Karmic Kandy

Holy Mother- Pic Google Images

The boldness of the sun does little to deny the advent of Summer. Here in South Africa, there is tremendous anticipation, with Diwali behind us and examinations nearing its tail end, it can only mean holiday season is on the horizon. The feast commenced with a spiritual and divine entre served out in epic proportions by the Ramakrishna Centre of South Africa-Durban yesterday to a packed Playhouse theatre. The gathering was in honour of the 75^th anniversary of the centre incorporating the 150th birth celebrations of sister Nivedita. The well-orchestrated and planned celebrations highlighting the work of the centre over the past 75 years that fitted hand in glove with the principles laid down by the its founder in chief Swami Vivekananda. Sister Nivedita spoke to these principles when she said,” Can we not cultivate in our children and ourselves a vast compassion? This compassion will make us eager to now the sorrows of men, the griefs of our land and the dangers to which in these modern days the religion is exposed, and this growing knowledge will produce strong workers, working for works sake, ready to die, if only they may serve their country and fellow men. As a little exercise for yourself take a little time to contrast the work of the centre to the above in the fields of education, character development, humanitarian, spirituality and self-development and you would come to understand and appreciate its relevance in our society today.

Diwali may have passed but the fireworks continue here in the SADC region of Africa. The two weeks preceding yesterday began the end of the tyrannical dictatorship rule of former Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe. In an unprecedented flow of events, the military enacted a bloodless coup to precipitate a smooth constitutional transfer of power from the despot.

I was scrummaging for ideas for a while now but nothing captured and inspired my thoughts worthy of inking until these recent events. Sitting in contemplation, the sporadic arrangement of events and information slowly started to organise and pivot themselves around a profound quotation of Holy Mother. Mother said: “My child, it is a great fortune to have a human birth. One must call on God wholeheartedly. One should practise hard. Is it possible to achieve anything without intense discipline?”

Holy Mother’s question: “Is it possible to achieve anything without hard work?” With emphasis on the word “anything”. Being the embodiment of the universal consciousness, Mother does not differentiate but simply pronounces the universal law. Reducing the statement further, it can be put forward simpler to mean “you reap what you sow”.

In analysing the life of ex-President Robert Mugabe and many other kleptocracies around the world, it dawned upon me that for a minority to be able to take control of the majority and thereafter loot and pillage the resources of the nation, cannot simply be a walk in the park. It requires serious hard work and discipline. In further analysis, one would uncover that none of these corrupt leaders paid by any means for their atrocities… if anything, they amassed huge amounts of wealth and lead luxurious lifestyles whilst their people continued to perish.

We are thus presented with a dilemma. We have two choices: we can either follow the way that is prescribed by our scriptures and value-based literature or we can adopt the approach of the tyrants. What is the motivation then to pursue the convention of morality when the tyrannical path brings absolute power, unlimited access to resources and luxury in epic proportions? This is no figment of our imagination as we witness right before our eyes how the criminal elements, drug dealers and gang bosses known very well to the communities plying their trade with impunity and living in opulence at times even better than the person on the straight and narrow path of morality.

Many arguments support the path of tyranny. Our lack of empirical knowledge of the afterlife and the unconvincing theories of post mortem liberation brings us to the now of conscious experience of the world around us. If we can have the better life in this experience at any cost, why not?

This age and time of Kali seems to shovel doubt on our beliefs and posit an alternative to dharma. However, like the impressive telemarketing promotion, the offer is literally too good to be true. The universal laws of love, compassion, empathy, humanity and altruism can never be circumvented.

I came across this intriguing story that put forth a powerful argument against selfishness and greed which forms the substance of tyrannical leaders. A reporter once asked a farmer to divulge the secret behind his corn, which won the state fair contest year after year. The farmer confessed it was all because he shared his corn seed with his neighbours. Why do you share your best corn seed with your neighbours when you are entering the same competition each year, asked the reporter? Well Sir, said the farmer, don’t you know? The wind picks up the pollen from the ripening corn and swirls it from field to field.

If my neighbours grew inferior corn, cross pollination would steadily degrade the quality of my corn. So, if I am to grow good corn, I must help my neighbour do the same. The farmer thus gains his edge over the competition through special care in soil preparation, weeding, irrigation, tender love and care, and hard work.

So, it is with other situations in our lives. Those who want to be successful must help their neighbours, friends and relatives to be successful. Those who choose to live well must help others to live well, for the value of a life is measured by the lives it touches. The welfare of each is bound up with the welfare of all. Swami Vivekananda proclaimed that “there is no salvation for the self unless all are free”. Therefore, He made the most selfless statement when He said: “May I be born again and again and suffer a thousand miseries so that I may worship the only God that exists, the only God I believe in, the sum of all souls, and above all, my God the wicked, my God the miserable, my God the poor of all races, of all species is the special object of my worship”.

The valuable lesson we take from is that by practicing adharmic tendencies, we are weakening ourselves, and like Robert Mugabe and in the instance of the farmer… it is those next to you or in your proximity who will determine whether you flourish or not. Being altruistic and practicing Vasudhaiva Kuttum Bakkam and Ubuntu to ensure the welfare of all will create fertile ground for your sadhana to bring exponential growth for your own personal development. As Mother said: “hard work and discipline will attain success”. In further qualifying this point, hard work and discipline in sync with the universal laws of divinity will allow you to attain sustainable success.

