Saturday, February 18, 2012
Dear Folks,
I realize that this is the first time in this year that I have visited my blog. I wish you all a very happy new year and hope that I will continue to post a few meaningful things here. I have been traveling for sometime and last week had an opportunity to visit the temple town ie Tirupathi. I like to do things which are different from routine.So, we decided to trek the mountain by foot to have the Darshan of the Lord. We started off at 7.30 in the morning and reached the mountain top by 10.30. It was a feel-good experience till we reached the top. We went ahead and joined the lines for Darshan. From here, it was a very arduous, frustrating and tiring long hours of waiting. Finally, after all this waiting we had a glimpse of the Lord for probably 10 seconds. We came out of the temple at 7.30 in the evening. It took exactly 12 hours for us to have Darshan. The waiting was very grueling but when I reached the sanctum-sanctorum, I felt a sense of calm. I felt happy for that.
On an after thought, I did some calculation and came up with my own math. For ten seconds of darshan, we probably spent twelve hours of our time and effort. My question is whether it is necessary or required to struggle so much for that glimpse of the Lord. I am fully aware that it is a very personal issue but I feel that each of us have to question ourselves about why do we visit any temple. My personal belief is that God is indeed omnipresent and we don't have to put ourselves in trouble to see Him. Majority of us belong to a class where we crave to see the Lord and on the other hand there are a minority section of people whom God craves to help. I am going to narrate an incident from the life of Swami Vivekananda which highlights the latter point.
During his wandering (Parivrajaka) days Swami Vivekananda used to travel from place to place. All he had with him was a copy of Bhagvad Geetha. He never used to carry any money with him. He used to beg for food and eat the same. Any kind soul would buy him a second class passenger ticket and he would travel with that. Otherwise he would walk from one place to another. During one of these days, he alighted at Tari Ghat station. His throat was parched and he was feeling very thirsty. He could not buy a glass of water nor eat food as he had no money with him. It was scorching hot and quite unbearable for the Swami. There was a fellow passenger who was a buisnessman by profession. He made fun of the Swami and ridiculed him for his plight. He sat on a mat in front of Swami and He bought himself few pooris and started eating them in ront of Swami. Swami bore all the taunts of the buisnessman with lot of patience. Suddenly, there appeared a local inhabitant carrying a bundle and a tumbler in his right hand, a mat under his left arm, and then an earthern jug of water in his left hand. He hurriedly spread the mat in a clean spot, put on it the things he was carrying, and called to the Swami, " Do come Babaji, and take the food I have brought for you. Swami was surprised. He said to the man that he had mistaken him for somebody else. Then the man narrated a story that brought tears in the eyes of the Swami.
The man was having his afternoon siesta when Lord Ram appeared in his dream and showed him Swami and asked him to make hot Pooris, some sweets and serve him at the railway station. The man thinking it to be just an ordinary dream turned on his other side and continued sleeping. Lord Ram appeared in his dream again and reprimanded him for not listening to him. He showed him the Swami again and told him to serve him. The man came running with all the things and immediately recognized the Swami at the railway station. This is one of the many incidents in Swami's life clearly revealing Divine providence at work.
This story is a very heart touching one revealing that God is indeed omnipresent. When we are in need, he will come running to help us. We need to take one step towards him and he will take a hundred. It is up to us if we want to take the first step or not....
Signing off for now,
Krishna
Thursday, December 22, 2011
Dear Folks,
I feel very guilty when I realize that I haven't posted anything from the past three months. I have a firm belief that one should start something new, only if the person is determined to continue the effort. I have miserably failed in this regard with respect to this blog and I promise to be more diligent in the future.
I was reading an article by Swami Visharadanand in the newspaper where he talks about the main cause of suffering. I want to share an excerpt from the article with you all.
"The main cause of suffering is the confusion about our own identity. Everyone suffers from some sort of inferiority complex or continuous feeling of inadequacy. All our worldly desires such as the desire to make money or to occupy an important position or to look beautiful are in the direction of an attempt to get over this feeling of inadequacy or smallness. But even after fulfilling these desires we thirst for more. This is so, because fulfilling desires is only symptomatic relief to cure the feeling of inadequacy; it is not a long term cure. The long term cure is in understanding who we are and why we feel small".
We are not contented with what we have and always compare with others thereby loosing our peace of mind. But contentment is not an item that you can pick from a grocery store. It takes lifetimes to be contented with what we have. But at least the knowledge that contentment is the key to happiness will put us on the right track.
It is Christmas time already. It brings out fond memories of my college days when we used to celebrate in a very grand fashion. We used to learn carols and sing on the Christmas morning. I still remember a few carols.....
I had the opportunity to witness white Christmas when I was in Lubbock, Texas. The sight of snowfall on a cold Christmas morning is hauntingly beautiful.
I wanted to post something regarding the spirit of Christmas and was browsing the internet for some material. My friend sent me an email which contained this story. I was very moved when I read it and I felt it would be very appropriate for me to share the same with you all.
The "W" in Christmas
Each December, I vowed to make Christmas a calm and peaceful experience.
I had cut back on nonessential obligations - extensive card writing,
endless baking, decorating, and even overspending.
Yet still, I found myself exhausted, unable to appreciate the
precious family moments, and of course, the true meaning of
Christmas.
My son, Nicholas, was in kindergarten that year. It was an exciting
season for a six year old.
For weeks, he'd been memorizing songs for his school's "Winter Pageant."
I didn't have the heart to tell him I'd be working the night of the
production. Unwilling to miss his shining moment, I spoke with his
teacher. She assured me there'd be a dress rehearsal the morning of the
presentation.
All parents unable to attend that evening were welcome to come then.
Fortunately, Nicholas seemed happy with the compromise.
So, the morning of the dress rehearsal, I filed in ten minutes
early, found a spot on the cafeteria floor and sat down. Around the room, I saw several other parents quietly scampering to their seats.
As I waited, the students were led into the room. Each class, accompanied by their teacher, sat cross-legged on the floor. Then, each group, one by one, rose to perform their song.
Because the public school system had long stopped referring to the
holiday as "Christmas," I didn't expect anything other than fun, commercial entertainment songs of reindeer, Santa Claus, snowflakes and good cheer.
So, when my son's class rose to sing, "Christmas Love," I was slightly taken aback by its bold title.
