CONTENTMENT

While reading monthly magazine, I came across this word few hours ago. Thoughts took me back to the trip I had had in 2007 to Pune Mumbai. I landed in Pune from Bangalore and after spending a day or so, I and many youngsters made our way to Mumbai to attend Huzur's program. We all were together throughout the day in Pune, in journey and also through out the samagam. However our journey's back home were not together. They had to return back to Pune and I had to continue my onward journey. As samagam got over and everyone started to disperse, I kept coming across more saints from Mumbai. However saints from Pune stood at one side. While I was trying to attend more and more saints, I couldnt remove my eyes from one of the saints with whom I had travelled to Mumbai. It appeared that all of the Pune youngsters were getting late for their return but seeing I was busy, they stood aside not disturbing me. Time passed but nothing changed, I kept meeting more saints. Finally I saw all pune youngsters started to leave without saying a word. I wanted to bid them a bye, but wasnt able to interrupt the discussions I was having with Mumbai saints. Eyes said bye to each other. After some time, when I got a chance I rang one of the saints, asking her, actually complaining her "You didnt wait to say me a bye". A humble and sweet voice replied, "Bhaiya, I too wanted to say bye but saw that you were meeting saints here. We all were together for past two days, I think we all have had chance to spend time with you, now its turn for Mumbai saints to have your company. Even they should get your time".

Not to talk of the respect she showed for a co-follower, her contentment has always touched my heart. Till date if someone asks me of contentment, this is what I share.

Lol..Just checked my Balance!

On Sunday, I was waiting for cab to arrive so that I could travel to bus station. Instead of wasting time, I thought of withdrawing money from ATM. Sun was shining so strong that I wasn't able to clearly see the display. Somehow, I entered PIN and requested for 30 pounds from options displayed i.e. 10,20,30 etc. The card came out after sometime, I waited for money to be dispensed but nothing happened. I re-entered my card to try again, and this time options were displayed as 20, 40 etc..perhaps the 10 notes were no longer available that's why the ATM did not dispense the notes in first try. Anyhow, the story is not about 20 pounds, but of 30 pounds. I kept thinking about 30 pounds, and how to inform bank about the scandal that had happened....but it was sunday, so was caught up in thoughts trying to figure out the solution.
From no where the cab arrived, I opened the door to sit and before I could sit the driver wished, 'Cheer up! Its not end of the world' Lol..I smiled as if I had got 30 pounds back. Well, it wasnt 30 pounds that I got back but actually the flow of thoughts which had stopped because of 30 pounds. I was once again astonished to see your ways of reminding and nuturing our thoughts - Its not end of the world!
Just to complete the story, I didnt forget 30 pounds so checked the balance just now - statement says withdrawal of 20 pounds on Sunday. Possibly I had miskeyed on ATM display on some warning etc in the first attempt. I will possibly forget the 30 pounds now but I am stuck with the reminder, Its not end of the world :-)

Hello Brother! Brother!

Years ago, brother and I were walking in Samagam Grounds. Proceedings for the day had just completed and we were on our way to the tents. Inquisitive enough, I asked ‘why do saints get up during dhuni if it is being announced that please remain seated?’ Brother gave me some strange looks as if I had asked something wrong. Without much botheration to understand his gesture, I continued ‘Aren’t they doing wrong?’ I waited to see a Yes or No from his side, but he spoke, ‘aapko pasand nahi to aap mat utho’. When I had expected a Yes or No, I heard a very neutral answer from him that if you don’t like, don’t get up.
No wonder he reminds me often, “Jo kujh tenu changaa lagdea, khaa pi te vastar pa, duniya da updeshak banke, horr na jhagdey pyaa vadhaa “.

Zubaan ka Ras

I remember there was a book which I read in childhood, it contained small small stories with different moral. One of the stories was, Zubaan ka Ras...where a person who is passing by a new town feels hungry and he knocks a door, door is opened by an old lady. Man asks for food from the lady, and lady starts preparing food for this stranger..while she is preparing batter for the roties, this man starts asking questions, one being " Lady your door is so narrow, if your cow dies, how will you take the cow out of your door?" quite angry with this question lady throws the batter at man's face. Some passer by sees the liquid dripping on man's face, and asks anqiously "what is this?", to which this man says "zubaan ka ras". Moral that was told in the story was that be wise in your speech.
Although this story was heard in childhood years, but I think this is ageless learning as here lies the start of self improvement. If man takes a pause and starts analysing what he is speaking, or asking, he will be astonished to see how comforting or breaking his words are. Path to self improvement is definately long, but one who has conquered his words, he has made a start. Speech is not the final criterian to prove one's level of wisdom but definately is a milestone. If its said, that one who doesnt think wrong will not say wrong...it also seems true that one who wants to think right, should start saying right.

