Trials

Many,many trials I have faced in life.The most difficult of all are those with human beings,because they do not understand.I have seen people I have loved, people to whom I have given my heart,misunderstand.But that has never created bitterness in me.If bitterness arises in your heart out of the nonunderstanding of others,you will lose your own understanding.Do not let yourself feel hurt when someone misunderstands you.Rather,pay more attention to helping that person.If you can neutralize your feelings toward those who misunderstand you,you will be ever ready to help anyone and everyone.All those who follow this path of Self-Realization must hold nothing but goodwill for all.

~Paramahansa Yogananda~

Babas words

In Shri Sai SatCharitra chapter 18 and 19 Sai Baba pointed us for not idling our time in gossip and useless talks. To one engaged in such useless talks Sai Baba warned him and us.Sai Baba pointed out to him a pig that was eating filth near the fence and said to him - "Behold how, with what relish it is gorging dung. Your conduct is similar. You go on reviling your own brethren to your heart's content. After performing many deeds of merit, you are born a man, and if you act like this, will Shirdi help you in any way?"It is clear that Sai Baba warns us that spending time in gossip or useless talks like relishing the gorging of dung.The pilgrimage and sadhans also does not help much if it is done. Most efforts should be put on remembrance of God

कबीरदास जी ~पतिव्रता का अंग

मेरा मुझमें कुछ नहीं, जो कुछ है सो तोर ।
तेरा तुझकौं सौंपता, क्या लागै है मोर ॥1॥
भावार्थ - मेरे साईं, मुझमें मेरा तो कुछ भी नहीं,जो कुछ भी है, वह सब तेरा ही । तब, तेरी ही वस्तु तुझे सौंपते मेरा क्या लगता है, क्या आपत्ति हो सकती है मुझे ?
`कबीर' रेख स्यंदूर की, काजल दिया न जाइ ।
नैनूं रमैया रमि रह्या, दूजा कहाँ समाइ ॥2॥
भावार्थ - कबीर कहते हैं -आँखों में काजल कैसे लगाया जाय, जबकि उनमें सिन्दूर की जैसी रेख उभर आयी है ?मेरा रमैया नैनों में रम गया है, उनमें अब किसी और को बसा लेने की ठौर नहीं रही। [सिन्दूर की रेख से आशय है विरह-वेदना से रोते-रोते आँखें लाल हो गयी हैं।]
`कबीर' एक न जाण्यां, तो बहु जांण्या क्या होइ ।
एक तैं सब होत है, सब तैं एक न होइ ॥3॥
भावार्थ - कबीर कहते हैं - यदि उस एक को न जाना, तो इन बहुतों को जानने से क्या हुआ ! क्योंकि एक का ही तो यह सारा पसारा है, अनेक से एक थोड़े ही बना है ।
जबलग भगति सकामता, तबलग निर्फल सेव ।
कहै `कबीर' वै क्यूं मिलैं, निहकामी निज देव ॥4॥
भावार्थ -भक्ति जबतक सकाम है, भगवान की सारी सेवा तबतक निष्फल ही है । निष्कामी देव से सकामी साधक की भेंट कैसे हो सकती है ?
`कबीर' कलिजुग आइ करि, कीये बहुत जो मीत ।
जिन दिलबाँध्या एक सूं, ते सुखु सोवै निचींत ॥5॥
भावार्थ - कबीर कहते हैं - कलियुग में आकर हमने बहुतों को मित्र बना लिया, क्योंकि (नकली) मित्रों की कोई कमी नहीं । पर जिन्होंने अपने दिल को एक से ही बाँध लिया, वे ही निश्चिन्त सुख की नींद सो सकते हैं ।
`कबीर' कूता राम का, मुतिया मेरा नाउं ।
गले राम की जेवड़ी, जित कैंचे तित जाउं ॥6॥
भावार्थ - कबीर कहते हैं--मैं तो राम का कुत्ता हूँ, और नाम मेरा मुतिया (मोती) है गले में राम की जंजीर पड़ी हुई है; उधर ही चला जाता हूँ जिधर वह ले जाता है। [प्रेम के ऐसे बंधन में मौज-ही-मौज है ।]
पतिबरता मैली भली, काली, कुचिल, कुरूप ।
पतिबरता के रूप पर, बारौं कोटि स्वरूप ॥7॥
भावार्थ - पतिव्रता मैली ही अच्छी, काली मैली-फटी साड़ी पहने हुए और कुरूप । तो भी उसके रूप पर मैं करोंड़ों सुन्दरियों को न्यौछावर कर देता हूँ ।
पतिबरता मैली भली, गले काँच को पोत ।
सब सखियन में यों दिपै , ज्यों रवि ससि की जोत ॥8॥
भावार्थ - पतिव्रता मैली ही अच्छी, जिसने सुहाग के नाम पर काँच के कुछ गुरिये पहन रखे हैं । फिर भी अपनी सखी-सहेलियों के बीच वह ऐसी दिप रही है, जैसे आकाश में सूर्य और चन्द्र की ज्योति जगमगा रही हो ।

