TESTAMENTS LABELED AS OLD, NEW AND NEWER

The words old, new and newer only refer to relativity of time. Time seems to exist only in space of human conscious awareness.

Traditionally or culturally bound human seems to be perennially blind to the realities of existence and constantly chases the mirage of possibilities that lie ahead to quench its thirst. While a camel rider chases the mirage looking for an Oasis of water, his Camel bearing the Master’s load, meditates silently masticating the food and water stored within itself.

Testament is a testimony that human pursues with blinded faith to be convinced by a living proof.

The reality of existence clearly perceptible through its varied colors and shades like a Star lit sky, the Rainbow and the Dew Drops is the only convincing proof that is needed to quench the insatiable human thirst of being and becoming our own complete and nameless Self.

The humility of low lying Oceans, the sands of Time, and the snow peaked Mountain ranges bear witness to it all on planet Earth.  These are the genuine and timeless Testaments that need no testimony nor proof; no intermediary Prophet nor prophesy with a new Star appearing in the sky.

Each one of us human is not necessarily a traditional worshipper of the heavenly God to overcome the fear of the imaginary Hell. However, each and every human is innately a true Seeker of the eternal and indescribable Truth from which we emerge and eventually merge back into it in a blissful state of consciousness. Linguistic terms such as Grace, Nirvana ( निर्वाण ), Ek Onkar Satnam ( रक ओंकार सतनाम ), Sat-chit-ananda-swaroop ( सत - चित्त - आनंद - स्वरूप ) are some of the several expressions for the inner experience of the universal Truth.

Removed from our individual specific body and material attachments, what we vainly try to describe as the Self, Soul and Truth only condense within us as an individual specific inner experience. Any words, testaments or miracles seem to become irrelevant in the process of seeking our complete immutable self identity. A genuine appreciation of Arts and Music seems to have the capacity to condense the all inclusive universal wisdom of our innate, and all inclusive universal identity.  Ultimately what we seek as the Literacy of Life condenses effortlessly within the silence and balance of our very being and captures the essential spirit of our inalienable universal identity with our one and only Source.  

The following pictures of the self balancing rocks arranged patiently by artist Grab seems to be a depiction suggesting “ The Constant Balancing Act “ in which each element of the Cosmos is interrelated and dependant on each other.

In the photos below, Grab spends several minutes nearly frozen, making tiny adjustments until he gets all of the rocks’ centers of gravity just right..

“Over the past few years of practicing rock balance, simple curiosity has evolved into therapeutic ritual, ultimately nurturing meditative presence, mental well-being, and artistry of design,” writes Grab in his artist statement.

Here we are the earthly living species, constantly gazing at the deep blue sky and wondering who am I, in the context of the dynamics of an ever changing universe ? The wisdom of timeless ages and space prompts that the one and only answer stems from within ourselves as an individual specific inner experience at the most appropriate moment.

Meditation is not a Circus

06 Feb. 2017

Meditation is not a Circus

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Any attempt to define the undefinable tends to confine it with the limitations of human ignorance and inexperience.

Meditation is not a self exalting ritual of sitting in a lotus or pyramid position in an effort to embrace silence while expecting that some so-called spiritual benefit accrues. Expectation and attachment of any sort seems to be a deterrent to an inner self-enriching experience.

Every time we fall asleep naturally, is an effortless inner experience. In the state of deep sleep devoid of any dreams and thoughts, we find ourselves neither here, there or anywhere else. In short we are totally absent from ourselves. In that state of deep sleep, the only thing that exists is our breath and its automatic natural rhythm. It is the Cosmic rhythm, which is the Source of our being here.

Deep sleep or unconsciousness as described above, which is a daily effortless inner experience, seems to be a close way to describe the state of mind and Meditation in which we become totally detached from our own bodily Self.

When we achieve the above state of thoughtlessness  while fully awake and alert, that may be described as Meditation. It is achievable and happens only after human body is trained and self disciplined with the rhythm of breath, which is not a circus. That effort has been identified as the self-discipline of Yoga and Pranayam. It is solely an inner journey or pilgrimage.

