ईश्वर का रंग

Rajesh Gambhir ईश्वर का रंग संत तिरुवल्लुवर की सभा चल रही थी। लोग दूर-दूर से उनके दर्शन करने और उनके सत्संग का लाभ उठाने आए थे। वहां उपस्थित सारे भक्त उनकी बातों को ध्यान से सुन रहे थे। हर कोई उनसे अपने प्रश्न पूछकर अपनी जिज्ञासा शांत कर रहा था। संत सबके प्रश्नों के उत्तर स्नेहपूर्वक दे रहे थे। एक जिज्ञासु ने पूछा- महाराज आप कहते हैं कि ईश्वर हर जगह पर है। उसको कहीं भी देखा या महसूस किया जा सकता है। यह बात सत्य है या ऐसे ही लोगों को भरमाने के लिए कह दिया गया है? हमने यह सवाल पहले भी कुछ साधु-महात्माओं से किया था पर मुझे आज तक इसका कोई संतोषजनक उत्तर नहीं मिल सका। कृपया आप बताएं। कोई उदाहरण से समझाएंगे तो अच्छा होगा। संत तिरुवल्लुवर मुस्कराए और उन्होंने आश्रम में रखी मेहंदी में से थोड़ी मेहंदी उस व्यक्ति के हाथ में लगाकर पूछा- अभी तुम्हें अपनी हथेली पर कौन सा रंग दिख रहा है? वह व्यक्ति बोला- जी, यह तो कोई भी बता सकता है। यह हरा रंग है। संत ने उसे थोड़ी देर प्रतीक्षा करने को कहा। फिर थोड़ी देर बाद उसके हाथ धुलवाकर उससे पूछा-अब बताओ यह लाल रंग कहां से आया? वह व्यक्ति संत का मुंह देखने लगा। सब उत्सुक हो उठे। संत बोले- जिस प्रकार हरे रंग की मेहंदी में लाल रंग मौजूद है मगर दिखता नहीं, उसी प्रकार ईश्वर भी हम सबके भीतर अलग-अलग रूपों में उपस्थित है। उसे हम उचित प्रयास से ही अनुभव कर सकते हैं। लोग संत की इस व्याख्या से प्रसन्न हो गए।

: [SHRi SHAKTI MANCH (FOR LADIES ONLY)] Change Your Thinking

Sumiti Gupta Vjm Change Your Thinking It will take just 37 seconds to read this and change your thinking.. Two men, both seriously ill, occupied the same hospital room. One man was allowed to sit up in his bed for an hour each afternoon to help drain the fluid from his lungs. His bed was next to the room's only window. The other man had to spend all his time flat on his back. The men talked for hours on end.. They spoke of their wives and families, their homes, their jobs, their involvement in the military service, where they had been on vacation... Every afternoon, when the man in the bed by the window could sit up, he would pass the time by describing to his room-mate all the things he could see outside the window. The man in the other bed began to live for those one hour periods where his world would be broadened and enlivened by all the activity and color of the world outside. The window overlooked a park with a lovely lake. Ducks and swans played on the water while children sailed their model boats. Young lovers walked arm in arm amidst flowers of every color and a fine view of the city skyline could be seen in the distance. As the man by the window described all this in exquisite details, the man on the other side of the room would close his eyes and imagine this picturesque scene. One warm afternoon, the man by the window described a parade passing by. Although the other man could not hear the band - he could see it in his mind's eye as the gentleman by the window portrayed it with descriptive words. Days, weeks and months passed. One morning, the day nurse arrived to bring water for their baths only to find the lifeless body of the man by the window, who had died peacefully in his sleep. She was saddened and called the hospital attendants to take the body away. As soon as it seemed appropriate, the other man asked if he could be moved next to the window. The nurse was happy to make the switch, and after making sure he was comfortable, she left him alone. Slowly, painfully, he propped himself up on one elbow to take his first look at the real world outside. He strained to slowly turn to look out the window besides the bed. It faced a blank wall. The man asked the nurse what could have compelled his deceased room-mate who had described such wonderful things outside this window. The nurse responded that the man was blind and could not even see the wall. She said, 'Perhaps he just wanted to encourage you.' Epilogue: There is tremendous happiness in making others happy, despite our own situations. Shared grief is half the sorrow, but happiness when shared, is doubled. If you want to feel rich, just count all the things you have that money can't buy. ' Today is a gift, that is why it is called The Present.'

