Who is Poor?

A wealthy woman goes to a saree store and asks the salesman at the counter: 

"Bhaiya! show me some cheap sarees. It's my son's wedding and I have to give a gift to my maid."

After sometime, the maid comes to the same saree shop and says to the salesman:
"Bhaiya! Show me some expensive sarees please. I want to gift it to my boss on her son's wedding"

Who is poor? 
The rich mistress of the house or the maid servant?
 "Is Poverty in the mind or in the purse?"
It actually depends on “who the gift is for”. 
Usually, we don’t give a cheap gift to wealthy people because they might feel offended if it’s below their ‘standard’. However, we don’t see a need for giving expensive gifts to poor people. They will be happy to receive anything that might be useful to them. 
Shouldn't it be other way around? 
We give expensive things to the rich who don't need our help - Not to the poor - who may actually need them but cannot afford.  
Real Seva is to see and provide what someone needs – or will be happy to have it, but is unable to afford.

                              ‘Rajan Sachdeva’ 

Happy Krishna Janamashtami

Janamaashtami is celebrated as the birthday of Lord Krishna, who is considered, not only an incarnation but ‘The Jagat Guru’ as well. The ‘Bhagavad Gita, compiled on his teachings, is one of the greatest and most read book on Dharma in the world, which influenced and shaped all later ‘religions’ and Dharmas of India including Buddhism, Sikhism and their numerous branches as well as Sufism.

               

            'Rajan Sachdeva '

The World is Bad Enough As it is

The world is bad enough as it is .......
You should not contribute to make it any worse. 
           

                         ' Rajan Sachdeva'

Share Knowledge Responsibly

Today most people consider knowledge as a mere product to be packaged, marketed and sold. Their interest is not in providing benefit to others but in filling their own wallets or fulfilling some other selfish motives.
We live in a world where sharing knowledge unselfishly is not a virtue anymore. 
Today, the new technologies have provided much faster ways to communicate all over the world through the social media. One can send a message to thousands of people instantaneously, simply by clicking a button.
But the question is: Are we doing it responsibly? 
Are we using this wonderful technology for providing true Gyana, useful knowledge to others that can be beneficial to them?
Or to spread false and selfish ideas for some personal gain?

"Faridaa je tu aql lateef hain, kaalay likh na laikh

Aapunday girevaan me, sir neevaan kar daikh"

                                              'Sheikh Farid'

If you are knowledgeable (or if you think you are knowledgeable) then don’t write bad about others to denounce and degrade them.

Instead, we should look into our own mind to see where we stand. 

Before criticizing and denouncing others, one should look into one’s own actions, and motives behind them. 

' Rajan Sachdeva '

ग़ाफ़िल नहीं रहा Ghaafil Nahin Rahaa

गो  मैं रहा रहीने सितम हाय रोज़गार 
लेकिन तेरे ख़्याल से ग़ाफ़िल नहीं रहा 
                               " ग़ालिब "

Go main rahaa raheen-e-sitam haye rozgaar
Lekin tere khyaal se ghaafil nahin rahaa

                                           "Ghalib "

Raheen ....    Subjected to
Sitam ........   Tyranny
Rozgaar .....  Career, work (to make ends meal)
Ghaafil  .....  Unmindful 

It's All up to You

Everything in this world can be seen as you wish to. 
Good or Bad; Simple or Complicated; Easy or Difficult. 
It's not how things are; it's about how you look up to them. 
       .... and how you look up to them.....​

                                     is all up to you.

ग़लतफ़हमी Galat-Fehami

        Happiness Comes from Within

बिकती है न ख़ुशी कहीं - न कहीं ग़म बिकता है
लोग ग़लतफ़हमी में हैं कि कहीं मरहम बिकता है

Bikti hai na khushi kahin - Na kahin gham biktaa hai
Log ghalat-fehami me hain ki kahin marham biktaa hai

                                                           'Writer: Unknown'

Blissful Memories - 9 (Bhapa Ram Chand Ji)

Bhapa Ram Chand ji of Kapurthala often used to go alone on Prachar tours - carrying his own luggage and standing in lines to purchase the train or bus tickets. Seeing his age and frailty Baba Gurbachan Singh ji had asked Bhapa ji to always take someone with him on his future tours – someone who would take care of him. 

