Will You Be My Friend?

A young boy and a girl were sitting next to each other in a flight. They started talking and found many common interests. They talked, and laughed and enjoyed each other’s company a lot during the long flight. When they reached at the destination and got off the plane - before saying good bye - the boy said “You know...I really like you. Would you like to be my girlfriend?”

The girl said “Do you own a Maruti*?”

Boy said “No”

“Do you have a flat?

“No”

“Do you have a job?” 

“No”

“Then no”. The girl said. “I don’t want to be your friend” 

And she left without even saying Good bye.

The boy was shocked. 

He thought ……

‘I have five BMWs in my garage. Why would I want to have a Maruti*?

I have a huge bungalow in a posh area of the city. Why would I want to live in a flat?

I have a multi-million dollars’ worth business and 200 employees working for me. Why would I need a job? 

And started to wonder……. Why did she leave me?

Moral: 

• Do not make decisions without knowing the whole situation.

• Never judge anyone from your own standards.

• They might be much higher and bigger than your perception. 

           'Rajan Sachdeva'

*Maruti …..Brand name of an Indian car

क्या मैं इक नदी हूँ ?

क्या मैं इक नदी हूँ ?

जो समंदर से मिलने के लिए बेचैन 
सदियों से कल कल बह रही है 

या फिर वो समंदर हूँ - कि 
आदिकाल से जिसकी लहरें 
साहिल पे सर पटक रही हैं 

या वो झील हूँ - 
जो अपने में सीमित 
अपनी ही क़ैद में सूखती रही है 
खाली हो हो कर फिर भरती रही है 

या फिर मैं खुद का बनाया हुआ इक तालाब हूँ 
जिस के ऊपर मेरे ही अहम की काई जम चुकी है 
जिस के नीचे मेरा तन और मन 
दिन ब दिन मैला - -
और मैला होता जा रहा है 

मैं जानता हूँ कि इक दिन 
मुझको फिर से नहलाया जायेगा 
मेरे शरीर - मेरे अहम को जलाया जायेगा 
मेरी राख को भी नदी में बहाया जायेगा 

क्या तब ही मैं अपने समंदर से मिल पाउँगा ?

                ' डॉक्टर जगदीश सचदेव '
                          मिशीगन 

Coffee on the wall

Coffee on the wall :---

I sat with my friend in a well-known coffee shop in a neighbouring town of Venice (Italy), the city of lights and water. 

As we enjoyed our coffee, a man entered and sat at an empty table beside us. 

He called the waiter and placed his order saying, 

‘Two cups of coffee, one of them there on the wall.’ 

We heard this order with rather interest and observed that he was served with one cup of coffee but he paid for two.

As soon as he left, the waiter pasted a piece of paper on the wall saying ‘A Cup of Coffee’. 

While we were still there, two other men entered and ordered three cups of coffee, two on the table and one on the wall. 

They had the two cups of coffee but paid for three and left. 

This time also, the waiter did the same; 

he pasted a piece of paper on the wall saying, ‘A Cup of Coffee’. 

It was something unique and perplexing for us. 

We finished our coffee, paid the bill and left.

After a few days, we had a chance to go to this coffee shop again. 

While we were enjoying our coffee, a poorly dressed man entered. 

As he seated himself, he looked at the wall and said, 'One cup of coffee from the wall'. 

The waiter served coffee to this man with the customary respect and dignity. 

The man had his coffee and left without paying. 

We were amazed to watch all this, as the waiter took off the piece of paper from the wall and threw it in the dust bin. 

Now it was no surprise for us – the matter was very clear. 

The great respect for the needy shown by the inhabitants of this town made our eyes well up in tears. 

Ponder upon the need of what this man wanted... 

He enters the coffee shop without having to lower his self-esteem… 

he has no need to ask for a free cup of coffee…

without asking or knowing about the one who is giving this cup of coffee to him. 

He only looked at the wall, placed an order for himself, enjoyed his coffee and left.

... probably the most beautiful wall you may ever see anywhere....!!!

