Keeping up with the Joneses April 20, 2011

“Keeping up with the Joneses” is to strive to match to one’s neighbor for the accumulation of material goods as a benchmark for one’s relative social standing and prestige. The desire to increase one’s position in the social hierarchy, to show off one’s standard of living in relation to one’s peers is responsible for conspicuous consumption and materialism that have been an insatiable juggernaut ever since. With the increasing availability of goods, people became more inclined to spend money frivolously on status symbols to define themselves by what they possessed for the sake of flaunting their wealth and the subtle quest for higher status accelerated.

Why are we killing ourselves this way?

Envy and avarice are fortifying corrosive consumerism and intensifying competitive spending insidiously. Everyone is looking for the television with the biggest screen, the DTH services with the most channels and the smartest phone. Add in desktop computers and high-speed internet. Prolific advertising and product placements have brought the lifestyles of the rich and famous to the gazes of suburbia. Designer cosmetics are now the middle-class norm, and iPod is a necessity.

To fail to “Keep up with the Joneses” is perceived as socio-economic or cultural inferiority, dissatisfaction, even for people whose status is high. Out of this agony arises jealousy. One area in which “living above one’s means” is that of credit card. It may favour profligate spending stepping-up with income, flummoxing luxuries as life’s necessities and get in debt or broke.

The Problem with the Joneses

You end up spending fortune far more than you earn on something you don’t need that only lasts a little while. Yes, gadgets fascinate for a little while, but now they’re a cliché’. Just as you get what other people have, the next “must-have” item rolls around. You can never keep up. It’s impossible. You shouldn’t worry about what they have; it’s your money, so spend it wisely.

What causes jealousy?

If everybody is in misery, everybody is losing, you become gloated. If everybody is happy and succeeding, it tastes very bitter. Jealousy creates anxiety, loneliness, and hate. No one thinks clearly when jealous. So what causes jealousy?

Somebody else has a better house, more beautiful spouse, more money, more charismatic personality. You have been conditioned to always compare. Our whole idea of life is based on “the other person has it and I don’t”. You have to achieve some end; you have to prove your nerve. Whatsoever is the means, who bothers about them. You have to show to the world that you are not an ordinary person. Compare, go on comparing yourself with everybody else you pass by, and great jealousy will be the outcome. Thank God, you don’t compare with birds and with trees. Otherwise, you would be so burdened by jealousy that you would not be able to live at all.

How to handle jealousy?

If you drop comparing, jealousy disappears. In fact why people don’t drop it, is, a miracle, because they don’t get anything out of it except misery! You can drop it only if you start loving and respecting yourself the way existence has made you.

1. Know that the feelings are temporary, just like passing clouds.

2. Know that the person that you are jealous of has done some good karma in the past and they are now reaping the fruit. Take it as an inspiration to gain merit now.

3. Think of all you have that they don’t have and feel grateful. Don’t be a slave to the desires of other people and see that all people that envy you have not brought joy anyway.

4. Realize that in the current of moving time, all will perish. The person who you are jealous of and someone who is being jealous of you are moving towards death. This ultimate realization that we are all going to die, brings you back to your self.

5. Meditate, watch your jealousy. See exactly what it is. Just be in a state of non-doing, because anything done in a moment of jealousy is going to be destructive. Just watch. Slowly, the meditation will create the distance between you and the jealousy.

Don’t keep up with the “Joneses”

If you can’t keep up with the Joneses, can you become the Joneses? This is certainly possible. Several behemoths have one important thing that makes them who they are. While they do try to be the best, they better themselves and the work they produce. They don’t care about becoming famous. They strive for excellence.

If you seek fame, you’ll never really make it. You’re too focused on the outcome and not focused enough on the work it takes to get there.

If you have to compare you should compare with yourself: how you were yesterday, day before, two years back – that’s healthy. See you’ve moved. If someone has done better, then know it can be achieved. Do not compare. You are the best!

