If you were to lose some valuables and cash, You would miss them and find them quite upsetting; Then how is it that you don’t find it reckless or rash, When you lose your temper with much fuming and fretting? Your temper commands a very high price, Losing it is not very comfy and nice.
Most often you are angry with a desire to win, But how can you do so on a losing wicket? It is like skating on ice that is so thin, That to hell you buy a one way ticket. When in difficult times you stay calm, It is as if on your wounds you apply balm.
Next time you face an adverse situation, Or are face to face with a pugnacious man; Try not to lose your temper in frustration, And stay as calm and cool as you can. Instead of losing you’d actually gain, And avoid your wealth go down the drain.
Slow and deep breaths restore your balance, That the other party tried hard to upset, Through your sobriety and nonchalance, You’d give him a lesson he won’t easily forget. Whilst he weakens you emerge strong, You are proved right and he is proved wrong.
As I look around I always find, People in worse situation than I am; I am convinced God is kind, We should be thankful for his programme. Hope of better times keeps us alive, As each one of us in our situation strive.
Thank you, God, for the good times you give, That make us enjoy your endless gifts; Thank you when in times of trial we live, That make us strong to climb the cliffs. We accept the situation in which we are, Since we know, you as our strength are never far.
I never lament I have no shoes, For I know those who have no feet. I, therefore, accept whatever for me you choose, It will always be taken as your blessing sweet. Just hold my hand in all times to come, To useless despair let me never succumb.
At what age does a man become wise? Is not something that can lead to surprise. A thirty year old can be wiser, Than the so called old advisor, Who is a nincompoop in clever disguise.
Wisdom is rarely the function of age, It doesn’t come to people at some life’s stage. If you don’t learn from experience, Then there is hardly any difference, Between you and a person in his teenage.
Let Life teach you on each and every occasion, Through casual encounters and persuasion. Just keep ears and eyes open, Pay heed to what is written and spoken, And live not in theory but in it’s application.
Wisdom doesn’t fall in lap but is earned and learnt, Sometimes it is even something that is unlearnt. How you face each situation, Stays in your mind’s compilation, Like a program on the mind’s disc is burnt.
My best teacher in life has been adversity, It has taught me more than anyone could, Every one of its lessons I understood; It also taught me the virtues of scarcity.
When things for us are hunky-dory and nice, Life is comfy and no lessons come our way. We are so busy with activities of day to day, That we don’t notice euphoria comes with a price.
Adversity teaches and also makes us learn fast, It can be seen as a form of on the job training. The first thing it teaches is how to live without complaining, And then to look at happiness without contrast.
It is in adversity that a man’s true character comes out, Something that was lying under a mask. Whilst in success a man in his own glory may bask, Adversity for the same man may prove a knockout.
Is life to be merely passage of time? To go on living without reason or rhyme. Is it to be measured by how much money one earned? Or because of one’s success how many heads turned.
Would life be well lived if one made a good name? A life free of rencour, a life free of blame. Could the success of children be a measure of life? A great mansion, limousine and a pretty wife?
There can be several yardsticks but no litmus test, By the result of it the aim of life can be guessed. Sages have tied in knots explaining life’s meaning, No one has found one that’s universally appealing.
However, in life you have earned a good place, If your life brought smile to someone’s face. If you provided the hopeless with some hope, If you threw towards a drowning man your only rope.
It is so easy to do but very few actually do, To earn others’ gratitude is given to a few. But, do try it and be instantly blessed, Make others’ happiness as your life’s quest.
Sometimes when we don’t get what we asked God to give….
Good Morning Friends,
So something you asked for wasn’t granted, And that’s filled you with remorse and outrage. You feel with God somewhat disenchanted, God is probably not with you on the same page. Who has understood who wrong? God has been with you all along.
We have, at best, very limited vision, We are never able to see the big picture. When we subject God’s will to derision, We are passing a very unkind stricture. God is always good, He is always kind, But, sometimes with His will we are not aligned.
We don’t always know what is good for us, But, God, He always knows the best. With our limited intelligence we can’t discuss, Why God made us go through a difficult test. Who knows He was preparing us for something great? When we thought He left us in poorer state.
He would give us better than we deserve, We should always rejoice in this trust; Think of what for us He has kept in reserve, When and if His will fills us with disgust. “God, I thank you for all that you do for me, Even for those gifts I can’t immediately see.”
….we should be sure He’s thinking of giving us better.
If God indeed made all things nice, Why are bad things still around? Why does goodness come with a price, Why are evil men to be found?
Why are there floods and fire, Suddenly at the end of great weather? Why do we see that when peace we desire, War clouds out of nowhere gather?
