Self Illuminated Abode of God

As per Hindu Philosophy there are two type of Worlds in this Universe. Material Worlds & Spiritual Worlds. Let's first talk of Material Worlds.

Our Earth, our Solar system, other planets in our Solar system & many other types of Solar systems are there in this Galaxy of ours. All these planets including earth, moon etc. in our Solar system & other solar systems are there in this Material World. Our earth is illumined by the Sun. Similarly other planets like Mars, Jupiter, Mercury, Saturn etc. are all illumined by the Sun, as all are part of the Sun's solar system. Sun is the external body which illumines all these planets & these planets have to depend on some outer body like Sun to have their existence / life. Similarly other Solar systems are there, in which also other Suns sustain their planets. In Material World no single planet is self illumined, that means all planets have to depend upon some other celestial body like Sun to illumine them & give life to them.

In Spiritual Worlds it is not like that. Spiritual Worlds are abodes of God Himself & there is no need for any external body like Sun to illumine it. These are illumined by the power & Grace of God Himself, that is the reason that these Planets / abodes of God are Self Illumined in nature. These planets are full of beauty & there is no disease etc. on those abodes. A person's soul always remains in Blissful & Happy state over there. These Spiritual Worlds are beyond the Material Worlds. Below verse of Bhagwat Gita explains that these abodes are Self Illumined in nature.

"na tad bhasayate suryo
na sasanko na pavakah
yad gatva na nivartante
tad dhama paramam mama" (Bhagwat Gita: Chapter Fifteen verse 6)

"Sri Krishna said: O Arjuna, That God abode of Mine is not illumined by the Sun or Moon, nor by fire or electricity as these are Self Illumined in nature. Those who reach there never return to this material world again."

Now how we can attain to these Spiritual Worlds? If we believe in God & invoke Him by prayers daily, then He shall certainly come to our rescue, as He always comes to the rescue of His devotees. So by the devotion, prayer to the Almighty, He shall arrange for our stay in the beautiful Spiritual Worlds which are abodes of God Himself.

God Himself is declaring below in Bhagwad-Gita that, a person can come to Him through devotion.

"man-mana bhava mad-bhakto
mad-yaji mam namaskuru
mam evaishyasi satyam te
pratijane priyo ’si me" (Bhagwat Gita: Chapter Eighteen verse 65)

"Lord Sri Krishna said: O Arjuna, Always think of Me, become My devotee, worship Me and offer your homage unto Me. Thus you will come to Me without fail. I promise you this because you are My devotee."

As God is the Supreme Soul from whom all these souls have emanated, so worshipping him constantly, one shall be established in the soul & shall attain a blissful life.

"bhaktya mam abhijanati
yavan yas chasmi tattvatah
tato mam tattvato jnatva
visate tad-anantaram" (Bhagwat Gita: Chapter Eighteen verse 55)

"Sri Krishna said: O Arjuna, One can understand Me as I am, as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, only by devotional service. And when one is in full consciousness of Me by such devotion, he can enter into the kingdom of God."

So let's be devoted to God as worshiping Him we shall be able to transcend this Material World & shall be able to enter the beautiful Spiritual World which is abode of God Himself.

Jai Sri Krishna

Our Interpretation of God

"There are four blind men who discover an elephant. Since the men have never encountered an elephant, they grope about, seeking to understand and describe this new wild being. One gets hold of the trunk and concludes that it is a snake. So for him elephant is like a snake. Another explores one of the elephant's legs and describes it as a tree. So for him elephant is like a tree. A third one finds the elephant's tail and announces that it is a rope. So for him elephant is like a rope. And the fourth blind man, after discovering the large body of the elephant, concludes that it is, after all, a wide mountain.

Each in his blindness is describing the same thing: an elephant. Yet each describes the same thing in a radically different way. We all are like those blind men only in our knowledge of God who describe the God as per our own understanding. Now say a fifth man (who could see) comes to the scene and he were to describe the elephant as an elephant, then he would tell clearly about the elephant as it is."

Same is the case that only a true master who has seen God actually can tell how God looks like. Let's seek such a True master, Great soul or Guru who shall tell us about the true nature of God & shall lead us to Him.

In Fact God is our faith that a Supernatural Power exists in this universe which has created us & all other universal forms. He is having supernatural powers, who is omniscient (knows everything), who is omnipresent (who is present everywhere), omnipotent (who is having all the powers & is all powerful), who is infinite, who is imperishable & indestructible. Faith of ours in such a big & great entity having all the powers is known as God.

In below quotes of "Bhagwat Gita" Lord Krishna is saying to Arjuna about the nature of God:

"bahir antas cha bhutanam
acharam charam eva cha
suksmatvat tad avijneyam
dura-stham chantike cha tat" (Bhagwat Gita: Chapter Thirteen verse 16)

"Sri Krishna said: O Arjuna, The Supreme Truth exists outside and inside of all living beings, the moving and the nonmoving. Because He is subtle, He is beyond the power of the material senses to see or to know. Although far, far away, He is also near to all."

"sarvatah pani-padam tat
sarvato ’ksi-siro-mukham
sarvatah shrutimal loke
sarvam avrtya tishthati" (Bhagwat Gita: Chapter Thirteen verse 14)

"Sri Krishna said: O Arjuna, Everywhere are His hands and legs, His eyes, heads and faces, and He has ears everywhere. In this way the Super soul exists, pervading everything."

"avibhaktam cha bhutesu
vibhaktam iva cha sthitam
bhuta-bhartr cha taj jneyam
grasisnu prabhavishnu cha" (Bhagwat Gita: Chapter Thirteen verse 17)

"Sri Krishna said: O Arjuna, Although the Supersoul appears to be divided among all beings, He is never divided. He is situated as one. Although He is the maintainer of every living entity, it is to be understood that He devours and develops all."

"jyotisam api taj jyotis
tamasah param ucyate
jnanam jneyam jnana-gamyam
hridi sarvasya visthitam" (Bhagwat Gita: Chapter Thirteen verse 18)

"Sri Krishna said: O Arjuna, He is the source of light in all luminous objects. He is beyond the darkness of matter and is un-manifested. He is knowledge, He is the object of knowledge, and He is the goal of knowledge. He is situated in everyone’s heart."

As God is someone Superhuman, having Infinite size, knowledge & powers, then it is very difficult for us with limited knowledge & power to fully understand & describe the God in total. Let's seek a True master, Great soul or Guru who knows God fully, the one who can tell us about the true nature of God & can lead us to Him.

Jai Sri Krishna

Bhagwat Gita Quotes on Soul

Whole philosophy of Bhagwat Gita is about "Body & Soul" & what is the differentiation between the two. On the one hand Body is said to be perishable while the Soul is immortal which never dies. Lord Sri Krishna in Bhagwat Gita is only teaching that we should consider ourself as that immortal Soul & that we all are immortal if we do not think ourselves as this Body but Soul.

Soul, Spirit, Atman, Self etc. are words which are used to define subtle nature of ourselves which is invisible & mysterious. Soul is something which is within this body & something which can exist without this body. When soul lives in this physical body then it enjoys the different sensory objects through this body. Soul is indestructible & immortal. It moves from one body to the other. As we are not able to see this Soul due to it's subtle nature so it looks mysterious to us.