ISHAVASYA UPANISHAD March 16, 2011

ॐ पूर्णमदः पूर्णमिदं पूर्णात् पूर्णमुदच्यते।
पूर्णस्य पूर्णमादाय पूर्णमेवावशिष्यते॥
ॐ शांतिः शांतिः शांतिः॥

॥अथ ईशोपनिषद्॥

ॐ ईशा वास्यमिदँ सर्वं यत्किञ्च जगत्यां जगत्।
तेन त्यक्तेन भुञ्जीथा मा गृधः कस्यस्विद्धनम्॥१॥

कुर्वन्नेवेह कर्माणि जिजीविषेच्छतँ समाः।
एवं त्वयि नान्यथेतोऽस्ति न कर्म लिप्यते नरे॥२॥

असुर्या नाम ते लोका अन्धेन तमसाऽऽवृताः।
ताँस्ते प्रेत्याभिगच्छन्ति ये के चात्महनो जनाः॥३॥

अनेजदेकं मनसो जवीयो नैनद्देवा आप्नुवन्पूर्वमर्षत्।
तद्धावतोऽन्यानत्येति तिष्ठत्तस्मिन्नपो मातरिश्वा दधाति॥४॥

तदेजति तन्नैजति तद्दूरे तद्वन्तिके।
तदन्तरस्य सर्वस्य तदु सर्वस्यास्य बाह्यतः॥५॥

यस्तु सर्वाणि भूतान्यात्मन्येवानुपश्यति।
सर्वभूतेषु चात्मानं ततो न विजुगुप्सते॥६॥

यस्मिन्सर्वाणि भूतान्यात्मैवाभूद्विजानतः।
तत्र को मोहः कः शोक एकत्वमनुपश्यतः॥७॥

स पर्यगाच्छुक्रमकायमव्रण-मस्नाविरँ शुद्धमपापविद्धम्।
कविर्मनीषी परिभूः स्वयम्भू-र्याथातथ्यतोऽर्थान् व्यदधाच्छाश्वतीभ्यः समाभ्यः॥८॥

अन्धं तमः प्रविशन्ति येऽविद्यामुपासते।
ततो भूय इव ते तमो य उ विद्यायाँ रताः॥९॥

अन्यदेवाहुर्विद्ययाऽन्यदाहुरविद्यया।
इति शुश्रुम धीराणां ये नस्तद्विचचक्षिरे॥१०॥

विद्यां चाविद्यां च यस्तद्वेदोभयँ सह।
अविद्यया मृत्युं तीर्त्वा विद्ययाऽमृतमश्नुते॥११॥

अन्धं तमः प्रविशन्ति येऽसम्भूतिमुपासते।
ततो भूय इव ते तमो य उ सम्भूत्याँ रताः॥१२॥

अन्यदेवाहुः सम्भवादन्यदाहुरसम्भवात्।
इति शुश्रुम धीराणां ये नस्तद्विचचक्षिरे॥१३॥

सम्भूतिं च विनाशं च यस्तद्वेदोभयँ सह।
विनाशेन मृत्युं तीर्त्वा सम्भूत्याऽमृतमश्नुते॥१४॥

हिरण्मयेन पात्रेण सत्यस्यापिहितं मुखम्।
तत्त्वं पूषन्नपावृणु सत्यधर्माय दृष्टये॥१५॥

पूषन्नेकर्षे यम सूर्य प्राजापत्य व्यूह रश्मीन् समूह तेजः।
यत्ते रूपं कल्याणतमं तत्ते पश्यामि योऽसावसौ पुरुषः सोऽहमस्मि॥१६॥

वायुरनिलममृतमथेदं भस्मांतँ शरीरम्।
ॐ क्रतो स्मर कृतँ स्मर क्रतो स्मर कृतँ स्मर॥१७॥

अग्ने नय सुपथा राये अस्मान् विश्वानि देव वयुनानि विद्वान्।
युयोध्यस्मज्जुहुराणमेनो भूयिष्ठां ते नमउक्तिं विधेम॥१८॥

