So whats really needed in life? (contd from previous)

Its surely been such a long time since I last posted. It seemed almost as if this blog had enough of posts and has shut down permanently. 'Magar Picture abhi bakhi hai dosth!!' ;). This is actually going to be a continuation of quite a serious article written previously "Is knowledge alone sufficient in life?"

Who all in this world know very well and clearly what they want in life and from life. Very few people actually know what they want in life. We all simply say we want to be happy, live a very comfortable lifestyle, not have problems and want to get everything we wish for.  Nobody actually knows  what is going to happen in future, life's twist and turns. For e.g. Superstar Rajinikanth would never have imagined that he would be worshipped by so many people one day and that he would become such a popular hero. We never know whom luck favours. So no one must be underestimated.

Elders say hard work, perseverance,  determination and persistance can help achieve what we want in life. Again all this must be done at the right time, in the right bent of mind. One must not work hard to destroy the other person's work! Again right kind of action applying all the knowledge learn' t so far to seek more and find more.

The question is 'What is necessary to solve all life's problems?'  That extra special something. Man cannot determine the fruits of all his labour, he can aim, he can have ambitions and aspirations but ultimately what he gets is never under his control. There is something above man which controls, from which all living creatures derive their energy from. Man must open himself to this superior force. It is this superior force which will solve all man's problems which when invoked will help man attain the ultimate perfection and goal in life.

So what is really needed in life is to develop BHAKTHI or devotion. It is very much necessary in today's problematic and hectic lifestyle. Doing something with all faith and devotion leads to the right kind of action which will again lead to attainment of true knowledge. So the base is Bhakthi. Many great spiritual leaders have spoken in detail about this. Bhakthi is like a key to open yourself to the superior force. Bhakthi is strengthened by faith in yourself and faith in this superior force. We must consciously be devout. Devotion does not confine to performing pujas, being ritualistic etc but extends to all actions that one performs. Many people especially in the Western countries be quite devout in their work without actually knowing that they have opened to the superior force. That is why for easy access we give a form to the force and we simply and lovingly call the force as God. 

Performing any action consciously for the sake of God is the right kind of action and leads to perfection and knowledge. If I mumble in my sleep that I need water, will anyone pay attention? I must be fully awake and alert and say that I need water then only will someone hear me and fulfill my request. Similar is the case with God. We must be constantly aware of his presence and dedicate everything we do to him. That is the only solution to all our pressing problems and that alone gives us true bliss.

darkness to Light-Journey

All are stuck inside a dark room.

Billions:  Move about aimlessly banging against each other and banging against the walls. They neither know nor try to find out the door to Light.

Millions: Go the wrong way, open a trap door and fall into more darkness. Unless they realise that they have gone wrong, it becomes impossible for them to escape out.

Thousands: By chance find a torch light, but before they start to use it, the battery power eventually dies out and they are again engulfed in darkness.

Very few: Without fear truly search and never give up. They have unshakable faith that there is a way out of the room of darkness and are ever ready to lead and guide those who are truly wish to follow them.

It is time now to introspect and think to which category we wish to belong. Not a moment to be wasted!

Parents-Love them with all Thy might!

I am quite in the sentimental mood right now. I just now watched a movie called Bhoothnath aired on Sahara One. Actually I was reluctant to watch it for a long time thinking it was too childish for my taste. But I was wrong. I don't wish to write a review of the movie now for that is not my purpose. Whatever I try to do, say, experience, I try to make some inner meaning out of it. My friends would make fun of me. They often feel I take everything too seriously. Well, not everything, at least not what they think!

'Rasa' and 'Bhava' are two of my favourite words in Samskritam. Rasa means sentiment and Bhava means feeling. These two words define who we are and how we are seen by others. I liked the rasa part of the movie I watched today and the rasas are love, affection, caring and respect towards elderly especially our parents.

It is very good to have high prospects and be ambitious in life, aiming for extreme comfort, prosperity and joy. How many children just leave their parents here in India neglecting them if not totally at least partially and go abroad? We all expect our parents to listen to us always and the ego we derive especially from being financially independent causes us to have so many arguments and fights with them. We must always try to make our parents happy, thats what we are born here for and it should be done not for duty sake alone but with genuine love, care and affection.

Dealing with people especially the elderly is a real challenge, I know! They will have so many preferences, tastes, habits which they will not be willing to give up whatsoever but we should never lose patience for they had never lost theirs to bring us up to the stage we are now.

I am often so rude to my parents. I shout at them, I misunderstand them, get irritated with them. I should change myself. I should have complete faith and trust in them. They always seem to forgive me for all that I have said and the wounds that I have caused them. That makes me feel even more bad and miserable.

I have not seen the Gods I worship sometimes. With my half baked faith I imagine that The Almighty is present and guides me throughout my lifetime. At present, I am beginning to feel more and more that Love is God and God is Love. God is 100% my parents who pulls me up during my times of trouble.

There is a beautiful poem by Rabindranath  Tagore titled 'Upagupta'. It is easy to be with a person when he or she is very prosperous and is very happy. The person who stays, lends a shoulder in times of trouble, who showers unconditional love upon you is the one whom we call as God. It can be anyone in life, but for me God is in the form of my parents and for me to have true faith in God is to have faith in my parents.

There is no point in going to a religious place and worshiping in a ritualistic manner a thousand Gods if you neglect, disrespect and disregard your loved ones. Hope I keep this etched strongly in me and follow this thumb rule throughout life.