  
             Story by:  Murlidhar Gupta

Can Destiny be Changed # 3

An interesting story from Srimad Bhaagvatam

Narakasur, the demon king of Pragjyotishpur, now a days known as Kamrupa in the western state of Assam, attacked on the surrounding mountain kingdoms and conquered the entire Brahmaputra valley; consisting of current west Bengal, Bhutan and parts of Bangladesh. The defeated kings were killed, their armies destroyed - queens were captured, women and children were enslaved. 
He was evil, who had become extremely powerful with the association of another asura named Baanasur. Now, drunk with power, he wanted to conquer Indra, the king of Devas. 

Indra knew he could not defeat Narakasur so he approached Lord Krishna for help.  

Lord Krishna, along with his wife Satyabhama and elder brother Balram went to defeat Narakasur. Krishna attacked from above on ‘Garuda’ (Krishna’s vehicle) while Satyabhama and Balram, along with their army, fought on the ground. Narakasur’s army was destroyed in no time, and its chief commander Mura was killed by Krishna*. Before he could reach to Narakasur, Krishna received a news that Dwarka (Krishna’s own kingdom) was in flames.  
He said to Satyabhama “Dwarka is burning. I and Balram must go back”.
Satyabhama was shocked. “Do they want you to come back to save them? They don’t listen to you anymore. They are always fighting with each other. They don’t even want you”. 

“It does not matter whether they want me or not, I must try to save them. It is my Dharma. But you must stay here to finish what we started” 

Satyabhama bowed her head to her husband “I understand and I accept. What must be, must be”.

Krishna turned towards Balram and said “Dwarka will be burnt before the dawn. Enemy is at the gate. Our family, our people are fighting with each other. They will soon destroy each other. We must leave now.”

Balram Could barely believe what Krishna had said. 
So it was all coming to an end then - this yuga, this Avtaar? 
The wheel of time had turned and another era was coming to a close.

“You knew my work here will be done soon”. Krishna said.
"My time here is approaching an end. You know that this form I took in this yuga, cannot last forever. It serves a purpose and that purpose is reaching the end of its span". 

“Is Dwarka really going to be burnt? Is everything going to be destroyed…our families, our dynasty, our people?”

“Yes, this is their fate”

Balram sighed. “Of course you know. You always know.
But what about here? There is so much yet to be done here. 
The ‘Evil’ Narakasur is still alive. 

“Satyabhama will deal with Narakasur and handle everything here” Krishna said. “It’s time for us to go”

Balram sighed again. 
“But I still think there is so much more to do here, with this world, with these people, with this time.” 

“There will be other worlds, other people, other times”

“Yes. There will be.” 

Balram thought there was no point in arguing further. 

Even Krishna had his limitations. 
Even Bhagvaan; incarnation of god could only do so much. 

He summoned Pushpak (his vehicle) and followed Krishna.  



 (Source: Srimad Bhaagavatam, Lord of Vaikunta by Ashok Banker, Google and few other books)

*Krishna is also known as Muraari for killing Mura

Can Destiny Be Changed # 2

One of the central figures in the great epic of Mahabharata is Dev-Vrata, commonly known as Bheeshm Pitaamah. His mother Ganga died when he was quite young. Years later, his father, king Shaantanu was hunting in a forest when he saw a beautiful woman named Satyavati, daughter of a fisherman, and fell in love with her. He approached her father and asked her hand in marriage.

The fisherman said “you can marry my daughter on one condition… her son will become the king after your death.”

“But that right belongs to my first born son. How can I deprive Dev-Vrata of his birth right for my own happiness?” The king said and returned to his palace.

Dev-Vrata saw that his father was sad.

When he found out the reason, Dev-Vrata went to the fisherman’s home and requested Satyavati to marry his father. The fisherman told him the condition that he had imposed on the king, which lead to a very meaningful dialogue between the two.

“Let the time take its course. Why do you want such a promise now?” Dev Vrata asked.

Fisherman said that since his daughter belongs to a poor and lower class family, her son may never become the ruler. So he wants to secure her son's future by the king’s promise.

