Rented Apartments of God

Whenever you take a house or an apartment on rent then you know that it is not your house & one day you shall have to vacate this, whenever, owner asks you to vacate this or you yourself make up your mind to leave it. That rented house is only for the time being & one day, some way or the other, you have to leave this. Meanwhile till you live in the rented house you pay the rent & same is the case with our body that we need to give our body regular food, breathing air etc. as rent to survive this. Similarly our body which is a gift of God is also just like that rented apartment in which we live during this life time & ultimately at death we need to leave it. Neither this body was ours before the birth, nor it shall be yours after it's death. As per Bhagwat Gita, Soul (Jeeva) which is a traveler in this universe moves from one body to the other.

"a-brahm-bhuvanan loka
punara vartino ajuna
mam upetya tu kauntey
punara janm na vidhyate" (Bhagwat Gita: Chapter VIII verse 16)

"From the highest planet of Brahm Loka in the material world down to the lowest world, all are places of misery wherein a person's Soul (Jeeva) comes in repeated birth and death from time to time. But one who attains to to Me (God), O Arjuna, never takes birth again."

We all know that this body of ours shall perish or die in future & our soul shall leave this body apartment. But as per 'Bhagwat Gita', we in essence are different than this body & we in essence are that indestructible 'Soul. This 'Soul' is there in our body, different than the body, even when we are living right now. As per 'Bhagwat Gita -Chapter Two Verse - 22', our body is like our clothes that we wear on our body & after death these worn out clothes are dropped by the embodied soul . You in essence are a 'Soul' & this 'Soul' of yours shall wear another body (read, shall wear another pair of clothes) after death. So this eternal Soul which is indestructible, changes its present embodied form for another embodied form, when the physical body perishes.

So, your soul which is living in this body temple, shall leave it when this body shall be worn out. Till then you shall have to give it food etc. as rent & the day you stop giving it rent of food, air etc. you shall have to leave this body. Otherwise also the actual houses or homes of yours in which you live at present are all part & parcel of God's creation & you need to vacate this at death. So let's always remember that we all are living temporarily on this earth for a short period & one day we shall have to go leaving all this. So let's not get attached much to our relations & property etc. & devote more time in the service of God.

Glory of the Lord

Sri Venkateshwara or Balaji, is a form of the Lord Vishnu only. Sri Krishna is also an Avatar of Lord Vishnu. So Sri Krishna, Lord Vishnu or Sri Venkateshwara or Balaji are one & the same God. As per the Hindu scriptures, Lord Vishnu, out of love towards his devotees, incarnated as Sri Venkateshwara and appeared for the salvation and upliftment of humanity in this Kali Yuga (dark age) and is considered the supreme form of Vishnu in this age. Meaning of Lord Venkateshwara is the one Supreme Lord who destroys sins.

Lord Venkateshwara is famous for being the most-visited shrine in the world and its prime deity for being the richest God in the world. This temple is in the town of Chittor District of Andhra Pradesh in India & is located in the foot hills of Tirumala. It is around 140 km from Chennai and 740 km from Hyderabad city in India.

The ancient and sacred temple of Sri Venkateswara is located on the seventh peak, Venkatadri Hills on the southern banks of Sri Swami Pushkarini & because of this reason only Lord Balaji has been named Venkateswara. The Greatness & opulence of Lord Balaji, the Preserver of the Whole Universe, is reflected in his richly ornamented life-size idol in the Tirumala Tirupati temple.

In the temple the black idol of Lord Balaji is covered in gold, jewellery and precious ornaments and its height is 2 meters.The sacred shrine is visited by millions of devotees from far and wide and has been worshipped consistently since the past thirteen years. Every year more than 12 million people visit this temple from within India and the world. Every year the temple receives around Indian Rs 10 Billion ( More than 200 Million US$) in offerings from the devotees.

Recently as per one report in TOI:

"Not less than seven magnificent crowns make up for the jewellery kitty of Lord Venkateswara, including 11 tonnes of gold, ornaments and other precious jewels. But, what is bothering the priests and Vedic pundits is the overweight of the offerings, particularly the crowns.

A temple priest said the 8-ft Moola Viraat (the principal idol of the Lord) is adorned by not less than 60-70 kg of gold ornaments on any given day."

So that is the Glory of Lord Venkateshwara.

My Random Thoughts - 4

Below are few of my random thoughts which I have posted recently on Twitter . I post these small thoughts regularly on Twitter , however, I shall compile & post it over here too regularly after few days of posting on Twitter :

Dreams are nothing but imagining & creating "Life like Movies" in Sleep by your Mind, out of your thoughts...........

Radiance in Sun & Fire are direct manifestations of God which we can actually feel & experiance..........

You remain so happy seeing the life on this earth but have you ever imagined how life is on other earths in other universes created by GOD?..........

Love is the need of every Human Being & it's Good but Infatuation is detrimental to one's health, mind & soul............

Even if God is realized then also Life goes on as usual as attaining God is nothing but knowing Your True Self..............

Even after knowing your True Self you shall have to do your duties as without that you cannot live your life..............

Why we Shout when we are angry?

Today someone sent me an email which explained a beautiful story with a moral which I am reproducing over here. It's so good. So below is the story........

A saint asked his disciples, 'Why do we shout in anger?
Why do people shout at each other when they are upset?”
Disciples thought for a while, one of them said, 'Because we lose our calm, we shout for that.”
'But, why to shout when the other person is just next to you?' asked the saint.
'Isn't it possible to speak to him or her with a soft voice?
Why do you shout at a person when you're angry?'
Disciples gave some other answers but none satisfied the saint.
Finally he explained, 'When two people are angry at each other, their hearts distance a lot.
To cover that distance they must shout to be able to hear each other.
The angrier they are, the stronger they will have to shout to hear each other through that great distance.'
Then the saint asked, 'What happens when two people fall in love? They don't shout at each other but talk softly, why?
Because their hearts are very close. The distance between them is very small...'
The saint continued, 'When they love each other even more, what happens?
They do not speak, only whisper and they get even closer to each other in their love.
Finally they even need not whisper, they only look at each other and that's all.
That is how close two people are when they love each other.'

MORAL: When you argue do not let your hearts get distant, do not say words that distance each other

A Muslim, Christian & Hindu at the Doorstep of God

Once there were three men who were in the search of God. All three were very good friends. One of them was a Hindu, while another one was a Muslim and the third one was a Christian. Hindu used to go to the temple & used to worship his God by doing Puja, Mantra Jaap etc. daily. Similarly the Muslim also used to go to the Mosque & used to do his Namaaz daily, four times a day. Christian too was a very poise man & used to go to the church daily in the morning & evening. He never missed any day when he never prayed to God asking to forgive him if he has done anything wrong in his life.

Days, months & years passed by & these three friends followed continuously, this routine of theirs without fail. They were happy that they were daily praying to their God & living a very poise life. One day while they were discussing the religious matters, Hindu asked the others two, whether they have seen their God. To this they replied that though they are worshipping their God in their own way daily but all these are only prayers to their God & they have never seen their God. Same question Muslim & the Christian asked the Hindu to which he too gave the same answer that though he is worshipping his God with his rituals daily but all these are only age old rituals, prayers & Mantra Jaap etc. & he too has never seen the God.

After this discussion all the three decided that they should do something by which they are able to see the God. They had heard about a wise man who was a real seer & mystic & people used to say that he is the real learned man & he has seen the God. They went to that learned man & showed their respect to him & asked him to train them in his own way so that they were able to see the God just like he has seen.

All three became his disciples. The learned man told the three that doing daily worship to God is good but that can give a person just peace of mind. In this way a person cannot see the God. He told the three that God is just sitting in their heart & the doorstep to the way to God is just between their eyebrows & just above the nose. This is the doorstep of God & if a person meditates regularly while closing his eyes & fixing the mind at that point then they can see the light of God inside their self only.

The three started meditating at the point between their eyebrows daily & their meditation went on deep & strong day by day. One day they saw the divine light within their body. That light was so peaceful & full of bliss. Now they were able to talk daily to God while in meditation. So what the three could not achieve while doing daily rituals of their religions, they were easily able to achieve just by meditating & finding the God within their body only. In Bhagwat Gita also God clearly tells that:

"ishvarah sarva-bhutanam
hrd-dese ’rjuna tishthati......

The Lord / Supreme God resides in the heart of all beings....O Arjuna

My Random Thoughts - 3

Below are few of my random thoughts which I have posted recently on Twitter . I post these small thoughts regularly on Twitter , however, I shall compile & post it over here too regularly after few days of posting on Twitter :

We all live in the rented apartments of God & at death He shall ask us to vacate these & go..............

Happiness & Sadness both happen to human mind & human Soul is just a witness, mute spectator of such moods.............

Most essentials of humans - Water, Air, Earth, Fire & Space, all are basic creations of God...............

Devotional songs or Bhazans are STRESS-BUSTERS. These relieve your mind of tension & give peace. Try it.............

What do you do when inspite of having all the knowledge you feel dejected & depressed? Strange are the ways of mind & it's moods..............

Loving God in Manifest form (Rama, Krishna, Shiva, Jesus etc.) is much easier than Unmanifest aspect..............

Sun & the 'Water Pots'

Just before the dawn, all around in the sky there is darkness but the end of night is just about to come. Then slowly Sun starts emerging & it dispels the darkness into light. Sun is also the source of energy to this world. Though Sun is 150 Million Kms from the earth but still it's rays & energy nurtures our earth just like a mother feeds her children. Sunlight is also the rich source of Vitamin-D which is essential for our body.

