Pitcher Needs to Submerge in Water to get it Filled

A Saint was telling a symbolic story:

Once a Pitcher (earthen pot for storing water) was lying beside a river. Pitcher was made of clay earth which was baked in fire, so it had become hard like a stone. Pitcher thought that it is so hard & strong but water is soft, so water should come & get filled in it. So much time went by but water never came & got filled up on it’s own in the pitcher. River was so vast that it flowed with it’s own grace all the time. In the end, a saint came, took the earthen pot, got it fully dipped in water & took it back. Lo! water got filled up in the pitcher & water too came in control of the pitcher. So the saint told to the pitcher that by giving up its ego completely by bending before the river only, you can get water filled inside yourself.

Similarly, by surrendering our ego in the Divine feet of the Lord Krishna we can get to know of Him. If we shall sit beside the river (not come towards God) then we shall not be able to know Him. By devotion of God, He too shall come in control of yourself.

Under the influence of ego human beings forget the truth about God & thinks his/her identity to be different than others. Once a person knows this knowledge of God, then the delusion of "Maya" disappears & that person shed his / her ego to become one with God again. As a rope that is burnt retains its shape intact, but has become all ashes, so that nothing can be bound with it; similarly, the person who feels one with everyone & is devoted to God, retains only the form of his egoism, but not has any idea of vanity (Ahamkâra).

Below is a verse of Bhagwat Gita which tells how an egoistic person behaves:

"ahankaram balam darpam
kamam krodham cha samsritah
mam atma-para-dehesu
pradvisanto ’bhyasuyakah" (Bhagwat Gita: Chapter Sixteen verse 18)

"Sri Krishna said: O Arjuna, Bewildered by false ego, strength, pride, lust and anger, these egoistic people become envious of the Supreme Lord, who is situated in their own bodies and in the bodies of others, and blaspheme against the real religion."

Below is a verse of Bhagwat Gita which tells how surrendering one's ego one can achieve the God:

"tam eva saranam gaccha
sarva-bhavena bharata
tat-prasadat param shantim
sthanam prapsyasi sasvatam" (Bhagwat Gita: Chapter Eighteen verse 62)

"Sri Krishna said: O Arjuna, surrender your ego fully unto the God. By His grace you will attain transcendental peace and the supreme and eternal abode."

So Let's shed our ego & not be egoistic, as it shall not do any good to one self. Let's surrender our ego in the Divine feet of the God & adore Him only so that He can give us a blissful life.



Jai Sri Krishna

Alexander the Great (Sikandar) Died Empty Handed

Alexander the Great (Sikandar) was a king of Macedon, a state in northern ancient Greece. Alexander succeeded his father, Philip II of Macedon, to the throne in 336 BC. By the age of thirty, he had created one of the largest empires of the ancient world . He was undefeated in battle and is considered one of history's most successful commanders. Seeking to reach the "ends of the world and the Great Outer Sea", he invaded India in 326 BC, but was eventually forced to turn back at the demand of his troops. Alexander died in Babylon in 323 BC.

Alexander lived just for 33 years but he created one of the biggest empires ever on earth. He had lots of wealth which included, Gold, Pearls, Diamonds etc. in abundance. But at his death he asked his advisers and officers to keep both of his hands open during his funnel procession. Why he asked his people to do so? Actually Alexander Just wanted to tell and teach others that in this world every one comes with empty hands and goes also empty handed. Alexander the Great might have conquered many kingdoms but while leaving this world nothing was with him, every thing was left behind. So he taught to the world that when every thing has to be left here only then why to give troubles to others, why to gather so much wealth & all these worldly comforts.

As per Bhagwat Gita, whatever belongs to you today, belonged to someone else earlier and shall belong to some one else in future. Change is the law of the universe. We have not brought anything at the time of birth. Everyone came in this world empty handed and shall go the same way. Everything belongs to God only. We are mistakenly enjoying the thought that this is ours. It is this false happiness that is the cause of our sorrows.

On this earth no one is immortal & has ever stayed permanently on this earth. Our Life is not permanent on this earth & it is for a limited period of time after which it shall pass away. So we all should know the real purpose of life & should not let God slip out of our mind & life anytime, as He only shall save us during this life & also after this life.