Sadguru Jaggi Vasudev jee's encounter with a hanuman bhakta

(Shared on whatsapp)
Questioner: How can a person go beyond maya or illusion? Even when a person is truly good, a good bhaktha, however much he tries, he is unable to elevate his status in life. Is this because of maya?                              Sadhguru: There is a man in Namakkal(a district in Tamilnadu), a Hanuman bhaktha. I never meddle with him because he is a very simple being. Hanuman is the path for him. Hanuman is everything for him and anything he asks for gets answered for him. For him it is like this. Even this yoga program – he does not know what yoga is. He is too simple a being. For him Hanuman is everything. So he went to Hanuman and asked him if he should go to the yoga program and apparently Hanuman told him that it is good and he could go. It gets answered for him somehow, it does not matter whether a flower falls, or something else. That is not the point. That man is so simple and so sincere that it will definitely work. Somebody just has to say, “Hanuman” and tears will flow out of his eyes. It is fantastic for a man to be like that. If I just hug him, he will go into ecstasies because he is just on the verge. I make fun of temples, I say, “Hanuman is a monkey, he is not God.” I say many things in front of him, it does not matter to him because he sees Jaggi also only as Hanuman. That’s how he sees. For him, Jaggi is also another form of Hanuman. He feels the same vibrations here.  You say whatever nonsense you want about Hanuman, he will happily sit and listen. It is okay with him! Immediately after the program he will go straight to the temple. It is fantastic for a man to be like that. It is very easy, just like that everything will fall in place for such simple folk.It is not Hanuman, it is your own consciousness. How you hold yourself is everything. What you hold as you is God. If you are sincere enough, if the logical mind is eliminated and you ask this question with love, God is right here. Because you cannot see it directly, if you see it in the form of Hanuman, it is okay. It is a beautiful device if it works. If Hanuman is just about going and putting vada mala or jilebi mala and then you start the barter, then you are a fool. For you, temples should be destroyed; but if there are people like this Hanuman bhaktha, we must build temples. It is needed. If people are like this, a temple is a great instrument.

FIRST THINGS FIRST: HAVE A CUP OF TEA!

Osho, A Bird on the Wing, Talk #4
A Zen Story:
Joshu, the Zen master, asked a new monk in the monastery, 'Have I seen you before?'
The new monk replied, 'No sir.'
Joshu said, 'Then have a cup of tea.'
Joshu then turned to another monk, 'Have I seen you here before?
The second monk said, 'Yes sir, of course you have.'
Joshu said, 'Then have a cup of tea.'
Later the managing monk of the monastery asked Joshu, 'How is it you make the same offer of tea to any reply?'
At this Joshu shouted, 'Manager, are you still here?'
The manager replied, 'Of course, Master.'
Joshu said, 'Then have a cup of tea.'

The story is simple, but difficult to understand. It is always so. The more simple a thing the more difficult it is to understand. To understand, something complex is needed; to understand, you have to divide and analyze. A simple thing cannot be divided and analyzed-there is nothing to divide and analyze; the thing is so simple. The simplest always escapes understanding; that is why god cannot be understood. God is the simplest thing, absolutely the simplest thing possible. The world can be understood; it is very complex. The more complex a thing is, the more the mind can work on it. When it is simple there is nothing to grind against, the mind cannot work.

Logicians say simple qualities are indefinable. For example, somebody asks you what yellow is. It is such a simple quality, the color yellow, how will you define it? You will say, 'Yellow is yellow.' The man will say, 'That I know, but what is the definition of yellow?' If you say yellow is yellow you are not defining, you are simply repeating the same thing again. It is a tautology.
.'

The story is simple, but difficult to understand. It is always so. The more simple a thing the more difficult it is to understand. To understand, something complex is needed; to understand, you have to divide and analyze. A simple thing cannot be divided and analyzed-there is nothing to divide and analyze; the thing is so simple. The simplest always escapes understanding; that is why god cannot be understood. God is the simplest thing, absolutely the simplest thing possible. The world can be understood; it is very complex. The more complex a thing is, the more the mind can work on it. When it is simple there is nothing to grind against, the mind cannot work.

Logicians say simple qualities are indefinable. For example, somebody asks you what yellow is. It is such a simple quality, the color yellow, how will you define it? You will say, 'Yellow is yellow.' The man will say, 'That I know, but what is the definition of yellow?' If you say yellow is yellow you are not defining, you are simply repeating the same thing again. It is a tautology.

G.E. Moore, one of the most penetrating minds of this century, has written a book, Principia Ethica. The whole book consists of a very persistent effort to define what is good. Making efforts from all directions, in two or three hundred pages-and two, three hundred pages of G.E. Moore is worth three thousand pages of anybody else-he came to the conclusion that good is indefinable. Good cannot be defined-it is such a simple quality. When something is complex there are many things in it; you can define one thing by another that is present there. If you and I are in a room and you ask me, 'Who are you?' I can at least say I am not you. This will become the definition, the indication. But if I am alone in a room and I ask myself the question, 'Who am I?' the question resounds but there is no answer. How to define it?

That is why God has been missed. Intellect denies it, reason says no. God is the simplest denominator in existence-the simplest and the most basic. When the mind stops there is nothing other than God-so how to define God? He is alone in the room. That is why religions try to divide, then definition is possible. They say, 'This world is not that; God is not the world, God is not matter, God is not body, God is not desire.' These are ways to define.

You have to put something against something, then a boundary can be drawn. How do you draw a boundary if there is no neighbor? Where do you place the fence of your house if there is no neighborhood? If there is no one beside you, how can you fence in your house? Your house boundary consists of the presence of your neighbor. God is alone; he has no neighbor. Where does he begin? Where does he end? Nowhere. How can you define God? Just to define God, the Devil was created. God is not the Devil-at least this much can be said. You may not be able to say what God is but you can say what he is not: God is not the world.