In Hinduism Sun is considered as a God. It is also called Surya (सूर्य, sūrya, lit "the Supreme Light"). He is worshiped in different names, chiefly as Surya Narayana, Bhaskara, Aditya, Ravi, Mitra, Bhanu etc. Many Hindus start their day with Sun worship. Even there is a temple dedicated to the Sun God at Puri in Orissa state of India. Sun God or Surya is considered as the only visible form of God that can be seen every day by us. Symbol of Sun or Surya is regarded as one of the auspicious signs for the Hindus & people place the sign of the Sun over main doors as they think it would bring them good luck.

Supreme God "Lord Krishna" Himself declares in Bhagwat-Gita that in one of it's forms He himself is there as "Sun God" which is sustaining this whole world.

"yada aditya-gatam tejo
jagad bhasayate ’khilam
yac chandramasi yac chagnau
tat tejo viddhi mamakam" (Bhagwat Gita: Chapter Fifteen verse 12)

"Sri Krishna said: O Arjuna, The splendor of the Sun, which dissipates the darkness of this whole world, comes from Me. And the splendor of the moon and the splendor of fire are also from Me."

"adityanam aham vishnur
jyotisam ravir amsuman
maricir marutam asmi
nakshatranam aham sasi" (Bhagwat Gita: Chapter Ten verse 21)

"Sri Krishna said to Arjuna: Of the Adityas I am Vishnu, of Lights I am the Radiant Sun, of the Maruts I am Marici, and among the stars I am the moon."

Now here is, how the Sun is considered in philosophy to understand the Atman or Individual Soul. In reality the Sun, Sunshine and Sun's reflection are one but also the different. All-pervading sunshine is non-different from the sun. Both are heat and light, yet the Sun retains its form and identity as the source of everything.

Now just take the numerous "Pots filled with water" & put these below the bright noon Sun. Reflection of the Sun can be seen in all the pots & it appears that individual Sun is appearing in each pot. Not only that, water of each pot gets heated equally when Sun is reflected in the water pots. Now just as the Sun may be reflected in numerous pots of water, so the same one God is reflected in the hearts of all living beings as the Antaryami. Same Sun may shine in it's reflections on water kept in different pots but the different reflections are only apparent -'reflections' of the Sun, the real Sun is only one. Similarly there is one True Universal Self or God who is eternally pure, eternally perfect, unchangeable, unchanged; as it has never changed; and all these changes in the universe are but appearances in that one Universal Self.

This Sun appearing in different water pots analogy tells us many other things. Now just see that as long as the water exists in the pot, Sun's reflection is seen in the water pots but as long as pots are emptied of the water in it, Sun's reflection disappears. Similarly our body is like the earthen pot in which "Mind" is like the water in the pot & in this "Mind", Atman or Self's reflection gives life to this body. Now as long as the mind of a person exists in the body (pot), the image of the God or true Self (Sun) appears in this body & keeps itself alive. Now the very moment Body (pot) is emptied of "Mind", the death of a person happens & the true Soul which is the reflection of the "Universal Self" goes back to Him, just like the image of Sun in the 'Water Pot' goes back into the Sun when Pot is emptied of Water.

My Random Thoughts - 2

Below are few of my random thoughts which I have posted recently on Twitter . I post these small thoughts regularly on Twitter , however, I shall compile & post it over here too regularly after few days of posting on Twitter :

Music of Peace in Lonliness is much better than Music of Life........

Like an ordinary stone is a powerhouse of atomic energy, similarly an ordinary person is a powerhouse of Divinity. God is there in everyone........

Seeing the Sun rise in the east shows the Effulgence of God which dispels all the darkness of night........

Things just happen around you & you being a mute spectator just watches it. World just revolves around you........

Little praying to God in the morning & evening is good for your health & peace of mind....Just try.........

Lets be kind to all creatures of this world as God resides in everyone's heart & all are creation of God........

Faith

Do you know that all the black money transactions in this world happens on Faith? One person transacts such money & gives such money to the other person just on Good Faith without any legal documentation. Just see how this "Satta Bazaar" (Illegal Betting market) works. In India during Cricket matches & Elections this "Satta Bazaar" becomes very active & people put huge bets on the outcome of such events. Now just see how the money transaction takes place in such illegal bets. As no legal documented receipts can be given or taken in such a transaction so all such illegal business takes place on FAITH. One person gives the bet money to such an operator & if the outcome of the event happens in that person's favor then Satta operator gives the multiplied money to the winner as per the agreement. But all this transaction happens just on FAITH.