Nicholas was aglow, as were all of his classmates, adorned in fuzzy mittens, red sweaters, and bright snowcaps upon their heads.
Those in the front row- center stage - held up large letters, one by one, to spell out the title of the song.
As the class would sing "C is for Christmas," a child would hold up the
letter C. Then, "H is for Happy," and on and on, until each child holding up his portion had presented the complete message, "Christmas Love."
The performance was going smoothly, until suddenly, we noticed her; a
small, quiet, girl in the front row holding the letter "M" upside down - totally unaware her letter "M" appeared as a "W".
The audience of 1st through 6th graders snickered at this little one's mistake. But she had no idea they were laughing at her, so she stood tall, proudly holding her "W".
Although many teachers tried to shush the children, the laughter continued until the last letter was raised, and we all saw it together.
A hush came over the audience and eyes began to widen.
In that instant, we understood the reason we were there, why we celebrated the holiday in the first place, why even in the chaos, there was a purpose for our festivities.
For when the last letter was held high, the message read loud and clear:
"C H R I S T W A S L O V E"
And, I believe, He still is.
Amazed in His presence... .humbled by His love.
Again, HAVE A BLESSED CHRISTMAS SEASON!
Signing off for now.
Krishna
I feel very guilty when I realize that I haven't posted anything from the past three months. I have a firm belief that one should start something new, only if the person is determined to continue the effort. I have miserably failed in this regard with respect to this blog and I promise to be more diligent in the future.
I was reading an article by Swami Visharadanand in the newspaper where he talks about the main cause of suffering. I want to share an excerpt from the article with you all.
"The main cause of suffering is the confusion about our own identity. Everyone suffers from some sort of inferiority complex or continuous feeling of inadequacy. All our worldly desires such as the desire to make money or to occupy an important position or to look beautiful are in the direction of an attempt to get over this feeling of inadequacy or smallness. But even after fulfilling these desires we thirst for more. This is so, because fulfilling desires is only symptomatic relief to cure the feeling of inadequacy; it is not a long term cure. The long term cure is in understanding who we are and why we feel small".
We are not contented with what we have and always compare with others thereby loosing our peace of mind. But contentment is not an item that you can pick from a grocery store. It takes lifetimes to be contented with what we have. But at least the knowledge that contentment is the key to happiness will put us on the right track.
It is Christmas time already. It brings out fond memories of my college days when we used to celebrate in a very grand fashion. We used to learn carols and sing on the Christmas morning. I still remember a few carols.....
I had the opportunity to witness white Christmas when I was in Lubbock, Texas. The sight of snowfall on a cold Christmas morning is hauntingly beautiful.
I wanted to post something regarding the spirit of Christmas and was browsing the internet for some material. My friend sent me an email which contained this story. I was very moved when I read it and I felt it would be very appropriate for me to share the same with you all.
The "W" in Christmas
Each December, I vowed to make Christmas a calm and peaceful experience.
I had cut back on nonessential obligations - extensive card writing,
endless baking, decorating, and even overspending.
Yet still, I found myself exhausted, unable to appreciate the
precious family moments, and of course, the true meaning of
Christmas.
My son, Nicholas, was in kindergarten that year. It was an exciting
season for a six year old.
For weeks, he'd been memorizing songs for his school's "Winter Pageant."
I didn't have the heart to tell him I'd be working the night of the
production. Unwilling to miss his shining moment, I spoke with his
teacher. She assured me there'd be a dress rehearsal the morning of the
presentation.
All parents unable to attend that evening were welcome to come then.
Fortunately, Nicholas seemed happy with the compromise.
So, the morning of the dress rehearsal, I filed in ten minutes
early, found a spot on the cafeteria floor and sat down. Around the room, I saw several other parents quietly scampering to their seats.
As I waited, the students were led into the room. Each class, accompanied by their teacher, sat cross-legged on the floor. Then, each group, one by one, rose to perform their song.
Because the public school system had long stopped referring to the
holiday as "Christmas," I didn't expect anything other than fun, commercial entertainment songs of reindeer, Santa Claus, snowflakes and good cheer.
So, when my son's class rose to sing, "Christmas Love," I was slightly taken aback by its bold title.
Nicholas was aglow, as were all of his classmates, adorned in fuzzy mittens, red sweaters, and bright snowcaps upon their heads.
Those in the front row- center stage - held up large letters, one by one, to spell out the title of the song.
As the class would sing "C is for Christmas," a child would hold up the
letter C. Then, "H is for Happy," and on and on, until each child holding up his portion had presented the complete message, "Christmas Love."
The performance was going smoothly, until suddenly, we noticed her; a
small, quiet, girl in the front row holding the letter "M" upside down - totally unaware her letter "M" appeared as a "W".
The audience of 1st through 6th graders snickered at this little one's mistake. But she had no idea they were laughing at her, so she stood tall, proudly holding her "W".
Although many teachers tried to shush the children, the laughter continued until the last letter was raised, and we all saw it together.
A hush came over the audience and eyes began to widen.
In that instant, we understood the reason we were there, why we celebrated the holiday in the first place, why even in the chaos, there was a purpose for our festivities.
For when the last letter was held high, the message read loud and clear:
"C H R I S T W A S L O V E"
And, I believe, He still is.
Amazed in His presence... .humbled by His love.
Again, HAVE A BLESSED CHRISTMAS SEASON!
Signing off for now.
Krishna
Saturday, September 17, 2011
Hi Folks,
Traveling to significant and historic places gives me great satisfaction. Whenever I visit a new place,I am amazed at the grandeur of my country and feel humbled. I visited the Aurobindo ashram in Pondicherry recently. It is basically the home in which he lived from 1910 till he passed away in 1950. The ashram is very simple and tidy. We can sit in silence near the Samadhi and spend some time. I happened to purchase a book on the life of Aurobindo Ghosh and am halfway through it. He was a great revolutionist and one of the prominent personalities who was giving sleepless nights to the Britishers. He was a scholar par excellence and it clearly reflects in his literary works. My dream project would be to read and understand "Savithri" an epic poem composed by him. As I read his biography, what I have grasped till now is that he had a very intense love for his motherland and he transformed the same towards the Divine mother. I am wondering at the events that must have transpired to drive an active freedom fighter into solitude and transform him into a spiritual personality. Of course, I will know when I complete reading my book.
