"MOVE AWAY...BODY OR SOUL ?"

AN INCIDENT IN THE LIFE OF SHANKARACHARYA, WHEN 
LORD SHIVA TAUGHT A LESSON ON UNTOUCHABILITY.....

SHANKARACHARYA MEETING HUNTER AT KASHI

SHANKARACHARYA WITH SHISHYAS

One day,while Shankaracharya was returning from his morning 
ablutions from Ganga in the early hours of dawn, a low cast 
hunter(chandala means dog meat eater) was seen blocking his 
way with his four dogs, a pot containing meat in his hand.
Shankara and his disciples accosted him and asked him to to 
move away, to give way. Others are not supposed to touch a
Swamiji after taking bath. The nonchalant Chandala asked 
what it was that Shankara wanted to move away from 
the path -- the chandala's body or his soul ?

Chandala told," If it is body, my body which you want to keep 
distance, is made up of Pancha Bhuthas(Five Elements), 
so also your body. If it is soul,which is Pure Awareness that is 
present in me is present in you also.You have established that 
same Pure Awareness is present in all living beings.Then why 
do you ask me to move away & not to touch you ? Is there any 
difference in the reflection of sun in the water of holy Ganges 
and that which is reflected in a dirty pool in the street of 
Chandalas ?"

       Shankaracharya immediately recognised his folly ,  
seeing the Absolute, even in the lowliest of the lowly and
recognising the hunter as no ordinary person fell to his feet.
Chandala vanished from the view & there appeared Lord 
Shiva in front of Shankara.He blessed Shankara and directed
him to eradicate all false,superstitious ideologies from the 
society.

       This incident made Shankara to compose five verses
on the spot, saying that whoever he be, who exhibited such
equanimity in perception was indeed his GURU,even though
he may be a Chandala.Thus establishing that there were no 
distinctions in the Pure Existence-Consciousness-Bliss
ie, SOUL. The five verses are called MANEESHA
PANCHAKAM(meaning five slokas of faith & conviction)

       You can read MANEESHA PANCHAKAM at--
                       

http://www.celextel.org/adisankara/manishapanchakam.html

                                                                         

ON ELDERS FALLING TO THE FEET OF YOUNGER PEOPLE !!

ELDER FALLING TO THE FEET OF YOUNGER

-- IN THE WORLDLY WAY, YOUNGER PEOPLE FALLING TO 
        ELDERS FEET & GETTING BLESSINGS IS A VERY 
        GOOD CUSTOM.
-- CHILDREN FALLING TO THE FEET OF PARENTS, A 
        SHISHYA(DISCIPLE) FALLING TO GURU'S FEET, A 
        HOST FALLING TOTHE FEET OF GUEST IS VERY 
        VERY IMPORTANT.
-- HOWEVER, WHEN A PERSON IS SELF REALISED & 
        BECOMES A JEEVANMUKTHA(LIBERATED WHILE 
        LIVING), HE SEES GOD IN ALL LIVING BEINGS, IN 
        THAT STATE HOW HE CAN ALLOW OTHERS TO FALL 
        TO HIS FEET ?
-- IF SOMEBODY, YOUNGER OR ELDER TO HIM HAS 
        ALREADY FALLEN TO HIS FEET, HE HAS NO OTHER 
        OPTION BUT TO FALL BACK TO THE FEET WHO 
        TOUCHED HIS FEET.
-- I HAVE BEEN FOLLOWING THIS FROM MY EARLIER 
        DAYS ONLY WITHOUT ANYBODY TELLING ME, MAY 
        BE IT HAS COME FROM MY PREVIOUS BIRTH 
        SAMSKARA !
-- AYAPPA BHAKTHAS WHO HAVE TAKEN MALA DIKSHA 
        DURING THEIR MANDALA(41days) VRATHA, FATHER 
        FALLS TO THE FEET OF HIS SON, IF SON HAS ALSO 
        TAKEN MALA DIKSHA, EVERY DAY MORNING.
-- IF MAYA(ILLUSION OF WORLD) IS NOT BINDING YOU 
        YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO DO THIS HAPPILY !!
-- IN THE FLOW OF BIRTH--DEATH CYCLE NOBODY 
        KNOWS WHO IS SENIOR OR JUNIOR. FOR EXAMPLE,
        YOUR FATHER IN THIS BIRTH MIGHT HAVE BEEN 
        YOUR SON IN THE LAST BIRTH !! YOUR MOTHER IN 
        THIS BIRTH CAN BE YOUR SON IN THE NEXT BIRTH !! 
-- THERE IS A SUPERSTITION IN THIS WORLD THAT, IF 
        AN ELDER PERSON FALLS TO THE FEET OF A 
        YOUNGER PERSON, THE LIFE SPAN OF YOUNGER
        PERSON GETS  REDUCED ! WHICH IS WRONG IN MY 
        OPINION. LIFE SPAN IS FIXED AT THE TIME OF YOUR 
        BIRTH ONLY, DEPENDING ON YOUR PRARABDA 
        KARMA !!  

