It is said that the path of spirituality is very DYNAMIC. On the path we grow daily. Even if we ourselves are unaware of this growth taking place. The story P.U.S.H appropriately teaches us this message. And the enigma is--- the more we grow the more we realize --- that the less we know. :) Yes, this is the enigma on the path of spirituality. And there's one more truth that we now know from the deep core of our heart/soul. That turning back to this world is no longer an option. In fact the option doesn't exist any more. Coz now the divine intoxication is the only thing that soul craves for. This need is something , which now even mind acknowledges. :)
Things of past, the world and it's temptations no longer seems enough. And if this is growth. it sure does tells us one thing.... We have only one option left---- To Move Ahead.... :)
One whole year has past, since i as a blogger, felt any need to write anything. There was a silence , or probably just a need of silence. And now-- may be a feeling of surety, of gaining a foothold, in the ability to contain this silence.
And yet here i am, sharing with all of you, the soul's of loving GOD... some little things i learned during past year. In the place which my GOD, :) in HIS loving grace , considered fit as my earthly abode. :)
VALUE OF SATSANG :)
NO. I am not here to write a discourse on satsang and it's value. I consider myself hardly worthy enough. But here i learned in reality the value of satsang from some truly blessed souls. GOD's best children. And i feel myself lucky enuf to learn it from the book of life itself. And not from some spiritual books. :)
To understand my point , i need to show all of you the picture of this area, where i live.
In the interiors of Himachal, villages still exists, where transportation facility is a dream. 5 years ago, even road didn't existed. Now some villages can boast of a Kaccha road. Which is road made of dirt and stones. Some villages can boast of bus service once a day or even twice weekly. And some villages are still way beyond any reach of road. Villagers travel by foot. sometimes for days to reach another village. Carrying any provision is a huge task. So most them grow their own food. And live frugally. And GOD forbid if there is anyone sick and needing medical attention at home. Then they need more then four helping hands. They strap the sick person on a cot and carry the person to the nearest possible road, where they then wait for any bus or vehicle to arrive. And when it's winter, well here mostly it's winter :) and the snow falls upto 3 feet. No one in plains, who visit hills just to escape summer heat, can ever understand the toughness of season called-- winter snow. And nor can imagine the walking in snow part. :) That's called remote areas. And this is a very small picture which i m giving you all here. The toughness of this kind of life is still hard to imagine.
Now , these interiors have been living their own kind of secluded lives. The religion they follows may lift eyebrows of people living in cities. But for them this is the way of their life. Their rituals. They believe in DEVTAS. And bring home the statues of many DEVTAS for various reasons. ( It's like bringing Ganesha or Devi in Nav ratraas.) Be it fulfillment of wishes, to eradicate sickness, for prosperity or even for other malicious wishes. But the essential part of this ritual contains- SACRIFICE. And this happens almost daily in some house of every village. We can not calculate the enormous amount of animal lives being taken in one single day.
In this picture- Householders Taking DEVTA at their home.
For details--
http://books.google.co.in/books?id=JH-gI4ncuZ4C&pg=PA131&lpg=PA131&dq=devta+pooja+in+himachal.&source=bl&ots=VZQ7t19Kce&sig=0RsvPSAbEan9hSQrvosybUN9Xhs&hl=en&sa=X&ei=NZfMT7_AF8XIrQe16IzDDg&sqi=2&ved=0CFoQ6AEwBg#v=onepage&q&f=false
And this is not all. Despite the growth of human society , here are many places which still performs- BHUNDA. Which is the ritual of Human sacrifice. One such incidence was recently witnessed in the village of Devthi, the Mahayagya which demands human sacrifice. This was attended by thousands of people. This was attended by all Devtas with their Pujaaris too. And many news channels. First JAIDI ( he is the man choosen for sacrifice ) was worshiped . And made to sit on rope between two hills. If he dies , his family is taken care by the hosting village. But this time this man was saved. he lived. If he dies it is considered as sacrifice accepted by Devtaas.
