Seenu Bholu

Seenu : You look tired. What’s the matter?

Bholu : I was allotted upper berth in the train. It wasn’t comfortable for me, so couldn’t sleep the whole night.

Seenu: what a pity? Why didn’t you exchange that berth with this lower one?

Bholu: How could I? There was no one, just imagine the whole night in the lower berth to ask for exchange. That’s the whole problem…….

Looks idiotic right? But, think about it…are we suffering because no one’s asking us not to? Or is it because we think it is great to suffer? Look into the reason of suffering – may be there is no need to…

“This statement that the situation shapes you into who you are applies to a person who undergoes suffering in his life situations. I never suffered my life-situations. So, there’s no way they could shape you up like me” she replied watering the plants. The way she held the sprinkler was so delicate yet so firm.

And I brought my awareness to our conversations and continued, “If the situations were not favourable, how come you never suffered? Then, what was the purpose of those situations in your life?”

“For many, situations create pain, problems, challenges that shape them into what they wish to be. Then, the path is good and can be lived again, because it’s the path that’s shaping who they are. For example, if you want to be the greatest warrior Arjuna, then you should be ready to wage wars as many as he did. He had to fight various demons, own family and even his Gurus. Because, he fought battles with equally strong warriors he went to be greatest of them all. In this case, these situations proved more than once that he is great archer; so that wise these ‘bad’ and ‘difficult’ situations are a necessity to prove his abilities.

But, for some, situations are an excuse to exhibit that they truly are! What they truly stand for! They don’t break down or suffer the situations, pains and problems of life. They just bring out the best in the person. But, the situations can be totally breaking others. Like vanavasam (going to the forest and living there for 14 years) in Rama’s case exhibited his real nature – his calm and composed self, his respect towards his father, his detachment towards the worldly possessions and power, his love to live every moment (expressed in his joyous existence in the forest). But, the same situation – imagine having to live that! Wanting to be great as Rama is everybody’s wish but to live like him – that calls for different attitude and perspective of life altogether!

So, if you admire someone then check which character of his or hers you like and desire to have that attitude! But never, I repeat, wish to be like someone! You are asking for trouble. Get it? You never may want to make the journey that the other person had made.” She replied tending the plants lovingly.

She was lost to the world when she was with the plants – more so her plant. I heard her talking to them often! Bizarre, I thought. But many things like this were never ‘normal’ as I observed. Maybe, that’s what makes her who she is! No point standing there to clear the next point that was troubling my senses. That has to wait for now, I knew that. I bid her goodbye and left for my home. And all through the way, I was munching at her words. There seemed to be more meaning than what I understood while she was explaining – felt. But, my bed at my place beckoned me to rest my senses and enjoy the sweet sleep! So, here I go to sleep while you wait for my next post….

Me, My Guru

“God! When will I become like you” I blurted out aloud. “And pray, what does that mean” asked my Guru. “I wish I was as calm and as poised as you are. I want to be emotionally strong and balanced like you. I want to be fearless like you” I replied. I had felt so almost from the time I met her. I had always wanted to be ‘her’. Those who admired her also admired her for the same – I felt. Though many times, they didn’t realize the reason to be so. And today when I saw her facing someone with unexplainable amounts of hatred with a smile and calm in every inch of her persona. I couldn’t but say so.

“In that case” she said picking up a stone on the path and placing it along the side of the walk “ask as ‘I want to be balanced at all times”.

“But, that’s exactly what I said” I replied confused.

“No, you didn’t. You asked, “I want to be balanced like her. And I am saying let the prayer/ wish be “I want to be balanced.”

“So, where’s the difference?” I asked still not getting what she meant. “When you say “I want to be balanced” you become balanced. But, if you ask, “I want to be balanced like her” you’ll attract the situations of my life too and that I don’t want you to face. I don’t wish you walk my path” she replied calmly.

“You always say ‘every situation in life is instrumental in making or shaping you. That way, those situations in your life are responsible for who you are. That means, if I go through the same journey, I would end up being you” I implored.

I thought I finally cornered her with a question using her own words. I waited or her reaction......

...contd....

(contd…)
“Where did you get it from?” asked Buddha surprised.
“You gave it to me and its mine now!” replied the student confused.
“Exactly” said Buddha, “when I gave you mine, till you hadn’t accepted it, it was still mine. The moment you accepted, it became yours. So, ‘You’ by accepting made it ‘Yours’. What was mine became yours because of your acceptance. Similarly, that lady there gave her anger, frustration, foul language as alms to me. It was all that she had to give”.
A person who deals in grains gives grains in alms. A cloth merchant would give cloth in alms and a goldsmith would give gold. Anyone can give only what she / he has. No one can give what they don’t have. A person who has only anger and hatred, how can you expect love from them? How can you expect understanding from a bundle of hatred? No one can give you something that he hasn’t got for himself”.
“The person will give anything he wants to give and what he has to give. But it is totally to our discretion whether to accept it or not. Everything given need not be taken. So, she gave – true! But, I didn’t accept it. So it is not mine”, said Buddha.
Saying this, my Guru walked towards the exit door.
I followed her. She answered me without answering me. I have come to accept this method of her teaching. Did I understand why she didn’t react to that man’s taunt? I think I did. But, does that mean I can apply it to myself? I doubt. If I understand, then how come I fail to apply?
This question bothered me many times...! Should I ask her? May be I’ll get to hear one more story! Not a problem. I can at least publish all these stories one day and…! But for now, I’ll relax…!

Me, My Guru…!
(contd...)
“Once Buddha” started my Guru and continued, “while going around asking for Bhiksha (alms), stood in front of a palatial bungalow and said ‘Bhavathi Biksham Dehi’. (It is asking for alms in Sanskrit by monks and sanyasis). A well dressed woman came out and started shouting ‘you are a young person with a strong and able body. Are you not ashamed of seeking alms? Why don’t you work and earn your bread? Shame on your creed!’
This was followed by volley of words that were both cynical and insulting at times. Buddha stood there listening. When she completed and stood there exhausted, he smiled, bowed down and replied ