NPL - Day 17
Devotion and Faith is the essence of the path, and if we have in mind nothing but the Guru and feel nothing but fervent devotion, whatever occurs is perceived as his blessing. It is only through devotion, and devotion alone that we will realize the absolute truth. Our lives is the only meaningful expression of what we believe in and whom we believe. And the only real wealth, for any of us, lies in our faith.
The following story of Arjuna and Duryodhana explains it all:
Once, Lord Sri Krishna was lying down, resting, when Duryodhana and Arjuna arrived. Duryodhana entered first and sat near the head of Sri Krishna. Arjuna sat near the feet of Sri Krishna. After a while the Lord opened his eyes, and first, naturally he could see the only the one near his feet and not his head.
Lord Sri Krishna asked, " Arjuna, how come you are here at this moment?"
Duryodhana interrupted and said that he came first and then Sri Krishna realized that he was also there.
Sri Krishna then replied, " Duryodhana, you came first, but I saw Arjuna first".
Sri Krishna then turned towards Arjuna and said, " Arjuna, what made you come here?"
Arjuna replied, " Lord, you know what is going to happen. The war has become inevitable. We want your help."
Sri Krishna said, " What can I give you? I have two things. I have a large army called Narayani Sena; if you want it you can take it, Otherwise I am here, unarmed, doing nothing. I will merely sit and discuss this with you. I will not take part in the war. If you want such a man as I am, take me.Or if you think this is not going to be of any utility to you, take the large army which will help you."
Arjuna replied, " Lord, I want you only"
Duryodhana thought how foolish was Arjuna that he did not ask for the army.Immediately Duryodhana asked for the army.
Sri Krishna said, " Take it".
On being asked why Arjuna chose Sri Krishna, he replied," You are everything for me Lord and I have chosen you".Arjuna chose Sri Krishna over the large army and won the battle with the help of Sri Krishna.
Similarly what is our choice - God or Wealth? Mahabharata keeps going on in our mind. Sometimes we are Krishna, sometimes Ram, sometimes Duryodhana, sometimes Arjuna and sometimes Raavan.
If there is beggar begging us for something, our mind says No and our conscience says Yes. So here our mind is Duryodhana thinking of doing wrong and our heart is Arjuna that wants to do right.
1. Devotion towards Leader:
A leader is best when people barely know he exists, when his work is done, his aim fulfilled, they will say, we did it ourselves. The person who inspires others to dream more, do more, learn more and become more is a Leader.
What is the difference between a Taxi and a Chariot(रथ)? In both, we sit behind and someone else drives.
But what is the main difference.? In a Taxi,we give instructions to the driver but a chariot does not move as per our wish. When Arjuna was on the chariot, Sri Krishna said, " Have faith in me. I will take the chariot where there is victory and you will win the battle." Arjuna had faith in Sri Krishna and won the battle.
In our lives, who is our leader? Do we have devotion towards our leader?
A poor man makes a rich man his leader. Student needs a teacher, Devotee wants God, Disciple wants his Guru, Patient wants a Doctor. Even Gautam Swami had devotion towards Lord Mahavira,Shree Hanuman had utmost devotion towards Lord Ram, Arjuna had devotion towards Sri Krishna!
In any aspect of our life, we need the guidance of our Leader. A son needs the guidance of his father and a daughter-in-law needs the guidance of her mother-in-law. So who is our leader? Do we have devotion towards our leader? Even after possessing all the worldly materials, there is vacuum in our lives.We have to ask our selves whom do we want as our leader? Do we want to be independent or do we want a leader? Do we feel we are bounded when we have a leader or do we feel good?
When Indira Gandhi was shot dead, Rajiv Gandhi was filled with sadness that his mother was no more. But the same evening, he had to take the oath of the Prime Minister as the country cannot be without a leader.
In cricket, a captain is selected by the selection committee and the team has to accept and listen to its leader.
