Pleasant Speech

Meaning: The line of Rigvved 7/31/5 instruct us that - "O men! Never speak harsh words to any one, never slander anyone, do not be ungrateful, and keep helping sorrowful people. May each good work of yours be dedicated to God?

Message: Pleasant speech gives happiness to everyone. Everyone gets pleased and satisfied. Whereas bitter speech pierces the heart and causes unbearable pain. Sweet speech fascinated, attracts others to us, and makes them cooperative like a magic mantra. That is why; man must be pleasant in speech. There is an atmosphere of happiness, peace and enthusiasm everywhere by pleasantly dealing with everyone.

Pleasant speech is like "kamadhenu" (the legendary wish fulfilling cow in heaven). It fulfills all the desires and gives name and fame. Howsoever hard-hearted person, he becomes ready to cooperate in every way by listening to a few sweet words. Every type of happiness is obtained by speaking pleasantly. But it does not mean flattery or sycophancy. When presenting one's view firmly, one must never forsake pleasantness. Neither pleasant cool water, not the cool shade of a tree, nor cooling sandalwood paste gives as much happiness and joy as pleasant speech. Therefore one must always speak pleasantly. The Hindi couplet says, 'aisi vani boliye manka aapa khoye, auran ko sheetal kare, aap hoon seetal hoye'. It means 'dissolve your ego and speak such a sweet language, that it pleasantly cools the listener's heart and cools the self also'.

God has given the divine gift of speech as a help and he also does not wish that we should ever utter harsh words. That is why he has not put bones inside the tongue which would have made it angular instead of smooth. With this sweet speech we can make the world our own and like a friend to us. Tulsidasji too has given the same advice "Tulsi meehte vachan se such oopjut chahoon our, vashikaran ek mantra hai, taj de vachan kathor". It means happiness prevails all-round with sweet words; there is only one mantra for making the others our own that is given up harsh words.

Bitter language results in harm only. A man is not hurt as much by a piercing arrow as by piercing words. A wound produced by a weapon fills up and heals, but a wound from bitter speech never heals. Harsh and sharp language pierces man's heart, therefore bitter and harsh language should never be spoken. By describing the handicapped persons like blind, one-eye, limp, and ugly one should neither ridicule them, not hurt their feeling. It is equally hurting others to the heart when they are slandered, when people take joy in being ungrateful to those who have cooperated with them.

If we want God to grace us, then we should always involve ourselves in good deeds, whereas God is destroyer of those who do bad deeds. He is also fatherly guardian for those who do good deeds and also increase their power. HE destroys by His own power those using improper, opposing and bitter speech. Society looks down upon people who find faults with others. Who use discourteous and cunning speech and those who are ungrateful? Their own conduct becomes the cause of their destruction.

Pleasant speech is the best quality of a man's character.

Ma no needay ya

vaktavearyo ranadhirraavne,

tve api kraturmama (Rigved 7/31/5)

Crime Against the Society

Meaning: As stated in the line of Yajurved 23/21 — "the woman or man who spreads adultery by indulging in sexual lust, must be punished, mead-eaters too should not be spread punishment. They are criminals in the society".
Message: The influence of the bad deeds and bad thinking is like a continuous dose of poison gripping the conscious and the subconscious mind. These poisons are then transformed as the high mobility, agitation, impulsiveness, anguish of the mind and make a man like a half-mind person. He is not able to do any deed with a focused mind and is always torn between the states of whether to perform the deed or not. As a result he receives failure at every step and stumbles along. Because of his unbalanced conduct and therefore failures, he sulks, becomes dissatisfied, non cooperative, and a criminal. A man used to quarreling with everyone in the family and the society is always in an abashed and anguished state of mind. He is not able to think properly. A man in ill health and in mental anguish is suffering hellish torture and spoils the societal atmosphere also.
Addiction is more painful than death. An addiction free man obtains happiness after death also, whereas a man trapped in addictions dies every moment in downfall. The reason for a man's grace is his lack of addiction. A man who does not take intoxicants is certainly considered better than a man taking intoxicant. A man not eating flesh will be considered better than as meat eater. Similarly a non gambler gains honor and reputation compared to a gambler.
A man trapped in bad deeds, bad conduct and addiction not only becomes the cause of his own downfall, but also commits grave crime against society. Because of him anarchy and unrest prevails in society and nobody knows how many people's lives are badly affected by such men's influence. A man indulging in adultery and rape suffers lifelong mentally.
Where these bad habits or addictions are a crime against the society, meat-eating is a crime against all living beings. It makes man wild and uncivilized and warps the intelligence. With meat-eating, the sentiment of pity disappears from a man's heart. It obstructs his physical, spiritual, mental and intellectual progress and leads towards downfall. Meat, fish and eggs are not man's food, (i.e. they are a food for meat-eating animals, but not for man). Therefore they must be considered taboo. Almost all the great thinkers of this world have been vegetarians and have condemned meat-eating because of its bad effects on man and because of the violence involved. Meat-eating is done only by rejecting non violence. Our sages have always praised the grandeur of non violence. It has been clearly mentioned in Mahabharat "Ahimsa paramo dharmaha; sarwapranbhootaam vara" i.e. not killing any animal is the supreme religion. There is no religion higher than non-violence.
These people committing crime against the society and other living beings in the world, these opponents of humanness must be punished properly. We must plan projects for rooting out these bad activities. Only then can we properly fulfill our societal responsibilities.

