Tuesday 7 December 2021

How to know my inner calling or Swadharma


Why should I know my inner calling? 
To act according to one’s own taste, inborn & natural, is the way to live in peace & joy, in success & satisfaction. “To act against the grain of one’s own inner calling, would be acting in terms of Para-dharma & that is fraught with danger” Bhagavad Geeta Chapter 3.



How do we find our inner calling or Swadharma(term used in the Bhagavad Geeta)? There is no magic wand or a magical potion or a mantra to know it. Exploring talents, asking people, taking psychometric/aptitude tests etc. can definitely help. But what is most important is to look within, ask the right questions and think about them sincerely. 



What is Swadharma?  

It is the meeting point between Temperament, Talent, Passion, Need, & Service.


Temperament:

Am I Sattvik/Rajasik/Tamsic predominantly?  

Am I an introvert or an extrovert?

Am I a thinker/leader/entrepreneur/worker?
Predominantly I am logically/emotionally/physically oriented?


Talent:

What am i really good at?

Survey wide fields of talents, cultivate small ones.  
Explore different classes/courses/clubs/fields etc.  


Passion: 

•What interests me?

•What are my greatest strengths? 

•If there are no obstacles, restraining factors or possibilities of failure, what would I choose to do with my life?

•What gives me a sense of purpose?

•If money were no obstacle, what would I spend my time doing?

•What are the things that I do effortlessly and lose the sense of time?

•What activities make me like myself?

•What would I be happy doing for the rest of my life regardless of what I am appreciated for?  

•What is that where the work itself is the reward?
•Who are the 3 people who inspire me the most?

•What inspired me when I was 5 – 10 years old? 11 – 16 years old? 17-21? 22 to 25? write down separately for each age group. You may find something common. 





Better is one’s own ‘duty’(swadharma) though devoid of merit, than the ‘duty’ of another well discharged.  Better is death in one’s own swadharma, the duty of another(paradharma) is fraught with fear & dangerous.  -  Geeta Ch.3 verse 35


Need:  

•How can I monetise my passion to earn a living?

•What kind of life-style will make me happy?

•Can I work under someone or I need to be independent?

•What is the big need in my life, my family and how can I help?

•Do I like to be steady or Im ok with frequent changes?





Service:

•How can I best help and serve others?

•What is the need in the world? How can I contribute towards it?

•What do I want the world to remember me for?


Did you find common trends across your answers? If so,  this could be a good indication of your swadharma. Do what is natural to you.  Avoid comparisons.  You don't have to 'fit-in' or compromise.  Happy exploring. 

Explore more details in the YouTube link given below: 




























Sunday 12 September 2021

Is Ganesha Real?


Myth 1: Ganesha is only symbolic, not real.
Fact: what is your definition of real? What you see is real? Sky is blue, oceans are blue, earth is flat, mirage in the desert, snake on the rope…all are seen but not real. Atom, Quantum consciousness etc are not seen but they exist. Perceptibility js not the only criteria to determine Reality. What is changeless in past, present and future is Real. Everything in this world changes. Consciousness or which illumines this, is changeless. Ganesha is that Consciousness. Ganesha alone is Real truly. Rest is all an imagination.

If our form is real and world appears real to us, then Ganesha's form is also real. The reality of God's form depends on the reality we have given to our form. Think!


Myth 2: Ganesha exists only in imagination
Fact: Dream is only imaginary but appears real. When one is in a dream, waker appears imaginary. Upon waking up one realises what is real and what is imaginary. This ego is imaginary & Ganesha is Real. But right now it appears opposite. That is Maya.
So many historic devotees, sages have had darshan of His Form. Eg. Avaiyyar from Tamilnadu, Morya Gosavi from Maharashtra etc.

Myth 3: Elephant head on human body is impossible
Fact: It definitely appears so. If we can resize photos, make caricatures and play around using filters and masks, what is not possible for the Supreme Lord from whose mere thought the whole creation manifests? Elephant’s head can definitely be resized and fit on a human body by the Supreme Lord.

Myth 4: Hindus are primitive
Fact: Hindu way of life has been most loving, accommodative, eco-friendly, accepting Divinity of all beings, very scientific and rooted in knowledge. Time and again it has been proved when the world has adopted so many Hindu practices. Covid also proved it. Namaste, washing hands, burning the dead, ayurveda, pranayama, yoga etc. are just a few examples. Change your primitive thinking about Hindus.