SHIRDI SAI BABA'S LESSON ON 'BRAHMA JNANA'

A RICH, GREEDY MAN ASKED SHIRDI SAI BABA TO GIVE
HIM 'BRAHMA JNANA'(KNOWLEDGE OF GOD)

REAL PHOTO OF SHIRDI SAI BABA

REAL PHOTO OF SHIRDI SAI BABA

PROCESSION FROM DWARAKAMAI TO CHAVDI

OLD ORIGINAL PHOTO

SAI BABA IN DWARAKAMAI

There was a rich gentleman (unfortunately his name and whereabouts are not mentioned) who was very prosperous in his life. He had amassed a large quantity of wealth, houses, field and lands, and had many servants and dependents. When Baba's fame reached his ears, he said to a friend of his, that he was not in want of anything, and so he would go to Shirdi and ask Baba to give him Brahma-Jnana which, if he got, would certainly make him more happy. His friend dissuaded him, saying, "it is not easy to know Brahman, and especially so for an avaricious man like you, who is always engrossed in wealth, wife and children. Who will, in your quest of Brahma-Jnana, satisfy you that won't give away even a paise in charity?"

Not minding his friend's advice, the fellow engaged a return-journey tanga and came to Shirdi. He went to the Masjid, saw Sai Baba, fell at His Feet and said, "Baba, hearing that You show the Brahman to all who come over here without any delay, I have come here all the way from my distant place. I am much fatigued by the journey and if I get the Brahman from You, my troubles will be well-paid and rewarded." Baba then replied, "Oh, My dear friend, do not be anxious, I shall immediately show you the Brahman; all My dealings are in cash and never on credit. So many people come to Me, and ask for wealth, health, power, honour, position, cure of diseases and other temporal matters. Rare is the person, who comes here to Me and asks for Brahma-Jnana. There is no dearth of persons asking for wordly things, but as persons interested in spiritual matters are very rare, I think it a lucky and auspicious moment, when persons like you come and press Me for Brahma-Jnana. So I show to you with pleasure, the Brahman with all its accompaniments and complications."

Saying this, Baba started to show him the Brahman. He made him sit there and engaged him in some other talk or affair and thus made him forget his question for the time being. Then He called a boy and told him to go to one Nandu Marwari, and get from him a hand-loan of Rs. five. The boy left and returned immediately, saying that Nandu was absent and his house ws locked. Then Baba asked him to go to Bala grocer and get from him, the said loan. This time also, the boy was unsuccessful. This experiment was repeated again twice or thrice, with the same result.

Sai Baba was, as we know, the living and moving Brahman Incarnate. Then, some one may ask - "Why did He want the paltry sum of five rupees, and why did He try hard to get it on loan? Really He did not want that sum at all. He must have been fully knowing, that Nandu and Bala were absent, and he seems to have adopted this procedure as a test for the seeker of Brahman. That gentleman had a roll or bundle of currency notes in his pocket, and if he was really earnest, he would not have sat quiet and be a mere onlooker, when Baba was frantically trying to get a paltry sum of Rs. five. He knew that Baba would keep His word and repay the debt, and that the sum wanted was insignificant. Still he could not make up his mind and advance the sum. Such a man wanted from Baba the greatest thing in the world, viz., the Brahma-Jnana! Any other man, who really loved Baba, would have at once given Rs. five, instead of being a mere onlooker. It was otherwise with this man. He advanced no money nor did he sit silent, but began to be impatient, as he was in a haste to return and implored Baba saying- "Oh Baba, please show me the Brahman soon." Baba replied - "Oh my dear friend, did you not understand all the procedure that I went through, sitting in this place, for enabling you to see the Brahman? It is, in short this. For seeing Brahman one has to give five things, i.e. surrender five things viz. (1) Five Pranas (vital forces), (2) Five senses (five of action and five of perception), (3) mind, (4) intellect and (5) ego. This path of Brahma-Jnana of self-realization is 'as hard as to tread on the edge of a razor'.
Sai Baba then gave rather a long discourse on the subject, the purport of which is given below-

