HAPPINESS and SIMPLICITY go hand in hand

Copyright@shravancharitymission

 In my spells of loneliness I look for my happiness. When I get up early in the morning, it is quiet and lonely. This is when, I hope to come across happiness. The ongoing moments are serenading and moving, where, you can even hear yourself breathing. It is still dark outside, but the dawn is about strike and where, the sun is gearing up to rise. The mood is dreary with all sorts of fears. As if, the heaven is far away, but the hell is about to strike, anytime during my life. People call it depression. But I guess that is only an impression. I slowly rise to sit on the bed. The silhouette on the side tells me, she is still, fast asleep. There is no pleasant reverie that tickles my funny bone. And like every day. I think of my God who has gone off to sleep and refuses to wake up. When I’m again struck, by that galling, every day whoosh that echoes once again … there is always so much to do, and how do I improve.

   My mind is all confused as if I’m still in the woods. I squirm in mild agita and hackneyed clutter. When, I decide to leave my cot. Pondering, slowly, I walk up to the loo. And where, the first thing I try and do, is to woo my rue, with a splash of water. That brings the first ray of happiness on my just woken up, face. I follow it up with another and then another. It tones me up.

    I decide to sprawl in the lawns for a while. Luckily I’m bereft of thoughts. So, the mind is empty. They say an empty mind is a devils workshop. But here, the devil is missing. Perhaps, he doesn’t believe in the age old proverb, anymore. He is in great demand. As, he has a lot to do, in terms of bearing out, this holy world turning unholy.

    My mind has nothing to say. There is no content fermenting in it yet. So, heart is at peace. The dawn is now alive and the sun is now behind the high rise. The loneliness has only expanded and with that happiness has arrived. But I know it is only momentary. I often wonder who distributes these merry tickets of joy. Barring the early morning cameo I’ve never seen her in full flow.

  She’s a mystery, happiness. She often comes uninvited. She follows no path. No paradigms and no rhymes. Nothing influences her, not even, tons, of holds in form of gold. People die for her and people lie for her. Everyone wants to hobnob with her. But she is aloof and beyond any loop.

    At times one gets to feel, even God cannot control her. But yes, there is something that can tame her.

    Says Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore—‘It is very simple to be happy, but it is very difficult to be simple.’

    So, won’t it better to look for happiness in divine simplicity than in nightmarish loneliness?

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By Kamlesh Tripathi

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https://kamleshsujata.wordpress.com

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Shravan Charity Mission is an NGO that works for poor children suffering from life threatening diseases. Should you wish to donate for the cause the bank details are given below:

NAME OF ACCOUNT: SHRAVAN CHARITY MISSION

Account no: 680510110004635 (BANK OF INDIA)

IFSC code: BKID0006805

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Our publications

GLOOM BEHIND THE SMILE

(Archived in 7 prestigious libraries of the US, including, Harvard University and Library of Congress. It can also be accessed in MIT through Worldcat.org. Besides, it is also available for reading in Libraries and archives of Canada and Cancer Aid and Research Foundation Mumbai)  

ONE TO TANGO … RIA’S ODYSSEY

(Archived in Connemara Library, Chennai and Delhi Public Library, GOI, Ministry of Culture)

AADAB LUCKNOW … FOND MEMORIES

(Launched in Lucknow International Literary Festival 2014)

REFRACTIONS … FROM THE PRISM OF GOD

(Co-published by Cankids–Kidscan, a pan India NGO and Shravan Charity Mission, that works for Child cancer in India. The book is endorsed by Ms Preetha Reddy, MD Apollo Hospitals Group. Book was launched in Lucknow International Literary Festival 2016)

(CAN BE BOUGHT FROM ON LINE BOOK STORES OR WRITE TO US FOR COPIES)

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SHORT STORY: WHO IS SUPERIOR?

Copyright@shravancharitymission

By Kamlesh Tripathi

WHO IS SUPERIOR?

    Once a debate started amongst various organs of the body, as to who is more important and most vital.

    Voice said—‘I’m the most important, and it is only because of me a person can speak.’ Ears started saying—‘If I won’t be there the body won’t be able to hear anything, and so I’m the most important.’ Mind said—‘If I’m not there a person will not be able to register and acknowledge anything and therefore, I’m the superior most.’ Pran (The breath of life) praised itself and said—‘Well if I don’t amalgamate with the body it will only collapse and therefore I’m the mightiest.’

    The controversy continued for a long period of time, but no settlement was coming forth. Then one day the Indriyas (feelings & senses) suggested—‘In order to solve the controversy we should go to Prajapati (Lord of people). He alone would be able to decide who is superior amongst all of us.’ And in agreement the Indriyas approached the Prajapati and narrated the reason for their prolonged controversy and requested—‘Now you only decide for us, who is the most superior amongst us?’

    After thinking for a while Prajapati said—‘Let that organ be the superior most on whose departing, the body becomes inactive, useless and dead.’