We know too much, but we feel very little. Parents are sent to old age home, we go to the temple without any feelings, we don't want leaders in our life and don't even want Parents to be our leaders!
But we are safe when we have a leader in our life. We do not have to worry as our leader is there to take decisions.
2. Border(मर्यादा):
In life, borders and limits are necessary. There has to be some principles in our life. As far as pleasures, we got to have limits. We should have limits while eating food, in spending money, while thinking, while seeing, while buying luxurious things.
The story of Sita crossing the Lakshman Rekha explains it all:
Before leaving Sita alone, Lakshmana drew a line that Sita should never cross. Sita promised not to cross, however, she crosses the line when Raavan disguised as a monk and came begging for food. Raavan fled taking away Sita along with him.
Another eg,., Draupadi once told Duryodhana " Blind father's blind son". These words led to Mahabharata.
History is witness of Ramayana and Mahabharata for crossing the limits.
There is a boundary line even in cricket, kabaddi and society. Even a kite comes down after flying up due to gravitational force. This is the universal law and truth. Did we ever ask ourselves - what is my border?
On the road, there are traffic signals but if there is no police, we cross the signals as well.
In the olden days the dacoits also had their principles that they will not touch and hurt women and children, but in todays culture, sometimes even in a family, people are not safe.
Difference between END and AND is that if we have interest in END we are Worldly and if we have interest in AND we are Devotional.
Sometimes a leader is chosen under compulsion and a leader decides our border.
3. Order:
Order and simplifications are the first steps towards the mastery of a subject. On the road, if there is a traffic signal we cross it, however, if there is a police man, we are afraid of the penalty and don't cross.
Do we have devotion towards Order of our leader? Acharya Shree asks," What is my importance in your life- A traffic signal or police man as I am asking you to follow me and not giving you orders. It is upto you to obey or not"
Our thoughts are:
1. If I am good, Society thinks I am not as good as the society thinks I am.
2. If I not good, society thinks I am not so bad.
So lets Bring Leader, Border and Order in our lives to make our life worth living!
Devotion and Faith is the essence of the path, and if we have in mind nothing but the Guru and feel nothing but fervent devotion, whatever occurs is perceived as his blessing. It is only through devotion, and devotion alone that we will realize the absolute truth. Our lives is the only meaningful expression of what we believe in and whom we believe. And the only real wealth, for any of us, lies in our faith.
The following story of Arjuna and Duryodhana explains it all:
Once, Lord Sri Krishna was lying down, resting, when Duryodhana and Arjuna arrived. Duryodhana entered first and sat near the head of Sri Krishna. Arjuna sat near the feet of Sri Krishna. After a while the Lord opened his eyes, and first, naturally he could see the only the one near his feet and not his head.
Lord Sri Krishna asked, " Arjuna, how come you are here at this moment?"
Duryodhana interrupted and said that he came first and then Sri Krishna realized that he was also there.
Sri Krishna then replied, " Duryodhana, you came first, but I saw Arjuna first".
Sri Krishna then turned towards Arjuna and said, " Arjuna, what made you come here?"
Arjuna replied, " Lord, you know what is going to happen. The war has become inevitable. We want your help."
Sri Krishna said, " What can I give you? I have two things. I have a large army called Narayani Sena; if you want it you can take it, Otherwise I am here, unarmed, doing nothing. I will merely sit and discuss this with you. I will not take part in the war. If you want such a man as I am, take me.Or if you think this is not going to be of any utility to you, take the large army which will help you."
Arjuna replied, " Lord, I want you only"
Duryodhana thought how foolish was Arjuna that he did not ask for the army.Immediately Duryodhana asked for the army.
Sri Krishna said, " Take it".
On being asked why Arjuna chose Sri Krishna, he replied," You are everything for me Lord and I have chosen you".Arjuna chose Sri Krishna over the large army and won the battle with the help of Sri Krishna.
Similarly what is our choice - God or Wealth? Mahabharata keeps going on in our mind. Sometimes we are Krishna, sometimes Ram, sometimes Duryodhana, sometimes Arjuna and sometimes Raavan.
