Act of Kindness

Any act of kindness may not be really an act of kindness 

if there is any kind of selfish motive behind it.

If people are afraid of you -

If people are afraid of you -

if they fear your power, then you won't have it for long.

Sooner or later, they will rebel and take your power away.

Leave them alone & let them live their lives.

Respect them…. Value their time, their money, their lives,

and they won't grow weary of you.

जिन्हें फ़िक़र थी कल की Jinhen fiqar thi kal ki

जिन्हें फ़िक़र थी कल की - बेवजह वो रोए रात भर 

'राजन ' जिन्हें यक़ीं था - चैन से वो सोए  रात भर 

Jinhen fiqar thi kal ki,  be-vajah vo roye raat bhar

'Rajan' Jinhen yaqeen tha chain se vo soye raat bhar 

Success versus Satisfaction

Satisfied mind is better than a successful life

Because success is measured by others, 

while satisfaction is measured by our-self.

Chant / Meditate upon the name of Supreme Lord

Everything in this world is relative. 

The law of relativity, just like the law of gravity, is one of the main laws of the universe.  
A twenty-four stories high building is considered the tallest building in my town, but when compared with the Sears tower, it is very small.   

Looking through the window of my car, an eighteen wheeler truck seems to be huge, but looking down from an airplane window, it looks like a toy.

The closer the things are, bigger they appear to be.

The same is true with Sukh and Dukh; Happiness and sufferings. 

Other than serious physical ailments and pains, most of our sadness and sufferings are in the mind. The more we think about them, the more we hurt. 

If we can learn to avoid those thoughts, we can get rid of such sadness and mental sufferings. 
The more silent our mind becomes; more peaceful we will be. 

And that is the real purpose of meditation, Sumiran, or Chanting; not relying on thoughts and knowledge for peace, but on stillness of mind.

As Aadi Shankraachaarya said:

Bhaj Govindam, Bhaj Govindam
Govindam bhaj Moodh- matay
Sampraaptay San-nihitay Kaalay
Nahi Nahi Rakshtay DunKrun-Karnay

(Chant, Meditate upon the name of Supreme Lord
O! my ignorant mind
When the appointed time (of leaving this body) will approach,
No intelligence or knowledge of the Scriptures will be able to save)

 And ......

Tu hi Tu hi Nirankar karo te pal pal ehnu yaad karo
Is Amrit nu rajj rajj peeo, Tan Saukha dil shaad karo
                                           (Avtar Vaani - 98)

Simro Simar Simar sukh paavo
Kal-klesh tan maahin mitaavo           (Gurubaani)

So.... according to all Holy Scriptures, chanting and meditating upon the name of the Supreme Lord is the best therapy to take away the mind from sadness and sufferings and be at peace.

                                                                   ‘Rajan Sachdeva’



भज गोविन्दम् भज गोविन्दम् , गोविन्दम् भज मूढ़मते 
सम्प्राप्ते सन्निहिते काले, नहि नहि रक्षते डुंकुरुण करणे 
                                    ~ आदि शंकराचार्य ~ 

तू ही तू ही निरंकार करो ते पल पल एहनु याद करो 
इस अमृत नूं रज रज पीओ , तन सौखा दिल  शाद करो 
                                ~अवतार वाणी ~  verse 98 

सिमरो सिमर सिमर सुख पावो 
कल क्लेश तन माहिं मिटावो        (गुरुबाणी ) 

Reflection on truth

Reflection on truth will automatically lead to refraction from delusions.
                                                                     'Gary Taneja'

When nothing is done

In the pursuit of learning, every day something is added.

In the pursuit of Tao, every day something is dropped

Less and less is done, until one arrives at non-action.

When nothing is done, nothing is left undone.

The world is won by letting things take their own course. 

If you still have ambitions, it's out of your reach.

                                                   ‘Taoism’

What Teachers Make

Few days ago, my son sent me a gift box; containing few books.

One of them was ‘What Teachers Make’ by Taylor Mali, along with a note that the moment he saw this book- considering my profession - he thought it would be quite appropriate for me.

Needless to say, I started reading that one first.   

  

Some chapters were quite interesting along with some powerful messages and statements. In many ways it coincides with my own thoughts and experiences that I have had during my life long teaching career and I am sure many others in teaching profession may also feel the same.

Even though teaching is generally considered a very noble profession, yet most people judge others by not 'what they do', but 'how much they make'. Everyone knows that teachers do not make much money. Not only they are not very well paid, but except for a few, not very well respected either - especially now a days.

Though I have been very lucky that I have always received tremendous amount of respect from almost all of my students - just as I have always paid utmost respect to my teachers. In the Indian classical Music circles, teacher is considered 'Guru' and is highly respected, but yet, occasionally I have heard such remarks as Taylor Mali also mentioned: "Those who can, do;  those who can't - teach".

In the field of performing arts, such as music, painting, poetry or even surgery, it is a common belief that the great teachers may not necessarily be great performers. But it is also equally true that all great performers may not necessarily be great teachers as well.

I have also been very fortunate to have the privilege of meeting and hosting many well-known and highly admired stalwarts of Indian classical music at my home. Few of them honestly said they cannot and do not want to teach because they do not have the patience to listen to 'Besur' and 'Betaal'; out of tune and off rhythm students all the time. One of the greatest - elderly artist whom I greatly admire, compassionately said to me " Beta! In order to become a good artist, one should not teach. You should always try to listen to perfect music and practice properly because listening to 'besura' and 'betaala' would eventually affect your own talent and you might even lose it."

But I love to teach…. and by nature, I am a teacher.

One of my friends, Dr. Verma, a Cardio-thoracic Surgeon once told me that not only in the field of performing arts, it's also true in the field of surgery. He said his professors of surgery were excellent teachers, among the few best ones, but he would not trust them for doing an actual surgery. Because they have always been teaching by operating on dead bodies; slowly and pausing in between to explain to the students. How would you judge their success rate? All of their patients were dead to begin with.

But nonetheless, they were excellent teachers because they knew how to explain to the students; at their level.

Yes. Teaching requires tremendous amount of patience and a thorough understanding of the students. In order to explain properly, a teacher has to scoop down to the level of the student, and that requires a great passion and love for teaching; a skill which everyone may not have. And yet, many would still say that: "Those who can, do; and those who can't - teach".

Because for most people, the success rate is based upon ‘Fame, Power, and Money’. The more power and money one has, more successful he or she is considered.

But the real question, as Taylor Mali puts it, is not........ 

‘How much Teachers make’ but ‘What Teachers Make’.

                   And ‘Teachers Make a Difference’.

My teachers made a difference in my life and I hope to help make a difference in at least some of my student’s lives.

                                       ‘Rajan Sachdeva’

वो ही महफ़ूज़ रखेगा

वो ही महफ़ूज़ रखेगा मेरे घर को बलाओं से 
जो बारिश में शजर से घोंसले गिरने नहीं देता 

Vo hi Mehfooz rakhegaa mere ghar ko balaaon se 
Jo baarish me shajar se ghonslay giranay nahin deta

                                                 Writer : Unknown

Mehfooz     ............... Safe
Balaaon se ............... From troubles
Shajar        ............... Tree
Ghonslay    .. ..............  Bird Nests  

The Writer Cannot Evoke the Same Mood

"He (the writer) cannot evoke in the reader the mood in which the thought was born and induce in him the vision he beholds."

  " Dr. S. Radhakrishnan " in the commentary of "Bhagavad Gita"