    Everyone abided by his verdict. And first the voice separated from the body, but the activities of the body continued as normal and after staying away for a year when the voice returned, he thought to himself—‘My absence for a year has had no effect in the body. In fact it is just working like before.’ His face fell and he entered the body again.

           Thereafter, the eyes left the body. And, in the absence of eyes man could not see. After a year when the eyes returned to see the ill effects due to his absence in the man’s body, he thought—‘my absence for a year has not made any significant difference in the man’s body.’ And considering it as self defeat he entered the human body again.

    Now it was ears turn and as planned he too left the body. But after it left the body continued to be the same, the only difference was the person could not hear. And after a year when he returned he was shocked to see the man’s body was functioning in the same manner. He asked the person—‘How did you survive without me?’

    ‘Well in the same manner, as a deaf would survive.’ Replied the man.

    Next the mind departed from the body of the man. And after a year when he returned the body replied—‘Dear kid, without the mind the mental development of the body stops but rest of the things continue as usual.’

    And at last when the Pran decided to leave the body all the Indriyas started getting a fraught of nervousness. They all began to realize that till the time there is Pran in the body they too have their presence and existence. But the moment Pran departs even they will become useless and dead and therefore they accepted the superiority of Pran. And the strength of Pran resembles the supreme and mighty God. Shastras too have defined supreme God (Parmatma) as Pran.

   

        

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Short story: The greedy farmer

Copyright@shravancharitymission

By Kamlesh Tripathi

Long time ago there lived a lazy farmer in the countryside who wanted to become rich without making any effort. One day he learnt of a Mahatma (noble and learned person) who lived in the jungles and about whom it was famous that by visiting and praying to him one could fulfill his wishes.

    The Mahatma after peacefully listening to the farmer agreed to fulfill his wishes. He assured him, ‘I will give you a mantra which will make you rich.’ And soon he passed on a mantra to the farmer.

    The farmer was now exuberant about the comforting thought that without any effort he will become rich. But as he was about to leave, the Mahatma called him back and said, ‘Arrey, I forgot to tell you something important. The moment you start feeling weary of monkeys this mantra will become ineffective, and then you will not get the fruits of this mantra.’

    Upon hearing this, the farmer started laughing and said, ‘Mahatma ji, you don’t worry, monkeys have neither troubled me in the fields nor in thoughts. And, for a long time I have not even dreamt of monkey.’ And, after replying the Mahatma the farmer quickly rushed to his house and started preparing for a ritualistic recital of the sacred mantra.

    And the moment he uttered the mantra he got terrified, because he thought of ‘monkey.’ Thereon, whenever he uttered the mantra, he thought of monkey. And soon, every moment the thought of monkey started troubling him. So much so that monkey even started coming in his dreams. And, by now the thought of monkey had truly disturbed him, while he was awake and also while he was sleeping.

    After some days the farmer was quite terrified and saddened as the thought of monkey had almost plagued his mind. And, when he was unable to bear this he went running to the Mahatma and fell on his feet and started sobbing, ‘Mahatma ji, I am extremely distressed and I have lost my peace of mind. I have no desire of becoming rich and you please take your mantra back and save me from the thought of monkey.’

    This story is from Indian Upanishads and reveals our mindset which like a monkey is never in our control. This story also conveys goals are important but equally important is the means to get to your goal.

   

KNOW THY SELF … WHAT ARE YOU?

 Copyright@kamleshsujata1

KNOW THY SELF … WHAT ARE YOU?

You are what you like to think,

You are what you like to remember,

You are what you like to discover,

You are what you like to recover.

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You are what you like to speak,

You are what you like to read,

You are what you like to write,

You are what you like to hear,

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You are what you like to dream,

You are what you like to do,

You are what you like to scream,

You are what you like to achieve.

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You are what you like to preach,

You are what you like to tread,

You are what you like to grace,

You are what you like to brace.

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You are what you like to appreciate,

You are what you like to criticize,

You are what you like to support,

You are what you like to kill.

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You are what you like to sing,

You are what you like to worry,

You are what you like to celebrate,

You are what you like to mourn.

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You are what you like as company,

You are what you like to eat,

You are what you to drink,

You are what you like to mint.

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You are what like to enjoy,

You are what you like to crib,

You are what you like to scoff,

You are what you like to rinse.

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You are what you like to encounter,

You are what you like to interface.

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And last but not the least, and as you breathe,

Whether you like it or not,

Someday you will realise,

You are only a sum total of all these.

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To know yourself, honestly plot two choices against each, to know the complex beehive you live in.

HOW I DE-STRESSED MYSELF IN A REAL LIFE SITUATION--The ultimate stress buster lies in your mind

Copyright@kamleshsujata1

By Kamlesh Tripathi

STATE OF PLAY: I was once faced with an ominous lifetime situation where my younger child was diagnosed of ‘Brain Cancer’ when he was two-an-a-half-years old. And, what followed was a long battle of nerves, emotions, brawn and brain in the thick and thin of our intelligence-emotional quotient. Although, at the end of it we lost the battle, because we couldn’t save him; but not before fighting up to the last straw.

