Mind Is A Boon But We Make It A Bane

 Is Mind a boon or bane ?

Mind has turned against many people

How horrible this mind has become for many people !  I often wonder how millions of people suffer their minds day and night . Even though they're quite well-fed , well placed and safe , they are plagued by their own worries , jealousy , anger , infatuations etc which are just the products of nothing else but their own mind . Most of the human problems appear to emerge from mind , not from body . From family feuds to world wars , from suicides to mass genocides , from an innocent domestic discrimination to the large number of inhuman discriminations based on the foolish and frivolous bases of caste , creed , culture, colour , language and dress , all take their roots in the pervert human psychology . 

Animals live a more free and peaceful life

A buffalo , cow , dog or goat doesn't harbour any malice against other animals . They neither backbite , betray nor conspire . They neither exploit others to amass wealth for the future , nor do they feel anxious or sad comparing themselves with others . They live in the present . That's the only reality for them, not any past or future . They are almost free from the mischiefs of the mind. Sometimes it looks better to have no mind at all as much as it has endless problems in its store .

But wait ! Let's not jump to the conclusion in haste . Let's spend a little time over this big issue so close to the well-being of all of us. What is good ? What is bad ? Can we call anything good or bad in absolute terms ? People die by burning , drowning and falling . Should we then call fire , water and hills bad and curse them ?  Should we forget that they also help in cooking , quenching thirst and giving shelter to many lives ? Only ' a bad workman quarrels with his tools ' . We should look at the things in its entirety.

On a close observation we find that nothing is good or bad . Our use makes it good or bad. Just like some other tool, the mind is a happy asset for a conscious and cautious person . But it becomes a painful liability to a careless person. If we cannot handle an expensive and powerful tool , it becomes just a burden , a liability . If we know how to use it and we carefully follow the instructions given in the user's manual , the tool is going to be of enormous use . So first of all we must understand the tool well . 

Mind is a tool with the user's manual .

You may wonder how I am equating the mind with a tool . A tool is a  tangible item and it comes with the user's manual from its manufacturer . But this mind is neither tangible nor does it have a user's manual in print . How can it be a tool ? Well ,let me tell you clearly that it is definitely a tool just like some other one , though intangible like the software of a computer and it is not without the user's manual which is found in the forms of scriptures , proverbs and wise sayings . It has been seen that those who have followed these rules regarding this tool and wielded it carefully , have successfully got the maximum benefits from this wonder tool.

Mind with its characteristics is a sign of evolution

Though the other life forms may look enjoying a peaceful and more sedate and satisfied life , human beings have established their superiority over them with this powerful tool.They have increased both their understanding and control over it. They have befriended it. They have seen it as a tool which can be used for good. Thus its importance cannot be denied nor undervalued.

The problem lies in its handling , not in the mind itself . 

So far as the concomitant mental problems are concerned , they are not the problems of the mind . They spring from our ignorance, loose control and wrong handling . If we are having anxiety , fears , ambitions and envy it means that we have a more evolved mind . If we feel curious and get restless to find the answers of numerous questions invading our minds , it means we are holding a much more evolved mind . If we are restless till we get our answer , we are moving towards the light of knowledge. Various types of wants indicate that the mind needs some more attention  and care . It's a good sign to be celebrated , not to be scared of .

' Ignorance is bliss ' only for the less-evolved humans. If there is a mind , there are its needs .  We should not say that the animals and many less thinking people are living happily without giving a damn to a philosophical question , we also should emulate  them and stay happy and tension free . Actually such curiosity about self and the surrounding makes us different . An animal doesn't want to know ' Who am I ? What am I doing here in this world ? What is the purpose of doing all these things which I am doing? Where do I come from ? Where will I go hereafter ? Is there a Creator ? ...'

The unparalleled advantage of mind has earned humans  the name , homo sapiens . Their minds have given them the winning edge over  other creatures . They should learn to use it in a better way with greater control and awareness .  

कविता, मैं क्यों लिखता हूँ?

 मैं क्यों लिखता हूँ ? 

कलकल नदियाँ क्यों बहती हैं ?
फूल झूमकर क्यों खिलते हैं ?
पंछी कलरव क्यों करते हैं ?
चाँद चाँदनी क्यों बिखेरता ?

