Sunday 20 January 2013

Thai- Month of overflowing Grace


Pongal Greetings from Net
||Aum Sri Ramakrishna Sharanam||

 

Aum Namo Narayanaya

 

It was another proud moment in the history of our country when African nations congregated in Johannesburg yesterday to inaugurate the African Cup of Nations to be held over the next month in South Africa. It was mesmerising to watch the colourful pageantry of the contesting nations as they showcased their unique cultures and customs to the varied audience, telecast all over the world. The rich finery of costumes and adorning ornaments, each unique to the different nations, was in itself a fashion display, showcasing the richness of Africa.

 

As Indians, we also have our own unique customs and traditions that emanate from the different regions of India. As much as we understand that we are all one, we appreciate the contributions of these different traditions to the collective culture of India. The South Indian community which draws its inspiration from the region of Tamil Nadu celebrates two very wonderful festivals in January.

 

It is not common to hear at the crack of dawn the bellowing screams of Pongal-o-Pongal here in the suburbs of South Africa, but the air weighed heavily in South India with the aroma of boiling rice over an open fire and the screams of Pongal-o-Pongal as the brew boiled over the earthen pots. Amidst the smoke from the log fires and the fume-dense-air from the automobiles, families gathered all clad in new clothes and inspired thoughts to give thanks to Surya (Sun God) and the farming implements -  which includes the live-stock, for the bounty of the harvest.

 

Although very much ritual-based, I ponder the spiritual angle of this vibrant festival towards our evolution.. If you travel in countries afflicted with drought and shortage of food, it will be virtually impossible to see wastage of food or water. Hence the symbolism of the overflow of the pongal is to highlight the abundance that the Lord has provided.

 

I recall this story from the net, not confirmed if true, but relays a wonderful message to mankind. There is a very instructive incident involving the life of Alexander, the great Macedonian King. Alexander, after conquering many kingdoms, was returning home. On the way, he fell ill and it took him to his death bed. With death staring him in the face - Alexander realised how his conquests, his great army, his sharp sword and all his wealth, were of no consequence.

 

He now longed to reach home to see his mother’s face and bid her his last adieu. But, he had to accept the fact that his sinking health would not permit him to reach his distant homeland. So, the mighty conqueror lay prostrate and pale, helplessly waiting to breathe his last. He called his generals and said, “I will depart from this world soon. I have three wishes, please carry them out without fail.” With tears flowing down their cheeks, the generals agreed to abide by their King’s last wishes.

 

“My first desire is that,” said Alexander: “My physicians alone must carry my coffin.” After a pause, he continued; “Secondly, I desire that when my coffin is being carried to the grave, the path leading to the graveyard be strewn with gold, silver and precious stones which I have collected in my treasury.

 

The King felt exhausted after saying this. He took a minutes rest and continued. “My third and last wish is that both my hands be kept dangling out of my coffin.” The people who had gathered there wondered at the King’s strange wishes. But no one dare bring the question to their lips.

 

Alexander’s favorite general kissed his hand and pressed them to his heart. “O King, we assure you that your wishes will all be fulfilled. But tell us why do you make such strange wishes?

 

At this Alexander took a deep breath and said: 

 

“I would like the world to know of the three lessons I have just learnt. I want my physicians to carry my coffin because people should realise that no doctor can really cure anybody. They are powerless and cannot save a person from the clutches of death. So let not people take life for granted.

 

The second wish of strewing gold, silver and other riches on the way to the graveyard is to tell people that not even a fraction of gold will come with me. I spent all my life earning riches but cannot take anything with me. Let people realise that it is a sheer waste of time to chase wealth.

 

And about my third wish of having my hands dangling out of the coffin, I wish people to know that I came empty handed into this world and empty handed I go out of this world.

 

Alexander’s last words: “Bury my body, do not build any monument, keep my hands outside so that the world knows the person who won the world had nothing in his hands when dying.