I then had a very demanding corporate job, and during that phase of our lives we were located in various metro cities such as Chennai, Mumbai, and Delhi –NCR where we did not have any day-to-day support from our extended family nor friends. Nevertheless, we had to survive under the circumstances. Caring colleagues and friendly neighbours were the only tangible support we had.

And I used to feel quite fatigued, even when I was working for some big corporate names, who could have taken care of my tiring circumstances, but I still had to continuously perform to keep my stalk and career ambitions alive. My wife, who too was qualified in a profession, had to abandon her career because she had to stay put at home to take care of the child. And, then there were immense financial and emotional insecurities to deal with in terms of expensive treatment, physical stress and fear of ultimate cure, even when my company was magnanimous.

We were then around late thirties when this calamity had struck us, and were not quite clear if we should go for a third child when the second was in peril. And boy! It was an extremely challenging situation, where even the Indian economy was not doing well and lot of companies were issuing pink slips; and so there were continuous job insecurities around that time, when every month our medical cost was spiraling up to around 60-70K.

But in all of this we had to work and survive, and so we charted out an omnipotent methodology to de-stress ourselves. It was a seamless combination of ideas, thoughts, mythology and even physical exercises that took us through the ordeal. And, as we were coming close to the child’s end the intensity of stress was increasing exponentially and in those circumstances this is how we de-stressed ourselves:

1.    CHAIN OF STRONG THOUGHTS:

Everything, in one’s life starts from the mind. Mind is your biggest problem, your biggest enemy but also your biggest friend, your solution provider and the leveler. And, so we kind of decided to tackle our minds by drafting and conditioning ourselves, into a particular kind of mind set by:

• Deciding to do away with all negative emotions for the time being.
• Nothing is permanent so why worry. Just keep doing what you are supposed to do under the circumstances.
• PUSH (Pray until something happens) Pray and pray.
• Don’t plan much, and take life one day at a time.
• No matter how bad things are, they could be worse.
• At any given point of time in your life there is something going right and something wrong and this balance life; for in life not everything will go wrong nor everything will go right in one go, as a law of nature.
• Life is a very sturdy boat, so just keep moving and don’t stop. For what life is to movement, stillness is to death.
• Whatever, you can do for the child do within your means, and don’t get intimidated by what others tell you to do if it is beyond your means.
• Our child may leave the world soon, but even I have to go some day or the other; and at the end of it we all have to go. No one can fight the law of nature. So why worry.
• Don’t try to run the universe yourself and leave few things for God, your child could be one.
• Human beings are blind. They can’t even see the next moment, so how can they see far off moments and predict the time of anyone’s death.
• There is something called the destiny; try and believe in it.
• When the child was very critical, towards the end days, is when I started believing in miracles even when it did not happen with us but it kept me charged under the circumstances.
• I started taking my work more passionately- Remember your daily routine could be one of the biggest stress busters.
• Just dress up and show up for work, and never sulk in those negative emotions.
• After, a bad day there is always a good day, but one really doesn’t know, which is that bad day; and which is a good day.
• Only get dismayed by situations you have created for yourself and not situations that God has created for you; for he only will correct it. ‘Brain Cancer’ was created by God.
• Be on guard when there is a change of surroundings, location, friends and colleagues as every situation has something new to offer; some new energies float around you. Life is all about positive and negative energies.
• Life is an esoteric journey and for every new situation you’ll have some new company who would leave you when that part of the journey is over. So nothing is permanent.
• We started thinking this child has a short life and he is here to spread a message. So don’t just feel morose and help the cause.
• In those firefighting days we had created our own little Gods, and anything that helped our circumstances was like a God to us. And then there were two worlds, one with cancer meant for us and the other without cancer meant for the lucky ones.
• We never discussed the child’s health to look for sympathies. Believe in your own self was thought of times.

PHYSICAL ACTIVITIES

• I took up to regular walking and Golf. It is a great stress buster.
• Deep breathing became a regular activity that helped in restoring freshness and rejuvenate our lives even though momentarily in those scary nights when we couldn’t sleep.
• I got hooked to one of the soap operas suiting my time for deflecting my tired mind.
• We kept our home ambience alive; for we didn’t want to give advance invitation to death. And, in that we looked for micro positivity of life.
• Whatever the child wanted we provided. We were proud of him and never negative.
• I got into a hobby that continues even now, to divert my barren mind.

MYTHOLOGY A GREAT LEVELER

•  Even Gods had to leave their mortal bodies and so do human beings.
• The biggest unknown boon of life is a smooth exit and dignified death. Mythology combined with our circumstances taught us that.

These thoughts are from the book: “GLOOM BEHIND THE SMILE” now catalogued in many libraries including LIBRARY OF CONGRESS WASHINGTON DC, AMES LIBRARY OF UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA, LIBRARY UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO, LIBRARIES AND ARCHIVES OF CANADA AND LIBRARY OF CANCER AID AND RESEARCH FOUNDATION MUMBAI.