STORIES TO TEACH YOUR MIND,

TOUCH YOUR HEART AND UPLIFT

YOUR SPIRIT

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THE DANGER OF ANGER

There was once a young boy with a terrible temper. He

used to speak harshly and get angry many times a day, at
the slightest provocation. His wise father told him that
every time he got angry he had to hammer a nail into the
wood fence in the backyard. The first day the boy hammered 45 nails into the fence practically his entire day
was spent in the back yard. The next day, with his arm
sore from hammering, he tried to get angry less. He hammered only 25 nails into the fence the second day. By the
end of a few weeks, the boy proudly went to his dad and
told him that he had not gotten angry at all that day.
So, the boys father told him that now he could start removing the nails from the fence. There were 2 ways that
nails could be removed: either if the boy could go an entire
day without getting mad, or if the boy apologized sincerely
to someone whom he had hurt through his anger.
So, the boy began to apologize to people whom he had
wounded and he tried hard not to get angry. Slowly, slowly,
the nails began to get pulled out of the fence. One day,
the boy proudly went to his dad and told him that all the
nails were out of the fence. He told his dad that his anger
was a thing of the past.
His dad then led the boy by the hand to the fence and

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showed him how the fence was now riddled with holes. It
was no longer the sturdy, strong fence it once had been.
It was now weakened and damaged. Every time the wind
blew strongly the fence swayed in the wind, for it was so
full of holes that the breeze caused the fence to move.
Do you see that? The father asked the boy. For you,
anger is a thing of the past. Yet, this fence will never recover. Every time you get angry at someone it is like driving a nail into them. You may later remove the nail, but the
hole is still there. The effect of your anger can not be
removed.

In life sometimes it is easy to get angry, easy to yell, easy

to hit those we love. We assuage our own consciences by
saying, He made me mad, or, She made me hit her.
But, whose hand is it really that hits? Whose mouth is it
really that speaks harsh words?
We think, Its no big deal. I said sorry. Or we say, Oh,
but that was yesterday. Today Ive been nice. For us, it
may be that easy. But remember the fence is still sitting
there with a hole in it, even though you have moved on. If
you hammer enough nails into someone, eventually they
will be forever weakened, forever damaged. You can stab
someone with a knife and then pull out the knife but the
blood will continue to pour. Sorry does not stop the blood
of wounds. It may pave the way to recovery, but the wound
is still there.
The goal in life should be to be like water a stone falls in
and only causes a ripple for a moment. The hole in the

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water caused even by a large boulder does not last for

more than a few seconds. When we get hit verbally,
physically or emotionally we should be like the water.
We should be able to just let the ripples flow and, within a
few moments, it should look as though nothing happened.
However, unfortunately it is very difficult to be like the
ocean. Very few people in the world are able to accomplish this task, for it is a task of great sadhana and vairagya
(non-attachment). It is much more common that people
are like fences the holes you hammer into them stay with
them for a lifetime. Children, especially, are like the wood
fence. No matter how much they grow in life, no matter
how wise they become or how old and strong they become,
those holes are still there.
We must remember that our loved ones are like wood.
Therefore, we must try to be very, very careful before we
hammer holes into anyone, before we stab knives into
anyones heartif there are too many holes, the fence will
fall.

THE MESSAGE OF THE BUDDHA

There is a beautiful story told of a disciple of Lord Buddha who wanted to publish a book of the teachings of Buddhism. So, he spent several years compiling the great wisdom of Lord Buddha and placing it in book form. Then, it
was time for the task of raising enough money to publish
the book. He went door to door to his friends and neighbors requesting help in bringing this project to fruition.
After he had collected enough funds, he was about to publish the book when a large cyclone hit a poor area of the
country. Immediately, he sent all the funds to the disaster-struck region to help the victims.
Again, then, he underwent the task of collecting money to
publish this important book. Again, his friends, relatives
and colleagues helped him reach the goal. Then, an earthquake struck another area of the country, killing thousands. Again, the disciple sent all of his hard-earned funds
to the region.
Several years passed during which he tried, with difficulty,
to raise the funds a third time. However, people were not
ready to keep giving for the same book. Thus, it took him
quite some time to raise enough money to publish the book.
No catastrophe struck and the book was published. On
the inside cover of the book, beneath the title Teachings
of Lord Buddha was written Third Edition.

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So many times in life we read spiritual teachings, we listen

to lectures and katha, we say our prayers. However, do
we actually implement these teachings in our life? The
book was a Third Edition because the teachings of Buddhism include compassion, non-attachment and service
to the poor. Thus, by donating the funds for the book to
disaster-struck victims, the disciple was, actually, teaching
and illustrating the word of the Buddha.
He knew that the word of the Buddha was to help those in
need. Thus, it is even more illustrative of Buddhism to help
the poor than to publish books.
In our lives, too, we must remember not only the words of
the teachings, but also the true message of the teachings.
We read the books, we listen to the lectures, but do we
absorb the message? Sometimes we get so caught up in
reading, hearing and reciting these teachings that we forget to live them!
Service to others is the true message, the true teaching,
the true wisdom of spirituality.

BREAKING THROUGH OUR SHELL

There was once a man who noticed a beautifully woven

cocoon on a tree outside his home. He carefully watched
the cocoon every day in order to catch the first glimpse
of the beautiful butterfly he knew would emerge. Finally,
one day he saw a tiny hole in the cocoon which grew quickly
as the hours passed. He sat watching the butterfly break
her way out of the cocoon. However, suddenly he noticed
that it seemed the butterfly had stopped making progress.
The hole did not get any larger and the butterfly seemed
to be stuck. The cocoon was bouncing up and down on the
branch as the butterfly tried to squeeze herself, unsuccessfully, through the hole she had created.
The man watched in dismay as it seemed his butterfly would
not be able to emerge. Finally, he went inside, took a small
pair of scissors, and carefully cut the cocoon, allowing the
butterfly to emerge easily. However, the butterfly immediately dropped to the ground instead of soaring gracefully into the sky as he imagined she would.
The man noticed that the butterflys stomach was swollen
and distended but her wings were small and shriveled, explaining her inability to fly. He assumed that after some
time, the stomach would shrink and the wings would expand, and she would fly in her fullest glory. However, this
was never to be.

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The man didnt know that it was the very act of forcing
her body through the tiny hole in the cocoon which would
push all the fluid from her stomach into her wings. Without that external pressure, the stomach would always be
swollen and the wings would always be shriveled.
In life, too frequently, we avoid the challenges, looking for
the easy way out. We look for people who will cut our
cocoons, so that we never have to work and push our
way through anything. However, little do we realize that
it is going through those times of difficulty which prepare
us for the road ahead. The obstacles in our path are Gods
way of making us able to fly. With every bit of pushing
and struggling, our wings become fuller and fuller.
So frequently, people come to me and say, Oh, why has
God given me so much strife. Why has He put so many
obstacles in my path? Why is He punishing me? We must
realize these are not punishments. Sure, karma plays a
large role in what we receive in this lifetime, but even the
things that seem like bad karma, are actually opportunities for growth. Even an extra small hole to squeeze
through is actually an opportunity for our wings to expand to great lengths.
So, let us learn to take our challenges for what they are,
rather than looking around for a different hole, or for
someone with a pair of scissors. These things may help us
quickly through the cocoon, but we will be unable to fly in
life.

GODS WIFE

A small, impoverished boy was standing barefoot on the

New York City streets, looking wistfully in the window of
a shoe store. A well-dressed woman saw him and asked him,
Why are you looking so solemnly in this window? The small
boy looked up at her and replied, I am asking God to please
give me a pair of shoes.
The woman took the boys small hand and led him into the
shoe store, where she immediately asked the clerk for a
bucket of warm water and 10 pairs of socks. Then, placing
the boys dirty feet into the water, she tenderly washed
them and then put a pair of warm socks on him. Then, she
told the clerk to bring shoes for the boy.
As they left the store, the boys small feet now snugly in a
pair of new shoes, he clenched the womans hand and looked
up into her eyes. Are you Gods wife? He asked.
This story is not only a beautiful snippet from life in a big
city. Rather it is a deep lesson about how to live our own
lives. Instead of simply saying, Oh, how sweet, and moving on, let us really take this story to heart.
How easy it is to pass by those less fortunate with a simple
sigh of sympathy or with a token aid, perhaps a coin or
two tossed in their direction. These small gestures of em-

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pathy and charity make us feel like we are compassionate

people who just live in an unjust world. However, is the
homeless man helped by our sigh of disdain? Does the coin
we hand him really make a difference? Are we really being compassionate, or are we just soothing our own consciences?

serve His children. Let us live our lives as though we, too,
are Gods wife.

How much more difficult it is to really stop, take a moment out of our hectic lives and see what is needed. Yet,
how much more divine that is. There are always places to
be and things to do. If we wait until we are free in order
to take care of others, the time will never come. Real divinity, real selflessness is giving when it is not necessarily
convenient to give. It is giving according to the others
needs, not according to our own agenda and convenience.
The wealthy woman probably had some place else to be
on that cold day in New York City. She could have easily
walked by the boy, thinking to herself, Our government
really needs to do something about homelessness; she
could have looked the other way and continued on with
her errands. But she didnt. That is what makes her special.
We tend to give decadently to ourselves and to our own
families. We will pile gifts under Christmas trees until there
is no room left. We will shower each other with new clothes,
toys, and other merchandise on birthdays and anniversaries. No problem. We love each other and so we give gifts.
This is fine. However, let us also remember, though, to extend that compassion and that love to others who really
need it. Let us vow never to turn a blind eye on someone
in need. Let us vow to use what God has given us to really

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SACRED DROPS OF BLOOD

There was once a very great sanyasi; he possessed the

ability to transform people by his mere words. The sound
of his voice carried listeners into the stillest, most peaceful meditation. But, he wanted to do more for the world.
His vision was to help all of humanity, to be of service to
all those he met, to heal the world on a massive scale.
He prayed to God to give him the ability to save peoples
lives. You cannot save everyone; you can not be of service
to everyone. Just keep speaking, keep chanting, keep writing, keep praying. In this way you will really heal, God said
to him.
But the saint was not persuaded. Please, God, let me be of
service of direct service to all. Let me save peoples
lives.
The sanyasi had performed so much tapasya and was so
pure in his desire to help, that God granted him the boon
of being able to save the life of anyone who came to him.
He had simply to take a drop of his blood and place it on
the patients upper lip. Any ailment would be cured; any
suffering would immediately be alleviated. The saint was
exuberant; his dream had been fulfilled. Now he felt that
he would really be able to save the world and to cure those
who came to him.

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The first day four people came. For each person, he simply
pricked the tip of his finger with a needle and the blood
came out. One small drop had such miraculous healing powers. That night, the selfless saint had a beaming smile on
his face for those whom he had cured.
The next day, forty people came, having heard of his miraculous powers. For each he squeezed a small drop of blood
from his finger and blessed them as he placed it on their
upper lip. Each was instantly cured. Paralysis, leprosy, depression, anxiety all disappeared with the simple drop of
the sanyasis blood. As word spread throughout the land,
more and more people flocked to his healing magic. And
the sanyasi was in bliss here he was using his simple Godgiven blood to cure so many. He dispensed these drops
freely with no hesitation, no discrimination, no vacation.
I am in your service he would say.
Soon, thousands were flooding the simple ashram in which
he lived; they were overflowing in the streets. The saint
was dispensing the equivalent of cups of blood each day.
But, he did not even notice. Such was his dedication and
devotion to those whom he was curing. He sat, in meditative bliss, as he squeezed first his fingertip, then the veins
in his arm to dispense blood to those in need.
It was not long before the sanyasi had to squeeze harder
in order to coax the blood from his body. Soon, a mere
needle prick was not a large enough opening; he needed
small knives to pierce the prominent veins of his forearms
and legs. From there, the blood flowed freely again, and
all were relieved. However, soon, even those veins were no

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longer coursing with high volumes of healing nectar. They,

too, were becoming drier and drier.
As his blood volume dropped each day, the sanyasi became
weaker. The color drained from his once vibrant face.
Darkness drew circles around his eyes. His voice, which
previously had boomed, singing forth the divine glories of
God, was now not much more than a whisper. But, the
sanyasi was not worried. Those who loved him urged him
to take rest, to take at least a break from giving blood, to
let himself recuperate.
Although he listened with his ears and appreciated the
concern, he could not stop pumping blood from his body.
He would say, I am in the service of the worldThese
people have come from so farThey have been waiting for
so longThis man is an important minister, but hes suffering from pneumoniaI feel no pain. I feel no weakness. I
feel only the joy of giving myself to others. Those who
loved him could do nothing, other than watch the scores of
people continue to pour in, continue to plead for just one
drop.
Soon, even the once succulent veins of his forearms would
give no more blood. Even the largest, most abundant veins
of his body held on selfishly to their sparse quantity of
this life-giving fluid. But, the sanyasi was not deterred.
This is only a challenge. Only more tapasya to do, he would
say. He ordered his servants to build a device which would
squeeze harder than human hands were able to, a vice-like
apparatus into which he could place a limb and have it
milked completely of the blood inside.

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Throughout this, the people kept coming. As word spread

in frantic whispers that the saint was ill, that the blood
was running dry, the people flocked even more frenetically. They pushed and trampled one another in an effort
to get just one drop. People, who perhaps had been postponing a visit until a later date, dropped everything and
came running. Please Maharajji, they would plead. Please,
just one drop. We have come from Madras, we have come
from Nepal, we have come from London. My daughter has
this horrible affliction on her face. My husband lost his
arm in a car wreck. My son refuses to get married. Please
Maharajji, please just one drop. Just one drop and then
well go away so you can take rest. For each who came,
the saint smiled as he placed a drop of blood on their upper lip.
The ocean of his blood soon became an arid desert. Where
once his veins had flowed like copious rivers, they were
now limp and desiccated
His devotees pleaded with him to stop; their tears of concern poured onto his holy feet. But, all he could see were
needy, ailing people stretching out to the horizon, each one
crying pitifully, Please, Maharajji, just one drop.
When those who had flocked for blood realized that the
sanyasi could give no more, they were un-deterred. We
will work the pumping machine, they screamed. And they
stormed toward the saint, who sat peacefully, although
nearly lifeless, draped only in his simple dhoti. But, the pumping machine was not powerful enough to pump water from
a desert. So, they tied him up, the ropes cutting deep into
his parched skin. And as some pulled the ropes tighter and

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tighter, others cut into his veins with knives (no longer small
ones, but now the type used for butchering animals).
There must be another drop left. There must be, they
cried furiously.
As his beloved devotees watched, the last drop of life blood
was cut from their great sanyasi, who had once overflowed
with life, with vigor, with dynamism. Now he hung, lifeless,
still in the ropes which had tied him, completely desiccated.
However, they noticed, there was a smile on his limp and
pallid face.

Just five minutes, we plead. Just step foot in my house

to bless itjust take one meal at my home. It may not be
physical blood we demand, but both our desperation and
the effects on the saints is the same. But, Ive waited 5
years. But Ive come from America. Please, Maharajji, just
five minutes.but Maharajji, my daughter said she wont
get married unless you are therebut, I can not go into
surgery unless you come to the hospitalbut it would mean
so much to us if you could just come to our home for 10
minutes
When we go to visit a saint, rarely do we ask when he last
took his meal or what his usual time for rest is. Its only 5
minutes, we convince ourselves. Just one drop, one drop
of blood When we are blessed enough to have a saint
at our home, rarely do we say to him, Go to sleep. You
must be tired. You have sat with people [or worked] all
day long. Rather, we think But, its only once a year he
comes, or But this is the first time weve ever had him
alone.

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Just one dropjust one drop and then well let you take
rest.
Sure, it is only five minutes, or one hour, or one night. For
us. But, we do not have the vision to see the streams of
people, flooding out to the horizon, who will beg for just
five minutes, after we have had ours. Rarely, even do we
lift our eyes to look.
But, you may ask, if the saint healed so many with his
blood, why does it matter that he died? His purpose on
Earth and his desire were to heal people. So, why does it
matter that he lost his physical body in the meantime?
The answer is that a doctor could have healed most of the
physical ailments that came to him. Those suffering from
emotional/psychological problems could probably have
been helped had they put into practice that which he taught
in his lectures. He did not need to give his actual blood to
so many. But, it is easier to get the instant cure, easier to
let him place the blood on us than to make the trip to the
doctor and take the medicine he prescribes, or to implement the necessary diet of less fat, less sugar, no meat, etc.
It is easier to be cured by someone than to cure ourselves.
Somehow, when a saint speaks in public, giving instructions and messages publicly, we think that it pertains to
everyone but us. But I need to speak to him personally,
we decide. My problem is different. Rarely do we take a
saints no as no. We know that if we plead harder, beg
more desperately that they will give in, because they truly
are in the service of humanity.
But, do we want to milk the blood from their bodies? Do

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we really want to be healed at their expense? Is that what

love really is? We must realize that each of our demands,
that each 5 minutes, each compulsory visit to a home, each
one drop of blood, is only one of thousands more that he
is selflessly giving to others. We must be careful to let him
nourish himself such that his blood continues to flow. We
must make a sincere effort to keep the life alive in these
saints who would give their lives to us, without hesitation
and without discrimination.

