Pray Pray and Continue to Pray

Pray Pray and Continue to Pray 

Believe in God! Trust in Him completely. Know that He will always do the very best for you. Therefore co-operate with His Will. Become a willing instrument in the Hands of God. 

Greet difficulties with a smile and meet dangers with love. And never forget that the Mother Divine is ever with you, protecting you, guiding you, guarding you. In the time of crisis feel the thrill of protection. Whisper to yourself, "The Mother is holding me by the hand; and I feel safe and secure!" The Mother never fails. See that you do not fail Her. Trust in Her till the breaking point, and the breaking point will never come! 

Let prayer become a habit with you. Pray, pray and continue to pray. So many of our prayers remain unanswered because we soon grow tired of praying. We become impatient and lose faith. We feel that as God is not going to act for us, we must act for ourselves. Alas! We forget that God always acts at the right time; and if He does not act, it only means that the right time is not yet. This applies not only to material requirements but also to mental and spiritual needs. 

Pray for more and more faith. He who has faith has everything. For verily, "faith moves mountains." Pray for faith as a famished person would pray for food, as a thirty person would pray for water. And what is it to have faith? T0 have faith is feel sure that whatever God does is always for the best. 

The cure of all ills, physical, mental, spiritual, is contact with God. From time to time, detach yourself from your surroundings and enter within yourself, and in silence wait upon God, conscious of His presence. From time to time, engage yourself in loving converse with God. Offer all your work to Him for help before beginning any work; and give gratitude to Him when it is over. 

Accept whatever comes to you. Do not seek the 'pleasant', do not shun the 'unpleasant.' But rejoice in everything that happens. All that has happened, all that is happening and is yet  to happen, all, all is for the best ! Turn out all thoughts of fear and doubt and anxiety. Close the windows and doors of your minds against them as you would against plague germs. Face each trial and tribulation with love and laughter. Meet every situation in life with the favourite prayer. 

He who lives thus knows what it is to feel the thrill of protection and safety, now and forever. No storm can upset him; no news can shock him. In the midst of the most furious gale he is calm and composed as a safely anchored boat. 

Such a one has controlled his passions. He has eliminated his 'self' and entered into a life of holiness and happiness and harmony, the life of true freedom which is the privilege of every son of God. He owns nothing yet all the wealth of all the world belongs to him. He is attached to no one yet all creatures, men and birds and animals, are his friends. He thinks of no one as an alien. All, all are his, his very own. And he breathes out benedictions to all, to the 'good' and the 'bad', to the rich and the poor, to saints and sinners, to thieves and profligates, to the forsaken and fallen ones. And to all he gives the service of love, beholding in them broken images of the Beloved. 

Of one such man, the man of God was a true bhakta of the Lord. He was rich in the wealth, the only wealth that counts, the wealth of love. He loved God with all the intensity of his being. And in acts of daily life, he taught that to love God is to do the Will of God. And if there is one thing which God wills for us, it is this that we love our fellowmen as He Himself loves them. To love our fellowmen is to live for them and, if need be, to die for them! Such a life, as it unfolds from day to day, becomes an unending love-story, indeed, stranger than fiction and richer than a romance!

 

 

 

Aarati (Offering of light to God)

Aarati

Offering of light to God

 

Om jaya jagdeesha hare,

Swaami jaya deenaanaatha hare;

Bhakta jano ke sankat, Daas janon ke avaguna

Bansariwaalaa doora kare, Om jaya jagdeesha hare.

 

Hail to You, 0 Lord of the universe, Remover of sorrow and Master of all. Salutations and prostrations to You, 0 instant Remover of troubles of Your devotees.

 

Jo dhyaave phala paave, Dukha vinase mana kaa,

Swaami dukha vinase mana kaa;

Sukha sampati ghara aave, Sukha sampati ghara aave

Kashta mite tana kaa, Om jaya jagdeesha hare.

 

You reward those who sing Your glories, and remove their sorrow. With Your name happiness and prosperity dawn and pain disappears.

 

Maataa pitaa tuma mere,Sharana paru mai kiski,

Swaami sharana paru mai kiski;

Tuma bina ur na dooja,

Prabhu bina our na dooja Aasa karun mai jiski, Om jaya jagdeesha hare.

 

You are my mother and father and the only refuge. There is none like You, that I can depend on.

 

Tuma purana paramaatamaa, Tuma antarayaami,

Swaami tuma antarayaami;

Paara brahma parameshwara, Paar brahma parasmeshwara

Tuma sabke swaami, Om jaya jagdeesha hare.

 

O Indweller of all beings, You are perfect, absolute, omnipresent, omnipotent and omniscient.

 

Tuma karunaa ke saagara, Tuma paalana karataa,

Swaami tuma paalana karataa;

Main murakha khala kaami, Main sewaka tuma swaami Kripaa karo bharataa, Om jaya jagdeesha hare.

 

O Ocean of compassion, 0 Protector of all. I am ignorant and lustful. I am a servant, You the master - be merciful.

 

Tuma ho eka agochara, Sabake praana pati, Swaami saba ke praana pati;

Kisa vidhi miloon dayaamay, Kisa vidhi miloon gosaai

Tumko main kumati, Om jaya jagdeesha hare.

 

O Life of all life, You are one and invisible.Guide ignorant beings like me to Your Divine knowledge.

 

Deena bandhu dukha hartaa, Thaakura tuma mere, Swaami rakshaka tuma mere;

Apane hatha uthaao, Apane sharana lagaao

Dwaara parun mai tere, Om jaya jagdeesha hare.

 

You are the Supporter of the weak, the Remover of sorrow and pain. Take me under Your protection I stand at Your threshold.

 

Vishay vikaara mitaao, Paapa haro devaa, Swaami kashta haro devaa;

Shraddhaa bhakti badhaao, Shraddhaa prema badhaao

Santana ki sevaa, Om jaya jagdeesha hare.

 

Take away my passion and suffering, take away my sins and pains. Bless me with ever increasing faith, Divine love and the spirit of service.

 

Tana mana dhanaSaba kuchha hai teraa, Swaami saba kuchha hai teraa;

Teraa tujha ko arapana, Teraa tujha ko arapana

Kyaa laage meraa, Om jaya jagdeesha hare.

 

My body, mind and wealth all are Yours. I am offering You that which is already Yours (for they are not mine).

 

Shyaamasundara ji ki aarati, Jo koi naara gaave,

Swaami jo koi nita gaave; Kahata shivaananda swaami, Bhajata harihara swaami,

Mana vaancchita phala paave, Om jaya jagdeesha hare.

 

This prayer, if it is performed daily, says Shivaanand (the poet), will get the devotee their heart's desire.

 

Jaya jagadeesha hare, Swaami jaya deenaanaatha hare

Bhakta jano ke sankata, Daasa janon ke avaguna, bansariwaala door kare om jay jagadeesha, hare.

Bansariwaalaa doora kare, Hari om jaya jagadeesha hare.

 

 Hail to You, 0 Lord of the universe, Remover of sorrow and Master of all. Salutations and prostrations to You, 0 instant Remover of troubles of Your devotees.

 

 

 

 

 

God, Save Me From Doing Any Evil!

God, Save Me From Doing Any Evil!

He sent a message to Baba: "I am weary of bearing this pain. How many abscesses do I have on my body! I do not have the strength to bear this. Throughout my life I have acted correctly. Why should I have to undergo this painful condition? I have never deviated from the path of righteousness. Why should I be punished and for what sin? - Shri Sai Samartha Satcharita, Ch. 34, Ovi 54-55 

Relating the same message in the following narration. Few days ago, I visited a sick woman; she is not learned in the lore of books. She had severe backache, excruciating pain at the base of the spine. She could neither sit nor stand, neither bent nor walk. Despite it all, there was a smile on her face as she said to me, "I must have done something during one of my earlier births to deserve this condition. Perhaps, I have beaten someone on the back with a stick. God save me from doing any evil in this birth." This is the prayer of everyone who believes in the Law of Karma, "God, save me from doing any evil!" And if this becomes the prayer of every man woman in India, this ancient, unhappy land will become new and India will shine, once again, in the splendour of the new morning sun. The root of exploitation, social injustice and mal-administration is in the thought; I will get away with it! Once I know that in this open universe I cannot get away with anything, I shall be careful to see that there is no evil in my thoughts and actions. 

I do an evil deed in the dark of the night, I say to myself, "No one saw it, I shall get away with it!" The Law of Karma tells me, it is true, no one saw it. But the seed has entered the field of life. The field of life has registered it. And one day or the other, today, tomorrow or in a distant future, out of the seed will grow a tree whose fruit will have to be eaten by you! Therefore, beware and do your daily work in the ever living presence of God! 