"jatasya hi dhruvo mrityur
dhruvam janma mrtasya cha
tasmad apariharye ’rthe
na tvam socitum arhasi" (Bhagwat Gita: Chapter Two verse 27)

"Sri Krishna said: O Arjuna: One who has taken his birth is sure to die, and after death one is sure to take birth again. Therefore, in the unavoidable discharge of your duty, you should not lament."

So knowing the truth about life & death, we should worship the God at all times. Lord Krishna promises in Bhagwat Gita that he shall protect His devotees in this life & in after life also. So let’s all be devotees of Lord Krishna.

Jai Shri Krishna

Our Present Life is The Result of Our Deeds in Past Lives

At the end of Kurukshetra War, when Bhishma was lying down pierced by thousand arrows of Arjuna, then Pandavas asked Bhishma to give them knowledge of life & past life. Pandavas said:

“O Great Bhishma! Some people in this life earn money without any effort and some people do not get a single pie inspite of their strenuous efforts. Some people, inspite of having lots of money, are not inclined to enjoy the life. Some people, without learning anything from any Guru, acquire more knowledge and intelligence. Some people, inspite of serving many gurus, learn nothing in life. Some people, inspite of suffering with number of diseases and receiving death blows with lethal weapons, do not meet their death. But some people, even though they are strong and mighty, meet their death by receiving a smallest blow from a small piece of stick. What is the reason for all these adversities & why it happen like that?

At this Bhishma siad:

“O Pandavas! the only answer for all the above questions is the result of their deeds in past life. Without sowing seeds, plants never sprout. Similarly, good or bad deeds done in past life give good and bad results in the present life. By making charities in past life, one gets enormous wealth in present life without any effort. Tapas made in past life yields pleasures in present life. Service done to elders and gurus in past life results in acquiring knowledge and intelligence without studying under any guru. If one observes non violence in past life then that person lives for long age in present life. Therefore, Sadhu / Saintly people always observe nonviolence, make charities, regard gurus, serve elders and guests etc. Then only they enjoy pleasures in next life. So it’s all about doing Good or Bad Karmas in past life that one get a good or bad result in present life."

In Hindu scriptures Karma is related to the origin of one's own body. Karmas of earlier birth become the basis of this birth & Karmas of this birth become the basis of your next birth & so on. At death, soul of a person takes the stock of all Karmas (having its reservoir in that person's mind) & Divinity or God as per the divine law takes a handful of those Karmas & a new body is made with the seeds of these Karmas. So if a person has done good Karmas he/she gets a good godly body in heavens & if he/she has done bad karmas in this life then that person's soul goes to lower wombs of birds & animals. So it is generally said that we should do good Karmas only.

Below are few verses of Bhagwat Gita which explain about how a soul travels from one body to the other & where it goes as per the Karmic law:

"sariram yad avapnoti
yac chapy utkramatishvarah
grhitvaitani samyati
vayur gandhan ivasayat" (Bhagwat Gita: Chapter Fifteen verse 8)

"Sri Krishna said: O Arjuna, As the wind carries away odours from their seat, even so the Jivatma (soul), the lord of the body, snatching these (the mind & the senses) from the body, which it casts off, migrates into the body, which it acquires.

"yada sattve pravrddhe tu
pralayam yati deha-bhrt
tadottama-vidam lokan
amalan pratipadyate" (Bhagwat Gita: Chapter Fourteen verse 14)

"Sri Krishna said: O Arjuna, When one dies in the mode of goodness, he attains to the pure higher planets of the great sages."

"rajasi pralayam gatva
karma-sangisu jayate
tatha pralinas tamasi
mudha-yonisu jayate" (Bhagwat Gita: Chapter Fourteen verse 15)

"Sri Krishna said: O Arjuna, When one dies in the mode of passion, he takes birth among those engaged in fruit producing activities (i.e. as a man or woman on earth); and when one dies in the mode of ignorance, he takes birth in the bird & animal kingdom."

As per the Hindu Philosophy, any "Karma" done by a person, remains with that person, unless he/she has enjoyed the consequential Fruit arisen out of doing that Karma. For a good act done by him, he shall bear good result & enjoy it. Similarly for a bad act done by him, he shall bear bad result & shall have to bear punishment for it. So ,whatever, action/karma we perform with our body, mind or even speech, it should not do harm to others but should be of some use only to others. By doing good Karmas only we shall get good life in future births & shall finally meet the God.

Read also...............Understanding "Karma" as per the Hindu Philosophy?

Read also...............Is there Life after death?

Jai Shri Krishna