GOLD UNDER BOULDERS

I heard a beautiful story of an ancient village where one

day the villagers found a large boulder in the middle of
their main pathway. The busy, rich businessmen and merchants had their servants carry them around it. Others
simply turned back and returned in the direction from which
theyd come, realizing that to try to pass was futile. Others gathered around the site of the boulder to criticize
the King of the area for not taking better care of the
roads. They stood by as the boulder obstructed passage
on the road, condemning the King and his ministers for their
laziness!
Finally, a peasant came by who was carrying a load of vegetables to sell in the market. He needed to pass the boulder, and so he calmly put down his heavy load and tried to
push the boulder out of the way. However, the boulder
was quite heavy. The peasant, though, just kept pushing
from different angles and finally the boulder rolled out
of the road. As he bent down to pick up his load of vegetables, the peasant noticed something lying in the road
where the boulder had been. It was a wallet filled with
gold coins and a note from the king. The note said, This
reward is for he who has the commitment to move the boulder from the road.
So frequently in life we see that the King has thrown

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obstacles in our path. Our natural instinct is to bypass them

using our influence or wealth or to simply turn around
and go a different path. Or, we give up the path altogether, seeing the obstacles as insurmountable. Perhaps
we find ourselves criticizing life, circumstances, or the great
King who is making our lives difficult. Yet, for he who
has the commitment and dedication to conquer the obstacle, the rewards are great. Not only will the path be
clear, but we will also become far richer (whether spiritually, mentally or financially) by having the tenacity to overcome the hurdles in our path.
Life is not always a clear path. If it were, we would learn
very little. Rather, to test us, to teach us, to mold us and to
make us stronger God challenges us. He as the King of
kings places obstacles on our way. And, just like the king
in the above story, He watches to see who will have the
courage and the commitment to overcome these difficulties.
There is a beautiful saying in our scriptures which says:
Prarabhyate na khalu vighna bhayena nicheh
Prarabhya vighna vihata virmanti madhyah
Vighneh Punah punarapi prati-hanya manah
Prarabhya chottam-janah na parityajanti

no good deeds at all, for they are paralyzed by thoughts

of hurdles that may arise.
The second type of people begin to perform good deeds
but as soon as they encounter any difficulty, they turn back
and relinquish the task. These people have good hearts
and good intentions and they want to perform worthwhile
deeds; however, they are unable to gather up the inner
resources necessary to overcome any challenges. Thus,
their lives also pass in vain, and although they have innumerable projects that were well-begun, they have not even
one that was completed.
The third, and highest type of people are those who just
keep going, no matter what obstacles they find in their
path. They are so committed to completing their duties
successfully that they steadfastly remove all hurdles from
their way. They are entirely focused and centered on the
ultimate goal, and they keep Gods image in their mind,
knowing that He is with them and that He will help them
achieve their noble goals. These are the people who succeed, not only professionally in life, but also spiritually and
mentally.

This means that there are three types of people in the

world. The first type, the lowest on the hierarchy of evolution toward God realization, contemplate the possibilities
of failure before undertaking any task. Then, realizing that
some obstacle will inevitably arise, and fearing the difficulties inherent in overcoming the obstacle, they decide
not to act. Thus their lives pass in vain, and they perform

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DIVINE ASSISTANCE

There was once a man who was a great devotee of God. He

always believed that God would take care of him, regardless of the circumstances.
One day a great flood came to the town in which he lived.
All the neighbors began evacuating their homes. However,
this man was not worried. God will take care of me, he
assured himself.
Soon, the flood waters began to rise and water filled the
first floor of the mans home. No problem, he thought
and moved to the second floor. At this time a boat came
by, and the men in the boat shouted to him through the
window, Climb in, well save you.

top. Sitting on the rooftop, wrapped in a rainjacket, the

man saw a helicopter fly overhead. From the helicopter, a
life preserver dropped down into the mans lap. Grab on,
the pilot yelled. Ill save you.
But, the man would not grab on. God will save me, he yelled
back. I dont need your life preserver. So, eventually,
the helicopter flew away.
The flood rose and soon the man drowned.
When he entered Heaven, he said to God, What happened?
How could you let me drown? I thought you said youd always save me. I had such faith in you.
God looked at the man sadly and said, I sent you a boat; I
sent you a helicopter. What else could I do?

The men in the boat urged him to evacuate his home. The
waters are rising and rising, they cried. But, the man was
undisturbed and sent them away, firm in his conviction that
God would come through for him.

How many times in life do we avoid taking advantage of

the situations which present themselves, instead holding
tenaciously to our belief in karma, or fate, or divine will/
intervention? God will not always come to you draped in
a saffron dhoti, flute in hand and whisk you away from
unfortunate situations in His chariot. He is more subtle,
less obvious. He sends us the life preserver, but it is our
choice whether to recognize it as God sent and grab on,
or to cling to the belief that something better and easier
will come along shortly.

However, the rain continued and the waters rose and rose.
The second and then third floor of his house filled with
water. No problem, he thought as he moved onto his roof-

Karma does not mean that we have no choice or no free

will. It means we are handed a certain set of circumstances
due to past lives, sanskaras, and so many other factors.

No, the man replied calmly. Thats all right. God will save
me.

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However, what we do with that set of circumstances is only

partly determined by fate; the rest is determined by our
own free will. For example, lets say that due to past
karmas, in this birth we are given a cow. The cow is due to
our past karma and our fate. We cannot change it and get
a goat or a dog instead. But, what we do with the cow is
up to us. If we drink its milk and use its manure in our
fields, then we will have radiant health and rich, fertile
crops. However, if we eat the manure and spill the milk on
the ground, our health will suffer and our crops will be
weak and unproductive.
So many times we blame God for the situations in our lives,
or we simply concede that it must be our karma. Yet,
sickness and failing crops are not our karma; rather they
are due to our own bad choices that we made with the
cow that we were given.
We must realize that everything comes from God, that everything is due to His will, and simultaneously we must
understand that He has given us the power of discrimination and reasoning to make the right choices. It was the
mans karma to have a flood destroy his home. It was
Gods kindness and compassion that sent the boat and
helicopter, but it was the mans own ignorance and obstinacy that led him to drown.
So, when a flood comes in our lives, no problem. Perhaps
that was meant to happen. BUT, when boats and helicopters come to save us, we must recognize them for what
they are God sent.

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HEAVEN AND HELL

I have heard the story of a land called Hell. In this

land the people are emaciated and famished. Yet, they are
surrounded by bowls and bowls and platters and platters
of luscious food. Why, then, are they ravished with hunger? Because, in this land called Hell, their arms cannot
bend and thus they cannot carry even one morsel of food
from the plates to their mouths. Their hands grasp fresh
breads, ripe fruits, spoonfuls of hot stews. But, in this land
of Hell, their bodies can not receive the nourishment of
this, for it cannot reach their mouths. Their stick straight
arms wave wildly in the air, desperately trying to figure
out a way to carry the delicious food to their mouths.
The people in Hell cry out day and night. They futilely try
to force their arms to bend. But the arms are rock solid
straight. They try to eat directly with their mouths, but
this is forbidden and they are beaten for it. So, they wither
away eternity in this land of never-ending frustration,
deprivation, and starvation.
I have also heard the story of a land called Heaven. In
this land, as well, the people have only stick-straight arms.
They, too, are surrounded by platters and bowls of scrumptious food which they cannot carry to their mouths. Yet,
in Heaven, everyone is plump, well-fed, satisfied and joyful. Why is this? If you look carefully you will notice that,

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rather than obstinately trying to bend their own unbendable arms, they have simply learned to feed each other

This is, truly, the only difference between Heaven and

Helldo we stubbornly fight the will of God? Do we wrestle
unsuccessfully each day with situations that cannot be
changed? Do we flail around, wildly and desperately, trying to change the unchangeable? Do we ignore our loved
ones, our friends, our colleagues who could help us immeasurably? Do we insist on suffering in silence, never asking for a helping hand from those near us? Do we watch
others suffering and withhold our own help because we
are so caught up in our own distress? If so, then we are
living in Hell.
Or, do we assess the situation, look around and see how
the situation can be improved? Do we graciously offer our
hands and our help to others? Do we accept others help
when we are in distress? Do we take joy in feeding others? Do we spend time nourishing others bodies, minds
and hearts? Do we let ourselves be fed with love? Do we
allow others to nourish us, rather than thinking I can do
it myself? If so, then we are living in Heaven.
Too often in the world I see people who are living in the
Hell of their own isolation, in the Hell of their own frustration, in the Hell of their own determination to change the
very nature of the world in which they live.
Families and friends gather together, frequently after many
months of separation. Too frequently, though, I hear
people say, Oh, I dread this time of year. I dread it when

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the whole family comes together, and then they continue

on in a litany of complaints about this relative, that inlaw, this friend. I have seen innumerable situations in which
family members and friends could so easily put an end to
anothers pain. Yet, they wont. They dont want to be the
one to offer, Here, let me feed you.
Or, in the opposite, but similar situation, I see so many
people suffering who could be helped by their families and
friends. Yet, they wont ask for help. They wont let others
help them. They say, I can do it myself. Their pride and
ego will not allow them to say, Will you feed me, please?
However, this is not the way it should be. When we gather
with our loved ones, we must realize that it is they who
can feed us when we are hungry, it is they who can alleviate our suffering, it is their love which will turn our lives
from Hell to Heaven.
But, we must be willing to see the situation as it stands. If
our arms are unbendable, we must accept that they are
unbendable and then look for other ways to solve the problem. If we keep trying to change the unchangeable - in
ourselves, in others or in the world - we will forever be
frustrated and hungry - not only in the body, but also in
the heart and in the soul.
So when families and friends gather together, if you
see someone suffering, be the first to offer your help.
Put aside any grudges or complaints or judgments.
Simply offer your hand in assistance. And, if you are
in distress, ask for help. These are your closest family
and friends. Put aside your ego and pride. See how
they can help you and ask for that. Then, as you feed

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them and as they feed you, your lives will change

from Hell to Heaven.

A NEEDLE TO HEAVEN

Once, Shri Gurunanak Devji Maharaj, the founder of

Sikhism and a very great saint, was on a pilgrimage. This
was approximately 500 years ago, and the saint would
travel by foot, freely dispensing wisdom, guidance and
blessings to thousands of people. Along his way, a very
rich man invited Gurunanak Devji to his home for the night.
This home would be more aptly called a palace. There was
marble and gold everywhere; expensive horses and carriages; dozens of sumptuous foods served out of sterling
silver dishes. Tokens of the mans success abounded.
A truly great saint is always thinking about how to help us
grow spiritually, how to uplift us, how to turn our minds
and hearts to God. Gurunanak Devji Maharaj was such a
saint. Additionally, a saint will never take anything without repaying the giver in some way. So, when he left the
rich mans home, he handed the man a small sewing needle.
Hold on to this for me. I will take it back when I next see
you, the saint said to the man.
Later, when the man told his wife what had happened, she
was furious. How could you have taken something that
belongs to a saint? What happens if he dies before he sees
you again? It is considered a great sin to keep something
belonging to a saint or to be in a saints debt. This is why
the rich mans wife was so angry. She told her husband,

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You can not take the needle with you to Heaven when you
die. So, if he dies first, you will never be able to give it
back to him. Go now. Return the needle immediately! So
the man set out after the saint.
When he found Shri Gurunanak Devji, he handed him the
needle and said, Guruji, I cannot bear the thought that if
you should die, I would have no way of returning your needle
to you. It is not as though I could take it with me when I
die and then give it back to you in Heaven. I cannot. So,
please take it now.
The saint smiled, took his needle, and looked deep into the
rich mans eyes. You are right. You cannot take this needle
with you when you die. But, if you cannot even take this
tiny needle, how do you think you will take all your possessions and wealth? That, too, must stay behind when you
go. You can not even leave this Earth with a tiny needle, let
alone a palace full of wealth.
Oh my God. You are right. The man became white as a
sheet. All my life I have struggled for things that are as
transitory as this body. I have sweat and slaved and forsaken my family in favor of acquiring more and more wealth.
Yet, if God takes me tomorrow, I will lose it all in a breath.
And, I have acquired nothing that will last. I have not done
good deeds for others; I have not practiced sadhana; I
have not served the world.
When he returned home, he immediately sold all his possessions - except the most basic necessities - donated all
the millions of rupees to the poor, and devoted the rest of
his life to God and the world. And do you know what? As

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he lay on his death-bed in the small, simple house with his

wife and family by his side, he said, I am far richer today
than I was 30 years ago when Shri Gurunanak Devji came
to my home.

What can we learn from this wise saint? His message is as

apt and valuable today as it was in the rural villages of
India centuries ago. We come into this world with nothing but the love of our parents; we leave this world with
nothing but the love we have created. All material things
we acquire we must leave behind. I have never seen a
rich man, a sports-star, a movie actress, a businessman, a
doctor, a fashion model, or even the president ride to
Heaven in a Mercedes, carrying a basket filled with luscious snacks. No, we leave this Earth alone. We cannot
take our car, or our favorite clothes, or our finest china,
not even one cent. All we can take is the karma of this life
and the knowledge that we have spent this life in service,
that the world is a better place because we lived.
When Alexander the Great was dying he begged his doctors to find some cure, to somehow salvage his failing
health. The doctors sadly explained that there was nothing more they could do, that they could not give him even
one extra breath. At this Alexander asked that, upon his
death, his arms should be kept out of his casket instead of
inside. When a corpse is placed into a casket, the arms are
always laid neatly at the bodys side. However, Alexander
wanted his arms, palms up, out of the casket. He said that
it was important for people to realize that even though he
had conquered entire countries and kingdoms, even
though he had obtained vast amounts of riches, even

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though his wealth and power were unparalleled, he still

had to leave this world empty handed. His bounty of
wealth and power could neither prolong his life nor travel
with him into the next world.

HALF A SHAWL

A wealthy man is walking back to his home on a cold, windy,

winter night. On his way he meets a beggar who is clad in
nothing but a thin cloth. The beggar beseeches the rich
man, Please, sir, give me your shawl. Otherwise I fear I
will not make it through the cold tonight. The rich man is
also a pious man, a devoted man.
However, he still has a few blocks to walk to his home. He
does not want to suffer during those few blocks without
a shawl. Yet, his heart is pulled by the poor man and he
knows that one must always help those in need. So, he decides that the best solution is to give half of his shawl to
the poor man, and he will keep the other half. So, he cuts
the shawl in half, wraps himself in one half and gives the
other to the homeless man.
That night as the wealthy man sleeps, Lord Krishna comes
to him in a dream. In the dream, it is winter and Lord Krishna
is shivering, wrapped only in half of a shawl. Lord, why are
you wearing only half a shawl? the man asks. Lord Krishna
replies, Because that is all you gave me.
Our scriptures say that God comes in many forms. Frequently He comes to us in the guise of someone in need
an orphan, a homeless beggar. That is why our scriptures
say to look on everyone, whether it is a prostitute, a

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crippled man, a dirty child or a crook as divine. It is easy

to see God in His glorious, beautiful form. It is easy to adorn
the temple deity with fine clothes and sandlewood tilak
and to cook for Him with love. It is easy to sacrifice our
own needs while we do the seva of a revered saint. It much
more difficult to extend the same love and selflessness to
those in whom we dont see the direct embodiment of the
divine.

others just as though they were Lord Krishna Himself who

had come to us for assistance. Then, and only then, can
we obliterate the distress in the world.

However, that is the task; that is the divine challenge. Our

vision is limited. We see only on the surface. We see only
the outer manifestations of what we perceive to be either
holiness or lowliness. And we make our judgments based
on these faulty perceptions. We give to those whom we
deem worthy; we give as much as we decide the other
needs. This is our mistake, and this is why we see Lord
Krishna wearing only half a shawl!
So, we must learn to cultivate divine vision. We must pray
for the sight that shows us God in everyone and in everything. Who would give God only half a shawl? Who would
even hesitate before offering God all we have and all we
are? No one. In fact, our tradition is based on the very
idea that everything we are and everything we do is for
God. In yagna we say Idam namamah. Not for me, but
for you. Before we eat, we offer prasad to Bhagwan. We
will not take food until He has first been served.
So, as our world is flooded with poverty, with violence,
with hunger, with homelessness with destitution, let us
open not only our two physical eyes, but let us also open
our third eye, the divine eye. Let this eye show us Gods
existence in everyone, and let us serve others and treat

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LOVE, SUCCESS AND WEALTH

A young woman heard a knock on her door one day. When

she went to open it, she found an old man on her door step.
Come in, come in, she said. The man asked, Is your husband home? The woman explained that her husband was
not home, but she invited the man inside anyway.
He refused, however. I am here with my two friends,
pointing to two elderly men waiting in the front yard. However, we will wait outside until your husband returns.
That evening as soon as the husband came home, his wife
told him what had happened. Quick, quick, call them inside, the husband exclaimed. We cannot leave old men
standing in the cold outside.
So, the woman went outside and beckoned the men in. One
of them rose and said, Maam, we actually cannot all three
come in. You see, I am Love, and with me are Success and
Wealth. Only one of us can enter your home. Please, go
and ask your husband which of us he would like in the home.
So, the woman went and relaying the story to her husband said, I think we should invite Success in. Then,
you will get the promotion youve been waiting for and we
will become more prosperous.
However, the husband thought and said, But, Honey, I

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only want the promotion so we can be rich. If we invite

Wealth into our home, then it wont matter if I get the
promotion, because we will already be rich. I think Wealth
is a better choice.
Their daughter then quietly spoke, Mom, Dad. Let us bring
Love into the home. If we have Love with us, then we wont
care so much about Success or Wealth. We will be rich on
the inside.
Her parents thought for a moment and finally acquiesced
to their daughters wish. So, the woman went outside and
addressing the man who had introduced himself as Love
said, Okay, we have decided. You can come inside. So,
Love took a step forward and began to walk toward the
house. As he passed through the doorway, the woman noticed the other two men following. Wait, she exclaimed.
We have chosen Love. You said that only one could come
inside.
Love then paused and explained gently, If you had chosen
either Success or Wealth he would have had to enter alone.
However, wherever Love goes, Success and Wealth always
follow.

If you ask most parents what their concerns are regarding

their children, youll hear I want him to get into a good
university. I want her to get a good job and be successful.
Time and energy are therefore expended in pushing the
child academically, encouraging the child to excel, punishing or reprimanding the child for less than superb performance. Yet, a degree from a top university, a well pay-

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ing job, a lucrative career these are not the true marks
of success in life.

LOYALTY OF THE BIRDS

True success comes when we are fulfilled, joyful, peaceful
and prosperous both internally and externally. So, fill
your homes with love love for God, love for each other,
love for the community, love for all of humanity. Then,
through that love, through that divine connection, all else
will automatically follow. It is when we focus only on Success or Wealth that we find ourselves rich but not fulfilled,
successful but not content.