॥इति ईशोपनिषत्॥

ॐ पूर्णमदः पूर्णमिदं पूर्णात्पूर्णमुदच्यते।
पूर्णस्य पूर्णमादाय पूर्णमेवावशिष्यते॥
ॐ शांतिः शांतिः शांतिः॥

 

The Guru June 27, 2010

Thousands of Indians put their trust in spiritual leaders but few can imagine that most revered godly men are common criminals who try to alter the hearts and minds of mankind for money-laundering rackets. A few amorous acts are captured on camera through a sting operation revealing the spiritual leader in an alleged sex scandal with an actress or amassing illegal wealth and property or luring people to increase the sell of their business products on god name.

“The Guru has to be of wonderful capabilities, and clever shall his hearer be”  and when both of these are really wonderful and extraordinary, then will a splendid spiritual awakening result, and not otherwise. Such alone are the real teachers, and such alone are also the real students. All others are only playing with spirituality. They have just a little curiosity awakened, just a little intellectual aspiration kindled in them, but are merely standing on the outward fringe of the horizon of religion. Whenever we are tempted to complain of our search after the truth that we desire so much, proving vain, instead of so complaining, our first duty ought to be to look into our own souls and find whether the craving in the heart is real. Then in the vast majority of cases it would be discovered that we were not fit for receiving the truth, that there was no real thirst for spirituality.

There are many who, though immersed in ignorance, yet, in the pride of their hearts, fancy they know everything, and not only do not stop there, but offer to take others on their shoulders; and thus the blind leading the blind, both fall into the ditch. The world is full of these. Every one wants to be a teacher, every beggar wants to make a gift of a million dollars! Just as these beggars are ridiculous, so are these teachers.

A teacher who does not know himself teaches from indirect knowledge. He will say things like “the scriptures tell us that there is a complete, adequate being hidden within who must be uncovered by the practice of austerities — who will be discovered in the light of meditation”. The teacher who deals too much in words and allows the mind to be carried away by the force of words loses the spirit. It is the knowledge of the spirit of the scriptures alone that constitutes the true religious teacher. शब्दजालं महारण्यं चित्तभ्रमणकारणं । – “The network of words of the scriptures is a big forest in which the human mind often loses itself and finds no way out; it is the cause of a curious wandering of the mind.” “The various methods of joining words and speaking in beautiful language and explaining the diction of the scriptures are only for the disputations and enjoyment of the learned, they do not conduce to the development of spiritual perception”. Those who employ such methods to impart religion to others are only desirous to show off their learning, so that the world may praise them as great scholars. They really means nothing by them; they cannot formulate as their meaning any idea unaffected by his own human nature; they are no better off in this matter than a man in the street who has not read a single book. That man in the street, however, is quiet and does not disturb the peace of the world, while this big talker foments disturbance and misery among masses. Such statements mislead the seeker.

परीक्ष्य लोकान कर्मचितान  ब्राह्मणों निर्वेदमाय अन्नास्त्यक्रतः कृतेन ।

तद्विज्ञानार्थं स गुरुमेवाभिगच्छेत समित्पनिः श्रोत्रियम ब्रह्मानिषठं ॥ (I,ii, 12 Mundaka Upanisad)

Having analyzed the worldly experiences achieved through effort, a mature person gains dispassion, discerns that the limitlessness cannot be produced by action. To know That , he, with twigs in hand, should go to a teacher who is learned in the scriptures, and steadfast in the knowledge of himself.

A teacher does not produce anything; he does not need to produce anything. Nobody can produce knowledge. Knowledge is the accurate appreciation of what is. The teacher throws light upon something which is already there. If an object I want to see is in a completely dark room, all I need is light to see it in.

For those fascinated by the effect of meditation, always first learn to be a servant, and then you will be fit to be a master. If your life seems to be a misery, then there is a cause of misery and a way out of it. You must expand if you want to live. So, before you trust any revered pedagogue twaddling before you, remember you are born in the country inhabited by sages, enchanted by sacred scriptures which whole world is following now. You do not need to search for a guru, you are yourself your guru!

