I am an elderly person, and I feel like dying because I am so dependent

Q: I am an elderly person, and I feel like dying because I am so dependent.

Guruji: Life is such; you should not feel that I am dependent, and I want to be independent. See, no baby has been independent. As a baby, parents took care of you, and in your old age, your children or someone else will take care of you. So, life in the beginning, and in the end, is dependency. In between, we think we are independent but there also we are dependent on many things.
If your attention is on divinity, then you will not feel the burden of dependency, or the frustration to have independence, both will disappear. People who feel that they want to have independence, they are also frustrated. This is because wanting independence is a frustration. Come on, wake up. When you were a baby, were you not dependent? No baby thinks ‘I want to go back from where I came because I am dependent on my parents’, no! Whether in the form of parents, or as children, or as friends, the help you get from anywhere is coming from only one source, i.e., the divinity. It is only the divine who took care of you as your parents, and it is only the divine who will take care of you as your nurse, or neighbour, or friends, or anybody else. Someone will always come and take care of you, you don’t have to worry at all. This whole sense of insecurity that we build in us should simply be thrown out and burned down. Don’t think your children will take care of you. Maybe during your last breath, your servant or neighbour may come and help you, who knows? Whoever is helping you, it is not that individual that is helping you, it is God helping you in that form. Leave it to the divine energy to help you when you are in need, in whatever form. So you don’t need to feel obliged or burdened by anybody’s help. Got it? This is a big problem. We feel burdened by somebody’s help. You don’t need to feel burdened by it; that is ignorance. It is only the divine who is helping you through other people. If you have this understanding, the Advaita knowledge, then nothing can restrict your blossoming.
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Q: Is it possible to embrace death without getting bed ridden in old age. If yes, how?

Guruji: Yes. Good habits, taking care of your health, meditation, yoga, all this.
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Sit still in your inner space, unmindful of any conflict, any thought or emotion. If they come, let them come and go, and when you think, “I don’t care about how I feel”, then that will give you the strength.

Om Namah Shivay

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Attitude Is Everything

“There is only one way to happiness, and that is to cease worrying about the things which are beyond the power of our will.” –Epictetus
I can’t overstate the importance of being able to maintain a positive attitude but I’m the first one to admit…it’s not easy.

Wait to Worry

I used to worry. A lot. The more I fretted, the more proficient I became at it. Anxiety begets anxiety. I even worried that I worried too much! Ulcers might develop. My health could fail. My finances could deplete to pay the hospital bills.

A comedian once said, “I tried to drown my worries with gin, but my worries are equipped with flotation devices.” While not a drinker, I certainly could identify! My worries could swim, jump and pole vault!

To get some perspective, I visited a well known, Dallas businessman, Fred Smith. Fred listened as I poured out my concerns and then said, “You need to learn to wait to worry.”

As the words sank in, I asked Fred if he ever spent time fretting.  To my surprise, he confessed that in years gone by he had been a top-notch worrier!

“I decided that I would wait to worry!” he explained. “I decided that I’d wait until I actually had a reason to worry—something that was happening, not just something that might happen—before I worried.”

“When I’m tempted to get alarmed,” he confided, “I tell myself, ‘Fred, you’ve got to wait to worry! Until you know differently, don’t worry.’ And I don’t. Waiting to worry helps me develop the habit of not worrying and that helps me not be tempted to worry.”

Fred possessed a quick mind and a gift for gab. As such, he became a captivating public speaker. “I frequently ask audiences what they were worried about this time last year. I get a lot of laughs,” he said, “because most people can’t remember. Then I ask if they have a current worry—you see nods from everybody. Then I remind them that the average worrier is 92% inefficient—only 8% of what we worry about ever comes true.”

Charles Spurgeon said it best. “Anxiety does not empty tomorrow of its sorrow, but only empties today of its strength.”

Most of us want to be positive. It’s advantageous to possess a sunny outlook. Doors open to optimists. They make friends, earn respect, close sales, produce loyal clients, and others enjoy and want to be like them. The question is how can we do that consistently?

Om Namah Shivay

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नागेन्द्रहराय त्रिलोचनाय

षड़क्षर मंत्र “ऊँ नमः शिवाय” में छहों अंगों सहित संपूर्ण वेद और शास्त्र विद्यमान हैं, अतः उसके समान दूसरा कोई मंत्र कहीं नहीं है. सात करोड़ महामंत्रों और अनेकानेक उपमंत्रों से यह षड़क्षर मंत्र उसी प्रकार भिन्न है, जैसे वृत्ति से सूत्र. जितने शिवज्ञान हैं और जो-जो विद्यास्थान हैं, वे सब षड़क्षर मंत्र रूपी सूत्र के संक्षिप्त भाष्य हैं.