After a couple of weeks, I left to Kolkata to visit the Kali temple at Dakshineshwar. It is here at the Kali temple that Sri Ramakrishna Paramhamsa had intense spiritual experiences and realized that all religions lead to the same goal. I was mesmerized by the beauty of the place. There is a certain positive energy that radiates from the temple. This beautiful temple is on one side of the Ganges and across the bank is the magnificient Belur Math, established by Swami Vivekananda. The main temple enshrines the relics of Sri Ramakrishna. When I visited the room of Swami Vivekananda, I felt very humbled. I want to share an incident from his life.This is an excerpt from the book "life of Swami Vivekananda" which gives us a glimpse of his personality.
On the very day of his epoch-making triumph at the Parliament of Religions, Swami Vivekananda was invited by a rich and distinguished man to his home in a most fashionable part of the city. Here he was entertained royally; a princely room fitted with luxury beyond anything he could conceive was assigned to him. But instead of feeling happy in this splendid environment, he was miserable...As he retired the first night and lay upon his bed, the terrible contrast between poverty-stricken India and opulent America oppressed him. He could not sleep pondering over India's plight. The bed of down seemed to be a bed of thorns. The pillow was wet with his tears. He went to the window and gazed out into the darkness until he was well-nigh faint with sorrow. At length, overcome with emotion, he fell to the ground, crying out,' O Mother, what do I care for name and fame when my motherland remains in utmost poverty. To what a sad pass have we poor Indians come when millions of us die for handful of rice...Who will raise the masses of India? Who will give them bread? Show me, O mother, how can I help them.
Reading this incident sends a shiver through my spine. What a personality.... Ravindranath Tagore rightly said " If you want to know about India, read Vivekananda". As I said before one feels really humbled while talking and reading about such personalities.
Each one of us has a responsibility towards our immediate family and we all should strive to carry that through. But we also have the additional responsibility of our brethren who are less fortunate than us. It is time for all of us to dive deep and ponder what we are doing with our lives. We have to become selfless and that will put us on the right track.
Signing off,
Krishna
Traveling to significant and historic places gives me great satisfaction. Whenever I visit a new place,I am amazed at the grandeur of my country and feel humbled. I visited the Aurobindo ashram in Pondicherry recently. It is basically the home in which he lived from 1910 till he passed away in 1950. The ashram is very simple and tidy. We can sit in silence near the Samadhi and spend some time. I happened to purchase a book on the life of Aurobindo Ghosh and am halfway through it. He was a great revolutionist and one of the prominent personalities who was giving sleepless nights to the Britishers. He was a scholar par excellence and it clearly reflects in his literary works. My dream project would be to read and understand "Savithri" an epic poem composed by him. As I read his biography, what I have grasped till now is that he had a very intense love for his motherland and he transformed the same towards the Divine mother. I am wondering at the events that must have transpired to drive an active freedom fighter into solitude and transform him into a spiritual personality. Of course, I will know when I complete reading my book.
After a couple of weeks, I left to Kolkata to visit the Kali temple at Dakshineshwar. It is here at the Kali temple that Sri Ramakrishna Paramhamsa had intense spiritual experiences and realized that all religions lead to the same goal. I was mesmerized by the beauty of the place. There is a certain positive energy that radiates from the temple. This beautiful temple is on one side of the Ganges and across the bank is the magnificient Belur Math, established by Swami Vivekananda. The main temple enshrines the relics of Sri Ramakrishna. When I visited the room of Swami Vivekananda, I felt very humbled. I want to share an incident from his life.This is an excerpt from the book "life of Swami Vivekananda" which gives us a glimpse of his personality.
On the very day of his epoch-making triumph at the Parliament of Religions, Swami Vivekananda was invited by a rich and distinguished man to his home in a most fashionable part of the city. Here he was entertained royally; a princely room fitted with luxury beyond anything he could conceive was assigned to him. But instead of feeling happy in this splendid environment, he was miserable...As he retired the first night and lay upon his bed, the terrible contrast between poverty-stricken India and opulent America oppressed him. He could not sleep pondering over India's plight. The bed of down seemed to be a bed of thorns. The pillow was wet with his tears. He went to the window and gazed out into the darkness until he was well-nigh faint with sorrow. At length, overcome with emotion, he fell to the ground, crying out,' O Mother, what do I care for name and fame when my motherland remains in utmost poverty. To what a sad pass have we poor Indians come when millions of us die for handful of rice...Who will raise the masses of India? Who will give them bread? Show me, O mother, how can I help them.
Reading this incident sends a shiver through my spine. What a personality.... Ravindranath Tagore rightly said " If you want to know about India, read Vivekananda". As I said before one feels really humbled while talking and reading about such personalities.
Each one of us has a responsibility towards our immediate family and we all should strive to carry that through. But we also have the additional responsibility of our brethren who are less fortunate than us. It is time for all of us to dive deep and ponder what we are doing with our lives. We have to become selfless and that will put us on the right track.
Signing off,
Krishna
Sunday, July 31, 2011
Hi Folks,
I am back after a very long hiatus. I was occupied with a lot of work and my remaining free time was taken over by lot of traveling. Lot of things have been happening but nothing noteworthy of being mentioned here.
We have heard and read innumerable times about the immense potential that each of us have which is unfortunately not being utilized in the right way. Each of us is a leader but we lack the self belief and are just happy to be in a crowd. Each of us have the qualities of a lion but we are happy living a sheep's life. I always ask myself that when each of us is so unique, why is it that only a handful of us are leaders.
Most of the great leaders made it big from very humble beginning. What set them apart from the rest of the crowd was their very strong mind. The undercurrent for the strong mind was powerful thoughts. Thoughts which are part of a mind possess power. I firmly believe that we get what we want in life and this is mostly because of our thoughts. The thoughts that we most often think tend to come true. If we pour our mental energy into these thoughts day after day, these thoughts become stronger and effect our behavior, attitude and actions. These thoughts can also be perceived subconsciously by other people who would offer you help or opportunity. That is why it is said that we must be always optimistic because there is so much chance for it to become a reality. I am reminded of a powerful story narrated by Paramhamsa Yogananda in his autobiography. The following paragraph is directly taken from the book.
My elder sister Uma and I were seated in the early morning under a neem tree. She was helping me with a Bengali primer. Uma complained of a boil on her leg, and fetched a jar of ointment. I smeared a bit on my arm.
" Why do you use it on an healthy arm?"