Let me give just one example, When we understand why God made such diversity, If the true character of a man you’d sample, Then you must see him in adversity.
If it hadn’t been for bad days, Many wouldn’t fully value good ones; Who would appreciate sun’s rays, If without fail everyday it comes?
Finally, nothing in the world is good or bad, It is just a matter of how it is viewed; The same thing happy is seen as sad, By those who happen to be in a bad mood.
Whenever one is indeed travelling, It is a travel within our main travel. The mystery of the universe is unraveling, Depends upon our own power to change unravel. We should enjoy the journey not just the destination. Look at the scenery around and avoid the frustration.
Just as we trust the pilot of the plane or train, Trust God the pilot of the universe. Don’t view his planning and driving with disdain, Avoid any outlook that is adverse.
He knows where he is taking you,
Many have been there before.
For the journey, not his, it is your debut.
He brings you right up to the door.
Travelling light is always for any traveler the best,
Pack only the things that you really require.
Let the journey be interspersed with rest,
Look at the scenery, pause and admire.
Not just the noise without, One should also control the noise within; Our thoughts create that shout, That leads to excessive din. Quiet mind is healthy mind, Silence helps it to unwind.
Shopping Malls keep the noise levels high, They want you, on impulse, to shop; Your mind they don’t want you to apply, It helps them if you buy non stop. But God never asks you to pay, That’s why you must silently pray.
He could hear before loudspeakers were invented, He doesn’t require you to scream. With your silent prayers He is contented, You can even communicate in your dream. Let Him listen to your quiet mind, It helps Him and you to your true self find.
Let’ shun loudspeakers from life, And embrace godly quietude, It would certainly lead to less strife, And help preserve joyous mood. When I find my God through my mind, I always find Him so very kind.
Between Noise and Quiet, I always choose Quiet, Since Quiet is peace and Noise is riot. Noise, it always portrays destruction. Quiet is the portrayal of Creation or Construction. Silence is Love, Noise is Hatred, The latter is chaos, Quiet is sacred. Quiet is the way of greatness, Noise would probably be chosen by the shameless. Quiet would the Heaven spell, Noise would remind you of Hell. Silence would make you feel light, Noise would evoke in you a fight. Quiet makes you calm, Noise makes you rowdy, Quiet is clear sky, Noise is thunder and cloudy. I can’t imagine choosing Noise in the name of Religion, It’s like choosing crow when you should be choosing pigeon. You can’t reach God through a loudspeaker. Silence is the language of His true seeker.
I have been giving you these poems since the First of June 2018.
From 4th Jan 19, I started doing something different. In addition to my own inspirational poems everyday, I started giving you, on every Friday, a song or poem that has inspired me. Today is the fifth and it is a hymn in Gujarati that was made very popular by Mahatma Gandhi since he took it as his favourite hymn: ‘Vaishnav jan to tene kahiye…. ‘.
Lately, the Indian Navy’s Symphonic Orchestra has been delighting us with the rendition of this hymn and I get goose pimples listening to it. It has been my favourite too for a long time.
This bhajan was penned in the 15th century by Narsinh Mehta or Narsi Bhagat in Gujarati. The bhajan brings out how a Vaishnav Jan (Vishnu’s follower) must tailor his/her life. It was sung by Amirbai Karnataki, popularly known as Kannada Kokila.
Before I give you the hymn, here is my small introduction:
If never have we felt anyone else’s pain, Our life has been completely in vain. The Maker of everyone is the same God, Whose Creation all of us applaud, How can to our own aloof we can remain?
And here is the hymn and its translation:
ષ્ણવ જન તો તેને કહિયે જે પીડ પરાયી જાણે રે પર દુ:ખે ઉપકાર કરે તો યે મન અભિમાન ન આણે રે. ॥ધૃ॥
वैष्णव जन तो तेने कहिये जे पीड परायी जाणे रे । पर दुःखे उपकार करे तो ये मन अभिमान न आणे रे ॥
vaiṣṇava jana to tene kahiye je pīḍa parāyī jāṇe re, para duḥkhe upakāra kare to ye mana abhimāna na āṇe re
Call those people Vaishnavas who Feel the pain of others, Help those who are in misery, But never let self-conceit enter their mind.
સકળ લોકમાં સહુને વંદે, નિંદા ન કરે કેની રે વાચ કાછ મન નિશ્છળ રાખે ધન ધન જનની તેની રે. ॥૧॥
सकळ लोकमां सहुने वंदे, निंदा न करे केनी रे । वाच काछ मन निश्चळ राखे, धन धन जननी तेनी रे ॥
sakaḷa loka māṁ sahune vande, nindā na kare kenī re, vāca kācha mana niścala rākhe, dhana dhana jananī tenī re
They respect the entire world, Do not disparage anyone, Keep their words, actions and thoughts pure, The mother of such a soul is blessed.