Now let's understand about the Soul through the Bhagwat Gita. As per Bhagwat Gita both God (Super soul) and the Individual Souls do exist & It also believes in the incarnation of the individual souls, their delusion and bondage to the cycle of births and deaths because of desire ridden actions. As per this, Soul at death gets released from this body, rises to the higher worlds (heaven etc.) or to the lower wombs (animals, birds etc.) & reincarnates or return to the earth to continue its cycle of births and deaths.

Below are Quotes in Bhagwat Gita, which describe the Soul, or Atman, in detail:

"dehino-asmin yatha dehe
kaumaram yauvnam jara
tatha dehantar-praptir-
adhiras tatra na muhyati" (Bhagwat Gita: Chapter Two verse 13)

"Sri Krishna said: Just as boyhood, youth & old age are attributed to the soul & the embodied soul continuously passes through these cycles, similarly the embodied soul passes into another body at death. The wise man does not get deluded & bewildered with such a change."

"avinasi tu tad viddhi
yena sarvam idam tatam
vinasam avyayasyasya
na kascit kartum arhati" (Bhagwat Gita: Chapter Two verse 17)

"Sri Krishna said: Know that to be imperishable & indestructible, by which all this is pervaded; for none can bring about the destruction of this indestructible substance, the imperishable soul."

"antavanta ime deha
nityasyoktah saririnah
anasino ’prameyasya
tasmad yudhyasva bharata" (Bhagwat Gita: Chapter Two verse 18)

"Sri Krishna said: All these bodies pertaining to the indestructible, immeasurable and eternal living entity / soul are spoken of as perishable; therefore, fight, Arjuna."

According to Bhagwat Gita, the Soul, or Atman, neither slays not can it be slain (Chapter 2.19).

"ya enam vetti hantaram
yas chainam manyate hatam
ubhau tau na vijanito
nayam hanti na hanyate" (Bhagwat Gita: Chapter Two verse 19)

"Sri Krishna said: They are both ignorant, he who knows the soul to be capable of killing and he who takes it as killed; for verily the soul neither kills, nor is killed."

According to Bhagwat Gita, the Soul, or Atman, is never born, never dies and after coming into existence never ceases to be. It is nitya (always), shasvatah (permanent) and purana (very ancient) (Chapter 2.20).

"na jayate mriyate va kadacin
nayam bhutva bhavita va na bhuyah
ajo nityah sasvato ’yam purano
na hanyate hanyamane sarire" (Bhagwat Gita: Chapter Two verse 20)

"Sri Krishna said: The soul is never born nor dies at any time. Soul has not come into being, does not come into being, and will not come into being. Soul is unborn, eternal, ever-existing and primeval. Soul is not slain when the body is slain."

"vedavinasinam nityam
ya enam ajam avyayam
katham sa purushah Arjuna
kam ghatayati hanti kam" (Bhagwat Gita: Chapter Two verse 21)

"Sri Krishna said: O Arjuna, how can a human being who knows that the soul is indestructible, eternal, unborn and immutable kill anyone or cause anyone to kill?"

According to Bhagwat Gita, the Soul, or Atman, does not suffer & cannot be tainted. At the time of death it does not die, but leaves the body and enters into a new one (Chapter 2.22).

"vasamsi jirnani yatha vihaya
navani grhnati naro ’parani
tatha sarirani vihaya jirnany
anyani samyati navani dehi" (Bhagwat Gita: Chapter Two verse 22)

"Sri Krishna said: As a human being puts on new garments, giving up old ones, the soul similarly accepts new material bodies, giving up the old and useless ones."

According to Bhagwat Gita, the Soul, or Atman has the properties that Weapons cannot pierce it, fire cannot burn it, water cannot moisten it and wind cannot dry it (Chapter 2.23).

"nainam chindanti shastrani
nainam dahati pavakah
na chainam kledayanty apo
na sosayati marutah" (Bhagwat Gita: Chapter Two verse 23)

"Sri Krishna said: The soul can never be cut to pieces by any weapon, nor burned by fire, nor moistened by water, nor withered by the wind."

According to Bhagwat Gita, the Soul, or Atman, is impenetrable, incombustible, all pervading, stable and immobile (Chapter 2.24).

"acchedyo ’yam adahyo ’yam
akledyo ’sosya eva cha
nityah sarva-gatah sthanur
achalo ’yam sanatanah" (Bhagwat Gita: Chapter Two verse 24)

"Sri Krishna said: This individual soul is unbreakable and insoluble, and can be neither burned nor dried. He is everlasting, present everywhere, unchangeable, immovable and eternally the same."

According to Bhagwat Gita, the Soul, or Atman, is invisible, imperceptible and immutable (Chapter 2.25).

"avyakto ’yam acintyo ’yam
avikaryo ’yam ucyate
tasmad evam viditvainam
nanusocitum arhasi" (Bhagwat Gita: Chapter Two verse 25)

"Sri Krishna said: It is said that the soul is invisible, inconceivable and immutable. Knowing this, you should not grieve for the body."

"atha chainam nitya-jatam
nityam va manyase mrtam
tathapi tvam maha-baho
nainam socitum arhasi" (Bhagwat Gita: Chapter Two verse 26)

"Sri Krishna said: If, however, you think that the soul [or the symptoms of life] is always born and dies forever, you still have no reason to lament, O mighty-armed."

"prakriteh kriyamanani
gunaih karmani sarvasah
ahankara-vimudhatma
kartaham iti manyate" (Bhagwat Gita: Chapter Three verse 27)

"Sri Krishna said: The spirit soul bewildered by the influence of false ego thinks himself the doer of activities that are in actuality carried out by the three modes of material nature."

Lord Krishna knew the limitations of human consciousness to gauge the true nature of the inner soul. So in the Bhagwat Gita it concurs that no one can exactly know what a soul is. Someone looks at It with great surprise, another speaks about It with great surprise, some another hears about It with incredulity and yet another after hearing about It knows it not (Chapter 2.29).

"ascharya-vat pasyati kascid enam
ascharya-vad vadati tathaiva chanyah
ascharya-vac chainam anyah srnoti
srutvapy enam veda na chaiva kascit" (Bhagwat Gita: Chapter Two verse 29)

"Sri Krishna said: Some look on the soul as amazing, some describe him as amazing, and some hear of him as amazing, while others, even after hearing about him, cannot understand him at all."

Below verse tells how Soul is superior to matter; mind, senses & intelligence:

"indriyani parany ahur
indriyebhyah param manah
manasas tu para buddhir
yo buddheh paratas tu sah" (Bhagwat Gita: Chapter Three verse 42)

"Sri Krishna said: The working senses are superior to dull matter; mind is higher than the senses; intelligence is still higher than the mind; and he [the soul] is even higher than the intelligence."

So in this way Soul is a Mysterious thing & can be understood if you have faith in God & in religious scriptures.

Jai Shri Krishna

Prayers that God hears

Those who have faith in God, generally Pray for Him. Prayer is an act of addressing the God with devotion for the purpose of worship. Prayer is a way of having a personal experience and intimate connection with our loving God. Prayer can be done during the worship or can be done just silently in our mind. Through prayer we have a personal experience & an intimate connection with our loving God. If we pray to God with sincerity then He shall answer to our prayers immediately.

Below are some beautiful Prayers that God responds to very quickly:

1) "O My Lord, You are My Supreme God. You are the Giver of everything in my Life. Each and every moment, You cherish and nurture me; I am Your child, and I rely upon You alone. Your greatness cannot be described by the tongue as you are Unlimited, Infinite Lord and Master of everything in this world & no one knows Your limits.

2) "O My Lord, as I am ignorant one, so You destroy all of my sins and teach me in different ways. O Lord, be always merciful on me & always save me. I seek Your Sanctuary as You are my only hope. You are my companion and my best friend. Save me, O Merciful Savior Lord."

3) "O My Lord, Give me the strength and understanding to resist anxiety, anger, envy, depression, bitterness, hopelessness, loneliness, fear and guilt. Help me to live in Your joy and peace. Save me when “my heart within me is distressed. Pl. help me so that my life is free from all such negative emotions. When I am tempted to give in to them, show me Your Truth & Grace."

4) "O My Lord, I give you my hands to do Your work; I give You my feet to go Your way; I give You my eyes to see as You see; I give You my tongue to speak Your words; I give You my mind that You may think in me; I give You my spirit that You may reveal in me. Above all, I give You my heart that You may love in me - love the Lord and love all humankind. I give You my whole self, Lord, that You may grow in me, so that it is You who lives, works and reveals in me."

5) "O My Lord, You Are My Mother, Father, You Are My Kinsman And Friend, You Are My Wealth Of Knowledge, Strength, Power And Velour, You Are My All God Of Gods, so have mercy on me".

6) "O My Lord, by the power of Your quickening Spirit, let me touch the lives of others for good, whether through the word I speak, the prayer I speak, or the life I live. O Lord give me the strength to live in Your Spirit".

Just like Prayer to God, Chanting is also used to invoke the God. Chanting can be done individually or as a group practice. "Divine Chants" are chanting the names of God which give peace of mind. Listening to these chants regularly gives lot of peace of mind. These Divine Chants can make people dancing to it's tune to ecstasy. Some of the beautiful chants are here. Just click on the link to see these chants.........Divine Chants.

Below are verses of Bhagwat Gita in which Lord Krishna is telling about His devotees & how He always protects them:

"ye tu sarvani karmani
mayi sannyasya mat-parah
ananyenaiva yogena
mam dhyayanta upasate"

"tesam aham samuddharta
mrityu-samsara-sagarat
bhavami na cirat partha
mayy avesita-cetasam" (Bhagwat Gita: Chapter Twelve verse 6-7)

"Sri Krishna said: O Arjuna, But those who worship Me, giving up all their activities unto Me and being devoted to Me without deviation, engaged in devotional service and always meditating upon Me, having fixed their minds upon Me, O son of Pritha—for them I am the swift deliverer from the ocean of birth and death."

"mayy eva mana adhatsva
mayi buddhim nivesaya
nivasisyasi mayy eva
ata urdhvam na samsayah" (Bhagwat Gita: Chapter Twelve verse 8)

"Sri Krishna said: O Arjuna, Just fix your mind upon Me and engage all your intelligence in Me. Thus you will live in Me always, without a doubt."

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

"Sri Krishna said: 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."

So let's always engage in devotional service of Lord. Let's read spiritual literature, always sing His glories so that He can always be merciful on us. If we shall do such devotional service to God then we shall get special mercy of the Lord & we shall attain to the devotion of the Lord.

Jai Shri Krishna

Bhagwat Gita quiz contest conducted in Pakistan School

Karachi, Jul 4: At the time of religious intolerance in Pakistan, shlokas from Bhagwat Gita reverberated at a school here during a quiz competition to test the knowledge of Hindu boys and girls about their religion, leaving the minority community having something to cheer about.

For months now, the Hindu community in Pakistan's southern Sindh province has been complaining of bias and injustice over the issues of kidnappings and forced conversions but for a change they celebrated being able to organise a religious event without any problems.

The quiz competition testing the knowledge of the Hindu boys and girls about their religion - Sanatan Dharma - was enthusiastically participated by at the Santa Maria school in Karachi's Gizri area. Read More................Bhagavad Gita quiz contest conducted in Karachi school

Supreme Power of The Universe

All the religions of the world, whether it is Hinduism, Buddhism, Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Sikhism, Taoism etc. believe in "One Supreme Power". This Supreme Power is given a different name in all these different religions but all say that there is One Supreme Power out of which this universe has emerged. This "One Supreme Power" is eternal, omnipresent, omnipotent, and complete in all respect.

This "One Supreme Power" is the Originator of the Divine Law through which this whole Universe works in Divine order. Such Divine order can be seen in our day to day life like rising of Sun, Nourishing of all nature born species etc. We can see all such Divine order, all around us. Human mind let's us understand the outer natural world, but human insight makes it possible to experience the Divine Law in nature. This Divine Law is Supreme. This Earth, Heaven & all the Cosmos were created according to that Divine law. This Supreme Divine law can be understood from below analogy:

Every morning, Sun emerges from the eastern horizon & dispels the darkness of the night. With the help of light of the Sun, whole world gets lit up & all creatures are able to sustain themselves. Sun is the source of energy to this world & it's energy nurtures our earth just like a mother feeds her children. Now just imagine, if Sun stops rising in the morning. In such a case all the creatures including us shall come to perish for the want of sunlight & it's energy.

Who has created this Sun & who in this Universe is ensuring that it rises daily from the east to sustain all creatures? Certainly no human being has done this. Sun was created by the Supreme Power called God & only He is ensuring that it rises daily from the east & that all creation is maintained. It all happens according to that Supreme Divine law which is maintained by that "One Supreme Power" called God.

In general God is the faith of human beings that a Supernatural Power exists in this universe who has created us & all other universal forms. He is having supernatural powers, who is omniscient (knows everything), who is omnipresent (who is present everywhere), omnipotent (who is having all the powers & is all powerful), who is Infinite in size, knowledge & powers, one who is imperishable & indestructible. Faith of humans in such a big & great entity having all the powers is known as God.

In Bhagwat Gita Chapter Ten, Lord Krishna is saying that he is the source of all beings & gods. Not even that as per Lord Krishna, all these universes & creations spring from but a spark of His splendor only.

This whole world has it's existence in that Universal Soul (God) only. God is like the ocean & you are like a wave of that ocean. We all are waves of the same Ocean. There is no higher or lower wave. As the waves and the ocean are one, so are you, part & parcel of God only. One's ego only separates one from the God. Just lose your ego & dive yourself in the ocean of Universal Soul.

When a fire is burning, many sparks come out it. Similarly, all these souls have come out from that Universal Soul. "Mundaka Upanisad" explains that only:

"tat etat satyam yatha su-diptat pavakad
visphulingah sahasrasah prabhavante
sa-rupah tathaksharad vividhah saumya
bhavah prajayante tatra caivapi yanti"

The Supreme God is real and eternal. As many thousands of sparks come from a blazing fire, so many different living entities are manifested from the imperishable Supreme God and then again go & merge into Him.

In Bhagwat Gita also God says that this whole world & it's people are nothing else but part & parcel of Him only. Just like clusters of Yarn-Beads are woven on a thread, so is this whole world threaded in Him. So You are nothing but a "Spark of the Divine".

"mattah parataram nanyat
kincid asti dhananjaya
mayi sarvam idam protam
sutre mani-gana iva" (Bhagwat Gita: Chapter Seven verse 7)

"Sri Krishna said:
There is nothing else besides Me,
Like clusters of Yarn-Beads,
Formed by knots on a thread,
All this world is threaded on Me (universal soul)."

So let's believe in that "One Supreme Power" & worship that Supreme Power who is ruling this Universe, someone who is all powerful. One who is all knowledge, one who is imperishable & indestructible. Such a divine entity having all the powers is called GOD.

