‘Jaisa Ann -Taisa Man’ / Food vs Thoughts Part 2

                                                  Food

It’s not only what kind of food we eat that affects us, but how it's earned and cooked also affects our thoughts. Bhapa Ram Chand ji Kapurthala used to stress upon this factor in his Vichaar or discourses. He used to say that the food we eat, the clothes we wear and house we live in should be earned properly by honest means. Since the cooking was mostly done in India by women in those days, he would tell them to cook happily, not angrily and to do Sumiran while cooking. If you have some guests, he would say, cook simple food with less number of dishes if you are tired but do it willingly and happily, because whoever eats it, will get the same vibrations from that food.

I remember Sant Amar Singh ji Patiala used to say that many times we feel that “kya karen ji. Ab ye aa hi gaye to hain to chai to banaani hi padegi na.” (What can I do now? Since they have come here, weather I like it or not, will have to make some tea or something to serve them.)  

Even if you are able to hide your real emotions by putting up a fake smile on your face, somehow they will get those vibrations of ‘unwillingness’ through that food and drinks. He would add “Agar seva karni hai to bhaavna se karo, shradhaa aur prem se karo” (If you want to serve, then serve with love, affection and devotion.)

I remember an incidence that Bhapa Bhagat Ram ji Barnala shared with me while we were traveling in Kashmir.  

He told me that from a very young age, he had the fortune to be under the guidance of many great and saintly people that had shaped his thinking and simple and pious life style. Once he had, in his own words, “not so good dream” that continued for a couple of nights. He felt very disturbed by it and went to Bhapa Ram Chand ji and said “I am feeling bad. I had a bad dream, but I can assure you that I never, ever have such thoughts in my mind. Why did it happen to me?”

Bhapa ji said “I know you are an honest young man with pious thoughts. It should not have happened to you. So tell me, what did you eat the night before?”

Bhagat Ram ji thought for a moment and replied “now I remember that when I was going home, an acquaintance of mine called me to come over to his shop. He was frying and selling ‘pakoras’ at his shop and offered me to have some. I did not want to, but he insisted. He was drunk and would not let go of me so I quickly ate couple of pakoras and left.”

“Did you pay for those pakoras?” Bhapa Ram Chand ji asked.

“No. I had not gone there to buy; he had offered them to me.”

“Well. That’s it.” Bhapa ji explained, everyone knows that he is not a good man. Lying, cheating, stealing, womanizing, gambling; any evil thing you can name, he has it. He does not make his living by honest means. Since you ate his food without paying him, his evil thoughts have entered in your mind. Go and pay him and you should be alright.”

Bhai Sahib Bhagat Ram ji told me that he went back to his shop right away and paid him some money and the dreams stopped.

Was it a coincidence?

Or perhaps the thoughts do travel through the food.

                                                                      ‘Rajan Sachdeva’

‘Jaisa Ann -Taisa Man’ / Food vs Thoughts

There is a famous saying among the believers of Indian religions that goes: “Jaisa Aahaar - vaise Vichaar”, commonly translated as “what you eat, makes up your thoughts”.

This is apparently one of the major reasons of placing restrictions for consumption of certain types of foods or drinks.

However, the real meaning of this phrase is slightly different.

In the Sanskrit language,  ​Aahaar means 'intake'. ​Whatever we intake with our 5 senses (vision, sound, taste, smell and touch) is called Aahaar.

In every language, the original meanings of some words change over the period of time.  The meaning of Aahaar also got consolidated only to the intake by mouth; that is food or drink.

The original Sanskrit phrase is “Yathaa Aahaar- Tathaa Vichaar”.

Its Hindi version, “Jaisa Aahaar - taisa Vichaar” is common in central India.

However, in northern India, Punjab, Haryana and J&K, since the regional languages are influenced by both, Sanskrit and Persian, this phrase was replaced by “Jaisa Ann – Taisa Man”.

Popular meaning: as is the (intake of) food, so is the Mind.

Notice how the meaning of the word ‘Ann’ has changed here?

‘Ann’ actually means grains and beans. In this phrase however, it is meant as food in general.

Similarly, Aahaar, which means intake in general by all senses, is usually understood to be only in terms of food taken in by mouth.