" Well, Sis, I feel I am going to have a boil tomorrow. I am testing your ointment on the spot where the boil will appear."
" You little liar. Indignation filled me and I slowly replied.
" By the power of will in me , I say that tomorrow I shall have a fairly large boil in the exact place on my arm and your boil shall swell to double its present size."
Morning found me with a stalwart boil on the indicated spot and the dimensions of Umas's boil had doubled. A noticeable scar left by the doctor's incision is present today. It is a constant reminder of the power in man's sheer word.
What an unbelievable story. I believe that we all have such power in our thoughts and words and I cannot imagine what we all can achieve in our personal lives if we can channelize our inherent power in the right direction. Let us be aware that we all possess such power and use it in the right direction so that we evolve ourselves as better human beings which will automatically translate into a better society.
Signing off for now,
Krishna
I am back after a very long hiatus. I was occupied with a lot of work and my remaining free time was taken over by lot of traveling. Lot of things have been happening but nothing noteworthy of being mentioned here.
We have heard and read innumerable times about the immense potential that each of us have which is unfortunately not being utilized in the right way. Each of us is a leader but we lack the self belief and are just happy to be in a crowd. Each of us have the qualities of a lion but we are happy living a sheep's life. I always ask myself that when each of us is so unique, why is it that only a handful of us are leaders.
Most of the great leaders made it big from very humble beginning. What set them apart from the rest of the crowd was their very strong mind. The undercurrent for the strong mind was powerful thoughts. Thoughts which are part of a mind possess power. I firmly believe that we get what we want in life and this is mostly because of our thoughts. The thoughts that we most often think tend to come true. If we pour our mental energy into these thoughts day after day, these thoughts become stronger and effect our behavior, attitude and actions. These thoughts can also be perceived subconsciously by other people who would offer you help or opportunity. That is why it is said that we must be always optimistic because there is so much chance for it to become a reality. I am reminded of a powerful story narrated by Paramhamsa Yogananda in his autobiography. The following paragraph is directly taken from the book.
My elder sister Uma and I were seated in the early morning under a neem tree. She was helping me with a Bengali primer. Uma complained of a boil on her leg, and fetched a jar of ointment. I smeared a bit on my arm.
" Why do you use it on an healthy arm?"
" Well, Sis, I feel I am going to have a boil tomorrow. I am testing your ointment on the spot where the boil will appear."
" You little liar. Indignation filled me and I slowly replied.
" By the power of will in me , I say that tomorrow I shall have a fairly large boil in the exact place on my arm and your boil shall swell to double its present size."
Morning found me with a stalwart boil on the indicated spot and the dimensions of Umas's boil had doubled. A noticeable scar left by the doctor's incision is present today. It is a constant reminder of the power in man's sheer word.
What an unbelievable story. I believe that we all have such power in our thoughts and words and I cannot imagine what we all can achieve in our personal lives if we can channelize our inherent power in the right direction. Let us be aware that we all possess such power and use it in the right direction so that we evolve ourselves as better human beings which will automatically translate into a better society.
Signing off for now,
Krishna
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
Hi Folks,
The Indian Premier League (IPL-4) season is doing very well and heading towards a climatic finish. I have got into a habit of watching the matches after I come home from work. I admit that it is very engaging and entertaining. The only complaint I have is that the duration of the tournament is very long and the Organizers would keep that in mind for the next edition. Moving on to some better things in life....
I always wonder about the fact that there is at least some amount of selfishness involved in all the actions that we perform. What I mean to say is that we don't think beyond our kith and kin. But once you think for others and perform selfless work, you lead a very satisfied life. I read a real life story a few days ago which iterates the same point and I would like to share the same with you all in its unedited version.
.......A lady in her mid fifties tapped my shoulder. She was the same woman I had dropped to the airport a couple of months ago. This time we had time, were on the same flight, she’d read my book – we had things to talk about. She happens to be a coach as well, practicing in Chicago and was on her way to Delhi on the day I first met her to catch a flight out. Today she was back to present a lecture in Bangalore. As we got talking and we were sharing views on the subject of ‘selfishness’ – She made a statement somewhere in the middle of our conversation, she said, ‘All of us behave in a selfish manner to either prevent us from something or to gain something. Yet in my and my husband’s life, we have a fabulous life because of an act of unselfishness.’ She then shared this incredible story..
She said she was 24 when they adopted a son. She was a mother to two daughters. Her husband at the time was a salesman at a grocery store.
They lived in Washington. A life they had dreamt of had come true – the perfectly family completed with a son they always wanted.
She said a few days after Dinesh was brought home we realized something was wrong. Dinesh’s head hung too limply to the right side of his body.
He drooled too much to be a normal healthy baby. Everyone thought that the baby will grow out of it but when its your baby you do worry about it. They took him to a specialist who diagnosed him with some condition and treated him for several weeks. She said that they knew it was more serious that that. So they went to another specialist who after a very exhaustive examination told them that Dinesh was a spastic. He will never walk or talk or even be able to count till ten. The doctor suggested that they put the child in an institution for his own good and more so for the good of ‘normal’ people in the house. It will be best for everyone.
She says her husband couldn’t conceive of a their child growing up to be a vegetable and grow up to be nothing. They had long talks. The trauma got to them. Two young girls at hand, limited income and the boy who they didn’t know how to bring up. It was best for him to actually be at the institution close by. After all they are not too invested emotionally yet in him. They’ll get over it. The government would sponsor it. After eight months of dealing with this, they were left with no choice but to put Dinesh in the institution, who at least knew how to bring him up. For the next year or so they would visit Dinesh whenever they wanted. No one liked it in the house, yet everyone was silently relieved. She says the act of selfishness had been committed.
She then said suddenly one fine day as a result of incidents similar to the one’s that I just narrated to her, she realized they had been just plain selfish. Just because of the fact that the boy was adopted, it was easier for them. A year later they brought Dinesh back home. They decided he’ll become a proud man. They went to another specialist who told them the same thing. Then another and another and another and yet another. Thirty different specialists said there was no hope for this little boy. Then they heard about a doctor in Chicago who was number one authority in the world on cerebral palsy.
The doctor was busy and had no appointment for thirteen months. They got his home phone and got him to agree to see Dinesh if there was a cancellation.