I was just reading one Christian theologian's book. He says God is everything except evil. This, too, is enough to define. He says, 'All except evil'-this much will draw a boundary. He is not aware: if God is 'everything' then from where does this evil come? It must be coming from 'everything.' Otherwise there is some other source of existence besides God, and that other source of existence becomes equivalent to God. Then evil can never be destroyed, then it has its own source of existence; then evil is not dependent on God, so how can God destroy it? God will not destroy it. Once evil is destroyed God cannot be defined. To define him he needs the Devil to be there always, just around him. Saints need sinners; otherwise they would not be there. How will you know who is a saint? Every saint needs sinners around him; those sinners make the boundary.

The first thing to be understood is that complex things can be understood, simple things cannot. A simple thing is alone. This Zen story about Joshu is very simple. It is so simple it escapes you: you try to grip it; you try to grab it - it escapes. It is so simple that your mind cannot work on it. Try to feel the story. I will not say try to understand because you cannot understand it - try to feel the story. Many things are hidden within it if you try to feel them; if you try to understand it nothing is there - the whole anecdote is absurd.

Hammer on the Rock(Judgement)

A sannyasin said that he found his mind making judgements all the time – about other people, and concerning insignificant and petty things.
Just one thing to do:
whenever you feel any judgement coming in the mind, change the breathing pattern, and immediately you will see a change and that the judgement has disappeared.
Whenever you want to change a pattern of the mind that has become a long-standing habit, breathing is the best thing.
All habits of the mind are associated with the pattern of breathing.
Change the pattern of breathing and the mind changes immediately, instantly.
Try it.
Whenever you see that a judgement is coming and you are getting into an old habit, immediately exhale – as if you are throwing the judgement out with the exhalation.
Exhale deeply, pulling the stomach in, and as you throw out the air, feel, visualise, that the whole judgement is being thrown
Then take in fresh air deeply, two or three times, and just see what happens.
You will feel a complete freshness; the old habit will not have been able to take possession.
So start by exhalation, not inhalation. When you want to take something in, start inhaling; if you want to throw something out, start by exhalation and just see how immediately the mind is affected.
And don’t be worried about it, because the very worry gives it emphasis and feeds it.
Simply do this and immediately you will see that the mind has moved somewhere else; a new breeze has come.
You are not in the old groove so you will not repeat the old habit.
And this is true for all habits.
For example, if you smoke, if the urge comes to smoke and you don’t want to, immediately exhale deeply
and throw the urge out.
Have a fresh breath in and you will see immediately that the urge has gone.
This can become a very very important tool for inner change.
Just try it!
Osho
(Hammer on the Rock)

Swami Vivekananda on Lord Hanuman

A great Bhakta (Hanuman) once said when asked what day of the month it was, "God is my eternal date, no other date I care for."
As on the one hand Hanuman represent the ideal of service, so on the other hand he represents leonine courage, striking the whole world with awe. He has not the least hesitation in sacrificing his life for the good of Rama. A supreme indifference to everything except the service of Rama, even to the attainment of the status of Brahma and Shiva, the great World - gods! Only the carrying out of Shri Rama's best is the one vow of this life! Such whole - hearted devotion is wanted.
Eka-Nishtha or devotion to one ideal is absolutely necessary for the beginner in the practice of religious devotion. He must say with Hanuman in the Ramayana, "Though I know that the Lord of Shri and the Lord of Jânaki are both manifestations of the same Supreme Being, yet my all in all is the lotus-eyed Rama
Hanuman, the best of the monkeys, became the most faithful servant of Rama and helped him in rescuing Sita.
Hanuman, the devotee of Rama, summed up his philosophy in these words: When I identify myself with the body, O Lord, I am Thy creature, eternally separate from Thee. When I identify myself with the soul, I am a spark of that Divine Fire which Thou art. But when I identify myself with the Atman, I and Thou art one.
His devotion to Rama was so great that he is still worshipped by the Hindus as the ideal of a true servant of the Lord.
If you be very generous, you may think that like the great devotee, Hanuman.
Raganuga Bhakti is of five kinds:
(1) Shanta as illustrated by the religion of Christ;
(2) Dasya as illustrated by that of Hanuman to Rama; 

(3) Sakhya as illustrated by that of Arjuna to Shri Krishna; 

(4) Vatsalya as illustrated by that of Vasudeva to Shri Krishna;
(5) Madhura (that of the husband and wife) in the lives of Shri Krishna and the Gopikas.
(The Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda)

Ramayana story: Stone rejected by Rama

(Bhagavatam-katha)

Ramachandra Bhagavan wanted to cross over from South India to Lanka in order to defeat Ravana, and He had to transport the monkey army also.
He thought that, as it is He can’t do anything.
And He cannot take all the monkeys across of ocean in between India and Lanka.
He thought that we must have a bridge so that everyone can cross.
So who can do it?
He called Hanuman and told him, “We want a bridge tomorrow ready.”
Hanuman said “Alright Bhagavan.”
Hanuman knew that the Lord does not only order the living entities. But when He orders, He gives the strength also so that we can fulfill His desire. So he was sure.
He started to bring big mountains and stones from all over India and try to deposit them near the coast of the ocean. On each stone he was writing ‘Ram’ and he was throwing them in the ocean. And the stones were floating.
Lord Ramachandra was standing by the side. He was surprised that the stones were floating when they were thrown in the ocean.
Then Lord Ram wanted to try it Himself.
He thought, “If these stones are floating just by writing My name on it, then when I throw also they must float.”
So He picked up a big stone and threw it in to the ocean. It sank in the ocean. He thought that something must be wrong.
Again He picked up another stone and threw and again it went down.
Hanuman was watching Ram. He asked, ”What are you doing Bhagavan?”
Ram didn’t want to tell anything because He was not successful.
Hanuman said, “I know Bhagavan what you are doing. You must know these things better than me. I am bringing the stones and I am writing Your name on it. So Your association is there with the stone. Even the stone if it has the association of Krishna or Ram, it will definitely float. But when You throw the stone, You are rejecting the stone. So once You reject, how can they float?”
Hanumanji smiled, “My Lord, by the virtue of Your Name, even stones float on the waters. But, if You Yourself let go of the stone, who can save the stone? So the stone sinks in the water.”
Lord Rama smiled on hearing Hanuman’s interpretation of this incident.
Moral of the story:
We should do anything and everything, but don’t get rejected by the lord. When we are rejected then there is no hope for us.
The only way to avoid getting rejected by the Lord is to always chant His names and remember Him.
(Pictures courtsey google)