If we investigate thoroughly, we will find that it is the intake from all the senses that makes up our thinking, our mind. It's not only what we intake with the mouth, what we eat or drink affects our thoughts, rather whatever we see, hear, feel and smell or read; everything changes our mood, our way of thinking.

Therefore, to control our thoughts, it is said that we need to watch and control our ‘Aahaar’; not just the food but the intake from all the five senses.

It would help us to understand the message of the Scriptures more clearly if we know the meaning of certain words as they used to be in the era when they were written.

‘Rajan Sachdeva’

भाग्य या विद्वता ? नसीब या अक़्ल ?

भगवान से अक़्ल नहीं, विद्वता नहीं - 

नसीब माँगो, कृपा मांगो .......  

क्योंकि मैंने हमेशा विद्वानों को भाग्यवानो के लिए काम करते देखा है 

दिमाग़ वालों को नसीब वालों की नौकरी करते ही देखा है 

Loneliness

Loneliness need not be despair. It could be an opportunity; an opportunity to be in ‘solitude’ with the self.

We feel lonely when we don’t have contact with anyone or anything. Solitude means to be in the company of one’s ‘own self’.  Loneliness could be depressing, a misery, while Solitude may help us ‘make peace with our self’. It can be uplifting.

When we are lonely, we desperately try to find some company; either in some person or in some ‘thing’ such as radio, TV or internet games etc. To stay alone and quiet, even for few minutes, is very difficult. We keep on clicking on ‘Facebook’ or ‘WhatsApp’ every few minutes, just to see who is ‘out there’ or to let them know that ‘I am here’. We are so afraid of being alone that we try to find a ‘virtual company’.

But in fact, we are never alone.

We can never be alone.

*Can a living fish ever be alone? It’s always surrounded by water*. We are also always surrounded by All-pervading, Almighty God; Formless or in form of nature. He resides within our ‘self’ too.

Being alone means being with God, and talking to the ‘self’ is like talking to God. But it depends on which ‘self’ are we talking to. To the real self or the mind; to the physical self that we have become so accustomed to?

If we can learn to be with the ‘Self’, we will never be alone and feel ‘loneliness’.

                        ‘Rajan Sachdeva’

Note:

* तू दरिआओ दाना बीना, मैं मछुली कैसे अंत लहा 

जहि जहि देखा तहि तहि तू है, तुझ ते निकसी फूट मरा 

                                                  (गुरु नानक देव )

* Tu dariyao, daana beena, mai machhuli kaise ant lahaa

  Jeh jeh dekha, teh teh tu hai, Tujh te nikasi phoot maraa"

                                                           

"You are the ocean; all-Knowing and all-seeing. I am a fish (within you) how can I ever know your limits. 

Wherever I see, You are there. Without You, I will die."

                                                                     (Guru Nanak Dev ji)

Kab talak udogay (Roman script)

Aakhir aana hi padega Raat ko zameen par 
Kab talak udogay ae  parindo  aasmaan may 

Hasti ke faraib may na- ulajh ke reh jaana kahin 
Zindagi hai chaar din ki ye bhi rahe dhyaan may 

Zindagi purnoor hogi, Hasti nikhar jaayegi 
Seekh lain agarche rehanaa aalame-vajdaan may

Sochatay to hain ki paar ho hi jayenge magar 
Doobati dekhi hain kashtiyaan kayi tufaan may 

Ek din vo bhi karenge mere hunar ki qadar
Kat gayi tamaam zindagi isi imkaan may 

Mil jaaye to theek hai duniya me izzat, shoharat
Kho na dena zindagi lekin isi armaan may

Ye phool naseehat ke zindagi me kaam aayenge 
Rakh ne dena yoon hi sajaa ke inhen guldaan may

Daulat bhi duniya me zaroori to hai 'Rajan' magar
Milegaa Sakoon Sabar, Sidaq aur imaan may

        'Rajan Sachdeva'

