~~~~~~~~~~~~~LET ME WAKE UP TO THIS 'SAFE CALL' FIRST~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It is said that Great Men of Earth have only two ways of existing in this world..

EITHER WOULD BE WORSHIPED OR BURIED!

They forever accept what the world offers Them as Gift of God but never at any time leave the 

PATH OF TRUTH! 

And such Greatness is really a rare Entity in the world, as per 

ALMIGHTY'S PLAN 

occurs once in a way and has its own

Sacred Purpose in the Universe! 

Living that Great Life is something like experiencing 

INFINITY or ZERO 

and I should remember that they are different from 

DEFINITE INTEGERS 

with which alone I can deal in my practical life! 

Thus as a mortal, I should ever live at my own level in the world by discharging my assigned duties which are in line with my nature to the core with all sincerity and such a discipline with me alone is the 

NUMBER ONE SAFETY 

in my life! 

Working beyond these duties is always an emotional living which sure does not stand the 

TEST OF TIME 

and 

Working below is the lethargic living which beyond a limit will not permit even my 

BASIC LIVING! 

Is it not Wisdom here to first live at my own level, sustain and based on that stability alone do the Investigation in my life instead of ending up at that level only as 

SRIMAD BHAGAVAD GITA 

too reiterates the same basics? 

CHAPTER III SLOKA 35 

says 

Shreyan swadharmo vigunah 

paradharmaat swanusshthitaat 

Swadharme nidhanam shreyah 

paradharmo bhayaavahah! 

Ever safe is one’s own duty than the duty of another even well discharged. Better is even death in one’s duty than the duty of another full of fear!

THE GREATEST ACHIEVEMENT!

Two men once decided to go on a 24 hr fast on an Auspicious day and thus be blessed. On the day, they silently started their fast at 6 AM in one of their places along with certain other activities.

In half hr time one suggested, "24 hr is too long period. Let's end our fast by dinner time.. We've many works to do tomorrow!" and the other agreed.

After another half hr, a thought came up to the first man, “Why not we buy what all we need for dinner now itself?”

The other immediately said, “Yes.. In few hrs, our energies will sure be down. Let’s go to the Market and buy all those groceries required. Any how we've plenty of time with us!”

Soon they went out, shopped for the groceries and returned in an hr's time.

“Let's clean, cut and keep the vegetables and the other materials ready for cooking now itself as we have time now!” said one with certain enthusiasm on his face.

Soon all that work was done in an hr's time.

“These cut fresh vegetables soon lose their freshness. Anyhow, why not we cook our food now itself and store in the Refrigerator?” were the next thoughts..

Soon that too was done with precision in another one hr.

It was 10 AM. Both were dull by that time for missing the usual breakfast.

“Why not we slowly arrange our dining plates, tumblers, ladles and spoons along with Curd, some pickles, spices and water on the dining table. Any how we have to do it later and we have plenty of time now” said one meekly. The other nodded his head instantly and they arranged neatly the required in the next 1 hr.

Suddenly the Power Supply failed. “This is bad. Hope this Power comes back soon.” commented one man.

1 hr passed. The hunger was at its peak, the food prepared was tempting beyond and the Power was still down.

“Oh, God! now the food cooked will get spoiled in few hrs if not refrigrated. This Power may not be back for another few hrs. Now a days it's happening like this only. If we eat such food later, we sure will fall sick. Neither, it's right to throw the cooked food too which is equal to God. Better we don’t wait here. Since, there's no way now, let's finish eating at least all this fresh food. And our Gods too will not be displeased with us as there' s no way for us now!” said one and the other instantly agreed for the decision.

Just then the Power came back. But having decided thus, they both first ate away all the stuff in front of them pretending as if the Power-on condition was not noticed and thus ended successfully the originally planned 24 hr fast in just 6 hrs!

WHY DO I BLOG?