लगे भले सब को बेमानी
बातें पहली सी, पुरानी
कही गयी हों अगणित बार ।
मेरे लिए तो है इकबार ।

कुछ भाव तीब्र हो जाते हैं
कुछ बातें रुक ना पाती हैं ।
कुछ पाप किया सा लगता है
जब व्यक्त न दिल कर पाता है ।

अर्थ लाभ की चाह नहीं है
कीर्ति कामना मुझे नहीं है
अर्थयुक्त क्या यह जीवन है ?
अंतः सुख की चाह अभी है ।

लेखन चिंतन का वाहन है
व्यापक अनुभव का साधन है ।
प्राप्त एक जीवन वेला में
अगणित जीवन को जीना है ।

कुछ कविताएं/ Poems

 आदर्श

कितना मुश्किल होता है आदर्श को जीना
कहना आसान है मुश्किल है करना
अस्तित्व पर ही लग जाता है ग्रहण आदर्श के
जब सामना पड़ता है यह धर्मसंकट के
लोग लगते उठाने प्रश्न इसकी उपयोगिता पर कसते हैं जब फायदे , नुकसान की कसौटी पर
किंतु क्या आदर्श है उनके लिए
जो भागते पीछे सदा सुख के लिए
देखते अस्तित्व को अपने यहीं तक आप जो
यह है नहीं आदर्श का पथ आप के फिर साथ तो

दाम्पत्य

दाम्पत्य सुखमय है तो फिर क्या स्वर्ग से है क्या प्रयोजन ?
है अगर प्रतिकूल तो फिर नर्क से है क्या प्रयोजन ?

अनासक्त कर्मयोग

फूल केवल फूल होता है ।
यह खिलता है क्योंकि यह खिलता है ।
यह कब खुद के बारे में सोंचे ।
यह कब चाहे कि इसे कोई देखे ।

आत्मप्रशंसा

अपनी कहानी में तो होता हर कोई ही राम है ,
पर वही श्री राम है जो गैर की नजरों में हो ।

कविता, आगे बढ़ना /move on

 आगे बढ़ना

तू क्या जाने मुश्किल से कितनी ,
समझाया दिल को मैने ।
बेबस और लाचार हो कितना
लौटाया इसको मैने ।

कर रहम तू अब ,ना आग लगा ,
अब बची न हिम्मत है दिल में ।
हम लगे हैं जीने जहाँ है अब ,
ना जन्नत की फिर ललक जगा ।

कविता, बलात्कार

 कविता , बलात्कार

क्यों खून खौलता है तुम्हारा
किसी बलात्कार की खबर सुनकर ??
क्योंकि ,
बलात्कार एक जघन्य अपराध है ?
यह स्त्री की अस्मिता पर आघात है ?
यह उसकी इज्जत से खिलवाड़ है ?
यह उसके खिलाफ एक अत्याचार है ?

या तुम्हारा पुरुषत्व जगता है
एक विशेष प्रकार की हिंसा पर ?

तुम इंतजार करते हो कि
यह अत्याचार पहुंचे इस चरम पर
तब जागोगे तुम और तुम्हारी अंतरात्मा।
पहले इसके तुम भी करते हो बलात्कार
जाने अनजाने हर दिन हर सप्ताह
जब तुम बलात् रोकते हो उसे जन्म लेने से,
बराबरी करने से , पढ़ने से और बढ़ने से ,
जब जबर्दस्ती पढ़ाते हो उसे ऊँच- नीच ,
और अंतर मर्द - औरत के बीच ,
निर्भर रहना पुरुषों पर
रखवाली और रोटी के लिये ।
सिखलाते हो चुप रहना
अन्याय के खिलाफ ,
घर की इज्ज़त के लिये ।
और उसकी इज्जत?
बंद करो यह व्यर्थ विलाप , अनर्गल प्रलाप ,
आरम्भ करो सार्थक प्रयास ,रोको हठात् ,
इस बलात्कार को कर के रोज प्रयास
अपने घर में , पड़ोस में और कार्यस्थल पर ।
मत करो इंतजार एक और खबर आने की
और फिर से यह सब दुहराने की ।

कविता, व्यक्ति और समाज

 व्यक्ति और समाज 

तू कहता मैं ना देखूं ; कैसे ना देखूं ?
तू कहता अब मत बोलो , कैसे ना बोलूं ?
तू मना करे सुनने से मुझे , तू मना करे लड़ने से मुझे ।
तू कहे ना रख इतना हिसाब ; कैसे न रक्खूं ?

क्या पत्थर हूँ ? जड़ बृक्ष कोई या गीदड़ हूँ ?
अनुभूति शून्य नर अधम हूँ या अंधा हूँ ?
क्या श्रवण नहीं या भुजा नहीं है पास मेरे
जो समझ रहा तूँ मैं इतना गंदा हूँ ।

क्या पैदा होना ,भूख मिटाना , बढ़ते जाना ,
परिवार बढ़ाना फिर मर जाना जीवन है ?
फिर कीट पतंगे , पेड़ , मत्स्य , कुत्ते , बिल्ली
से श्रेष्ठ और उत्तम मानव तू कैसे है ?

जो मानव है तो मानवता के गुण दिखला ,
अन्याय करे जो गर कोई तो बिगुल बजा ।
यदि दीनहीन पर जुल्म करे जो गर कोई ,
रक्षक बन तू शस्त्र उठा मानव बन जा ।

कविता, अनासक्त कर्मयोग

 अनासक्त कर्मयोग

रंगमंच पर खड़ा है जब कोई अभिनेता
किरदार निभाना धर्म है उसका ।
सूत्रधार और निर्देशक की दी गयी भूमिकाओं में,
उत्साह से आनंद से और प्रेम से ,
मानो हो यह प्रियतम को रिझाने का
एक खूबसूरत अचूक तरीका ।

पर रंगमंच तो रंगमंच है !
भूल ना जाना खुद को ।

कविता, ईश्वर-वंदन

 उसने मुझे बनाया , 

या मैने उसे बनाया ?
इतना क्यों सोचूं ?
क्या फर्क पड़ता है ?
हम अलग ही कहाँ हैं
एक दूजे से !
वही तो मैं हूँ !
मैंही तो वह है !
बूँद और सागर के जैसे ।
कण और धरा के जैसे ।
वृक्ष और वन के जैसे ।
मिट्टी और घड़े के जैसे ।

कविता ,जीवन-यात्रा

 

जीवन एक यात्रा है
सदा गतिमान ,
जन्म से मृत्यु तक चलती है अविराम
बदलते रहते हैं लोग और नजारे ,
कभी सच में
कभी केवल हमारी नजरों में ,
निगाहें हमारी होतीं जिसकी जिम्मेदार।

एक सफर जहाँ सब ने तय कर रखी हैं
अपनी अपनी मंजिलें , अपने अपने रास्ते ।
ये मंजिलें ही अब जीवन हैं
इन्हें तय किसने किया ?अब याद नही !
पिता , माता , दादा , चाचा ,
पड़ोसी , रिश्तेदार या कोई और ?
याद नहीं । क्या फर्क पड़ता है ?
जरूरत , विलासिता , शान , इज्जत किस लिए ?
पता नहीं याद नही !
अब केवल मंजिल पता है और रास्ता याद है ।

अपनी धुन में चलता जा रहा है ।
अचानक बगल से निकली एक तेज रफ्तार गाड़ी
चमचमाती नयी , मेरे से अच्छी , मेरे से तेज ,
यह कैसे हो सकता है ? उसकी ये मजाल ?
बढ़ा दी मैने स्पीड और कुछ ही देर में
पछाड़ दिया उसे , अब चैन मिला
लेकिन यह क्या
फिर एक निकला ? फिर से एक संघर्ष ।
जीवन , विकास , इतिहास और वर्तमान ,
देश , समाज , परिवार और ' स्वयं ' के वास्ते
मेरी मंजिल मेरा रास्ता ?

How and Why To Do Sandhya Vandana ?

What is Sandhya vandana ? What is its value or importance for a Hindu ? Who should do it ? What is Sandhya time? How is it performed ? What are the benefits of Sandhya Vandana ? 

Warning of Shastra - A Hindu is no more a dwij , if he doesn't perform Sandhya vandana continuously for three days .

