“Bhagavad Gita”, 6th Chapter

Verse Number 5.

Utthareth Athmana Athmanam Na Athmanam Avasadhayeth

Athmayeva E Athman Bandhu Athma Yeva Repu Athman.

One should raise oneself by one’s Self alone; let not one lower oneself; for the Self alone is the friend of oneself, and the Self alone is the enemy of oneself.

This is a Fatalism negating sloka.

Friends and enemies are not outside. They exist in the mind only. It is the mind that makes a friend an enemy and an enemy a friend. Therefore, the Self alone is the friend of oneself, and the self alone is the enemy of oneself. The lower mind or the Asuddha Manas (Impure mind) is your real enemy because it binds you to the Samsara, and the higher mind or the Sattvic mind (Suddha Manas or the pure mind) is your real friend, because it helps you in the attainment of Moksha.

Four types of grace, which are very important for us, are Eswara Grace, a culture that values Spirituality; Guru Kripa, which is an opportunity that enables you to get a guidance from someone; Sastra Kripa, which is an opportunity to study the Scriptures and understand what is spiritual life; Atma Kripa, which is the grace of oneself (self grace). We require learning from ourselves. It is in the form of Self confidence. Believe in yourself and tell yourself that you can follow the spiritual path and attain spiritual success. Eswara Kripa can do nothing for you, if you do not have self confidence. You should believe in your freewill. As a human being, we all have freewill and using our freewill, we can change our life. The first thing to be noted in spirituality is to renounce fatalism. We should not say that because of fate I am what I am today. Fatalism believes that faith is the only factor that determines our future life. Lord Krishna Negates Fatalism. There is no doubt that faith determines our future. It is not the only factor but it is one of the factors. We can use our freewill and change our future by the contribution of the freewill. We should have faith in Freewill. Having Self will is an important value. With self confidence and available freewill, I can influence my life confidently. The next is Self effort, which is putting your own effort in whatever you do. Have a healthy mind, which is your best friend. Always tell yourself that you can do it with the grace of lord. Integrate them for accomplishing Artha, Kama, Moga and Dharma.

Be Blissful

S.SEKAR

Contact: sekrajc@yahoo.com

           

WHO IS THE REAL WARRIOR

Who is the real Warrior?

Idumbaikku idumbai paduppar idumbaikku

Idumbai pada-a thavar

This Kural is from the chapter idukkaN azhithal; meaning not losing hope or not feeling miserable or sorrow when misery comes. Those who do not get upset when misery arrives, bring misery upon misery itself.

Only those who stay, fight, and overcome their problems are warriors in the truest sense. 

“They give sorrow to sorrow who in sorrow do not suffer sorrow”. (kural 623). That is the essential quality any one needs, after all.

S.SEKAR

Contact: sekrajc@yahoo.com

STORY MUST READ!

One day a farmer's donkey fell down into a well. The animal cried piteously for hours as the farmer tried to figure out what to do. Finally, he decided the animal was old, and the well needed to be covered up anyway; it just wasn't worth it to retrieve the donkey.

He invited all his neighbors to come over and help him. They all grabbed a shovel and began to shovel dirt into the well. At first, the donkey realized what was happening and cried horribly. Then, to everyone's amazement, he quieted down.

A few shovel loads later, the farmer finally looked down the well. He was astonished at what he saw. With each shovel of dirt that hit his back, the donkey was doing something amazing. He would shake it off and take a step up.

As the farmer's neighbors continued to shovel dirt on top of the animal, he would shake it off and take a step up. Pretty soon, everyone was amazed as the donkey stepped up over the edge of the well and happily trotted off!

MORAL:
Life is going to shovel dirt on you, all kinds of dirt. The trick to getting out of the well is to shake it off and take a step up. Each of our troubles is a steppingstone. We can get out of the deepest wells just by not stopping, never giving up! Shake it off and take a step up.

