Ganesha: the destroyer of Vanity, Selfishness and Pride

Ganesha, son of Shiva and Parvati, is the Lord of success and destroyer of evils and obstacles. He is also worshipped as the God of Education, Knowledge, Wisdom and Wealth. Slowly and steadily, despite my initial resistance, I was drawn to His Grace. Most of the decisions in my life have been taken by the Lord Himself. I believe I am blessed. I must have done fair justice in fulfilling my Karma that all this Enlightenment has come upon me. However, there is still so much to be done. This thought makes me realize how small (though highly significant) I am in the larger plan that Lord has. I just need to silently adhere to His plan, staying detached. One way I have been trying to do so is by observing the larger picture (with me in it, playing my role) from a spiritually elevated position. Ramana Maharshi has said, “The highest form of Grace is Silence. The experience of Silence alone is real and perfect knowledge. A Guru’s silence is more vast and emphatic than all the sastras put together.” The Lord has been silently taking care of me. As I say this, I recollect the following wisdom from Bhagavad Gita, “Those who worship Me with devotion, meditating on My transcendental form- to them I carry what they lack and preserve what they have.” I have just read the significance of the Ganesha form, which I am putting down. Ganesha's head symbolizes the Atman or the soul, which is the ultimate supreme reality of human existence, and his human body signifies Maya or the earthly existence of human beings. The elephant head denotes wisdom and its trunk represents Om, the sound symbol of cosmic reality. In his upper right hand Ganesha holds a goad, which helps him propel mankind forward on the eternal path and remove obstacles from the way. The noose in Ganesha's left hand is a gentle implement to capture all difficulties. The broken tusk that Ganesha holds like a pen in his lower right hand is a symbol of sacrifice, which he broke for writing the Mahabharata. The rosary in his other hand suggests that the pursuit of knowledge should be continuous. The laddoo (sweet) he holds in his trunk indicates that one must discover the sweetness of the Atman. His fan-like ears convey that he is all ears to our petition. The snake that runs round his waist represents energy in all forms. And he is humble enough to ride the lowest of creatures, a mouse. Ganesha is the destroyer of vanity, selfishness and pride. He is the personification of material universe in all its various magnificent manifestations. The devotees of Ganesha rejoice and glorify Him through Ganesha Chaturthi.

Devotion

My Lord…My Savior…Hold My Hand… Be My Light…Guide Me…Am I not your child? I do not need all the material wealth and the worldly laurels that you have given me…I do not even deserve all that…I just want to return to the same state of innocence that I was born in…The pain of pretension is the most dreaded one…The humiliation of isolation is another…Born with the mortal body, a man with consciousness has to undergo either of these. I have heard and also read that an awakened man feels no pain. You have also explained to me time and again that a wise man always stays free from attachment…True, for a man of spiritual mind, attachment brings misery. Mother said, “God does not command that you do great things…but small things with great devotion”…I do everything with devotion…Why can I not feel your presence around me anymore? Why does everything I do feel futile? So many questions arise in my mind every moment…Am I doing something I should not? I understand that your realm begins where reason ends and faith begins. The suffering which I am undergoing these days is becoming difficult to endure…Is this some kind of test that I have to pass? I have many confusions…I have heard that love should be unconditional…without expectations…I have also heard…and believed that the love which mother has for her child is the deepest…Isn’t that love characterized by a longing for “Mine”…because the same woman mostly ignores another child withering in pain from hunger…It is said in scriptures that based on my karma, I will get reborn…If I have sinned more, I will be born as a woman rather than a man…Isn’t life born out of the unison of male and female? A balance of the male and female life force is what drives a man towards the Truth. And what is the eternal truth? Sometimes when I meditate, I find myself moving closer to you…In mind, body and spirit…And then suddenly, everything vanishes away. The desire to own a thing is the worst of all…but desire to merge with you is nevertheless better than desire for any materialistic possessions. Many times, O Krishna, during our private conversations…when you disappear...I get overwhelmed with emotions because my heart longs only for You. Just like a child cries for the attention of his mother, I cry for your attention, O Madhusudana. I have read and reread the following guiding principle from you, on Devotion. Bless Me Lord for i have sinned…I feel I have not been able to show unto you the devotion I need to…I still have a lot to learn. I am still your child. In Your remembrance, my heart finds peace…In Your chants, I feel content…In Your dreams alone, I fall asleep…I just want to be surrounded by Your Grace…Punish me how much You feel is necessary, but do not leave me. You are my only hope…You are my only love…From you, I take…Only to give it back to You…I live because you want me to…And I shall die the day You ask me to… Every breath I am inhaling is your mercy… “A leaf, a flower, a fruit, or even water…offered to me in devotion…I will accept as the loving gift of a dedicated heart…whatever you do, make it an offering to me-the food you eat or worship you perform…the help you give…even your suffering…thus, you shall be free from Karma’s bondage…from the results of action-good or bad…I am the same to all beings…My love is the same always…Nevertheless, those who meditate on me with devotion, they dwell in me…And I shine forth in them…Even the worst sinner becomes a saint…when he loves me with all his heart…This love shall soon transform his personality…and fill his heart with peace profound…O son of Kunti, this is my promise…Those who love me, they shall never perish…Even those who are handicapped by birth…they have also reached the supreme goal in life by taking refuge in me…How much more the pure Brahmins and the royal sages who love me…Give not your love to this transient world of suffering…But give all your love to me…Give your mind, your heart, all your worship…Long for me always, live for me always…And you shall be united with me…”