Jai Shri Krishna

Tumhi ho Bandhu Sakha Tumhi Re

                           

There is a popular hindi song "Tumhi ho Bandhu Sakha Tumhi Re" from movie "Cocktail" going on TV, FM radio etc. nowadays. But over here, I am not going to discuss about that love song picturised on Saif Ali Khan & Deepika Padukone, but about the lyrics of an old prayer to God "Tumhi ho Bandhu Sakha Tumhi Ho" from where I think, some lyrics of the said song in movie "Cocktail" are taken. Let's see from where, actually these lines have come from & also try to understand that beautiful prayer devoted to Almighty God.

In my school days below few lines were engraved in cement on the top of front entrance gate of our school. Whenever, I used to enter the school in the morning, I used to read these lines which is a simple four line prayer to God. Since then it has got engraved in my mind.

त्वमेव माता च पिता त्वमेव,
त्वमेव बंधू च सखा त्वमेव,
त्वमेव विद्या द्रविणं त्वमेव,
त्वमेव सर्वं मम देव देव

It's meaning is that:

"O Lord, You Are My Mother, Father,
You Are My Kinsman And Friend.
You Are My Wealth Of Knowledge, Strength, Power And Velour.
You Are My All God Of Gods".

Below is an old devotional music Hindi video "Tumhi Ho Mata Pita Tumhi Ho, Tumhi Ho Bandhu Sakha Tumhi Ho". It's also a prayer to the God similar to the above one.

It's lyrics are here below: "Tumhi ho maata pita tumhi ho, tumhi ho bandhu sakha tumhi ho tumhi ho saathi tuhmi saharay koie na apana siva tumharay tumhi ho naiyaa tumhi khevaiya tumhi ho bandhu sakha tumhi ho jo khil sa ke na woh phool hum hain tumharay charanon ke dhul hum hain daya ke drishti sada hi rakhana tumhi ho bandhu sakha tumhi ho tumhi ho maata pita tumhi ho, tumhi ho bandhu sakha tumhi ho"

  The meaning of above lyrics is: "You are the mother, You are the father You are the kinsman and You are the friend You are the companion & You the support, There is no one is own except You in my life, You are the boat and You are the boatman We are the flower that cannot blossom... and We are the dust of You feet. O God, Please always keep merciful eye on us You are the mother, You are the father You are the kinsman and You are the friend " So Let's pray God with above few simple lines & God shall have mercy on us.

 These simple few lines are enough for the God to become Happy with us. Below verses of Bhagwat Gita ensures that only: "man-mana bhava mad-bhakto mad-yaji mam namaskuru mam evaishyasi satyam te pratijane priyo ’si me" (Bhagwat Gita: Chapter Eighteen verse 65) "Lord Sri Krishna said: O Arjuna, Always think of Me, become My devotee, worship Me and offer your homage unto Me. Thus you will come to Me without fail. I promise you this because you are My very dear friend." "sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja aham tvam sarva-papebhyo mokshayisyami ma suchah" (Bhagwat Gita: Chapter Eighteen verse 66) "Lord Sri Krishna said: O Arjuna, Abandon all varieties of religion and just surrender unto Me. I shall deliver you from all sinful reactions. Do not fear."

Jai Shri Krishna

Holy OM

"OM" is the mystical word which is uttered during Hindu religious practices. This is considered a very holy & auspicious word. What is the meaning of "Om"? How chanting of Om is beneficial to one's body, mind & soul?

In literal sense:

"Om" is the Sound symbol that represents God. If you want to express God in the form of sound, you should utter this mystical sound "Om". In Bhagwat Gita Lord Sri Krishna says that:

"maharsinam bhrgur aham
giram asmy ekam aksharam
yajnanam japa-yajno ’smi
sthavaranam himalayah" (Bhagwat Gita: Chapter Ten verse 25)

"Sri Krishna said: Of the great sages I am Bhrgu; Of Vibrations / Sounds, I am the transcendental Om. Of sacrifices I am the chanting of the holy names [japa], and of immovable things I am the Himalayas."

Before the creation God was one without a second. Then He wanted to become many. At such a thought of God, a vibration came into existence which took the form of sound Om. This vibrational sound Om became the basis of all creation. This primeval sound Om is nothing but another form of God which is recited in religious practices.

When you repeatedly chant this sound Om it gives peace of mind & gives energy to the body. Chanting it elevates the depressed mood of a person. Meditating on it while chanting it lifts our consciousness to the Godly state where peace & happiness comes to our body, mind & soul.



Jai Sri Krishna

Will Power is nothing but Soul Power

A man is very fond of sweets. In his life he has relished all sorts of sweets. Whenever he sees the sweets, he has the mouth watering temptation to eat these. Today he has gone to an Indian wedding, where he finds so many types of tempting sweet dishes. He wants to eat so many of these, but Alas!!! he is Diabetic, i.e. he is having sugar problem & has been advised by his doctor, not to take any kind of sweets at all. Now see his situation. His senses & Mind (Mann) are tempting him to eat the sweets but his intellect is telling him the doctor's advice not to eat it. On the one side is "Temptation to eat the sweets" & on the other hand, "There is his Intellect" which is telling him the consequences of eating the sweets. Ultimately, man shows "His Will Power" & decides to get rid of the temptation to eat the sweets & do not eat the sweets.

 As per Indian philosophy, Human Mind (Mann) is very fickle & stubborn. It only wants to enjoy the objects of the senses. On the other hand is Intellect, which decides, what is wrong & what is right. However Soul is supreme & is governing the Intellect & Mind (Mann), both. So whenever, in your life, your mind takes control of you due to temptations, inaction, laziness, procrastination etc. then use your Soul power through your will & get rid of all these negative traits. It is the Soul power that overcomes the negative traits & negative impulses in life, through "Will Power" execution. Our Soul is nothing but part & parcel of Universal Soul only. Universal Soul is nothing but God only who is infinitely powerful. So your Soul is also having the infinite potential to overcome all these negative traits in life.

In Bhagwat Gita philosophy, Mind is said to be very powerful one & to control it is just like keeping in control the raging wind. Mind just wanders like wind, here & there. It takes enough of self discipline & practice to control it. Through Soul Power (Will Power) only it can be controlled. As per "Arjuna" to "Lord Sri Krishna" in Bhagwat Gita Chapter Six verse 34:

"chanchalam hi manah krishna
pramathi balavad drdham
tasyaham nigraham manye
vayor iva su-duskaram" (Bhagwat Gita: Chapter Six verse 34)

"Arjuna said to Lord Sri Krishna: This mind is restless, turbulent, obstinate and very strong, O Krishna, and to subdue it, to control it, I think, is more difficult than controlling the wind."

"sri-bhagavan uvacha
asamsayam maha-baho
mano durnigraham chalam
abhyasena tu kaunteya
vairagyena cha grhyate" (Bhagwat Gita: Chapter Six verse 35)

"Lord Sri Krishna said: O mighty-armed Arjuna, it is undoubtedly that mind is very difficult to curb & is restless, but it is possible by suitable practices of meditation and by detachment to control it."

Soul strength is our Inner Strength, which comes into action in our hard times to defeat all such negative symptoms of laziness, inaction, procrastination, sadness, depression etc. in one's life. In hard times, it helps in building our low esteem and loss of confidence. When we are passing through bad times, we have a feeling of self dejection & a feeling that we will not succeed in life, in all such times, our Soul Strength comes into play. This Soul present inside our human body, in fact gives strength to our mind to carry out all the difficult tasks & to overcome all these negative traits in life.