Removed from our individual specific body and material attachments, what we vainly try to describe as the Self, Soul and Truth only condense within us as an individual specific inner experience. Any words, testaments or miracles seem to become irrelevant in the process of seeking our complete, immutable and universal self identity.

A genuine appreciation of Arts and Music seems to have the capacity to condense the all inclusive universal wisdom of our innate universal identity.  Ultimately what we seek as the “ Literacy of Life “ condenses effortlessly within the silence and balance of our very being and captures the essential spirit of our inalienable universal identity with our one and only Source.  

The following pictures of the self balancing rocks arranged patiently by artist Grab seems to be a depiction suggesting “ The Constant Balancing Act “ in which each element of the Cosmos is interrelated and dependant on each other. No one ever exists alone.

In the photos below, Grab spends several minutes nearly frozen, making tiny adjustments until he gets all of the rocks’ centers of gravity just right.

“Over the past few years of practicing rock balance, simple curiosity has evolved into therapeutic ritual, ultimately nurturing meditative presence, mental well-being, and artistry of design,” writes Grab in his artist statement.

THE SHUTTLE TRAIN CONNECT

SUDHA ( DEO )  JOSHI

01 February, 2017 @ Addison, Illinois, USA.

THE SHUTTLE TRAIN CONNECT

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During my childhood  ( 1932 to 1940 ) the train journey from Nagpur to Raipur was an overnight 12 hour journey. Now in the 21st Century, a  fast train shuttle traverses the same distance in approx. five hours.  

A few years ago while we were in Addison, Usha and I were listening to the morning discourse of Anandmurti Gurumaa of Ganaur, Haryana. During the discourse, Gurumaa was replying to some questions received from her listeners on Youtube. She pulled out one question and identified the question was from Sudha Joshi of Rajnandgaon, Chhattisgarh. I said there would be only one Sudha Joshi in Rajnandgaon and that is our Bebi ( बेबी ), Waman Dada’s daughter.

Subsequently during our visit to Nagpur for participating in the 50th Anniversary of Surendra’s Martyrdom in the 1965 Indo-Pak War we were staying at Dattu Bhaiya Bhagwatwar residence @ 76 Shivaji Nagar. The following day’s newspapers covering the ceremonies held at Maj. Surendra Deo Park in Dhantoli had posted a photograph of Usha, Me and Shyam Deo sitting as guests on a front couch draped in white sheet; courtesy of Ashwin, Neela and Vivek. At that time Bebi (Sudha) was coincidentally visiting her daughter Mrs. Patki in Nagpur. After seeing our picture in the newspaper and having read the morning newspaper,  Bebi promptly came to Dattu Bhaiya’s residence to meet us. That was a very affectionate and heart warming gesture on Bebi’s part. It seemed like our tryst with destiny.

We talked with Bebi for a few hours during the morning and what she shared simply and sweetly with us opened my heart for her brave and sweet journey of life to date. In spite of being my close Deo niece relationship, this was the very first time in my eight decades that I had the opportunity and coincidence of talking one-on-one with her. Bebi had just come to Nagpur from Rajnandgaon to visit her daughter, Mrs.  Patki,  for a couple of days. During our conversation, Bebi warmly invited Usha and me  to accompany her back to her Rajnandgaon home as she was returning the very next morning. The shortage and intensity of time prevented us from honoring her open hearted invitation.

I have personally never visited Raheli in MP,  which is the ancestral township of our paternal great Grandparents. Bebi’s father, Waman Deo, wae my first cousin ( सक्खा चुलत भाऊ ) and I had met him personally whenever he had visited Nagpur. I had overheard that he had a daughter from his first marriage and his wife had expired soon after delivering the first  child, a baby girl. Hearsay. the baby’s mother ( my वहिनी  ) was originally from Vidisha, MP ( ? ).  The said baby girl is my niece Bebi that I had heard about but never seen during my first 4-5 decades of life.

Subsequently Waman Dada had remarried bearing three children namely Sanyogita, Shreedhar and Keshav. Eventually Waman Dada sold his farming interests in Chimariya and the family migrated to Nagpur where he had built his own residence in Hanuman Nagar.  Nagpur. Since 1957 whenever I had returned from USA to India for a visit, we had frequently visited my uncle whom we addressed as  भाऊ,  Waman Dada, Vahini and the three budding and flowering children. During those visits, I do not recall any mention of Bebi.

