बात तो तब है​ ​....Baat To Tab Hai

बात तो तब है​ ​कि अपने दिल ​कुछ ​इस तरह मिले ​हों 
घर  मेरा जग​मगा​ उठे ​- ​जब दीप तेरे घर जले ​हों ​ 

​तेरे ​ ​ग़म ​को ​मेरी ​खुशी ​​इस तरह ​से ​​दे सहारा 
किआँख तो​ हो मेरी   -​ ​उसमें ​आंसू​ बहे​ तुम्हारा ​
                                                   (लेखक : अज्ञात )

Baat to tab hai ki apnay dil kuchh is tarah mile hon 
Ghar mera jagmagaa uthay jab deep tere ghar jalay hon 

Tere gham ko meri khushi is tarah say day sahaaraa
Ki aankh to ho meri - us men aansu bahay tumhara 
                                                                 (Writer: unknown)

Be Generous to Give and Open to Receive

As important as it is for us to learn how to give unconditionally, it is also important that we allow others to give to us. A person who refuses to receive love, support, wisdom, or care - can stop the flow of positive energy just as much as someone who doesn’t want to give it. 

On couple of occasions, when I was touring with him, Bhapa Ram Chand ji told me that refusing to accept an unconditional gift or any kind of help or seva from others is also a sign of EGO. By refusing to accept their gesture of love and kindness, we are not only hurting their feelings; their sentiments, but showing our sense of superiority as well. 

Be open to gracefully receiving from others; whether it’s a gift, a compliment or just a friendly advice. 

Giving and receiving – both are integral part of the life. 

With a newly born child, parents are all about giving and loving, and the child is completely at the receiving end. But over a period of time, the roles are reversed. The parents reach at the ‘receiving end’ when they become too old and helpless. This is the time when the children have to take up the role of ‘giving’. Now it’s time for them to become ‘providers and care-takers’. Considering the physical anatomy and capabilities of humans at different stages of life, this seems to be a normal law of the Nature. By understanding and adopting this natural law, we can create a more balanced and energetic lifestyle - by giving generously, and receiving gracefully. And more importantly - knowing ‘when to give and when to receive’.

                                                     

                                                                                       'Rajan Sachdeva' 

रिक्शा - संत अमर सिंह जी पटियाला

भाई साहिब अमर सिंह जी पटियाला वाले संगत के किसी काम से पैदल कहीं जा रहे थे।
उनके बड़े बेटे हरवन्त सिंह उनके साथ थे।  
" पिताजी, आप रिक्शा कर लो - सिर्फ एक रुपया  खर्च होगा  - इतनी दूर पैदल जाना है, थक जाओगे " हरवंत सिंह ने कहा। 
उस समय सामने एक मशहूर समोसे बनाने वाले की दुकान पर ताज़े समोसे बन रहे थे।  
भाई साहिब अमर सिंह जी ने कहा  "बेटा हरवन्त !  ये जो सामने इतने स्वादिष्ट समोसे बना रहा है, किसका दिल नहीं करता होगा 
कि दो रुपये खर्च करके समोसे खा लिये जायें।  मगर एक गरीब गुरसिख अपना मन मार लेता है, समोसे नहीं खाता।  उस पैसे को 
बचा कर संगत में सतगुरु के चरणों में नमस्कार कर देता है। 
अब ऐसी नमस्कार की माया में से मैं अपने आराम के लिये  एक रुपया भी खर्च करूं तो मेरा दिल कांपता है बेटा।

Negativity is there But......

No doubt that there is too much negativity in the world around all of us. 

And many times, we may not be able to see any positivity and goodness in others.

There are times when we wonder if we ought to still keep trying to be good, when others are not. 

It all seems worthless at times, and we ask ourselves: “why do I have to be good all the time?”

I remember Baba Avtar Singh ji used to say that this world never recognizes the saints in their lifetimes. 

Only a handful of people see them as saints when they are alive. Others may realize their greatness after these saintly people are long gone.

He used to ask “Do you want your bhakti, devotion, and goodness to be seen by the worldly people or God?

So, the question is not “Why and how long we should keep trying to be good?”

The important question to ask ourselves is: Am I trying to follow the path of righteousness and spirituality to achieve moksha or liberation for myself, or to show my virtues to others. Do we want to become kind, generous, compassionate and peaceful by nature - or simply want others to see the goodness and positivity in us?

If it is for others to see, then most people in this world may never see it - no matter how hard, and how long we keep on trying. No one can please everyone in the world.