In Bhagwat Gita: Chapter Thirteen verse 18, God himself tells that :

"jyotisam api taj jyotis
tamasah param ucyate
jnanam jneyam jnana-gamyam
hridi sarvasya visthitam" (Bhagwat Gita: Chapter Thirteen verse 18)

"Sri Krishna said: O Arjuna, He is the source of light in all luminous objects. He is beyond the darkness of matter and is un-manifested. He is knowledge, He is the object of knowledge, and He is the goal of knowledge. He is situated in everyone’s heart."

So "Immortal Soul" is situated in everyone’s heart & gives strength, knowledge & guidance to every human being. So if we have faith in our inner Soul, then we shall get all the power & Inner Strength to get over all our adversities. So let's look inside ourselves so that we can come in touch with our real self (Soul) from where emerges all our Inner Strength. Be yourself & be proud of yourself, as your original self is part & parcel of the Universal Self (God) & with His grace you shall come out of all the adverse circumstances.

Jai Sri Krishna

Motivate Yourself & You will Succeed in Life

Have you ever seen that when you are motivated in life, you are able to do everything in life with ease & enthusiasm. When you are motivated in life, success follows you in life. But when our mind gets depressed, dejected, demotivated, life seems impossible & we are not able to lead life enthusiastically & as a result we do not succeed in life.We may be physically fit with blood gushing in our nerves, but if we are not well with our MIND then we are certainly not going to perform to our full potential. Mental health is where the key to success lies. If we are mentally supercharged then we can achieve any milestone, in spite of having any physical inadequacy. One can never succeed & be victorious in life if he feels himself, defeated at mind.

In the ancient Kurukshetra war, "Arjuna" the great disciple of "Lord Sri Krishna" also came into such a de-motivated & dejected state of mind. In that war "Arjuna" refused to do his duty of fighting a righteous battle as he got infatuated & started thinking of his enemies as his own near & dear ones. His mind became week & highly de-motivated. He told his master "Lord Sri Krishna" that he is going away from the war & do not want to fight on the battle field. Arjuna's mental health became weak & he got deeply depressed. Below are few verses of Bhagwat Gita which show how Arjuna became de-motivated & how he refused to do his duty of fighting a righteous war.

"arjuna uvacha
drstvemam sva-janam krishna
yuyutsum samupasthitam
sidanti mama gatrani
mukham cha parisusyati" (Bhagwat Gita: Chapter One verse 28)

"Arjuna said: Krishna, at the sight of these friends and relatives present before me in such a fighting spirit, my limbs give away, my body is quivering and my mouth is parched."

"na cha saknomy avasthatum
bhramativa cha me manah
nimittani cha pasyami
viparitani keshava" (Bhagwat Gita: Chapter One verse 30)

"Arjuna said: O Krishna, "My mind is reeling & I am now unable able to stand here any longer. I see the omens also inauspicious; only causes of misfortune."

"sanjaya uvacha
evam uktvarjunah sankhye
rathopastha upavisat
visrjya sa-saram chapam
soka-samvigna-manasah" (Bhagwat Gita: Chapter One verse 46)

"Sanjaya said: Arjuna, having thus spoken on the battlefield, cast aside his bow and arrows and sat down on the chariot, his mind overwhelmed with grief."

"sanjaya uvacha
evam uktva hrishikesham
gudakeshah parantapah
na yotsya iti govindam
uktva tusnim babhuva ha" (Bhagwat Gita: Chapter Two verse 9)

"Sanjaya said: O King, having spoken thus to Sri Krishna, Arjuna, again said to Lord Krishna, “Hey Govinda, I shall not fight,” and fell silent."

Now to overcome his disciple Arjuna's depression & to motivate him to fight a righteous war, "Lord Sri Krishna" gave the great teachings of "Bhagwat Gita" to his disciple "Arjuna". After listening to all these great teachings, Arjuna's mental health became well & he became motivated & energetic to fight the war. Below are verses of Bhagwat Gita in which Lord Krishna gave sermon to Arjuna to do his duty of fighting a just & righteous war & motivated his mind.

"karmany evadhikaras te
ma phalesu kadachana
ma karma-phala-hetur bhur
ma te sango ’stv akarmani" (Bhagwat Gita: Chapter Two verse 47)

"Lord Sri Krishna said: You have a right to perform your prescribed duty, but you are not entitled to the fruits of action. Never consider yourself the cause of the results of your activities, and never be attached to not doing your duty."

"yoga-sthah kuru karmani
sangam tyaktva dhananjaya
siddhy-asiddhyoh samo bhutva
samatvam yoga ucyate" (Bhagwat Gita: Chapter Two verse 48)

"Lord Sri Krishna said: Perform your duty equi-poised, O Arjuna, abandoning all attachment to success or failure. Such equanimity is called yoga."

By the teachings of Lord Krishna, weakness of mind of Arjuna was gone & he became motivated. Below is a verse of Bhagwat Gita in which Arjuna acknowledges that his weakness of mind has gone & that he is now motivated to do his duty of fighting a just & righteous war.

"arjuna uvacha
nasto mohah smritir labdha
tvat-prasadan mayacyuta
sthito ’smi gata-sandehah
karisye vachanam tava" (Bhagwat Gita: Chapter Eighteen verse 73)

"Arjuna said: O Lord Sri Krishna, my illusion is now gone. I have regained my memory by Your grace. I am now firm and free from doubt and am prepared to act according to Your instructions."

So it is seen above, how the defeated & de-motivated mind of Arjuna became good & motivated by the teachings of Bhagwat Gita. Similarly we can also come out of the state of depression, de-motivation & dejection by reading the teachings of Bhagwat Gita. These teachings show us how to do our duty properly & how to lead a good life. So let's all follow the great teachings of Bhagwat Gita as told by Lord Sri Krishna Himself to Arjuna. These teachings are as much relevant in fast day to day life of ours today as these were in ancient times.

Below are few "Motivational Quotes" from our modern times great thinkers:

Be miserable. or Motivate yourself. Whatever has to be done, it's always your choice.
Wayne Dyer

Always do your best. What you plant now, you will harvest later.
Og Mandino

Believe in yourself! Have faith in your abilities! Without a humble but reasonable confidence in your own powers you cannot be successful or happy.
Norman Vincent Peale

Do you want to know who you are? Don't ask. Act! Action will delineate and define you.
Thomas Jefferson

Problems are not stop signs, they are guidelines.
Robert H. Schuller

Small deeds done are better than great deeds planned.
Peter Marshall

The more man meditates upon good thoughts, the better will be his world and the world at large.
Confucius

The will to win, the desire to succeed, the urge to reach your full potential... these are the keys that will unlock the door to personal excellence.
Confucius

Things do not happen. Things are made to happen.
John F. Kennedy

When you fail you learn from the mistakes you made and it motivates you to work even harder.
Natalie Gulbis

Without hard work, nothing grows but weeds.
Gordon B. Hinckley

You can never quit. Winners never quit, and quitters never win.
Ted Turner

You can't expect to hit the jackpot if you don't put a few nickels in the machine.
Flip Wilson

So let yourself always be motivated in life. Let enthusiasm, vigor be there in your life & let you stay motivated in the face of challenges of life. Such an attitude shall always keep away the negativity in your life. Do not have regrets in life & move on in all the situations, as with such an attitude you shall quickly go ahead in your career. Always feel good about yourself & never let have negative thoughts in your life. Positive thoughts in life shall increase your self-esteem & that shall keep you motivated. Also enjoy a harmonious life at home & in society as it always keeps one's mind motivated in life. A motivated life shall let you accomplish much more & have greater success in life.

