QUEUE FOR ANYTHING 'FREE'

QUEUE FOR ANYTHING ‘FREE’

In our society there are always some good well meaning individuals or group of individuals. There are a few such groups in Chitrgupta Park, where I go for my morning walks almost everyday. One distributes free green tea and fresh watermelon juice. People can be seen queuing up for ‘free’ tea and juice. Another one distributes some fresh ingredients in form of sprouted seeds with green leaves for treatment of sugar and high blood pressure. There is a queue here also because it is ‘free’. One gentleman puts some eye drops for ‘free’. There is a queue here also. This gentleman started ‘free’ sugar check up and there was queue. Once he started charging Rs 20/- there are few takers. Another one started ‘free’ blood pressure check up and there was queue. He also started charging Rs 20/ and there are few takers.

As you might have already guessed most of the morning walkers come from middle or upper middle income groups (the poor have no time for such luxuries and the rich have their own gardens).  They can afford tea or juice or whatever but just because it is ‘free’ they do not mind waiting and standing in a queue. The moment the service becomes ‘chargeable’ they simply stay away. (I am one of them).

It seems we are a country of ‘freebie’ lovers-both rich and poor. Barring a very few, not many have surrendered their quota of subsidized cooking gas cylinders. Till yesterday, many did not install water meters because their consumption was high and the rules said they will be charged the minimum of 20KL. No sooner Government started the scheme of no charges up to 20KL, they have started installing meters.

It reminds me of real story. Someone kept his dead Fridge outside hoping someone will pick it up. No one did. Next day he put a sticker, saying -‘for sale 50$’. Following morning it was gone.

       

RETURN TO THE BLUE LAGOON

RETURN TO THE BLUE LAGOON

As I was boringly surfing the channels, I saw this movie being aired on a channel. I had seen the ‘Blue lagoon’ long back and liked it. Curiosity is the mother all what we see around us. So I watched the movie to the end. The message - the civilized world is full of lies and guns and hence not worth returning to.

I am told there are some 5000 islands in the world we live in and many of them are inhabited. In some of these islands the inhabitants are called primitives or tribes. I believe may be they are there just as the couple and their child in the movie, remnants of a wrecked ship, waiting for some ship to spot them and take back to civilization. And like this couple in the movie, they also decided to stay put.

They have their own ‘civilization’. It starts with simple rules, some basic dos and don’ts. Nothing in is writing, just passed on from one generation to another. The basic rules are –never tell a lie, never steal, never kill your fellow tribal, share your exploits and so on.

How would it feel to be primitive or tribal, thousands of miles away from the modern civilization?

THE END OF KALIYUGA IN SIGHT

THE END OF KALIYUGA IN SIGHT

Yadaa yadaa hi dharmasya glaanir bhavati bhaarata;

Abhyutthaanam adharmasya tadaatmaanam srijaamyaham.

7. Whenever there is a decline of righteousness, O Arjuna, and rise of unrighteousness, then

I manifest Myself!

Finally the end of Kaliyuga is in sight. The Lord had kept His promise. Lord Shiva has descended form His heavenly abode on the Mount Kailasha and manifested in the form of a tea vendor in the Western Part of India. The tea vendor has reached the state of –Turiya- freedom from passion, anger and greed – total detachment –leaving his wife, mother and siblings to fend for themselves- to accomplish the greater mission of establishing Ram Rajya in the whole world. He has annihilated the demon of communal violence in his state with iron hand. There is total peace and tranquility everywhere. He has taken the  reigns  of the National Chariot. Hence forth no one will feel like a sinner by taking birth in this country. The glimpses of Ram Rajya in the country are already visible.

On the calling of the Lord  the UNO, with its 177 members have unanimously decided to observe 21^st June as World Yoga Day. This was the first time they heard about Yoga form the Lord’s lips and fell for it. Forget the naysayers who are choking in their throats trying to say that our saints, sages and missionaries of yore travelled to far off places to propagate the idea of Yoga for centuries and that is why the world has given it an official seal. Yoga classes will be conducted world wise on this day and preparations are on to celebrate the first World Yoga Day on Sunday, 21^st, June, 2105. All school children are expected to return from their summer vacations and be present. Organizations of repute like  Brahmakumaries ‘sahaj yoga’ have risen to the clarion call of the Lord and will also be conducted special sessions on this day.