Remember the five simple rules to be happy:

1. Free your heart from hatred - Forgive.

2. Free your mind from worries – Mostly never happens.

3. Live simply and appreciate what you have.

4. Give more.

5. Expect less from people but more from yourself.

You have two choices... smile and close this page,
or pass this along to someone else to share the lesson

S.SEKAR

Contact: sekrajc@yahoo.com

INTELLECT OR HARD WORK

An entertaining story, if assumed auto-mentor, will motivate you:

During a robbery in Guangzhou, China, the bank robber shouted to everyone in the bank: "Don't move. The money belongs to the State. Your life belongs to you."

Everyone in the bank laid down quietly. This is called "Mind Changing Concept” Changing the conventional way of thinking.

When a lady lay on the table provocatively, the robber shouted at her: "Please be civilized! This is a robbery and not a rape!"...This is called "Being Professional” Focus only on what you are trained to do! When the bank robbers returned home, the younger robber (MBA-trained) told the older robber (who has only completed Year 6 in primary school): "Big brother, let's count how much we got." The older robber rebutted and said: "You are very stupid. There is so much money it will take us a long time to count. Tonight, the TV news will tell us how much we robbed from the bank!" This is called "Experience.” Nowadays, experience is more important than paper qualifications!

After the robbers had left, the bank manager told the bank supervisor to call the police quickly. But the supervisor said to him: "Wait! Let us take out $10 million from the bank for ourselves and add it to the $70 million that we have previously embezzled from the bank”. This is called "Swim with the tide.” Converting an unfavorable situation to your advantage!

The supervisor says: "It will be good if there is a robbery every month."
This is called "Killing Boredom.” Personal Happiness is more important than your job.
The next day, the TV news reported that $100 million was taken from the bank. The robbers counted and counted and counted, but they could only count $20 million. The robbers were very angry and complained: "We risked our lives and only took $20 million. The bank manager took $80 million with a snap of his fingers. It looks like it is better to be educated than to be a thief!" This is called "Knowledge is worth as much as gold!"

The bank manager was smiling and happy because his losses in the share market are now covered by this robbery. This is called "Seizing the opportunity.” Daring to take risks!

So who are the real robbers here?

S.Sekar

Contact: sekrajc@yahoo.com

What is your View about doing nothing?

I have learnt a Lesson on what happens if we do nothing.

Read and Enjoy!!!!!!!

A crow was sitting on a tree, doing nothing all day. A small rabbit saw the crow, and asked him, "Can I also sit like you and do nothing all day long?"

The crow answered: "Sure, why not." So, the rabbit sat on the ground below the crow, and rested.
All of a sudden, a fox appeared, jumped on the rabbit and ate it.

Management Lesson: To sit and do nothing, you must be sitting very, very high up.

We can see an Analogy as given under:-

I wish to clarify the word 'Nothing' to all for better understanding.

If one has to reach the top he has to put in enormous effort and stretch himself over and above what he can do and be focused and be passionate about what he is doing. This will take time and effort and thereafter after some point one reaches the top. By now he is thorough with the understanding of the organization and the environment he is working with and also gets to know the people around him. 

After one reaches the Top slot, he will not do any work by himself but will think, think and Think all the time and also Take Decisions, which will cost the organization heavily if any wrong decision is taken. Hope you understand better. 

By nothing is meant less or no physical work and more of work in the mind. 

Thank you for your kind understanding. 
Best, 
S.Sekar

Contact: sekrajc@yahoo.com

Working together Works - Aligning Capabilities

RECEIVE WITH GRACE

For living a happy and peaceful life, one has to do his Dharma (duty). At the same time, we should become a contributor and not a consumer. The joy of giving is very much more than when you take from others. I gave chocolates to the young school going kids in my area and I got more joy when I saw them eating the same with happiness. Giving gives you more pleasure than taking and you have to experience the same by yourself.

At the same time, we should learn to receive things from others with grace. We need not feel inferior or diminished as receivers nor do the givers become superior in any way.