"Lord hanuman" ~ The story

To please Vayu further, Indra said to the boy, "You will be a 'Chiranjeevi' (immortal). I had taken my aim in your hanu (cheek). So from now, you will be called as the valiant Hanuman!"

Thus Anjaneya came to be known as Hanuman and had many more adventures during his childhood. With the blessings of all the gods,Hanuman became a great warrior later and had helped Lord Rama in his quest to bring back the latter's wife, Sita. This incident is known to everyone and is recorded in the great epic called Ramyana. is the story of Pawanputra Hanuman, the mighty monkey-god. Do you know how he was born? The story of his birth is as fascinating as his mighty deeds.But to know about Hanuman, we have to go back sometime before his birth. Let us go to the palace of Lord Brahma where it all started.Do you know who Lord Brahma is? He is the Hindu god of creation. He is believed to live in a beautiful divine palace in his heavenly abode. Such was the beauty of the palace that it was a constant source of amazement for even the deities.

There were a number of attendants in the celestial palace-courts of Lord Brahma. Among them was a beautiful attendant named Anjana. Once, happy with her service, Lord Brahma decided to reward her. He called her and asked what she wanted.

Anjana hesitated at first. Then she replied "Lord, I wish you could remove a curse pronounced on me by a sage,"

"Tell me about it. Maybe I can help you" said Lord Brahma.

Hopeful that her curse may be removed, Anjana continued "When I was playing as a child on earth, once I saw a monkey meditating with its legs folded in a lotus pose, like a human sage. It was a funny sight; so I threw some fruits at it."

"But here I made a mistake. For it was no ordinary monkey. A powerful sage had taken the form of a monkey to do his tapasya (spiritual practice). My fruits disturbed his penance and he opened his eyes in great indignation."

"As soon as he saw me, he cursed me that I would become a monkey when I fall in love with anyone. I begged him to forgive me."

"The sage said that as he had already uttered it, he couldn't change the curse. But he assured me that the man I fall in love with will love me in spite of my monkey face."

"Lord Brahma, I was born and brought up here. How can I live with a monkey face among my beautiful sisters? If you kindly grant me a boon to become my usual self, I will be very much obliged," she said anxiously.

Brahma felt sorry for the unfortunate apsara. He thought for a moment. Then he lifted his eyes towards the anxious Anjana.

"I see a way for removing your curse, Anjana," he said kindly. "Go to earth and live there for a while. You will meet your husband on earth and your curse will be removed if you - give birth to an incarnation of Lord Shiva," said Lord Brahma.

Anjana accepted Brahma's advice. She was born in the earth shortly afterwards. She lived in a forest as a young huntress.

One day she saw a strong man fighting with a lion. "What a brave man!" she thought in wonder. "How I wish he will look at me!"

As Anjana looked at the warrior in admiration, the man turned and saw her. As soon as his eyes fell on her, she turned into a monkey!

With a pathetic cry, Anjana sank to the ground and covered her face with her hands. Seeing her fall to the ground, the man came running towards her.

"Who are you fair maiden? Why do you cry? Uncover your face. Let me see you," he asked her.

"I cannot, brave man," Anjana answered gloomily. "I am Anjana, an apsara cursed to become a monkey when I fall in love. I request you to please leave me alone in my sorrow," she wailed and peeked at the handsome man through her fingers.

To her great astonishment she found a big monkey-faced man standing before her! If she didn't see his face at first, it was because she couldn't and because till now she saw him from a distance.

The monkey-faced man understood her surprise. He spoke. "I am not human, though I can take the human form if I want. I am Kesari, the king of Monkeys, blessed by Lord Shiva with magical powers. If you become my wife, I will be honoured. Would you honour me by becoming my wife, dear Anjana?".

Anjana became very happy. She accepted his proposal.

"Then the sage's word was indeed true," thought Anjana, "Kesari didn't mind my appearance because he himself is a monkey!"

Anjana and Kesari were married in the forests. Being a pious devotee, Anjana performed intense tapasya, worshipping Lord Shiva.

Lord Shiva was pleased with her. He appeared before her and asked her what she wanted.

"Lord Shiva, I wish you to be born as my son, so that I can be freed from the sage's curse," requested Anjana.

"So be it!". Lord Shiva gave his consent and disappeared.

Soon after this, one day, as Anjana was worshipping Lord Shiva, in another part of the country, Dasaratha, the king of Ayodhya, was performing a yagna (religious rite) to have children. It was the Putrakama Yagna. As a result, Agni, the Fire-God gave him some sacred payasa (pudding) and asked him to share the payasa among his wives so that they may have divine children.

Here, Lord Shiva's boon to Anjana started to work. While Dasaratha gave payasa to his elder wife Kausalya, by divine ordinance a kite snatched a portion of that pudding.

Holding the pudding in its tails, the kite-bird flew away from Ayodhya towards the forests Anjana lived. It flew over the dense trees and dropped the payasa where Anjana was engaged in tapasya.