But if it is for ourselves - for our own good and peace of mind - then we should keep trying until it becomes an integral part of our nature.

Because once the positivity and goodness becomes our nature, we would not be able to think or do otherwise.

We will not have to try …. It would just happen.

                             

                               ‘Rajan Sachdeva’

Vo Humsafar Tha Magar

Vo humsafar tha magar us say hum-navaayi na thi 
ki dhoop chhaaon ka aalam rahaa - judaayi na thi 

Adaavaten thin, taghaaful tha, ranjishen thin magar
bichhadnay vaale me sab kuchh tha - be-wafaayi na thi 

Bichhadtay waqt un aankhon me thi hamaari ghazal
Ghazal bhi vo jo kisi ko kabhi sunaayi na thi 

Kabhi ye haal - ki dono me yakdili thi bahut 
Kabhi ye marhalaa jaise ki aashnaayi na thi 

Mohabbaton ka safar is tarah bhi guzraa tha 
Shiksta-dil thay musaafir, shikast-paayi na thi 

Na apnaa ranj, na auron ka dukh, na tera malaal
Shabe-firaaq kabhi hum nay yoon ganwaayi na thi 

Kisay pukaar raha tha vo doobtaa huaa din 
sadaa to aayi thi lekin koi duhaayi na thi 

Ajeeb hoti hai raah-e-sukhan bhi dekh "Naseer"
Vahaan bhi aa gaye aakhir jahaan rasaayi na thi 

                                                   By:  "Naseer Turabi"


Humsafar                    Companion 
Hum-navaayi             Harmony, understanding, unison conversation 
Aalam                          Situation
Adaavaten                  Enmity, Animosity    
Taghaaful                   Indifference
Ranjishen                   Feelings of anger
Be-wafaayi                 infidelity 
Yak-dili                       Oneness of hearts
Marhalaa                   Moment
Aashnaayi                  Friendship, affectionate relationship
Shikasta-dil                Broken heart, disheartened 
Shikast-paayi            Defeated, 
Ranj                             Sorrow 
Malaal                        Sadness / anger
Shabe-firaaq             Night of separation
Sadaa                          Call
Duhaayi                     Cry for help
Raahe-sukahan         Ways of speech
Rasaayi                       Reach
           Rasaayi na thi   (was out of reach)

वो हमसफ़र था मगर

वो हमसफ़र था मगर -उस से हमनवाई न थी 
कि धूप छाओं का आलम रहा - जुदाई न थी 

अदावतें थीं, तग़ाफ़ुल था, रंजिशें थीं  मगर 
बिछड़ने वाले में सब कुछ था - बेवफ़ाई न थी 

बिछड़ते वक़्त - उन आँखों में थी हमारी ग़ज़ल 
ग़ज़ल भी वो जो किसी को कभी सुनाई न थी 

कभी ये हाल कि दोनों में यकदिली थी बहुत 
कभी ये मरहला जैसे कि आशनाई न थी 

मोहब्बतों का सफ़र इस तरह भी गुज़रा था 
शिकस्ता दिल थे मुसाफ़िर -शिकस्तपाई न थी 

न अपना रंज, न औरों का दुःख, न तेरा मलाल 
शबे फ़िराक़ कभी हमने यूं गंवाई न थी 

किसे पुकार रहा था वो डूबता हुआ दिन 
सदा तो आई थी -लेकिन कोई दुहाई न थी 

अजीब होती है राहे-सुखन भी देख "नसीर"
वहां भी आ गए आखिर जहां रसाई न थी 
                                  "नसीर तुराबी "


हमसफ़र              Companion 
हमनवाई              Harmony, understanding, unison conversation 
आलम                 Situation
अदावतें               Enmity, Animosity    
तग़ाफ़ुल              Indifference
रंजिशें                 Feelings of anger
बेवफ़ाई              infidelity 
यकदिली            Oneness of hearts
मरहला               moment
आशनाई             Friendship, affectionate relationship
शिकस्ता -दिल      Broken heart, disheartened 
शिकस्त पाई        Defeated, 
रंज                      sorrow 
मलाल                 sadness 
शबे फ़िराक़        Night of separation
सदा                    Call
दुहाई                 Cry for help
राहे  सुख़न         Ways of speech
रसाई                 पहुँच , Reach

सारी दुनिया मैली कर दी

भगवान ने इंसान बनाया 
- इंसान ने हैवान बनाया
जात पात का ज़हर भी घोला 
सब के सर पर चढ़ कर बोला