Myth 5: Ganesha is not a Vedic God
Fact: Read the Ganapati Atharvashirsha Upanishad and several other mantras of the Vedas which indicate Ganesha as Consciousness, Creator, Sustainer, Destroyer and also having a specific form with an elephant head. The form of Lord Ganesha is also described in the Ganapati Atharvashirsha Upanishad along with the mantra to invoke HIM - Om Gam Ganapataye Namaha. Enclosed are some of the other Vedic Mantras about Lord Ganesha

  
May Lord Ganesha help us to overcome the obstacle of skepticism and strengthen our faith. 

Thursday 2 September 2021

Why should one perform Abhisheka of a Shivalinga ? Is it not a waste of resources?

 

10 reasons why Abhisheka on Shiva-linga is beneficial  

  1. Why waste milk in abhisheka on Shivalinga? It is not wasted. It is distributed as charanamrit. If this is not being done in some places, it should be started.  Even the water that is offered on the linga if it is excess, then it is offered to plants etc.  
  2. Still, why waste it on a stone when there are poor and hungry people? We never ask:  What about smashing cakes on faces on birthdays, champagne-fizz celebrations for a win/success, wasting food in each meal and much more. No doubt we should not waste resources.  As mentioned in point 1, we distribute it as charanmrit and also feed it to the animals etc. The problem is selective standards.  We have different standards for ourselves and for the Divine.  
  3. All said and done, it is stil a stone right?  No it is not. For a devotee it is God.  A photo is not a piece of paper for the mother, it is her child.  A flag is not a cloth for a soldier, it is his country.  Let us have a deeper understanding.  
  4. How does it benefit me? When one invokes devotion and does the abhisheka, it makes the mind positive, invokes surrender to the higher and removes negativities. 
  5. Why is water always dripping on a Shivalinga from a pot on a tripod?  When we love someone we constantly think about them, imagine relating to them and visualise about them. Love and remembrance go together. The more we think about the beloved, the more love rises in our heart.  Abhisheka represents constant flow of thoughts towards the Lord.  We express our gratitude and devotion to the Lord through Abhisheka.  Its a prayer to the Lord that may our Minds be single pointed in devotion to the Lord. May we have Ananya-Bhakti.  What we continuously think about, we become that.  Its psychology also.  
  6. Why so many different items are offered? Each item offered has a symbolic meaning. It helps to cultivate some virtues and drop some vices.  
    • Milk: Holistic nourishment and purity
    • Ghee: Love for the Divine and offering away our attachments
    • Curd: Patience & consistent effort.  Nothing seems to happen on the surface but the milk turns into curd overnight because fermentation is happening within.  
    • Honey: Symbolic offering of results of actions. 
    • Sugar: Cultivating sweetness
    • Haldi: To inculcate good health
    • Chandan: Invoking forgiveness in us and speading fragrance to others
    • Kumkum: Invoking the mental powers and strength in us
    • Lemon Juice: Offer all pungent experiences to the Lord
    • Bhasma/Ash:  Invoke Detachment 
    • Coconut water: Offer the ego and taste nectar of immortality
  7. Does God need all this?  Definitely Not. It is our feeling of love.  We can give without love but we cannot love without giving. The best within us must be poured out in seva at the feet of the Lord.  Abhishek not only sanctifies the Murti, but it also purifies our mind.
  8. Why offer so much? We want to offer the best to God. Anyways, everything belongs to God. Each one can offer as per their devotion and capability.  
  9. What is the spiritual significance? The greatest and the highest Abisheka is to pour the waters of pure love on the Lord in one's heart.  Continuously when external abhisheka is done, it eventually leads to internal abhisheka on Atma-linga. Devotee thinks of the Divine constantly and realises oneness with the Divine. 
  10. It is said the Alankarapriyo vishnuhu Abhisheka-priyah shivaha.  Lord Vishnu likes Alankaar and Lord Shiva likes Abhisheka.  We always want to please the beloved by doing what he/she loves.  Lets all come together to offer our gratitude and devotion to Lord Shiva through Abhisheka.

Monday 1 February 2021

Strength is Life




The essence of spirituality is conveyed by this one word – STRENGTH. The Upanishads also speak about strength. “Naayam Aatma Balaheenena labhyaha”- Self is not attained by the weak.  Swami Vivekananda said, “strength is life; weakness is death. Expansion is life; contraction is death. Love is life; hatred is death”. Tremendous amount of inner strength is required to choose the path of spirituality, to walk the path, to sustain on this path and to reach the final goal.  Swamiji’s family was in dire poverty, his sister committed suicide and yet he did not leave the spiritual path and the vision of awakening the masses to their true glory.  

