, have always believed, that we all have a purpose in life, both ours and others. i don’t know the purpose of my life yet, but i do know what purpose i have in some people’s lives (perhaps)…some though, not all.

i feel great to have loved God differently each day of my life…more than yesterday and less than tomorrow. miles to go before i sleep…that’s what i am reminded of because my belief and faith are going to increase ten fold by the time it’s twilight. and for all this…i thank two people…two very beautiful people who entered at different times but perhaps will never exit from my life ever…

one taught me to believe in God. i used to be an idiot…begging for every small little thing: “bhagwaan ji, aaj ye dedo…kal se aise kar dena…mujhe ye chahiye toh bass chahiye”…like a child throwing tantrums. no wonder they never worked 😛 . but, he taught me the sheer importance of the profound presence in our lives. he taught me the way to pray, to not always ask for things but always give away as the highest form of prayer, to say “God, i have done this for him. please make sure that the concerned person is happy if he deserves to be”. “dete jaao…as much as u are capable of” rest will be taken care of. i owe my present self to that great human being. God is not the machine that grants wishes. thank God that God has editing powers over our prayers :):)…warna kuber ka khazana bhi khali ho jaata.

God is the driving force behind our existence. do not keep asking him for things. he will give u what u deserve even without u asking for it, without fail. u may forget him but he will always remember you…in short, he introduced me to God.

the other one. equally beautiful. equally equally equally..everything. he came when, i will never forget. he will go? never i think…some people live beyond existence. they are of them. beyond the limits of time. moving on…he taught me what i gain by being spiritual in some small, minute little corner of my soul. he reminded me the sheer beauty of believing in God (strengthened actually…i never forgot it in the first place). he showed me how u fall in love with yourself all over again when you have faith in him…on a lighter note, he made me realize my appreciation of spirituality as the most appealing of all attributes that mortal people can harbor, as the most valuable part of the soul. he reminded me how things become easy when we have unfailing faith in Him.

apne liye toh sab karte hain…dil khol ke karte hain. kisi aur ke liye kuch karne mein jo mazaa hai, not there in anything else in the world…in short, he made me like myself more than before by showing what it feels to do something for someone…because that is exactly when we do something for God, kinda simplifying his work(euphemism for altruism).

there are many people who add immense beauty to my life…these two are among the few who have taught me to appreciate that beauty, to behold the colors of the rainbow called life…eternally thankful to you(if u are reading it).

A Beautiful Day

it’s a beautiful day….

did things that i do seldom. but enjoyed a lot. realizations and learning alike, it was a day full of good things. biggest achievement of the day: woke up early, took a bath, did cooking for the navratri ka pooja. i am alive…which means the food was edible. it was good actually. ab haath jalaya toh accha toh banna hi chahiye naa. then, had an awesome conversation for just 1 minute but with an awesome person (online). it just made my day.

then, got ready, left for nani’s place. and the favorite part comes: an empty local and i get to stand at the foot board and travel…simply wow. winds playing around and nature running along, i just love this travel. chote se safar mein lagta hai zindagi khubsoorat hai. my fav music on roll, i reach home and guess what: i have bhog ka khichdi and fafar ka khana for lunch. it can’t get better than this perhaps. but no…i have more in store. went pandal hopping( only one…ghar ke neeche waala) and got drenched in the rain at the middle of the aarti and then again on the terrace…twice in a day. awesome

then, i get to go to durga mandir…icing on the cake. nothing can match up to the serenity of a place where u can just be yrsellf, where u get to know yrself better, hope of better things, wish for a better life, for being a better person.

someone has rightly said: life is very beautiful only if u know what u want from it..only when u know what is it that makes u happy.

The Glow of Dawn