A long time ago, in the times when animals and man and
plants still spoke the same language, there was a large fire
that threatened to burn down many, many acres of forest. Flames whipped through the ground, devouring small
shrubs, bushes, flowers and grass-lands. All the animals
scampered for safety. Squirrels climbed high in the trees,
frogs hopped quickly to lily pads in the middle of ponds,
deer ran briskly to higher ground, birds flew to safety.
As the fire raged, the billowing flames became more and
more ominous, engulfing more and more of the forest. The
waters of the pond began to boil, and the frogs hopped
desperately from lily pad to lily pad.
Soon the rising flames began to envelop even the oldest,
sturdiest, densest trees, consuming them from the inside
out. Squirrels hopped and monkeys swung from branch to
branch, tree to tree, trying feverishly to escape the fury
and momentum of the fire.
High in one tree sat two birds, and they neither cried with
fear nor attempted to fly to safety. When the forest
ranger, clothed in a fire proof suit and attempting to ensure the safety of as many animals as possible, saw them
he became frantic. Fly away, he cried. Go...shoo...fly.
He yelled as loudly as he could, hoping to startle them into
flight.

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Yet they remained still, unwavering, complacent. The ranger

picked up branches and began to throw them into the tree.
Fly away....Go! Go! He beseeched them. But the birds would
not budge.
Finally, the ranger looked up and cried, The forest is
burning. This tree will be nothing but ashes in a few hours.
You will die for sure. Why in the world wont you fly away?
After many moments of silence one of the birds spoke.
We have lived our lives in this tree. She has given us
branches on which to build our nests and raise our young.
She has given us fruit to eat and worms to feed to our
babies. Her leaves capture the moisture each night, and in
the morning she has let us suck on them for water. In the
summer, she has blocked the sun and provided us with
shade. In the winter, she has caught the snow herself, so
it would not fall on us. As the wind blows through her
leaves, she has sung to us. She has let us fly quickly to her
highest branches to escape the tigers or other animals who
would eat us. We know she will burn. If there were anything we could do to save her, we would do it. But, as much
as we have tried to think of something, we realize we are
helpless. There is nothing we can do. However, we will not
leave her now.
Our whole lives, and our parents lives and our grandparents lives, she has stood beside us, never flinching, never
failing to provide us with anything we could need. How, in
this most dire moment, could we abandon her? We may not
be able to save her, but we will not let her die alone. That
is why we stay. She will die, and we will die, but she will
not leave us and we will not leave her.

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We are so quick in life to switch loyalties - from one teacher

to another, from one spouse to another, from one way of
being to another. Our hearts are fickle. We will remain
loyal as long as it serves us to do so, as long as we, too,
benefit from the loyalty. But, is that really devotion? There
is a reason that wedding vows include the phrase for richer
and for poorer, in sickness and in health.
It is very easy to be attached to someone who is healthy,
happy and prosperous. It is more difficult to remain with
someone who is sick, depressed and indigent. It is even
more difficult to maintain the devotion when it may bring
what looks like harm to you. I say looks like harm because the loss of your faith actually is much more damaging to your soul than any of these other superficial catastrophes.
Pure, single-minded devotion is one of the most beautiful
things on Earth. It is, in fact, the path of Bhakti. Yet, how
many of us are really able to maintain this? Usually, we
love God and have faith in Him when all is wonderful. It is
more difficult to believe in a Divine Plan when that Plan
causes agony. Know, though, that it is at times of distress
that your faith is most important. For, these are really the
lessons of life. This is real spirituality. Spirituality is not about
being where and with whom you are most comfortable. It
is keeping the fire of your loyalty burning regardless of
how much water is being poured on the flames.
This is the beauty of the birds. They realized there was
nothing they could do to keep the fire away from their
tree. So, they calmly and faithfully waited out Gods plan.
This sort of devotion may be seen as blind; it may be viewed

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as childish. Yet, those views are from a modern, Western

standpoint which can only see devotion and loyalty as
means to another end. However, they are ends in and of
themselves.
Their simple and pure loyalty is going to carry these birds
souls to Heaven more than anything they would be able
to accomplish with their remaining years, if they had forsaken their mother tree.

THE POWER OF LOVE

I heard a beautiful story of a college professor in New

York who gave his business-economy students the assignment of going into a slum and finding 10 children each to
interview. Then, the university students had to prepare
reports on each of the 10 children they had interviewed.
The final item of the assignment was for the students to
rate each childs chance of success in the world.
So, the students all completed their assignments. With 20
students in the class, the professor ended up with 200
papers on 200 different children living in a slum area. Every single report ended with the last question of What
are this childs chances of success in the world? Each
had the same answer: This child has no chance.
Twenty or thirty years later, another professor at the
same college came upon these 200 old reports in the
economy departments filing cabinets. He thought it would
be interesting to see whether all 200 children had really
turned out to be victims of their impoverished, crime-ridden upbringings.
Amazingly, over 90% of the children who had no chance
had turned out to be successful doctors, lawyers or professionals. The professor was astonished and went to each
one to ask what had helped him or her become a success.

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Every single respondent (now they were middle aged) said,

Well, there was this one teacher I had who changed my
life and gave me the ability to succeed.
The professor finally found this one teacher who had
changed the lives of all the children. When he found her,
she was past ninety and very frail. He asked her how she
had possibly taken these impoverished children who had
no chance of success in the world and turned more than
90% of them into successful professionals. The old woman
looked at the professor very simply, smiled and said, I
just loved those children.

The power of love is enough to give hope to the hopeless,

enough to turn failures into successes, enough to make
lives worth living.

He hate them? Did He send them forever to Hell? No. He

granted them all liberation.
Wherever Bhagwan Krishna went whether it was to palaces, to the simple hut of Vidurji, to the gardens of
Vrindavan He brought only His divine love. His divine
love changed not only the lives of all those who met Him
during His physical presence on Earth, but the ever-present
love He continues to shower upon us change all who open
their hearts to it.
Let us take to heart His divine message of
Love All, Hate None. Heal All, Hurt None.
God has given us a special ability to touch others with our
smiles, to change a life with a simple warm embrace, to
bring meaning to the lives of others by our love. We must
use this divine gift and never let it go in vain.

The teacher had not done any special program, nor had
she taught the children any special skills. None of them
recalled a particular lesson, activity or project. Rather, the
simple fact that she loved them and believed in them was
enough to change their lives.

Flowers blossom under the warm rays of the sun, and the
flowers of our lives our children, our families, and all
those around us will blossom only under the warm rays
of our love.

We all have this power to transform not only ourselves,

but others as well. Yet, do we use it? Do we take the divine
gift of love in our hearts and use it as much as possible, to
help as many as we can?

If we learn how to love others, really, truly love them, not

for who we want them to be, but rather for who they are
for the perfect souls that God has created then we
have learned one of the greatest lessons of life.

The message of Bhagwan Shri Krishna is, Love, Love and

Love all. From the moment He was 6 days old, He had
enemies. So many demons and asuras came to kill Him.
But what did He do? Did He fight them with anger? Did

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periods of time.

ONLY YOU

There once lived a king, but he was not just any king. He
was one of those kings who was so important, so powerful
that history books will talk about him forever. This king
ruled an area bigger than the land we now call America.
His territory extended from sea to sea, across mountain
ranges and deserts, through the jungle. No one knows how
many subjects he had, because there were too many to
count. People used to say that if you put all his money together, in one place, it would fill the oceans.
This king was the most powerful man the world had ever
seen. Anything he commanded happened instantly. They
tell the story that one time in the middle of winter, the
king was craving mangoes. But, it was winter, and as you
know the trees only give mangoes in the summer. However, this king was so powerful that when the mango trees
heard he wanted their fruit, they began to produce huge,
beautiful mangoes. The snow was washed off, and the king
had sweet mango in December.
Being such a powerful king of such a large region, he had
to travel quite a bit. And travel in those days was not as
easy as it is today. There were no trains or airplanes. The
king traveled by carriage, or it is more correct to say, he
traveled with an army of carriages. And, because travel
was so slow and difficult, he was frequently gone for long

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One time, he had been away for many months, visiting the
farthest reaches of his kingdom, ensuring that everyone
was happy, that everyone was taken care of. For, even
though he was so rich and so powerful and had more subjects and money than one could count, he had a very pure
heart and was very dedicated to all of his subjects. When
he was about to return home, he sent letters to all of his
queens (in those days kings had many, many queens). In
the letters he asked if there was anything they would like,
any special gift he could bring them from far away. Of
course, he always returned with carriages collapsing under the weight of so many gifts for his family, but he
wanted to know if they had any special requests.
Each queen sent a list back to the king. Bring me silk
sarees, lined with gold...bring me diamonds, fresh out of
the Earth....bring me pearls from the depths of the sea....
However, while all of the other queens sent long lists, one
queen sent only a piece of paper with 1 written on it.
The king was baffled, for even though he was very pure
and very devoted, he was not always very smart. He turned
to his chief minister and said, This queen is stupid. I knew
when I married her that she was stupid. Everyone else sent
a list of gifts they want. This queen writes only 1 on the
paper. What is 1?
The chief minister was very wise; he was a true man of
God, and he could see peoples hearts. He laid his hand on
the kings shoulder. No, no. He said. The 1 means only
you. She is saying that she only wants you. Everyone else
wants jewels and sarees and silks. When this queen writes

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1 she is saying that you are number one. That you are all
she wants. If you are there, with her, everything is there.
In your presence, she wants nothing, needs nothing. And if
you are not there, nothing can fill the hole left by your
absence - not sarees, not diamonds, not jewels. If you are
not there for whom will she wear the sarees? For whom
will she wear the silks, the diamonds? What is the point of
all these things if you are not there? Where you are, everything is. So, she wants you to bring yourself to her,
and nothing else.
The king was silent. Oh, he whispered, trembling. For
now he understood. His whole life people had wanted him
for what he had, for what he could do for them, what he
could bring to them. He could bring wealth, he could bring
possessions, he could bring health (for he had all the best
doctors), he could bring grace and blessings (in those days,
people believed that kings carried divine powers). But, no
one had ever wanted only him, just for him. No one had
ever wanted only his presence, even if it carried none of
the other gifts.
Immediately, he sent his servants to fill the orders on the
lists sent by the other queens; he sent his messengers to
deliver those orders. And he, himself, went to the queen.
When he saw her, his eyes locked with hers. Their tears
seemed to flow together. Their souls seemed to embrace,
although their bodies were still many feet apart. He moved
slowly, almost as though floating, toward her. And he took
her in his arms and held her. You are the only one who has
ever really loved me. The others thought they loved me.
But, they loved me for what I brought to them. They loved
me for how they felt when they were with me. They loved

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me for what I symbolized. And you love me only for me.

And the king stayed there, forever, with the queen. Because of its purity, their love just grew and grew, and it
showered everything near them with light and joy. Everything in their presence flourished and blossomed. People
talked far and wide about how the flowers in their garden
were brighter, bigger, more alive than flowers anywhere
else, how the birds all seemed to stay close to the castle.
Even in winter when all the other birds flew to warmer
ground and the land became silent, the birds at this castle
stayed, and sang their blissful songs all year long. Even on
cloudy days, there was always a break in the clouds big
enough to ensure that the sun could shine on this castle.
And the king became even more rich, and even more powerful - although if you asked him, he would not have even
noticed; he was too busy serving his subjects, serving God
and loving his queen. And their love and light was so strong
that it radiated to the farthest reaches of the kingdom,
bringing joy and peace to all the creatures of the land,
from sea to sea, across mountain ranges and deserts,
through the jungles.

So many times we become completely convinced that having this or doing that or going there will bring us happiness. If only I had more of this, we say. Children are
famous for this, but perhaps they are actually only more
vocal. We watch TV, we see movies, we see advertisements.
The message in all of these is Buy this, and then you will
be happy. Sure the happiness takes different forms:
some products bring happiness through beauty, others

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bring it through success, others bring it through the right

foods. But, the message is the same: own this and you will
be happy.

SERVICE TO OTHERS IS THE BEST

MEDICINE

God is kind; God is giving. And we are His children. So,

naturally, He will frequently give us what we ask for.
But, when we ask for these things, arent we saying to God,
I dont really need you, I only need this possession. Your
only purpose is to bring me the possession? If, however,
we have God in our lives, we have everything. Do you
think that when the King himself goes to the queens palace, all his messengers and servants, all his possessions
dont come with him? Of course they do. Everything goes
with the king. Where the king is, everything is.
God is the supreme king. The king of our lives. Where He
is, everything is. Let us not lose sight of what it is we really
need to be happy.

There is a beautiful story of a princess who was suffering

from an undiagnosable illness. She lay in bed, listless, unable to walk or to exert herself at all. She had lost all
appetite and her parents feared she would soon perish.
Her father, the King, called in all the top doctors and medical specialists, but none could either diagnose or cure the
young princess. They gave her allopathic, homeopathic, and
ayurvedic medicines. They gave her pills, compresses, powders, massages and mineral baths. Nothing made even a
dent in the princesss condition. She continued to lay, limp
and mute, on her bed, staring blankly at the ceiling above
her.
Finally, in desperation, the King called a revered holy man,
a saint who was worshipped throughout the kingdom as
having divine knowledge and powers. As soon as the sage
saw the princess, he understood exactly what was wrong.
Pick her up and place her in the carriage, he ordered.
The King refused. How can you take this weak, fragile
being outside in the carriage?
Yet, the saint insisted. If you do not follow my orders,
your daughter may not recover. Wrap her warmly if you
like and place her in the carriage. We will travel alone.
The King had no choice; his options were exhausted and
none had borne any fruit. He could only pray that the holy

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man knew what he was doing.

So the princess was wrapped in the warmest shawls and
gingerly placed supported by numerous feather pillows
in the Kings carriage. The holy man got in beside her and
instructed the driver where to go. He explained to the princess as they traveled, I have a few urgent jobs to take
care of on our way. You can accompany me. They soon
stopped in a poor area on the outskirts of the Kingdom.
The sage stepped down from the carriage, carrying large
sacks filled with clothing and food. He walked house to
house, delivering bags of rice, lentils, wheat to the impoverished villagers.
Soon, he returned to the carriage to find as he had expected the princess sitting up straight in her seat, peering eagerly over the side of the carriage. They drove a
little ways, and again the sage stopped the carriage in another poor, rural village outside the wealthy kingdom. I
need your help in this village. There is too much for me to
carry, he told the princess. She barely needed the help of
his hand to get down from the carriage.
The sage carried the heavy bag and gave the princess the
task of handing the food items and wool sweaters to the
grateful villagers. At the first house, she walked slowly,
delicately, and meekly put her hand in the large sack to
take out the bags of rice and lentils.
However, by the third house she was striding confidently
down the path, and by the fifth house she was picking up
the young children to hold them in her arms. As they walked
back to the carriage, she insisted on helping the saint carry

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the sacks of food, and she did not need any assistance to
get back up into the carriage. Her cheeks were rosy; there
was a beautiful, radiant smile on her face and a glow in her
eyes.
Upon returning to the kingdom, three short hours after
leaving, the princess nearly jumped out of the carriage and
skipped up the steps to the castle! The King was amazed!
How had the saint cured his daughter so completely, in
such a short time?
The saint explained, Your daughter was suffering from a
lack of meaning in life. She was suffering from the disease of being spoiled and having every whim gratified. She
was ill from a life being lived in vain. A journey to the poorest of the poor, a few hours of giving rather than taking,
the experience of service and selflessness are the only
possible cures.
Thereafter, the princess traveled twice each week with
the saint, back into the poor villages, distributing food,
clothing and other necessary supplies. She used her position as princess to help improve the living conditions of all
those who lived in poverty. She dedicated herself to helping all those in need.
And she never suffered from a day of listlessness again...

Every day people in the West go out, go to work, earn

money and become more prosperous. Yet, at the end of
the day, when they return home, they are not happy. What
is the true secret to internal peace and everlasting joy? I

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always tell people, Be God conscious, not glamour conscious. Have Him in the center of your lives and you will
find peace, happiness, meaning and joy.
However, it is difficult frequently to know HOW to implement the teaching of God in daily life. Yes, we should go to
temple. Yes, we must chant His name (any name which
appeals to us whether it is Krishna, Rama, Jesus, Allah
or Adonai). Yes, we must read from His holy words. Yes,
we must pray to Him and offer our lives to Him.
However, what else can we do, so many people ask, to
really become aware of God full of God consciousness
in our daily lives? We can serve His people! Through
service of the poorest of the poor we come closest to God.
It is easy to see the divine in holy people, easy to serve
those who look pious, proper and beautiful. But, the spiritual challenge is to see the divine in all, to serve all from
the highest King to the sickest leper as though they are
manifestations of God.
Through this selfless service, we not only benefit those
whom we are serving, but we also benefit ourselves immeasurably. Our hearts fill with joy, with peace and with
love. Our lives become full of meaning.

SHAKE IT OFF AND STEP UP

There is a story of a farmer who had an old mule. One day
the mule fell into the farmers empty, dry well. As the mule
cried for help, the farmer assessed the situation. Although
the mule had served the farmer faithfully for many years,
the farmer decided that neither the mule nor the well was
worth the trouble. So, he decided that instead of bothering to lift the heavy mule from the well, he would simply
bury him in there. The farmer called his friend and together they began to shovel dirt into the open well.
When the first shovelful of dirt hit the mule he panicked.
What is this? He thought. When the second shovelful hit
him, he began to cry. How could the farmer do this to
me? he wondered. When the third shovelful hit him, he
realized the plan. However, the mule decided that he would
not allow himself to be buried alive. As each shovelful hit
fell upon his back, he rallied himself to shake it off and
step up. As shovelful after shovelful of dirt hit him on his
back, and as he felt dejected and pained, he continued to
chant to himself, shake it off and step up. This he did,
shovelful after shovelful, until as the dirt reached the
top of the well the mule triumphantly walked out of what
would have been his tomb.
If the farmer had not decided to kill the mule, the mule
would never have survived. Ironically, it was the dirt which

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was meant to end the mules life that actually ended up

saving him, simply due to the way in which the mule handled
the situation.

In life, sometimes we feel as though the world is throwing blows at us. We feel shattered and broken. We feel as
though we are being buried alive. Perhaps someone is
actually trying to injure us; or perhaps we are simply stuck
in a difficult situation. Either way, we have two choices.
We can either succumb to the onslaught and allow ourselves to be buried, or we can shake it off and step up.
The latter is surely a more difficult path. It requires resolution, will to survive, fortitude and faith. But, in the end, it is
the path that will lead to our triumph. If we continue to
shake off whatever hits us in life, and we continue to
step up and rise above any situation, then we, too, will
always be victorious and our lives will be successful and
joyful.