 

In the same manner, fuelled by the fires of the world, we create an abundance of worldly wealth which eventually like the pongal-pot overflows right back into the fire. Like we learn above, we come into this world with nothing and will leave with nothing. As Swami Vivekananda said: Rust not your life away. Therefore, from the festival of Thai Poosam we learn that we must balance our life. Yes... secular knowledge and wealth creation is important... but it must be balanced with spiritual development which will help us to distribute our wealth in a manner that will bring us immense peace, whilst living in this world (kavady).

 

Living near the airport, it always intrigues my mind how a plane which weighs a million times more than a stone can fly through the air, yet a small stone that fits in my palm fails to stay in the air for more that 2 seconds. It is purely by the shape of the aeroplane that it can soar through the air. Aptly, Sri Ramakrishna says: let the body be bent on account of divine love for God alone. This will help us brew divine love and compassion that can be shared with all.

 

May these inspirational festivals continue to remove us from the fires of worldliness and help elevate us to higher planes of consciousness, is my sincere prayer.

 

With love and prayers always

Yogan 

Sunday 13 January 2013

Clouds of Comfort


|| Aum Sri Ramakrishna Sharanam||

 

Swamiji
Aum Namo Narayanaya

 

The days leading up to the milestone 150th Birth Anniversary of world renowned and celebrated Swami Vivekananda lived true to its nature when the scorching African sun belted everything into a stunned retreat. The scathing heat could be heard as it cracked the ground and sucked out the life from plants, reducing them to an acarpous dust. Everything stood picture-still as even the wind dare not challenge the supremacy of the midday sun.

 

Sustained by the residue of energy that was not consumed by the unrelenting summer days, I went to bed on the eve of this auspicious day with much anticipation to observe and celebrate the life of a perfect soul, who even if Mother Saraswathi Herself sat for eternity to write His virtues would not be able to do so.

 

My journey to the deepest realms of sleep were interrupted in the early hours of the morning by melodious notes of rain drops as they wrote a symphony in honour of the universe's favourite son; the King amongst renunciates; saviour of the weak, poor and downtrodden; and inspirer of man to reach his full potential of divinity. This celestial sound strummed a resplendent feeling in my heart as I thought: “O gracious and merciful Swamiji - even as you occupy our universe subtly, you demonstrate such a vast sense of compassion for us, that you have come as the rain clouds taking the full brunt of the sun on your back so we may celebrate your day in comfort and joy.

 

If we have to put it in a crude manner, we can say that every hour of Swamiji's life was a dissipation of His life’s breath - which infused vigour, strength , knowledge and man-making ideas into society. This was His legacy: to work ceaselessly until every man raises himself to the realisation that he is one with God. His superb ability to distill the various intricate and high philosophies and confluence them into a practical Vedanta, made the gateway to liberation accessible to the illiterate, poor, and even the atheist.

 

As many might see the the 150th Birth Anniversary celebrations as a culmination point of various activities to showcase and highlight the life and teachings of a modern day saint who crystallised the ethos of Vedanta globally, I feel that this celebration merely pivots us on a fulcrum of introspection to clearly understand how we have been entranced in a sense of static piety.

 

Once again He whose eloquence in disseminating spiritual truths - our revered Swami Vimokshanandaji Maharaj - who has never even failed to intrigue the dust particles in the air, shared with us two important ideas on this auspicious celebration. The first being growth: like we all having started in kindergarten and eventually completing tertiary studies, it is vitally important that our character and spirituality also evolves to a higher level. The other very important theme was that we must strive from being a sympathy-based -society to an empathetic-society. How Swamiji shed tears and His heart bled for the pain and suffering of others, stems from the knowledge that everything in this universe is one and part of the supreme person being God. This understanding ignites the spiritual dynamism needed to put in motion the machinery of actions that will raise society and humanity from the clutches of low self esteem and weakness to walking with heads up knowing that they are kinsmen to Rama and Krishna.

 

The attraction to Swami Vivekananda's words and teachings stems not from Him cutting and pasting ideas from literature and scripture, but is derived from realisations that are couched in the bosom of life-changing experiences that moulded His character and mental constitutions from man to God-Man. Being born in a wealthy aristocratic family, circumstances found Him begging for food barefoot in the villages of India and  feeling the devastating blows and punches that life could offer; He resolved to face life head-on with the armour of His Guru's grace.  It is this palpable and tangible Vivekananda who lived and proved the capabilities and potential of the human birth is what inspires young men and women all over the world.

 

Real change in the world will come when: sympathy transforms to empathy; when the lawmakers not understand but feel the pain and suffering of the citizens; when the politicians not understand famine and hunger but feel the pangs of the starving - then a shift in the trends of the ardhamic order will be seen.

 

Swami Vimokshananda also mentioned that in the parlance of the Ramakrishna order, the affectionate term of Swamiji is assigned to Swami Vivekananda alone - and when people refer to them as Swamiji they feel rather embarrassed, as they are being compared to this great luminary and towering personality who shook the world.

 

In the same light we should all, irrespective of who our Ishta Devata or Guru is,  evaluate our contributions towards taking their ideals to the world and making it practical and living embodiments of their work. We should not use the word devotee loosely but make a concerted effort to earn that title. In this 2013, let us resolve to become sincere and true ambassadors of our spiritual ideals. Let us become that rain- cloud that shelters the weak and infirm from the scorching heat of their previous karmas. Let us be the rain that quenches the thirst and hunger of the starving millions. Then alone our worship becomes practical.

 

I bow sincerely to my revered Swamiji and pray that He makes us worthy instruments in His mission to make man understand His true divine nature of being one with the universal truth Brahman.

 

With love and prayers always

Yogan

 

Sunday 6 January 2013

Buffet Society


||Aum Sri Ramakrishna Sharanam||

 

Aum Namo Narayanaya

 

So here I am in 2013, which means that the world didn’t end as expected on 21/12/12, so I take this opportunity in wishing you and your families a blessed and spiritual 2013. With so many systems of thought, scientists etc. still trying to ascertain the cause and beginning of the universe... then, how is it that one can decisively claim the time to the end of this creation? As students or aspirants of Vedanta, we gather confidence from the experiences and realisations of great Yogis to know that we are nitya (eternal).

 

Although we have migrated into the New Year, some incidents in the last few days of the year gone by still leave a bitter taste in my mouth... so much so that like the summer heat, it evaporated portions of my faith. I refer to the horrific gang-rape incident in India - bringing to light the cracks and erosion in the fabric of many societies. Many have asked: but this occurs everywhere and why does this incident trouble you personally? I think more because I have looked to India as the bastion of all that is noble and moral. Being the custodian of ancient truths; and rich, noble and lofty ideals of perfection, I always thought that she will lead by example.

 

Land of the Ganga and Himalayas; and touched by the feet of Gods and holy men -  today lays siege to crimes of passion. All these thoughts started to form clouds of despondency and rain heavily upon my ideas that India will show the way. However, the Lord did not let me cross into 2013 in such a state, and enlightenment came in the form of springs by Swami Vimokshananda, and the readings of Swami Vivekananda which re-hydrated my faith and encased it secure in the loving grace of the Divine.

 

On 30 December 2012, Swami Vimokshananda corrected my first error. In His Tirukurral class on that day, He shattered my misconception that God was partial. In seeing India as the holy land or God's chosen land would mean He did not have any interest in the other countries. Why then should we worship a partial God?  But God is not partial and all are seen equal in the eyes of God.  The next question that will logically follow is why then did Ganga, Kailas and so many avatars come to India when this entire creation comes from God alone? The answer simply is: they prayed for it. Through the great tapasya and austerities of Yogis, who had a burning desire to find God, India has benefitted (from their sacrifice).  

