God - The Creator

God - The Creator

Saturday 31 May, 2008

God decides and gives us the Best

This is a story from Budha Granth. It is a story from Tibet.
There was once a Mahatma, he went for pilgrimage and toured around the world. After returning from his trip, he went back to Tibet, he stayed in his friends house. His friend and his wife welcomed him. He told his friend that while on his trip, he found a Taveez from one place. There is one specialty of this taveez that if you demand any three things from it, you will definitely get it. This trick I and friends tried, we demanded three things, we got them but later on we landed up in grave trouble and it was difficult to overcome that problem. I am going to finish this taveez, destroy it. His friend instantly said "You have gone crazy, such a miraculous thing and you want to destroy it. He immediately snatched it from Mahatma's hand and kept it with him. The Mahatma warned him that be careful otherwise you will land up in trouble. Leave it to God and don't use this taveez. He also told him that early morning, close the door, then hold this taveez and ask for whatever you want. The taveez will flick from your hand and fall on the floor and ten minutes after that your demand will be fulfilled. But be cautious.

Next morning the friend of Mahatma and his wife woke up, closed the door of his house and demanded from the taveez that "please give us one lakh rupees." In those days one lakh was never heard of, very few people could afford that much money. The taveez flickered from his hand and fell on the floor. Within ten minutes somebody knocked at their door. When they opened the door they saw that Kings' soldier had come to their house. The soldier then told them that King has called you to his palace to give you one lakh rupees. They asked why? The soldier said that your son, who was in front has been killed in the war, so the king is offering this money in compensation.
They had only one child, they started screaming and crying bitterly that what would they do with the money, we want our son back. His wife immediately reminded him about taveez and said "why not ask from taveez our son back.' The man said that the Mahatma had warned us that it will lead us in trouble, we still have two demands. They flickered the taveez and demanded that they get back their son. The son had died sometime back, he could not be made alive as his body had decayed, his soul(pretatma) came. They could not see him, only hear him calling them "Oh!mother ,Oh!father. Twenty four hours they had to bear his soul which could not do anything for them and made their life miserable. Finally they got fed up and requested the taveez to take back the soul of their son, let it live in peace.

This story indicates that we should not demand or pressurize God to give us things which we need. Leave it to Him, He knows what is best for us. You pray to him and beg him to keep you away from sin.

Saturday 24 May, 2008

Help others but do not put a stamp on it

One day a Mahatma went to take bath in a river. The river was quite deep, so while taking bath he slipped and could not come out as he did not know to swim. He was about to drown, a young boy, who knew to swim was passing by, he immediately rushed towards him and rescued him from drowning. The Mahatma then thanked him and said that today you saved my life and I bless you for the same. You have given me new lease of life and I will never forget this in my life. After saying this Mahatma went to a small village.

It was evening time and Mahatma was giving spiritual discourses to his disciples in the village. Many people had gathered there. It was was very crowded. Amidst the crowd the youth who saved the Mahatma's life came in front of him and told him to tell all the people here that I saved your life. The Mahatma smiled and said " Oh! How can I forget you? He called him near him and told all the people gathered over there that this boy has saved my life and I am highly obliged to him for the favour he has done to me. After that the Mahatma went to another village to give lecture, the young boy reached there also and told him to tell everybody the incidence and the favour he has done to you. Now whereever the Mahatma would go the boy would follow him and make him aware of the help he gave him so that the Mahatma would tell his disciples that how important the boy is in his life.

The Mahatma once caught hold of his hand and in front of everybody he said"come with me to the river where you saved me from drowing. I will go in the deep river,either I die or I come out of waves, you please don't help me. You are making a big show of the favours you have done to me. You saved my lives once and how many I had to repeat the same incidence. Please go I don't need any help from you, My Lord will decide to save me or drown me in the river. Who are you to put a stamp on the favours. Had you not known to swim, would you help me."

The young boy kept mum and realized his mistake. Aren't we like the young boy, always repeating and making others feel that we are very important in their life.
All the qua;ities we have are bestowed upon us by the Almighty, we should not bring our ego in between. We always wait for appreciation from others for the help or favours done to them. We never realise that sometimes it may be irritating for them to repeat the help we have given them.

Friday 23 May, 2008

Do your karma, leave rest to Almighty

A king once went alone for hunting. While he was returning it became too dark and he was in the midst of a jungle. He could not find his way. He looked around here and there and saw from far a dim light. He went in that direction and met an old tribal couple sitting with a lantern lit inside their hut. He told them his plight that he is the king of this place and while hunting he has lost his way. He requested them to give him shelter for one night as he was very tired. The tribal couple went forward and made place for the king to sleep in their hut. The king thanked them and as he was very tired he immediately went to sleep.

The tribal couple slept outside their hut. It was very dark and cold, they were shivering but still they did not complain and made place for the king to sleep peacefully.

When early morning king got up, he saw the couple were dead due to snowfall. The king felt very sad but that minute his soldiers came and urged him to go back to the palace. The king mind was not agreeing, he was feeling very sorry and ashamed that because of him the couple had to sacrifice their life. How selfish he can be. Then he made arrangement for their cremation with sandal wood.

The king used to always worry about the tribal couple. The king did not have any children for many years. After a year the queen delivered twins, a girl and a boy. But still the king was not happy, he did not make any celebrations for the birth of his children. He was very depressed and all the time the death of tribal couple would haunt him, he used to think that he has committed grave sin. So he decided to meet his Guru, the saint.

He took blessings of his Guru and narrated the entire incidence and said that I am very worried about the sin I committed. The Guru smiled at him and said "You have not committed any sin or crime, come with me." He took the king towards the twins, kept his hand on them and said "look! who has taken birth in your house? The king was surprised and amused to the tribal couple have taken birth as his children in his house.

He felt very happy and thanked his Guru. The Guru said that your good karma has given these children to you. As in your mind you would always feel bad for the death of the couple, that feeling itself has given you good results.

Whatever good jobs we do physically and also mentally if we think good of others, we always get the same result. Do and think good, rest leave it to God. Do not wait or look back for results. Just march ahead and be confident that whatever good you have done will not go waste.

Wednesday 21 May, 2008

Kunbh Mela - Fruitful Result

Once a Mahatma went to Kumbh Mela. While returning from there, on his way there was Lord Shankar's temple. Since he was tired he decided to spend night over there. There was total silence in the temple and while he was sleeping suddenly he heard some whispering sound. Slowly he got up and could hear Lord Shankar talking to Mata Parvati. Mata Parvati asked God that lakhs of people visit Kumbh Mela, does everybody's prayer are heard over here? Lord answered that those who have true faith and belief in God only their prayers are heard and those who just go for fun and make a show that they have taken a dip in kumbh and have no faith are not benefited from this mela.

Then Parvatiji asked him "Are there any people who cannot visit this pilgrimage get the benefit of this place?" Shankar Bhagwan replied that there are many people who cannot reach this place but have firm faith and belief do get what they want, their prayers are heard. Then Shankar Bhagwan said that there is boy named Ramu in a small village in Kerala and Lord was about to tell her the story of the boy in Kerala, the Mahatma coughed that time and the conversation between Lord Shankar and Parvati stopped.

The Mahatma then decided to visit that small village in Kerala and meet Ramu whose prayers are heard by Lord Shankar without having to visit Kumbh Mela. He searched for him and finally met Ramu. Ramu was a poor farmer and had a big family to look after. He looked very calm and relaxed. Mahatma asked him "Have you visited Kumbh Mela or have you made any donations etc?" Ramu then told Mahatma then once he had desired to go for Kumbh Mela and started collecting money to go for pilgrimage. He said he was about to leave for Mela then his wife got pregnant in those days. She got the smell of methi bhaji from neighbour's house and requested me to get the same from the neighbours. Since she was carrying I did not want to hurt her, so I went to the neighbour's to get Funegreek vegetable(Methi sabzi). When I went to their house and requested them to give me some vegetable, the lady of the house started crying bitterly. She said you take the vegetable, I have no objection but it is impure. We have not had proper food since last week, we have very little money, we have all torn clothes. She said her daughters feel ashamed to go out of house. We were desperately wanting to have something so when my husband went out he saw that sombody has placed raw methi on a dead person. Since it was free he immediately brought it home and told me to cook that vegetable which was put on a dead body.

On hearing the neighbour's sorry plight, he immediately rushed home removed the entire money he had collected to take his family for Kumbh Mela and brought some grocery, some clothes etc. for their family and helped her husband to work with him in the farm so that he will atleast make some money. That minute I got immense relief and peace. I was very happy that the thought of going to kumbh mela has given me such fruitful result. Now I am very happy with my life. I have no regrets.