• When Sri Adi Sankara was going thru' streets of Kasi with his Disciples, He found a Vedic Pundit teaching grammar rules of Sanskrit to his students. Having seen one of his students say a word wrongly, the Pundit was repeatedly insisting upon the student to pronounce the same correctly. Sri Sankara stopped, smiled at the Vedic Pundit and said 'Better Worship Govinda as when the leaving time nears, grammar rules will not save you' (The first Sloka of Sri Bhaja Govindam).. 

• His Disciples followed the Master and each in turn said one Sloka revealing the importance of sticking to the Ultimate Knowledge in our life leaving the Mundane aspects of living as much possible.. 

• Another Great Saint when prevented from speaking out Truth by the vested interests around him, got off from them, climbed the top of the nearest Worshipping Place and spoke aloud from there what He felt like saying out to the world..

Seen thus, the Great Men of the Earth have forever done a Yeoman Service to the world in their life thru' telling to the world in whatever way possible what they could perceive as Truth but never, never left out that saying, modified or timed it even a bit!

Bloggers around us too come into limelight here alone when they see a great thrust in them which they feel should be brought out the earliest thru' the channels of communication available around them.

My blogging too had exactly started on these lines, of course very much at my limited level alone at the back of a certain thrust in me to speak out aloud that known to me, listen back from my Readers and thus be satisfied of having done something useful in my life!

The 2 core disciplines I needed to follow here as I started my blogging are,

• I should keep all my ears open to what my co-bloggers in the field are eagerly saying each in his/her own way, take that 'as is' all along carrying equal importance to that

And

• I should allow any person in the field to freely challenge me on what I say/have said and be eager to know what they are interested to tell me in that direction!

Thus I'm continuing my blogging to this day with these 2 disciplines they ever working as the left and right wings to my writing.

• It is said in our Philosophy of Life that man's ignorance sure goes in steps in time with right effort in that direction even though the dawn of Truth forever is instantaneous and effortless.

Thus seen, taking out my ignorance is a time bound effort with me thru' the sincere activities I do in this world and one such activity is discussing the Reality in the world with my people around me, of course strictly following the rules of the game in the process and ever remembering the fact that thru' this process I'm only keeping my house utmost neat and clean..

My blogging activity thus goes on this day on life aspects, my Blog being named as 'Reflecting on Life!' And here, the monetary gains no doubt became secondary to me as I, being the Senior Citizen retired from my active job of Aircraft Design and reasonably settled in my life.

Looking back, I might have started this activity around 2005 when electronic media started picking up which till then was limited to writing down in books my the then prevailing thoughts and reached today the stage of active Blogging with my Blogger Friends Circle increasing day by day thru' their unfailing support.

(This Post is written in line with the IndiSpire Prompt #IAmABlogger)

HERE, THE ABANDONED WAREHOUSE IS JUST A SCAPE GOAT!

"Let's visit to night that corner abandoned whispering warehouse as at night for fun!"

Proposed the young man with a great zeal.

"Why all that trouble? We'll relax comfortably in our place watching our favorite TV program!"

Suggested his friend coolly.

"It's going to be a real thrill. What's the point in staying at home watching the stereotyped TV Programs? Let's do something different for a while!" 

Said the young man.

"There's no watchman too there. The earlier man had abandoned the place long back. Why to go to such place where none ventures? I'm scared!"

Said the friend.

"Hi! Come on.. Once in away, we should actively involve in such things..  Otherwise, what's the meaning to our life?"

Pulled on the young man.

There was no go for the friend.  After dinner that night, they both ventured out by foot towards the so called abandoned warehouse along with 2 good torches. As they neared the building they noticed that..

The front doors of the huge 2 storied house were removed long back as the owner of the house himself had abandoned the place for a while due some bad luck that happened to him and after that none ventured to look at that..

The floor was full of dirt, dry leaves and stones and the dry leaves made lots of creaking sounds as the duo went round. The roofs of the rooms were full of hanging cob webs and at certain places the same simply landed on them totally covering them up with simultaneous constant creaking sounds made by creatures around. The young men thus moved around the place for about an hr, had gone on to the roof over a narrow staircase and spent some time there looking at the dark sky..

Suddenly a soft thing fell on the second man from top and it appeared suddenly that

The house seemed whispered, 

Making the man scream aloud saying  

'God.. I'm caught!'