Similar one is the "Havala" market in which black money is transferred from one party to the other one (mostly in the other country) just on Good Faith & no documented legal transaction takes place. In such a case, a person gives money to the operator just on Faith to be given abroad & the operator sends the money abroad in turn. Interestingly all such illegal business happens on Faith in such a perfection that all the transactions are honored honestly & no defaults are there. Satta Bazaar too operates in all honesty that all such transactions on Faith are honored very immaculately as otherwise next time no one shall come to the operator & whole such business shall stop. In normal business also all black money transactions happen only such way, just on Good Faith.

Now just see that we humans can put Faith on all such types of people (of good & bad character) in business or people who deal in all such illegal transactions like Satta & Havala. But if a saint tells you that God is just sitting in your heart, you may not have that complete Faith in his words. If a saint tells you that God is almighty & is present everywhere in this world & even all around you, then you may not have that complete Faith in his words. If scriptures tell you that God has created all this world then you may not have that complete Faith in it. How is it that people can put Faith in people of such repute who does illegal business but not in the words of a saint?

Faith is the one which makes our perceptions & beliefs. If you have Faith in & believe in religious scriptures, words of a saint, then you shall be able to turn toward the God. It's Faith only which determines how you can mould your life. It shall be Good if you have Faith in the words of a saint or in religious books than you have Faith in people who indulge in gambling, betting etc. Choice is yours!!!!!

Below are few verses of Bhagwat Gita on Faith:

asraddadhanah purusha
dharmasyasya parantapa
aprapya mam nivartante
mrityu-samsara-vartmani (Bhagwat Gita: Chapter Nine verse 3)

"Sri Krishna said to Arjuna: Those who are not Faithful in this devotional service, cannot attain Me, O Arjuna. Therefore they return to the path of birth and death in this material world."

"ye me matam idam nityam
anutishthanti manavah
shraddhavanto ’nasuyanto
mucyante te ’pi karmabhih" (Bhagwat Gita: Chapter Three verse 31)

"Sri Krishna said to Arjuna: Those persons who execute their duties according to My injunctions and who follow this teaching faithfully, without envy, become free from the bondage of the fruitive actions, gets liberated & come to Me."

"shraddhaval labhate jnanam
tat-parah samyatendriyah
jnanam labdhva param shantim
acirenadhigacchati" (Bhagwat Gita: Chapter Four verse 39)

"Sri Krishna said to Arjuna: A faithful man who is dedicated to transcendental knowledge and who subdues his senses is eligible to achieve such knowledge, and having achieved it he quickly attains the God & spiritual peace."

"tad-buddhayas tad-atmanas
tan-nisthas tat-parayanah
gacchanty apunar-avrttim
jnana-nirdhuta-kalmasah" (Bhagwat Gita: Chapter Five verse 17)

"Sri Krishna said to Arjuna: When one’s Intelligence, Mind, Faith and refuge are all fixed in the God, then one becomes fully cleansed of misgivings through complete knowledge and thus proceeds straight on the path of liberation."

"yoginam api sarvesam
mad-gatenantar-atmana
shraddhavan bhajate yo mam
sa me yuktatamo matah" (Bhagwat Gita: Chapter Six verse 47)

"Sri Krishna said to Arjuna: And of all yogis, the one with great Faith who always abides in Me, thinks of Me within himself, and renders transcendental loving service to Me—he is the most intimately united with Me in yoga and is the highest of all. That is My opinion."

"sri-bhagavan uvacha
mayy avesya mano ye mam
nitya-yukta upasate
shraddhaya parayopetas
te me yuktatama matah" (Bhagwat Gita: Chapter Twelve verse 2)

"Sri Krishna said to Arjuna: O Arjuna, Those who fix their minds on My personal form and are always engaged in worshiping Me with great and transcendental faith are considered by Me to be most perfect."

"ye tu dharmamritam idam
yathoktam paryupasate
sraddadhana mat-parama
bhaktas te ’tiva me priyah" (Bhagwat Gita: Chapter Twelve verse 20)

"Sri Krishna said to Arjuna: O Arjuna, Those who follow this imperishable path of devotional service and who completely engage themselves with faith, making Me the supreme goal, are very, very dear to Me."

My Random Thoughts - 1

Below are few of my random thoughts which I have posted recently on Twitter . I post these small thoughts regularly on Twitter , however, I shall compile & post it over here too regularly after few days of posting on Twitter :

There is virtue in God's Name......Chant it daily.

When thoughts start subsiding in mind & mind becomes still, free of thoughts, then come the state called PEACE

Love is Universal.....Infatuation is to an object or person......Love expands......Infatuation is binding

As Your Soul is present everywhere in the universe so at death it's your mind having all your memories, tastes & thoughts leaves the body...

All work & enjoyment in life is good......but thinking about the purpose of life is the most important........

Divine is present everywhere, even all around you just now where you are..........Just feel His presence.....