Ae Parindo ......... O' Birds ​

Faraib  …        ​   Illusion, falsehood 

 Hasti .....         Physical form, appearance, personality

​Faraib -Hasti ​..... Falsehood of the physical body, illusion of personality 

Purnoor .....       Bright

Aalam ae ...    World of 

Vajdaan ...       Spiritual intellect, Enlightenment, Gyana

​Hunar  ……        Talent ​

Imkaan ......... Hope, Possibility

Shoharat  ........   Fame

Armaan  ......... Desire

​Naseehat....... .. Advice

Guldaan ......... Vase
Sakoon ........... Peace of mind

Sabar .....          Contentment

Sidaq ......       Honesty, patience, truthfulness

Imaan ....          Faith

कब तलक उड़ोगे ऐ परिंदो

         आखिर आना ही पड़ेगा रात को ज़मीन पर 

         कब  तलक उड़ोगे  ऐ परिंदो आसमान  में 

​हस्ती के फ़रेब में ना उलझ के रह जाना कहीं

​ज़िंदगी है चार दिन की ये भी रहे ध्यान में ​    

​ज़िंदगी पुरनूर होगी, हस्ती निखर जाएगी ​

सीख लें अगरचे रहना आलमे-वज्दान में 

सोचते तो हैं कि पार हो ही जाएंगे मगर 

​डूबती देखी हैं ​कश्तियाँ कई तूफ़ान में 

​एक दिन ​वो भी करेंगे मेरे हुनर की ​​क़दर

कट गई ​तमाम ज़िंदगी इसी इमकान में 

मिल जाए तो ठीक है ​दुनिया में इज़्ज़त, शोहरत 

खो न देना ज़िंदगी लेकिन इसी  अरमान में 

​ये फूल नसीहत के ज़िंदगी में काम आएंगे 

रख न देना यूँ ही सजा के इन्हें ​ गुलदान में 

दौलत ​भी दुनिया ​में ज़रूरी तो है 'राजन' मगर 

​मिलेगा सकून सबर सिदक और ईमान में ​

                     ​'राजन सचदेव'  ​

 ​फ़रेब  …        ​   Illusion, falsehood 

 हस्ती .....         Physical form, appearance, personality

​फ़रेबे हस्ती ​..... Falsehood of the physical body, illusion of personality 

पुरनूर  .....       Bright

आलम- ऐ ...    World of 

वज्दान ...       Spiritual intellect, Enlightenment, Gyana

​हुनर  ……        Talent ​

इमकान ......... Hope, Possibility

शोहरत  ........   Fame

अरमान  ......... Desire

​नसीहत ....... .. Advice

गुलदान  ......... Vase

सबर  .....          Contentment

सिदक़  ......       Honesty, patience, truthfulness

ईमान  ....          Faith

Living vs Dead

Yesterday, during the long flights while coming back from San Francisco, I remembered an incidence that happened many years ago, when we had gone to attend a Samagam in Chicago. After the Samagam, we were supposed to stay at Dr. Kalra's home. It was quite late at night. I had never been to their house before so he asked me to follow his car. At one point, he crossed the yellow traffic lights but because of the distance between our cars, when I reached near the crossing, the lights turned red. I was not familiar with that area; neither had the GPS nor their address, so, in a state of panic, I crossed the red signal. Suddenly, out of nowhere, a cop came behind and pulled me over. I explained to him the situation; that I was following a friend, that I did not have his address and that I had small children with me, but he did not listen and gave me a ticket anyway.

Next morning, when we were driving back to the Bhavan, we saw a funeral procession at a cross road intersection. There were almost hundred cars following behind the casket van. The traffic signal had turned red but every one kept going thru the red light. There were two police cars at the side road, looking at them, but they did not proceed to stop any one.

"Look, they are all going through the red light. How come the cops are not stopping them"? The kids asked.

I said because these cars are following a funeral procession.

"So “my daughter said," is it OK to go through the red light if you are following a dead body"?

Strange, isn't it? You can cross the red lights if you are following a dead body but not if you are afraid of getting lost and following a living person for directions.

It seems strange, but that's how it is.

That’s the way we are in our day to day life as well. The past always looks glorious to us.

We praise and worship the dead ones while we envy and resent the living ones.

We usually try to glorify the great people, heroes and saints from the past but we do not have much regard for the contemporary saints or heroes. We are usually jealous of the learned and talented people who are with and around us, we may even hate them, but once they are gone; once they are dead, they will become admirable and worthy of our praise and respect.