Once, Bhapa ji was scheduled to go on a Prachar tour to Shimla while covering some other cities on the way such as Ludhiana, Patiala and Chandigarh etc. Remembering what Baba ji had said, he thought of asking someone to accompany him on this tour. 
I believe it was around 1965- 1966. Bhapa ji’s maternal grandson Gulshan Ahuja ji had recently completed his B.A. and joined the B.Ed. program. Since his college was closed for the summer vacation, Bhapa ji thought of taking him along. 

In those days, right after the entrance of the Nirankari Bhavan Kapurthala, there used to be a small room on the right side in which Bhapa ji used to live. I vividly remember that it was a very simple room with 2 ordinary chairs, a small table and a bed (an old style Chaarpaayi). Most of the times, he used to meet the visitors and devotees also in that same room. Even the family members – coming back from school or work etc. - used to come to his room first - to pay their regards and do Namaskar before going into their quarters.

When Gulshan ji came home that evening - as usual, he first went to Bhapa ji’s room. After doing Namaskar, he said "Bhapa Ji! I want to make a request to you". 
Bhapa ji said that he also wanted to speak to him about something, but asked him to go first.

Gulshan ji - "I heard that you are going to Shimla"
Bhapa ji - yes, I am.
Gulshan ji - Can I also go with you? I have never been to Shimla and it would be an excellent opportunity for me to see the city while attending the Sangats there.
Bhapa ji smiled and asked: “so, this is what you want? It's your desire to go with me and to see Shimla?
Gulshan ji – yes, if you will kindly allow me to accompany you.
Bhapa ji said: "Well – think about it again, and then tell me - That this is your wish to accompany me - not only for the Sangats but for the sightseeing also?
Gulshan ji - yes, Bhapa ji. This will be a good opportunity to do the both.
In a firm voice, Bhapa ji said– OK then - you can come along with me - but you will have to pay for your own bus tickets and take care of your other expenses from your own pocket. 
Gulshan ji said he had already thought of that, and that he was going to take some money from his father for the bus tickets and other expenses. 
“Since this is all settled" Gulshan ji said – "now please tell me Bhapa ji - what did you want to talk to me about?” 
Bhapa ji laughed and said: “I was also going to ask you about the same thing – that if you could accompany me on this Prachar tour to Shimla? But now that you have shown your own interest in visiting Shimla for sight-seeing, I cannot have the Mandal pay for your tickets which comes through the monetary Sewa from all kinds of devotees. 
On the other hand, if you had wished to accompany me just for the sake of Sewa and Prachar – and not with the intention of visiting a famous tourist city and sight-seeing, then it would have been a different matter. Because more than the action, it’s the motive that counts”

                What a great Saint he was – With such high and lofty thinking.                                             
     
                                        ‘Rajan Sachdeva’

किरदार का ग़ाज़ी बन न सका Kirdar Ka Ghazi Ban Na Saka

मस्जिद तो बना दी शब भर में   ईमाँ की हरारत वालों ने 

मन अपना पुराना पापी था, बरसों में नमाज़ी बन न सका 

'इक़बाल ' बड़ा उपदेशक है - मन बातों में मोह लेता है 

गुफ़्तार का ये ग़ाज़ी तो बना किरदार का ग़ाज़ी बन न सका 

                                                       "अलामा इक़बाल "

Masjid to bana di Shab bhar mein Imaan ki haraarat waalon nay
Man apna puraana Paapi tha, barson mein Namaazi ban na saka

'Iqbal' bara Updeshak hai, Man baaton mein moh leta hai

Guftaar ka ye Ghazi to Bana, Kirdaar ka Ghazi ban na saka

                                                                   " Alama Iqbal"  

                                        Translation

Though the mosque was built overnight by the believers
Our heart being old sinner for years, devout could not be

'Iqbal' is a good preacher, fascinates the heart in moments

He did become hero in talk, but one in deeds he could not be.
                                                          

Blissful Memories - 9 (भापा राम चंद जी कपूरथला )