( If some one interested to explore more, here are 2 links about this particular ritual. )--
http://hillpost.in/2007/03/12/himachals-bhunda-narmedh-mahayajna/1579/people/religion/yashrazz
and also
http://www.travelintelligence.com/travel-writing/vestiges-human-sacrifice
So this the kind of living , the villagers still lives in this year of 2012. Here, becoming the follower of any spiritual path, which consists giving up- non-veg diet, animal sacrifices, and any giving up of outward rituals like worshiping DEVTAS, means bycotted by other villagers, ridiculed or even putting up with malicious remarks etc. So following a perfect living MASTER, in these DEVTA worshiping villages, is remarkable beyond words.
After this brief picture i will now take you all-- about how i learned the value of satsang from these simple villagers.
We have been given twice weekly satsangs by our MASTER, every where. But many of us still doesn't appreciate the value of these twice a week satsang. We are barely able to understand the value of sunday satsangs. We manages to find reasons to avoid. Why weekly satsangs are necessary is another topic altogether. Sufficient to say that our mind doesn't appreciate the value of spirituality in middle of worldly temptations, and so we need reminders weekly :) Well, atleast i am one of such person, who can't appreciate weekly necessity of satsang.:)
But then i came in contact with these simple souls. and was amazed by their dedication. They start walking since friday or saturday, to reach the nearest point , where weekly satsang is held. For 45 minutes of satsang they walk for hours. Reach the place , cook food rest at whatever place they find. Attend satsang. With rapt faces, love in their every single body pore. After 45 min, they rest, cook afternoon meals and start their long walks back home. Sometimes a preacher will come and deliver the discourse in another language. Like punjabi. And they can hardly understand much. Any yet, nothing can keep them away. Coz in the middle of frenzy of animal sacrifices and other rituals, their only touch with spiritual environment is these weekly 45 minutes. Since like plains they don't have twice a week satsangs. And may be that's for good. Coz then they will be just walking and walking. :)
Once i asked ---- how much can you understand when other language is taken for satsang discourse. To an old illiterate loving soul. She smiled and blissfully replied- oh ! i understand this much-- do simran, listen to shabad. do simran and listen to shabad. And i was speechless at the apparent Love and contentment on her face. :) And these are people who can not travel frequently .... so faaar... to visit their MASTER. Not like many of us who are privileged enough to be able to attend HIS every visit, HIS every satsang. And yet, Shud they receive opportunity after considerable time to see their MASTER, these are the simple most souls... who sit faaaaaaaaaaar behind... closing their eyes, faces full of love, eyes watering.... just worshiping HIM from afar , nor complaining, nor demanding....
YES... I FEEL HUMBLED....
In front of them.... i learn much.
VALUE OF SEWA.......
NO , i have no idea about sewa, and so i m not giving discourse about sewa. I m merely sharing what i learned.
I live in ac home, full of luxuries. And at satsang ghar i person like me !!!!! sits down to break stones. Manages to break a few. Half stones i can't break. I leave them. And when it's time for MASTER's visit. I consider myself foremost worthy of HIS closest DARSHAN. After all my sacrifice is greater. A padmaavati like me... raised like a princess , doing physical labor!!!! oh !! these poor villagers they live with physical hardships and do all kind of labor. So, for them it's hardly a difficult task.. Like it was for "ME".!!!
Here many satsang ghars are still in development phases. They need to level earth. Well it's hills . Remember ?? They level earth , build temporary shed to remain some how safe from weather extremities. And then there are places where HE just might visit. So here we learn the value of sewa.
They will leave their fields. Which is the major part of their livelihood. Just to do sewa in satsang place , where HE might visit. They forget about their own livelihood works. And Dear souls, let me tell you all, that sun can be very harsh on hills. Since it feels some how more closer. And after such nasty sunny day, rains can lash anytime for hours altogether, ceasing only to make weather extremely cold even in summer. So weather here decides to show her every extreme color at swing of her mood.
And these loving souls at the call of need for sewa..... They abandon every work, they mite be needing to do and walk for hours to satsang ghar. Picking up bus where they can. Or walk, if the wait for bus is too long. Figuring that they can cover much area, walking, rather then to wait for bus. And when they reach------ They will place grass at huge areas of about 55 beeghaas. With sun beating their bent bodies. They work from early morning to late night. Langar being prepared round the clock. They put flowers, they put creepers for MASTER's eyes to behold. And when HE comes, they manage hugest possible traffic. At HILLS !!!! Making it such tough work to keep every one safe on narrow hills. That we can not imagine while sitting in plain areas.