Soon after losing her Mother at infancy ( when ? ) hearsay Bebi was nurtured and brought up by her Grandparents who were my eldest uncle ( Bhau ) and aunt ( Kaki ) in Raheli (how long ? ). Obviously Bebi grew up without the memory of her natural Mother  and any sibling during her critical infancy and early childhood.  During her childhood stay at Raheli, Bebi would have had affectionate interactions with her आत्या including गोदी, मालती, कमळी, कुसुम, आणि सिंधू . त्यापैकी आज केवळ मालती आत्या ( ९७ ) भिलाई शहरी राहात आहे .

While meeting with Usha and me in Nagpur at Dattubhya’s residence in September  2014, Bebi described some of her early childhood poignant experiences. In her own words in Marathi she narrated :

“ On my very first day at school @ Kindergarten level, my teacher asked me, what is your name ? I replied Bebi, because that is how every one addressed me at home and in the neighborhood. That was the only name that I had ever heard and that had become the very beginning of my self-identity. Then Sudha Deo became my following identity. Narrating further, Bebi mentioned that as a growing up child, she was transferred for  furthering her schooling from Aunt in Indore ( कमल आत्या  मोघे )  and later to Aunt in Ujjain ( मालती आत्या  मोघे  ). “

Bebi was narrating the above personal story account with a pleasant smiling demeanor.  That self revealing narration by Bebi shook me from my very foundation; prompting this composition.

Those of us who take the presence of our natural Mother, Father, Siblings and pleasant childhood for granted may experience a tubelight realisation ( जागृती ) through the above narration of Bebi.  

I wish to continue this composition further about Bebi after procuring answers to my pertinent questions and curiosities about Bebi.

Bebi is now married ( how long ? ), has children ( how many ? ) and grandchildren ( how many ? ). Her self fulfilling identity may now be Mrs. Sudha ( Deo ) Joshi. I do not know as yet how and when did she get married.  But I know for sure that she has been living in Rajnandgaon, Chattisgarh for a few decades ( how many years ? ). Hopefully there is at least one member in her immediate family that uses eMail and will carry on a communication with me on this specific subject matter.

I wish to continue writing this topical composition on Bebi ( Sudha ) primarily because it is my personal need to do so and equally because she is an affectionate Niece and an adorable human being. Her pleasant demeanor says it all very audibly.

Bebi herself and Malati Tai ( Deo ) Moghe ( now 97 )  are the two prime sources that would provide for me pertinent info about Bebi’s adorable life journey so far.  I will equally appreciate receiving pertinent info about Bebi from every other sources that are closely connected with Bebi. Amongst these I include Shreedhar Deo, Sanyogita Gawali,  Milind Moghe and his sisters, Mrs Patki, Ajit Deshpande and his sibling in Raipur and Texas ( Kusum’s children ), Neeraja Biwalkar  ( Sindhu’s daughter ), and anyone else whom I may have inadvertently omitted in this context.

This winter Usha and I have skipped our annual 6-monthly sojourn to India and therefore we must mutually communicate primarily via Internet Email. You may communicate with me in English, Hindi or Marathi as you please.

With my two paternal uncles and four aunts ( आत्या )  I have always felt abundantly blessed with the presence of several affectionate first cousins, nephews and nieces; and equally so from the relationships on my maternal side namely Nakhare and Tikekar.

Take care of yourselves and stay happily contented.

Suresh Kaka

The Literacy and Arithmetic of Life

The politics of Nation prides on the literacy of its people based on  comprehending the alphabets A, B, C, D, E, F, G ...and counting numbers 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. or  the Arithmetic of Life.

The Religious Guru ( गुरू ), Mullah ( मुल्लाह ) or a Preacher is a teacher of the pulpit that narrates and advises about the ways and means of attaining a higher level of conscious awareness . However , Sadguru  ( सद्गुरु ) is a living source that constantly supports and blesses our individual specific presence to experience our own immutable and eternal self identity.  