સમદૃષ્ટિ ને તૃષ્ણા ત્યાગી પરસ્ત્રી જેને માત રે જિહ્વા થકી અસત્ય ન બોલે પરધન નવ ઝાલે હાથ રે. ॥૨॥
समदृष्टि ने तृष्णा त्यागी, परस्त्री जेने मात रे । जिह्वा थकी असत्य न बोले, परधन नव झाले हाथ रे ॥
sama-dṛṣṭi ne tṛṣṇā tyāgī, para-strī jene māta re, jihvā thakī asatya na bole, para-dhana nava jhāle hātha re
They see all equally, renounce craving, Respect other women as their own mother, Their tongue never utters false words, Their hands never touch the wealth of others.
મોહ માયા વ્યાપે નહિ જેને, દૃઢ વૈરાગ્ય જેના મનમાં રે રામ નામ શુ તાળી રે લાગી સકળ તીરથ તેના તનમાં રે. ॥૩॥
मोह माया व्यापे नहि जेने, दृढ़ वैराग्य जेना मनमां रे । रामनाम शुं ताळी रे लागी, सकळ तीरथ तेना तनमां रे ॥
moha māyā vyāpe nahi jene, dṛḍha-vairāgya jenā manamāṁ re, rāma-nāma śuṁ tāḷī re lāgī, sakaḷa tīratha tenā tanamāṁ re
They do not succumb to worldly attachments, They are firmly detached from the mundane, They are enticed by the name of God (Rama), All places of pilgrimage are embodied in them.
વણ લોભી ને કપટ રહિત છે, કામ ક્રોધ નિવાર્યાં રે ભણે નરસૈયો તેનું દર્શન કરતાં કુળ એકોતેર તાર્યાં રે. ॥૪॥
वणलोभी ने कपटरहित छे, काम क्रोध निवार्या रे । भणे नरसैयॊ तेनुं दरसन करतां, कुळ एकोतेर तार्या रे ॥
vaṇa-lobhī ne kapaṭa-rahita che, kāma krodha nivāryā re, bhaṇe narasaiyo tenuṁ darasana karatāṁ, kuḷa ekotera tāryā re
They have forsaken greed and deceit, They stay afar from lust and anger, Narsi says: I’d be grateful to meet such a soul, Whose virtue liberates their entire lineage.
Do you remember the days before the Internet, Only from a close circle of people advice you’d get? Your privacy, by others, was always respected, Your habits, wants and beliefs were never dissected.
Nowadays everyone offers you unsolicited advice, Where to go, what to eat and buy, at what price? Any time you feel you are unobserved and alone, Some suggestions or messages pop up from unknown.
As it is Whats App has made most people puppets, Now they give you advice with blowing of trumpets, Buy this, buy that, see this, see that, do this, do that, You don’t do, you’re doomed; you do and you’re copy cat.
The result: Individuality vanishes, people behave like clones, People are controlled by their own smartphones. Studying and analysing things have become rare, Instant advice like fast food is here and everywhere.
Any suggestions or advice as to how to get over this crisis?
All Religion is an attempt to live in the past, Because, unless you are an iconoclast, You assume that some sage before, Really knew and understood more, Than all those in the present era, by contrast.
I don’t think Religion is to be blindly followed, Like a miracle drug to be dutifully swallowed; Like all knowledge from one era to next, It should be true in both time and text, However much it was to be held as hallowed.
The guardians of Religion want people to be blind, And to the thinking of another to be totally aligned, There is no room for any doubt, As they increase their own clout, And to just one isolated approach one is confined.
What if you are one to one with your Maker and God, Without any past theory and practice to be overawed; You make your own ethics and rules, You take assistance from your own tools, Would you say such a concept is completely flawed?*
I would say Humanity is a religion by itself.
*Let me hear some views about it in the comments. Lets not make these daily messages totally one sided.
If God were to give you a choice, What would you like to be at birth? Would being very strong make you rejoice? Or being very intelligent fill you with mirth?
Or would you like to be born as a Lion, The recognised king of the forest? Or would you rather be born as a scion, To a family that is seen as the richest?
A great singer, painter or actor, What would give you the greatest joy? Would it be to be seen as a benefactor, Or to change over to being a girl if born as a boy?
There are hundreds and thousands of choices, It is hard to think of as what you want to be born. There are in your head many competing voices, Between various options you are torn.