While many are asked not to visit the area , where HE is delivering satsang. They never go without HIS permission. Never say.. we have done so much sewa. We are entitled. Nope. They never utter a word.Even when some of them haven't been to their homes for more then 2 months. Yes, many of them are even now working in satsang land, newly purchased, to make it suitable for satsang. So what, that they can afford the time. Since they are now retired etc... yet.. their age demands rest. One such soul --- who has 6 months ago undergone a huge accident, which tore apart his half scull , is now for more then 2 months , working in satsang land. Just so that it can be ready in fastest possible time. Can we ever compare such devotion, from any other worldly things ? we can never.
And many are still given such sewa, where they can not hear HIS discourses , nor can have HIS DARSHAN...
And yet eyes full of love and devotion, just thinking of HIS pleasure, They yet again do sewa for visiting Sangat and their MASTER. Never asking a place where they too can see their MASTER. For whole year they do sewa. And still unable to attend HIS satsang. And if they do attend they sit faaar behind. Specially if they belong to hosting satsang ghar. This is selfless sewa.
YES, I FEEL HUMBLED.
In front of their undemanding and selfless services, i ask myself, what right do i have to demand HIS better darshan ?? If HE chooses to bestow HIS loving glances on these souls , then they deserve such treat. Who am i to complain ??
No, i can't walk for miles, and that too on hills. No i can not come out of my atmosphere controlled house and do such long hours , selfless sewa. No i can't even get up early in the morning and attend to my Meditation. All i can do is complain to HIM about HIS apparent carelessness towards me...
Here i am struggling with the issue of HIS physical darshan, It's value and it's meaning for me....
And here i am ..... one year later, coming to conclusion ....
I HAVE MILES TO GO BEFORE I SLEEP, MILES TO GO....
THERE ARE YET PART OF MY OUTER SPIRITUAL LIFE I HAVE TO LEARN...
AND I KNOW EVEN LESS THEN, WHAT I THOUGHT, I KNOW, ALMOST 4 YEARS AGO... :)
PEACE AND BLISS TO ALL. MAY HE BESTOW SUCH VALUES ON US, AND SOON... :)
Things of past, the world and it's temptations no longer seems enough. And if this is growth. it sure does tells us one thing.... We have only one option left---- To Move Ahead.... :)
One whole year has past, since i as a blogger, felt any need to write anything. There was a silence , or probably just a need of silence. And now-- may be a feeling of surety, of gaining a foothold, in the ability to contain this silence.
And yet here i am, sharing with all of you, the soul's of loving GOD... some little things i learned during past year. In the place which my GOD, :) in HIS loving grace , considered fit as my earthly abode. :)
VALUE OF SATSANG :)
NO. I am not here to write a discourse on satsang and it's value. I consider myself hardly worthy enough. But here i learned in reality the value of satsang from some truly blessed souls. GOD's best children. And i feel myself lucky enuf to learn it from the book of life itself. And not from some spiritual books. :)
To understand my point , i need to show all of you the picture of this area, where i live.
In the interiors of Himachal, villages still exists, where transportation facility is a dream. 5 years ago, even road didn't existed. Now some villages can boast of a Kaccha road. Which is road made of dirt and stones. Some villages can boast of bus service once a day or even twice weekly. And some villages are still way beyond any reach of road. Villagers travel by foot. sometimes for days to reach another village. Carrying any provision is a huge task. So most them grow their own food. And live frugally. And GOD forbid if there is anyone sick and needing medical attention at home. Then they need more then four helping hands. They strap the sick person on a cot and carry the person to the nearest possible road, where they then wait for any bus or vehicle to arrive. And when it's winter, well here mostly it's winter :) and the snow falls upto 3 feet. No one in plains, who visit hills just to escape summer heat, can ever understand the toughness of season called-- winter snow. And nor can imagine the walking in snow part. :) That's called remote areas. And this is a very small picture which i m giving you all here. The toughness of this kind of life is still hard to imagine.