Vayu, the ever-present Wind-God, saw this event. "Go, Vayu!" he heard a silent command in his mind from Lord Shiva. Vayu immediately caught that portion of pudding and placed onto the outstretched hands of Anjana.

Anjana felt something drop in her hand. She opened her eyes and looked at the payasa in her hand. "Is this offering from Lord Shiva?" she wondered and swallowed it.

As the divine pudding went inside her throat, Anjana immediately felt the blessings of Lord Shiva. In due course, she gave birth to a little monkey-faced boy. Kesari was very happy to see his son. The child was called as Anjaneya or the son of Anjana.

Having given birth to Lord Shiva's incarnation, Anjana was released from the curse of the sage. She began to express her wish to return to Heaven.

When Anjaneya came to know about her mother's wish, he became sad. "Mother, without you what will be my future? How can I feed myself? How will I live?" he asked.

"Don't worry, Anjaneya," said Anjana. "Your father is the brave Kesari. Your guardian spirit is the life-giving Vayu. They'll always protect you. When you feel hungry, fruits as red and ripe as a rising sun would be your nourishment."

Saying so, Anjana kissed her son and left her alone. She went back to her heavenly abode.

"Fruits as red and ripe as the sun?" thought Anjaneya. "Is sun such a ripe fruit? Let's see!"

Thinking that the sun was actually some delicious fruit, the baby Anjaneya wanted to taste the sun. Now, Anjaneya was a divine child. His mother was an apsara and his father was a Monkey-King, so it was natural that little Anjaneya should inherit some magical powers. He was, after all, an incarnation of Lord Shiva. So reaching for the sun was not a tough task for him. He made a giant leap to catch the glowing ball on the sky.

Suryadeva, the Sun-God was glowing peacefully in the sky when he suddenly saw a monkey coming towards him. The monkey grew bigger and bigger as he neared the sun. But the terribly hot rays which made any mortal presence impossible near the sun, had no effect on the creature.

Seeing that, Suryadeva got scared and started calling out for help. "Indra! Indra! Help me!" he shouted.

Indra, king of the gods in heaven, was resting nearby in his heavenly abode. He was surprised to hear the Sun-God pleading for his help.

"Why is Suryadeva yelling for my help?" Indra wondered. "Is he not powerful enough to burn everything that comes near him? Or is it something beyond his control? I have to see what's happening!"

Indradeva promptly climbed on Airavatha the white elephant, his mount, and left his abode to find the cause of Suryadeva's fear. Soon he found that a flying monster was trying to catch hold of the sun. "Little wonder then that Suryadeva was so scared!" thought Indra, who had never seen such a creature.

Nearing the sun, Indra was surprised to see that the monster was actually a giant monkey.

"Stop!" he ordered. "Who are you? Why are you trying to catch the sun?"

"I'm Anjaneya, son of Kesari and Anjana." replied the giant child. "My mother told me that fruits as ripe as the red sun will be my food so I'm going to catch the sun and eat it."

At first, Indra was amused by the child's innocence, so he advised him to return to earth. "This is not a fruit, Anjaneya, this is the sun- the source of all light and life." said he and commanded, "Return whence you came".

But naughty Anjaneya ignored his commands and continued on his journey to capture the sun.

Now Indra became angry at the child's impertinence. He warned him several times not to go near the sun, but Anjaneya did not listen to him.

Finally, the King of Devas became so enraged that he struck Anjaneya with his thunderbolt "vajra".

Kaaabuuuuuuum!!! The thunderbolt hit the child, wounding his chin and causing him to fall down to earth. The "vajra" hit Anjaneya's face. So his cheeks were swollen twice its size. As the boy fell, his body became smaller and smaller. Finally he became the child-sized monkey he really was and hit the ground.

Vayu, the Wind God, was roaming here and there when he heard a big "thud". Curious, he went towards the direction of the noise to investigate.

What he saw shocked Vayu. He couldn't believe his eyes. Anjaneya was lying unconscious on the ground. Who had dared to injure his god-son?

"Who has done this?" he roared but no one answered. Indra had already left for his abode and the sun was once again peacefully glowing in the sky.

The Wind God was terribly angry. "Why should I bother to do my duty when no one answers my question?" he thought.

With great affection, he lifted his godson in his hands and went to the Patalloka, the world below the grounds of the earth.

As Vayu left the earth, there was no air in the world. People, animals and trees struggled to breathe and started to die.

The Sun-God was shocked at the turn of the events and he ran to Brahma, telling Him about the calamity on earth.

Brahma became worried about the situation on Earth. He called Indra and accused him.

"Look what your silly anger has caused!" he thundered. "You have hurt a divine child and now the people on earth are suffering because of your mistake. This is all because of you!".

Indra hung his head in shame. "I am sorry for my actions" he murmured.

Brahma took him and the other gods to Patalloka and begged Vayu to return to earth.

"I beg pardon on behalf of all men, all creatures and divine beings. Please return to the earth, o gentle Vayu."

"I'll not come anywhere without my Anjaneya", Vayu said firmly. Then, using his powers, Brahma magically cured Anjaneya's wounds. He also gave him a boon saying, "No weapon will be ever able to have an effect on Anjaneya again."

To please Vayu further, Indra said to the boy, "You will be a 'Chiranjeevi' (immortal). I had taken my aim in your hanu (cheek). So from now, you will be called as the valiant Hanuman!"

Thus Anjaneya came to be known as Hanuman and had many more adventures during his childhood. With the blessings of all the gods,Hanuman became a great warrior later and had helped Lord Rama in his quest to bring back the latter's wife, Sita. This incident is known to everyone and is recorded in the great epic called Ramyana.
(Story courtsey whatsapp share)

Nisargadatta's "I Am That"-chapter 12

The Person is not Reality.