This was the teaching that was given to every student in ancient India. There is an aft-repeated story of a guru and two disciples who came to him seeking admission to the ashram. The guru gives them a simple test. He passes on a coconut to each one of them and instructs them to break the coconut where no one may see them, and return with the broken pieces. One of the students enters a dark and solitary cave and finding no one watching, breaks the coconut and within no time returns with the pieces to the guru. The other student returns only after sunset and that, with coconut intact. His friend says to him, "Why did you not accompany me? There were so many caves. I entered one of them. You could have entered another and broken the coconut. Nobody would have seen you." At this, the other friend replied, "I entered cave after cave, but wherever I went, just as I was about to break the coconut, I found that He was watching me. God was watching me! There was not a nook or a corner where God was not!" 

How many of us line this consciousness? This is an ancient interpretation of ancient, eternal law. But how many of us live up to it? 

If only we lived in the thought of God is watching us, exploitation, social injustice and mal-administration would be completely eradicated from the country.

Shaanti Paathh (Prayers for peace)

Shaanti Paathh

Prayers for peace

 

There are three kinds of suffering in the world: Suffering by natural calamities (fire, floods earthquake etc), Physical suffering (pain and illness of the body) and Spiritual suffering (of the mind and soul - worry, hatred, jealousy, addictions etc.) We are praying to God to relieve us of all the three kinds of sufferings.

 

Om dhauh shaantiranta rikshagung (May there be peace in Heaven)

 

Shaantihi prithiwee (May there be peace on earth)

 

Shaanti raapaah (May there be peace in the waters)

 

Shaantir oshadhayaah (May there be peace to the medicinal herbs)

 

Shaantihi vanaspatayaah (May there be peace to all the plants)

 

Shaantir vishvedevaah (May there be peace unto all the Gods.)

 

Shaantir brahmaa (May there be peace Unto Brahmaa)

 

Shaantihi sarvam (May there be peace unto all)

 

Shaantihi shaanti revaa (Peace pervades everywhere)

 

Shaantihi saa maa, Shaanti redhi (May that peace come to me)

 

Hari om shaanti, shaanti, shaanti (Unto all these be Peace, Peace, Peace.)

 

 

SOME RULES TO HELP YOU BE GOOD

SOME RULES TO HELP YOU BE GOOD

1. Always be truthful. Truth is always victorious.

2. Always be happy.

3. Be patient in your bad times. Always face your troubles with courage and tolerance.

4. Do all your work diligently, carefully and enthusiastically. A diligent person can overcome any problems and never lose his cool. A careful person always produces good work and an enthusiastic person derives enjoyment from his work.

5. Be humble. Never boast.

6. Be just. Never ne unfair to others.

7. Be generous in your appreciation of others. If others do good work, show your appreciation by sincere praise.

8. Don't lose temper. Do not become excited and angry. Try to control your anger.

9. Obey all the rules regarding your family, school, elders, officers, village, city, country and Nation. Never neglect or break rules.

10. Accept success or failure in your work. Do not become vain with your success or depressed with your failure. If you succeed, there is always room for improvement. If you fail, there is always scope to work hard and succeed.

11. Be polite. Always show good manners and conduct yourself with dignity wherever you are. Never be abrupt or rude to anybody.

12. Never waste words. Always speak politely, briefly and with understanding. Always speak to the point.

13. Always be compassionate. Don't do any good if you cannot, but never never hurt anyone. Always stand by a person who is facing tough times and help him/her.

14. Everyone can accomplish easy tasks. Always aspire to do difficult tasks and attain higher goals in life.

15. Instead of doing work for enjoyment, try to learn to get enjoyment from any kind of work.

16. Think of the result before doing any deed. If it is a good deed, don't delay.

17. When taking your meals, always pray and thank God for giving you food to eat. Take your meals as 'prasad' as a gift of God.

18. Always take nutritious and simple food so that you have a healthy body with which to do good deeds and service to others.

19. Always do good deed during day so you can sleep without any guilt at night. When you sleep, say your prayers and think of your day, think of what you have done, think of your mistakes and learn from your mistakes.

20. When you get up in the morning, bow to your parents and elders, say your prayers and begin your day.

21. God is omnipresent. You can't do anything without His knowledge. So whatever you do, keep Him with you, let Him be a witness to all your deeds. He will help you to keep on the path of righteousness.