“How do you know that she will have a child?
And even if she does, how can you be sure that it will be a son?” Dev-Vrata asked.

Fisherman “I know this because of her ‘Janma-Kundali’, the astrological chart. This is written in her ‘Bhaagya’ - in her destiny that her son will become the king.”

Dev Vrata said “if this is written in her destiny then why are you worried?”

Fisherman “Because right now, you are the ‘crown prince’.”

“That may be so. But aren’t you contradicting yourself?”
Dev Vrata said. “if her son’s destiny is to become the king, then it could not be in my destiny.
In any kingdom - at any given time- there can only be one king. How can Bhaagya (destiny) provide the same kingdom to two people at the same time? One's Bhaagya never clashes with another's. 
You say that it’s her son’s Bhaagya, then obviously it could not be mine. 
When the sun rises, the stars disappear. Similarly, when the sun of one’s destiny rises, the stars of others become weak and disappear. 
So you need not to worry because when your grandson’s Bhaagya rises, mine will fade out and disappear.

But the fisherman was not convinced.

Even when we strongly believe and often say that “whatever is supposed to happen, will happen… it’s all destiny…it’s all God’s will”, we still become doubtful at certain times.

The fisherman also had his doubts. So Dev-Vrata vowed to give up his right to the throne for the sake of his father’s happiness.

“But what about your children?” Fisherman asked.
“Someday they may claim their right to the throne.”

So Dev-Vrata took a ‘Bheeshm Pratigya’; extremely difficult vow of lifelong celibacy. Not only he sacrificed his title of ‘Crown-Prince’ and the right to the throne, but also vowed to deny himself the pleasures of conjugal love. 
Hence he is known as ‘Bheeshm Pitaamah’.

 'Rajan Sachdeva'

Can Destiny be changed?

Sadguru Kabeer ji says:

“Karam gati taaray nahin taree
Guru Vashisht say Gyaani Dhayyani, sodh ke lagan dharee
Milyo raaj Bharat kau, chaudah baras ban vipad paree
Seeta ko hari lay gayo Raavan, suvarna Lunk jaree
Paandav - jinkay aapu saarthi - tin pay vipat paree
Duryodhan ko garv ghataayo, Jadukul naash karee 
Kahat Kabeer suno bhai saadho, honi ho kay rahee”

करम गति टारे नहीं टरी 
गुरु वशिष्ट से ग्यानी ध्यानी सोध के लगन धरी 
मिल्यो राज भरत को चौदह बरस बन बिपद परी 
सीता को हरि लै गयो रावण सुवर्ण लंक जरी 
पांडव, जिन कै आपु सारथी, तिन पे विपत परी 
दुर्योधन का गर्व घटायो, जदुकुल नाश करी 
कहत 'कबीर' सुनो भई साधो होनी हो के रही ॥ 

“The destiny created by the past Karmas does not change.”

He further adds few examples to make his point clear
That Lord Rama’s Guru Vashisht, the wisest and most learned Rishi of their times, thoroughly calculated to choose an auspicious moment for Lord Rama’s coronation. But just moments before the ceremony, the destiny played its role - lord Rama was exiled from the kingdom for fourteen years, and his brother Bharat became the king instead. 

Even after taking precautionary measures by Lakshman (by drawing the Lakshman rekha), Devi Seeta was kidnaped by Raavan. 

Even though Raavan tricked Lord Shiva to secure the beautiful city of Lunka (made of gold and precious stones) for himself and firmly established his rule over it, it was eventually burnt down to ashes; as it was destined to, by the curse of Devi Paarvati. 

Paandvas, though Lord Krishna was their best friend and adviser, who even became the chariot driver for Arjun, went through so many hardships, sufferings and exiles. 
Duryodhan, a mighty king with a huge army and hundreds of other powerful kings on his side, lost the war to Paandavas with a considerably small army. 

And then the Lord Krishna himself – not only his dynasty but even his hereditary lineage came to an end. 