We are a ‘living’ society that admires and worships the dead ones.

                           ‘Rajan Sachdeva’

कभी पत्थर की ठोकर से भी ​Kabhi Pathar Ki Thokar Se Bhi ...

 कभी पत्थर की ठोकर से भी आती नहीं खराश 

कभी इक ज़रा सी बात से इन्सान बिखर जाता है 

​Kabhi Pathar Ki Thokar Se Bhi Aati Nahi Kharash

Kabhi Ek Zara Si Baat Se Insaan Bikhar Jata Hai...!

Chashm Gar Beena Bavad

चश्म गर बीना बवद - हर तरफ़ दीदार अस्त 
दिल अगर दाना बवद अंदर किनारश यार अस्त 
                                        'नंद लाल गोया'

Chashm gar beena bavad - har taraf deedaar ast
Dil agar daana bavad ander kinaarsh Yaar ast
                                        
If the eyes have 'the vision', they see God everywhere.
When the mind becomes 'enlightened, it finds the beloved Lord residing within. 

Written by: Bhai Nand Lal Goya, a gifted poet and writer in Persian language in sixteenth century, was a devoted disciple of Guru Gobind Singh ji. 

Discussions VS Arguments

Argument is not right but the discussion is good. 

Argument is to find out who is right and discussion is to find out what is right. 

So arguments can be damaging, whereas the discussions can be very helpful. 

'Rajan Sachdeva'

YOGA – Individual Comprehension

In his English translation of ''Sri Ramakrishna 'Kathaamrita' -- 'The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna', Swami Nikhilananda narrates how, by 1879, the word about Ramakrishna spread and all kinds of people started coming to him to learn about God.

Swami Nikhilanand concludes his narration with this profound sentence: 'And people understood him according to their ‘Power of Comprehension.'

According to my power of comprehension, I understand only three verses of the Gita and the 'rest are details', to echo Einstein's statement, "I want to know God's thoughts; the rest are details."

योगस्थः कुरु कर्माणि संगम त्यक्ता धनञ्जय |

सिद्धयसिद्धयो समो भूत्वा समत्वं योग उच्यते || (BG 2-48)

'Being steadfast in Yoga, O Arjun, perform actions, abandoning attachment, remaining unconcerned as regards success and failure. This evenness of minds is known as YOGA.'

दुरेणा ह्यवरं कर्म बुद्धियोगाद्धनञ्जय |

बुद्धौ शरणमन्विच्ह कृपणाः फलहेतवः || (2-49)

'Work with desire is verily far inferior to that performed with the mind established in Buddhi-Yoga. O Dhananjaya, seek refuge in Buddhi (बुद्धि), evenness of mind, wretched are they who act for selfish results.'

बुद्धियुक्तो जहातीह उभे सुकृतदुष्कृते|

तस्माद्दोगाय युज्यस्व योगः कर्मसु कौशलम|| (2-50)

'Endued with this evenness of Buddhi (बुद्धि), one frees oneself in this very life, alike from virtue and vice. Devote yourself therefore, to this Yoga.

YOGA IS EFFICIENCY IN ACTION.

These verses from Bhagvad Gita define Yoga as 'Evenness of Mind', and 'Efficiency in Action’, that one can practice with Buddhi (बुद्धि); the 'Discriminating faculty within the human sensory and psychic system.

From:  Tarlochan Singh Dhillon, UK

 Note: Swami Nikhilananda (1895-1973) was a great scholar and very gifted writer. His commentaries on Bhagavad Gita and Upanishads are very deep and highly acclaimed even by western scholars. 

'Rajan Sachdeva'

Happy Janamashtami and Teacher's day

Today is ‘Janamaashtami’ and ‘Teacher’s day’, both together on the same day. What a great coincidence.

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 Dharma of India including Buddhism, Sikhism and their numerous branches as well as Indian Sufism.

Dr. S. Radhakrishnan’s birthday is designated as Teacher’s day and is a holiday in India.

Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan (September 5, 1888- 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. 

Rightly, the Indian government honored him by declaring a holiday on his birthday as ‘Teacher’s day’.