Sandhya vandana (Sanskrit: संध्यावन्दन, sandhyāvandana) is a mandatory religious ritual performed, traditionally, by Dvija communities of Hindus particularly those initiated through the sacred thread ceremony referred to as the Upanayanam and instructed in its execution by a Guru, in this case one qualified to teach Vedic ritual. The Sandhyāvandanam consists of recitation from the Vedas, accompanied by ritual. These rituals are performed three times a day - at morning (prātaḥsaṃdhyā), noon (mādhyāhnika) and evening (sāyaṃsaṃdhyā).

The Sandhyavandanam is the oldest extant liturgy in world religion. As a practice, it may be descended from the much older daily Agnihotra ritual. 

Sandhyavandanam literally means "salutation to Sandhya". Sandhya, in turn, has traditionally been interpreted either as "the transition moments of the day" (namely the two twilights dawn and dusk), or as "the solar noon". Thus, Sandhyavandanam may be defined as the ritual "salutation to twilight or the solar noon".

The term sandhyā, when used by itself in the sense of "daily practice", may also refer to the performance of these rituals at the opening and closing of the day.

 The steps in the Sandhyavandan always include the following essential components:

1-Ācamanaṃ and aṅga-vandanaṃ consists of Nama Sankirtana - taking the names of the Lord

2-Prāṇāyāma is the ritual purification of internals via breathing exercises

3-sūrya-upasthānaṃ ,

4-Mārjanaṃ and punar-mārjanaṃ is a ritual self-purification

5-Mantra Prōkṣaṇam is a prayer for atonement of sins

6-Āghamarṣaṇaṃ (performed by some schools, especially Rig Vedins) is a prayer for forgiveness of sins

7-Gāyatri japaṃ is meditation

8-Gāyatri Upasthānam is a prayer to the Hindu deities Mitra (performed during the morning prayer) and Varuna (performed during the evening prayer)

9-Abhivādana is a salutory introduction offered to all deities. It usually follows a prostration to the deities in each direction (dikpālakas)

Main components of the Sandhyavandanam   

1- Poorvaangam- the preparatory:

1- Aachamanam  - Sipping water three times for purging the mind of all thoughts of ‘I’, ‘My’, ‘Mine’ for contemplation of ‘Supreme Athman”. A vow is made with all senses and mind, renouncing all other thoughts and placing trust in ‘Him’.

2- Prāṇāyāma - (Prāṇā) Breathing (āyamaha) regulation. Done scientifically, pranayama improves oxygen supply, expels carbon dioxide, helps blood circulation, improves concentration, memory power and general health.

It involves (a) inhaling (b) holding the breath repeating savitri / gayatri mantra preceded by pranava and 7 vyahrtis followed by 'shiras' thrice and (c) exhaling. {Pranava = Aum, verily the Brahman; Vyahriti = Bhuh, Bhuvaha, Suvah ... etc. 7 vyahrtis represent 'Brahman' present in all creations of 7 worlds each above and below the earth; Savithree mantra = Tat savitur varenyam ... = May Savitha, all pervasive, supreme solar deity vivify and impel our intellect in the right direction ; Shiras = ‘Oum apo..” He is water, light, essence, nectar and also the three worlds i.e., earth, intervening space and heaven. They are all manifestations of “Brahman”} Should be learnt / practiced under expert guidance.

3- Bhasma and Gopichandana grahanam - This is done as a means of protection, purification, (Bhasma contains salts that have salutary effect on our body) progression and as a symbol of brahmanism. ‘Ida Nadi’ and ‘Pingala Nadi’ merge into ‘Sushumna Nadi’ in the forehead region between two eye- brows, just above the nose. This point is considered very central to the awakening of the thought process. Hence, kumkum, gandha and bhasma are applied here.

THE Process: 

4 - Sankalpam - Taking the resolve - has the benefit of auto-suggestion (telling yourself that this is your focus for next 15 odd minutes).It should be always done after careful contemplation, in a calm and positive frame of mind mustering the will to act upon. Even when one is engaged in appeasing 'God', such act should be done with 'His' approval.

5 - Prokshanam - Marjanam This is a process of sanitizing and revitalizing body and mind. Mantras commonly used here adore water as a source of nourishment, medicines and energy ( agni, power). This awareness would encourage us to be frugal in its use & deter pollution.

6- Jalaprashanam -  Internal purification so that one becomes spiritually fit to perform ritualistic act.This is a 'Jnana Yajna' where one introspects, repents for the sins committed and surrenders to the Lord.This is done wishfully.One offers water consecrated by mantras in the fire present in the mouth – contemplating that body, mind and heart have been cleansed.Sins specified include : Mental i.e. evil thoughts, anger, Oral i.e. lies, abuses and Physical i.e. theft, prohibited sexual act, consuming undesirable food, crushing creatures under the feet. Seek emancipation of sins committed during

the day / night.

7- Aghamarshanam - Intended to drive away evil thoughts. The thought of repeatedly eradicating the evil helps overpowering 'thamasa' and 'rajasa' gunas and strengthen 'satvik gunas.With a few drops of water in the hand, chant the mantra, mentally induce 'Papa Purusha' to come out through the nose into the water and it is put away.

9 - Arghya pradanam - Experience and adore the ecstasy, panorama & panache of sunrise / sunset and express our gratitude to Him - He is our life support. Give a standing ovation to the rising sun. Take water in two hands cupped together, standing with feet together, facing Sun-God. Recite savitri mantra and make the offer thrice.This is a form of oblation. Water is easily accessible, most valuable and complete offering one can normally be making.

10 - Gayatri japam -The stated objective here is complete emancipation of sins. Meditate upon the solar deity - Sooryanarayana- a visible form of divinity He is the absolute spirit settled in the lotus heart of all beings.He is the Parabrahma. He is the Paramathma. Repeat Savitri mantra at least 10 times (108 if possible), in complete faith and reverence, silently, concentrating on the meaning of the manthra : May Savitha, all - pervasive, supreme solar deity vivify and impel our intellect in the right direction.

11 - Upasthaanam - Attaining proximity to the Lord. Adoring Him. Being one with Him. Typical prayers are: (1) May Agnideva to whom we offer soma juice in the performance of Yajnas, destroy our internal enemies like anger, lust etc. Just as the boatsman takes us from one side of the river to the other safely, let Him help us cross over all difficulties. (2) May Rudra ( the one with three eyes, a celestial aura & the one who fortifies) release us from the cycle of rebirth and lead us to sublimity.

Dikdevata-vandanam - Prayers to Indra, Agni, Yama, Nirutha, Varuna, Vayu, Soma, Eeshana, Brahma and Vishnu. They are witnesses to all our deeds. The ideals represented by each of them will provide a direction to us in our march ahead.

12 - Abhivadanam -Touching ears is symbolic- they act as a gateway of knowledge. Expression of gratitude to the teachers (rishis) for transmitting divine wisdom to the next generation. It is customary to mention the name, gotra and pravara. This is an apt introduction too.

Samarpanam -Note that the entire process was undertaken with an intent to please Him as per His directions. The fruits of such act are also placed at His disposal. He distributes them equitably. A philosophy of total surrender to Him is embedded here. This can only mollify our pride and implant humility.

13 - Kshamapanam - Seek pardon for acts of omission / error that might have been committed by chanting three of His names thrice.Even with best of intentions and utmost care, inadequacies can creep in. It pays to look back, correct mistakes and strive to improvise.

Courtesy: Wikipedia

God . Dharma . Karma . Duty . Sins . Atonement. Essential ritual . Peace .Happiness. Awareness. 

Honesty Is The Best Policy ! Really?

Honesty is the best policy. Really ?

 I am amused to see the hypocrisy of the society in teaching this common good saying to their kids at homes and schools. At schools and colleges the students are often asked to write essays on the necessity of honesty . Saints , priests, leaders and politicians are all so eloquent in their speeches on its glorification as the most cherishable virtue for all human beings.. Our scriptures are replete with instructions regarding the strict observations of this pious practice.

But the Reality is Contrary : Rampant Dishonesty 

However when we observe it closely , we see a totally different picture. There is no place where we cannot see this ubiquitous social illness called dishonesty. Whether we have to get our birth certificates or death certificates from the municipal corporation or we want a job in a government department ; whether we are planning to get a driving license or admission to some government schools or colleges , we are bound to have a taste its bitterness .. It has become so normal that we appreciate a young man who has successfully got a post or position where he may manage to accumulate some money through the use of this ' skill '. I have seen people glorifying a person's wealth without ever  bothering about how it has been made .