Khalil Gibran in his famous book The Prophet succinctly says that while it is the nature of a bee to suck honey from a flower, it is the nature of the flower to give the honey. Thus, neither is inferior or superior to the other.

Karna’s nature is always to give others and Seedhakkadi vallal (lived in Kilakarai) gave a golden ring to a poor man even after his death. As the legend goes, the great philanthropist Seedhakkadi the generous, is said to have donated his ring to a poor man even after his death. The poor man approached him a bit late when his body was in the burial ground and Seedhakkadi, the dead body, stretched its hand towards the poor man offering him the ring on its finger.

When we receive from someone, it is very likely that we begin to feel indebted. Thus, we either try to quickly give back and repay the obligation or continue to live with a sense of indebtedness. What we do not realise is that it is as much the giver’s need to give as it is ours to receive. We are not diminished by receiving nor does the giver become superior. When the fruit is ripe, it falls to the ground and does not ask the ground whether it is ready to receive. So also, we must recognize that the giver also has a need to share, to give and discharge his or her obligation.

As a receiver, we must learn that there will come a time when we will also have to give and if we only nourish the thought of indebtedness, we will never be able to give with a full heart. If we cannot receive with an open heart, with genuine thanks and belief that it is our right to receive, we will never give back with the same alacrity and gratitude.

Receiving therefore, does not make me less of who I am, nor does giving make me superior. Each role has a part to play in maintaining the balance of life, for if there is no one to receive who will we give to? Likewise, if there is no one to give us where can we receive from?

The next time we receive, let us recall Gibran’s wise thought and celebrate the reception, in so doing we will be able to rejoice when we give.

Perhaps one thing we can keep in our mind is that we should give more than what we take. Our thought may be oriented such that we try to give a lot more that what we get from others. The joy that you will get while giving has to be felt by you because ‘Joy’ cannot be measured and must be felt (experienced) by the person.

Can we say that let all of us “Give and Take” as the saying goes. May be giving more than what we take will be the appropriate thing to do for getting immense Joy and maintaining the balance of life.

Be blissful.

S.SEKAR

Contact: sekrajc@yahoo.com

IMPORTANCE OF MEDITATION

The Hindu society is a duty-based society. In Europe, we can see right based society. The duties of the husband become the right of the wife and vice-versa. A karma yogi does not bother about others who may not do their duty, as they are not under his control. Appreciating others is our duty but expecting appreciation from others is not our duty. Performance of duties will elevate me spiritually.

Ideal preparation for meditation is karma yoga way of life. Doing karma yoga is ideal for Upasanam and Nithithyasanam. We use our mind for worldly activities and for meditation. A good sleep is a medical exercise. I have a control over action and not have control over the consequences. I am ready for any consequences for which I prepare my mind. Mind is ready to live in the present. Karma yoga helps us to live in the present during meditation. Krishna talks about meditation exhaustively in the sixth chapter of Baghavad Gita. When disturbances are milder, they do not stay longer. When disturbances are more, they alone come to the mind when I close my eyes. Samatvam/ equanimity of mind is required. In spite of provoking the mind, you should have equanimity of mind and maintain the mind to be calm. Krishna taught karma yoga in the 2^nd and 3^rd chapter of Gita. In the 6^th chapter, he praises a karma yogi householder so that it serves as an incentive to him and for others to follow him. He hypes a Grihasta by saying that though he is a householder externally, he is a Sanyasi. Krishna says traditional Sanyasi (sit still and close eyes) is not a real Sanyasi. A householder who performs karma yoga is a Sanyasi.  As per Krishna, he who is engaged in performance of duties as a karma yogi is a Sanyasi. Arjuna should be a karma yogi and fight a righteous war.