Eleven days later a little boy from Canada cancelled appointment and Dinesh got one. They bundled Dinesh up and flew him to Chicago. They spent hours and hours in his check up at the hospital. All the tests all over again. They started from ground zero. They got the best doctor in the world to tell them what was there. They didn’t hope for much.
The doctor told them this. This little baby is a spastic. He has cerebral palsy. He’s never going to be able to talk or walk or count till ten. That is if you listen to the prophets of doom. He said I have solution, I can give you a solution if you are willing to do your part.
The solution would mean sacrifices you wouldn’t wish to make and selflessness that no one ever experienced.
“We would do anything it takes” was their reply. At that time they could barely afford the financial burden of a Chicago flight.
In minute detail the doctor said - you will have to work this little boy beyond human endurance, then you’ll have to work him some more. You will have to push him till he literally falls, then you’ll have to pick him up and push him some more. You will have to patience personified because it will be many months before you will be able to detect any progress at all. But if you ever stop he will go all the way back and you will have to start all over again. You have to understand that this is a lifetime commitment – not one year, not five, not ten – a lifetime. This is from now on. The doctor finally said- the other option is for Dinesh to be back at the institution. It will be easier for the family. The doctor quietly left them to think whether they want to go the distance with this child.
They went back home. They hired a physical fitness expert and a body building expert. They build a little gymnasium in the basement of their home and went to work. It took 14 months before Dinesh could even move the length of his own body. One day, five years later, she said I called my husband to come fast – Dinesh was ready the therapist says. Dinesh was positioned on the mat to do ‘a’ push up. As that little body got ready to rise in the air, she said, the physical and emotional energy in that little gym was amazing. There was not a dry inch on that little body.
The mats on the gym looked as if water were sprinkled on it. The mom, the dad, two sister, the neighbors, the gym instructor, the therapist all broke down in tears on seeing that one push up.
Listening to this story to me one thing is clear – happiness isn’t pleasure; happiness is victory in helping another one overcome adversity. Think about it.
The story is even more remarkable as not only the 30 specialists but also a leading American medical university had also examined Dinesh to conclude that there were no motor connections on the right side of his body. He will never be able to swim or to skate or to ride a bicycle.
By the time Dinesh was twelve – the family was in Canada - he would do 1100 push ups in a single day. He would run 6 miles non stop. He would do extremely well as a seventh grader in ninth grade math. He was good on the bicycle. He was on his school hockey team. He was a table tennis champion in his age group in the city. Dinesh, a few years later is only the second ever person to have a life insurance cover for a patient of cerebral palsy.
Its one thing to agree with a doctor that you will do this for a lifetime. Its another to actually do it for the next fifteen years – for a child that’s biologically not yours; for a child, even if yours - no one would have a question on integrity – if raised in the institution.
Five hours every single day since they met the doctor in Chicago – Dinesh had to work in the gym. How many of us would be able to hang in there for that length of time and seeing ‘ZERO’ results for years together?
Dinesh would cry in the gym everyday for being tired – everyday. He would ask his mother and father with tears of excruciating pain– “Do we have to do this” – Any mother and father will have trouble with that one – will be tempted to cut out the pain for the child as the results are not happening anyway… But not these, they loved him truly. They said no to the tears of the moment so they could say yes to the laughter of a lifetime.
The effort that went into this – physical and emotional – is absolutely monumental.
Dinesh, today is 27 years old. Married. A mechanical engineer designing cars for a leading luxury brand.
That morning at 530 close the Bangalore airport, his mother was on his way to be present for the birth of Dinesh’s child, her first grand child. She was deserted by a drunk taxi driver.
Dinesh’s story deeply touched my heart. It taught me a lesson I wrote earlier in the article - happiness isn’t pleasure; happiness is victory in helping another one overcome adversity.
Just a day after this, I was sharing this story in a program with my participants. A man seated right in front was visibly moved and had tears in his eyes. His daughter Smita, eighteen months old has cerebral palsy. He asked me for the doctor’s number in Chicago. After a call, we learnt that doctor had passed away a few years ago but his successor is as competent. The next day they spoke to the doctor and exchanged over mails – all the reports.
Just today I received a call from him (where after I decided to write this article) saying that the doctors say that this little one does not have cerebral palsy. He says the doctor said she was just born prematurely and been misdiagnosed. But because they have been treating her as she has the disease, she may have acquired some of the symptoms.
The doctors conclusion – treat her as a normal healthy girl and you will have a normal healthy girl. Amazing!
Smita might never have discovered a normal life – if not for deciding to take a ‘u’ turn. Is that possible?
In order to cope up with the tremendous expenses in bringing up Dinesh, his father had to work days and nights, not just physically but smartly.
Dinesh’s adversity forced the parent to level of success that she says they could never even dream of. They are highly wealthy, successful and well past the days of ‘salesman’ at the grocery store.
AND It all started with a decision to not be selfish.
Isn't it incredible that one act of unselfishness (a monumental one) transformed a life or person suffering from cerebral palsy into the most astounding and inspiring stories of human endurance; and a second act of unselfishness (a highly insignificant one of dropping a person to the
airport) prevented a normal person from becoming a patient of cerebral palsy?
We can never get by life all by ourselves, yet we create a selfish world. I can’t even begin to imagine the number of possibilities that could have been created if only we extended ourselves just a little bit more. If only we were to give of us a bit more – we would manifest happiness.
My recent experiences surely lead me to believe – That which we share will multiply and which we selfishly withhold or prevent will diminish (including us)
Last week or so I have been in mind going through incidents and events in my life where I have been highly selfish. There are many. It also made me realize that till we keep saying that the world is selfish – we’ll keep living in denial of having to do something. After all, the world is to be blamed!!
Thus I conclude – I am highly selfish and you are just a reflection of me. No matter who on earth was to say this sentence, the polygraph instrument wouldn’t even twitch.
And that is simply SICK!
“What Giving again?” I ask in dismay.
“And must I keep giving and giving away?”
“Oh no,” said the angel looking me through,
“just keep giving till the Master stops giving to you!”
This story touched me when I read it. It also got me thinking. In retrospect, I can hardly find moments in my life when I have acted selflessly. What is the use of all the education, wealth and social status when these cannot help a person in need. We all have to cut loose from our normal style of living and start thinking with an "unselfish" attitude. The following lines from the above mentioned story are really meaningful.