‘Kabeer’ says listen, ‘oh good people’:
whatever was going to happen - happened. 
No one was able to stop their destiny.

Humans and Animals...or just Beings

While living in India during my childhood, we lived in a small town. The street was very narrow and often while walking down to the school, office or market place, we would be sharing the road with people, chickens, dogs, horses and other pedestrians. After a while we stopped seeing ‘horse,’ dog, ‘chicken,’ ‘human’… we just saw living beings.

We were all just beings; sharing the street, making our ways to our chosen destinations.
It was quite cool.

Now, even a dog or a cat on the street, or a squirrel in the back yard catches our eye. We don’t see ‘Beings’ anymore; we see people and animals. Even among the animals, dogs and cats are looked at with affection, while the other animals get strange curious looks. 
What has changed? 
Perhaps it’s the western influence, because there are some basic differences between Eastern and Western Religious philosophies. 
All major Indian religions, such as Hinduism, Jainism, Sikhism and Buddhism* believe that the same Aatma (soul), which is a part of ‘Parmaatma’, the Super Soul, resides in all living beings while the major western religions such as Judaism, Christianity and Islam believe that animals do not have souls… only humans do**. 

Indian Holy Scriptures state:
“Ishaa Vaasyamidam Sarvam” (Rig Veda)
(Ishwar (God) resides in every being whatsoever)

“Sab Govind hai, sab Govind hai, Govind binu nahin koi” 
                                                                 (Aadi Granth sahib)
“All is God, all is God, there is nothing but God”

On the other hand, western religions believe that God created man in his own image, and everything and every other being was created to serve humans and to be consumed by them. 

                                    ‘Rajan Sachdeva’  

*Buddhism does not use the word ‘soul’. They use the word ‘Mind’, a part of the ‘Universal Mind’ that goes on taking many different births until it achieves ‘Nirvaana’. The concept is same as Aatma or soul going into many re-incarnations until achieving “Moksha’.  

** Until recently, even the psychologists believed that the animals do not have ‘consciousness’. They live and react only on instinct.

This world I see

This world I see, is a reflection of me, 
Wish I could see this world like Thee.

Caught up in every thought, I create my own scenes. 
I sit on a throne, thinking I'm queen. 

Failing to see, that all I know can shatter, 
I continue to do what I think matters 

Everyday I create a new worry, 
I go through moments in a hurry. 

Up here so high, everything I know looks so small. 
I wonder how I let myself feel tall ?

Today, in this moment I take in the sight
Today, in this moment I see YOUR light. 

Today I see so clear 
Today I feel YOU near 

No longer caught up in my scene 
I now see YOU in every scene 

Let me stay here, where I only see thee 
Let me stay here, I surrender to thee 

           Written by: Karuna Sachdeva Chander

कभी कभी Kabhi kabhi

कभी कभी मैं याद में तेरी यूं  खो जाता हूँ 

मैं नहीं रहता हूँ तब - बस तू हो जाता हूँ 



Kabhi kabhi main yaad me teri yoon kho jata hoon

Main nahin rehta hoon tab - bus Tu ho jata hoon 

RECIPROCITY

Hands grasp, but also give.

Mouth tastes, but also speaks.

Nose breathes, but also smells.

Eyes see, but also show.

Ears hear, but also balance.

The hands teach us not to be selfish.

The mouth teaches us to give thanks in word and song.

The nose teaches us to learn from our environment.

The eyes teach us to show compassion and sincerity.

All parts of our bodies give and receive. They function on a

principle of reciprocity inherent in their very character. If our senses are so noble, shouldn't we be as well?

The eyes of a dedicated person show an inner fortitude and charisma that the eyes of the ordinary do not. Scientifically, we know that an eye is an eye, a mere organ, yet experientially we know that the eyes are virtual windows to the soul. For us to achieve similar depth of character, we must live according to the inherent nobility of our natures. Each one of our senses is not simply an information-gathering faculty but is a channel of expression as well.

From: Tao Meditations

Deng Ming-Dao