How can a householder karma yogi be called a Sanyasi? A Sanyasi has to renounce something. Krishna says that a karma yogi also has renounced. Because of that, he deserves the title Sanyasi. He is a Sankalpa Sanyasi. He has renounced Sankalpa (Obsession with the future). He does not think I am doing all the duties to my family. Will they take care of me in the future? Dharma is the real security. Dharmo rakshati rakshitaka (Dharma protects those who protect it). One who does not renounce Sankalpa is not a Karma yogi. Whoever wants to practice Atma Dhyanam should follow Karma yoga way of life and practice Shravanam and Mananam. A person who wants to do Vedantic meditation should be a karma yogi. When he learns to dump worry about his future and learning to maintain equanimity in all pairs of opposites (Life’s ups and Downs) he will be ready and the mind will be available for meditation. Mind can withdraw unwanted things by following karma yoga way of life. You have to reform your mind enough for meditation and thereby you can concentrate on teaching.  Develop a love for something (Concentration Meditation). Repeatedly listening to Vedanta as a source of Joy, Security and Happiness will give you peace of mind, which will gradually gravitate towards that.  

In the 6^th Chapter of Gita Baghavan is discussing exhaustively on the topic of meditation. (Bhagiranga Sadana). It is a preparatory meditation. Our day-to-day transactions will go smoothly. The best emotional cushion that a person has is dedicating all our actions to the lord. Whatever experience I have been forced to go through will be readily accepted by me. It is having an equanimous mind. Initial Spiritual growth is by doing an activity (Contributory activity) and by following karma yoga way of life (Doing Pancha maha yagna). Spiritual philosophy says giving is success. Material philosophy says taking is success. We have to do this (giving) initially when our physical body is fit and I can contribute with ease. Our sense organs are also fit in our initial years. We should remember that contribution leads to purity. Bhagirmuga life to Antharmuga life is required. All of us have Icha Sakthi (desire to take). Humans only have Icha Sakthi, Gnana Sakthi and Kriya Sakthi and not animals. Animals go by their instinct only. A human being has the capacity to explore things. The growth of a human being is in the refinement of his desire. Desire for taking will be replaced by the desire for giving. Initial desires are Artha and Kama (Wealth and Sense pleasures) just as a child’s desire for toy, which is only natural. As we grow spiritually sense pleasures also to be outgrown (withdrawn). When a human being grows out of worldly petty desires and gets interested in spiritual life, he starts to say I have better things to do in life. When fancy things come he starts nipping them in the bud. When he has renounced all thoughts, which generate various sorts of desires for the objects of this world and of the next, then he is said to have become a Yogarudha.

Four types of grace that are important in life are eswara kripa (grace), guru kripa, sastra kripa and atma kripa. Eswara grace is possible with a culture that values spirituality. Brain is a machine through which the mind operates. Electricity operates through visible fan. Mind operates through visible brain. Brain perishes. Mind survives. Religion tells us the way of life; How to live? (Karma yoga, Upasana Yoga). Spirituality tells us the purpose of life. Why we are born? (Gnana Yoga). Guru Kripa offers an opportunity to get guidance from someone. Sastra kripa offers an opportunity to study the scriptures and understand what spiritual life is. Atma kripa is the grace of ourselves. We require learning from ourselves. It is in the form of self-confidence. I should tell myself that I can follow the spiritual path. I can attain spiritual Success. If I do not have self-confidence, eswara kripa can do nothing for me. I /You should believe in my/ your freewill. As a human being, we have freewill and with freewill, we can change our life.

The first thing in spirituality is to renounce fatalism. Fatalism believes that faith is the only factor that determines our future life. Krishna negates fatalism. Faith determines our future. It is not the only factor but it is one of the factors. We can use the freewill and change our future by the contribution of freewill. Have faith in freewill. Self-will is value number one. Having Self-confidence and with available freewill, I can influence my life confidently. Self-effort in self-integration of the personality is required. Always say I will be able to uplift. Never down grade yourself. Say I can do it with the grace of the lord. In kathopanishad, Krishna compares life with a journey. Integrate them for accomplishing Artha, Kama, Moga and Dharma. Healthy mind is the best friend.

Be blissful

S.SEKAR

Contact: sekrajc@yahoo.com