"We can never get by life all by ourselves, yet we create a selfish world. I can’t even begin to imagine the number of possibilities that could have been created if only we extended ourselves just a little bit more. If only we were to give of us a bit more – we would manifest happiness"
I apologize for the lengthy story.
Signing off for now,
Krishna
The Indian Premier League (IPL-4) season is doing very well and heading towards a climatic finish. I have got into a habit of watching the matches after I come home from work. I admit that it is very engaging and entertaining. The only complaint I have is that the duration of the tournament is very long and the Organizers would keep that in mind for the next edition. Moving on to some better things in life....
I always wonder about the fact that there is at least some amount of selfishness involved in all the actions that we perform. What I mean to say is that we don't think beyond our kith and kin. But once you think for others and perform selfless work, you lead a very satisfied life. I read a real life story a few days ago which iterates the same point and I would like to share the same with you all in its unedited version.
.......A lady in her mid fifties tapped my shoulder. She was the same woman I had dropped to the airport a couple of months ago. This time we had time, were on the same flight, she’d read my book – we had things to talk about. She happens to be a coach as well, practicing in Chicago and was on her way to Delhi on the day I first met her to catch a flight out. Today she was back to present a lecture in Bangalore. As we got talking and we were sharing views on the subject of ‘selfishness’ – She made a statement somewhere in the middle of our conversation, she said, ‘All of us behave in a selfish manner to either prevent us from something or to gain something. Yet in my and my husband’s life, we have a fabulous life because of an act of unselfishness.’ She then shared this incredible story..
She said she was 24 when they adopted a son. She was a mother to two daughters. Her husband at the time was a salesman at a grocery store.
They lived in Washington. A life they had dreamt of had come true – the perfectly family completed with a son they always wanted.
She said a few days after Dinesh was brought home we realized something was wrong. Dinesh’s head hung too limply to the right side of his body.
He drooled too much to be a normal healthy baby. Everyone thought that the baby will grow out of it but when its your baby you do worry about it. They took him to a specialist who diagnosed him with some condition and treated him for several weeks. She said that they knew it was more serious that that. So they went to another specialist who after a very exhaustive examination told them that Dinesh was a spastic. He will never walk or talk or even be able to count till ten. The doctor suggested that they put the child in an institution for his own good and more so for the good of ‘normal’ people in the house. It will be best for everyone.
She says her husband couldn’t conceive of a their child growing up to be a vegetable and grow up to be nothing. They had long talks. The trauma got to them. Two young girls at hand, limited income and the boy who they didn’t know how to bring up. It was best for him to actually be at the institution close by. After all they are not too invested emotionally yet in him. They’ll get over it. The government would sponsor it. After eight months of dealing with this, they were left with no choice but to put Dinesh in the institution, who at least knew how to bring him up. For the next year or so they would visit Dinesh whenever they wanted. No one liked it in the house, yet everyone was silently relieved. She says the act of selfishness had been committed.
She then said suddenly one fine day as a result of incidents similar to the one’s that I just narrated to her, she realized they had been just plain selfish. Just because of the fact that the boy was adopted, it was easier for them. A year later they brought Dinesh back home. They decided he’ll become a proud man. They went to another specialist who told them the same thing. Then another and another and another and yet another. Thirty different specialists said there was no hope for this little boy. Then they heard about a doctor in Chicago who was number one authority in the world on cerebral palsy.
The doctor was busy and had no appointment for thirteen months. They got his home phone and got him to agree to see Dinesh if there was a cancellation.
Eleven days later a little boy from Canada cancelled appointment and Dinesh got one. They bundled Dinesh up and flew him to Chicago. They spent hours and hours in his check up at the hospital. All the tests all over again. They started from ground zero. They got the best doctor in the world to tell them what was there. They didn’t hope for much.
The doctor told them this. This little baby is a spastic. He has cerebral palsy. He’s never going to be able to talk or walk or count till ten. That is if you listen to the prophets of doom. He said I have solution, I can give you a solution if you are willing to do your part.
The solution would mean sacrifices you wouldn’t wish to make and selflessness that no one ever experienced.
“We would do anything it takes” was their reply. At that time they could barely afford the financial burden of a Chicago flight.
In minute detail the doctor said - you will have to work this little boy beyond human endurance, then you’ll have to work him some more. You will have to push him till he literally falls, then you’ll have to pick him up and push him some more. You will have to patience personified because it will be many months before you will be able to detect any progress at all. But if you ever stop he will go all the way back and you will have to start all over again. You have to understand that this is a lifetime commitment – not one year, not five, not ten – a lifetime. This is from now on. The doctor finally said- the other option is for Dinesh to be back at the institution. It will be easier for the family. The doctor quietly left them to think whether they want to go the distance with this child.
They went back home. They hired a physical fitness expert and a body building expert. They build a little gymnasium in the basement of their home and went to work. It took 14 months before Dinesh could even move the length of his own body. One day, five years later, she said I called my husband to come fast – Dinesh was ready the therapist says. Dinesh was positioned on the mat to do ‘a’ push up. As that little body got ready to rise in the air, she said, the physical and emotional energy in that little gym was amazing. There was not a dry inch on that little body.
The mats on the gym looked as if water were sprinkled on it. The mom, the dad, two sister, the neighbors, the gym instructor, the therapist all broke down in tears on seeing that one push up.
Listening to this story to me one thing is clear – happiness isn’t pleasure; happiness is victory in helping another one overcome adversity. Think about it.
The story is even more remarkable as not only the 30 specialists but also a leading American medical university had also examined Dinesh to conclude that there were no motor connections on the right side of his body. He will never be able to swim or to skate or to ride a bicycle.
By the time Dinesh was twelve – the family was in Canada - he would do 1100 push ups in a single day. He would run 6 miles non stop. He would do extremely well as a seventh grader in ninth grade math. He was good on the bicycle. He was on his school hockey team. He was a table tennis champion in his age group in the city. Dinesh, a few years later is only the second ever person to have a life insurance cover for a patient of cerebral palsy.
Its one thing to agree with a doctor that you will do this for a lifetime. Its another to actually do it for the next fifteen years – for a child that’s biologically not yours; for a child, even if yours - no one would have a question on integrity – if raised in the institution.
Five hours every single day since they met the doctor in Chicago – Dinesh had to work in the gym. How many of us would be able to hang in there for that length of time and seeing ‘ZERO’ results for years together?