Who instantly ran out of the house, reached his place the fastest and firmly bolted the door from inside of his home sweating profusely and his heart pounding hard..

The first friend carefully looked around, picked up a torn over coat that accidentally descended on his friend from a hanging position on the top due to wind which made the whispering sound all along and having noted that fact continued his further activity with all calmness..

• Soon the first young man made a rough sketch of the plan of the building noting down type of the floor, size of the rooms, types of internal doors, sills, walls etc and thus himself got into a totally serious activity of declaring aloud to the world that he alone personally made all that survey thru' a dedicated search..

And 

• From that night he lived thru' a man of great strength within knowing fully well that the abandoned whispering warehouse is just another building and if fully renovated and majority of community around got cleared of the wrong belief that entered their minds..

• The second young man who was forcibly pulled in, moved with desperate feeling at the back of the hanging cobwebs seen as bad omen, the whispering sounds out of wind blowing over the dry leaves heard as the devil moving around, climbing thru' the twisted suitcase felt as a nightmare of being caught in a narrow passage and the moonless night looking totally threatening, soon reached a collapsing stage having run out of his energies all along with a single thought in his mind.. 

'When am I getting out of this place?'

• And soon he firmed up within not to think and talk of that, go near to that as well as similar buildings for life time!

There was Message from Above..

'I provided 

One Enquiry Spirit 

Equally in all to establish 

Truth

And live in 

Peace.. 

One who makes use of it

In the 

Right Way 

Alone 

Lives life full;

None else!

(This post is a part of Write Over the Weekend, an initiative for Indian Bloggers by BlogAdda.)

This post is a part of BlogchatterBlogHop

www.theblogchatter.com

Keywords: house, whispered, night

SPIRITUALITY IS AWAY FROM ME.. 'THE MOMENT I CONCLUDE!'

“Sir! I am very much fascinated by the Speeches of the Renowned Man and the inspiration He brings in the audience through certain great examples..

• What Spirituality is.. He simply keeps in front of you like an open fruit.. 
• His memory is wonderful and He often quotes from the Corners of Sacred Books various Stories, Parables, Sayings and the Advices given by our Ancient Great Personalities.. 
• His voice is ever clear and heard so distinctly to a great distance.. 
• He really brings in a Change in the people ardently listening to Him and thus helps all! 

After listening to Him a few times, the Spiritual Thinking and Spiritual Discipline aspects became crystal clear to me which earlier were really a bundle of confusion myself being never clear about the right and wrong!”

“My dear! I understand what all you say and I very much agree that

• The Personality you are talking of is truly a Great Man, 
• I can say surely that He is doing a Yeoman Service to the society by teaching the good and thus helping out all at large and 
• He is truly the Great Guidance for many of us who forever tussle between the right and the wrong endlessly.. 

But there's a small explanation here..

I am fascinated by something indirectly.. Means that it's not Spirituality but still materialism alone prevailing may be at a refined level. Meaning.. I've shifted the life of normal living to a plane of special living but still my involvement, my feelings of pleasure and pain and my interests are the same in me as usual. Thus truly speaking, there's no actual change that occurred in me and I'm the 'Same!'"

"Then if whatever we do is not Spiritual, what else is Spirituality? I'm totally confused with what you are saying!"

"Dear! I am not saying that we cannot be in the Path of Spirituality.. I affirm a 100% that every one can be and it doesn't need any special qualification or status or support for me to be in that Path.. And here, the broad guidelines of understanding for me as I pursue this Path are..

• What is know to my mind is not the Ultimate as the Ultimate can never be perceived thru' my limited mind.. 
• Every path of pursuit one is determined to follow sincerely will lead to that Ultimate and there's no doubt here.. 
• All the Elevated Men definitely guide me here but the actual progress of mine is out of my own push within and no Great Person by my side can ever as well as will never do that for me out of His Own Love for me.. 
• Whenever I feel that I've reached a certain level where things look truly crystal clear to me, I should remember that it's just another level alone and the actual Goal in front of me is at infinity.. 