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नागेन्द्रहराय त्रिलोचनाय
भास्मंगारागाय महेश्वराय
नित्याय शुद्धाय दिगम्बराय
तस्मै ‘न’ काराय नमः शिवाय॥

मन्दाकिनी सलिल चंदन चर्चिताय
नंदिश्वाराय प्रमथानाथ महेश्वराय
मंदारापुष्प बहुपुष्प सुपुजिताय
तस्मै ‘म’ काराय नमः शिवाय॥

शिवाय गौरी वादानाब्जवृन्द
सूर्याय दक्षाध्वार नशाकाय
श्रीनिलाकंठाय वृषभध्वजाय
तस्मै ‘शि’ काराय नमः शिवाय॥

वसिष्ठ कुम्भोद्भव गौतामार्य
मुनीन्द्र देवार्चिता शेखाराय
चन्द्रार्कवैश्वनारा लोचनाय
तस्मै ‘व’ काराय नमः शिवाय॥

यक्षस्वरुपाय जटाधाराय
पिनाकहस्ताय सनातनाय
दिव्याय देवाय दिगम्बराय
तस्मै ‘य’ काराय नमः शिवाय॥

आप सभी शिव भक्तो को महाशिवरात्रि की हार्दिक शुभकामनाएँ व बधाई
आप सभी का मंगलमय हो।

Om Namah Shivay

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Why do some people look unhappy?

Life can be unfair. When trying to forget someone, avoid any intellectual analysis like why it happened to you or how could they do this to you etc.. If you start to dissect, you will only sink in deeper.  Any cogitation will only depress you more, it will drag you back to the field of memories — and that’s exactly what we want to avoid here. Trust me on this one. Simply take your mind off.

Both love and hate fetter you. You cannot forget anyone by continuing to love or hate them. If you want to forget them, you must become indifferent towards them. You become indifferent when you rise above the duality of love and hatred. Both love and hate touch our heart, whatever touches our heart leaves an imprint on our mind. It is those imprints that make up our memory store. It is for this reason that Vedic and other spiritual texts preach one to remain even. Being even is a step higher than being indifferent. Because being even is being indifferent with compassion, with empathy.

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Q: Why do some people look unhappy?

Guruji: Have you read my tweet about happiness? When you look at somebody`s face, if they don’t look happy, it is because there is a thorn of desire in their heart. Your sadness is because of the thorn of desire in your heart. If you don`t take notice of it, it will turn into sarcasm, cynicism, frustration, and anger. You need to pull it out and throw it, then you will feel uplifted and happy.

These are the four stages:
Sarcasm
Cynicism
Frustration, and
Anger
Many times we don`t notice why we are sarcastic, or cynical, or frustrated and angry. Why does this happen? It is because of this thorn of desire.
If you are angry, either you have hurt yourself or you have hurt others. If you get angry at others, you become sad and if you are angry at yourself, then also you become sad. In either case you become sad.
Many a times people don`t notice this at all. Even if one notices this, he doesn`t have the courage or willingness to remove it and throw it. If you manage to pull it out, you will find joy, enthusiasm, and contentment, and this is a siddhi (special ability).
This requires both self-effort and grace. You need to put some self- effort and then grace follows.

Om Namah Shivay

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Story of Nandikeshwara Teertha

Shiv Puraan –
Chapter 14- Story of Nandikeshwara Teertha

A tirtha is a place of pilgrimage. At a tirtha named Nandikeshvara, there is a famous Shiva linga. In a city named Karnaki there used to live a brahmana. He left his two sons with his wife and went to visit the city of Varanasi. It was then learnt that the brahmana had died in Varanasi. His widow brought up her sons and eventually married them off. She became old and it was time for her to die.

But death would not come. It seemed to the sons that their mother was hankering after something and would not die until her wish had been satisfied.

Mother, they asked, What is it that you want?

I have always wanted to visit the tirtha of Varanasi, the mother replied. But now I am going to die without ever visitng the place. Promise me that when I am dead, you will take my ashes to Varanasi and throw them into the river Ganga there.

We will, said the sons. You can die in peace.

The mother died and the sons performed her funeral ceremony. Then the eldest son, Suvadi, set out for Varanasi with his mother’s ashes. The way was long and he stopped to rest and spend the night in a brahmana’s house.

A cow was tied in front of the house and it was time for milking. Suvati saw that when the brahmana tried to milk the cow, the calf would not permit the milking and kicked the brahmana. The brahmana then hit the calf with a stick. The brahmana went away after the milking. But Suvadi was still there and and he heard the cow tell her calf, I am distressed that the brahmana struck you. Tomorow I am going to gore the brahmana’s son to death.