The ensuing month of December (the birth month of Holy Mother) gives us the opportunity to study the life of Holy Mother and extract the profound wisdom from her simple actions that demonstrate practically the universal laws for blissful living. Mother is all compassionate and the provider of unsolicited grace. May Mother bless us all, is my sincere prayer!!!

Jai Ma!!!!!!!!

With love and prayers always,

Yogan

Incense becomes Essence

In dedication to Most Revered Srimat Swami Atmastanandaji Maharaj



Gurudev- Pic Google images

 

The blaring horn does little to interrupt the rackety din of the tuk-tuks as they jerkily manoeuver through the narrow lanes and gullies of the village side. It’s 6.30am but it’s difficult to distinguish noon from night -aside from daylight breaking through the seam of dawn- because the mercury fails to dip below the 38 degree meniscus. The absence of the monsoons is quite evident by the unsettled air teeming with coarse sand particles rising off the unpaved roadways.

 

Behind the low-roofed thatched homes filed neatly along an eye line… lies many busy courtyards contributing towards the thriving incense home industry. The finest ingredients collected from the length and breadth of the vast woodlands of tribal India are skilfully and efficiently turned into divinely beautiful incense sticks neatly packed into an array of differently decorated boxes waiting to praise a deity in some altar or to just infuse an environment with a lively aromatic scent.

 

A few hundred miles away in a crowded metropolis pulsing with brisk trade, can be found sophisticated sheened shop fronts, elegantly packed shelves of incense being demonstrated and shown off by eager and perfervid salesman striving to make targets. Standing before such an assortment is indeed a muddled and jumbled experience with the banal use of adjectives failing to accentuate the veracity of the product.

 

It is only when the overzealous salesman one-by-one exposes your olfactory system to the variety you come across that one scent that gives you confidence, releases your anxiety and gives you an overall sense of wellbeing... hatching sanguine, sublime, sterling thoughts and intentions within.

 

The great and eminent characteristic of this ordinary looking incense stick is that the scent -although initially only accessible when you are in contact with it- once ignited, the divine fragrance after permeating the sacred altar and prayer room slowly starts to infuse into the entire house and all its contents and eventually even the outer surroundings of the house and road gets engulfed by the cosmic redolence. My mind becomes divinely inspired not only in the prayer room but in the lounge, bedroom, kitchen and even as I take my coat and walk to the car making my daily journey to the office.

 

Today, it is with a deep and profound sense of sadness that I think back eight years to one of my first blogs written on my Gurudev: Most Revered Srimat Swami Atmastanandaji Maharaj - on the occasion of the ensuing Guru Purnima celebrations. It was with ebullience, euphoria and exuberance that I put pen to paper to describe to the world my Revered Gurudev.  Today, it is 10 days after Gurudev left the body… and my pen flows with grief.

 

A highly venerated and respected senior Monk of the Order, Most Revered Srimat Swami Atmastanandaji gave impeccable and deific leadership to the Ramakrishna Math and Mission. To have the blessed opportunity to take spiritual initiation (mantra diksha) from such a saintly persona was indeed for me a great blessing. Maharaj’s fatherly affection, love and compassion was unwavering and relentless amidst His strained schedule and diary. I recall His letters and responses penned with such endearment and detail even to the most trivial of enquiries. Maharaj’s clarity of though and profound spiritual understanding was vividly reflected in His sage and practical counsel.

 

Today, our world is in a better place having being propped up by the teachings and legacy of a spiritual giant who has practically and palpably reinforced the wisdom and message of Vedanta. Having come under His spiritual guidance and tutelage… although feeling a tinge of sadness due to the physical separation that has occurred between Maharaj and us… I feel a sense of spiritual emancipation knowing that just nine days ago we lived 8000km apart and today Gurudev permeates every atom of the universe. The incense has become the essence. 

 

Today, I feel closer and more connected to Gurudev than ever before… feeling His presence in every action, thought and object. Guru Purnima thus offers a very significant and profound message this year. Respect, right action, words and thought are not applicable in front of the Guru only but needs to become integrated with our character and become a part of our being. The Guru is none other than God and is therefore omnipresent… thus we must offer our discipline and service to the world and creation as our Guru and teacher.

 

The sun never sets on spiritual luminaries like Maharaj and even a few hundred years down the passage of time, the melody of their voices will charm the hearts of millions and the indelible man-making ideas planted in the fertile minds of a few will grow unrestrained in to forests of pure consciousness that will engulf humanity and bring to life Sri Ramakrishna’s ideal of harmony in the world.

 

I offer my eternal sastanga pranaams to Gurudev and on this occasion of His Maha Samaadhi offer my petals of love, affection and devotion on His all-pervading consciousness.

 

Jai Guru Dev!!!   My best wishes and prayers to all for the ensuing Guru Purnima celebrations.

 

I remain yours sincerely,

Yogan Naidoo