WE ARE ONLY HIS TOOLS

Several years ago the United Nations was having its 50th
Anniversary Golden Jubilee celebration. World leaders religious, political, social - were gathered together to commemorate this special anniversary. Numerous renowned
people gave speeches -- on the global significance of the
UN, on the importance of fostering inter-ethnic harmony,
on how to curtail the insidious trafficking of drugs, on the
necessity of preserving and protecting our rapidly diminishing natural resources.
Each was allotted a short period of time in which to speak.
Most were given 3 minutes; some were given 5 minutes. Time
was watched carefully. Note cards were held up, alerting
the speaker that he or she had 3 minutes left, then 2 minutes, then 1 minute.
A divine, old, revered Indian saint, clad only in scant saffron robes, walked slowly, yet purposefully and unwavering to the podium when it was time for his talk. As he spoke,
silence descended upon the room. While most speeches
were read from notecards, or were the product of careful and deliberate editing, his words seemed to speak themselves. Dadaji was given 5 minutes to speak. However, as
the organizers held up signs that read, 2 minutes left,
then 1 minute left, he showed no signs of winding up his
talk. The signs then read, 30 seconds left, then Fin-

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ished!!! However, the saint was in such ecstasy, he was so

impassioned with the words that were effortlessly flowing from his mouth, that he seemed not to even notice the
signs.
At first the organizers were noticeably restless and anxious. After all, there were so many other people to speak,
so many other segments of this important function. How
to get this saint to step down from the podium? However,
as he continued, his words were like a lullaby. Even the
anxious organizers became still and peaceful, mesmerized
by the quality of his words and his tone. The hall - filled
with an audience of thousands - was as quiet as if it were
empty. Dadaji spoke for 25 minutes, an unprecedented
amount of time.

would have been for Dadaji to have simply replied, Oh,

yes, I know my speech was good. I spent days preparing
it. Or Yes. Im a very good speaker, arent I? However,
he is a true man of God. He knows from where his words
come. He knows whose words flow through his mouth.
Those who are the true inspirations, who are the true teachers of this world, are actually simply channels. They are
not the ones who spend lifetimes refining their tenaciously
held beliefs and then impose these upon others. Rather,
they simply open up the channels inside them and let God
flow into their hearts and through their mouths or their
pens. We are all here as tools for His work, as expressions
of His love. Let us realize that; let us break the dams within
us, so the river of His work and His message can flow ceaselessly through us.

When he concluded, the silence of the auditorium broke

like thunder into a clamorous standing ovation. No one who
was present was unchanged. The saints words had reached
not only minds, not only hearts, but also souls. He was
flooded with accolades and tear-streaked faces as he descended from the stage. Oh Dadaji, your speech was incredible. So inspiring. So uplifting. It was just wonderful. Everyone wanted to praise this elderly yet seemingly
ageless Indian saint. After one man took Dadajis hands
and gave particularly effusive praise, the saint looked
sweetly into his eyes and replied, Yes, it was wonderful. I
was also listening.

I was also listening. I was also listening. This should

be our mantra. For, it is not we who speak. It is He who
speaks, although we like to take the credit. How easy it

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WHO IS HANDICAPPED?

Across the world there is a wonderful organization called

the Special Olympics. This foundation sponsors Olympics
for people who are physically and/or mentally handicapped.
These are people who may be suffering from anything
ranging from partial paralysis to brain damage to what is
just referred to as retardation. Participating in these
events not only trains the athletes to perform up to their
highest potential, but it also infuses them with a sense of
success, of competence, of achievement.
Recently, I heard a beautiful story about a race taking
place in the Special Olympics. The athletes were lined up
at the mark. The official yelled, Ready, set, go! and the
athletes took off, all running as fast as their legs would
carry them, with looks of determination, dedication and
drive on their faces. All except one, that is. A young boy
had tripped, immediately after starting, and had fallen into
the dirt. He looked forlorn as he watched his peers race
off without him.
Then, suddenly, a young girl who was running turned her
head to see what had happened to the boy. As soon as she
realized he fell, she turned around and ran back toward
him. One by one, each of the athletes turned around to go
back and look after the fallen boy. Soon all the runners
were gathered around the young boy; they helped him to

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his feet as one girl brushed the dirt off his pants. Then, all
the athletes held hands as they walked together, slowly,
toward the finish line.
These are the people we refer to as handicapped or retarded or, euphemistically, mentally and physically challenged. Yet, would we who have full use of all our limbs,
whose brains function at their highest capacity, ever turn
around in the middle of a race, giving up our long soughtafter hope of winning and go back to look after someone
who was down? Would we ever sacrifice getting to the top,
being the best, winning it all, just to lend encouragement
to another? Rarely.
We spend our lives pushing to be higher and higher, better and better. We want to be the best, to be the top, to be
number one. But at what stake? What do we give up in the
process? They say, The mark of a true man is not how tall
he stands, but how frequently he bends down to help those
in need. How frequently are we willing to bend?
The goal of life is not the accumulation of more and more
possessions, or more and more degrees. The point of life is
to move toward God, to realize our oneness with Him. The
point of life is to fill every moment with compassion, with
love, with prayer and with service.
Yes, of course, we must go to work and we must do our
best in every possible arena. Of course we must attempt
to succeed; we must live up to our fullest potential. But,
too frequently, we become narrow minded in what we see
as our potential. Is our potential merely financial, or academic or professional? Might we have another potential,

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a divine, compassionate, pious, devoted potential that is

just waiting to blossom?
Let us vow to live up to every potential not just those
that confront us obviously in our daily life, but also those
which may be hidden below the surface. The athletes may
have thought, (and the audience may have thought as
well) that their success, their achievement would be
marked by how quickly they could run the 100 yards. However, the deep potential of these athletes was even greater
than completing a quick sprint. They chose compassion
over competition; they chose unity over individual success;
they chose to really show us what it means to be divine
souls.
Let us take a lesson from these athletes, who are far less
handicapped than most of the people in the world. Let
us learn that each race in life may have two different paths
for success; let us learn that compassion, love and unity
are much more everlasting achievements than a blue ribbon.
Let us vow to turn our heads around frequently and see
whether, perhaps, there is someone who needs our help.

REAL EDUCATION

Once there was a boat, sailing in the middle of the ocean.

On the boat, were a philosopher, a scientist, a mathematician, and the boatman. The philosopher turned to the boatman and asked, Do you know the nuances of Vedanta? Do
you know the theories of Plato and Aristotle? No, replied the boatman. I have never studied those things. I
only know to take Gods name in the morning when I wake
up and at night before I sleep, and to try to keep Him with
me all day long. The philosopher looked at him with disdain. Well, then at least 30% of your life has been in vain.
Next, the scientist asked the boatman, Do you know
Einsteins Theory of Relativity? Do you know Newtons
laws? The boatman looked out at the reflection of the
moon on the water. The light seemed to dance playfully
off of the waves, touching first here, then there. He gently shook his head in response to the scientists question.
No, he said. I am not learned in that way. I have only
learned to be kind, to give more than I receive, to be
humble and pious. Well, the scientist exclaimed. Then
at least 40% of your life has been in vain.
The mathematician then turned to the boatman. You must
at least know calculus? You must know how to compute
advanced equations? The boatman closed his eyes and
entered a meditative trance. No, he said softly, a smile

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creeping across his sun-weathered face. I do not know

those things. Then, your life has been at least 50% in
vain! The mathematician retorted.
The four sat in silence for awhile, when suddenly the waves
began to rise up furiously; the sky turned dark, obscuring
the blanket of stars. The boat - thin and wooden - began
to rock back and forth, up and down, with each thrust of
the waves. The boatman fought diligently, using every
muscle in his body, every skill he had to regain control over
his boat. But the storm was winning the fight, and with
each surge of the waves, the boatman became more and
more convinced that the boat could not withstand this
beating. As a wave lifted the boat high into the air, the
boatman asked his passengers, Do you know how to swim?
NO!!! they all cried at once. The wave dropped the boat,
upside down, back in the raging water. The boatman
watched sadly as the scientist, the philosopher and the
mathematician drowned. Well, he whispered I think 100%
of your lives have been in vain.

In this life, there are so many things to learn, so many

things people say are important. Education is, of course,
quite important. A doctor cannot operate if she doesnt
know where the organs are, or how to sew a wound back
up again. A scientist cannot perform experiments unless
he knows which chemicals to use, and how much of each.
An architect cannot design buildings without knowing
what foundations and support are necessary.

edge that saves us from drowning in the ocean. Only the

knowledge of God can do that. Only love for Him, devotion to Him, and a life-vest inflated by Him can protect us
in the raging sea of this world. For, many times in life, we
feel like we are drowning. Many times we feel like we
have swallowed so much water we cant breathe. It may
seem as though our legs cannot possibly tread water for
another minute.
At times like this we tend to turn to what we already know
- more education, the acquisition of more possessions, the
fulfillment of more sense pleasures. However, perhaps it
is these that have caused our boat to capsize in the first
place. Perhaps the ominous waves of the ocean are actually made up of our insatiable desires, of our purely academic educations, of our disregard for the Supreme Power
behind and within everything.
Instead of making ourselves heavier and heavier, in which
case we will surely drown, we must turn to the light, everpresent life vest around our bodies. It is knowledge of God,
of how to truly live that will save us. The boatman knew
how to see the stars; he knew how to watch God play in
the light; he knew how to remain calm and serene even
when challenged and insulted. He knew how to really
swim.

However, in the big picture, these are not the lessons or

the education that truly liberate us. It is not this knowl-

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DO YOUR DUTY
There was once a horrible drought. Year after year not a
drop of rain fell on the arid ground. Crops died, and, as the
land became parched, farmers gave up even planting their
seeds. As the time of planting and tilling the ground came
for the fourth rainless year in a row, the farmers of the
region had given up hope and they sat listless, passing their
time with playing cards and other distractions.
However, one lone farmer continued patiently to plant his
seeds and sow and till his land. The other farmers poked
fun at him and derided him as he continued daily to take
care of his fruitless, barren land.
When they asked him the reason behind his senseless tenacity, he said, I am a farmer and it is my dharma to plant
and till my land. My dharma does not change simply due to
whether the clouds rain or not. My dharma is my dharma
and I must follow it regardless of how fruitful or fruitless it appears to be. The other farmers laughed at his
wasteful effort, and went back to their homes to continue bemoaning the rainless sky and their fruitless land.
However, a passing rain cloud happened to be overhead
when the faithful farmer was giving his answer to the others. The cloud heard the farmers beautiful words and realized, Hes right. It is his dharma to plant the seeds and

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to till the land, and it is my dharma to release this water

which I am holding in my cloud onto the ground. At that
moment, inspired by the farmers message, the cloud released all the water it was holding onto the farmers land.
This rain cloud then continued to spread the message of
upholding ones dharma to the other rain clouds, and they
too upon realizing it was their dharma to rain began to
let go of the moisture in their midst. Soon, rain was pouring down upon the land, and the farmers harvest was bountiful.

In life, we tend to expect results from our actions. If we do

something well, we want to be rewarded. If we work, we
want to be paid (whether financially or in some other
way). We want to work only so long as the work reaps
rewards. If the fruits cease to come, we decide the work is
not meant to be, and we abandon it.
However, that is not the message which Lord Krishna gives
to Arjuna in the Gita. The message is that we must do our
duty regardless of the fruits. We must live according to
our dharma regardless of whether it appears to be successful. We must perform our duties for the simple fact
that they are our duties.
Lord Krishna tells Arjuna to stand up and fight, and says
that, even if he dies in the battle, he must still do his dharma.
The Lord tells Arjuna that it is divine to die on the battlefield of life (meaning engaged in performing your duty).
He explains that either way, Arjuna will win. If the
Pandavas win the battle, then they will obliterate the evil
influence of the Kauravas and inherit the kingdom. If, on

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the other hand, the Kauravas win the battle and the
Pandavas are killed, then they will go straight to the Lords
eternal abode, for they died in the service of Dharma.
Usually in life, we know what our duties are. We know our
responsibilities. We can see the right thing to do. This is
especially true if we take quiet time to meditate, reflect
and contemplate. Yet, too frequently we walk away from
doing the right thing or from performing our duty due
to the uncertainty of the result. We dont want to waste
our time or look like a fool. We neglect our responsibilities by saying, It doesnt matter any way. We shun
our duties with words like, Well, no one else is doing it, so
why should I?

Yet, even if we are the only ones acting piously, acting honestly, acting with devotion, it should not matter. Our lives,
our happiness and our karma are individual entities. They
are not dependent upon the response from others.
Therefore, we must all learn to stand up, have courage
and keep performing our duties, regardless of whether it
looks like success or failure will result. Through the fulfillment of our dharma we will achieve the greatest success
in life bliss, peace and enlightenment.

This is not the way to live. We must realize that there is an

enormous, infinite cosmic plan at work and we must all
perform our allotted tasks to the best of our ability. Whether
we actually succeed or fail in the venture should not be
the biggest concern. True success comes not in a financial
win, but rather in the humble, tenacious, dedicated performance of our tasks.
Interestingly enough, when we act with righteousness and
integrity, we find that others will follow. It is not that we
are taken advantage of, as we frequently fear. Rather, if
we set the divine example, others will follow. Just as the
rain cloud followed the example of the tenacious farmer,
so will those in our lives follow our own examples. If we
act with honesty, we receive honesty. If we act with dedication and love, so we will receive dedication and love. If
we fulfill our dharma, so will those around us learn to do
the same.

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all to no avail. It could retain no more than half a bucket

of water through the long walk back to the castle.

THE LEAKY BUCKET

In the very olden times, there was once a great king. This
king had many, many servants to take care of every task.
One particular servant was responsible for bringing water from the well to the Kings table. However, it was a
long journey from the castle to the well from which fresh,
clean and pure water could be obtained. As this was the
time before cars and other convenient machines, the servant carried two buckets - one attached to each end of a
long stick - to transport water back to the castle. One of
the buckets was new - it shone in the sunlight and it was
perfect in every way. The other bucket was older and it
had a small hole on one side that caused water to leak from
it onto the ground, along the road back to the castle.
Thus, whenever the servant arrived back to the castle, although he had filled 2 buckets of water, he had only 1 and
a half to present to the king. This caused the leaky bucket
great distress. Twice a day when the servant picked up
the buckets to go to the well, the older one would look
longingly at the new one, Oh, why cant I be as shiny and
flawless as the other? the bucket would bemoan. The
leaky bucket would cast envious looks at the new bucket
as not a single drop fell from its new, glistening metal.
The leaky bucket tried every possible way of shifting its
weight, of rotating its sides to minimize the leakage, but

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One day, the leaking bucket was distraught and cried out
to the servant, Why dont you just throw me away? Im of
no use to you. I can do barely half the work of your new
bucket. You have to walk such a long way back and forth
to the well and I leak out half of the water you fill me
with. The king is such a good, noble, divine king. I want to
serve him as well as your new bucket. But I cant; I cant
even give him a full bucket of water.
The servant was very wise (sometimes wisdom lies hidden
in places where we dont expect it). He said to the bucket,
Look down. Look below you on the path to the castle, the
path upon which you leak your water. The bucket at first
was too ashamed to look and see drops of precious water
scattered on the ground. When it finally looked, however,
it noticed a thick row of beautiful flowers - so many lush,
blossoming varieties - lining the path with vibrancy and
beauty.
Every day I pick these flowers to decorate the kings table
and his room, the servant said. When I noticed that you
were leaking, I planted seeds all along the path on your
side of the road. Then, twice a day you come and water
them. Now, they have grown and blossomed into the kings
favorite centerpiece. He says their fragrance calms his
mind and brings peace to his heart. So, see, you are not
useless at all. Rather, you are serving two purposes - both
to bring water and also to bring beautiful flowers to the
kings castle.

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So many times in life we condemn ourselves for our failures, we compare ourselves unfavorably to others, we
grieve over our own shortcomings, wishing that we could
be different, more like someone else or some pre-conceived
ideal. And as we do this, we blind ourselves to our real
assets, to the flowers we are watering each day, to the real
gifts we can give to the king.
God has given everyone a unique, special set of gifts and
it is up to us to make the most of these. Some of us will be
able to carry water without spilling a drop. Our gift to the
world will be a full bucket of water. Others of us will be
able to give only half a bucket of water, but we will line
the worlds paths with beautiful flowers and sweet fragrance. Let us never underestimate our potential or the
significance of our own gifts. Let none of us ever feel just
like a leaky bucket.

THE LITTLE THINGS IN LIFE

Once there was a saint who lived in the Himalayan forests.

He lived in an ashram deep in a beautiful jungle where he
spent his time in meditation and looking after the ashram.
Once a traveler came upon the saint and the ashram while
trekking through the Himalayas. The young man started
talking to the saint about the spiritual life. The young tourist asked him, What did you do before you became enlightened?
The saint replied, I used to chop wood and carry water
from the well.
The man then asked, What do you do now that you have
become enlightened? The answer was simple. The saint
replied, I chop wood and carry water from the well.
The young man was puzzled. He said, There seems to be
no difference then. What was the point in going through
all those years of sadhana in order to attain enlightenment if you still spend your days doing chores and menial
tasks?
The Master replied, The difference is in me. The difference is not in my acts, it is in me: because I have changed,
all my acts have changed. Their significance has changed.

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The prose has become poetry, the stones have become sermons and matter has completely disappeared. Now there
is only God and nothing else. Life now is liberation to me, it
is nirvana.

So many people complain, My job is not spiritual. Or

How can I live a spiritual life while I have to care for children and a family? The answer to a spiritual life is not in
WHAT youre doing, but in HOW youre doing it. How attached are you to the details of what youre doing or how
focused is your mind on God? Have stones become sermons? A spiritual life is not about renouncing work or renouncing chores or renouncing tasks that we may see as
beneath us. Rather, a spiritual life is about turning these
tasks into tapasya, turning jobs into joy, turning stress into
sadhana. This is a spiritual life.