Ten Golden Rules

As I stand glancing out of the glass window from my hotel room in Thane, I realize it has now been more than four months since I joined my new job. I have made it a point to take a break from the tiring work schedule every now and then. Off late, I have begun to enjoy my company without any complain. I keep myself busy. The transition from being a passionate individual to a composed one has happened, without a conscious effort. Guru ji would be proud of me. I believe he knows all that which has been happening to me. Unlike most other people around me, I do not feel comforted or disconcerted by material pleasures. I understand this means that I have grown a lot. Whenever I remember Lord Krishna or Rama or Shiva or even Ganesha, I try to do it with gratefulness in my heart. I am making a conscious effort to not let success get on to my nerves. Time and again, I remind myself that everything in this life is temporary except the all-pervading holy name of the almighty. This life and all the lives I will ever live are dedicated to His feet. I know that this body will perish one day and so will all the material achieves. The relations I am bound with will also vanish and everything will disappear when the time arrives. All this knowledge ensures that I act without any attachment and perform my work without the slightest of hesitation. Just like Arjuna, even I get jitters but every time that happens, I make it a point to remember the holy name of the Lord and continue working like a karmayogi. Back in 2006, one of my colleagues shared with me the ten golden rules he follows to handle stress at work. I was deeply impressed and have been following them since. I am listing them down here. 1. Never say never: Nothing is impossible for a man of strong will and determination. 2. Always act on facts, not assumptions: It is not healthy to move forward without proper idea of what one is getting into, unless there is no other option. 3. Never generalize: Every situation is different. One can learn from prior experience but every situation should be approached afresh. 4. Accept your feelings: Do not deny who you are. Stand up for what you believe in. Acceptance is the first step towards positive improvement in self. 5. Accept responsibility for yourself: Do not be ashamed that things did not go well. Accept it humbly if you failed but learn from your failure and ensure it does not happen again. 6. Abandon false hopes: Believe in yourself and your abilities. Remove false expectations to live positively. 7. Step back from your problems: Everybody has problems. If you cannot solve yours, forget yours and concentrate on the work at hand. 8. Simplify your lifestyle: Live a simple life to stay healthy and happy. Do not pretend to be someone you are not. People who love you will love you and be with you anyway. 9. Spend time with nature whenever possible: Learn from nature. Spend time with it. It will give you strength and courage to carry on even in the most difficult situation. 10. Make and take decisions with courage: You are born to lead. And what good is a leader who cannot take decisions? Take every step with courage. The almighty will guide you in your efforts.