Now , these interiors have been living their own kind of secluded lives. The religion they follows may lift eyebrows of people living in cities. But for them this is the way of their life. Their rituals. They believe in DEVTAS. And bring home the statues of many DEVTAS for various reasons. ( It's like bringing Ganesha or Devi in Nav ratraas.) Be it fulfillment of wishes, to eradicate sickness, for prosperity or even for other malicious wishes. But the essential part of this ritual contains- SACRIFICE. And this happens almost daily in some house of every village. We can not calculate the enormous amount of animal lives being taken in one single day.
In this picture- Householders Taking DEVTA at their home.
For details--
http://books.google.co.in/books?id=JH-gI4ncuZ4C&pg=PA131&lpg=PA131&dq=devta+pooja+in+himachal.&source=bl&ots=VZQ7t19Kce&sig=0RsvPSAbEan9hSQrvosybUN9Xhs&hl=en&sa=X&ei=NZfMT7_AF8XIrQe16IzDDg&sqi=2&ved=0CFoQ6AEwBg#v=onepage&q&f=false
And this is not all. Despite the growth of human society , here are many places which still performs- BHUNDA. Which is the ritual of Human sacrifice. One such incidence was recently witnessed in the village of Devthi, the Mahayagya which demands human sacrifice. This was attended by thousands of people. This was attended by all Devtas with their Pujaaris too. And many news channels. First JAIDI ( he is the man choosen for sacrifice ) was worshiped . And made to sit on rope between two hills. If he dies , his family is taken care by the hosting village. But this time this man was saved. he lived. If he dies it is considered as sacrifice accepted by Devtaas.
( If some one interested to explore more, here are 2 links about this particular ritual. )--
http://hillpost.in/2007/03/12/himachals-bhunda-narmedh-mahayajna/1579/people/religion/yashrazz
and also
http://www.travelintelligence.com/travel-writing/vestiges-human-sacrifice
So this the kind of living , the villagers still lives in this year of 2012. Here, becoming the follower of any spiritual path, which consists giving up- non-veg diet, animal sacrifices, and any giving up of outward rituals like worshiping DEVTAS, means bycotted by other villagers, ridiculed or even putting up with malicious remarks etc. So following a perfect living MASTER, in these DEVTA worshiping villages, is remarkable beyond words.
After this brief picture i will now take you all-- about how i learned the value of satsang from these simple villagers.
We have been given twice weekly satsangs by our MASTER, every where. But many of us still doesn't appreciate the value of these twice a week satsang. We are barely able to understand the value of sunday satsangs. We manages to find reasons to avoid. Why weekly satsangs are necessary is another topic altogether. Sufficient to say that our mind doesn't appreciate the value of spirituality in middle of worldly temptations, and so we need reminders weekly :) Well, atleast i am one of such person, who can't appreciate weekly necessity of satsang.:)
But then i came in contact with these simple souls. and was amazed by their dedication. They start walking since friday or saturday, to reach the nearest point , where weekly satsang is held. For 45 minutes of satsang they walk for hours. Reach the place , cook food rest at whatever place they find. Attend satsang. With rapt faces, love in their every single body pore. After 45 min, they rest, cook afternoon meals and start their long walks back home. Sometimes a preacher will come and deliver the discourse in another language. Like punjabi. And they can hardly understand much. Any yet, nothing can keep them away. Coz in the middle of frenzy of animal sacrifices and other rituals, their only touch with spiritual environment is these weekly 45 minutes. Since like plains they don't have twice a week satsangs. And may be that's for good. Coz then they will be just walking and walking. :)
Once i asked ---- how much can you understand when other language is taken for satsang discourse. To an old illiterate loving soul. She smiled and blissfully replied- oh ! i understand this much-- do simran, listen to shabad. do simran and listen to shabad. And i was speechless at the apparent Love and contentment on her face. :) And these are people who can not travel frequently .... so faaar... to visit their MASTER. Not like many of us who are privileged enough to be able to attend HIS every visit, HIS every satsang. And yet, Shud they receive opportunity after considerable time to see their MASTER, these are the simple most souls... who sit faaaaaaaaaaar behind... closing their eyes, faces full of love, eyes watering.... just worshiping HIM from afar , nor complaining, nor demanding....