And finally to say, for ordinary mortals like us, the Ever Golden Rule is..

• Philosophical Pursuit is nothing but the attitude of living with a lighter feeling within me with an Unfailing Faith that ultimately He alone does everything as I start doing my ordained duties with me to the best of my abilities ever ready to face odds of life as they come up!"

MAN'S THE BEST FRIEND!

It was a Holiday Resort in the distant land on the other part of the Globe deep into thick woods away from the usual buzz of the city life. The weather was cool, sunny and pleasant. A number of guests to the hotel were relaxing in the 'Open to Sky' Restaurant busy with their own discussions and movements.

• A number of idols beautifully carved out of some special wood like material and positioned in between all along the Restaurant brought it's own beauty to the Guest Area. 
• The thick green woods in distance appeared to be silently doing their job giving final touches to the best natural environment of the place.
• And the heavy metal tables of the same size and shape laid out in equal distances with a glass wood finish on the top added a perfect natural fit to the natural environment by the side.

The gentleman sat at the table shown to him by the Senior Waitress-In-Charge of the Serving Area and was soon attended to by another smart young Waitress who quickly took his order and was back to action on the errand. As the man looked at his watch the same was showing 1215 PM. And he had just 45 mts with him to finish a short lunch and move on to the crucial appointment he had for the day.

• Adding to the perfect Nature around, suddenly a huge Labrador appeared on the scene and started moving actively between the guests. He was freely getting closer to the guests, rubbing against them smoothly, looking at them and playfully running around. 

People who got accustomed a bit with their pets were comfortable with his movements and some even started actively playing with Lab. But a few were an exception there as they felt uneasy with the pet’s closeness and moved away a bit here and there to avoid his attention simultaneously keeping a close watch on the Lab.

After watching for a while the discomfort of few of her guests, the Senior Waitress moved near to the gate, said something to a man there pointing at the Lab. The man instantly moved into action and started instructing the pet saying aloud, “......! Come away, Come away!” That he repeated a few times, but the canine having resolved to trouble the guests in such a nice fashion was still briskly moving around.

The guest gentleman and equally a great animal lover, to his great astonishment suddenly saw the same shouting person whirling something at the Labrador and the pet in no time running away from the spot steep down into the bushes below disappearing once for all!

The gentleman instantly got offended at the way the dear pet was treated in front of everyone. How could the man be so cruel to him? The Lab has every right to move and play around as he wishes.. The only thing the master could have done there was to constrain that movement in a limited way to avoid trouble to others!

As he looked around, he saw the young Waitresses moving around briskly with their own works unmindful of what happened around them a few minutes back. Equally, the men at the Reception Desk too appeared not bothered about it.. And as he looked down sloping woods on the side he found to his sadness, the loving pet still hiding himself in the thick bushes from the insult and injury aimed at him.

The watch ticked on but there was no sign of the pet. The man became too restless and firmed up to lodge a formal complaint to the Senior Waitress on the ill treatment given to the Lab.

As he glanced at the Clock on the wall in front, instantly to his surprise he noticed that his watch was running late by 15 mts. Means.. The appointment time was.... Oh.. God! He had to go.. No way as it sure needed a definite time to go ahead with his complaint and see that the wrong doer was taken to task..

The gentleman was sad.. He wanted to do something and bring out justice to the pet but at the same time he had to go.. Later, coming back and taking up the issue was seen of no use because that sure totally would make lose all that shine of his protest..

He quickly cleared his Check, thanked the Waitress and as he started moving to the Exit Gate his watch propelling him to do all that, equally he could not believe his eyes..

• As he saw the same Lab pet running back from the deep woods below with double vigor towards the same man wagging his tail vigorously. As he came close to his Master the man with a broad smile, patted him affectionately, stroked him for while conveying his love, slowly took out a soft rubber ball from his mouth which the pet was firmly holding till then and started throwing it down the slope to a shorter distance again and again making the gigantic Lab too run behind it so majestically making the serene environment around more vibrant and lively the next moment!

(This post is a part of Write Over the Weekend, an initiative for Indian Bloggers by BlogAdda).