My daily prayer

I bow to you with respect and humility in my heart. Lord, give me the strength to change that which I can and to accept that which I cannot change. Thus, guide me in my efforts to make this world a better place for everyone to live. I pray to you with gratefulness in my heart for whatever I have accomplished and whatever I will in the future. Bestow me with the humility to submit everything unto your feet. I crave for nothing but your love and forgiveness. Bless me so that negative thoughts stay away from me and I spread positivity everywhere. I bow to you with penance in my heart for all the wrongdoings I have ever done to anyone. Forgive me for I want to let go now. With your support, I shall not let my emotions sway in the path of righteousness. Take my hand and guide me from ignorance to wisdom. I pray to you with all my devotion. Bless me so that I experience your presence around me every moment I live, for this life and for all the lives to follow. Bless me so that I overcome my fears and always speak sweet words to all. Give me the wisdom to not get entangled in the worldly affairs and follow the path of a yogi. Help me burn all desire for sense gratification in the fire of true knowledge. May I see everything in equanimity and sameness and thus attain eternal peace. Free my mind from all doubts, all material senses and guide me to work in your name for the welfare of all living beings. Bless me so that I attain tranquillity by controlling my mind, thoughts and all desires and never degrade your holy name for I realize you have created me. Bless me so that I see honour and dishonour, happiness and distress, heat and cold, gold and pebble, friend and enemy with the same eyes-with your eyes.

Living in the present

In our limited capacities to experience happiness, we just need to do one thing- we need to live in the present moment. It may seem quite simple to many but very difficult indeed to follow. The first thing that needs to be done is regulation of our thoughts. It would help us to focus our energy on the work at hand and do justice to it. In short, letting go of the experiences of our past (after learning from them of course) and letting go of our apprehensions about our future will bring peace to us. Most of us have the habit of facing life as it comes by reacting to it. A proactive approach, wherein we make progressive improvements in ourselves, would assist us in reacting better. If we further learn to live without expectations and surrender all our activities to the pious feet of the Supreme, we would indeed live a much better life. Living a human life is an invaluable experience- a gift. The sacred texts of Hindu religion talk about the purpose of a human life-self realization. Bhagavad Gita further talks about the three ways in which it could be done- through our karma, through learning or jnana and through dedication or bhakti to Lord. Essentially any one path can be followed. The spirit soul bewildered under the influence of false ego thinks itself to be the doer. Know that the world was functioning just fine and will continue to do so, even in your absence. This does not mean your actions are not important. It just means that you are just a small part of this wonderful creation we call the universe. A wise man understands how to act in inaction and vice versa. A life of surrender to the Lord gives us enormous strength to face the adversities of life. Drawing from such an infinite pool of strength, depends on the amount of faith you can develop in this limited life of yours. When we live in the present moment and not worry our minds with the past and the future, we indeed are focussing our energy to the maximum possible extent, on what is in our hands. Isn’t that a wise thing to do? For, what has gone is gone and what will be shall depend on what you do now. Therefore, without any attachment to the fruits of action, one must act as a matter of duty and move closer to attaining the Supreme. Know that wisdom or knowledge is power but with every power, you have responsibilities. To accept them and do justice to them without any expectations is the act of a yogi. Indeed, lord Krishna rightly says to Arjuna in the battlefield, “As a blazing fire turns firewood to ashes, O Arjuna, so does the fire of knowledge burn to ashes all reactions to material activities.” A person living in the present experiences contentment in its true sense. Such a person is the same in happiness and grief. He neither celebrates life and nor does he mourn the dead. Such a person’s mind is already established in sameness and equanimity. Know that he has already conquered birth and death. He does not have to establish anything else in this world and is already situated in the Brahman. Living even partially in the past or the future is the act of an ignorant person. Such a life brings misery in its most dreaded form. Know that all material associations bring misery and that all sensual pleasures have a beginning and an end. It is only wise to let go of them and work with utmost devotion, surrendering the results of our actions to the Supreme.