If there is beggar begging us for something, our mind says No and our conscience says Yes. So here our mind is Duryodhana thinking of doing wrong and our heart is Arjuna that wants to do right.
1. Devotion towards Leader:
A leader is best when people barely know he exists, when his work is done, his aim fulfilled, they will say, we did it ourselves. The person who inspires others to dream more, do more, learn more and become more is a Leader.
What is the difference between a Taxi and a Chariot(रथ)? In both, we sit behind and someone else drives.
But what is the main difference.? In a Taxi,we give instructions to the driver but a chariot does not move as per our wish. When Arjuna was on the chariot, Sri Krishna said, " Have faith in me. I will take the chariot where there is victory and you will win the battle." Arjuna had faith in Sri Krishna and won the battle.
In our lives, who is our leader? Do we have devotion towards our leader?
A poor man makes a rich man his leader. Student needs a teacher, Devotee wants God, Disciple wants his Guru, Patient wants a Doctor. Even Gautam Swami had devotion towards Lord Mahavira,Shree Hanuman had utmost devotion towards Lord Ram, Arjuna had devotion towards Sri Krishna!
In any aspect of our life, we need the guidance of our Leader. A son needs the guidance of his father and a daughter-in-law needs the guidance of her mother-in-law. So who is our leader? Do we have devotion towards our leader? Even after possessing all the worldly materials, there is vacuum in our lives.We have to ask our selves whom do we want as our leader? Do we want to be independent or do we want a leader? Do we feel we are bounded when we have a leader or do we feel good?
When Indira Gandhi was shot dead, Rajiv Gandhi was filled with sadness that his mother was no more. But the same evening, he had to take the oath of the Prime Minister as the country cannot be without a leader.
In cricket, a captain is selected by the selection committee and the team has to accept and listen to its leader.
We know too much, but we feel very little. Parents are sent to old age home, we go to the temple without any feelings, we don't want leaders in our life and don't even want Parents to be our leaders!
But we are safe when we have a leader in our life. We do not have to worry as our leader is there to take decisions.
2. Border(मर्यादा):
In life, borders and limits are necessary. There has to be some principles in our life. As far as pleasures, we got to have limits. We should have limits while eating food, in spending money, while thinking, while seeing, while buying luxurious things.
The story of Sita crossing the Lakshman Rekha explains it all:
Before leaving Sita alone, Lakshmana drew a line that Sita should never cross. Sita promised not to cross, however, she crosses the line when Raavan disguised as a monk and came begging for food. Raavan fled taking away Sita along with him.
Another eg,., Draupadi once told Duryodhana " Blind father's blind son". These words led to Mahabharata.
History is witness of Ramayana and Mahabharata for crossing the limits.
There is a boundary line even in cricket, kabaddi and society. Even a kite comes down after flying up due to gravitational force. This is the universal law and truth. Did we ever ask ourselves - what is my border?
On the road, there are traffic signals but if there is no police, we cross the signals as well.
In the olden days the dacoits also had their principles that they will not touch and hurt women and children, but in todays culture, sometimes even in a family, people are not safe.
Difference between END and AND is that if we have interest in END we are Worldly and if we have interest in AND we are Devotional.
Sometimes a leader is chosen under compulsion and a leader decides our border.
3. Order:
Order and simplifications are the first steps towards the mastery of a subject. On the road, if there is a traffic signal we cross it, however, if there is a police man, we are afraid of the penalty and don't cross.
Do we have devotion towards Order of our leader? Acharya Shree asks," What is my importance in your life- A traffic signal or police man as I am asking you to follow me and not giving you orders. It is upto you to obey or not"
Our thoughts are:
1. If I am good, Society thinks I am not as good as the society thinks I am.
2. If I not good, society thinks I am not so bad.
So lets Bring Leader, Border and Order in our lives to make our life worth living!
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