The lost shine of Hinduism

"The ignorant are fanatically religious and the intelligent are fashionably atheist. The wise are obviously spiritual" - Sri Sri Ravishankar

How true is this statement! Today prejudice prevails towards the Hinduism, spiritual gurus, pundits, ancient rituals. Particularly this is the case with the youth of India. Today's youth don't think twice before blaming whole religion and all the Gurus or even God for all wrongdoing prevails in the religion and they also feel that they are intelligent in doing so, whereas most elders actually believe each and everything in the name of God.

I am not denying that there are fake pundits and gurus exist in India. I am just saying because of few fake people in religion, you cannot blame that religion itself is fake or each and everything in Hinduism is fake and stop practicing invaluable vast knowledge it has given to the world! 

There is lot of wrong things happening all over the world. We don't blame whole world for that. We don't blame our Muslim friend because of thousands of terrorists who practice Islam around the world. Then how come that logic does not apply here? If you visit some fake doctor and he/she gives you wrong medication. Once you come to know about the truth, will you blame medical industry or the fake doctor? I know you have very clear answer in your mind. It is the doctor who is to be blamed. When it comes to spiritual guru, people are so casual to say for each and every spiritual guru that, "Abhi iski bi bari ayegi". 

It is not only fake pundits are to be blamed for this mess up. Human mind sees what people around us wants it to see. We perceived the "concept" which actually does not exist. Now the "concept" here is, "Hinduism is bunch of superstitions and meaningless rituals and thus all spiritual gurus or pundits are thieves and fake!” There is a definite role of TV media in changing people's way of looking at something. Is it the fact that all Hindu gurus have done all wrong? The answer is NO; they have done much more good for the society then what is being projected by media. All flashy and insensitive news about wrong doings of some random fake gurus are all over the news. The prime time coverage media gives to spread negative things is nowhere in comparison to positive news. Doesn't it affect the mentality of viewers and the society? Doesn't it change your way of looking at the religion or Guru? If this is media's responsibility which spreads only negative impression, whose responsibility is to spread positive? I am sure media is not going to take much interest in something which is good. I read somewhere, "Don't be a football of other's opinion!". It is very much relevant here. One has to experience by himself/herself before coming to any decision. It doesn't take too long to decide using your intellect. This negative atmosphere has completely taken away bright shine of Hinduism and its practices. Today it takes long time to make people understand that meditation/yoga/spiritual knowledge is necessary in today's hectic world. To live life happier way, we have to give some respect and place to this practices in our life.

In ancient times, the King use to include spiritual gurus in their cabinet and every child use to get spiritual education and everyone use to practice mediation, yoga. Basically everyone use to spend a small time from their daily routine for "Dharma". We need to bring back right balance in the life. Today we are living in the world where almost every minute, some serious crime is taking place. We definitely need this to be controlled by strict laws, but simultaneously we need to think and work on, how can we make people more sensitive and aware, to avoid them from indulging in heinous crime? There is no other way but to make people practice Dharma in routine life. We have to establish the lost paradigm of Hinduism, the respect towards the gurus, the real essence of Hinduism. 

We need to stop this cheap movement of shaming and defaming India's one of the greatest gift to mankind - The Hinduism. It is just way of living life and not only religion.  

Vote India!

Sometimes "Why" is the only question arise in my mind for everything I watch and hear. I love my country. I have passion for my country. Like me there may lot many others who have passion for my country, their country - India. I want to help my country to grow with prosperity and peace. I want my countrymen to grow with happiness and wealth, but then everyday my mind asks WHY?
Why is my country suffering from so many diseases after 66 years of Independence?
Why so many of my countrymen sleep in hunger everyday?
Why have politicians become so corrupt?
Why can't I see a drop of patriotism in any politician?
Why politicians and their relatives become richer my thousand times in no time and still so many people follow them?
Why can't a politician see a pain of a poor Indian and they keep robbing us?

and then if I look at the answers, this is what I get...
Why doesn't my countrymen VOTE - basic and most important factor for any healthy democracy?
Why has my countrymen become so selfish that he/she can't even put a tiny effort for their country?
Why can't I see a drop of patriotism in most of us?

The disease lies within a common man of this country and thus within their rulers and not vice versa. We are the pillars of this country. Stronger we become and stronger the nation would be. We have to become responsible enough to make these rulers to understand that, we are not blind. We have to take a very tiny effort to VOTE. This is a must act for each and every countryman to make their mother land stronger and make our politicians responsible.