A Very Happy Lohri and Makar Sankrant to all our...please read it

Sumiti Gupta Vjm 8:30am Jan 12 A Very Happy Lohri and Makar Sankrant to all our friends! These auspicious days are very significant....Here is some detailed info. we all would learn more from especially for the young generation All about Lohri/Makar Sankranti/ Uttarayan - Religious Significance: (from a Blog) 1. The Puranas say that on this day Lord Sun visits the house of his son Shani, who is the swami of Makar Rashi. The father and son do not ordinarily get along nicely, but Lord Sun makes it a point to meet on this day. The father himself comes to his son's house, for a month. This day symbolized the importance of special relationship of father and son. It is the son who has the responsibility to carry forward his fathers dream and the continuity of the family. 2. From Uttarayana starts the `day' of Devatas, while dakshinayana is said to be the `night' of devatas, so most of the auspicious things are done during this time. Uttarayana is also called Devayana, and the next half is called Pitrayana. 3. It was on this day when Lord Vishnu ended the ever increasing terrorism of the Asuras by finishing them off and burying their heads under the Mandar Parvat. So this occasion also represents the end of negativities and beginning of an era of righteous living. 4. The great savior of his ancestors, Maharaj Bhagirath, did great Tapasya to bring Gangaji down on the earth for the redemption of 60,000 sons of Maharaj Sagar, who were burnt to ashes at the Kapil Muni Ashram, near the present day Ganga Sagar. It was on this day that Bhagirath finally did tarpan with the Ganges water for his unfortunate ancestors and thereby liberated them from the curse. After visiting the Paataal (below earth) for the redemption of the curse of Bhagirath's ancestors Gangaji finally merged in the Saagar (ocean). Even today a very big Ganga Saagar Mela is organized every year on this day at the confluence of River Ganges and the Bay of Bengal. Lakhs take a dip in the water and do tarpan for their ancestors. There is another spiritually symbolic aspect of this story. The 60,000 cursed son of Maharaj Sagar represent our thoughts, who become dull & dead-like because of uncultured & blind ambition. Redemption of such people is only by the waters of Gangaji, brought down from the Himalayas with great tapasya. This represents dedicated hard work to get the redeeming Brahma-Vidya, which alone enlightens, enthuses & enlivens the life of anyone. 5. Another well-known reference of this day came when the great grandsire of Mahabharata fame, Bhishma, declared his intent to leave his mortal coil on this day. He had the boon of Ichha-Mrityu (die when you choose to die) from his father, so he kept lying on the bed of arrows till this day and then left his mortal coil on Makar Sankranti day. It is believed that the person, who dies during the period of Uttarayana, becomes free from transmigration. So this day was seen as a sure-shot Good Luck day to start your journey or endeavors to the higher realms beyond. How to Celebrate in General: 1. Get up early in the morning, before sunrise, have bath and be ready with water and flowers. Worship the rising Sun, by offering water, flowers with both the hands & then pray with folded hands by chanting the Gayatri Mantra and pray for knowledge, wisdom and enlightenment to rise in the similar way to greater & greater heights. Pray for blessings to live a dynamic, inspired & righteous life. 2. Do tarpan for your ancestors. Offer water to the ancestors while praying for their blessings. Resolve to redeem the pledges and pride of your forefathers. Live life in such a way that wherever your forefathers may be their head is held high by the life and deeds of their children. 3. Have a special session of Meditation, wherein you bring about the awareness of the self-effulgent subjective divinity. Affirm the greatest importance of your spiritual goal very clearly, and pray to God to bless you with the capacity to constantly revel in your true self. May the graph of your rise like the Uttarayana Sun. May there be greater 'Love & Light' in your life & the world. 4. Prepare laddus or other sweets of Til & Gur and offer them to your friends & relatives. See to it that your `Well-being Prayer for all' gets manifested in action & deeds. 5. Have the lunch of Khichiri. This stands for inculcating simplicity in your life & habits. 6. Give some Daan on this day to someone who truly deserves. 7. Visit your son at his place and give presents to the son and the daughter-in-law. If it is not possible to visit, then organize to send presents to them to express your love & affection to them. Work to properly cultivate the generation, which has to carry forward all the best you cherish & value. .