Dispel all fear

Know that all fear arises out of ignorance. Hence, whenever you pray to the almighty, if at all, pray only for wisdom. Nothing else stays. Surrender everything unto the lotus feet of the Lord. Only he can save you. He alone can pull you out of the continuous cycle of birth and death. A man of faith understands what a life guided by Krishna consciousness feels like. It is absolute bliss. Today, we are living in a world where people with money are respected. Time is scarce for such individuals. Then why are they wasting their precious time running after material wealth? A man born in a family has worldly responsibilities. But not maintaining a balance often ruins the happiness of man. How far can one run? Life is not a race. It is a gift, to be savoured. Indeed, you and I are fortunate to be born as humans. But do we realize that yet? Or we need to approach our deathbeds to understand this simple thing. Can you ever exchange the money you earned for a little time? No, you cannot. So, what is more valuable? Our time or our money? Human mind plays tricks. Those who live for sense gratification are doomed. But the Lord is merciful and filled with compassion. No wonder even if a person with the most dreadful sins truthfully approaches him with penance in his heart, he forgives. We often do that which our consciousness denies. Sometime later, we repent. In many cases, there is no repentance even. But the fateful chakra of our karma strikes back, sooner or later and we feel miserable. We wished we had led better lives. But why let such a state of affair arise in the first place? We constantly live in fear. The type of fear is immaterial but mostly we fear and worry about that which is out of our control. The fear of Lord alone is a righteous fear. It prevents us from doing what we should not. However, these days, some people have made it their job to dupe innocent people in the name of Lord. There is a fine line between faith and superstition and the Lord wants you to understand the difference. Through knowledge, dispel all your fears. Live a fearless life. Touch as many lives as you can. Spread unconditional love. And while you do so, know that you are just an instrument of God. It is not you who is performing the action. It is the Lord itself. You are just a small part of the infinite cosmic consciousness. But even in this small form, you can make a difference.

Reflections

Of happiness and karma...

In a casual discussion with one of my friends, I realized that we have become so engrossed in our worldly pursuits that we have forgotten to be happy. The discussion went as follows: Friend: What is the purpose of life? Me: It is to live. F: What does it mean to live? M: It means to be free. F: And how can I be free? M: By doing what you were born to do. F: How do I know what was I born to do? M: For that, you have to dig deeper...you need to know who you are. F: But I already know who I am. M: Do you? Who are you? F: But you are my friend. You also know who I am. I smiled at him lovingly. My friend was as innocent of the reality of life as I was a year ago. I used to think if I got admission into an IIT, I would be happy. I did. While in job, I thought if I got a promotion, I would be happy. Then I dreamed of making to an IIM. I did. God, please give me a good campus placement. I got into Amazon. But as I sit down today to reflect, I never was happy and never would have been, had I not understood my life’s greater purpose. I was more successful than an average individual but I had my setbacks. I failed in many ways. I wasn’t able to be a good son or a good brother and even a good lover. I did try but I had difficulty in letting go. I failed to accept that I cannot fulfil everyone’s expectations. I felt attached in human relations. In my own small world, I failed to see the bigger picture. I could not accept failure in the same way I accepted good things happening to me. We all take birth with our karmas. Little by little, through our actions, we build our karma. We either erase bad karma and become better human beings or accumulate bad karma to become worse off. Some go a step further and start building positive karma. But what is the use of thinking about karma. Because it helps you grow. I believe the family you are born in, the situations you have to face, the successes you attain, are all a result of good karma. It may sound strange that I am reaping the fruits of my karma without even the memory of what my actions were. Understand that the Lord is very kind. Since it is not possible for you to continue your present life, bearing in mind all the memories of your past lives, without being miserable, he has erased them for you. However, it does not mean that you are forgiven. The good balances the evil in this world. Whenever the evil overpowers the good, God takes an incarnation. Presently, the world is on the verge of a moral and ethical collapse. It is to take care of such adversities and for life to continue, he takes the divine human form of a guru and guides the individuals who are worthy of purifying the evil spread in the world through their selfless deeds. But where does happiness picture in this discussion? Imagine for an instance that your actions are guided by the Divine, what would your state of being be? Would not you be more peaceful? Would you not experience bliss? Would you not be happy to be amongst the privileged few who have understood this simple secret of life? Imagine a dark room with many unlit lamps. That is the world today. Now imagine one lamp getting lighted, wouldn’t that feel good? Now imagine more lamps getting lighted. The room would no longer be dark. It is you who has to decide whether you wish to be a lighted lamp or continue your present style of living out of ignorance. In doing so, you would make this world a better place to live. I was once a disbeliever. But the love of God has changed me. The first step in any direction is the beginning. It is also crucial. A conscious decision to improve our lives cannot emerge out of anything but the knowledge of our mistakes and shortcomings. More than the knowledge, it is the acceptance that I am not perfect. No one is. But we can be. All we need to do is to try. Many of us find it hard to manage our problems. We get frustrated and irritated. We shout. We live life out of fear. In that fear, we stop loving. Worse than that, we hate others and in the process start hating our own existence. How wonderful it would be, if we forgive the mistakes of others and give them another chance? We have enough to live our lives in comfort. Still we are unhappy and stressed out. Ever wondered why? We think of our jobs as a burden rather than being grateful to God for providing us with one. We think we have to compromise for our families. Ever thought of those who were never blessed with a family? Aren’t we then blessed? And isn’t this something to feel happy about? Most of us live life out of comparisons. We fail to understand that each person has a different baggage to carry. How wonderful it would be if each person is content with his/her own growth? Unless we are ourselves happy, we cannot extend a helping hand, to the ones who have not been as fortunate as we are. I heard somewhere that a person’s true character is reflected by his actions when he/she is not being watched. What this means is that every man is the best judge of his character. Still, we have been living a life of double standards. Who are we fooling? How can we expect to grow when we repeatedly fail to accept who we are? The truth for such people is straightforward. We came empty handed and so shall we depart. The only thing left behind will be our memories and they won’t be shaped by how much we earned. A person shall only be remembered for his good deeds. That will be a sure way to earn good karma. Enlightened men, however, do not act out of any such fear that their wrong actions might earn them bad karma. They have crossed that stage of life. It doesn’t matter to them anymore. It is in their character to do righteous deeds alone and they do not do them with expectations.