Attaining enlightenment does not mean being out of the

world or away from tasks. It means being IN the world,
but not OF the world. It means DOING tasks, but not BEING the tasks.
Let us try today as we complete our daily routine to
ask ourselves, How would this routine be different if I were
enlightened? How would my attitude change? How would
my actions change? Let us then pray to God for the
strength to act accordingly. Then well know that were
really living a spiritual life, not merely relegating it to a
few moments alone in the mandir at the end of the day.

People tend to think: first Ill complete my householder

years and then Ill turn myself to God. Yes, in our culture,
one dedicates ones life after retirement to God, to simplicity, to seva, to spirituality. But, you dont have to wait
until youve retired in order to attain that glorious state.
You can attain it while living IN the world. Its all a matter
of the mind. Are you counting cars in front of you before
you reach the tollbooth on the highway or are you counting the names of the Lord in your mind? Are you reciting
lists of things to be done when you get home from the
office, or are you reciting Gods holy name? Is your tongue
speaking angry remarks at your family, your co-workers
and your neighbors or are you speaking only pure, calm,
peaceful words?

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TREASURE CHEST

There is a beautiful story of a beggar who lived all of his

life under one tree. Each day he would go out into the villages and beg for just some dry bread crumbs to sustain
his life. Then, he would come back to his tree and eat his
bread or whatever scraps the villagers had given him that
day. For forty years the beggar lived under the same tree,
pleading with the people to give him some food. Hed walk
to all the nearby villages, alternating days, begging for his
nourishment. Slowly, day by day, he became weaker, and
finally one day his body could no longer sustain itself and
he passed quietly into death.
When the villagers found him, they decided to bury his
ashes under the tree where he lived out his life. As they
began to dig, in order to place his ashes deep in the ground,
they found a treasure chest full of gold, diamonds and
jewels, a mere six inches below the ground.
For forty years, the beggar had lived, barely scraping by
on his dry bread crumbs, sitting six inches above a treasure chest which would have rendered him as rich as a king.
If only it had ever occurred to him to explore the depths
of the Earth on which he sat, or to delve deeply into the
recesses of his home he would have discovered this treasure chest. But, he did not. Rather, he sat on the surface,
suffering and withering away, day by day.

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Too frequently in life we are also like this beggar running here and there searching, begging for that which we
need to fulfill our lives. Perhaps we are not begging for
food or basic life necessities. More likely we are searching
and yearning for peace, happiness or God. We go here,
we beg there. We search this place, we search that place.
But that priceless and yet crucial peace and happiness still
elude us.
If only we would sit still for a moment and go deeper
within, we would find that treasure chest. We dont even
have to dig six inches. Just right within us, sitting in our
heart, is God, and through our connection to Him, all of
the riches of the world are bestowed upon us.
However, too frequently I see people running in the opposite direction in their fruitless search. They run from this
workshop to that workshop, from this new trend to that
new trend, all the while being frustrated in their search.
Stop for a moment and look within.
The Indian youth, especially, are all incredibly blessed. Your
culture, your heritage and your traditions are a true treasure chest of meaning, understanding, wisdom and insight.
Through opening this box of jewels you will definitely find
the happiness, contentment and peace for which you are
searching.
Go back to your roots, back to your heritage, back to the
temple. Listen to the stories of your parents and grandparents. Perform aarti with deep devotion. Go to have the
satsang and the darshan of visiting saints. Take a trip to
India rather than to the beaches or ski slopes. Through

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this re-connection to your culture and your heritage you

will find the key which will open the treasure chest.
But, never forget that the treasure chest is inside of you,
flowing through your veins. It is not some external thing
to be obtained or found. Rather, the divine joy is residing
within you, in your heart, in your breath and in your blood.

FOOTPRINTS

I heard a story once of a man who was a great devotee of

God. Always throughout his life, God was his companion.
He loved God more than anything else in all the world. When
the man was very old, he lay in his bed one afternoon and
had a dream. In this dream, he could see his entire life
stretched out before him, as though it was the coastline
along the ocean. And he could look back and see his footprints deep impressions in the wet sand marking the
path he had walked in this life. As he looked back further
and further, he could see that, in fact, there was not one,
but 2 sets of footprints, side by side, along the edge of
the ocean. He knew the other footprints were those of
God, for he had felt Gods presence beside him throughout
his life.
But, then he saw something that woke him immediately from
his dream; his heart beat fast and he could not hold back
the tears. God! He cried out. I just had a dream, and in
this dream I could see the whole path of my life; I could
see the footprints I left along the way. And beside my
footprints, there were yours, for You walked with me,
and... Now the man was full of tears and could barely
speak. But, God, sometimes there was only one set of footprints, and when I looked, I could see that those were the
times I was really fallen, really broken, when I needed You
most. How, God, how could You leave me when I needed

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You most? I thought You promised Youd be with me forever. Why did Your footprints disappear at the times I
really needed You?
Softly, gently, God laid a hand on the mans head, wiped
away the tears. My child, I promised to always be with
you, and I have never left you for a second, not even while
you slept. Those times when you see only one set of footprints, those darkest moments of your life, it was those
times that I carried you in my arms.

There are times we feel abandoned by God, times we doubt

His presence in our lives. It is easy to have faith when all is
going well, easy to believe in a plan when that plan brings
us joy and fulfillment. It is much more difficult to believe
in the inherent goodness of the Planner when the plan
causes agony. Do we all not, on some level, feel that when
our lives are tough, that we have been left by God? But, it
is those times that our faith will carry us through. It is
truly those times in which we are being carried by God.
Perhaps, as we get so much closer to him, as we move
from walking beside Him to being in His arms, we actually feel His presence less, so we doubt it. Perhaps as the
boundaries and borders between Him and us dissolve, and
we simply become His children, perhaps that is when we
truly lose ourselves in Him. As the otherness is gone, perhaps we feel less aware of the presence.

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RAISE YOURSELF DONT ERASE OTHERS

Once, a wonderful spiritual master gave a demonstration
in front of a large class. He drew a horizontal line on the
chalkboard and asked the class the following question: Is
there anyone in the room who can make this line appear
shorter without erasing it? The students thought and
thought. They concluded that the only possible way to reduce the size of the line would be to erase part of it from
either side. Thus, they told Swamiji, No, there is no way
to reduce the size of the line without erasing any of it.
Swamiji then proceeded to draw another, much longer,
horizontal line on the board, a few inches above the previously drawn line. Now, he asked. Hasnt the first line
become shorter in comparison to the new, longer line?
Doesnt it appear quite short? Everyone agreed that the
line now appeared much shorter. One does not have to
erase a piece of the first line in order to make it appear
shorter. One simply has to draw a longer line near it, and it
will automatically seem shorter.
In life, in the rush to get ahead, in the rush to prove ourselves and make a name for ourselves, we frequently resort to criticizing, condemning and badmouthing others.
In order to make ourselves look better, we put other people
down. So many times we tell examples of the shortcomings of our colleagues so that we in comparison will

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appear better, or we criticize those with whom we are in

competition.
However, this is not the way to get ahead or make a name
for ourselves. Let us not try to diminish others in order to
look good ourselves. That is like erasing the line to make
it shorter, simply so we will look bigger in comparison. The
way to get ahead in life should not be at the cost of others.
Instead of bringing others down, let us raise ourselves up.
Instead of cutting others, let us learn how to grow. Let us
become long lines ourselves, rather than erasing others. If
we focus on becoming as long as we can, then we will
naturally shine above others.
It is very difficult in life to accept our own responsibility,
our own mistakes. It is much easier for us to condemn others, criticize others, judge others and blame others. We
rarely realize how frequently our own actions contribute
to a negative situation. It is so much easier to simply blame
others. This is like erasing others in order to look long ourselves.

The doctor explained to her as follows: Maam, your husband talks in his sleep because you dont let him talk during the day time. Every time he tries to say something you
correct him, belittle him or tell him to be quiet. So, he has
no choice other than to talk in the night. The medicine will
make you be quiet during the day so your husband can
say whats on his mind. Then he wont have to talk in his
sleep anymore!
Whenever we are in a difficult situation, a frustrating situation or a challenging situation, let us examine what we
can do to solve the problem. Let us examine what role our
own actions may have played in bringing about the current circumstances. Let us work WITH others to get ahead,
rather than work AGAINST others. Let us cooperate instead of compete.

A woman once went to the doctor. She told the doctor,

My husband talks all night long in his sleep. You must
give me some medicine for him to make him stop talking
in his sleep. The doctor gave the woman a prescription
for medicine and told her, If you take this medicine every
day, your husband will stop talking in his sleep.

Indian culture teaches us milaanaa not mitaanaa and

journa not tourna [bring together, dont cut. Unite, dont
break]. But, dont break what? Dont break others minds,
hearts and spirits with our selfishness. When we push ourselves ahead at the expense of others, we naturally hurt
them in the process. We break their spirit, their enthusiasm and their self-esteem. Heights of success must not be
attained through lowering others. Rather, we must climb
and climb higher and higher to fulfill our own divine potential, to live our own divine Dharma.

But the woman was shocked, Why must I take the medicine, doctor? It is my husband who has the problem. I am
not sick. My husband is the sick one who talks in his sleep.
It is for him you must prescribe medicine.

When Bhagwan Rama sent Angadji to Ravana in Lanka in

order to bring Sitaji back, he told Angadji, Kaaj Hamaara
taasu hita hoi. [Fulfill your mission in rescuing Sita, but
do not hurt Ravana in the process. Just try to make him

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understand that he should peacefully return her.] This is

the Divine way: do your duty, do your best, fulfill your
obligations, but dont hurt anyone in the process, either
physically or emotionally.
We must dedicate our lives to growing as much as we can,
to learning as much as we can, to serving as much as we
can and to getting closer and closer to the ultimate goal
of Union with the Almighty. We must not let competition,
jealousy, complexes or petty complaints stand in the way
of our great Mission.

THE TIME FOR A SPIRITUAL LIFE

IS NOW
There was once a disciple of a Guru who was living a divine
life of sadhana and seva in his Gurus ashram. One day, he
went to his Guru and said, Guruji, I want to live a spiritual
life. I want to live in the service of God. I want to go beyond the binding chains of this mundane, materialistic
world. But, I feel that I am not quite ready. My desires
for a family, for wealth and enjoyment are still too strong.
Grant me some time to fulfill these wishes and then I will
return to your holy feet.
So the Guru said, No problem, my child. Go. Get married,
have a family and earn wealth. In ten years I will come
back for you. My blessings are with you.
With the blessings of his Guru, the man went out and quickly
found a beautiful girl to marry. They had 3 beautiful children, and the man become financially successful.
After 10 years, there was a knock on the door of their
home. The mans wife opened it to see a haggard-looking
beggar standing on the doorstep. The beggar asked to see
her husband. At first she started scolding the beggar,
thinking that he was just there to beg for money. But, the
husband realized that the beggar was his Guru so he lovingly invited him inside.

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I have come to take you away from this world of illusions

now that you have fulfilled your desire of having a wife,
family and earnings. Come with me, my son, let me show you
the way to God.
But, the man looked at his Guru pitifully and he said, Dear,
Beloved, Guru. Yes, you are right. You have given me my 10
years ever so generously and with your blessings I have
prospered. But, my children are very young and my wife
would not be able to handle the burden of all of them alone.
Allow me to stay another ten years until the children are
old enough to care for themselves.
A true Guru will guide you to the path, show you the light
and help when help is requested, but will never force a disciple against the disciples will to follow any particular path. Thus, the mans Guru compassionately agreed,
saying, So be it, my son. Stay another 10 years until you
feel that your mission is fulfilled.
Ten years later, the Guru returned to the home and again
gave his disciple the call, My child - I am here to take you
away from this world of illusion. Your children are now
grown. You have given 20 years to married life. Come now
and embark on your spiritual journey.
However, the man fell at his Gurus feet and cried. He said,
My Divine Guru. Yes, it is true that 10 more years have
slipped by, but you see that now my children are just finishing their education and they are just getting ready to
marry. I cannot leave this householder world until I marry
off my children and get them settled professionally. My
youngest is fifteen, so if you could ever so graciously give

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me only ten more years, then all of my responsibilities will

be complete.
So be it, my child. The Guru said. But remember that
your true path is a spiritual path. Remember to keep your
aim on God. Fulfill your duties but do not become too attached.
Ten years later, the Guru returned to the house to find a
large bull-dog out front guarding the house. Immediately
he recognized his disciple in the dog and saw with his
divine vision that the man had passed away in an accident several years prior but, due to his intense protectiveness over his family and wealth, he had reincarnated
as a guard dog. The Guru put his hand on the dogs head
and said, My child, now that you have regressed from a
human to a dog due to your attachment to these worldly
things, are you finally ready to come with me?
The dog licked the hand of his Guru lovingly and said, My
beloved Guruji. You are right that it is my own attachment
which has driven me to take birth as a dog, but you see my
children have many enemies who are envious of their wealth
and power. These enemies are very dangerous to my children and I must stay here to protect them. However, I am
sure that within a few years everything will sort itself out
and they will be fine. Give me just seven more years to
protect them, then I am yours.
The Guru left and returned 7 years later.
This time, there was no dog out front and the home was
filled with grandchildren running around. The Guru closed

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his eyes and saw with his divine vision that his disciple had
taken birth in the form of a cobra, wedged into the wall
near the family safe to guard the money. He called the
grandchildren of the house: My children, he said. In the
wall to the right of your safe, there is a cobra curled up in
a small nook. Go there and bring the cobra to me. Do not
kill it. It will not harm you, I promise. But, just break its
back with a stick and then bring it to me. The children
were incredulous, but went to the wall where the old man
had directed them. Incredibly they saw that just as the
Guru had said a cobra was curled up in the wall. Following his orders, they broke the cobras back and carried it
outside to the Guru. The Guru thanked the children, threw
the cobra over his neck and left.
As he walked away carrying the cobra over his neck, the
Guru spoke to the cobra, injured and aching, My child, I
am sorry for hurting you, but there was no other way.
Thirty seven years and three births ago you left to taste
the material world of sensual pleasures. But the ways of
Maya are so alluring and so subtle that they trap us instantly. You have wasted these lifetimes in the futile pursuit of material success and in attachment to people who
also are only actors in the Cosmic Drama. My child, all here
is Maya - Cosmic Illusion. It lures us into its trap, convincing us that it is real, permanent, everlasting and significant. But, in reality, the only thing which is real is Him, and
the only true purpose of life is to get close to Him. These
attachments merely divert our attention and focus away
from the true purpose of life. I had no choice but to come
to your rescue as I saw you sinking deeper and deeper
into the deep clutches of Maya.

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So frequently in life we think, Just one more year then I

will cut back on my luxuries and cut back on my time at
the office. Just one more year and I will dedicate more
time to meditation and spiritual pursuits. Just one more
year and then I will go to India, sit at my Gurus feet and
delve into the divine depths of spirituality. Just one more
year and then I will cut down on my sensual
pleasures.....and on and on. But, that one more year
never comes. Our intentions are good. We want to be more
spiritual. We want to devote more time to spiritual pursuits. We want to spend less, need less and serve more. We
want to be the master over our lust, anger and greed
rather than vice versa. But, the power of Maya is stronger
than the power of our will. Thus, we continue to find excuses for why we must continue to work 50 or 60 hour
work-weeks, why we still have no time for meditation, why
we cant squeeze a visit to the holy places of India into our
years planning, and why we must continue to satiate our
insatiable sensual urges.
The only way to break free from the veil of illusion that
Maya wraps around our minds is to surrender to God and
beg Him to show us the true light. The only way to break
free is to make AND STICK TO concrete vows of how we
are going to be better people. Rather than saying I will
find time to meditate we must say I will not leave for
work without sitting in meditation and I will not sleep at
night without doing my nightly introspection. Rather than
saying, I will try to come to India and visit holy places
whenever I can, we must say I will take my vacation this
year in India. Rather than say, I will try to cut back on
my expenses so that my financial needs are less, we must

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say, I will not buy another jacket or pair of shoes [or anything] until the ones that I have are broken, torn or no
longer fit me. Rather than say, I will try to overcome my
anger, lust and greed, we must commit to having daily
appointments with God in which we introspect on all the
times we allowed ourselves to be overpowered by these
emotions and we must pray for strength, DAILY, to be remain calm, peaceful and sattvic in our lives.
If we wait for the right time, that time will never come.
The only time is now.

THE PAIN IS ALL IN OUR

PERSPECTIVE
A man once went to see a doctor complaining of aches and
pains all over his body. Doctor my whole body hurts me,
he moaned. The doctor asked him to show exactly where
the pain was.
The man explained, When I touch my shoulder, it hurts.
When I touch my back it hurts. When I touch my legs, they
hurt.
The doctor did a thorough examination and told the man,
Sir, there is nothing wrong with your body. Your finger is
broken. That is why it hurts wherever you touch. Get your
finger plastered, rest it for a couple of weeks and all of
your pains will disappear.

In life so frequently it is our own perspective that causes us

pain. As we go through life feeling the world with our
fingers, if our finger is broken naturally we will experience
pain everywhere. But, we make the mistake of blaming
the external world for our ailments: My job is over-taxing, my husband is too demanding, my wife nags, my children are disobedient, my in-laws dont understand me, etc.
etc. But if you look throughout the world you will be able
to find someone who has the same type of job but is calm,
or someone who has the same type of spouse but is happy,

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or someone who has the same type of children but is patient, or someone who has the same type of in-laws but is
grateful.
What is it that allows two people to experience the same
external situation but respond in two different ways? Our
own perspective. Our own perception. The key, then, is
not to try to change every situation in our life, but rather
to change the glasses through which we see the world.
Sure, if we have a fixable situation at the office or at home,
we should definitely do our best to improve it. But, what I
have seen is that if someone has the nature to be dissatisfied, or the nature to be stressed, or the nature to be pained,
that persons nature is not going to change simply by changing the external situation.
A massage for the back, shoulder or legs or a chiropractic
or acupuncture treatment would not help the man in our
earlier example because it is his finger which is broken.
He could spend hundreds of dollars to ease the pain in his
body, but unless he puts his broken finger in a splint, he
will continue to experience pain every time that finger
touches the various parts of his body. Similarly, we run
around through life trying to fix our jobs or marriages
or family life, but frequently the reality is in our own perspective. If we spend the same amount of energy fixing
our perspective as we spend trying to fix our spouse or
children, everything would be fine.

minor aches and pains in his body, but due to the severely
broken finger with which he was touching them. Similarly,
our jobs and our families are taxing. They demand a lot
of us. However, the unbearable pain many of us experience is due not to the demands and commands from without, but due to the demands and commands from within
ourselves.
In the Gita it is said that we are our best friend and also
our own worst enemy, depending upon how we live our
lives.
Let us all take some time to examine what our own personal broken finger is. What is it within ourselves that
causes us to experience pain in the world? What irrational
fear, what unfulfillable desire, what selfish motive, what
ego-driven need has broken the finger with which we feel
the world or has colored the glasses with which we see?
We spend so much time examining others, but very little
time examining our own selves.
The Source of all joy and peace lies within us. We are
blocked from that Source by a host of desires, fears and
ignorance. The key to finding and tapping into that Source
must come from within. Let us find the key within ourselves
and unleash the Ocean of Divine Bliss in our lives.