Jai Shri Krishna

When Mind & Heart Find Peace in God

We daily face myriads of problems in life that our mind gets disturbed, tense & do not find peace anywhere. In such a situation what should we do? Simple & easiest solution in such a situation is to take refuge in God. Just remember Him with Love & see, your mind shall become peaceful. Here is how a devotee describes such a situation when he comes in refuge of God. He says:

Oh! Lord: Just like a person wandering in the scorching heat of sun, gets peace, after coming under the shade of a tree, the same pleasure my heart has got from, when I came in Your refuge. O my Lord, My mind was always wavering; It was not getting any support & it was just like a boat struggling with waves, not finding the bank of the river. But with your guidance that unsteady & wavering boat of my mind has come to the bank. Oh! God, such a pleasure my heart has got from when I came in Your refuge,

Oh! Lord: When you shower your blessings, fire becomes cool like sandalwood. With your blessings, pitch dark nights glow like full moon nights. Oh! God, as if a desert, thirsty for centuries, gets the message of rainy season, the same pleasure my heart has got from; when I came in Your refuge

Oh! Lord: That path on which one may find You, let me take steps on that, whether it is a path of thorns or flowers, whether that path is dry or wet with the rain. Let me never waver while moving on that path. O Lord, as if somebody is thirsty of water & is fed Nectar, the same pleasure my heart has got from; when I came in Your refuge.

The above lines are basically the English translation of a beautiful Hindi Bhajan. "Suraj Ki Garmi Se Jalte Huay Tan Ko Mil Jaye Taruvar Ki Chhaya" is a great Devotional prayer sung in the praise of Hindu God Rama. It has been sung by "Sharma Bandhus" & they earlier sung it for the Hindi film 'Parinay' which was the first and last playback song of the group. Here below is the video of that bhajan & also below are it's lyrics.



Lyrics: "Suraj Ki Garmi Se Jalte Huay Tan Ko" - Lord Rama Prayer

Jaise suraj ki garmi se jalte hue tan ko
Mil jaaye taruvar ki chhaaya
Suraj ki garmi se jalte hue tan ko
Mil jaaye taruvar ki chhaaya
Aisa hi sukh mere mann ko mila hai
Main jab se sharan teri aaya, mere ram

Suraj ki garmi se jalte hue tan ko
Mil jaaye taruvar ki chhaaya
(Bhatka hua mera mann tha koi
Mil na raha tha sahaara) - 2
Laheron se ladti hui naav ko - 2
Jaise mil na raha ho kinaara
Mil na raha ho kinaara
Us ladkhadaati hui naav ko jo
Kisi ne kinaara dikhaaya
Aisa hi sukh mere mann ko mila hai
Main jab se sharan teri aaya, mere ram

Suraj ki garmi se jalte hue tan ko
Mil jaaye taruvar ki chhaaya
Sheetal bani aag chandan ke jaisi
Raaghav krupa ho jo teri - 2
(Ujiyaali poonam ki ho jaaye raatein
Jo thi amaavas andheri) - 2
Jo thi amaavas andheri
Yug yug se pyaasi marubhumi ne jaise
Saawan ka sandes paaya
Aisa hi sukh mere mann ko mila hai
Main jab se sharan teri aaya, mere ram

Suraj ki garmi se jalte hue tan ko
Mil jaaye taruvar ki chhaaya
(Jis raah ki manzil tera milan ho
Us par kadam main badhaaoon) - 2
(Phoolon mein khaaron mein patjhad bahaaron mein
Main na kabhi dagmagaaoon) - 2
Main na kabhi dagmagaaoon
(Paani ke pyaase ko taqdeer ne jaise
Jee bhar ke amrit pilaaya) - 2
Aisa hi sukh mere mann ko mila hai
Main jab se sharan teri aaya, mere ram

Suraj ki garmi se jalte hue tan ko
Mil jaaye taruvar ki chhaaya
Aisa hi sukh mere mann ko mila hai
Main jab se sharan teri aaya, mere ram

Suraj ki garmi se jalte hue tan ko
Mil jaaye taruvar ki chhaaya

Jai Sri Krishna

Just Surrender

If we have complete faith in God & if we surrender completely to God, then whatever, shall happen in our life, shall be through the will of God. As God cannot do anything wrong to His devotees & He always protects His devotees, so our life shall be protected by the Divine Grace of God.

Lord Krishna is assuring Arjuna in Bhagwat Gita that He shall always be with him in all circumstances if he is always in devotion to Him. Same thing applies to every human being also. If a person remains devoted to Lord Krishna then Lord promises that He shall deliver that person of all the sins of the past & purify that person. By doing such loving service to the Lord, certainly that person shall be in the eyes of God always & God shall always protect that person.

In "Bhagwat Gita" Lord Krishna is saying to Arjuna:

"man-mana bhava mad-bhakto
mad-yaji mam namaskuru
mam evaishyasi satyam te
pratijane priyo ’si me" (Bhagwat Gita: Chapter Eighteen verse 65)

Be aware of me always,
adore me, make every
act an offering to me,
and you shall come to me;
this I (Krishna) promise,
for you are dear to me.

"sarva-dharman parityajya
mam ekam saranam vraja
aham tvam sarva-papebhyo
mokshayisyami ma suchah" (Bhagwat Gita: Chapter Eighteen verse 66)

Abandon all supports and
look to me for protection.
I shall purify you from the
sins of the past; do not grieve.

So let's just surrender to the will of God & be devoted to Lord Krishna. Let's sing His Glories, read literature regarding Him & also do loving service to humanity (charity etc.) in His name. By doing so God shall always protect us in life

Jai Sri Krishna.

Don't be Tense, Get Relaxed

Tension is a very common word in our fast day to day life. In one's life everyone suffers from tension at some point or the other. Tension can be due to workplace pressures, in relationships etc. etc. Tension normally disturbs our physical and mental health. Due to tension a person fails to respond appropriately to emotional or physical threats to the organism.

Common tension symptoms include irritability, muscular tension, inability to concentrate and a variety of physical reactions, such as headaches and accelerated heart beat. Otherwise tension can also cause backache, insomnia, fatigue, hypertension, eating disorder etc. Every one of us want to get out of this tension & get relaxed. Let's see how we can achieve that.

We generally compare ourselves with others. This comparison given tension to our mind as we all live in different circumstances with different capabilities. In such a unique world, comparing ourselves & our situations with others is absurdity. But if we do so, we shall get tense, as what others have may not be with us or what qualities others have, may not be with us. Do not compare yourself with others as you are unique in your own sense & others don't have those qualities what you are having. This world is such that each person in this world is unique & we should love that uniqueness of every person than comparing it with others. The art of making beautiful shoes is with a cobbler & not with you. Similarly you are the master of your own Karma (whatever job / work you do) & not anybody else. Let's respect the Karma of each person & not the results those Karma's bear. World is run by the Karma's of each person & not by the fruit's those Karmas bear. So let's be happy doing our own Karma than running after the fruit's those Karma's bear.

The other reason why our mind remains tense is that we are not satisfied with our present state. If we have something, we are not happy with it. We may not have harmonious relations with many people in our life which also gives tension. If we have a particular amount of money with us, it seems less to us & we want more of it. Same is that, we have Greed for other things & don’t know how to enjoy the one’s we are already having.