Dinesh would cry in the gym everyday for being tired – everyday. He would ask his mother and father with tears of excruciating pain– “Do we have to do this” – Any mother and father will have trouble with that one – will be tempted to cut out the pain for the child as the results are not happening anyway… But not these, they loved him truly. They said no to the tears of the moment so they could say yes to the laughter of a lifetime.
The effort that went into this – physical and emotional – is absolutely monumental.
Dinesh, today is 27 years old. Married. A mechanical engineer designing cars for a leading luxury brand.
That morning at 530 close the Bangalore airport, his mother was on his way to be present for the birth of Dinesh’s child, her first grand child. She was deserted by a drunk taxi driver.
Dinesh’s story deeply touched my heart. It taught me a lesson I wrote earlier in the article - happiness isn’t pleasure; happiness is victory in helping another one overcome adversity.
Just a day after this, I was sharing this story in a program with my participants. A man seated right in front was visibly moved and had tears in his eyes. His daughter Smita, eighteen months old has cerebral palsy. He asked me for the doctor’s number in Chicago. After a call, we learnt that doctor had passed away a few years ago but his successor is as competent. The next day they spoke to the doctor and exchanged over mails – all the reports.
Just today I received a call from him (where after I decided to write this article) saying that the doctors say that this little one does not have cerebral palsy. He says the doctor said she was just born prematurely and been misdiagnosed. But because they have been treating her as she has the disease, she may have acquired some of the symptoms.
The doctors conclusion – treat her as a normal healthy girl and you will have a normal healthy girl. Amazing!
Smita might never have discovered a normal life – if not for deciding to take a ‘u’ turn. Is that possible?
In order to cope up with the tremendous expenses in bringing up Dinesh, his father had to work days and nights, not just physically but smartly.
Dinesh’s adversity forced the parent to level of success that she says they could never even dream of. They are highly wealthy, successful and well past the days of ‘salesman’ at the grocery store.
AND It all started with a decision to not be selfish.
Isn't it incredible that one act of unselfishness (a monumental one) transformed a life or person suffering from cerebral palsy into the most astounding and inspiring stories of human endurance; and a second act of unselfishness (a highly insignificant one of dropping a person to the
airport) prevented a normal person from becoming a patient of cerebral palsy?
We can never get by life all by ourselves, yet we create a selfish world. I can’t even begin to imagine the number of possibilities that could have been created if only we extended ourselves just a little bit more. If only we were to give of us a bit more – we would manifest happiness.
My recent experiences surely lead me to believe – That which we share will multiply and which we selfishly withhold or prevent will diminish (including us)
Last week or so I have been in mind going through incidents and events in my life where I have been highly selfish. There are many. It also made me realize that till we keep saying that the world is selfish – we’ll keep living in denial of having to do something. After all, the world is to be blamed!!
Thus I conclude – I am highly selfish and you are just a reflection of me. No matter who on earth was to say this sentence, the polygraph instrument wouldn’t even twitch.
And that is simply SICK!
“What Giving again?” I ask in dismay.
“And must I keep giving and giving away?”
“Oh no,” said the angel looking me through,
“just keep giving till the Master stops giving to you!”
This story touched me when I read it. It also got me thinking. In retrospect, I can hardly find moments in my life when I have acted selflessly. What is the use of all the education, wealth and social status when these cannot help a person in need. We all have to cut loose from our normal style of living and start thinking with an "unselfish" attitude. The following lines from the above mentioned story are really meaningful.
"We can never get by life all by ourselves, yet we create a selfish world. I can’t even begin to imagine the number of possibilities that could have been created if only we extended ourselves just a little bit more. If only we were to give of us a bit more – we would manifest happiness"
I apologize for the lengthy story.
Signing off for now,
Krishna
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
Hi Folks,
The whole world witnessed the final sojourn of Bhagwan Sri Sathya Sai Baba on 27/4/2011. Thousands of devotees witnessed the Mahasamadhi live, while millions watched it on television. I spent the last three days at Prashanthi Nilayam and I admit that it was very very painful to witness the proceedings from the past few days. I am not going to write anything on Swami here but will share some of my thoughts about what I felt over the last few days.
Swami used to spend a lot of his precious time with students studying in His University. We will ever be grateful to Him for that and will cherish those sweet memories all our lives. During one such sitting, Bhagwan asked us the significance of the saffron robe He wears. We were wise enough to admit our ignorance and waited for the answer from the Lion's mouth. Swami said "saffron signifies suffering and sacrifice and I have done that all through my Life. "
Swami has suffered and sacrificed all his life for the whole Humanity. He loved all and served all. His educational institutes, world class super speciality hospitals, drinking water projects to millions of people are all manifestations of his Love for the People. His love touched millions of people across the globe. A testimony to this was when people came in huge numbers to pay their obeisance to the great Master. Should we feel sad for this unexpected exit of Swami from here. Of course, we are all shattered that He is no longer there physically with us. It will take some time for all of us to overcome the personal loss. But we are all extremely fortunate to be a part of history which is actually His-Story. Such personalities come only once in thosands of years and we have witnessed him talking, laughing, eating and spending time with all of us.
The big question in our minds is " Now What". Swami has taught us great truths in very simple ways. It is our great responsibility to follow his teachings and live up to His expectations. He always said " My Life is My Message". Let us take a few leaves from His Holy Life and try to follow those teachings and sanctify our Lives. Swami is physically no more but we can always feel His presence at all times and at all places as He is the in-dweller. Let us understand this truth and lead our lives meaningfully by following Swami's teachings.
Signing off for now,
Krishna
The whole world witnessed the final sojourn of Bhagwan Sri Sathya Sai Baba on 27/4/2011. Thousands of devotees witnessed the Mahasamadhi live, while millions watched it on television. I spent the last three days at Prashanthi Nilayam and I admit that it was very very painful to witness the proceedings from the past few days. I am not going to write anything on Swami here but will share some of my thoughts about what I felt over the last few days.