Qualifications for Brahma-Jnana or Self-Realization
All persons do not see or realize the Brahman in their life-time. Certain qualifications are absolutely necessary. (1) Mumuksha or intense desire to get free. He, who thinks that he is bound and that he should get free from bondage and works earnestly and resolutely to that end;and who does not care for any other thinks, is qualified for the spiritual life. (2) Virakti or a feeling of disgust with the things of this world and the next. Unless a man feels disgusted with the things, emoluments and honors, which his action would bring in this world and the next, he has no right to enter into the spiritual realm. (3) Antarmukhata (introversion). Our senses have been created by God with a tendency to move outward and so, man always looks outside himself and not inside. He who wants self-realization and immortal life, must turn his gaze inwards, and look to his inner Self. (4) Catharsis from (Purging away of) sins. Unless a man has turned away from wickedness, and stopped from doing wrong, and has entirely composed himself and unless his mind is at rest, he cannot gain self-realization, even by means of knowledge. (5) Right Conduct. Unless, a man leads a life of truth, penance and insight, a life of celibacy, he cannot get God-realization. (6) Preferring Shreyas, (the Good) to Preyas (the Pleasant). There are two sorts of things viz., the Good and the Pleasant; the former deals with spiritual affairs, and the latter with mundane matters. Both these approach man for acceptance. He has to think and choose one of them. The wise man prefers the Good to the Pleasant; but the unwise, through greed and attachment, chooses the Pleasant. (7) Control of the mind and the senses. The body is the chariot and the Self is its master; intellect is the charioteer and the mind is the reins; the senses are the horses and sense-objects their paths. He who has no understanding and whose mind is unrestrained, his senses unmanageable like the vicious horses of a charioteer, does not reach his destination (get realization), but goes through the round of births and deaths; but he who has understanding and whose mind is restrained, his senses being under control, like the good horse of a charioteer, reaches that place, i.e., the state of self-realization, when he is not born again. The man, who has understanding as his charioteer (guide) and is able to rein his mind, reaches the end of the journey, which is the supreme abode of the all-pervading, Vishnu (lord). (8) Purification of the mind. Unless a man discharges satisfactorily and disinterestedly the duties of his station in life, his mind will not be purified and, unless his mind is purified, he cannot get self-realization. It is only in the purified mind that Viveka (discrimination between the Unreal and the Real), and Vairagya (Non-attachment to the unreal) crop up and lead on the self-realization. Unless egoism is dropped, avarice got rid of, and the mind made desireless (pure), self-realization is not possible. The idea that 'I am the body' is a great delusion, and attachment to this idea is the cause of bondage. Leave off this idea and attachment therefore, if you want to get to the Self-realization. (9) The necessity of a Guru. The knowledge of the self is so subtle and mystic, that no one could, by his own individual effort ever hope to attain it. So the help of another person-Teacher, who has himself got self-realization is absolutely necessary. What others cannot give with great labour and pains, can be easily gained with the help of such a Teacher; for he has walked on the path himself and can easily take the disciple, step by step on the ladder of spiritual progress. (10) and lastly the Lord's Grace is the most essential thing. When the Lord is pleased with any body, He gives him Viveka and Vairagya; and takes him safe beyond the ocean of mundane existence, "The Self cannot be gained by the study of Vedas, nor by intellect, nor by much learning. He, whom the Self chooses, by him It is gained. To him the Self reveals Its nature", says the Katha Upanishad. 