The Mahatma said "You know Ramu, I have heard in real Lord Shankar and Mata Parvati discussing about you. Lord Shankar is very impressed by you and blessed you for your good deed which very few people will dare to do. You are great and I am also equally blessed after meeting you."

Thursday 15 May, 2008

Humanity is to take care of others

Once a sufi saint was walking with his disciples towards a jungle. They saw some tribal people were coming behind to kill them. The sufi saint told his disciples not to panic, calm down, let us hide inside the cave which was nearby. Then he saw a big spider's web at the entrance of the cave. He requested his discipline to enter the cave by not disturbing the spider's web. He said "we should not break or spoil somebody's house to save our lives. Take care of his home, he will take care of us. Enter the cave slowly and carefully. Let spider's web which is made with great effort remain intact, do not spoil it"

The saint and his disciples entered carefully and hid inside the cave. The junglee tribals looked here and there but could not trace them. Then one of then said "Look there is a cave there, they must be hiding inside it." The other colleagues did not agree. They said "How can they enter the cave? look at the spider's web it is intact, without breaking the web it is not possible to enter the cave.

They then went back. After sometime the saint and his disciples peacefully and carefully came out of the web. Their life was saved. The disciples learnt a lesson that we should find our way without disturbing others. They took care spider's web, in return spider saved their lives.

Bad Habits

A man once went to Shri Vinoba Bhave, he sat near his feet, bowed in front of him and said that he has a bad habit of drinking alcohol and wants to get rid of. He requested him to show him the way to eradicate this bad habit as it has ruined his life, his family also is disturbed. He wanted to change and begged swamiji to show him the right path and guide him to come out of this bad habit.

Shree Vinoba Bhave looked at him and told him that why don't you give up drinking wine and liquor. He said he cannot leave it, this habit has badly gheraod me,entangled me, it is not leaving me, can you show me the way. Swamiji said " Come tomorrow to my ashram, then I will tell you the right path."

Next day the man obediently went to swami Vinoba Bhave's ashram. He saw the door was closed. He called up from outside and requested swamiji to open the door. Swamiji replied that he cannot open the door as the pillar of his room is not leaving him, it has badly embraced me,gheraod me. The man was surprised and asked "how can the pillar not leave you, you have to leave the pillar."

Swamiji saod "O.k. then push the door,come inside and help me to get rid of this pillar." The man then saw swamiji leaving the pillar and came towards him and said "Now you know who has to leave the bad habit. It is you who don't want to leave bad habits, habits cannot leave you. You should have that strong urge and will power to get rid of bad habits that make your life miserable. Everything is in your hand but you do not want to make efforts to improve your life. Circumstance, nature , habits are all excuses to not to change yourself.

Firm determination can make your destiny change, not that destiny will change. Habits are our own creations, we can destroy bad habits if we have the willingness.

Saturday 10 May, 2008

Peace and Love

There was a rich businessman. He had a big family and lot of money and was always happy. Once Goddess Laxmi said "I am taking leave from you. You have done enough of my service and now it is time for me depart. Before leaving I want to give you a vardaan. Only one demand I can fulfill of yours."

The businessman replied "let me consult my family members and tomorrow I will come back to you." He called all his family members, they all assembled in the big hall of his house. He told them that we can get one vardaan from Laxmi Mata as she is taking leave from our house. Please let me know what demand should we place in front of her.

Everyone started giving their opinion, they all asked for material things which did not appeal to the businessman. But his youngest daughter-in-law, who was very intelligent and sensible, kept quiet, she did not utter a word. He then requested her to ask for something, why is she keeping quiet, place any demand. Then she politely said "Look father, if Goddess Laxmi is departing from our house then to demand for material things is meaningless because with her whatever we have today will all go. If you really insist and want to have genuine vardaan from Mata Laxmi, then I would suggest you to ask for one simple thing that Peace and Love always abide in your house."

The businessman and his family agreed and then next day he bowed in front of Goddess Laxmi and placed his demand that LET PEACE remain in our house and then you can take farewell or take leave from our house.

Goddess Laxmi smiled at him and said "Oh! how can I leave the house where there is always peace and love, even if I want to I cannot because Lord Vishnu loves peaceful and cool place, I cannot leave him. Lord Vishnu abides in Shirshsagar which is a cool place. When there is peace, there is coolness in the house, there is no anger, no ego, no frustations or tension, all the members love each other, they help each other at the time of crises, then naturally they will take care of material things also and would not divide. So I have decided to stay back with you and would bestow the vardaan of Peace forever and remain with you."