On the calling of the Lord, the demons of cross border terrorism were chased deep into the forests of Myanmar and destroyed them forever. It is also a clear warning to any such attempt from any other bordering country. With this universal peace is just a whip away.

On the calling of the Lord, China has opened a motor able road to Mansarovar. This will make pilgrimage to Mansarovar shorter and comfortable.

On the calling of the Lord, fugitives-(people of questionable motives) – have been allowed to move freely on humanitarian grounds and in future all such persons will be allowed to do so till their personal and family problems are resolved to their satisfaction. Very soon fugitives of the world will be able to move freely and that will the last sign of Ram Rajya where the goat and the lion will drink water side by side at the same pond.

Not on the express calling of the Lord, people have started building temples in his name replacing the idols of established Gods.

SING WITH ME ‘OM NaMo Shivayah”.     

   

WHEN THE MIND IS FULL

 WHEN THE MIND IS FULL

The national science foundation estimated that on an average people have 70000-80000 thoughts per day, with 80% of those being negative and 95% being repeated. This implies that we are not really thinking. Our mind is being governed by the memory of earlier thoughts.

This is a huge embarrassment. It means only 5% of what we think is new and 80% of that is negative. Suppose 75000 thoughts engage my mind every day, 60000 of those are negative and only 3750 are new but sadly of these too 3 It means our mind is full but of garbage. Viewed in the context of scientific theory that humans use only 10% of their brain, I shudder to think what if we used our brain for 100% of its capacity. What a catastrophic situation!

And what could be these negative thoughts? Mostly-I cannot do this, this or that is not possible, people are dishonest, and I have to stay at arm’s length from them and so on.  

And what are the positive thoughts? Let me do this, have my meals and go to sleep- the very basic things for survival and existence.    

The answer seems to be- stay occupied, meditate and think positive. Of these staying occupied is the easiest to do. Working people have no such big problem because they have a lot to keep them occupied. It is the retired seniors who have all the time at their disposal, get little sleep and are forced to be frugal in their eating habits. There can many ways of staying occupied depending on individual situation, health and financials. Traveling, reading, net surfing, TV, group activities in real or virtual world, engaging in some household chores, ‘can do it myself’ instead of hiring help.

THE INCORRIGIBLE SELF

THE INCORRIGIBLE SELF

The ‘self’ is not only incorrigible but indomitable also. It neither be corrected nor be dominated by ordinary means. The worst part is it is not even under the control of its holder or owner.  Some of the uses of ‘self’  are  - self- acting, self- command, self- conceit, self- confident, self- contained, self- control, self -denial, self-educated,  self-evident, self-government, self-important, self-imposed, selfish, self-made, self-respect, self-righteous, self-seeking, self-styled, self-sufficient, self-willed. But these are dictionary prompted uses. Some of these are positive and some are negative traits of ‘self’.

The most dangerous traits of self are I, Me and Mine. It is very difficult to control these traits. Try whatever one may, these three words are not within the control of the owner and in time become his/her nature. Not only that these traits control all other organs in our body through our mind. We resort to kicking and slapping any person trying to hurt any of these traits of ours. We become foul -mouthed. We tend to possess more than what we actually need. We are tempted to show off what we have.

It starts early in life, from the very childhood. The toddler trying to grab as many toys as possible even by resorting to snatching from others. The kids take their baby dolls with them in to the bed.  The growing process strengthens these traits. The owner becomes self-centered, self-seeking and self- willed. Self-interest becomes self-righteousness. End justify the means however mean they may be. The interest and well being of other human beings is of no concern of such a person. It is I, Me and Mine.   

It is not that the dangerous effect of these traits has not been recognized or talked about but by very nature these traits are in corrigible and indomitable. The owner becomes the slave of these traits.  On occasions he/she may be doing some contemplation or introspection but the incorrigible and indomitable nature of self under weighs all such self-realizations. Everything comes back to square one.

It is possible to control this ‘self’ but the path is tedious, long winding and most importantly uncertain.  Some say self-denial will help. Some say selfless service will help. Some say self-containment will help. Some say selflessness itself will help. There is no guarantee that even after taking the tedious and long winding journey one will be in a position to control it. There are not many inspiring examples around also.

Did you say what I think?  The answer is I, Me and Mine are not bad above all. The answer is do as much as Is, MEs, MINEs, but just take care that the means justify the end. There is no harm in growing big, having huge material collection and a large and loving family but just take care that no one is mowed down by your caravan.