Questioner: Kindly tell us how you realised.

Maharaj: I met my Guru when I was 34 and realised by 37.

Q: What happened?

What was the change?

M: Pleasure and pain lost their sway over me.

I was free from desire and fear.

I found myself full, needing nothing.

I saw that in the ocean of pure awareness, on the surface of the universal consciousness, the numberless waves of the phenomenal worlds arise and subside beginninglessly and endlessly.

As consciousness, they are all me.

As events they are all mine.

There is a mysterious power that looks after them.

That power is awareness, Self, Life, God, whatever name you give it.

It is the foundation, the ultimate support of all that is, just like gold is the basis for all gold jewellery.

And it is so intimately ours!

Abstract the name and shape from the jewellery and the gold becomes obvious.

Be free of name and form and of the desires and fears they create, then what remains?

Q: Nothingness.

M: Yes, the void remains.

But the void is full to the brim.

It is the eternal potential as consciousness is the eternal actual.

Q: By potential you mean the future?

M: Past, present and future -- they are all there.

And infinitely more.

Q: But since the void is void, it is of little use to us.

M: How can you say so?

Without breach in continuity how can there be rebirth?

Can there be renewal without death?

Even the darkness of sleep is refreshing and rejuvenating.

Without death we would have been bogged up for ever in eternal senility.

Q: Is there no such thing as immortality?

M: When life and death are seen as essential to each other, as two aspects of one being, that is immortality.

To see the end in the beginning and beginning in the end is the intimation of eternity.

Definitely, immortality is not continuity.

Only the process of change continues.

Nothing lasts.

Q: Awareness lasts?

M: Awareness is not of time.

Time exists in consciousness only.

Beyond consciousness where are time and space?

Q: Within the field of your consciousness there is your body also.

M: Of course.

But the idea 'my body', as different from other bodies, is not there.

To me it is 'a body', not 'my body', 'a mind', not 'my mind'.

The mind looks after the body all right, I need not interfere.

What needs be done is being done, in the normal and natural way.

You may not be quite conscious of your physiological functions, but when it comes to thoughts and feelings, desires and fears you become acutely self-conscious.

To me these too are largely unconscious.

I find myself talking to people, or doing things quite correctly and appropriately, without being very much conscious of them.

It looks as if I live my physical, waking life automatically, reacting spontaneously and accurately.

Q: Does this spontaneous response come as a result of realisation, or by training?

M: Both.

Devotion to you goal makes you live a clean and orderly life, given to search for truth and to helping people, and realisation makes noble virtue easy and spontaneous, by removing for good the obstacles in the shape of desires and fears and wrong ideas.

Q: Don't you have desires and fears any more?

M: My destiny was to be born a simple man, a commoner, a humble tradesman, with little of formal education.

My life was the common kind, with common desires and fears.

When, through my faith in my teacher and obedience to his words, I realised my true being, I left behind my human nature to look after itself, until its destiny is exhausted.

Occasionally an old reaction, emotional or mental, happens in the mind, but it is at once noticed and discarded.

After all, as long as one is burdened with a person, one is exposed to its idiosyncrasies and habits.

Q: Are you not afraid of death?

M: I am dead already.

Q: In what sense?

M: I am double dead.

Not only am I dead to my body, but to my mind too.

Q: Well, you do not look dead at all!

M: That's what you say!

You seem to know my state better than I do!

Q: Sorry.

But I just do not understand.

You say you are bodyless and mindless, while I see you very much alive and articulate.

M: A tremendously complex work is going on all the time in your brain and body, are you conscious of it?

Not at all.

Yet for an outsider all seems to be going on intelligently and purposefully.

Why not admit that one's entire personal life may sink largely below the threshold of consciousness and yet proceed sanely and smoothly?

Q: Is it normal?

M: What is normal?

Is your life -- obsessed by desires and fears, full of strife and struggle, meaningless and joyless -- normal?

To be acutely conscious of your body id it normal?

To be torn by feelings, tortured by thoughts: is it normal?

A healthy body, a healthy mind live largely unperceived by their owner; only occasionally, through pain or suffering they call for attention and insight.

Why not extend the same to the entire personal life?

One can function rightly, responding well and fully to whatever happens, without having to bring it into the focus of awareness.

When self- control becomes second nature, awareness shifts its focus to deeper levels of existence and action.

Q: Don't you become a robot?

M: What harm is there in making automatic, what is habitual and repetitive?

It is automatic anyhow.

But when it is also chaotic, it causes pain and suffering and calls for attention.

The entire purpose of a clean and well-ordered life is to liberate man from the thraldom of chaos and the burden of sorrow.

Q: You seem to be in favour of a computerised life.

M: What is wrong with a life which is free from problems?

Personality is merely a reflection of the real.

Why should not the reflection be true to the original as a matter of course, automatically?

Need the person have any designs of its own?

The life of which it is an expression will guide it.

Once you realise that the person is merely a shadow of the reality, but not reality itself, you cease to fret and worry.

You agree to be guided from within and life becomes a journey into the unknown.

"HANUMAN IN MAHABHARAT:ON ARJUNA’S CHARIOT"

"HANUMAN IN MAHABHARAT:ON ARJUNA’S CHARIOT"
Arjuna was a skilled archer and was capable of conjuring wonders with his arrows.
During the Mahabharata war, he requested Lord Hanuman to be present on his chariot to which Hanuman asked him to prove his mettle. Arjuna then claimed that he could reconstruct the bridge Rama’s army had built to cross the ocean. Intrigued by his claims, Hanuman challenged him to create a bridge that would be able to withstand his weight. He promised that if Arjuna succeeded in the task, Hanuman would accompany him on his chariot. An eager Arjuna, created the bridge in a jiffy but it collapsed even faster as soon as Hanuman set foot on it. A crestfallen Arjuna approached Lord Krishna who convinced Hanuman that Arjuna should be given another chance. With Krishna’s blessing Arjuna built the bridge again, and this time it did not crumble under Hanuman’s weight. Hanuman then realised the fact that Krishna was an incarnation of his revered Lord Vishnu and was overwhelmed. He agreed to aid Arjuna in his battles with the Kauravas and thus Arjuna’s chariot featured Hanuman on its flag.
After the battle of Kurukshetra, Krishna asked Arjuna to step down the chariot. Krishna thanked Hanuman to stay with them during the war in the form of a flag on the chariot. Hanuman came in his original form, bowed to Krishna and flew away. As soon as he left, the chariot turned into ashes. Krishna explained to a shocked Arjuna, that the chariot would have burnt long time back due to the effects of celestial weapons thrown at it during the war. However, Lord Hanuman protected it.

"HANUMAN’S LASTPROMISE TO RAM"

"HANUMAN’S LASTPROMISE TO RAM"
When Ram decided to leave for the heavenly abode, many including his wife Sita and Lakshman followed him. But his most ardent devotee vowed that he would stay on this earth for as long as the name of Rama is chanted by its inhabitants.
His last promise to Rama is that he would stay on the earth in secret as long as the name of Rama was remembered and worshiped.

108 names of Hanuman with their meanings:

108 names of Hanuman with their meanings:
AnjaneyaSon of Anjana
AnjanagarbhasambhootaBorn of Anjani
AshokavanikachhetreDestroyer of Ashoka Orchard
AkshahantreSlayer of Aksha
BalarkaSadrushanana Like the Rising Sun
BheemasenasahayakruteHelper of Bheema
BatnasiddhikaraGranter of Strength
BhakthavatsalaProtector of Devotees
BajrangbaliWith strength of daamod
BhavishyaChaturanana Aware of Future Happenings
ChanchaladwalaGlittering Tail Suspended Above The Head.
ChiranjeeviniImmortal
ChaturbahaveFour-Armed
DashabahaveTen-Armed
DantaPeaceful
DheeraCourageous
DeenabandhaveDefender of the Oppressed
DaithyakulantakaDestroyer of Demons
DaityakaryaVidhyataka Destroyer of All Demons' Activities
DhruddavrataDetermined Meditator
DashagreevakulantakaSlayer of the Ten-Headed Ravana Race
GandharvavidyaTatvangna Exponent in the Art of Celestials
GandhamadhanaShailastha Resident of Gandhamadhana
HanumantaOne with Puffy Cheeks
IndrajitPrahitamoghabrahmastra Vinivaraka Remover of the Effect of Indrajit's Brahmastra
JambavatpreetiVardhana Winner of Jambavan's Love
JaiKapeeshHailing Monkey
KapeeshwaraLord of Monkeys
KabalikrutaOne who swallowed the Sun
KapisenanayakaHead of the Monkey Army
KumarabrahmacharineYouthful Bachelor
KesarinandanSon of Kesari
KesarisutaSon of Kesari
KalanemiPramathana Slayer of Kalanemi
HarimarkatamarkataLord of the Monkeys
KaragrahavimoktreOne who Frees from Imprisonment
KalanabhaOrganizer of Time
KanchanabhaGolden-Hued Body
KamaroopineAltering Form at Will
LankineebhanjanaSlayer of Lankini
LakshmanapranadatreReviver of Lakshmana's Life
LankapuravidahakaThe One Who Burnt Lanka
LokapujyaWorshipped by the Universe
MarutiSon of Marut (wind god)
MahadhyutaMost Radiant
MahakayaOne with colossal body
ManojavayaSwiftness like Wind
MahatmaneSupreme Being
MahaviraMost Courageous
MarutatmajaAdored Like Gems
MahabalaParakrama Of Great Strength
MahatejaseMost Radiant
MaharavanamardanaSlayer of the Famous Ravana
MahatapaseGreat Meditator
NavavyakrutiPandita Skilful Scholar
ParthadhwajagrasamvasineHaving Principal Place on Arjuna's Flag
PragnyaScholar
PrasannatmaneCheerful
PratapavateKnown for Valour
ParavidhyapariharaDestroyer of Enemies Wisdom
ParashauryaVinashana Destroyer of Enemy's Valour
ParijataTarumoolastha Dweller under the Parijata Tree
PrabhavePopular Lord
ParamantraNirakartre Acceptor of Rama's Mantra Only
PingalakshaPink-Eyed
PavanputraSon of Wind god
PanchavaktraFive-Faced
ParayantraPrabhedaka Destroyer of Enemies' Missions
RamasugreevaSandhatre Mediator between Rama and Sugreeva
RamakathalolayaCrazy of listening Rama's Story
RatnakundalaDeeptimate Wearing Gem-Studded Earrings
RudraveeryaSamudbhava Born of Shiva
RamachudamanipradaDeliverer of Rama's Ring
RamabhaktaDevoted to Rama
RamadhutaAmbassador of Rama
RakshovidhwansakarakaSlayer of Demons
SankatamochananReliever of sorrows
SitadeviMudrapradayaka Deliverer of the Ring of Sita
SarvamayavibhanjanaDestroyer of All Illusions
SarvabandhaVimoktre Detacher of all Relationship
SarvagrahaNivashinay Killer of all Evil Effects of Planets
SarvaduhkhaharaReliever of all Agonies
SarvalolkacharineWanderer of all Places
SarvamantraSwaroopavate Possessor of all Hymns
SarvatantraSawaroopine Shape of all Hymns
SarvayantratmakaDweller in all Yantras
SarvarogaharaReliever of all Ailments
SarvavidhyasampathPradayaka Granter of Knowledge and Wisdom
ShrunkalabandhamochakaReliever from a Chain of Distresses
SitashokaNivarana Destroyer of Sita's Sorrow
ShrimateHonored
SimhikapranaBhanjana Slayer of Simhika
SugreevaSachiva Minister of Sugreeva
ShooraGallant
SurarchitaWorshipped by Celestials
SphatikabhaSpotless, Crystal-Clear
SanjeevananagahatreCarrier of Sanjeevi Mount
ShuchayePure, Chaste
ShantaVery Composed and Calm
ShatakanttamadapahateDestroyer of Shatakantta's Arrogance
SitanveshanaPandita Skilful in finding Sita's Whereabouts
SharapanjarabhedakaDestroyer of the Nest made of Arrows
SitaramapadasevaAlways engaged in Rama's Service
SagarotharakaLeapt Across the Ocean
TatvagyanapradaGranter of Wisdom
VanaraMonkey
VibheeshanapriyakaraBeloved of Vibheeshana
VajrakayaHard Like Metal
VardhimainakapujitaWorshipped by Mynaka
VagmineSpokesman
VijitendriyaController of the Senses
VajranakhaStrong-Nailed
VagadheekshaLord of Spokesmen
YogineYogi (Saint)