Wednesday 7 May, 2008

True faith

Once Chaitanya Mahaprabhu was traveling alone from Jagannath Puri to South India. On his way he entered into a small village. He saw one Brahmin, aged 45 to 50 years, was sitting quietly near a river. He was reading religious book, Gita. He observed that the Brahmin was so engrossed in Gita path that he had no knowledge of what is happening around.

Chaitanya Mahaprabhu quietly stood behind him. He saw that tears were dripping from the Brahmin's eyes and he was feeling very elated and while reading his throat also sometimes would get choked. He was so impressed by the Brahmin's bakhti, that tears started flowing from Mahaprabhus' eyes.

For two hours the Brahmin was reading Gita and enjoying it. Then Chaitanya Mahabrabhu came in front. The Brahnin was surprised to see such a great personality standing in front of him and then he did namaskar to him. Then Chaitanya Mahaprabhu told him that I feel you do not know sanskrit because the shlokas that you were reciting were not clear, but what was that feeling, that bhav or the meaning of Gita that made you feel so lost and so dedicated and your eyes were glittering and would get moist. The Brahmin replied that he does not know sanskrit and cannot recite the shlokas also clearly but when I open the Bhagwat Gita then I perceive or imagine a scene - "it is the field of Kurukshetra, one side are Kauravas and another side are pandavas and in between there is a rath of four white horses and reigns of rath are in Lord Krishna's hands. Arjun is sitting in the rath and listening to the updesh of Lord Krishna. Sometimes I look at Arjun and sometimes I look at Bhagwan and that scene makes me feel excited and elated that tears start dripping from my eyes.

Chaitanya Mahaprabhu immediated hugged that Brahmin and said " Brahmin devta you have understood the true meaning of Gita, you have full faith and shradha in God".
I appreciate you for that and then Mahaprabhu marched forward for his yatra.

Friday 2 May, 2008

Missed the Opportunity

A story by Ravindranath Tagore

There used to be a huge temple. There were thousands of rooms in it. There were lakhs of visitors and bakhts who would visit that temple everyday. There were minimum thousands of pujaris(priests). The eldest priest of was almost a hundred years old. He once told the juniors priest that last night in his dream he saw God and he was telling me that he is definitely going to visit our temple today. So let us make preparations to greet our God.

Then the old priest had some doubt that may be God is there or no, will he come or no. He told others that he has worked in this temple for eighty years but has never seen God. We believe in God but we can never see him. Being the senior most,praying to God, still having doubts? He was thinking that it was a mere dream, how can God visit our temple? Till now I have not seen him, how can he come now? But other priest said that if there is definitely God on this earth and if comes to our temple, we must make preparations for him. But the old priest was discouraging them by saying that "make preparation, it is your wish but that was my dream only and I just narrated it to you, do not take it seriously.

The juniors cleaned the temple nicely, cooked delicious food and decorated the temple in beautiful way, whole day they were busy with this work. It was sunrise, time was just flying, they were waiting anxiously and with the hope that God will definitely come. It became very late, the old priest told them to eat their dinner and go to sleep, there is no God. Then they all ate,closed the main gate of the temple and went to sleep. Middle of the night one priest woke up and told everybody that somebody is knocking at the door. The old priest said sleep now that is an illusion. After sometime another priest woke saying that God's chariot has come, I can hear the sound and somebody' footsteps also I can hear, it must be God. The old priest said you have gone mad, how can God come now and forced them to sleep. Again another priest got up saying that somebody is tapping at our gate, let us go and open it. Still the old priest did not believe them.

When next day early morning they opened the main door of the temple, they saw the marks of Gods chariot on the sand and footprints on the stairs of the temple and also there were God's palm and finger print which were clearly visible on the temple gate as though God had knocked there. They all felt very disappointed, started weeping and regretting that God had fulfilled his promise to pay a visit to our temple, but we could not greet him. Despite having made so man arrangement, they could not see God. It is because they did not have complete faith in God. Had the old priest been firm in his belief, they would not have missed this golden opportunity.

Aren't we all like the old priest who do not have faith in oneself and discourage others also from taking chance and in the bargain miss good opportunities in life.