To get relaxed & be peaceful at mind, the first & foremost thing is to be satisfied with what we have at present & try to make harmonious relations with the people all around us. Once we are able to do that then we shall find that we are much better off & much peaceful.

So if we want to come out of tension then first of all we need to change our lifestyle. Other than that, we need to learn some relaxation techniques such as meditation, doing deep breathing exercises, listening to soul soothing music etc. as it relaxes one's mind. Living alone in silence without any disturbance for some time also relaxes the mind. Having a long simple walk, seeing the beauty of nature, doing some physical exercises, massaging the body can also help in reducing the tension.

Also as per teachings of "Bhagwat Gita" we need to be happy with our present state of life & should not hanker after the material desires. We need to have faith in God & should do our own duty as while doing one's own duty only, one can be happy. Do not blame God for the miseries of life, but just surrender to the will of God. Seek God's mercy & He shall give you peace of mind & happiness in life.

Jai Sri Krishna

Oh, my Lord

A devotee of Lord Krishna says to Lord:

"Oh, my Lord, fill my consciousness with bliss, ecstasy & Your love, so that ignorance flees away from my life. Only your love can dispel my past regrets & also the fear of future wrongs, whose consequence shall be sorrow & misfortune only. O Lord, I cannot wait until tomorrow to wait for your grace to happen on me, as tomorrow can be like infinite past only, when I died so many times without knowing you. I want you to fill the cup of my life, today only, with your love & devotion. I don't want to die, time & again in future, as I have done in the past. I know you shall come to my rescue & fill my Soul with your Love."

Lord Krishna tells His devotee through Bhagwat Gita:

 "bhaktya mam abhijanati
yavan yas chasmi tattvatah
tato mam tattvato jnatva
visate tad-anantaram" (Bhagwat Gita: Chapter Eighteen verse 55)

"Sri Krishna says: O Arjuna, One can understand Me as I am, as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, only by devotional service. And when one is in full consciousness of Me by such devotion, he can enter into the kingdom of God."

"sarva-karmany api sada
kurvano mad-vyapasrayah
mat-prasadad avapnoti
sasvatam padam avyayam" (Bhagwat Gita: Chapter Eighteen verse 56)

"Sri Krishna says: O Arjuna, Though engaged in all kinds of activities, My pure devotee, under My protection, reaches the eternal and imperishable abode by My grace."

"cetasa sarva-karmani
mayi sannyasya mat-parah
dhi-yogam upasritya
mac-cittah satatam bhava" (Bhagwat Gita: Chapter Eighteen verse 57)

"Sri Krishna says: O Arjuna, In all activities just depend upon Me and work always under My protection. In such devotional service, be fully conscious of Me."

"mac-cittah sarva-durgani
mat-prasadat tarisyasi
atha cet tvam ahankaran
na srosyasi vinanksyasi" (Bhagwat Gita: Chapter Eighteen verse 58)

"Sri Krishna says: O Arjuna, If you become conscious of Me, you will pass over all the obstacles of conditioned life by My grace. If, however, you do not work in such consciousness but act through false ego, not hearing Me, you will be lost."



So let's all be devotees of Lord Krishna & follow the teachings given by Him in Bhagwat Gita. By doing so God shall bestow His mercy & love upon us. Once we are under His divine mercy & love then all the ignorance shall flee away from our life. After that all the good luck, bliss & ecstasy shall come in our life.

Jai Sri Krishna

Know Your Powers

There is a very common story that once, a Lion's cub was raised among the lambs from the start of his birth. That Lion's cub when grew up, always thought himself to be a lamb only. Many times, that Lion was told about his true nature that he is the king among the animals but he always thought himself to be a lamb only. So, that Lion was an ignorant one, as he believed himself to be someone different than his true self.

In another story there was a tribal man who lived in a remote jungle area & was unaware of the modern day developments like Cars, Airplanes etc. He used to move around on his horse. One day someone gave him a modern day car having 150 horsepower (HP) engine. As he was unaware of, what was a car & how it moved, he put two horses ahead of the car & made them drive the car while he sat in the car. He was just unaware of what the car was & how powerful it was. He didn't knew that this car was having the power of 150 horses & can run at 5-10 times the speed of the horses. It was his ignorance only that he was unaware of the power of the car engine.

Similar to the above, is our situation that we are unable to see our true nature, that we are that infinite powerful soul. Potential & powers inside ourselves are infinite & if we tap those powers in our soul then we can do anything & achieve anything in our life. We all need to introspect & know that our true soul source is having infinite potential. Soul strength is the Inner Strength, Mental strength or Personal Strength which comes into action in our hard times to defeat all such negative symptoms of sadness, depression etc. in one's life. In hard times it helps in building our low esteem and loss of confidence. When we are passing through bad times, we have a feeling of self dejection & a feeling that we will not succeed in life, in all such times, our Soul Strength comes into play.

Inner Strength is basically an exploration to find our authentic self. Now how we can peep into & explore our original inner self? Here is a great book "Bhagwat Gita" which is a reservoir of all such questions. "Bhagwat Gita", time & again tells us that we have a Soul inside our human body & this Soul has infinite potential. As this Soul of ours is a spark of the Infinite all powerful, all pervasive Universal Soul, so it's powers are also limit less. This Soul present inside our human body, in fact gives strength to our mind to carry out all difficult tasks. Believing in oneself is nothing but believing in one's inner Soul. All fountains of knowledge & strength come out of this inner Soul only.

In Bhagwat Gita: Chapter Thirteen verse 18, God himself tells that :

"jyotisam api taj jyotis
tamasah param ucyate
jnanam jneyam jnana-gamyam
hridi sarvasya visthitam" (Bhagwat Gita: Chapter Thirteen verse 18)

"Sri Krishna said: O Arjuna, He is the source of light in all luminous objects. He is beyond the darkness of matter and is un-manifested. He is knowledge, He is the object of knowledge, and He is the goal of knowledge. He is situated in everyone’s heart."

So God is situated in everyone’s heart & gives strength, knowledge & guidance to every human being. So if we have faith in God, faith in our inner Soul then we shall get all the power & Inner Strength to get out of all our adversities.

So let's look inside ourselves so that we can come in touch with our real self (Soul) from where emerges all our Inner Strength. Be yourself & be proud of yourself, as your original self is part & parcel of the Universal Self (God) & with His grace you shall come out of all the adverse circumstances. So have devotion in God & it shall strengthen your mind to face all the challenges of Life.

Jai Sri Krishna

Above The Clouds Sun Is Always Shining

How often do you feel sad in life? How many times your mind gets depressed, dejected in life. We don't want to be sad in life but truth is that sadness is as much a part of our life as happiness is in our life. How good it would have been, if our mind always remains in a happy, joyful & elated state of mind. In times of difficulty, we feel, that there is darkness all around in our life but we generally forget that Sun always shines above the clouds. Clouds in our life can darken the horizon of the sky sometimes but not always. Let's always have hope in our life that everything shall happen good in life ultimately.

Here below is philosophy of "Bhagwat Gita" which states that, whatever, happens in our life, always happens for the Good only. Before that let's see a beautiful story below:

"In old times there was a farmer who had worked his crops for many years. One day his horse ran away. Upon hearing the news, his neighbors came to visit him. “Such bad luck,” they said sympathetically.

“All happens for the Good only,” the farmer replied. On hearing this his neighbors were surprised.

The next morning the horse returned, bringing with it three other wild horses. “How wonderful,” the neighbors exclaimed.