Incidentally, today is ‘two in one’; Teacher’s day, the day of Nation’s Teacher and Janamashtami, the day of the Jagat Guru, the ‘world teacher’.

Millions of people all over the world acknowledge and honor this day by celebrating it many different ways. However, the greatest celebration and tribute to them would be to learn, understand and adopt their teachings in our lives.

                    Tathaastu (may so be it), Amen 

Note: The day of Janamashtami is set according to the Indian lunar calendar, (the eighth day of Krishna Paksha of the month of Shraavan) so its date, according to the western and solar calendar changes every year, while ‘Teacher’s day’ is always in accordance with western calendar, September 5^th.

This year, they both happen to fall on the same day.

 ‘Rajan Sachdeva’

Ye Zubaan kisi ne khareed lee (Roman script)

Zubaan kisi nay khareed lee, Qalam bhi ab gulaam hai
Peharay lagay hain Soach par, Dil pay padi lagaam hai

Na aqal hi aazaad hai - na hosh ka koi kaam hai
Pad gaye hain rooh pay parday zindagi gumnaam hai 

Chhup gayin haqeeqtain, Rasmo ka charchaa aam hai
Ibaadatain bhi aajkal Rivaayaton ka naam hai

Such ka sooraj chhup raha hai, dhal rahi ab shaam hai
khaamoshiyaan hi behtar hain ye vaqt ka paighaam hai

Haqoomaton ka daur hai, daulat ka aehtraam hai 
Vo  ki jo aazaad hai,  'Rajan' usay salaam hai 

                                         'Rajan Sachdeva'

 Zubaan -- Tongue (speech)
 Qalam --- Pen ( Writings)
 Aqal --  Intellect
 Gumnaam  -- Lost
 Haqeeqtain -- Realities, Truth
 Rasmo ka -- Traditions , Rituals 
 Charcha -- Talks, Dialogue 
 Aam -- Common, Popular
 Ibaadatain --  Devotion
 Rivaayaton ka --  Rituals
 khaamoshiyaan -- Silence 
 Behtar ---- Better
 vaqt ka paighaam -- Message of the time
 Haqoomaton -- Power struggle, Ruling over
 Daulat -- Wealth
 Aehtraam -- Respect, Value, Importance

ये ​ज़ुबां किसी ने खरीद ली

ज़ुबां किसी ने खरीद ली, क़लम भी अब ग़ुलाम है 

पहरे लगे हैं सोच पर -  दिल पर पड़ी लगाम है 

न अक़्ल ही आज़ाद है, न होश का कोई काम है 

पड़ गए हैं रुह पे परदे - ज़िंदगी गुमनाम है 

छुप गयीं हक़ीक़तें - रस्मों का चर्चा आम है

इबादतें भी आजकल रिवायतों का नाम है

सच का सूरज छुप रहा है ढल रही अब शाम है 

ख़ामोशियाँ ही बेहतर हैं, ये वक़्त का पैग़ाम है ​

हक़ूमतों का ​दौर ​है, दौलत का एहतिराम है

​वो - कि जो आज़ाद है, 'राजन' उसे सलाम है                             

           

                            'राजन सचदेव' 

हक़ीक़तें -- Realities, Truth
रस्मों का -- Traditions , Rituals 
इबादतें --  Devotion
रिवायतों का --  Rituals
एहतिराम -- Respect, Value, Importance

Leave the shoes outside

Why are we asked to remove and leave the shoes outside when entering a Temple, Gurudwara or a Satsang place?

Feet are the lowest and considered the humblest part of the human body. You can place your hands, elbows or head on a table, you can even sit on it, but placing your feet on a table is usually considered rude and not acceptable. Feet are supposed to be on the ground.

Naked feet are the symbol of humility and modesty. Covering them with shoes is like covering or hiding your humbleness and meekness with hollow and pretentious ego. 

Humility, modesty and unpretentiousness are the first requirements in realizing the ‘Truth’.

The sign at the entrance that says: “Remove and leave your shoes outside” has a symbolical meaning.

It also means that “Remove your 'ego' before entering the place of God, ‘the Guru’s place’, or a place of worship and ‘Higher learning’.

‘Rajan Sachdeva’