Let us make a small promise to make our country stronger, let us take a pledge to vote for coming election. Most of us have not voted so far and we are witnessing the result. This time let us VOTE and motivate others also to vote and see the difference.

If you are not registered voter with the Election Commission, following link would make your work very easy to register as a voter.

http://www.allindiadaily.com/2013/07/apply-for-voter-id-online.html


VOTE INDIA!


P.S. - For any help in regard to register as a voter, I'll be very happy to help. Please drop me a mail on sagar15884@gmail.com or sagar15884@hotmail.com with subject line as "Vote Help". I'll get back to you as soon as possible.

Rebel

Can you progress or improve yourself in real sense if you don't become rebellious to your own self, your own mind and it’s thoughts?

I would say, NO! 

I understood this phenomenon in recent times, when I was reading autobiography of “Osho”. Osho was a great rebellious to everything, which was stubborn and wrong according to him. Right from his childhood throughout his entire life, he rebelled every wrong thing came his way, without looking who is in the opposite party. Whether be it, his grandfather or father or mother or school teacher or anyone. He was scholar in philosophy and might have read almost all the books available from all great philosophers of the world. Interesting thing is, he had counter view to all. He had that rebellious attitude. When I say attitude, it is indeed in a positive manner.

I have been observer of myself. I do certain things at some instance as per say of my mind and then I observe the same. Sometimes I counter my view, but rarely I accept counterpart. You know, what our stubborn mind says to counter view, “Nah… I was absolutely right, and so get lost!” It fuels itself by praising own self. J  

It is very difficult to counter your own mind’s thoughts and deeds by your own mind. When I think about myself, I have grown up in some particular way, among some particular family, friends, relatives and society, and which has a great influence and impact on my established thought process. It is not only about me, it is about you and everyone. We tend to have fixed set of ideas and thought process based on where and with whom we grown up. Now my point is, have we ever countered our own view on particular things? Moreover, have we ever broken our set of ideas based on that and made countered view as our first view? It is not so easy, and for that you have to become REBEL to your own self and be a victorious on your own stubborn mind. Then and only then you can improve yourself in real sense.

Let us take an example, if you see poor kid on the road, begging for a one time of meal. What will be your first reaction? That reaction is based on your established thought process. Now be a rebel to your own self and thought, and think in other way. It is not necessary that counter view will be always right; it might be absurd and entirely wrong. We have to be our own judge and decide what is right and wrong. And that’s where your established thought process and attitude and ego will be broken. Just accept right things and move on. On keep doing this exercise, we get to know, lot of wrong things about our own self and that is the only intention of becoming rebellious.

I realized that mind is a great player and most of the time it is out of our control. It keeps on playing games with you. You dance on its music. Even science also says same that, mind creates and perceives and projects the same. Until you become rebel to this cycle, you never improvise yourself.

So be a REBEL.

P.S. – What helps becoming rebel to your own mind? I personally feel, “Meditation”. It keeps things straight and clear, and so you can find your own self, what is right and what is wrong? 

God Particle and Brahman

God Particle - "Higgs Boson"

Recently CERN scientists found the most important particle of standard model of particle physics and named it after British physicist Peter Higgs. 

According to findings after the years of research, this is the particle, which defines mass of anything and everything present in this universe. So whatever things are present in this universe, at the core of all these things is Higgs boson and that is why, it is often called as “God Particle”.

I was watching news about this and one of the Hindi news channels showed a Sage saying, “Chalo acha hai, ab ja ke science ne bi maan liya, har kan kan me bhagwan hai, hum to sadiyyon se kehte aa rahe hai, ab science ne sabit bi kar diya!” That time I did not think much about that, and just laughed out. Then today I was reading about ‘God particle’ on the Internet and suddenly realized doesn’t it sound similar to what ancient Rishimunis said thousands of years ago about Brahman?

There is a holy book of ‘Yoga Vasistha’. This book is one of the most important books of the Hindu philosophy called “Advaita Vendata” and this is the only book I read from lot of Hindu scriptures. There is English translation available by SwamiVenkatesananda.

I read one sloka from that book as follows:

astiha niyatir brahmi cic chakttih spandarupini
avasya bhavitavyaika satta sakala kalpaga (60/8)

Swamiji translates it as below.

In this verse, Lord Rama is asking to Vasistha about god.