“All happens for the Good only,” replied the old man.

The following day, his son tried to ride one of the untamed horses, was thrown, and broke his leg. The neighbors again came to offer their sympathy on his misfortune.

“All happens for the Good only,” answered the farmer. On hearing this his neighbors were again surprised.

The day after, military officials came to the village to draft young men into the army. Seeing that the son’s leg was broken, they passed him by. The neighbors congratulated the farmer on how well things had turned out.

“All happens for the Good only,” said the farmer."

As per the "Gita Saar" which is the brief essence of the Philosophy of "Bhagwat Gita". It is said that:

"Whatever happened in the past, it happened for the good; Whatever is happening, is happening for the good; Whatever shall happen in the future, shall happen for the good only. Do not weep for the past, do not worry for the future, concentrate on your present life."

"जो हुआ अच्छा हुआ, जो हो रहा है अच्छा हो रहा है, जो होगा अच्छा होगा। जो बीत गया उस के लिए मत रोवो, जो आने वाला है उस की चिंता मत करो, अपने वर्तमान में धयान लगाओ"

We should have faith in ourselves & think that our soul is a spark of the Infinite, all powerful, all pervasive Universal Soul, so it's powers are also limit less. Just have positive traits in your life & you shall feel happy. Have a nature of Forgiveness & it shall remove unnecessary tensions in your life. Showing Gratitude towards others is also a positive aspect in life, which makes one humble & creates an environment of peace & harmony in one's life. So considering this we should have a positive attitude in our life. We should look positive in our times of adversity. We should have faith in God & we should always think that "Sun always shines above the clouds.

Jai Shri Krishna

What is the Proof that Soul Exists?

Soul, Spirit, Atman, Self etc. are words which are used to define subtle nature of ourselves which is invisible & mysterious. But if you say that Give me a proof for the existence of this Soul, how can it be given? Here below is how we can understand this invisible & mysterious Soul.

We in our daily life generally say that, "My Body", "My Mind", "My Senses or Indriyas", "My Pranas", etc. When you address these things as "My" that clearly means that your true Self, the Soul or Atman is entirely different from the Body, the Mind, the Prana and the Senses. The Body & Mind are your servants or instruments. They are as much outside of your true Self, Soul as these outside things as your home, car, bed etc. You are holding this body just as you are holding a long walking stick in your hand. Your true Self, the Soul is the possessor or proprietor of this body. The body is your property or possession. The body, the senses, the mind, etc. are not the Soul, Self or Atman, but belong to it.

Soul is something which is within this body & something which can exist without this body. When soul lives in this physical body then it enjoys the different sensory objects through this body. Soul is indestructible & immortal. It moves from one body to the other. As we are not able to see this Soul due to it's subtle nature so it looks mysterious to us.

Now let's understand about the Soul through the Bhagwat Gita. As per Bhagwat Gita both God (Super soul) and the Individual Souls do exist & It also believes in the incarnation of the individual souls, their delusion and bondage to the cycle of births and deaths because of desire ridden actions. As per this, Soul at death gets released from this body, rises to the higher worlds (heaven etc.) or to the lower wombs (animals, birds etc.) & reincarnates or return to the earth to continue its cycle of births and deaths.

According to Bhagwat Gita, the Soul, or Atman, is indestructible and eternal (Chapter 2.18).

"antavanta ime deha
nityasyoktah saririnah
anasino ’prameyasya
tasmad yudhyasva bharata" (Bhagwat Gita: Chapter Two verse 18)

"Sri Krishna said: All these bodies pertaining to the indestructible, immeasurable and eternal living entity / soul are spoken of as perishable; therefore, fight, Arjuna."
According to Bhagwat Gita, the Soul, or Atman, neither slays not can it be slain (Chapter 2.19).

"ya enam vetti hantaram
yas chainam manyate hatam
ubhau tau na vijanito
nayam hanti na hanyate" (Bhagwat Gita: Chapter Two verse 19)

"Sri Krishna said: They are both ignorant, he who knows the soul to be capable of killing and he who takes it as killed; for verily the soul neither kills, nor is killed."

According to Bhagwat Gita, the Soul, or Atman, is never born, never dies and after coming into existence never ceases to be. It is nitya (always), shasvatah (permanent) and purana (very ancient) (Chapter 2.20).

"na jayate mriyate va kadacin
nayam bhutva bhavita va na bhuyah
ajo nityah sasvato ’yam purano
na hanyate hanyamane sarire" (Bhagwat Gita: Chapter Two verse 20)

"Sri Krishna said: The soul is never born nor dies at any time. Soul has not come into being, does not come into being, and will not come into being. Soul is unborn, eternal, ever-existing and primeval. Soul is not slain when the body is slain."

According to Bhagwat Gita, the Soul, or Atman, does not suffer & cannot be tainted. At the time of death it does not die, but leaves the body and enters into a new one (Chapter 2.22).

"vasamsi jirnani yatha vihaya
navani grhnati naro ’parani
tatha sarirani vihaya jirnany
anyani samyati navani dehi" (Bhagwat Gita: Chapter Two verse 22)

"Sri Krishna said: As a human being puts on new garments, giving up old ones, the soul similarly accepts new material bodies, giving up the old and useless ones."

According to Bhagwat Gita, the Soul, or Atman has the properties that Weapons cannot pierce it, fire cannot burn it, water cannot moisten it and wind cannot dry it (Chapter 2.23).

"nainam chindanti shastrani
nainam dahati pavakah
na chainam kledayanty apo
na sosayati marutah" (Bhagwat Gita: Chapter Two verse 23)

"Sri Krishna said: The soul can never be cut to pieces by any weapon, nor burned by fire, nor moistened by water, nor withered by the wind."

According to Bhagwat Gita, the Soul, or Atman, is impenetrable, incombustible, all pervading, stable and immobile (Chapter 2.24).

"acchedyo ’yam adahyo ’yam
akledyo ’sosya eva cha
nityah sarva-gatah sthanur
achalo ’yam sanatanah" (Bhagwat Gita: Chapter Two verse 24)

"Sri Krishna said: This individual soul is unbreakable and insoluble, and can be neither burned nor dried. He is everlasting, present everywhere, unchangeable, immovable and eternally the same."

According to Bhagwat Gita, the Soul, or Atman, is invisible, imperceptible and immutable (Chapter 2.25).

"avyakto ’yam acintyo ’yam
avikaryo ’yam ucyate
tasmad evam viditvainam
nanusocitum arhasi" (Bhagwat Gita: Chapter Two verse 25)

"Sri Krishna said: It is said that the soul is invisible, inconceivable and immutable. Knowing this, you should not grieve for the body."
Lord Krishna knew the limitations of human consciousness to gauge the true nature of the inner soul. So in the Bhagwat Gita it concurs that no one can exactly know what a soul is. Someone looks at It with great surprise, another speaks about It with great surprise, some another hears about It with incredulity and yet another after hearing about It knows it not (Chapter 2.29).

"ascharya-vat pasyati kascid enam
ascharya-vad vadati tathaiva chanyah
ascharya-vac chainam anyah srnoti
srutvapy enam veda na chaiva kascit" (Bhagwat Gita: Chapter Two verse 29)

"Sri Krishna said: Some look on the soul as amazing, some describe him as amazing, and some hear of him as amazing, while others, even after hearing about him, cannot understand him at all."

So in this way Soul is a Mysterious thing & can be understood if you have faith in God & in religious scriptures.

Jai Shri Krishna