भापा राम चंद जी कपूरथला वाले अक़्सर प्रचार यात्राओं पर अकेले ही जाया करते थे। स्वयं ही अपना सामान उठाते और स्वयं ही लाइन में खड़े हो कर अपने लिए बस या ट्रेन की टिकट ख़रीदते। उनकी आयु और वृद्धावस्था को देखते हुए बाबा गुरबचन सिंह जी ने कई बार उन्हें किसी को अपने साथ ले जाने के लिए कहा - जो उनका ध्यान रख सके। 
एक बार उनका प्रोग्राम था लुध्याना,पटियाला और चंडीगढ़ होते हुए शिमला जाने का। बाबा जी की बात को ध्यान में रखते हुए उन्होंने किसी को अपने साथ ले जाना ठीक समझा। ये घटना 1965 -1966 के आस पास की है। भापा जी के दौत्र (Maternal Grandson) गुलशन आहूजा जी B.A. की डिग्री मिलने के बाद B.Ed. की तय्यारी कर रहे थे। उन दिनों कॉलेज में छुट्टियां चल रही थीं। भापा जी के मन में विचार आया कि क्यों न गुलशन को ही साथ ले लिया जाये। 
उन दिनों, निरंकारी भवन कपूरथला के अंदर दाख़िल होते ही दाहिनी साइड में एक छोटा सा कमरा हुआ करता था जिस में भापा जी रहते थे। मुझे अच्छी तरह याद है कि उस कमरे में सिर्फ दो साधारण सी कुर्सियां, एक मेज और एक तरफ एक चारपायी थी - जिस पर भापा जी सोया करते थे। 
सब मिलने वाले एवं आशीर्वाद लेने के लिए आने वाले भक्तजन भी अक़्सर उन्हें उसी कमरे में ही मिलते थे। परिवार के सदस्य भी जब बाहर से आते तो पहले उस कमरे में जाकर भापा जी को नमस्कार करने के बाद ही अपने कमरों में जाते थे।
गुलशन जी भी उस दिन शाम को जब घर आये तो हमेशा की तरह पहले भापा जी के कमरे में गए और नमस्कार कर के कहने लगे कि भापा जी - आप जी से इक विनती करनी है। भापा जी ने कहा मुझे भी तुमसे कुछ कहना है मगर पहले तुम कहो।  
गुलशन जी: "मैंने सुना है कि आप जी शिमला जा रहे हो "
भापा जी: हाँ। जा तो रहा हूँ "
गुलशन जी: क्या मैं आपके साथ जा सकता हूँ ? मैंने कभी शिमला नहीं देखा। इस तरह संगतों के साथ साथ मैं शिमला भी देख लूँगा। 
भापा जी मुस्कुरा के बोले "तो तेरा ध्यान है मेरे साथ जाने का "?
गुलशन जी ने कहा "हाँ भापा जी ध्यान तो है अगर आप इजाज़त दें "
भापा जी ने फिर पूछा "अच्छी तरह सोच ले। ये तेरा ध्यान है मेरे साथ जाने का और शिमला भी देखने का ?
गुलशन जी बोले  "जी भापा जी" 
"तो फिर बस की टिकटों का ख़र्च तुझे अपनी जेब से करना पड़ेगा" भापा जी ने कहा। 
इस पर गुलशन जी ने कहा कि उन्हों ने ये पहले ही सोच रखा था कि वो इसका ख़र्च अपने पिता जी से लेंगे और फिर पूछा कि अब बताइए आपने मुझे क्या कहना था ? 
भापा जी ने हँसते हुए कहा कि मैंने भी तुझे यही पूछना था कि क्या तुम मेरे साथ शिमला चल सकते हो? लेकिनअब, चूँकि ये तेरा ध्यान है - तेरी इच्छा है इसलिए अब मैं तेरी टिकटों का ख़र्च मंडल यानि संगतों की नमस्कार में से नहीं कर सकता।  
हाँ .... अगर ये तुम्हारी अपनी इच्छा, और शिमला में घूमने की लालसा न होती और सिर्फ प्रचार की भावना से तुम मेरे साथ चलते तो बात अलग थी। 
                ऐसे महान सन्त थे भापा राम चंद जी - और ऐसी थी उनकी महान सोच। 

                                  'राजन सचदेव '