After the dissertation was over, Baba turned to the gentleman and said - "Well sir, there is in your pocket the Brahma (or Mammon) in the form of fifty-times five(Rs.250/-) rupees; please take that out." The gentleman took out from his pocket the bundle of currency notes, and to his great surprise found, on counting them, that there were 25 notes of 10 rupees each, Seeing this ominiscience of Baba, he was moved and fell at Baba's Feet and craved for His blessings. Then Baba said to him, "Roll up your bundle of Brahma viz. Currency notes. Unless you get rid completely of your avarice or greed, your will not get the real Brahma. How can be, whose mind is engrossed in wealth, progeny and prosperity, expect to know the Brahma, without removing away his attachment for the same? The illusion of attachment or the love for money is a deep eddy (whirlpool) of pain full of crocodiles in the form of conceit and jealousy. He, who is desireless, can alone cross this whirlpool. Greed and Brahma are as poles asunder, they are eternally opposed to each other. Where there is greed, there is no room for thought or meditation of the Brahma. Then how can a greedy man get dispassion and salvation? For a greedy man there is no peace, neither contentment, nor certainty (steadiness). If there be even a little trace of greed in mind, all the Sadhanas (spiritual endeavors) are of no avail. Even the knowledge of a well-read man, who is not free from the desire of the fruit or reward of his actions, and who has got no disgust for the same, is useless and can't help him in getting self-realization. The teachings of a Guru are of no use to a man, who is full of egoism, and who always thinks about the sense-objects. Purification of mind is absolutely necessary; without it, all our spiritual endeavors are nothing, but useless show and pomp. It is, therefore, better for one to take only what he can digest and assimilate. My treasury is full, and I can give anyone, what he wants, but I have to see whether he is qualified to receive what I give. If you listen to Me carefully, you will be certainly benefited. Sitting in this Masjid, I never speak any untruth."

==============

WHAT LORD JESUS TOLD ON CRUCIFIXION...

Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.”

                   CRUCIFIXION CROWD                              

THE CRUCIFIXION

PASSION OF THE CHRIST

JESUS CARRYING CROSS

JESUS BEING BEATEN

THY WILL BE DONE

A person of SELF REALISATION treats HONOUR or 
DISHONOUR in the same way, as he sees his own soul 
in everybody else including those who are opposed to 
his views,egoistic use of power,wrong decision taken 
due to job security,subordination, prejudiced 
interpretation blinding the TRUTH ! So our message 
is the first line of this post ! 
“Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.”


Is this a religious posting ?

BEING VEGETARIAN ...

-- AHIMSA(NON-VIOLENCE) is an important tenet of the Indian 
      religions (Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism). Ahimsa 
      means kindness and non-violence towards all living things 
      including non-human animals; it respects living beings as a 
      unity, the belief that all living things are connected.

-- BUDDHA has told " AHIMSA PARAMO DHARMA"
        ("NON-VIOLENCE is DIVINE- RIGHTEOUS WAY OF 
        LIVING")

-- MAHATHMA GANDHI was following AHIMSA in word 
        & spirit.

-- SWAMI VIVEKANANDA has told ferocious animals 
        eating NON-VEG food are violent & restless by nature 
        as compared to VEG eating animals which are calm 
        & nonviolent by nature. This you can observe in a zoo.
-- NON-VEG FOOD is THAMASIC in nature & is not good
        for both BODY & MIND !
-- GOD wanted me to be a VEGETARIAN in my 15th year.
         My father was a VEGETARIAN from his college days by
         following GHANDHISM.My father lived with good health
         for 97 years.
-- JAINISM  has taken AHIMSA so far that, their MUNIES 
        broom the place before sitting, tie mask to mouth so that
         flies & insects may not die.Jains eat supper before 6PM
        not to take any risk of killing any insects late in the night.
         THEY ARE PURE VEGETARIANS. 
-- One of my friends told me, he ate pork in a hotel & worms 
        started eating him inside, so much so, he was to be 
        operated !
-- In a NON-VEG  EATING community wedding party you 
        may find only 1% of people eating VEG FOOD. That is
        how people run after NON-VEG FOOD TASTE ! 

   

JAIN RELIGION SYMBOL

CAUTION! DON'T KILL THE INSECT !

PAINTING SHOWING BUDDHA'S COMPASSION TOWARDS ALL ANIMALS,CREATURES

SRI MAHAVIR BHAGWAN THIRTHANKARA OF JAINISM

SRI MAHAVIR BHAGWAN THIRTHANKARA OF JAINISM

JAIN MUNIES WITH MOUTH MASK

GREENS & VEGETABLES

VEGETARIAN COOKED FOOD

In Hindu,Jain & Buddhist traditions the concept of nonviolence
is translated into the practice of following virtues--

-- non-injury to all living beings.

-- not causing pain & suffering to others including animals 
        and creatures

-- compassion towards all living creatures.

-- abstaining from animal & human sacrifices.

-- cultivation of forgiveness,universal love and friendliness.

-- non-violent reaction to violent thoughts,words & actions.

-- mental & verbal nonviolence towards self and towards 
        others.

-- abstaining from meat eating.

-- abstaining from hunting,animal fights,and similar practices
        in which animals are subjected to cruelty & suffering.