Next day, the brahmana’s son came to do the milking. The cow gored him with horns so that he died. But this meant that the cow had committed the sin of killing a brahmana. Immediately, because of the sin, the white cow turned completely black.

The cow left the house. Suvadi followed, amazed at this strange sight. The cow went to the banks of the river Narmada, to the place named Nandikeshvara. She bathed in the river and became white once again. This meant that the sin of killing a brahmana had been completely washed away. Suvadi marvelled at this and realized what a powerful tirtha Nandikeshvara was.

He was about to leave for Varansi after bathing in the river himself, when he was accosted by a beautiful woman.

Where are you going, Suvadi? asked the woman. Throw your mother’s ashes in the river here. This is a far greater tirtha than Varanasi.

Who are you? asked Survadi.

I am the river Gangaa, came the reply.

The woman vanished and Suvadi did as he had been bidden. As soon as he had done this, his dead mother appeared in the sky and told him that she was immensely gratified. She would now go straight to heaven.

Nandikeshvara is a wonderful tirtha because a brahmana woman named Rishika had earlier performed very difficult tapasya there to please Shiva.

Om Namah Shivay

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What is Karma?

Q: What is Karma?

Guruji: Many kinds of feelings arise within us. All these feelings propel or cause some action. So that feeling is also called Karma, and the (resultant) action is also called Karma. For example, when a desire to create arises from within you, then that desire or feeling is also Karma. The action has already begun. The moment there arises a desire in your mind, say, to build a new building, then that’s it – the work or the action has happened. It is called Sukshma Karma (action or karma at the subtle level). And then there is the Sthula Karma(action at the gross or material level), i.e., actually building . You all have heard this so many times that one must remain detached and dispassionate while doing Karma. What does it mean? It means that definitely you must act, but do not attach yourself to it, and get stuck to it because whatever impression gets imprinted on the mind becomes Karma (that one must go through).
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Do you know what is the nature of Consciousness that gets distracted in different directions? Such a person always thinks of getting something or the other; something from here, or something from there and so on. This is a sign of lack and feeling like a beggar.
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With whatever desires or state of mind you leave your present physical body, the same (desires or state of mind) determine the kind of physical body and state of mind you attain to in the next birth. That is why Lord Krishna says, “Always keep remembering Me”
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“We have to stand up for what we believe in, even when we might not be popular for it. Honesty starts with being ourselves, authentic and true to who we are and what we believe in, and that may not always be popular, but it will always let you follow your dreams and your heart.”

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Pick an issue that you believe in, and share your thoughts with a friend.

Om Namah Shivay

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राम स्तुति

भगवान राम का नाम लेने मात्र से ही जन्म-जन्मांतर के पाप धुल जाते हैं। भगवान राम को प्रसन्न करने के लिए कई स्तुतियां, मंत्र, आरती आदि की रचना की गई है। इनके माध्यम से श्रीराम को आसानी से प्रसन्न किया जा सकता है। ऐसी ही एक स्तुति का वर्णन रामचरितमानस के अरण्यकाण्ड में आया है। भगवान राम की यह स्तुति मुनि अत्रि द्वारा की गई है। इस स्तुति का पाठ करने से भगवान राम भक्त पर प्रसन्न होते हैं तथा उसकी हर मनोकामना पूरी करते हैं। यह राम स्तुति इस प्रकार है-

राम स्तुति
नमामि भक्त वत्सलं । कृपालु शील कोमलं ॥
भजामि ते पदांबुजं । अकामिनां स्वधामदं ॥
निकाम श्याम सुंदरं । भवाम्बुनाथ मंदरं ॥
प्रफुल्ल कंज लोचनं । मदादि दोष मोचनं ॥
प्रलंब बाहु विक्रमं । प्रभोऽप्रमेय वैभवं ॥
निषंग चाप सायकं । धरं त्रिलोक नायकं ॥
दिनेश वंश मंडनं । महेश चाप खंडनं ॥
मुनींद्र संत रंजनं । सुरारि वृंद भंजनं ॥
मनोज वैरि वंदितं । अजादि देव सेवितं ॥
विशुद्ध बोध विग्रहं । समस्त दूषणापहं ॥
नमामि इंदिरा पतिं । सुखाकरं सतां गतिं ॥
भजे सशक्ति सानुजं । शची पतिं प्रियानुजं ॥
त्वदंघ्रि मूल ये नरा: । भजंति हीन मत्सरा ॥
पतंति नो भवार्णवे । वितर्क वीचि संकुले ॥
विविक्त वासिन: सदा । भजंति मुक्तये मुदा ॥
निरस्य इंद्रियादिकं । प्रयांति ते गतिं स्वकं ॥
तमेकमभ्दुतं प्रभुं । निरीहमीश्वरं विभुं ॥
जगद्गुरुं च शाश्वतं । तुरीयमेव केवलं ॥
भजामि भाव वल्लभं । कुयोगिनां सुदुर्लभं ॥
स्वभक्त कल्प पादपं । समं सुसेव्यमन्वहं ॥
अनूप रूप भूपतिं । नतोऽहमुर्विजा पतिं ॥
प्रसीद मे नमामि ते । पदाब्ज भक्ति देहि मे ॥
पठंति ये स्तवं इदं । नरादरेण ते पदं ॥
व्रजंति नात्र संशयं । त्वदीय भक्ति संयुता ॥

Om Namah Shivay

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What is your opinion about religion?

Q: What is your opinion about religion?

Guruji: Religion has a role to play. Everyone is born into a religion. All the rituals in your life go through that religion. It has a limited role to play. Religion is not everything. You should be more spiritual.
When your movement is from religion into spirituality, that is more important. People who move from religion to spirituality, they bring dignity to their religion. When people move from religion to criminality, they bring disgrace to their religion. Today, this is what is happening around the world.
Today, people are not moving towards spirituality from religion, they are moving towards criminality. They use religion as an excuse to further their own agenda, and that has cost humanity a great deal.
When you move from religion to spirituality, you will find that everyone is yours. Otherwise religion divides people. In fact, within religions also, there are divisions. When you move to spirituality, not only do you unite within the religion, but also across religions.
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We should have a sense of togetherness. Even birds have a sense of togetherness, ants have it, and every living being has a sense of togetherness. They work together, live together, and be together. And we as humans are so divided into nationality, culture, religion, language, and so on.
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Q: What is the best way to attain enlightenment?

Guruji: This is THE best way. Sadhana, Satsang, Seva.
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One of Lord Krishna’s many names is Maakhan-chor (one who steals butter). When butter is formed, it floats on the surface and does not sink to the bottom of the vessel. So it is both light and extremely nutritious also. So when our intellect becomes refined and mature in this same way, then we become Sthithaprajna, i.e. one who is equanimous at all times. But one who can steal the hearts and minds of even the most equanimous ones is Lord Krishna!

Om Namah Shivay

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The Empty Boat-2

Elsewhere I wrote that anger arises when somewhere you are hurt within. Different people express their pain differently. Some shout, some withdraw. Some forgive, some forsake. Some fret, some forget. These are individual choices, personal matters. Your choice is entirely in your hands. Bear in mind though if you are going to yell in anger or keep harboring it inside you, it’ll gradually destroy your goodness like rust destroys iron. And, when inherent goodness is gone, you have no hope of being at peace.

An angry person may have whatever opinion about him or her, deep inside though, they suffer from a lack of self-esteem. And believe it or not, your sense of self-esteem is directly proportional to your degree of selflessness. The more selfless you are, the stronger you will be. And the stronger you are, the greater your self-esteem. Only someone with high self-esteem can be calm. It is much easier for such a person to direct his or her energy in a more productive way than to shout and get mad.

Therefore, one good way to rise above anger is to build your self-esteem. And, you can do that by serving someone or some cause, by doing selfless service. Even every tiny random act of kindness is a mighty deposit in your account of self-worth. This is the inward journey of conquering yourself. You help others and you help yourself.

The more you look within for answers to your emotions, the less you hold others responsible for your feelings. They will still come and slam into you, but you learn to look upon them as empty boats. They are just drifting. No doubt, you may still feel bad or off when they spoil your paint-job, when they damage your carefully-protected belongings. Yet, this doesn’t mean they will also evoke anger in you. And this calls for a subtle distinction I must elucidate right away.

You see, not being angry doesn’t mean you don’t get hurt. Living in our world, it’s impossible to not get hurt by our loved ones. It will happen. That is not in your hands. If someone hits you with a stick, you will feel the pain. How you choose to respond though is what differentiates a good person from a great one. You may choose to take away their stick, distance yourself from them, yell at them, hit them back or even love them in return.

Other than being hurt, there is, however, one more cause of anger. No one likes to hear it but a closer diagnosis of the world will clearly reveal it to you. It is self-obsession. The more obsessed you are with yourself, the angrier you get at the slightest of conflict. Self-obsessed people take themselves very seriously. Whether it be their life, religion or their opinions, everything is a serious matter for them. These are the ones who, even after seeing an empty boat, will keep yelling and cursing the one who abandoned that boat at the first place. A self-obsessed person does not know what to do with his or her anger. Once again the antidote is going beyond your individual existence and embarking on a journey greater than the sum total of one’s selfish desires.

Mulla Nasrudin moved to a new town and needed some financial assistance. Nobody would lend him any money though. Dejected, he was sitting outside the mosque when he struck up a conversation with a stranger.
A few minutes into the chat and Mulla asked, “So, how’s business?”
“Couldn’t be better!” the man said.
“Can I borrow fifty dollars then?”
“Fifty dollars?” he exclaimed. “No way! I don’t even know you.”
“That’s strange,” replied Nasrudin. “In the previous village, people wouldn’t lend me money because they knew me. And here, no one lends me because they don’t know me.”

It’s the same with anger. Some will take the liberty to snub you, shout at you, to be angry with you because they know you. They know that you will accept such behavior. And some will be mad at you because they don’t know you. They are looking at you through their own filter. At any rate, let it not bother you beyond a reasonable point because it’s not about you, it’s about them. So long as you are not “them”, you are good.

I once read a quote that said, “Open your mouth when what you have to say is more beautiful than silence.” This pretty much sums up the best way to ascertain how best to express your displeasure. Every little thing we do, say or think, every thought we brood over, every emotion we harbor adds to the weight. You may not be able to entirely empty your boat, but don’t keep it overloaded either. Heavy objects sink faster. Really, it’s that simple. Be light, be free.

Om Namah Shivay

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गुरु की महता

अपने अभिमान को निर्मूल करने के लिए तथा विषमय अंहकार को पिघलाने के लिए गुरु भक्ति योग ही सबसे उत्तम तथा फलदायी मार्ग है. जिस प्रकार किसी रोग के विषाणु निर्मूल करने के लिए किसी विशेष प्रकार की जंतुनाशक दवाई आवश्यक है उसी प्रकार अविद्या एवं अंहकार के नाश के लिए गुरु भक्ति सबसे प्रभावशाली, अमूल्य और निरंतर उपचार का मार्ग है. गुरु भक्ति की भावना में जो सद्-भागी शिष्य निष्टापूर्वक सराबोर हैं, उन पर माया और अंहकार के रोग का कोई असर नहीं होता क्योंकि वह योग के अन्य प्रकार में भी सफलता हासिल कर पाते हैं. उनको कर्म, भक्ति, ध्यान, और ज्ञान योग के फल पूर्णतः प्राप्त होते हैं. एक बार गुरु में सम्पूर्ण श्रद्धा करने लगेंगे तो आप समझने लगेंगे कि उनका उपदेश आपकी श्रेष्ट भलाई के लिए ही होता है. अध्यात्म-मार्ग में हर एक साधक को गुरु कि आवश्यकता पड़ती है. केवल गुरु ही वास्तविक जीवन का अर्थ एवं उसका रहस्य प्रकट कर सकते हैं तथा ईश्वर का साक्षात्कार का मार्ग दिखा सकते हैं. केवल गुरु ही शिष्य को साधना का रहस्य बता सकते हैं. ऐसे गुरु मन, वचन और कर्म से पवित्र हैं. ऐसे गुरु अपने मन एवं इन्द्रियों पर प्रभुत्व रखते हैं, वे सब शास्त्रों का रहस्य समझते हैं. शिष्य ने अगर पूर्वजन्म में शुभ कर्म किये होंगे, वर्तमान जीवन में अगर वह शुभ कर्म करता होगा, अगर सच्चा, निष्टावान ह्रदयवाला तथा ईश्वर प्राप्ति कि तड़पवाला होगा तो उसे सदगुरू अवश्य प्राप्त होंगे.
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पराश्रय से गरीबी नाश नहीं होती । इसी कारण सम्पत्ति के आश्रित शान्ति नहीं मिलती । परिश्रम पर-सेवा के लिए है। उसके बदले में अपने को कुछ नहीं चाहिए । तभी मानव श्रम के अन्त में विश्राम को पाकर, स्वाधीन होकर, उदार तथा प्रेमी हो जाता है।
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शरणागत साधक प्रत्येक घटना में अपने परम प्रेमास्पद, परम सुह्रदय की अनुपम लीला का दर्शन करते हैं। रोग के रूप में कोई और नहीं है, वे ही देहाभिमान गलाने के लिए आये हैं ।
प्राप्त का अनादर और अप्राप्त का चिन्तन, अप्राप्त की रूचि और प्राप्त से अरुचि – यही मानसिक रोग है ।

Om Namah Shivay

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