YES... I FEEL HUMBLED....
In front of them.... i learn much.
VALUE OF SEWA.......
NO , i have no idea about sewa, and so i m not giving discourse about sewa. I m merely sharing what i learned.
I live in ac home, full of luxuries. And at satsang ghar i person like me !!!!! sits down to break stones. Manages to break a few. Half stones i can't break. I leave them. And when it's time for MASTER's visit. I consider myself foremost worthy of HIS closest DARSHAN. After all my sacrifice is greater. A padmaavati like me... raised like a princess , doing physical labor!!!! oh !! these poor villagers they live with physical hardships and do all kind of labor. So, for them it's hardly a difficult task.. Like it was for "ME".!!!
Here many satsang ghars are still in development phases. They need to level earth. Well it's hills . Remember ?? They level earth , build temporary shed to remain some how safe from weather extremities. And then there are places where HE just might visit. So here we learn the value of sewa.
They will leave their fields. Which is the major part of their livelihood. Just to do sewa in satsang place , where HE might visit. They forget about their own livelihood works. And Dear souls, let me tell you all, that sun can be very harsh on hills. Since it feels some how more closer. And after such nasty sunny day, rains can lash anytime for hours altogether, ceasing only to make weather extremely cold even in summer. So weather here decides to show her every extreme color at swing of her mood.
And these loving souls at the call of need for sewa..... They abandon every work, they mite be needing to do and walk for hours to satsang ghar. Picking up bus where they can. Or walk, if the wait for bus is too long. Figuring that they can cover much area, walking, rather then to wait for bus. And when they reach------ They will place grass at huge areas of about 55 beeghaas. With sun beating their bent bodies. They work from early morning to late night. Langar being prepared round the clock. They put flowers, they put creepers for MASTER's eyes to behold. And when HE comes, they manage hugest possible traffic. At HILLS !!!! Making it such tough work to keep every one safe on narrow hills. That we can not imagine while sitting in plain areas.
While many are asked not to visit the area , where HE is delivering satsang. They never go without HIS permission. Never say.. we have done so much sewa. We are entitled. Nope. They never utter a word.Even when some of them haven't been to their homes for more then 2 months. Yes, many of them are even now working in satsang land, newly purchased, to make it suitable for satsang. So what, that they can afford the time. Since they are now retired etc... yet.. their age demands rest. One such soul --- who has 6 months ago undergone a huge accident, which tore apart his half scull , is now for more then 2 months , working in satsang land. Just so that it can be ready in fastest possible time. Can we ever compare such devotion, from any other worldly things ? we can never.
And many are still given such sewa, where they can not hear HIS discourses , nor can have HIS DARSHAN...
And yet eyes full of love and devotion, just thinking of HIS pleasure, They yet again do sewa for visiting Sangat and their MASTER. Never asking a place where they too can see their MASTER. For whole year they do sewa. And still unable to attend HIS satsang. And if they do attend they sit faaar behind. Specially if they belong to hosting satsang ghar. This is selfless sewa.
YES, I FEEL HUMBLED.
In front of their undemanding and selfless services, i ask myself, what right do i have to demand HIS better darshan ?? If HE chooses to bestow HIS loving glances on these souls , then they deserve such treat. Who am i to complain ??
No, i can't walk for miles, and that too on hills. No i can not come out of my atmosphere controlled house and do such long hours , selfless sewa. No i can't even get up early in the morning and attend to my Meditation. All i can do is complain to HIM about HIS apparent carelessness towards me...
Here i am struggling with the issue of HIS physical darshan, It's value and it's meaning for me....
And here i am ..... one year later, coming to conclusion ....
I HAVE MILES TO GO BEFORE I SLEEP, MILES TO GO....
THERE ARE YET PART OF MY OUTER SPIRITUAL LIFE I HAVE TO LEARN...
AND I KNOW EVEN LESS THEN, WHAT I THOUGHT, I KNOW, ALMOST 4 YEARS AGO... :)
PEACE AND BLISS TO ALL. MAY HE BESTOW SUCH VALUES ON US, AND SOON... :)