हिंदू मुस्लिम सिख इसाई
कब थे, किस के भाई भाई ?
इक दूजे की चिता बनाई
इक दूजे को आग लगाई 

नीली झीलें - नीला अम्बर 
लाल क्षितिज - हरी वादियां 
रंग बिरंगे फूल बना कर 
उसने सब की झोली भर दी

और रंग बिरंगी ईंटे लेकर
हम ने दीवारें बनवाईं 
पोत के उन पे धर्म की मिट्टी 
सारी  दुनिया मैली कर दी  

           "डॉक्टर जगदीश सचदेव "

We Can Learn From Everyone

I have learned silence from the talkative, 
Toleration from the intolerant, 
and kindness from the unkind; 

yet, strange, 

I am ungrateful to those teachers. 

                                           "Khalil Gibran"

“If I am walking with two other men, 

each of them will serve as my teacher.

I will pick out the good points of the one 

and try to imitate them - 

and the bad points of the other and correct them in myself”. 

[Author Unknown]

Happy Teacher's Day

Dr. S. Radhakrishnan’s birthday is designated as Teacher’s day in India - to appreciate the vital role that teachers play in shaping our future.

Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan (September 5, 1882- April 17, 1975), first Vice-president and then the President of India from 1962 to 1967, was one of the greatest scholars of Indian and Western philosophies in recent times. He wrote several volumes on Indian philosophies and Vedanta, including commentaries on Bhagavad Gita, Upanishads and Brahm Sutras.

In 1962, when Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan began serving as the second president of India, it was suggested that his birthday be celebrated as ‘Radhakrishnan Day”. However, he declined this move and said that “Instead of celebrating my birthday, it would be my proud privilege if September 5 is observed as Teachers’ Day.”

Radhakrishnan was born in 1882 in a town called Tirutani in Andhra Pradesh. Though his father wanted him to take on the role of a priest, the boy’s talents brought him to join schools in Tirupati and Vellore. He eventually joined Christian College, Madras, in order to study philosophy.

He believed that the study of Indian philosophy and its interpretation in western terms would cast off inferiority complex and give his countrymen a new sense of esteem. As a professor at the Presidency College in Madras and the University of Calcutta, he was very popular among students and was seen as an evocative teacher.

He later served as the Vice Chancellor of both Andhra University and Banaras Hindu University and was recognized by Oxford University when he was called to fill the Chair of Spalding Professor of Eastern Religions. In 1939, he was elected ‘Fellow of the British Academy’.

Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru once said “He has served his country in many capacities, but above all, he is a great teacher from whom all of us have learnt much and will continue to learn. It is India’s peculiar privilege to have a great philosopher, a great educationist and a great humanist as her President,”

Radhakrishnan was awarded India’s highest civilian honor, the ‘Bharat Ratna’, in 1984 and the British Order of Merit in 1963.

Despite all his achievements and contributions, Radhakrishnan remained a teacher throughout his life. Teachers’ Day is celebrated - not only to honor the memory of India’s first Vice President and then President – but also to commemorate the importance of teachers in our lives.

Charity Wrapped in Dignity

She saw a fruit cart on the side of the road and asked "How much are you selling these bananas for?"

"Five rupees for each, Madam." The old & feeble fruit seller replied.

"I will take 6 for Rs.25/- or I will leave." She said in a firm voice. 

The old seller replied, "Ok Madam, take them at the price you want because this is the beginning of my day. 

I have not sold anything since the morning yet. May God bless."

She took six bananas for 25 rupees and walked away – feeling proud and victorious as if she had won a big battle. 

She got into her expensive car and went to pick up her friend, to have lunch in a fancy restaurant.

At the restaurant, they looked at the menu and ordered whatever they thought would be good. But they did not finish all the food they had ordered and left a lot in their plates to be wasted.

Then she went to pay the bill at the counter. The bill was for Rs. 1,250. She gave 1,500 rupees to the owner of the restaurant and said: "Keep the change."

It seemed a normal gesture to the owner of the restaurant.

But would it seem fair to the fruit seller?

Why do we always show that we have the power when we buy from the needy and the poor – who works much harder to make his living? And we are generous with those who may not really need our generosity?

I remember a conversation with the son of a rich man who said, "After every visit to his temple, my father used to buy simple ordinary things from the street venders, even though he did not need them. Sometimes he would pay more than the asking price. I used to get concerned by this act, and one day, I asked him about it.

He said: “My son! It’s a charity wrapped with dignity.”

Let’s compare these two stories of social behavior.

The first one is disappointing and the second one is inspiring.

May God enlighten our vision.