This is not to say that pains and troubles dont really exist
in our day to day life. Of course they do. The man in our
example may also have a stiff back or sore shoulders. But
the excruciating pain he experienced was due not to the

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SEARCHING FOR THE NEEDLE

Once a woman was standing outside in the street searching and searching for something under the bright street
lamp. A wise man walked by and asked her, Mother, what
are you searching for?
She replied, I have lost my needle and I am looking for it.
The man helped her search for quite sometime, all to no
avail. Finally, he asked, Mother, where exactly did you
lose your needle? She replied, I was sewing inside on the
chair and the needle was lost there.
The wise man queried, But Mother, if you lost your needle
inside then why are you searching outside for it?
The woman answered, Because inside it is dark and I cannot see. Here, with the light of this lamp I can see easily
and search for my needle.
The wise man counseled her, Mother, go back inside. It
may be dark and difficult to see, but your needle is inside.
Light a candle and search inside. You will never find your
needle out here.

We laugh at the silliness of the old woman who looked for

her needle outside even though it had been lost inside.

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Yet, dont we do the same thing in our lives? We look outside for our happiness, for our fulfillment and for our joy.
We look to possessions to fulfill us. We think that if we have
the newest model car, a new CD or a new pair of shoes
that we will be happy. When we feel depressed or stressed,
what do we do? We go shopping or we go on a holiday to
the beach.
Yet, we all know that happiness and peace are not there.
We are never truly happier or more peaceful the day after
buying something new than we were before. In fact we
frequently forget that we even bought it! The new coat,
pair of shoes or CD gets put in a closet or store room and
we forget about it.
The reason that these things dont bring happiness is that
we may have a new coat, but it is still being worn by the
same person. We may have new shoes, but they are covering the same feet. We may be driving a new car, but the
driver is the same. We may be in Hawaii or Tahiti or on a
cruise ship but WE are still there and the pain comes
from within, not from without. If the dissatisfaction and
the pain come from within then how can the satisfaction
and joy come from without?
They cannot. The sooner we realize that the true answer
lies within - in our hearts, in our relationship to God, in our
inner selves the quicker we will find that answer. It is a
rare person, though, who pauses to look inward for answers. Most of us are so busy searching shopping malls,
vacation catalogues and our relationships with other
people for the answers.

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Why do we look outside? Because it is lighter. It is easier. It

is easier to see things and other people than our own selves.
So we search these things and these other people for the
keys to our happiness. But, although the light is there, the
needle is not.
We must go inward, even though it seems dark and even
though it seems that we may never find anything. We must
have faith and start searching. Meditation, prayer, faith in
God, a spiritual practice, a Guru, introspection, silence
these are all things that light the way for us to look inward, to find that needle.
Our candle may be dim at first, it might be hard to see.
But slowly that candle will get brighter and brighter, and
we will eventually find the needle which we lost. However, the longer we search outside, the longer our needle
will remain lost.
I pray that you all may turn inward. I dont mean that you
should ignore your family and friends or not to buy gifts
for your children. Rather, as you enjoy the time with your
family and as you enjoy the gifts you receive, please remember that nowhere - other than within your own heart
- lies the true answer to your happiness. Love your family
without expectation. Enjoy the material gifts without expectation. Enjoy the vacation without expectation. When
we expect these external things, people and places to bring
us the ultimate bliss in life, that is when we will be disappointed. When we love and appreciate them as they are,
but turn inward and to God for the true bliss, that is when
we will be satisfied both externally and internally.

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THE SAINT AND THE SCORPION WHAT IS OUR DHARMA?

Once there was a sadhu, a renunciant living on the banks
of a river, performing his sadhana with great piety and
determination.
One day as the holy man went for his bath in the river, he
noticed a scorpion struggling in the water. Scorpions, by
nature, cannot swim and the sadhu knew that if he did not
save the scorpion, it would drown. Therefore, carefully
picking up the scorpion, the saint lifted it out of the waters and was just about to set it down gently on the land
when the scorpion stung his finger. In pain, the sadhu instinctively flung his hand and the scorpion went flying, back
into the river.
As soon as the sadhu regained his composure from the sting,
he again lifted the drowning scorpion out of the water.
Again, before he could set the scorpion safely on land, the
creature stung him. Again, as the sadhu shook his hand in
response to the pain, the scorpion fell back into the water. This exchange went on for several minutes as the holy
man continued to try to save the life of the drowning scorpion and the scorpion continued to sting his saviors hand
before reaching the freedom of the river bank.
A man, who had been out hunting in the forest, noticed
this interaction between the holy man and the scorpion.

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He watched as the saint carefully and gingerly lifted the

creature out of the water, only to fling it back in as his
hand convulsed in pain from each fresh sting. Finally, the
hunter said to the sadhu, Revered Swamiji, forgive me for
my frankness, but it is clear that the scorpion is simply
going to continue to sting you each and every time you try
to carry it to safety. Why dont you give up and just let
the evil creature drown?
The holy man replied, My dear child, the scorpion is not
stinging me out of malice or evil intent. It is simply his nature to sting. Just as it is the waters nature to make me
wet, so it is the scorpions nature to sting in order to protect himself. He doesnt realize that I am carrying him to
safety. That is a level of conscious comprehension greater
than what his brain can achieve. But, just as it is the
scorpions nature to sting, so it is my nature to save. Just
as he is not leaving his nature, why should I leave my nature? My dharma is to help any creature of any kind, human or animal. Why should I let a small scorpion rob me of
the divine nature which I have cultivated through years of
sadhana?

In our lives we encounter people who harm us, who insult

us, who plot against us, and whose actions seem calculated simply to thwart the successful achievement of our
goals. Sometimes these are obvious acts, such as a coworker who continually steals our ideas or speaks badly
of us to our boss. Sometimes these acts are more subtle
a friend, relative or colleague who unexpectedly betrays
us or whom we find has been surreptitiously speaking

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negatively about us behind our back. We often wonder

How could he/she hurt me like that? How could they do
this to me? Then, our hearts become filled with anger and
pain, and our minds start plotting vengeance.
Slowly we find that our own actions, words and thoughts
become driven by anger and pain. We find ourselves engaged in thoughts of revenge. Before we realize it, we are
injuring ourselves more by allowing the negative emotions
into our hearts than the other person injured us by his
words or actions. She insulted us, plotted against us or interfered with a well-deserved achievement at work. But
we injure ourselves more deeply and more gravely by allowing our hearts and minds to turn dark.
Our dharma is to be kind, pure, honest, giving, sharing,
and caring. Others, due to ignorance, due to lack of understanding (much like the scorpion who doesnt understand the sadhus gentle intention) or due to the way in
which their own karmic drama must unfold, may act with
malice, deceit, selfishness and indifference. But we must
not let their actions or their ignorance deprive us of fulfilling OUR dharma. We must not allow ourselves to be lowered by their ignorance, their habits or their greed. The
darkness in their heart should not be allowed to penetrate
into the lightness of our hearts.
Sometimes people ask, But Swamiji, how long should we
continue to tolerate, to forgive, to love in the face of other
peoples aggression, jealousy, hatred and malice? The
answer is forever. It is not our job to hand out punishment
to others based on their negative actions. That is Gods
job and the job of the law of karma. They will get their

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punishment. Do not worry. They will face the same misery

they are bringing to you. Do not worry. But it is not our
job to give that to them. It is Gods job and with the exacting law and science of karma evildoers will receive
punishment. But not by our hands. If we allow ourselves
to injure them, insult them, plot against them and hurt
them, then we are simply accruing more and more negative karma for ourselves.
If the sadhu had allowed the scorpion to suffer and drown
in the river, he would have forsaken his own divine path in
life. Sure, we can say that the scorpion deserved to die for
what he had done to the sadhu. We can say that the sadhu
had tried and tried to save the scorpion but the scorpion
would not let him. We can give a list of explanations to
excuse the sadhu for not rescuing the scorpion. But, to
pardon bad behavior is not the goal. To excuse ourselves
for failing to fulfill our duties is not the goal. The goal is to
live up to our full, divine potential as conscious, holy beings.
So, let us pledge to always remember what OUR dharma
is to live lives of purity, piety, peace, selflessness, integrity and love and let us never allow anyone to divert us
from that goal.

HOW TO WALK
ON THE PATH OF LIFE
When I was very young, not long after I came to Parmarth
Niketan, a very old, revered saint came to Rishikesh to
give his divine satsang at Parmarth Niketan.
However, rather than staying in the comforts of the
ashram, he used to stay in a small hut on the banks of Ganga
a little bit away from the center of the ashrams.
I was given the special seva of going to pick him up each
morning and bring him to the ashram. As we walked through
the busy marketplace, I would try to push everyone and
everything out of his way so that this revered saint could
walk comfortably and unimpeded to the ashram. I asked
everyone along the way, Side please. Please give us the way
to walk. I would gently push all of the wandering cows out
of his path. I moved standing bicycles and fruit carts out
of the way so he could pass.
Finally as we reached the gate of the ashram I was feeling
very glad that I had been able to bring him so safely and
smoothly to the ashram, and that I had been able to clear
such a nice path for him to walk.
This saint, however, looked at me lovingly and said, Beta,
kis kis ko hatate rahoge? Aur kab tak hatate rahoge? My
child, how many people and cows can you push out of the

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way? For how long can you move other people and things
out of your path? That is not the way. Apna rasta banate
jao. Apna rasta banake nikalte jao. Do not try to move others; rather find your way between the others and around
them. Make your own path, but do not worry about moving
others. Find your own way in the midst of the chaos.

In our lives we frequently get frustrated and broken by

feeling that others are blocking our way and thwarting
our path. We blame their presence and their actions for
our own failure. We explain to ourselves that we would
have been able to succeed if only they had let us, if only
they had moved out of the way for us. We try to push
people and obstacles aside to clear a way for ourselves in
life.
However, obstacles never stop coming. People who are
jealous never stop trying to block our path. For how long
can we try to move them aside? How many obstacles, how
many enemies can we try to push away? The answer is to
simply find our own way, around them, between them. If
they are blocking the path on the right, we walk on the
left. If they are blocking the path on the left, we walk on
the right.
We must be more concerned about finding our own way
rather than focusing on moving all of those whom we think
are blocking our path. For those who are pure in mind,
thought and deed, there will always be a path in which to
walk. The path may be narrow at times and it may seem

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that obstacles and enemies line both sides. But we must

humbly and sincerely make our own way on the path of
life. We must just keep walking the path of our dharma,
the path of righteousness, the path of honesty, purity and
piety without worrying about those who try to block our
way.
So much of our precious time, energy and focus are wasted
in the futile task of trying to remove obstacles and other
people from our path. It is not necessary. Find your own
path around the obstacles. Find your own path around
the enemies. Do not try to push them aside or push them
down or fight them for the right of way. Rather, carefully
examine the situation and see where the path is clear.
Then, choose that path and continue on your way.
The more attention we give to those who are trying to
sabotage us and trying to thwart our progress, the less
time and energy we have to walk to right path. In that
way, then, the enemies win, for they have stolen our peace
of mind, our tranquility, our joy and also our time. Instead
of trying to fight them out of the way, we must remain
humble, pure and single-minded on the goal. If we can
see our destination clearly then we will always be able to
find a path in which to walk.
So, keep the destination firm in your mind. Stay focused
on the goal and nikalte chale, nikalte chale jao [move around
the obstacles and continue on the path.].

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PIECES SENT BY OTHERS

(We offer our appreciation to those who have forwarded these

important pieces to us,
and we apologize where the name of an author is unknown)

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GIVE
BY:: KAHLIL GIBRAN
BY
You give but little when you give
of your possessions.
It is when you give of yourself that you truly
give.
For what are your possessions but things you
keep and guard
for fear you may need them tomorrow?
And tomorrow, what shall tomorrow bring to the
over-prudent dog burying bones in the trackless
sand as he follows the pilgrims to the holy city?
And what is fear of need but need itself?
Is not dread of thirst when your well is full,
the thirst that is unquenchable?
There are those who give little of the much they
gave and they give it for recognition, and their
hidden desire makes their gifts unwholesome.
And there are those who have little and give it
all.
These are the believers in life and the bounty of
life, and their coffer is never empty.
There are those who give with joy,
and that joy is their reward.
And there are those who give with pain,
and that pain is their baptism.
And there are those who give and have not pain
in giving, nor do they seek joy, nor give with
mindfulness of virtue; they give as in yonder
valley the myrtle breathes its fragrance into
space.
Through the hand of such as these,
God speaks, and from behind their eyes

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He smiles upon the earth.

It is well to give when asked, but it is better to
give unasked through understanding.
And to the open-handed the search for one who
shall receive is joy greater than giving.
And is there aught you would withhold?
All you have shall some day be given;
therefore give now, that the season of giving
may be yours and not your inheritors.
You often say,
I would give, but only to the deserving.
The trees in your orchard say not so,
nor the flocks in your pasture.
They give that they may live,
for to withhold is to perish.
Surely he who is worthy to receive his days and
his nights is worthy of all else from you.
And he who has deserved to drink from the
ocean of life deserves to fill his cup
from your little stream.
And what desert greater shall there be,
than that which lies in the courage and the
confidence, nay the charity of receiving?
And who are you that men should rend their
bosom and unveil their pride, that you may see
their worth naked and their pride unabashed?
See first that you yourself deserve to be a giver,
and an instrument of giving.
For, in truth it is life that gives into life while
you, who deem yourself a giver, are but a witness.
And you receivers and you are all receivers
assume no weight of gratitude, lest you lay a
yoke upon yourself and upon he who gives;
rather rise together with the giver on his gifts as
on wings.

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REASONS TO GIVE THANKS

If you woke up this morning with more health than illness,
you are more blessed than the million who will not survive the week.
If you have never experienced the danger of battle, the
loneliness of imprisonment, the agony of torture or the
pangs of starvation, you are ahead of 500 million people
around the world.

If you prayed yesterday and today, you are in the minority because you believe in Gods willingness to hear and
answer prayer.
If you can read this message, you are more blessed than
over two billion people in the world that cannot read anything at all.

If you attend a temple or church meeting without fear of

harassment, arrest or torture of death, you are more
blessed that almost three billion people in the world.
If you have food in your refrigerator, clothes on your back,
a roof over your head and a place to sleep, you are richer
than 75% of this world.
If you have money in the bank, in your wallet, and spare
change in a dish someplace, you are among the top 8% of
the worlds wealthy.
If your parents are still married and alive, you are very
rare, even in the United States.
If you hold up your head with a smile on your face and
are truly thankful, you are blessed because the majority
can, but most do not.
If you can hold someones hand, hug them or even touch
them on the shoulder, you are blessed because you can
offer Gods healing touch.

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WHA
T A DIFFERENCE A DA
Y
WHAT
DAY
MAKES
IN THE WAKE OF SEPTEMBER 11,
2001
On Monday we emailed jokes
On Tuesday we did not
On Monday we thought that we were secure
On Tuesday we learned better
On Monday we were talking about heroes as being
athletes
On Tuesday we relearned who our heroes are
On Monday we were irritated that our rebate checks
had not arrived
On Tuesday we gave money away to people we had
never met
On Monday there were people fighting against
praying in schools
On Tuesday you would have been hard pressed to find
a school where someone was not praying
On Monday people argued with their kids about
picking up their room
On Tuesday the same people could not get home fast
enough to hug their kids

On Tuesday people didnt care about waiting up to 6

hours to give blood for the dying
On Monday we waved our flags signifying our cultural
diversity
On Tuesday we waved only the American flag
On Monday there were people trying to separate each
other by race, sex, color and creed
On Tuesday they were all holding hands
On Monday we men or women, black or white, old or
young, rich or poor, gay or straight, Christian or nonChristian.
On Tuesday we were Americans
On Monday politicians argued about budget surpluses
On Tuesday grief stricken they sang God Bless America
On Monday the President was going to Florida to read to
children
On Tuesday he returned to Washington to protect our children
On Monday we had families
On Tuesday we had orphans
On Monday people went to work as usual
On Tuesday they died

On Monday people were upset that they had to wait 6

minutes in a fast food drive through line

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12 WA
YS TO O
VER
COME STRESS
WAYS
OVER
VERC
ANI
BY
BY:: H.H. DADA J.P
J.P.. VASW
ASWANI
1. Fill your minds with thoughts of God: wake up in the
morning with a great thought of a Great One or a text
from a scripture dear to you.
2. Close the day by reading some positive literature.
3. Practice the presence of God.
4. Never neglect your daily appointment with God.
5. Breathe out peace, love and blessing to all.
6. Forgive before forgiveness is asked.
7. Help others.
8. Be relaxed at all times.
9. Develop a healthy sense of humour.
10. Always see the bright side of things.
11. Develop faith in the goodness and caring power of God.
12. In all conditions of life let the words-- Thank you, God- be on your lips all the time.