“I want muscles of iron and nerves of steel, inside which dwells the mind, made of the same material as that of the thunder bolt” said Swami Vivekananda at a time when our whole country was steeped in stupor(Tamas). To bring the country out of this stupor, in a context he even said, “You will be closer to heaven by playing football than studying the Gita.” This great spiritual master had tremendous strength, which reflected in his efforts to rebuild this nation. 

Swami Vivekananda's life was an example for how inner strength, mental courage and intellectual clarity contribute to success.  There are so many people who say, 'just be good and do good in life, why bother so much about spirituality?’  Arjuna, despite being a 'good person', collapsed. So, we know that it’s not enough to be good alone, it’s important to be spiritually good.  In the most troublesome situations, a person who is spiritually anchored knows how to deal with it, will not lose balance, will face the situation, and will never become a victim. On the other hand, in spite of having everything, a person who has no inner strength, collapses. Inner motivation, inner strength, inner resilience and mental equipoise are invoked in us by spirituality. 

True spirituality encourages us to be courageous, confident, clear and cheerful. ‘To live with the positive attitude that I can face whatever life brings. I will not be an escapist, neither a victim, nor continuously blame people and circumstances’. A strong mind takes charge, never complains and is ready to act. With this spirit, Swami Vivekananda too served selflessly and fearlessly. His definition of an athiest is ‘One who does not believe in himself.’

Seeking inspiration from Swamiji's life, let us also invoke inner strength and act fearlessly. Using the acronym 'HIGHER', let us remind ourselves to push ourselves higher with these six pointers. Swami Vivekananda said, 'throw away all weaknesses. Tell your body that it is strong.'  We actually visualise being weak, being sick, being helpless. One has to visualise strength and good health. Tell your body it is strong, tell your mind it is strong and have unbound faith and hope in yourself.  Let's consider the acronym 'HIGHER': 

'H' is for 'highest goal’. Dr.A.P.J Abdul Kalam said – “Small aim is a crime.”  To think big is not just in terms of targets and money.  How does my work impact the world and make it a better place, transforming lives is the measure of small aim or higher aim.  Higher the vision is, the greater is the inspiration.

'I' is for 'in line with swadharma'. To identify one’s temperament, core competency and to be true to oneself is Swadharma. It helps one to integrate one’s Body-Mind-Intellect. In modern speak— it is simply, ‘do what you love and love what you do’.  Andre Agassi & Sachin Tendulkar are successful sportsmen but the former did not love tennis & the latter loved cricket.  Which type of success is better? Think!

 'G' is for 'greater fortitude'. When life hits hard, those with spiritual strength rise higher. High goals will have higher obstacles. But we need perseverance and fortitude not to give up.  A weak mind will always question, 'Can I do it? Must I do it? Will I be able to do it?' What does a strong mind say? 'We can! We must! We will!’- Swami Chinmayananda.   
Swami Vivekananda used to say, 'to succeed, you must have tremendous perseverance, tremendous will.  “I will drink the ocean”, says the persevering soul; “at my will mountains will crumble up.”  Have that sort of energy, that sort of will; work hard, and you will reach the goal.'  This perseverance comes from one’s conviction and love for the goal.
  
'H' is for a 'happy team'. The crux of team work is that we are able to let go of the individuality in the vision of the total. It means to commit oneself to selfless work. See the joy of selfless work! When we let go of this small i, there is a flood of inspiration in the heart. That is called teamwork, or as the Bhagavad Gita reveals, yajna spirit.  Swami Vivekananda was a team player. In just 5 years(1897-1902) he established the Ramakrishna Mission which is a global spiritual organisation today serving millions.   

'E' is for efficiency. Research shows that multitasking is a myth and it only reduces our efficiency. Swami Chinmayananda said, ‘Bring your mind where your hands are.’ Do everything with complete attention.  Swami Vivekanandji encouraged everyone,  ‘Take up one idea. Make that one idea your life - think of it, dream of it, live on that idea. Let the brain, muscles, nerves, every part of your body, be full of that idea, and just leave every other idea alone. This is the way to success.’ 

'R' is for Result acceptance. Results are just an effect, action is the cause. Focus on the process and enjoy the process, the results will automatically accrue. Whatever results come, accept them with gratitude. This is called prasada buddhi.  Don’t get overwhelmed with disappointments or failures & don’t engage in drugs, depression etc.  Have the resilience to bounce-back.  

So, this is our acronym for strength  
H – highest vision
I – in line with swadharma
G – greater fortitude
H – happy team
E - efficiency
R – Result acceptance 
 
There is also a simple 'T20' formula to achieve this. Exercise for 20 mins a day, meditate for 20 mins a day and study some spiritual literature for 20 mins a day. It will empower us at the body, mind and intellectual levels. Integrate all of them, achieve great success and happiness.