Are you religious?

Yesterday he was after me - Aapne bhagwaan ko dekha hai? I tried my best to ignore the question but he seemed rigid too - Aapne bhagwaan ko dekha hai? Quite surprisingly, I took few more minutes before we started talking of God Realisation.
I just look back and see those years of Bangalore, where I wanted to fly high and share this with everyone around. Nothing much has changed and yet everything seems changed. A small incident as from yesterday, when some one was asking about God Realisation and I felt like better not to answer.
Recently I read this on one of the banners from Samagam, and also received this as text, "Dharam ki sabse badi shiksha hai sehansheelta". "The greatest teaching of religion is tolerance", everyday there are numerous incidents where I see that the tolerance is no where around. Ofcourse, the answer is 'NO', if asked a question "Are you religious?". If religion teaches tolerance, there has to be tolerance in my life if I am religious. It has always been easy to talk of religion, God realisation, God knowledge but been tough to act religiously.
Perhaps it was the same thought yesterday when I didnt want to talk of God Realisation. Didnt want him to carry an impression of God Realised soul, if I still havent managed to live fully in God's realisation.
Having said that, there's more to ask from you - I do wish to fly again but this time with both the wings - realisation and practical living.

1 ON 10 - A Friendly Ear

Heard this from Shastri Ji last week - Once Baba Gurbachan Singh Ji was sitting on stage and namaskar was going on. Babaji called Shastri Ji close to himself and spoke "That particular mahapursh standing in queue for namaskar will take good amount of time..". Shastri Ji asked "So, should I take that mahapursh out of line? This way the namaskar line can advance normally." To this Babaji responded - "Shastri Ji, I am saying that mahapursh will take good amount of time, please do not interrupt him while he is speaking his heart.".
BANG!! went the chords in my heart!
Shastri Ji continued sharing that we should be a patient listener. We never know what comfort our listening can give to the speaker. Irrespective of whether there is any logic in talks we should be able to give an ear to the speaker.
another BANG!!
It seemed that I too could understand what he was trying to convey. All these years of transformation perhaps, I have witnessed what magic listening could do. Be it Amrit Auntie, Puri Sahib..I miss these souls who gave ears to my talks without any judgements. Despite their age, both of them could give me a friendly feeling. Don't know why the wire got connected so strongly with both of them that its hard even today to compare anyone else with them. Amrit Auntie...honestly I till date admire how she paid ears to my talks... any kind of talks...Sheetal's exam...My exams, My scores, My colleagues, Incidents in their lives...It seemed that every thing was of interest to her. I understood from her, what wonders listening could do.
It wouldnt be wrong if I call her my role model for listening. But I still havent managed to copy this behaviour into my life, however I wish someday I could. The 10 things to be done before I die - Listening is one thing I definately would like to do! Listening that could give support to those who need it without myself being disturbed !
Babaji, I dont know if this is a must have quality or a quality that I am destined to have, so these raw thoughts are in your hands to mould them in the best possible way! Seeking your blessings for the life ahead that could be comforting to those around me and ofcourse myself :-)
Ta!

New to business

Just after Sheelu returned from his Israel trip, we all gathered around him in 1998. He started sharing his experiences, and one of the things that he shared was the words of his Cab driver who had said, "I am quite new to the driving business, its been just 50 years I got into this Job". Quite recently these words came back to my mind, how beautiful would it be if I start viewing others around with the same vision.
At times when I see people around not able to do what they have been learning since so many years, or even while seeing my own self, there are times when I get disheartned. Take example of spiritual world, anyone speaking about tolerance for past 50 years and yet not able to tolerate things...Before I judge any other person, may I remember this line that person is quite new to this Spiritual world, its been JUST 50 years. When I myself fail on the scale that I have set for myself, may I rememeber that I too am quite new to this Gyan..JUST 20 or so years...It takes a life time to imbibe these virtues of humility, love, compassion, tolerance and everything...and for me its been JUST 20 years of Gyan.