THE 'LIFE LONG ADORATION' HIDDEN IN MY HEART!

The Little One of 3 yrs was too naughty but the grand mother was equally determined. And she decided to instill in the boy at that tender age the Devotional Culture of her own.

That evening while the child was with her playing, she nicely made him sit with her and started telling the mythological stories of her own background.

“Dear! We have many Gods with us.. Lord Vishnu, Lord Rama, Lord Krishna and Lord Shiva...

• When a crocodile caught the huge elephant friend, Lord Vishnu ran for the elephant and saved it from the crocodile. That way, Lord Vishnu is our God who saves us whenever we are in difficulty..
• You know, Lord Rama went to Lanka, killed the ten headed Ravan and saved many people. Lord Rama that way is a great God for us..
• And Lord Krishna is also our God who is always with us in our difficulties. One day, when the King Indra poured stones from top as rain, Lord Krishna simply lifted a hill on his Little Finger and asked everyone to come below it.
• Once a huge fire of poison came up in the ocean. Every one was afraid. Lord Shiva simply swallowed the whole, kept it in His throat and saved the entire world.

Now tell me we have many Gods with us who constantly help us and save us.. Lord Vishnu, Lord Rama, Lord Krishna and Lord Shiva. You should always remember our Gods and Pray to them daily. Now let us fold hands and say our Prayer to our Gods together!”

Saying thus, the grandma started singing melodiously..

"Om Jaya Jagadisha Hare, Swami Jaya Jagadisha Hare....."

The little boy soon did the whole Prayer she taught him earlier with hands folded and eyes closed along with her.

The grandma was totally pleased with the Little One’s discipline. In the end with a big smile on her face she said,

“We'll go now. I told you 4 stories of our Gods. There are many more Gods with us and many more stories on how They saved people.. OK.. Tell me.. Out of our 4 Gods whom do you like the best?"

The Little One listening to her with all attention was equally too thoughtful. His Mom was sitting at a distance looking at him with all adoration and a gentle smile on her face. The grandma with all firmness asked the boy again the question.

"Dear! I'm asking you. Whom do you like the best?"

The boy looking at his Mother suddenly smiled and said aloud,

“It's Mommy, like her the best!"

THE COMPLEXITY OF THE FOOD WE EAT..

'Annad bhavanti bhutani....' says Sloka 14 Chapter 3 of Srimad Bhagavad Gita meaning.. 'Living Entities come into being from food!' which indirectly confirms that we are made of the food we eat all along in our life..

And the same Philosophy extended a little more reiterates that this food of ours falls under 3 categories Viz; Saatvic, Rajasic and Tamasik each type encouraging the similar personalities in us!

Thus seen, we can very much affirm that our food is an integral part of our life as

• We are from the food around us, 
• We sustain with the food we eat,
• We grow with the food we love and 
• We express ourselves thru' the food type we consume!

About such a food, the Great Saint has said.. "Eat food like medicine!" Meaning.. Food is basically for sustenance and it should be eaten the minimum to keep our bodies healthy and if consumed beyond in whatever fashion, it sure works as poison in us indirectly.

But in reality many times, such a Great Message takes a back seat in me when it comes to partaking the tastiest food in front as the famous thin and lean Playwright and Critic's joke mentioned below too surfaces here thus..

When a fat man who came across him remarked, "Sir! if any one sees you, he thinks that the whole of our country is starving!" the famous Personality smiled and replied, "Dear! The same man if he sees you instantly knows the reason for the same!"

Thus my own personality very much influences the selection of food of my choice varying between junk to fad to scientifically valued foods whatever..

If at any time a special food is offered to me at a subsidized cost to promote it's sales which tastes bitter and smells a bit odd,

The Miser in me instantly decides to consume the same stressing.. “People say that it's the food which is light on the body and does its good.. The peculiar smell and taste may be because of that.. No problem. I can’t waste such a valuable food in front of me whatever others say!”

The Glutton in me confirms that decision saying, "It’s the food very much required for us and we may need a more of it all the time. If I forego this in the name of all that talk of nonsense taste/smell and too much care, I only have to buy it again. Why not store this immediately in Deep Freezer and make use of it subsequently?”