POSITIVE POINTS FOR BEING VEGETARIAN

(OTHER THAN THE ABOVE)

-- Biologically when we analyse human body as compared to 
        carnivorous animals, teeth, intestine length, digestive 
        juices in stomach etc. it is found, human body is designed 
        for vegetarianism. 

--  It seems clear that humans are anatomically and 
         instinctively suited to a diet of fruit, vegetables, nuts, 
         seeds, perhaps grains and dairy products.
--  Meat is high in saturated fats. The cholesterol that 
         accumulates on the arterial walls constricts the flow of 
         blood in the body, placing a greater burden on the heart 
         to pump harder. Cholesterol is clearly a major factor in 
         the causing of heart attacks — the number one killer of  
         meat eaters— and crippling or lethal strokes .

         vegetarian diet can prevent 90% of our thromboembolic 
         disease and 97% of our coronary occlusions.
-- For meat eaters incidence of cancer is high, as meat may have that.
-- Meat, being material from a corpse, has a far greater 
        amount of harmful bacteria than vegetarian foods.
-- Kidneys are loaded three times more in non-veg eaters.
--  If meat eaters are asked to kill the animals they eat, they 
       won't be able to do it.
-- Meat eating involves cruelty to animals,without any 
        compassion & value for life.

-- Vegetables are economical--cost of vegetables vary from

        Rs.10 to Rs.40 per Kg where as cost of meat varies from 

        Rs.150 to Rs.300 per Kg.

-- Egg(chicken) produced in farms are considered vegan as 

        there is no life in them ie, they cannot be hatched.

        However this is left to the individual.

        I am a vegetarian & I am not eating eggs.

NEGATIVE POINTS FOR VEGETARIANISM  
-- PESTICIDES used for growing vegetables is not good for 
        health.Hence organic farming method should be followed.

SPIRITUAL ANGLE --A real incident in SHIRDI SAI BABA LIFE STORY.
A person approached SHIRDI SAI BABA who was unable to 
walk due to knee joint pain prayed for relief. SAI BABA told 
him that it may take about a year & that he should stay with 
BABA.The person was a butcher by profession.Even after 
one year, his condition improved but not fully cured.BABA 
told him to stay six more months.BABA told him that as a 
butcher he has killed so many animals that it is taking time to 
recover.BABA also advised him to change his profession 
after he left SHIRDI !!

AMAZING SINGLE BANANA BUNCH !!

-- LET US SEE MAYA IN BANANAS !!

HAVE YOU EVER SEEN SUCH A LARGE SINGLE BANANA BUNCH !!

-- 477 BANANAS IN A SINGLE BUNCH

-- GROWN AT VASAI THALUKA, 50KMS.

     FROM BOMBAY.

SOME OTHER TYPES OF BANANAS

WHY TO WASTE SPACE IN BETWEEN BANANAS !
(CLOSE TO EACH OTHER LIKE CLOSE FRIENDS !!)

SKIN COLOUR IS VERY ATTRACTIVE, TASTE SO SO.
(DO YOU FIND SIMILARITY IN HUMAN BEINGS !!)


FROM SHIRDI  SAI BABA  LIFE STORY

Red Plantains

Shri M.G.Rege visited Baba during his student days. In those days, he was the youngest of all devotees who were close to Baba. One day a devotee presented Baba with plantains whose outer skin was red in colour. Rege was attracted by the red-coloured peel of the plantains. He desired to eat them. Baba gave the plantains to the devotees who were there. He removed the outer skin of a plantain and while he gave the inner fruit to a devotee, he gave the outer skin to Rege and asked him to eat it. Obeying Baba’s orders, he ate the skin. After distributing to all, Baba came to Rege and took out another plantain, peeled the skin and threw it away. He shared the inner fruit along with Rege. Since Rege had been attracted by the red colour of the plantain skin, Baba had made him eat it and know the taste. He again gave him the inner fruit to bring home the truth that there is nothing in the outer colour but the actual taste is in the inner fruit. So, one should not be carried away by the external appearance but should see the divine power in every matter.

SKIN REMAINS GREEN WHEN RIPE ALSO !!

(YOUNG LOOK AT OLD AGE - ACTRESSES WISH FOR!!)

LOOKS LIKE RAW BANANA FIT FOR CURRY ONLY!!

(EACH TYPE OF HUMAN BEING DESTINED TO DO CERTAIN TYPE OF JOB ONLY) 

NO TWO BANANAS ARE EXACTLY ALIKE LIKE HUMAN BEINGS !

SLENDER TYPE LIKE GIRL MODELS !!

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