WHEN LORD HANUMAN ALSO CREATED HIS VERSION OF RAMAYAN

Hanuman also created his version of Ramayan – which was supposedly a superior version compared to that of Valmiki’s.Ram-Hanuman crossing bridge to Lanka. After the war at Lanka, Hanuman went to Himalaya for continuing his reverence of Lord Ram, Hanuman etched his version of Ram’s tale on the walls of the Himalayas with his nails.
When Maharshi Valmiki visited Hanuman to show his version of Ramayana, he saw the walls and felt sad as Valmiki believed that Hanuman’s Ramayana was superior and that his arduously created version of the Ramayana would remain unnoticed.Realising this, Hanuman discarded his version. Taken aback,Valmiki said he would love to be reborn to sing the glory of Hanuman!

WHY HANUMAN IS COVERED WITH SINDOOR ALL OVER HIS BODY?

Hanuman Once Applied Sindoor All Over His Body for Lord Rama’s Long Life
When Hanuman saw Sita applying Sindoor (Vermillion) in her hair, he asked the reason for the same. Sita replied that it was for long life and well being of Lord Rama, her husband. Hanuman, the biggest devotee of Rama thought if a pinch of sindoor in the hair can increase the longevity of Lord Rama then why not apply on the entire body.
He then applied sindoor all over his body for Rama’s long life. Seeing this innocence and unmatched devotion of Hanuman, Lord Rama gave him a vardan (blessings) that whenever the name of devotion takes place, Hanuman’s name will be taken first. Also, whoever will pay respect to Hanuman on Tuesday, not only will his/her wishes come true but will also be dear to Lord Rama himself.Another reason to believe is that Hanuman is also believed to be the incarnation of Lord Rudra, reason why devotees color the idol with sindhur color.

THE NAME HANUMAN MEANS DISFIGURED JAW

In Sanskrit Hanu means Jaw and man means disfigured so Hanuman means disfigured jaw. No wonder, Hanuman’s jaw as a kid was disfigured by none other than Lord Indra who had used his vajra (Thunderbolt) against Anjaneya, who took sun as a riped mango and even went to trace it up in the sky. It was here in the sky that Lord Indra had used his vajra which threw Anjaneya straight on the earth damaging his jaw forever.

The story of Lord Hanuman

Hanuman was an incarnation of Shiva and considered to be an exemplification of strength, devotion,and perseverance.Anjana,a beautiful Apsara in celestial palace court of Lord Brahma was cursed by a sage that, the moment she fell in love her face would transform to that of a monkey. Lord Brahma thought of helping her and she took birth on Earth. Later, Anjana fell in love with Kesari, the monkey king and they both married each other. Being an ardent devotee of Lord Shiva,she continued with her tapasya to please the God. Lord Shiva was impressed and she wished him to be her son so that she would be freed from the curse of the sage.Few days later, King Dasrath was performing a yagna after which the sage gave him kheer to feed all his wives. A portion of Kaushlya, his eldest wife, was snatched by a kite who flew all the way where Anjana was meditating. Lord Vayu (aka Pawan – Wind) on the signal of Lord Shiva kept the kheer in Anjana’s hand.Thinking it as Lord Shiva’s prasad Anjana ate it and thus gave birth to his incarnation – Pawan Putra Hanuman, the son of the Lord of the Winds.

When Lord Vishnu decided to incarnate on earth in the form of Rama, Lord Shiva professed his desire to serve him. Shiva’s intention perturbs Sati as she would have to stay apart from her beloved husband. Learning of Sati’s concern, Shiva promised to send only a portion of him to earth so that he could fulfil both the purposes. But the form which Shiva should adopt for his reincarnation became a cause of great distress to both Sati and Shiva. Finally after much deliberation, Shiva decided to assume the form of a monkey, as the humble creature can sustain with a simple lifestyle and is free of all bondages of caste and traditions. Thus he took birth in the form of Hanuman,who served Lord Rama with utmost devotion.