It is ironic that we want honesty from others and complain that there is too much corruption and dishonesty but when it is our own turn to show clean ,we are unable to resist the urge of making some money like others . Here we forget that we should ,' Be the change we want to see in others . ' 

Is there no one honest ?

I do not say that there are no honest people . There are many indeed . We can put them in three categories on the basis of the degree of their honesty . 

1 - The first category belongs to those people who are absolutely honest and nothing can budge them from their path of truth . They are very few and they are the upholders of the purity and conscience of our society . The goodness of the society is still preserved only because of such people .

 2 - There is the second category in which there are those who are honest but only partly and selectively . They are of volatile nature . They may move up or down to whichever category and it depends on situations and stimulation . They need guidance.

3 - There is another  third category of people who are totally immersed in rank dishonesty and they are perfectly ok with their guilty conscience inasmuch as it is not pinching them .

It's not of much use to talk about the people of the first and the third categories for there is little left for improve in them. The third category is worth our attention for they hold the greatest possibility to change for the better. This article is especially addressed to them. We shall here discuss the subject in question from a very practical point of view .

Honesty : What is it ?

Let us understand what honesty is. We know that it has two connotations . The first is the positive one which denotes the  quality of being truthful . The second connotation hints at a negative meaning as not lying to anyone . We are all born true and honest humans . Look at a child how truthful and honest he is . The true nature of a person is pure truth . We are happiest in the company of an honest person .

What is dishonesty?

Whereas dishonesty is lying to others and our own conscience , due to greed or fear or some other reasons . It is resorting to untruths for some selfish purpose. Often dishonest people think that their act is unnoticed by anyone .If they think so they are committing theft. If they don't care about being noticed it is robbery. That is more dehumanizing.

Why do people become dishonest ?

Some people are honest by nature and some are under some fear or compulsion . If fear is the reason to make someone honest and truthful , it is the character of a slave or a  beast . 

Now we should take up the question as to why a person born as a true , honest and pure baby starts walking the path of dishonesty in the course of his growth.What pulls or pushes him or her to be dishonest ? You will not disagree if I say that the ultimate goal of all human activities is happiness . Happiness which is permanent and without any guilt . The beginning of this soul-destroying journey often starts with the assumption that it may give that coveted happiness . It often starts  with some very innocent incidents . When a child steals some sweets kept secretly by his mom and asked , he tells lies . When he copies answers from the answer sheets of another student sitting beside him in the examination hall he is practising it.When he tells lies to his parents about his studies , friends , relationship etc and feels guiltless and innocent instead of regretting . Then he moves to serious incidents . He learns to get his work done through bribing. He then finds no wrong in accepting bribes if offered. Then he learns to find different ways to fleece the poor and needy people. He starts to change both internally and externally to fit in his own world which is to a great extent his own creation. His beliefs , values and principles change to suit this foul mental and emotional world of which he becomes a feelingless , thoughtless and hypocrite member. Maybe now and then his conscience pricks him but he learns to ignore and suppress it . As his values have changed by now , he uses the ill- gotten money . It is not a difficult guess on what type of things he would splurge his money. His goals are pleasures , entertainment , show-off , domination  . He spends it to show off his false sense of superiority . He is prone to falling prey to alcohol and adultery . He never stops to listen to his own inner voice. He is afraid of it . And it is needless now to say that the path of spiritual evolution is a distant dream for him .

What can we achieve through dishonesty ? 

After talking about his gradual fall and degeneration let us see if he obtains the real goal for which he made these compromises . The real goal , as we discussed at the beginning, is indisputably true happiness . Has the money created through dishonesty been able to buy him happiness?  Can he say that he lived a life of peace and bliss ? Can he claim that his dishonesty has provided him with any advantages ? Can he talk about his life openly and publicly without any shame and regret ? Can he teach his own children to emulate him in their lives?

 The answer to these questions is a clear  NO . Such money can never buy happiness . Yes it can buy some momentary pleasure but no real happiness. Peace he can never get as it is a state of an honest mind and true conscience.

So far as its advantages and disadvantages are concerned let's take an account of its gains and losses . Mostly it aims at short term gains of money , position and facilities and at long term gain of peace and bliss.  It may indeed bring money , position and some facilities but peace and bliss are beyond its range . No,it would be better to say that peace and bliss are opposite to dishonesty. 