Diwan-e-aam

What do IPL and the mango have in common? Indians love both, both are the centre of stormy arguments and both can end up creating the most unholy mess. Indians are gage over IPL and they're orgiastic about mangoes. IPL is divided into teams, each of which has its assertive fans. There are the Mumbai Indians and the Chennai super Kings to name only two (who are known, respectively, as the Mumbai Idiots and the Chennai Supporters of the other teams). Mangoes have their own competing teams so to speak.

First is the Alphonso (which is also known to its intimates by its nickname, Haphoos). The Alphonso (or Haphoos) is claimed by its adherents to be the king of mangoes. The Alphonsoese - as Alphonso lovers sometimes call themselves - claim that the Alphonso should be declared India's National Fruit, in support of which contention they quote the song composed by a famous poet which almost became the country's national anthem: Sare Jahan se achchha, Alphonso hamara.

Codswallop, retort those who favor the Alphonso's closest rival, the Sinduri, which in some parts of the country is called Gulabkhas. (Mangoes, like cricketers, tend to go in a lot for aliases, like sachin also being known as Master Blaster and Harbhajan as Bhajji.) The Sinduri - or Gulab khas - is so called because of its patches of red which contrast prettily with the rest of its green skin.

Third - some would say not third at all, but leading the pack - is the curiously named Langra, which comes - or rather limps - all the way from Benaras. No one knows why the Langra is called the Langra. However, an NGO advocacy group which champions the cause of politically correct terminology is believed to have launched a movement to have the Langra's name, with its derogatory connotations, changed by deed poll to PI, which is not a mathematical quantity but the abbreviated version of physically impaired. But whatever the type of mango eating it is a messy business. IPL created a mess thanks to sweat equity. Mangoes create a mess thanks to squirt equality. Looks at a man about to eat a mango. The mango is on a plate, beside which is a knife. The mango is the patient the plate is the operating table and the knife is the scalpel with which the man is about to perform one of the trickiest operations known to humankind; how to cut open and eat a mango without making a total muck-up of it. The man balances the mango on its broader end, tongue sticking out of the side of his mouth to maintain balance, and with the knife tries to cut off one cheek - let's say the right cheek - of the mango. The mango stone gets in the way. The man turns the mango around to make a second incision from the other side, so that two cuts can meet, thus enabling one hemisphere of the mango to come away free from the stone and the rest of the fruit. Frowning with concentration, the man completes the second cut. The two cuts don't meet. The cut mango is dripping juice, but its flesh is still inaccessible. The man decides to try cut off the other the left, cheek of the fruit. Makes the two cuts. Same result. By now the mangled fruit is oozing juice and the squirt equity is coming into play. Plate and hands full of sticky mango squirt, the man desperate by now, looks around to see no one of tender age or finer sensibilities is watching, says the hell with it, and tries to rip the goddam thing apart with sheer muscle power. There is s sound like an elephant pulling its foot out of quicksand and the mango explodes in a spray of yellowish orange guck that covers the table, the man's clothes and a part of the ceiling. The mango stone lands on the man's lap, as the holds the dismembered, dripping halves of the butchered fruit in each hand. End of civilization as we know it. The man looks heavenwards and utters one short, sharp word. Mothers cover up the ears of their children. Susceptible auntiejis swoon in shock. Bouncers come and take the man away.