The Personality of too many tastes in me adds color to that saying.. “It’s my tastiest food in front. We hardly get a chance to eat such foods. How can I waste this one? Let me heat it up, add some more spices to it and make my best lunch out of this!”

And finally the Personality of Principles in me confirms all that decided by saying.. “We can't waste any food and it’s very much a sin to do so. Many around us are starving. Let me see if I can make use of this in some fashion for consumption in a smoother form and thus help in overall!”

When these 4 traits rule me thus, I invariably consume that food whatever it be unless equally the Personality of Wisdom in me overrules saying..

• “I agree that we should never waste our food. It is forever Sacred and Precious. And our monies too are Precious. But seen the other side, my health and immediate safety too are much more precious. 
• Further seen, my body is like a Temple with me and the daily food with which I feed myself is like an Offering made to God. Here forever, Cleanliness, Freshness, Heat and Aroma are the required qualities of this Offering to the God of this Temple within me..
• Hence, it’s ever better to allow such a food to decay naturally outside rather inside my body and so let me not use it!”

Thus speaking, the influence of any food, apart from its benefiting effects equally depends on such complex personality behind consuming the same!

(The Post is written in line with the Indispire prompt #foodfads)

THE 'BEST PRANK' I CAN PLAY TODAY THE APRIL 1ST...

This is the story that comes to my mind whenever I feel that I'm right..

"It was a trouble some moment in the life of the man.

• 'Is there a way out here?' 

He questioned himself. And there sure was answer within..

• 'Just Praying to God with a promise to keep a certain discipline in my life!'

But that implementation needed repeated reminders and assistance from outside else the spirit could be lost soon. For that, the man instantly thought of a few gadgets..

• The day's paper slip on the wall calendar would be taken off only when the regime for the day was fully followed, 
• The daily reminders on the mobile phone would repeatedly remind on the discipline required, 
• A special attire on self would constantly remind the purpose of that discipline and propel in that direction.. 

All along the Sacred Book Srimad Bhagavad Gita would be on the table as Witness to the planned self control regime!

The Almighty's Grace was with him and the tense moment passed. With all sincerity, he started his strict discipline of activities from the next day onward to the core..

Soon, life had become a little busy.. After the day's work, few new problems were in front which were necessarily to be resolved and the job was well done for few days.. But quickly, they increased in numbers.. And there was no go there.. The energies had to be diverted in that direction..

• The immediate light thoughts were.. 'Yes! Here the mind needs some relaxation else I'll be doing forever the job of attending to the requirements alone!' 
• In a short time they took a certain momentum.. 'This life is to be lived properly. It's meant for that!' 
• The next line of thoughts were.. 'One life is in front and why not relax here a bit and go cool!' 
• Soon, an auto suggestion followed saying.. 'Why should I feel less here?'
• And of course, further down the line the final assertion was.. 'Life is great. It's worth living this way!' 

And subsequent to that, there was no need to say that

• The special attire hanging in the wardrobe since many days, 
• The reminders on the mobile that got instantly dismissed all the days continuously and 
• The many daily calendar papers intact on the wall 

were discretely smiling behind as the days passed thus!

And equally the Sacred Book Srimad Bhagavad Gita kept on the Table was a silent witness to all that happening where in Sloka 60 Chapter II forever reiterated,

'yatato hyapi kaunteya purashasya vipaschitah;
Indriyaani pramaatheeni haranthi prasabham manah!'

'The turbulent senses O Arjuna! do violently carry away (in no time) even the mind of a wise (determined) man though he is striving (maximum to control them)!'"

Whenever I remember such a feasibility of change over in my life in respect of the firm decisions taken earlier, I instantly muse within myself..

What else can really be the great Prank I can play on any one around me on this April 1st other than playing it on myself at this point of time ever struggling to bridge the gap between the oaths I have taken earlier in respect of following certain disciplines in various walks of my life and the deviated life I am presently leading today thru' the force of habit?

(This post is a part of Write Over the Weekend, an initiative for Indian Bloggers by BlogAdda).