GET A LIFE
This is a commencement speech made by Anna Quindlen
at Villanova:
Its a great honor for me to be the third member of my
family to receive an honorary doctorate from this great
university. Its an honor to follow my great Uncle Jim, who
was a gifted physician, and my Uncle
Jack, who is a remarkable businessman. Both of them could
have told you something important about their professions,
about medicine or commerce. I have no specialized field
of interest or expertise, which puts me at a disadvantage
talking to you today. Im a novelist. My work is human
nature. Real life is all I know.
Dont ever confuse the two, your life and your work. The
second is only part of the first. Dont ever forget what a
friend once wrote Senator Paul Tsongas when the senator
decided not to run for re-election because he had been
diagnosed with cancer: No man ever said on his deathbed I wish I had spent more time at the office. Dont
ever forget the words my father sent me on a postcard
last year: If you win the rat race, youre still a rat. Or
what John Lennon wrote before he was gunned down in
the driveway of the Dakota: Life is what happens while
you are busy making other plans.
You will walk out of here this afternoon with only one thing
that no one else has. There will be hundreds of people out

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there with your same degree; there will be thousands of

people doing what you want to do for a living. But you
will be the only person alive who has sole custody of your
life. Your particular life. Your entire life. Not just your life
at a desk, or your life on a bus, or in a car, or at the computer. Not just the life of your mind, but the life of your
heart. Not just your bank account, but your soul.
People dont talk about the soul very much anymore. Its
so much easier to write a resume than to craft a spirit. But
a resume is a cold comfort on a winter night, or when youre
sad, or broke, or lonely, or when youve gotten back the
test results and theyre not so good.
Here is my resume: I am a good mother to three children.
I have tried never to let my profession stand in the way of
being a good parent. I no longer consider myself the center of the universe.
I show up. I listen. I try to laugh. I am a good friend to my
husband. I have tried to make marriage vows mean what
they say. I am a good friend to my friends, and they to me.
Without them, there would be nothing to say to you today, because I would be a cardboard cutout. But I call them
on the phone, and I meet them for lunch. I would be rotten, or at best mediocre at my job, if those other things
were not true. You cannot be really first rate at your work
if your work is all you are. So heres what I wanted to tell
you today:
Get a life. A real life, not a manic pursuit of the next promotion, the bigger paycheck, the larger house. Do you
think youd care so very much about those things if you
blew an aneurysm one afternoon, or found a lump in your
breast?
Get a life in which you notice the smell of salt water push-

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ing itself on a breeze over Seaside Heights, a life in which

you stop and watch how a red tailed hawk circles over the
water or the way a baby scowls with concentration when
she tries to pick up a Cheerio with her thumb and first finger. Get a life in which you are not alone.
Find people you love, and who love you. And remember
that love is not leisure, it is work. Pick up the phone. Send
an e-mail. Write a letter.
Get a life in which you are generous. And realize that life
is the best thing ever, and that you have no business taking it for granted. Care so deeply about its goodness that
you want to spread it around. Take money you would have
spent on beers and give it to charity. Work in a soup kitchen.
Be a big brother or sister. All of you want to do well. But if
you do not do good too, then doing well will never be
enough.
It is so easy to waste our lives, our days, our hours, our
minutes. It is so easy to take for granted the color of our
kids eyes, the way the melody in a symphony rises and
falls and disappears and rises again. It
is so easy to exist instead of to live.
I learned to live many years ago. Something really, really
bad happened to me, something that changed my life in
ways that, if I had my druthers, it would never have been
changed at all. And what I learned from it is what, today,
seems to be the hardest lesson of all.
I learned to love the journey, not the destination. I learned
that it is not a dress rehearsal, and that today is the only
guarantee you get. I learned to look at all the good in the
world and try to give some of it back because I believed in
it, completely and utterly. And I tried to do that, in part, by
telling others what I had learned. By telling them this:

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Consider the lilies of the field. Look at the fuzz on a babys

ear. Read in the backyard with the sun on your face. Learn
to be happy . And think of life as a terminal illness, because if you do, you will live it with joy and passion as it
ought to be lived.

AUDRE
Y HEPBURNS BEA
UT
Y
UDREY
BEAUT
UTY
SECRETS
For attractive lips, speak words of kindness.
For lovely eyes, seek out the good in people.
For a lovely figure, share your food with the hungry.
For beautiful hair, let a child run his or her fingers through
it once a day.
For poise, walk with the knowledge that you'll never walk
alone.
People, even more than things, have to be restored, renewed, revived, reclaimed and redeemed.
Never throw out anybody.
Remember, if you ever need a helping hand, you'll find
one at the end of your arm.
As you grow older, you will discover that you have two
hands, one for helping yourself, and one for helping others.
The beauty of a woman is not in the clothes she wears, the
figure that she carries, or the way she combs her hair.
The beauty of a woman must be seen from in her eyes,
Because that is the doorway to her heart.
The beauty of a woman is not in a facial mole, But true
beauty in a woman is reflected in her soul.
It is the caring that she lovingly gives, the passion that she
shows, and the beauty of a woman with passing years only
grows!

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LET
TER FR
OM GABRIEL GAR
CIA
LETTER
FROM
GARCIA
MAR
QUEZ WHEN HE RETIRED
MARQ
FR
OM PUBLIC LIFE DUE TO
FROM
CANCER
If for an instant God were to forget that I am rag doll and
gifted me with a piece of life, possibly I wouldn't say all
that I think, but rather I would think of all that I say. I
would value things, not for their worth but for what they
mean. I would sleep little, dream more, understanding
that for each minute we close our eyes we lose sixty seconds of light.
I would walk when others hold back, I would wake when
others sleep. I would listen when others talk, and how I
would enjoy a good chocolate ice cream! If God were to
give me a piece of life, I would dress simply, throw myself
face first into the sun, baring not only my body but also
my soul.

give wings, but I shall let him learn to fly on his own. I
would teach the old that death does not come with old
age, but with forgetting.
I have learned that everyone wants to live on the peak of
the mountain, without knowing that real happiness is in
how it is scaled. I have learned that when a newborn child
squeezes for the first time with his tiny fist his father's finger, he has him trapped forever. I have learned that a
man has the right to look down on another only when he
has to help the other get to his feet.
I have learned so many things, but in truth they won't be
of much use, for when I keep them within this suitcase,
unhappily shall I be dying.
GABRIEL GARCIA MARQUEZ

My God, if I had a heart, I would write my hate on ice, and

wait for the sun to show. Over the stars I would paint with
a Van Gogh dream, a Benedetti poem, and a Serrat song
would be the serenade I'd offer to the moon. With my
tears I would water roses, to feel the pain of their thorns,
and the red kiss of their petals...
My God, if I had a piece of life... I wouldn't let a single day
pass without telling the people I love that I love them. I
would convince each woman and each man that they are
my favorites, and I would live in love with love. I would
show men how very wrong they are to think that they cease
to be in love when they grow old, not knowing that they
grow old when they cease to be in love! To a child I shall

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PARADO
X OF OUR TIMES
PARADOX

The paradox of our time in history is that:

we have taller buildings but shorter tempers;
wider freeways, but narrower viewpoints.
We spend more, but have less;
we buy more but enjoy less
We have bigger houses and smaller families,
more conveniences, but less time;
we have more degrees, but less sense;
more knowledge, but less judgment;
more experts, yet more problems,
more medicine, but less wellness.
We drink too much, smoke too much,
spend too recklessly,
laugh too little,
drive too fast,
get too angry,
stay up too late, get up too tired,
read too little, watch TV too much, and pray too seldom.

Weve been all the way to the moon and back, but have
trouble crossing the street to meet a new neighbor.
We conquered outer space but not inner space.
Weve done larger things, but not better things.
Weve cleaned up the air, but polluted the soul.
Weve conquered the atom, but not our prejudice.
We write more, but learn less.
We plan more, but accomplish less.
Weve learned to rush, but not to wait.
We build more computers to hold more information to
produce more copies than ever, but we communicateless
and less.
These are the times of fast foods and slow digestion;
big men and small character;
steep profits and shallow relationships.
These are the days of two incomes but more divorce,
fancier houses but broken homes.
These are days of quick trips, disposable diapers,
throwaway morality, one-night stands, overweight bodies, and pills that do everything from cheer to quiet, to kill.
It is a time when there is much in the show window
and nothing in the stockroom.

We have multiplied our possessions, but reduced our values.

We talk too much, love too seldom, and hate too
often.
Weve learned how to make a living, but not a life,
weve added years to life not life to years.

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IVE LEARNED

Ive learned that no matter what happens, or how bad

it seems today, life does go on, and it will be better tomorrow.

Ive learned that every day you should reach out and touch
someone. People love that human touch - holding hands,
a warm hug, or just a friendly pat on the back.
People will forget what you said, people will forget what
you did, but people will never forget how you made them
feel.........

Ive learned that you can tell a lot about a person by the
way he/she handles these three things: a rainy day, lost
luggage, and tangled Christmas tree lights.
Ive learned that regardless of your relationship with your
parents, youll miss them when theyre gone from your
life.
Ive learned that making a living is not the same as making a life.
Ive learned that life sometimes gives you a second chance.
Ive learned that you shouldnt go through life with a
catchers mit on both hands. You need to be able to throw
something back.
Ive learned that if you pursue happiness, it will elude you.
But if you focus on your family, your friends, the needs of
others, your work and doing the best you can, happiness
will find you.
Ive learned that whenever I decide something with an
open heart, I usually make the right decision.
Ive learned that even when I have pains, I dont have to
be one.

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None can reach the court of the Lord.

WITHOUT THE MASTER

BY KABIR

A temple roof
Cannot stay up without rafters;
So without Nam
How can one cross the ocean?
Without a vessel
Water cannot be kept;
So without a Saint
Man cannot be saved from doom.
Woe to him
Who thinks not of God,
Whose mind and heart
Remain absorbed in ploughing
The field of the senses.

Without music
There can be no wedding;
Rejected by her husband,
A bad woman suffers misery;
So man suffers
Without a Saint.
Says Kabir, My friend,
Only one thing attain:
Become a gurumukh
That you not die again.
A.G., Gond, p.8 72

Without a ploughman
Land cannot be tilled,
Without a thread
Jewels cannot be strung,
Without a knot
The sacred tie cannot be made;
So without a Saint
Man cannot be saved from doom.
A child cannot be born
Without father and mother,
Clothes cannot be washed
Without water,
There can be no horseman
Without a horse;
So without a Master

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WA
TCH AND LISTEN CAREFULL
Y
WAT
CAREFULLY

I AM THANKFUL:

The man whispered, God, speak to me and a meadowlark sang.

But the man did not hear.

For the teenager who is not doing dishes, but is watching

TV,
Because it means he is at home and not on the streets.

So the man yelled God, speak to me! And the thunder

rolled across the sky.
But the man did not listen.

Ffor the taxes that I pay,

Because it means that I am employed.

The man looked around and said, God, let me see you.
And a star shined brightly.
But the man did not notice.
Then the man shouted, God, show me a miracle! And a
life was born.
But the man did not know.
So the man cried out in despair, Touch me God, and let
me know you are here! Whereupon, God reached down
and touched the man.
But the man brushed the butterfly away and walked on.

For the mess to clean up after a party,

Because it means I have been surrounded by friends.
For the clothes that fit a little too snugly,
Because it means I have enough to eat.
For my shadow that watches me work,
Because it means that I am out in the sunshine.
For a lawn that needs mowing, windows that need cleaning, and gutters that need fixing,
Because it means that I have a home.
For all the complaining I hear about the Government,
Because it means that we have freedom of speech.
For the parking spot I find at the far end of the parking lot,
Because it means I am capable of walking and that I have
been blessed with transportation.
For my huge heating bill,
Because it means that I am warm.

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For the lady behind me in church who sings off key,

Because it means that I can hear.
For the pile of laundry and ironing I have to do,
Because it means I have clothes to wear.
For the weariness and aching muscles at the end of the
day,
Because it means that I am capable of working hard and
that I have employment.
For the alarm that goes off early in the morning,
Because it means that I am alive.

HO
W TO SUR
VIVE A HEAR
T
HOW
SURVIVE
HEART
AT TACK
( WHEN YOU ARE AL
ONE)
ALONE)
Lets say youre driving home after an unusually hard day
on the job. Suddenly you start experiencing severe pain
in your chest that starts to radiate out into your arm and
up into your jaw.
What can you do? Without help the person whose heart
stops beating properly and who begins to feel faint, has
only about 10 seconds left before losing consciousness.
However, these victims can help themselves by coughing
repeatedly and very vigorously.
A deep breath should be taken before each cough, and
the cough must be deep and prolonged, as when producing sputum from deep inside the chest.
A breath and a cough must be repeated about every two
seconds without let up until help arrives, or until the heart
is felt to be beating normally again.
Deep breaths get oxygen into the lungs and coughing
movements squeeze the heart and keep the blood circulating. The squeezing pressure on the heart also helps it
regain normal rhythm. In this way, heart attack victims
can get to a phone and, between breaths, call for help.
From: Health Cares Rochester General Hospital

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Rule 8 - If you mess up, its not your parents fault, so dont
whine about your mistakes, learn from them.

BILL GA
TES 11 R
ULES FOR
GATES
RULES
STUDENTS

Rule 9 - Life is not divided into semesters. You dont get

summers off, and very few employers are interested in
helping you find yourself. Do that on your own time.

Rule 1 - Life is not fair; get used to it!

Rule 10 - Television is NOT a real life. In real life, people

actually have to leave the coffee shop and go to jobs.

Rule 2 - The world wont care about your self-esteem. The

world will expect you to accomplish something BEFORE
you feel good about yourself.

Rule 11 - Be nice to nerds. Chances are youll end up working for one.

Rule 3 - You will NOT make 40 thousand dollars a year

right out of high school. You wont be a vice president
with a car phone, until you earn both.
Rule 4 - If you think your teacher is tough, wait till you get
a boss. He doesnt have tenure.
Rule 5 - Flipping burgers is not beneath your dignity. Your
grandparents had a different word for burger flipping; they
called it opportunity.
Rule 6 - Your school may have done away with winners
and losers, but life has not. In some schools, they have
abolished failing grades; theyll give you as many times as
you want to get the right answer. This doesnt bear the
slightest resemblance to ANYTHING in real life.
Rule 7 - Before you were born, your parents werent as
boring as they are now. They got that way from paying
your bills, cleaning your clothes and listening to you talk
about how cool you are. So, before you save the rainforest
from the parasites of your parents generation, try delousing the closet in your own room.

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PERFECTION

In Brooklyn, New York, Chush is a school that caters to

learning disabled children. Some children remain in Chush
for their entire school career, while others can be mainstreamed into conventional schools. At a
Chush fund-raising dinner, the father of a Chush child delivered a speech that would never be forgotten by all who
attended. After extolling the school and its dedicated staff,
he cried out, Where is the perfection in my son, Shaya?
Everything God does is done with perfection. But my child
cannot understand things as other children do. My child
cannot remember facts and figures as other children do.
Where is Gods perfection? The audience was shocked
by the question, pained by the fathers anguish and stilled
by the piercing query.
I believe, the father answered, that when God brings a
child like this into the world, the perfection that he seeks is
in the way people react to this child. He then told the
following story about his son, Shaya:One afternoon, Shaya
and I walked past a park where some boys Shaya knew
were playing baseball.
Shaya asked, Do you think they will let me play? I knew
that my son was not at all athletic, and that most boys
would not want him on their team. But I understood that
if my his son was chosen to play, it would give him a comfortable sense of belonging. I approached one of the boys
in the field and asked if Shaya could play. The boy looked
around for guidance from his teammates. Getting none,

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he took matters into his own hands, and said, We are

losing by six runs and the game is in the eighth inning. I
guess he can be on our team, and well try to put him up
to bat in the ninth inning. I was ecstatic as Shaya smiled
broadly.
Shaya was to go put on a glove,and go out to play shortcenter-field. In the bottom of the eight inning,Shayas
team scored a few runs, but was still behind by three. In
the bottom of the ninth inning, Shayas team scored again,
and, now with two outs and the bases loaded with the
potential winning run on base, Shaya was scheduled to be
up. Would the team actually let Shaya bat at this juncture
and give away its chance to win the game? Surprisingly,
Shaya was given the bat. Everyone knew that it was all
but impossible because Shaya didnt even know how to
hold the bat, properly,let alone hit with it.
However, as Shaya stepped up to the plate the pitcher
moved a few steps to lob the ball in softly so Shaya should
at least be able to make contact. The first pitch came, and
Shay swung, clumsily, and missed. One of Shayas teammates came up to Shaya and, together they held the bat
and faced the pitcher, waiting for the next pitch. The pitcher
again took a few steps forward to toss the ball softly toward Shaya.
As the pitch came in, Shaya and his teammate swung at
the ball,and,together they hit a slow ground ball to the
pitcher. The pitcher picked up the soft grounder, and could
easily have thrown the ball to the first baseman. Shaya
would have been out, and that would have ended the
game.
Instead, the pitcher took the ball and threw it on a high
arc to right field, far beyond the reach of the first baseman.
Everyone started yelling, Shaya, run to first. Run to first

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Never in his life had Shaya run to first. He scampered

down the baseline, wide- eyed and startled. By the time
he reached first base, the right fielder had theball. He
could have thrown the ball to the second baseman who
would tag out Shaya, who was still running. But the right
fielder understood what the pitchers intentions were, so
he threw the ball high, and far over the 3rd basemans
head. Everyone yelled,Run to second, run to second.
Shaya ran towards second base as the runners ahead of
him deliriously circled the bases towards home. As Shaya
reached second base, the opposing short-stop ran to him,
turned him in the direction of third base and shouted, Run
to third. As Shaya rounded third, the boys from both teams
ran behind him, screaming, Shaya run home.
Shaya ran home, stepped on home plate, and all 18 boys
lifted him on their shoulders and made him the hero, as
he had just hit a grandslam and won the game for his
team.
That day, said the father, softly, those 18 boys reached
their level of Gods perfection.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

His Holiness Pujya Swami
Chidanand Saraswatiji
Spiritual and Academic Education: Touched by the
hand of God at eight years old, Pujya Swamijis youth was
spent in silence, meditation and austerities high in the
Himalayas. At the age of seventeen, after nine years of unbroken, intense sadhana, he returned from the forest under the orders of his guru and he obtained an academic
education to parallel his spiritual one. Pujya Swamiji has
masters degrees in Sanskrit and Philosophy as well as fluency in many languages.