(Certain parts from Complete works of Swami Vivekanand Vol. 3 and Introduction to Vedanta)

मंगल भवन अमंगल हारी January 5, 2010

मंगल भवन अमंगल हारी।

द्रवउ सो दसरथ अजिर बिहारी॥

राम सिया राम सिया राम जय जय राम॥

मंगल के धाम, अमंगल के हरने वाले और श्रीदशरथ जी के आँगन में खेलने वाले वे (बालरूप) श्रीरामचंद्र जी मुझ पे कृपा करे।

होइहि सोई जो राम रचि राखा।

को करि तर्क बढ़ावै साखा॥

जो कुछ राम ने रच रखा है, वही होगा तर्क करके कौन शाखा (विस्तार) बढ़ावे।

धीरज धर्म मित्र अरु नारी।

आपद काल परिखिअहिं चारी॥

धैर्य, धर्म, मित्र और स्त्री – इन चारों की विपत्ति के समय ही परीक्षा होती है।

जेहि कें जेहि पर सत्य सनेहू।

सो तेहि मिलइ न कछु संदेहू॥

जिसका जिस पर सच्चा स्नेह होता है, वह उसे मिलता ही है, इसमें कुछ भी संदेह नहीं है।

जिन्ह कें रही भावना जैसी।

प्रभु मूरति तिन्ह देखी तैसी॥

जिनकी जैसी भावना थी, प्रभु की मूर्ति उन्होंने वैसी ही देखी।

रघुकुल रीति सदा चलि आई।

प्रान जाहुं बरु बचनु न जाई॥

राम सिया राम सिया राम जय जय राम॥

रघुकुल मई ये रीत सदा से चली आई है की प्राण भले ही चले जाये, पर वचन नहीं जाता।

हरी अनंत हरी कथा अनंता।

कहहिं सुनहिं बहुबिधि सब संता॥

राम सिया राम सिया राम जय जय राम॥

श्रीहरी अनंत है और उनकी कथा भी अनंत है; सब संत लोग उसे बहुत प्रकार से कहते – सुनते हैं।

OM NAMAH SHIVAY June 17, 2009

Lord Shiva represents the aspect of the Supreme Being that continuously dissolves to recreate in the cyclic process of creation, preservation, dissolution and recreation of the universe. He is known as the third element in the Trimurti, Lord Brahma – the creator and Lord Vishnu – the protector and Lord Shiva – the quintessential destroyer.

Owing to His cosmic activity of dissolution and recreation, the words destroyer and destruction have been erroneously associated with Lord Shiva. This difficulty arises when people fail to grasp the true significance of His cosmic role. The creation sustains itself by a delicate balance between the opposing forces of good and evil. When this balance is disturbed and sustenance of life becomes impossible, Lord Shiva dissolves the universe for creation of the next cycle so that the unliberated souls will have another opportunity to liberate themselves from bondage with the physical world. Thus, Lord Shiva protects the souls from pain and suffering that would be caused by a dysfunctional universe. In analogous cyclic processes, winter is essential for spring to appear and the night is necessary for the morning to follow. To further illustrate, a goldsmith does not destroy gold when he melts old irreparable golden jewellry to create beautiful new ornaments.

Lord Shiva is the Lord of mercy and compassion. He protects devotees from evil forces such as lust, greed, and anger. He grants boons, bestows grace and awakens wisdom in His devotees. The symbolism discussed below includes major symbols that are common to all pictures and images of Shiva venerated by Hindus. Since the tasks of Lord Shiva are numerous, He cannot be symbolized in one form. For this reason the images of Shiva vary significantly in their symbolism.

The unclad body covered with bhasm

The unclad body symbolizes the transcendental aspect of the Lord. Since most things reduce to ashes when burned, ashes symbolize the physical universe. The unclad body of the Lord smeared with ashes signify that Shiva is the source of the entire universe which emanates from Him, but He transcends the physical phenomena and is not affected by it.