Mango's Not for this man, no when it comes to the king of fruits I am a strictly no-aam aadmi.

Every Step is an Arrival

Why have you used the word seeking and not searching? A young friend helping me proof-read some writing asked. … it's a very current word is it? Her question made me pause and look at these two words more carefully.

Searching has a more solid, practical, action-oriented feel to it. I understand it as referring to things, to ends, to something you imagine you know is somewhere. You may have preconceived notions about what you want to find. And you must have answers. Preferably within a time frame you decide on!

Seeking, while it can be definitely active, has a more receptive, spiritual connotation. While there is a certainly that it exists, expectations could be less precisely or rigidly defined. I really don't know about the form, shape or experience it might take or even when it might show me teach me challenge me. In searching we usually move faster; seeking often requires us to slow down.

We search for ways to end conflict or discord: we seek solitude. We search for like-minded people; we seek relatedness. We search for people to love or for people who will love us; we seek love. We search for answers; we seek meaning.

Searching and seeking need not be considered watertight definitions, rather as interlinked or perhaps sequential processes. In the field of positive psychology, psychologists and coaches are invited to note the distinction between seekers and searchers. Seekers are those who have already set the path themselves. They may need support and encouragement to keep envisioning and acting upon their own chosen path, and there is a desire to stay with the quest even without too much 'hard evidence'. Searchers have to be supported to help find their goals in the first place. Not only do they initially need more help and clarification, they can easily give up unless they see more concrete signs or results. Interestingly, once these things are identified, once some proof is accepted, the searcher very often becomes the seeker.

Spiritual searching manifests for many in the urge to read more spiritual books, engage in more rituals, embark on pilgrimages, go to more retreats and satsangs, find a special teacher - or often to ship for exciting new teachers. In and of itself there is nothing wrong with this; for some this may be just necessary steps on one's was, but for others the means can be confused with the end.

Denise Levertov's poem in which she speaks intriguingly, not of a person, but a dog, teaches me the true spirit of seeking: Let's go - much as that dog goes intently haphazard … dancing edgeways, there's nothing the dog disdains on his way … nevertheless he keeps moving, changing pace and approach - but not direction. Every step an arrival…"

However, not just searching, but even seeking can come to an end.

The early need and impulse to acquire further answers or meanings dissolves. You learn that perhaps in the end, whatever you seek lies within the quest itself. In seeking you learn that there is no final knowing, only an ongoing learning and un-learning process; an unfolding and bringing together of what you discover along the way. The end of seeking is not so much about arriving or achieving, but to use another 'not current' word - it is about dwelling.

Man often becomes what he believes himself to be. If I keep on saying to myself that I cannot do a certain thing, it is possible that I may end by really becoming incapable of doing it. On the contrary …… if I have the belief that I can do it, I shall surely acquire the capacity to do it even if I may not have it at the beginning.

 

Fame Spread in the World

Meaning: According to the line of Athervaved 6/39/3 — may my fame spread in the world, in the same way as the fame of Sun, Moon and Fire. May I be more famous than all persons?

Message: We feel the brightness of some person by the light in his heart. Some person's face shines with the brightness of knowledge and good deeds, whereas the speech of someone is so profound and exciting that it goes straight to the heart of the listener. Some people's walk is such that with their every step, the earth shakes, and some people have such a sharp graze that just by a mere look from them the arrogant enemy's pride is shattered. Only such bright men automatically receive honor, trust, respect, fame and supremacy in this world. Does Sun ever have to give a lecture about his own excellence? Does Moon ever have to declare his cooling pleasantness? Does deity of fire ever have to plead not to be crushed? Does lion, the king of the jungle, ever have to beg for votes to be elected as the undisputed leader of the jungle? They are all famous only because of their qualities. The Sun and the Moon are constantly working for the benefit of the whole world. With brightness, heat and energy, the Sun vitalizes the living beings. Along with it, the Sun also dries up the filth and thereby destroys it. Their only aim is nurturing of good qualities and eradication of bad tendencies and they achieve fame because they are constantly busy in trying to achieve this objective. The same is the objective of human life. Real spirituality lies in working for the welfare of the world till one's last breath.