Vasistha replies,

“There does exist, O Rama, the power or energy of the infinite consciousness which is in motion all the time; that alone is the reality of all inevitable futuristic events, for it penetrates all the epochs in time.

It is by that power that the nature of every object in the universe is ordained.
That power (cit sakti) is also known as Mahasatta (the great existence), Mahaciti (the great intelligence), Mahasakti (the great power), Mahadrsti (the great vision), Mahakriya (the great doer or doing), Mahodbhava (the great becoming), Mahaspanda (the great vibration).
It is this power that endows every thing with its characteristic quality.
But this power is not different from or independent of the absolute Brahman: it is as real as a pie in the sky.”

So it says, there is a power, which is not different from Brahman and which exists in each and every object in this universe and that is only responsible for the nature of all objects. Doesn’t it absolutely just as what scientist found about Higgs Boson? Yes, ‘Brahman’ is the word in Hindu scriptures used for modern physic’s ‘Higgs Boson’.

There is sloka in Chhāndogya Upanishad. It says,

“sarvam khalv idam brahma”

It means: "All this that we see in the world is Brahman".

Another one in 'Mandukya Upanishad' 

 सर्वं ह्येतद् ब्रह्मायमात्मा ब्रह्म सोयमात्मा चतुष्पात्

It means: “All indeed in this universe is this Brahman; He is Atman; He has four steps/quarters.”

There are some more slokas in the Rig Veda. I came to know about this when I started searching on the Internet about relation of modern physics and spirituality. His Holiness Sri Sri Ravi Shankar mentioned about these slokas in one of the talk recently. In the Rig Veda, there is a Sukta called Nasadiya Sukta, in the 10th Mandala, 129th Adhyaya, there, around seven verses are written.

Nasadasinno sadasittadanim nasidrajo no vyom paro yat
Kimavarivah kuha kasya sharmannambhah kimasid gahanam gabhiram

Its brief meaning is; the space of pure consciousness or energy, which here and there appears to have consolidated and appears to be matter. What appears to be matter is really not matter, it is all one energy, and that one field is called Brahman, and that is what everybody is, that is what everything is.

You can find detailed meaning of this on Art Of Living site.

All these slokas indicate that ancient Rishimunis were already aware about the concepts of modern science.

And there are many more mention of Brahman in the Hindu Scriptures and philosophy of Advaita Vedanta. All these explain about Brahman, responsible for nature of everything exists in this universe and beyond this universe. As lord Shri Krishna said in the Hindu religion's holy book the Gita, Brahman is omnipresent and omnipotent in nature. Shri Krishna uses the word ‘Servam’, which includes both living and nonliving objects.

It is just we need to understand the concept of Brahman mentioned in the Hindu scriptures and listen to what Rishimunis said, with open mind as we listen to scientists and understand science. People are happy and can blindly believe what Modern Science says, but when it comes to Spirituality or Religion, people closes their door of ears and mind! People who talk about broad mentality is first to become narrow minded when it comes to Spirituality. They think all these are man made stories and so myths. Have they ever tried to understand what it actually means?

Hope people show acceptance to these great Hindu scriptures and philosophy and understands the concept of Brahman and relation to God Particle.

Why?

What an irony of the country, whose father of the nation is M.K.Gandhi, who is remembered for Truth and Non-violence! India, the country won freedom with truth. Today, in this same country, someone fights against untruth, and everyone who is in power are against them, the electronic media are against them. This electronic media that tries to show few good work being done by them and make their impression, as they are saints and shows only truth and helps this great country, actually have no interest for the common people. They care and only care about their TRPs and how to fool common people and divert common people's mind as politicians wants to. 

Today I was watching one of the news channel, there was debate going on about why Anna and Baba Ramdev are differing on some points, what is wrong between these two? I mean WOW, you guys are discussing on why these two are not on same stage? What can be the reason behind that? Can there be any political agenda behind this? Is team anna not on same page? I mean, WHY? Why the hell you need to discuss always something negative about fight against corruption? Why can't you join this great fight or create your own movement against corruption? Why can't you use your power and flood your channel with news to make people aware about corruption? Why you always have to sensationalize things, which are crystal clear to people's mind? Why you have to divert people's attention from fight against corruption? Why can't you see that people are fighting against the people who are abusing my money? Why can't you run news about politicians running their businesses with my money? Why can't you show that politicians are harassing the person fighting for truth? WHY?????