Jata

The three matted locks on the head of the Lord convey the idea that integration of the physical, mental and spiritual energies is the ideal of yoga. The flow of his matted hair represents Shiva as the Lord of Wind or Vayu. Thus it is Shiva which is the lifeline for all living being. He is Pashupatinath.

Ganga

According to tradition, one who bathes in Ganga in accordance with traditional rites and ceremonies on religious occasions in combination with certain astrological events, is freed from sin and attains knowledge, purity and peace. The holiest of the holy rivers, Ganga, symbolically represented on the head of the Lord by a female with a jet of water emanating from her mouth and falling on the ground, signifies that the Lord Gangadhar destroys sin, removes ignorance, and bestows knowledge, purity and peace on the devotees.

The crescent moon

Shiva bears on his head the crescent of the panchami (fifth day) moon. This is placed near the fiery third eye as an ornament, and not as an integral part of His countenance and this shows the power of Soma, the sacrificial offering, which is the representative of moon.. The waxing and waning phenomenon of the moon symbolizes the time cycle through which creation evolves from the beginning to the end. The moon is also a measure of time, thus Crescent also represent his control over time. Thus, the crescent moon is only one of His ornaments, and not an integral part of Him. With the the moon there, his head becomes the night sky, for which he earned the name Vyomakesa and Chandrashekhar.

Tryambakam

Lord Shiva, also called Tryambaka Deva or three-eyed Lord, is depicted as having three eyes. The sun is His right eye, the moon the left eye and fire the third eye of Shiva on his forehead. The two eyes on the right and left indicate His activity in the physical world. The third eye in the center of the forehead symbolizes spiritual knowledge and power, and is thus called the eye of wisdom or knowledge. Like fire, the powerful gaze of Shiva’s third eye annihilates evil, and thus the evil-doers fear His third eye.

Half-open eyes

When the Lord opens His eyes, a new cycle of creation emerges and when He closes them, the universe dissolves for creation of the next cycle. The half-open eyes convey the idea that creation is going through cyclic process, with no beginning and no end. Lord Shiva is the Master of Yoga, as He uses His yogic power to project the universe from Himself. The half-open eyes also symbolize His yogic posture.

Vibhuti

Vibhuti is a three line of ashes drawn on the forehead that signifies the immortality of the god and his manifested glory.

Kundalas (two ear rings)

two Kundalas, Alakshya (meaning “which cannot be shown by any sign”) and Niranjan (meaning “which cannot be seen by mortal eyes”) in the ears of the Lord signify that He is beyond ordinary perception. Since the kundala in the left ear of the Lord is of the type used by women and the one in His right ear is of the type used by men, these Kundalas also symbolize the Shiva and Shakti principle of creation.

Vasuki Naga

Like a yogi, a snake hoards nothing, carries nothing, builds nothing, lives on air alone for a long time, and lives in mountains and forests. The venom of a snake, therefore, symbolizes the yogic power. He swallowed the poison kalketu for the wellbeing of the Universe. The deadly cobra represents that “death” aspect that Shiva has thoroughly conquered. The cobras around his neck also represent the dormant energy, called Kundalini, the serpent power. The snake curled three times around the neck of Lord Shiva depicts the past, present and future time. The snake looking in the right direction of Lord Shiva signifies that the Lord’s perpetual laws of reason and justice preserve natural order in the universe.

Trisula

A three-pronged trident shown adjacent to the Lord symbolizes His three fundamental powers (shakti) of will (iccha), action (kriya) and knowledge (gyana). As a weapon the trident also symbolizes the Lord’s power to destroy evil doer on all the three planes – spiritual, subtle and physical. It also represents His control over the three qualities, namely sattva, rajas and tamas.