The Teaching of Unity: Unity, harmony, and the belief

in infinite paths to God are the foundation of Pujya Swamijis
religion. His goal is to bring everyone closer to God, regardless of what name one uses. If you are a Hindu, be a better
Hindu. If you are a Christian, be a better Christian. If you
are a Muslim, be a better Muslim. If you are a Jew, be a better
Jew, he says.
In this line, he has been a leader in numerous international,
inter-faith conferences and parliaments, including the Parliament of World Religions in Chicago in 1993, the Parliament of World Religions in Capetown, South Africa in
1999, and the Millennium World Peace Summit of Religious and Spiritual Leaders at the United Nations in
2000, the World Economic Forum in New York in 2002
and the World Council of Religious Leaders at the
United Nations in Bangkok in 2002.He is also a leader of
frequent Dharma Yatras across America, Canada and Europe.

Spiritual Leader and inspiration: Pujya Swamiji is the

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president and spiritual head of Parmarth Niketan Ashram in

Rishikesh, one of Indias largest and most renowned spiritual institutions. Under his divine inspiration and leadership, Parmarth Niketan has become a sanctuary known across
the globe as one filled with grace, beauty, serenity and true
divine bliss. Pujya Swamiji has also increased several-fold
the humanitarian activities undertaken by Parmarth Niketan.
Now, the ashram is not only a spiritual haven for those who
visit, but it also provides education, training, health care etc.
to those in need.
He is also the founder and the spiritual head of the first Hindu
Jain Temple in America. This beautiful 3-domed, masterpiece
is located on the outskirts of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and
has paved the way for unity between Hindus and Jains across
America. Pujya Swamiji is also the founder and inspiration
behind many other temples in USA, Canada, Europe and Australia.

Awards and Recognitions: Pujya Swamiji has received

dozens of awards for both his role as spiritual leader and
also for his unparalleled humanitarian work. Some of the
more noteworthy are as follows:
1) Mahatma Gandhi Humanitarian award, 1993, given by
the Mayor of New Jersey, USA for outstanding charitable and
interfaith work,
2) Hindu of the Year, 1991 by the international magazine
Hinduism Today for masterminding the project of the next
millennium, the Encyclopedia of Hinduism.
3) Devarishi Award, by Sandipani Vidya Niketan, under the
guidance of Pujya Sant Rameshbhai Oza for promoting Indian culture and heritage across the world
4) Bhaskar Award, by Mystic India and Bharat Nirman,
1998, for Outstanding Humanitarian Service

Guide to Youth: Pujya Swamiji knows the youth are our

5) Prominent Personality Award, 1999, by Lions Club

future; he is forever changing the course of that future

through his profound effect on every youngster with whom
he comes in contact. Children and adolescents seem to bloom
like flowers under the rays of his light. Additionally, he gives
pragmatic tools to help them unite in the spirit of peace, harmony and global change. Pujya Swamiji runs youth sessions
and camps in USA, Europe and throughout Asia.

6) Diwaliben Mohanlal Mehta Charitable Trust Award for

Progress in Religion
7) Best Citizens of India Award
Further, he has been given the title of Patron of the Russian
Indian Heritage Research Foundation, Moscow, and he is also
a Patron of the Centre for Religious Experience in Oxford,
UK.

Ceaseless Service: Giving is Living, is Pujya Swamijis

motto; he is always in the midst of dozens of projects, each
one a noble and tenaciously dedicated effort to make the
world a better place for all of humanity. He is the Founder/
Chairman of India Heritage Research Foundation (IHRF), an
international, non-profit, humanitarian organization dedicated to providing education, health care, youth welfare, vocational training to the needy population. IHRF also, under
the guidance and inspiration of Pujya Swamiji, is compiling
the first Encyclopedia of Hinduism in history.

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The True Sanyasi: Pujya Swamiji seems unaffected by this

incredible list of accomplishments and remains a pious child
of God, owning nothing, draped in saffron robes, living a life
of true renunciation. His days in Rishikesh are spent offering
service to those around him. Thousands travel from America,
Europe and Australia as well as from all over India, simply to
sit in his presence, to receive his darshan. To them, the
journey is an inconsequential price to pay for the priceless
gift of his satsang.

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INDIA HERITAGE RESEARCH

FOUNDATION (IHRF)
Pujya Swami Chidanand Saraswatiji is the founder
and chairman of India Heritage Research Foundation,
a non-profit charitable organization dedicated to
humanitarian and cultural projects. Founded in 1987,
IHRF is committed to preserving the timeless wisdom
and ageless grandeur of Indian culture. By weaving
together ancient tradition, cultural history, a wide
range of non-discriminatory charitable services, and
inspiring youth programs, IHRF has created a
tapestry of true, universal beauty.

While its current focus is on the momentous

Encyclopedia Project, the picture of IHRF is
significantly vaster.
The foundation is dedicated to youth, education, spirituality, culture, inter-faith harmony, health care and
ecology. To this end, it sponsors medical care
programs, schools,gurukuls/orphanages, training
centers, large-scale spiritual and cultural events, treeplantation and clean-up programs, conferences
geared toward inter-faith harmony, summer camps,
and international youth awareness programs. Additionally, it sponsors (both financially and otherwise)
educational institutions that are already established
but suffering from lack of resources.
Following are examples of only a few of the numerous
ways that IHRFs arms embrace humanity:

The Encyclopedia of Hinduism

Y.E.S. Youth Education Services

IHRF is currently completing the revolutionary project

of compiling the first Encyclopedia of Hinduism in
history. The Encyclopedia will mark the first time that
the urgent need is met for an authentic, objective and
insightful well of information, capturing both the
staples and the spices of Indian tradition and culture.
This 18 volume work is currently in the final stages of
research and compilation by over 1250
internationally renowned scholars. We expect to have
the manuscript completed by 2005.

Many villages throughout

India are oceans of poverty and illiteracy. The
influx of technology, commerce, education and
metropolitanism that has
flooded most of Indias cities since Independence,
seems to have not even touched these villages. They
exist as they did centuries ago. However, one crucial
change has occurred. Now, basic education and
marketable skills are absolute necessities in order to
subsist in even the smallest communities. Hence,
those who lack this education and training, go to sleep
hungry each night.

The Encyclopedia of Hinduism will be a significant

landmark, encompassing the entire spectrum of
called Bharat.

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In the midst of this ocean

of destitution, there are
islands of light, islands of
knowledge, islands of
hope. The YES schools are
some of these islands. The
YES program encompasses
dozens
of
childrens schools, womens vocational training programs, and two orphanage/gurukuls.

Our two Gurukuls/

Orphanages serve as
places where 150 of
these children are housed
as well as educated, cultured and filled with
crucial values such as
non-violence, truth and
seva.

The children and women in the YES program are given

not only an education, but they are also given the
priceless gifts of hope and faith.

Their days are filled with academic studies, yoga,

meditation, Vedic chanting, reading of scriptures,
seva and special programs designed to instill in them
essential sanskaras.

The YES program is dedicated to providing poor, illiterate and orphaned children a positive, nurturing
environment, and to giving them the best chance
possible to live a life free from destitution and despair.

Looks of hopelessness have become looks of optimism

and hope. Lightless eyes have become bright, shining
eyes. Feelings of destitution and despair have become
feelings of pride, faith and enthusiasm.

Gurukul/Orphanage

Mansarover Ashram and Clinic

One visit to India is sufficient to see the urgent, dire

need for orphanages. However, simple shelters with
food, beds and babysitters are not sufficient. These
children need not only to be fed and sheltered. Rather,
they also need to be educated and trained so they can
become productive members of society. They need
to be inculcated with values, ethics and spirituality which will make them
torchbearers of Indian
culture.

Under the guidance, inspiration and vision of Pujya

Swami Chidanand Saraswatiji, IHRF took on the
project of building an ashram, hospital and oxygen
plant in the holy land of Lake Mansarovar and Mt.
Kailash in Tibet.

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Prior to this project, there

were no medical facilities
for hundreds of kilometers. People frequently
suffered from basic, treatable ailments due to lack
of medical attention.
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There was not even an indoor place to stay. Therefore, after undertaking a
yatra to the sacred land in
1998,
Pujya
Swami
Chidanand Saraswatiji
took a vow that by the
grace of God He would
do something for the local people (who dont even
have running water) and for all the pilgrims who
travel there.
Now, the ashram (tourist rest house) and clinic have
been built and were officially inaugurated in July
2003.
Further, the contract states that for all future projects
in the region (including schools, vocational training
program, health care programs, sanitation
programs), the government of Tibet/China will give
first priority to IHRF to sponsor the project. Thus, this
will be the spring board for other much-needed humanitarian projects in the area.
Further, on the yatra to Mansarovar and Mt. Kailash
in July 2003, we had the bhoomi puja (ground breaking ceremony) for new ashrams in Saga and Prayang,
along the way to Mansarovar, and permission has
also been granted to build ashrams/resthouses in
Dirapuk and Zuthulpuk along the sacred Kailash
parikrama route. These ashrams are in planning
stages and will be constructed shortly.
Additionally, we have pledged our support and assistance to the local villagers of Mansarovar in the
form of a much-needed tractor, water pump and
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agricultural/farming
assistance.
We are also building a
hall there where satsang,
meditation and so many
other divine activities can
take place.
The project is truly the grace of God and will be a divine
gift to the holy land, to all the Tibetans who live there,
and to all the pious pilgrims who cross oceans and
continents in order to have a glimpse of the abode of
Lord Shiva.

Parmarth Shiksha Mandir: Tribal Education

IHRF -- in cooperation with other charitable institutions -- is sponsoring schools in rural, tribal India.
These children live in lands that time forgot. Their
villages are islands of indigence and stagnation
amidst an ocean of economic and technologic growth.
They have probably never seen an electric light-bulb,
nor heard the sound of a telephone, nor traveled in a
car or train. They, of course, can also neither read
nor write nor compute simple arithmetic.
The population of India is burgeoning out of control
the rural, tribal peoples are already being
dominated, oppressed and defrauded by those hungry for land, crops and cheap labor. Left to their own
simple, uneducated ways, they will never be able to
survive.

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Ecological Clean, Green and Serene Programs

Rural
Development
Program:
We are running a rural
development program in
a town called Veerpur, on
the banks of the Ganges, about 3 km south of
Rishikesh. In this program, we are doing the following:
Water facilities although the town lies on the banks
of the River, most people had no running water or
water for their farms. We dug a boring well and have
brought running water to this village.
Tree plantation program
Organic Gardening program We have started a
special organic farming program as well. We have
brought in trained organic farmers and scientists to
teach the local farmers alternative, chemical-free
methods of farming. Further we have a special buy
back program with them where we buy back from
them all of their crops.
Womens Vocational training program
Construction of a proper road
Spirituality and Culture we have started an
evening devotional ceremony there on the banks of
the Ganges, called Aarti. It is a way for the villagers
to come together in a spirit of peace, culture and piety.
Gurukul/orphanage: The second of the two gurukul/
orphanages is here in Veerpur.

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IHRF runs programs dedicated to cultivating an

awareness of environmental sanctity as well as with
the mission of restoring Mother Earths natural
balance. Its focus is currently on preserving holy
pilgrimage areas, called Tirthas.
Currently, IHRF is running a Clean, Green and Serene
Programs, in Rishikesh, Himalayas and in Veerpur.
In these noble programs, IHRF is working to clean up
the holy banks of our Mother Ganga.
In order to restore Mother Ganga to her rightful state
of sublime beauty, we have instituted Clean, Green
and Serene programs.
Through these programs, our ancient, holy pilgrimage cities will be restored to their rightful state of
purity, sanctity and spiritual sublimity.

In general, IHRF is the backbone of numerous

charitable organizations and provides a vast
range of services. The Foundation is dedicated to bringing food to the hungry, medicine to the sick, and peace to the troubled.
IHRF does not discriminate on the basis of
race, religion, caste, gender or nationality.
All of its services are open to all & free to all.
IHRF embraces the whole of humanity and
seeks to heal whatever ails Gods children

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PARMARTH NIKETAN ASHRAM

RISHIKESH, INDIA
H.H. Swami Chidanand Saraswatiji is president of
Parmarth Niketan Ashram in Rishikesh, India, a true,
spiritual haven, lying on the holy banks of Mother
Ganga, in the lap of the lush Himalayas.
Parmarth Niketan is the largest ashram in Rishikesh.
Parmarth Niketan provides its thousands of pilgrims
who come from all corners of the Earth with a
clean, pure and sacred atmosphere as well as
abundant, beautiful gardens. With over 1000 rooms,
the facilities are a perfect blend of modern amenities
and traditional, spiritual simplicity.
The daily activities at Parmarth Niketan include
morning universal prayers, daily yoga and
meditation classes, daily satsang and lecture
programs, kirtan, world renowned Ganga aarti at
sunset, as well as full Nature Cure, and Ayurvedic
treatment and training.

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Additionally, there are frequently special cultural and

spiritual programs given by visiting revered saints,
acclaimed musicians, spiritual and social leaders and
others.
Additionally, there are frequent camps in which
pilgrims come from across the world to partake in
intensive courses on yoga, meditation, pranayama,
stress management, acupressure, Reiki and other
Indian, ancient sciences.
Further, Parmarth Niketans charitable activities and
services make no distinctions on the basis of caste,
color, gender, creed or nationality. Instead they
emphasize unity, harmony, peace, global integrity,
health, and the holistic connection between the body,
mind and spirit.

True to its name, Parmarth Niketan is dedicated

to the welfare of all. Everything is open to all
and free to all.

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Praise for Drops of Nectar

Dear Bhagwatiji, sadar pranam. Writting to you after long
time though I keep getting your communications. Just now
I have completed reading the book Drops of Nector by
pujya swamiji. I am so much impressed by the contents
that two of the stories I have read for the children on our
Sydney Marathi radio.
Kind regards
Sydney Australia
------------------------------------------------------------------------------

of books on Hinduism, meditation, self improvement, self

realization, etc. Some of these books are geared toward
young adults like me. Ive skimmed / read through many of
them, however none of them have impacted me the waythat
your book did. I felt as though this book was specially written for young Indian Americans such as myself.
The thing I found most incredible, was that I could identify
with all the issues you mentioned (minus the marriage stuff,of
course). Further, the solutions which were presented were
logical and seemed to be a happy medium between the
Eastern and Western culture. As I read the book, I could
see myself practicing what was taught. I learned so
much from the book... I thoroughly enjoyed it and I am going to pass it along to many of my Indian friends.
Thank you so much for an insightful piece of work.

Dear Swamiji,
Namaskar. Ive been reading the book Drops of Nectar and
im truelly inspired by your teachings. Sivamani has spoken
endlessly about you and I cannot wait to meet you.
Love and best wishes,
Bombay, India
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------Jai Shree Krishna Swamiji,
I am writing to let you know of how much I enjoyed reading
your book, I just picked it up yesterday and I finished reading it today... it was one of the most enlightening books Ive
ever read. Since my parents are extremely spiritual and
enjoy philosophy, our home library is filled with hundreds
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Florida, USA
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------Pujya Swamiji,
Shat Shat Pranam,
Thank you very much for giving us such good guidelines
and bringing a drastic change in our life. I feel yr presence
every moment. Both of your books are really wonderful.
Your books are really a great gift to us and we have become addicted to them. They are of great help in changing our nature and behaviour. All my friends have read them.
They really appreciate and trying to change themselves.
Your books are in great demand and we are running short
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of them. Please let us know if you can arrange to send few

copies to Jakarta
Thank you very much for everything.
Hum par sada apni kripadrishi rakhna
Aapki Bakt
Jakarta
------------------------------------------------------------------------------

PUJIYA SWAMIJI,
Sadar Parnam,
Your book Drops of Nectar is avery nicely written document,it
answers all our day to day problems,it gives us guidance
at every step,it has all solutions to our present day problems provided we follow your teachings. Problems of daily
stress are beautifully discussed and easy to follow solutions are in your book.

Namaste Bhagwatiji,
I have been reading the short stories from Drops of Nectar.
Each word that Swamiji writes pours from his divine heart
and truly touches ours to illumunate.
Please convey my warmest regards to Swamiji.
Jai Shri Krishna
Brisbane, Australia
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------Dearest Swamiji,
I would love to get 10 - 20 copies of your book, Drops of
Nectar, to distribute to the students. We use your book to
read from during classes at our Yoga Studio. People
deeply respond to your words and I would be honored to
share your words as well with my classes.

Through long practive and devotion you have attained a

complete mastery over your thought and mind, for us Grastis
it is very difficult to forget daily ups and downs in life,we
waste our time and life in pursuing wrong objectives,you
have rightly said that acquisition does not lead to
happiness,whereas renunciation can give us
happiness,these are great thoughts,we try to imbibe these
and try to lead a peaceful life.
With highest of regards,
Yours in submission,
Chandigarh
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------My Dearest Bhagwatiji,
OM SHANTI!

It is a deep honor to have met you and to have the experience of your true compassion for all beings.

i am reading the Drops of Nectar again. I like it cause the

book opens up my eyes wider each time and surely my
heart will be just as wide as the ocean one day.

With infinite gratitude,

Los Angeles, USA

OODLES OF LOVE
Bangkok, Thailand

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Jay Siya Ram Pujya Swamiji

i hope my e-mail finds you in the greatest bliss of
Parameshwar. i would like to obtain more of your books.

are waiting to borrow it. I know of so many students wanting to read your divine words. If at all possible I would like
to distribute some of your books here. That is if you so wish.

I started reading it and have found so many answers for

myself. It is truly GODS GIFT to whoever may read it.

London, UK

I do not have a tendency to read but this has got to me. Its
got all the answers to the youth of today for those who are
looking for answers in life.
Swamiji, you are truly wonderful. If anyone needs to be
CLONED it has to be you,because you are so great.
London, UK
------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Dear Swami Chidanand Saraswatiji,

You know the Drops of Nectar is truly my BHAGVAD
GITA.It is full of honey waiting to be parcticed in reality. What
is happening to me? Maybe everything before was just a
lie.
Your humble servant and bhakta
(DURBAN,S.A.)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Pujya Swamiji Pranam!

Me and some of my friends have been so inspired by you
especially through Drops of nectar...edition 3. I have one
copy of this book yet so many have read it and so many

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