Now look at the losses which are many . It , right at the time of its emergence, causes spiritual restlessness and with persistent practice pollutes everything from body and mind to soul . It sets the examples of such bad character which the people around are encouraged to follow and an endless chain of dishonest people are born and perpetuated. It brings disrepute and restless mind with short term guilty pleasures. It is an obstacle to one's spiritual evolution . 

Is it worth the price ?

 God  is present everywhere and knows everything. He sees and hears everything. Nothing is hidden from Him as he sees even the imperceptible thought waves rising and flowing in our minds .Just for some meaningless mirage of short term material pleasure which is never fully  attainable and quenchable , we can not afford to sell our soul . It is in fact a bad deal leading to our total doom. 

Considering carefully the pros and cons , advantages and disadvantages , costs and benefits of this deal we find it abhorable and despicable. Dishonesty is proved to be one of the worst policies and honesty retains its previously held celebrated position of being the best policy. I would like to conclude it now with some famous quotes .

"Honesty is a very expensive gift. Don’t expect it from cheap people.” Warren Buffett

"Speak with honesty, think with sincerity, and act with integrity.” Anonymous

“The foundation stones for a balanced success are honesty, character, integrity, faith, love, and loyalty.” Zig Ziglar

How To Love

Love

 How to love ? It appears to be a question too simple and common to receive our serious attention . But it's not .It demands a little more careful thinking.It is a greatly important issue. But before this question one should ask a few far more essential questions such as : What is love ? Why do we really need to love ? What is the purpose of loving someone or something? What can be the best object of our love ? By getting answer to these basic curiosities we will move to the question of how to love .

Love is joy 

It's a kind of pleasant feeling which fills our mind and heart when we like someone or something . Everyone wants it . It is real wealth. It makes its host happy and content as well as active and caring . It expands the boundaries of hearts . It inspires a self effacing attitude . It fills everything around us with colours   . With it flies the time with utmost speed . It makes us forgetful of the boring grossness and pains of life . It is a quality of Divine who creates , maintains and destroys to create again a new and more beautiful world with His loving hands . It is a quality of our real self which is , essentially , in its original nature , a part of the Divine .

Limited love limited joy , unlimited love unlimited joy 

We are happy to see a person , place or thing that we love . We are happier to see more people, places or things that we love . We are happiest if we love everyone, every place and everything without exception. A limited love gives limited joy but an unlimited love gives unlimited joy . 

 The good news is this that it can be learned and spread

If it is clear that love is joy so who will not wish to possess it ? Everyone wants joy so everyone will have to learn to love . This is also clear that with a little conscious effort and practice we can learn the art of love which can make our living fantastic . It takes only an aware attitude . If we inspire and teach others as well to do so , it may promote a culture of love and happiness. 

The purpose of Love

As is true with other human activities , love also aims at happiness and joy .

How to Love

1. Know as much as possible about the lovable and loved ones
2. Know and care about their needs , pains and pleasures.
3. Don't miss an occasion to show your love by doing something for them .
4. Be generous. Don't be miser .
5. Have less expectations . Be ready for more sacrifices.
6. Know that the fruit of love is joy and right at the moment it is born in your heart it starts blessing you .
7. Never get complacent . Always treat it as fresh and new .

How To Handle Mind For Success And Happiness

Son of a rich man committed suicide after a failure in his business . A student killed himself after an unexpected failure in his exam . A slum boy became a famous author . The daughter of a rickshaw puller became an  IAS officer . One of the two sons of Mr. Sharma is a teacher but another has become an alcoholic and a source of troubles to his family . Often we have seen that a single event has different effects on different people. The same event can encourage a person but discourage another .In a classroom some students are attentive and meritorious but some others are dull and restless. What makes the difference ? Isn't it the mind ? How does mind play its role in shaping the personalities  of people ?

It's a proven fact that it's the mind which makes all the difference. All of us do have it but very few know it . Very few still  are aware of its role in our day to day life . It's a powerful tool which should be handled with care or it can play havoc very easily. But its proper handling needs the knowledge of its structure and functioning more than the sheer willingness. Once we understand what it is made up of , how it functions and how to take charge of it , 99.9 % of our problems will go away . Imagine what can happen if a sharp knife is given to a child ! Come on ,let us understand it .