Damaru

a small drum with two sides alienated from each other by a thin neck-like structure symbolizes the two utterly dissimilar states of existence, unmanifest and manifest. When a damaru is vibrated, it produces dissimilar sounds which are fused together by resonance to create one sound. The sound thus produced symbolizes Nada, the cosmic sound of AUM, which can be heard during deep meditation. According to Hindu scriptures, Nada is the source of creation.

Kamandalu

a water pot (Kamandalu) made from a dry pumpkin contains nectar and is shown on the ground next to Shiva. The process of making Kamandalu has deep spiritual significance. A ripe pumpkin is plucked from a plant, its fruit is removed and the shell is cleaned for containing the nectar. In the same way, an individual must break away from attachment to the physical world and clean his inner self of egoistic desires in order to experience the bliss of the Self, symbolized by the nectar in the Kamandalu.

Tiger skin

Lord Shiva, sitting on or wearing a tiger skin. The tiger is the vehicle of Shakti, the Goddess of power and force. Shiva is beyond and above any kind of force. He is the master of Shakti. The tiger skin that he wears illustrates the idea that He is the source of the creative energy  that remains in potential form during the dissolution state of the universe. Tiger also represent lust. Thus sitting on Tiger skin, Shiva indicates that he has conquered lust.

The Elephant & Deer Skin

Shiva also wears elephant skins. Elephants represent pride. Wearing elephant skin, Shiva indicates that he has conquered pride. Similarly deer represent the flickering mind. Shiva wears deer skin which indicates that he has controlled the mind perfectly.

Varda Mudra

the Lord’s right hand is shown in a boon- bestowing and blessing pose. Lord Shiva annihilates evil, grants boons, bestows grace, destroys ignorance, and awakens wisdom in His devotees.

Nandi

Nandi is said to be His vehicle. The bull symbolizes both power and ignorance. Lord Shiva’s use of the bull as a vehicle conveys the idea that He removes ignorance and bestows power of wisdom on His devotees. The bull is called Vrisha in Sanskrit. Vrisha also means dharma (righteousness). Thus a bull shown next to Shiva also indicates that He is the etemal companion of righteousness.

Cremation ground

Shiva sitting in the cremation ground signifies that He is the controller of death in the physical world. Since birth and death are cyclic, controlling one implies controlling the other. Thus, Lord Shiva is revered as the ultimate controller of birth and death in the phenomenal world.

Sivaling

The Sivaling is also symbolic of the Supreme Self. It is verily Maheswara Himself. In this aspect it has three parts. The lower part represents Brahma. The middle part, which is octagonal in shape, represents Vishnu. The upper part, which is cylindrical in shape, represents Rudra and is also called Pujabhaga since it receives the actual offerings of milk and other substances.

The round and smooth stones found in the river beds of the Narmada or the Godavari are considered to be the most ideal for worship. When  Sivalings are found fortuitously in the river beds and desolate places, it is considered to be a great omen. They are housed in temples or houses and offered regular worship.

Rudraksha

Rudra is another name of Shiva. Rudra also means “strict or uncompromising” and aksha means “eye”.  Rudraksha necklace worn by the Lord shows that He uses His cosmic laws firmly – without compromise – to maintain law and order in the universe. The necklace has 108 beads which symbolize 9 planets and 12 zodiacs.

Ardhanareeswara
Lord Shiva is said to be half man and half woman. In the full figure of Siva the male and female principles are united. Shiva Linga – the symbol of Lord Shiva which consists of both Lingam (phallus) and yoni (the female organ) represent the totality of his nature and the totality of all created existence. Lord Shiva is also said to be inseparable from Shakti – Parvati the daughter of Himavaan – Haimavati. There is no Shiva without Shakti and no Shakti without Shiva, the two are one – or the absolute state of being.

Nataraj

Lord Shiva is shown either in meditating or in the form of a Dancing God Nataraj where his dance is to the beat and rhythm of creation. Shiva as nataraj or tandavamurthi in a dance posture. With his hair flying in all directions and hands and feet in dynamic motion, the image of nataraj is a symbol of harmony and rhythm.