You can go to XYZ country and find XYZ criminal whom even CBI can't find, but you can't show the criminals who are running their businesses on my money, common people's earned money. You can show one common person slapping a politician but you don't show why that guy was so angry and why people of India are angry? 

After watching all exclusive breaking news, I am left with only one thing. That’s WHY?

Memories...

Memories...

Something which makes us happy, sometimes cry, sometimes laugh, sometimes nostalgic; yes that is what memories all about. Memories always get you in some or other downpour of feelings. 

So how do you remember something? If you think about your memories passed through out all your lifespan, what comes to your mind, still images and recorded videos? Whenever I remember any incident, I find my mind with few still images! :) 

I am more attracted towards still images than recorded videos. I think photos hold “that moment feeling”, anytime you watch photos and you live that moment and that feeling. So I love capturing photos of everything else but myself! I have hell loads of photos in my unlimited storage hard disk what you know as brain and yes, of course on my USB drive as well, but sometimes our brain takes longer than usual or sometimes some of it parts gets spoiled and you forget these beautiful memories!

For this, we have got blessings from science, one of the most beautiful gifts from science called Camera. In this digital world you can click as many times as you want with Digital Camera! And I am making full use of my digital camera by capturing all kind of stuffs. Photography has always attracted me and that is why it is my first hobby. Here are some of my memories…

 

                                    

   

  

 

 

 

I'll post few more photos in coming blogs and will come back with another downpour of memories!

How did you choose your career?

How did you choose your career?

This question is to the people who have already started their career.

It is been five years, I started my career in the world of computers, to be precise in the world of business applications or ERP, to be more precise in world of SAP. I am satisfied with whatever I achieved in these five years. Yeah, I could have done little better in terms of position but in terms of knowledge and money, I have done fair. So bottom line is, I am satisfied with my career but the question is, am I really in the career of my like or my interest? Let's get an quick overview why I am here!

From the class 7, I was pretty much inclined to two things, one was my first love cricket (like many other, perhaps lacs of other Indian kids!) and other was my second love "The Computers"! I was never good at studies, but by God's kicks :) , in polite words by God's grace, I could do little good in 10th class and worse in 12th. So I landed in Diploma in computer engg, this time I did worst and landed in what I deserved, Valia. Taking everyone by surprise (including God and even myself!), I topped in Computer Engineering! :) :) :) And finally I landed here, where I am today! It's not that I am not happy with my life and that is why I am writing this blog. I am very much satisfied and happy with where I am today. I am writing this because parents should take enough time and do not impose anything on their kids.

Anyway I am in career of my like for sure, but I could have choose my first love as a career, but my parents were not that much aware about cricket as a career or they might not have thought in that direction at all. Being a Gujarati, my father was busy in a Govt. job and developing business and providing us everything we need and mother was housewife. In that time, there were very few fortunate kids who could choose their career by their own with or without any hurdles. I am definitely not blaming my parents, but that time very few kids could develop that much of maturity and that kind of mentality or thought process that, "what I'll choose now, will stay with me forever!" Because of economical situation of family, or immaturity or whatever may be the reason, but we tend to think in conventional way of choosing job or family business as a career and not any sport or art or social service! Today at least kids and their parents dare to think about choosing all these odd streams as a career.

What I really think, today parents are very much aware about the world outside their world. At the age of 16-17, we should not expect kid to tell parents that I want to go for this and that. I don't think kids at this age can have level of maturity to think pros and cons of what they choose. Kids gradually start understating world and gradually starts developing likes and dislikes about different things. So the point here is, Parents have to be more responsible towards kids’ career.

Parents should always be a friend and make kids understand about all aspects of life. I am not talking about only academics. Career choice also depends on your personal responsibilities. At the age of 25-30, if a person realizes and wants to serve poor and needy or wants to enter into politics, can he/she do it easily if he is responsible for a wife and kids? There is where parents have to make kids understand from the beginning that personal responsibilities go hand in hand with career you choose.

Every person develops a 'like' feeling at some point of time for something, which he/she might love to have as a lifetime career, but most of the time, that like comes when you are already in middle of your career and bound to social responsibilities. For rich people there may be a chance to change career but for middle class and poor, it is simply no chance to take that risk!

Take time to make kids understand about career and personal responsibilities and let kids take their time to grow up and get that maturity level to choose right career for them. It should be kid's choice of career rightly guided by parents and not the opposite!