A spiritual life is extremely necessary and important from the view-point of human glory, bright future, societal organization, spiritual bliss and inner satisfaction. Those who become inspired for and aspire for such a life should be called lucky and far-sighted in real sense. For leading such a divine life, nobody has to wear monk's robes or leave the home, nor beg for food like a monk, nor is it necessary to be involved throughout the day in recitation (of God's name or mantra), austerity, observing vrat (a combination of fasting and worship), ritual baths, visiting temples for bowing down before the icon of God and in singing psalms and hymns. It is enough to do spiritual thinking or self study and worship. But the main point is to implement in our thinking, faith and work-system, the spiritual principles and ideals. Man's life becomes successful only with that.

The meaningfulness of spiritual life lies in putting into conduct the principle of 'simple living and high thinking' and simultaneously observing in the life the principle of every woman is my mother, the wealth of others is for me like dust and that every living being has the soul similar to mine. It is both necessary as well as natural for men of excellence to look with purity of heart upon all women. With the necessity for procreation, there is bound to be sexual desire between husband and wife, but during the ordinary times there is no such thinking for each other, and it helps in maintaining this attitude of purity (i.e. men looking upon other women as their mothers or sisters, women looking upon other men as their brothers). The basis of a healthy society will be created only when men and women maintain this purity of outlook and all citizens have the strength of character. Every woman must be looked upon as mother, sister or daughter depending upon the age.

Gambling is not Good

Meaning: According to the line of Rigved 10/34/10 — the wife of a gambler suffers grave hardships. His mother keeps weeping. He is always sunk under debt and entering other people's homes, steals money from there, Gambling is a very obscene adduction. One must also save himself from it.

Message: Superficially it appears that dishonesty is necessary for earning quickly and more. Most wealthy person seems to be working with dishonesty in their work. Most honest persons appear poor. Therefore, by ordinary understanding it appears that if we also remain honest then we shall become poor. There is tremendous importance of money in the present times and only with money can comforts, facilities, means success and honor be achieved. That is why people are busy in becoming wealthy very quickly through dishonesty or some such means.

But if the situation is studied closely, this distortion in thinking vanishes and we come to know that we made a great mistake in accepting the glory of dishonesty. Wealth cannot be earned in this way and if earned so, then it cannot be maintained steadily. When does not mean that the result will be beneficial only. Daring, hard work, insight and understanding, pleasant talk and organizing ability are the qualities which contribute to earning. The earning with the sweat of one's brow is pure as nectar. Only bad name, non cooperation, distrust, hatred, state punishment, dejection etc, result from money earned through dishonest and improper means. Real earning is made only through good qualities contain the elements of productivity. Big projects, big trades, big plans in this world have been established and succeeded only on the basis of honesty. Not with wealth, but with good intelligence and good activity only progress is achieved. A man of good character (and not a man with wealth) becomes happy.

The addictions of gambling and lottery are also spreading wide on the basis of quick money through any means. Every man wishes to become wealthy by earning the maximum money in the shortest time. This act goes against the tenets of religious book and is a condemnable act. It leads to internal division and leads to quarrel. To bet with one another on the slightest excuse, and speculation and similar act re various forms of gambling only. Its addiction destroys the essential purpose of man's life. He is busy only with one thought that, if not today, certainly tomorrow the number on which he bets, will win and whirling in this vicious circle, he bets more and more. As a result he goes on wasting away his wealth. Whereas he does not get the wealth of a win, he loses whatever he has got. In the ensuing hopelessness man starts sealing his family's ornaments, utensils, and even clothes and puts the money on bets. Becoming poverty stricken, the person even resorts to suicide. In addition, the family undergoes hell.

Because of gambling only, Dharmaraj Yudhishthir along with his brothers had to become a slave of Duryodhan and had to undergo the terrible torture of witnessing the evil Duryodhan trying to disrobe his wife Draupadi. Gambling produces such horrendous results only.

If you wish personal welfare, never gamble in any way. Reject it completely.