Shades -1

I am thankful

As I become more and more conscious of my being in this mortal human form, I live life with a more positive affirmation. My guru did not talk much to me on our first visit, but I realize what he has to tell me is already known to me, subconsciously. Something tells me that I am already walking on a spiritual path and that the feeling of contentment is going to grow much more in the near future. All of my life experiences lead to the purpose of realization of the ultimate truth. Presently, I am just another human whose life has been touched by the all pervading consciousness. But I know that the impact will deepen and that this is all meant to happen. Although a person with average abilities, I have achieved a lot in this material world and I feel blessed by the invisible hand of the almighty. However, I wish to achieve these worldly laurels no more. I do not have a very strong idea of what God is, but I sure know that in the mortal form, the lives of humans are touched by parents, teachers and gurus. It is our duty to worship and comfort them and earn the goodwill of the cosmos. With a peaceful mind, even this mortal life of kaliyuga feels like a gift. I do not recall from where, but I have grasped the thought that a positive attitude attracts positive outcomes. So, I am hopeful that everything will end well. I pray every day for every living being to stay content and be grateful for what has been bestowed to them. It has been rightly said that knowledge, in any subtle form, dispels away fear and brings about increasing levels of maturity. A man of God doesn’t fear anything, steadfastly fulfils the purpose of his life with appropriate karma and positively guides the ignorant to do the same. People visit religious places, worship and keep fasts. Few try to look within for their shortcomings and improve on them. Why search outwards when the ultimate truth to be realized lies within? Of what avail shall be outward charity if the mind is uncontrolled and full of negative thoughts? A guru guides the disciple to dispel ignorance; a teacher provides knowledge and our parents help us grow with their love. During one of the spiritual discussions few months ago, I learned that the central message of all religious scriptures is to spread the message of love and forgiveness. But how can we do so unless we ourselves feel loved and forgiven? Someone somewhere has to begin. So, why not we grab the opportunity to act mature and do our part in making this world a better place to live? Our central aid in any spiritual journey is the power of will; the will to let go and stay unaffected by the worldly drama. Some sadhus apply ash on their forehead every day. When I came to know the reason behind, I was deeply touched. They said it kept them reminded of the fact that their physical bodies were going to turn to ash one day. But that feeling did not scare them. In fact, it helped them live life with a positive affirmation, living every day as if it were their last and thus, no regrets. We have a lot to learn from the monks, who seek bhiksha to sustain their human bodies. It is said that the journey of ultimate spiritual practice requires the conscious suicide of mind and ego. The former happens through dedicated practice of concentration and meditation while the latter happens through the seeking of bhiksha. In my limited knowledge, I believe attachment to sense objects is the root cause of all suffering. Under the guidance of a guru, through constant practice, the mind can be controlled. Thus, I want to thank my guru for being the light of my life. I also want to thank everyone around me for contributing in every form, positive or negative, to making me a better human being, thus aiding my spiritual growth.