Realisation is the intuitive Grace that instantly condenses within ourselves as a pure Dewdrop of universal conscious awareness. Realisation is not about magic or miracle for chasing a mirage for quenching thirst or an intellectual pursuit. This seems to be the latent message of timelessly available Sadguru ( सद्गुरु ).

One of our childhood prank modified for today sings like this:

“ A, B, C, D, E, F, G

उसमेंसे निकले पंडित जी।

पंडितजी ने जन्मभूमीमें बोई ज्ञान की धान,

उसमेंसे निकले राजा, प्रजा और मंत्री प्रधान।

जिंदगीमें जोड़ते रहो  १, २, ३, ४, ५, ६, सात ….

बनेगी सिर्फ, भूल भुलय्या की बात।  “

Did not realise in the innocence of childhood, that a childhood prank transforms itself into the Literacy of Life.

The Literacy of Life stems only from within because it is the realisation of completeness from within ourselves. It behooves to repeat that Pilgrimage is a stepless journey within the silence of our conscious awareness. It may be termed Meditation, although it is wordless.

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The Dog and his Master

A Dog always knows and is aware of his Master and stays unlinchiglly loyal to him . The Dog’s Master may not comprehend the unquestioned  loyalty  of his Dog. For the Dog, there is only one supreme Master while the rest are friendly relationships. It is not an accident that Dog spelled backwards is God’s Love in action.

A Dog nay chew away shoes but never disheartens his Master.

Prayer  - The Silent Music of Life  ----

Prayer is not Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, Christian,  Jewish, Sikh, Jain  or any other faith. It is the silent music of Life within us.

Total self submission through unconditional prayer makes us available to the silent universal wisdom within us, Through this wisdom we emerge as a physicality and ultimately merge back into it as non-physicality.

It seems easier for the innocence of childhood to bow and surrender in prayer. It gets harder for adulthood to surrender as the burden of growing ego makes us more rigid. The ego factor dampens the ever present silent music of life within us.

In order to maintain and enhance the self enriching music of life  audible within ourselves, we try to embrace Yoga and Meditation. The innocence of childhood ever present  within each one of us assists in uniting us with our Source that is ever present within ourselves.

Today, 26 January 2017, marks the Republic Day of *India and its latent solidarity under one flag proclaiming:

“ Truth alone Triumphs - सत्यमेव जयते “

FOUR CASTES - चार वर्ण अथवा चातुर्वर्ण

FOUR CASTES -

चार वर्ण अथवा चातुर्वर्ण

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भाषा एक बोलण्याचे साधन आहे. त्याचा जेव्हडा उपयोग तेव्हडाच  दुरुपयोग देखील होण्याचा संभव असतो.

आधुनिक भारतीय समाजात, चातुर्वर्णाला जातीच्या रूपात अंगीकारून समाजास खंडित केले आहे असे तीव्रतेने भासते. ब्राह्मण, क्षत्रिय, वैश्य आणि शूद्र नावा खाली, पुरुष अर्थाचे खंडन झाले आहे आणि माणुसकी दुरावली आहे.

अज्ञान, ज्ञान, आत्मज्ञान आणि आत्मबोध ह्या चार चढत्या पायऱ्या नाहीत. स्वतःच्या मनःस्थितिचे हे चार सदा बदलणारे रंग आणि रूपें आहेत.  प्रत्येक मानवी रूपात आणि जीवात, अखंड आत्मस्वरूप सदा सूक्षम रूपाने वसलेले आहे… इकडे, तिकडे, चहूकडे सार्या अनंत ब्रह्माण्डात,

भाषा आणि मौन स्थिती, ह्या दोन वेग वेगळ्या भाषा आहेत.

भाषा, गुरु रूपे, मानवास मार्ग दर्शन देते.

मौनस्थिती, सद्गुरू रूपे, मानवास आत्मबोधास प्राप्त करते.

आत्मबोध हे स्वतःच्या अंतर्यामी अनुभवावर आधारलेले आणि उभारलेले आत्मस्वरूपी अखंड ज्ञान …

जे आपणास दिसते ते रूप. आणि जे दिसत नाही ते स्वरूप.