There are five states of mind .

1. Moodha state  - When the mind is dull and lazy . Like in drowsiness and on Sundays
2. Kshipta state - Restless , thoughtless . Occupied with the activities only . No sense of purpose and mindfulness.
3. Vikshipta state - Occupied with some special goal and activity . Scientists , philosophers , professionals  , scholars are examples.
4. Ekagra state - Focussed and concentrated mind  . With larger attention span.
5. Niruddha state - Complete control over mind . When we can handle our attention at our will .

Control is the key to development .
The greater control we have on our mind , the higher we have the chance of  development and evolution . Even the animals can be trained to acquire control over their mind by their trainers .it is seen in circuses , police and military .Also their poor mental control is used against them in trapping and hunting them . It is a mark of evolution in human beings.

Controlled instinct becomes reason. Reason under control becomes inspiration . Inspiration under control becomes realization.

Understand the mind

So it is clear that the control of mind is the key to success . However before knowing how to get that control we must understand the mind itself. According to Yogic psychology mind is the flitting thoughts on awareness . The thoughts manifest in many forms such as emotions, drives, impulses, attitude, etc. In order to control the mind, the control of thoughts is a must . What decide the content of mind ? These things can be categorized in three groups based on the three inlets which are their entrances.

There are three inlets to mind .

1 - Five senses - sight , hearing, smell ,taste, touch . The sense exposure to different objects decide, in great measure ,our thought world . So the first step is to have a conscious control of  senses .

2- Activities - Our activities create deeper impressions on mind which go beyond the conscious layer . So conscious control of our activities is the second step .

3- Memory - Every past experiences are stored as impressions on mind . They form tendencies or samskara . They reside in the subconscious and timely surface as memory on the conscious mind . The conscious mind may forget the long past events but the subconscious mind remembers everything . Even cells keep the genetic memory . Look , even if we haven't seen our great grandfather or grandmother , their memory is retained by our body in various forms , like a resembling nose or resembling eyes or a chin .

A Closer View Of The Mental World
Now let's have a closer look on the mental world . There are two important terms to know . Vritti and pratyaya .

1- vritti - It means mental fluctuations . 

2- pratyaya - It means thought .

An ordinary mind is characterized by unstable vrittis and dissimilar pratyayas .A focused mind is characterized by a stable vritti and dissimilar pratyayas . A concentrated mind has stable vritti and similar pratyay . Non fluctuating vritti rising and falling at the same point with same pratyay is the characteristic of a meditative mind .

Attention Creates The Wonderful Difference Among People

A concentrated mind is the result of a high degree of attention. Through the power of attention we can acquire a concentrated mind . Attention is our own property. We become conscious of only that thing we pay attention to . It is our attention which maintains the stability of our vrittis and decides our pratyay . Attention is a steady beam of our consciousness generated by our will . It is totally in our hands to direct it to some point and maintain its stability there. Attention has two undercurrents , awareness and will . The first requirement is our willingness . If we  want , we shall become aware . Then we have to maintain this state of awareness deliberately .

A concentrated mind can do wonders while a scattered mind is  not of much use . As a concentrated beam of light can perform many miraculous and wonderful activities like surgery, cinema , cutting stones etc. , the concentrated mind also can be made to do desired work in a more successful way . When the scattered light of the sun is concentrated through a special kind of glass , we have seen in our school days , its heat increases multiple times and it can  even burn a piece of paper very easily.

A Focussed Mind Is The Key To All Success . How To Acquire Control Over Our Minds ?

Thus it is indisputable that we should strive to have the required power of attention which will pave the way to our development as a truly aware and evolved human being. In its process, having understood the way how the mind functions and what it consists of , we should diligently set aside a few minutes daily for its practice . The practice may include any of the various methods prescribed in our scriptures or by an able teacher . One of the most powerful methods is to watch the movement of our thoughts and to  try to remain detached from them . At the same time we should feel our true identity as an awareness completely different from the thoughts, scenes, feelings etc .

It has the power to fill our life with perennial and boundless happiness. And the happiest part of it is that it is possible and that too takes only two things which we already possess : awareness and will . We are just a wish away from our life goal , bliss . Isn't it we are all looking for ? So what are we waiting for ? Come on . Let's attain it .