Swami used to spend a lot of his precious time with students studying in His University. We will ever be grateful to Him for that and will cherish those sweet memories all our lives. During one such sitting, Bhagwan asked us the significance of the saffron robe He wears. We were wise enough to admit our ignorance and waited for the answer from the Lion's mouth. Swami said "saffron signifies suffering and sacrifice and I have done that all through my Life. "
Swami has suffered and sacrificed all his life for the whole Humanity. He loved all and served all. His educational institutes, world class super speciality hospitals, drinking water projects to millions of people are all manifestations of his Love for the People. His love touched millions of people across the globe. A testimony to this was when people came in huge numbers to pay their obeisance to the great Master. Should we feel sad for this unexpected exit of Swami from here. Of course, we are all shattered that He is no longer there physically with us. It will take some time for all of us to overcome the personal loss. But we are all extremely fortunate to be a part of history which is actually His-Story. Such personalities come only once in thosands of years and we have witnessed him talking, laughing, eating and spending time with all of us.
The big question in our minds is " Now What". Swami has taught us great truths in very simple ways. It is our great responsibility to follow his teachings and live up to His expectations. He always said " My Life is My Message". Let us take a few leaves from His Holy Life and try to follow those teachings and sanctify our Lives. Swami is physically no more but we can always feel His presence at all times and at all places as He is the in-dweller. Let us understand this truth and lead our lives meaningfully by following Swami's teachings.
Signing off for now,
Krishna
Sunday, April 10, 2011
Hi Folks,
I have been absconding from this blog from the past few weeks and I sincerely apologize for the long gap. I am caught up with quite a few things which are consuming most of my free time. There are quite a few unbelievable events which have happened over the past one month or so and it would be unfair not to talk about them.
About twenty individuals (players & supporting staff) brought glory to India by winning the ICC Cricket world cup after a gap of 28 years. It was a terrific team effort and a great moment to cherish for all the Indians. The team deservedly won all our hearts for playing excellent cricket for over two weeks and bringing back the glory. The Government and various organizations have gone overboard and are busy emptying the cash coffers for the team. I acknowledge the great accomplishment and agree that the team should be richly rewarded, but spending the tax payers money unreasonably stupefies me. Anyways, this is only my point of view.
Coming to some more important issues..... I had been to Ramana Maharishi centre for learning a few days back. I love the peace and tranquility that I experience whenever I go there. I was always curious to know the reason for a young lad to relinquish everything and become a renunciate. I was reading an article about him and came to know that one fine day he felt that he would die. He was gripped with the fear of death. Then he rationalized and thought with a lot of clarity and understood that one day the body would perish as death is inevitable. This thought brought about a great transformation in the lad and rest of the story is known. However I was reminded of a very interesting and a powerful story which iterates the same point.
Yama (God of death) happens to pay a visit to Vishnu. On his way, he looks suspiciously at a small bird that happens to be sitting at the doorstep. However, he proceeds further to meet Vishnu. Garuda, who is known as the king of the bird species is irked by this queer behavior of Yama and decides to protect a member of his clan. He carries the small bird to a very far away island, leaves him there and comes back to his abode. Meanwhile, Yama finishes his meeting, comes out and looks for the bird. Garuda is pleased with himself and tells Yama that he had hidden the small bird in a very far off place which was beyond his reach. Yama gives a very mischievous smile and thanks Garuda for his help. Garuda is confused and asks for a clear explanation from Yama. Yama tells him that the bird was to die in a short while in a very far off land. He was confused about how a small bird could travel so far in such a short span of time. That was the reason, why Yama had stared at the bird initially. It was destined that the bird would die in a far off land and Garuda was instrumental in leaving the bird there.
I like this story very much as it has a very powerful message for all. Death is inevitable and we are moving closer to it everyday. We should keep this in mind and perform all our duties with detachment. That is the ideal way to live. However, this is extremely difficult (almost impossible) to practice. Hope we understand this reality and perform our actions with detachment. The reason I chose to write on "death" is because thousands of our brethren from Japan died during a recent calamity (earthquake-tsunami). My heartfelt condolences to all the people who have lost their loved ones.
Signing off for now,
Krishna
I have been absconding from this blog from the past few weeks and I sincerely apologize for the long gap. I am caught up with quite a few things which are consuming most of my free time. There are quite a few unbelievable events which have happened over the past one month or so and it would be unfair not to talk about them.
About twenty individuals (players & supporting staff) brought glory to India by winning the ICC Cricket world cup after a gap of 28 years. It was a terrific team effort and a great moment to cherish for all the Indians. The team deservedly won all our hearts for playing excellent cricket for over two weeks and bringing back the glory. The Government and various organizations have gone overboard and are busy emptying the cash coffers for the team. I acknowledge the great accomplishment and agree that the team should be richly rewarded, but spending the tax payers money unreasonably stupefies me. Anyways, this is only my point of view.
Coming to some more important issues..... I had been to Ramana Maharishi centre for learning a few days back. I love the peace and tranquility that I experience whenever I go there. I was always curious to know the reason for a young lad to relinquish everything and become a renunciate. I was reading an article about him and came to know that one fine day he felt that he would die. He was gripped with the fear of death. Then he rationalized and thought with a lot of clarity and understood that one day the body would perish as death is inevitable. This thought brought about a great transformation in the lad and rest of the story is known. However I was reminded of a very interesting and a powerful story which iterates the same point.
Yama (God of death) happens to pay a visit to Vishnu. On his way, he looks suspiciously at a small bird that happens to be sitting at the doorstep. However, he proceeds further to meet Vishnu. Garuda, who is known as the king of the bird species is irked by this queer behavior of Yama and decides to protect a member of his clan. He carries the small bird to a very far away island, leaves him there and comes back to his abode. Meanwhile, Yama finishes his meeting, comes out and looks for the bird. Garuda is pleased with himself and tells Yama that he had hidden the small bird in a very far off place which was beyond his reach. Yama gives a very mischievous smile and thanks Garuda for his help. Garuda is confused and asks for a clear explanation from Yama. Yama tells him that the bird was to die in a short while in a very far off land. He was confused about how a small bird could travel so far in such a short span of time. That was the reason, why Yama had stared at the bird initially. It was destined that the bird would die in a far off land and Garuda was instrumental in leaving the bird there.
I like this story very much as it has a very powerful message for all. Death is inevitable and we are moving closer to it everyday. We should keep this in mind and perform all our duties with detachment. That is the ideal way to live. However, this is extremely difficult (almost impossible) to practice. Hope we understand this reality and perform our actions with detachment. The reason I chose to write on "death" is because thousands of our brethren from Japan died during a recent calamity (earthquake-tsunami). My heartfelt condolences to all the people who have lost their loved ones.
Signing off for now,
Krishna
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