 

Swamiji (Vimokshananda) on Kalpatru Day (1 January) then put my remaining doubts to death when He said... this entire world is a kalpana (a dream /it is not real). We must not place emphasis on all that is unreal but concentrate on the only real which is Brahman (God). In that moment, all fell into place and everything made sense. In my study of Swami Vivekananda's life, I have constantly come across reference to the eternal India. His reference was not to the physical land which was being decayed by time, plagued by poverty, disease and other challenges that come with having a population exceeding a billion.  Swamiji, Himself being the awakener of the world, used India as a metaphor, for divinity.  Man, who has 3 tendencies according to Swamij,  (animal, human, divine), the sole aim is to manifest the divinity within. If we break-up the word India into two [in- internal] and [dia- light], it refers to that divinity which is within.

 

Swamiji once said to His brother disciple: “I don’t know anything about your religion, all I know is that my heart is expanding." Once after 3 days of continuously speaking to a group of people without being offered even a glass of water, a nearby cobbler having seen this approached Swamiji with the intent of offering Him food. He was so afraid of being punished by the King, because of  being a low caste and offering a Sannyasin food, he offered only the ingredients so that Swamiji could prepare it Himself. Swamiji heard nothing of it and asked him to prepare the meals for him. After this experience, Swamiji declared that in the huts of the lowly lives the eternal India.

 

When we manifest the divinity that is within us, from our hearts will gush forth compassion, love, respect, honesty, integrity, truth and peace - all of which the world seems to be lacking in huge proportions.

 

We have become a buffet society, drawn by the horses of our senses. Infatuated by the colours, scents and tastes of the variety of dishes, we pile our plates even with things we can’t eat... all out of greed resulting in obesity, chronic diseases and laziness.  In the same way... we expose our lives to unnecessary attractions, dulling our minds, allowing it to become a breeding ground for base thoughts and actions.

 

Like in a restaurant where the best dishes are never on the buffet menu, and are always A’la Carte distinctly marked SQ; divinity comes by special order only and can only be enjoyed by those who have worked for it.

 

Therefore for 2013, it should be our intent to clear all the weeds and debris that occupies our heart and restore it to its glory of being the home of God.  Take advice from Sri Tulsidas to clean the mirror of our minds, so that it will reflect the God in our hearts. It is then, and only then, will we start to see the eternal India 'rise like the phoenix from the ashes' of years of misery in every nook and cranny of the world.  The Ganga will flow in every land, giving rise to Jyothir Lingas on every continent. Shivas shall then walk upon the earth.

 

May this year, the year of Swami Vivekananda bring awakening and illumination to every man, so he may understand his true nature, is my sincere prayer.

 

PS: Be sure to tune into Radio Hindvani this weekend for special programming dedicated to the 150th Birth Anniversary of Swami Vivekananda.

 

Durban: 91.5 I PMB: 102.3 I  Audio-Stream: www.hindvani.co.za

FRIDAY, 11 JANUARY 2013:  10-11am  I  SATURDAY, 12 JANUARY 2013: 6-8am     

SUNDAY, 13 JANUARY 2013: 6-9am  I  MONDAY, 14 JANUARY 2013: 6-7pm

 

Multimedia Clips, Live Interaction with Swami Vimokshananda, Themed Music, Messages By Swami Vimokshananda , Swami Saradaprabhananda & Pravrajika Ishtaprana Mataji, Tributes By Youth Of The Ramakrishna Centre & Sri Sarada Devi Ashram, Audio Documentary: The Story Of Swami Vivekananda - The SA Perspective, Plans & Programmes of The Ramakrishna Centre of SA in 2013,   Book Giveaways, Readings from The Gospel Of Sri Ramakrishna, Discourses on the Relevance of Swami Vivekananda’s Teachings in The 21st Century.   

 

 

With Love and Prayers Always

Yogan