You are a very happy person indeed, If you’d like to be born as who you are. “God, I have neither any remorse nor greed, You have already made me a bright star. “
“I am lucky you made me who I am, I don’t want to change a thing. To becoming someone I don’t give a damn, Even if it were to be a queen or a king. “
You are happy if you’d like to be born as yourself.
From 4th Jan 19, I started doing something different. In addition to my own inspirational poems everyday, I started giving you, on every Friday, a song or poem that has inspired me. Today is the fourth one and it is a hymn in Hindi called ‘Aye malik tere bande ham‘.
This bhajan or hymn made lasting impact on me. I saw the 1957 V Shantaram movie ‘Do Aankhen Barah Haath’ (A pair of eyes and twelve hands) when I was barely six years old. It was screened in our colony in the Himachal town of Mandi on a portable screen and projector. This movie is a classic in human psychology about good begetting good even in hardcore prisoners. Indeed, as far as I know, the movie depicted the jail-warden Adinath’s resolve to have an open prison based on trust and thereby reforming even hardened prisoners.
This bhajam penned by Bharat Vyas, composed by Vasant Desai and sung by Lata Mangeshkar is not just the most popular bhajan in Hindi movies but depicts the advantages of having God on your side, the righteous side.
It takes great courage to stand against cruelty, evil and chicanery. Many a times we find ourselves alone and feeble to stand against these. We wish we would get miraculous powers and strength to take on everything we are pitted against.
The fact is that such miraculous powers are within our reach. India’s most celebrated mounyaineer, the Indian Navy Captain MS Kohli wrote a book called ‘The Miracles Of Ardaas (Prayer)’ and has shared actual incidents wherein when everything was lost for him, God actually provided him with the miraculous power to come out of it unscathed.
Captain Kohli, a living legend, is the recipient of Padma Bhushan and Arjuna Award besides a host of other awards and honours.
Here is my own introductory poem before we take on the hymn that has provided me with enormous solace and abundant courage all these years. My dad was killed in a jeep accident when I was thirty years old. I had to fight endemic corruption, administrative and judicial inefficiency, and poverty to make secure life for my widowed mother and my family. I had and have Ardaas and Waheguru:
The sensible way to fight evil is with goodness, And not to pay back evil in the same coin. You can’t pit rudeness against rudeness, And then in humility your hands to join.
God and you is the strongest combine, To take on the fiercest oppressors. God’s Power can make you outshine, All the cruelties unleashed by your aggressors.
Have trust in Him to lead you out, From the pit of darkness you appear to be in; Don’t let yourself be assailed by doubt, God on your side shall always make you win.
And now the hymn:
ऐ मालिक तेरे बंदे हम ऐसे हो हमारे करम नेकी पर चलें और बदी से टलें ताकि हंसते हुये निकले दम
जब ज़ुल्मों का हो सामना तब तू ही हमें थामना वो बुराई करें हम भलाई भरें नहीं बदले की हो कामना बढ़ उठे प्यार का हर कदम और मिटे बैर का ये भरम नेकी पर चलें …
ये अंधेरा घना छा रहा तेरा इनसान घबरा रहा हो रहा बेखबर कुछ न आता नज़र सुख का सूरज छिपा जा रहा है तेरी रोशनी में वो दम जो अमावस को कर दे पूनम नेकी पर चलें …
बड़ा कमज़ोर है आदमी अभी लाखों हैं इसमें कमीं पर तू जो खड़ा है दयालू बड़ा तेरी कृपा से धरती थमी दिया तूने जो हमको जनम तू ही झेलेगा हम सबके ग़म नेकी पर चलें …
And my translation….
O Owner, we are your children, Our deeds should be such, We walk on goodness’s path, And shun the evil, So that we depart from the world happy.
When we have to face cruelties, You should be there to hold us, They indulge in evil, We should continue with kindness, And we should not be filled with vengeful feelings. Every step we take should be in love, There shouldn’t be a whisper of animosity.
Deep darkness descends, Your people are afraid, They appear lost, They can’t see anything, The sun of happiness appears to be setting. Your light has such power, As to convert moonless night into full moon light.
Man is very frail, Still he has lots of deficiencies, But You stand there, Like huge (pillar of) Kindness, The Earth rests on your blessings. Since you created us, You would bear all our sorrows.
….take’ hanste huye nikle dam…*
*(So that we leave the world happily). I used to have my doubt about this: to lead the whole life righteously so that one can die smilingly; what a waste, I thought. But then, on the 9th Aug 2017 when my mother was dying in my arms and she had that divine smile on her face, I understood the full meaning of it that had eluded me all these years.
This bhajan was penned in the 15th century by 
