In the last piece I said how throwing shoes at one’s oppressors is a spiritual act. A reader has asked me he would like to go further and throw stones. Would that be more spiritual? Let me answer his question with a tale from Ramayana. Lakshaman and Sugreeva are deliberating on how to cross the sea and reach Lanka with their army. They thought it is best to begin with a prayer to the ocean-god and submitted their opinion to Rama. Rama accepted their counsel and started his fast and prayers … [Read more...] about What’s spiritual: shoes or stones?
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Are we becoming more Spiritual?
A popular tale about Krishna goes as follows. Krishna is having dinner sitting in heaven. His wife Rukmani is serving him. On the Earth a devotee of Krishna is surrounded by some thugs who are moving menacingly towards him to rough him up. Krishna watches this and gets up to go to his aid. Rukmani is disappointed that her husband has to leave suddenly and tries to stop him but Krishna is determined to leave. Suddenly he sits down again and resumes dinner. Rukmani asks him, “What happened, My … [Read more...] about Are we becoming more Spiritual?
Heart, Mind, Body and Love
Mun mecca dil dwarika, kaya kaashi jaan, Das dware ka dehra, taamein joti pichaan (Kabir says that your mind is the Mecca and the heart is Dwarika (the door-way to self-realisation). A sacred and healthy body may be likened to Kashi – the holy place of worship. This ten door body of the human being is that temple where self realisation can be attained. In other words, one does not need to go on a pilgrimage to reach God, the human body is capable of achieving everything right here right … [Read more...] about Heart, Mind, Body and Love
The true mark of self-realisation
Tere andar saanch jo, bahar naahi janaav, Jaanan hara jaani hai, antar gati ka bhav (Kabir condemns bragging even about the truth in your heart. Your truth is yours alone. The knowledgeable have the ability to sense the machinations of the human mind on their own and your true heart will be seen by them anyways.) Why do we brag about our spiritual realisations? Why do we want to tell others about our spiritual growth? There are two reasons for this. Either it is for one-up-man-ship: … [Read more...] about The true mark of self-realisation
Fear and Religion
Bhay se bhakti karen sab, bhay se puja hoye Bhay paras hai jeev ko, nirbhay hoye na koye (Kabir says that ‘fear’ (probably of the unknown) is instrumental in moving people towards prayer and taking to devotional practices. Fear works like the philosopher’s stone that causes people to tread on the right path). Kabir reaches the heart of the matter. He says, fear is instrumental in moving people towards prayer and taking to devotional practices. How was prayer or religion born? Imagine the … [Read more...] about Fear and Religion
The Importance of Fear
Bhay bin Bhav na upaje, bhay bin hoye na preeti Jab Hirday se bhay gaya, miti sakal riti (Kabir says that without an element of fear, it is difficult to feel happiness or sorrow. Fear is important even to feel affection for the Guru. In the absence of fear, one loses reverence for his master and can easily abandon all ethical behaviour, resulting in a loss of his own identity). Every mother once in a while has to scare her child. Why? Does she not love her child? No. If there is one expression … [Read more...] about The Importance of Fear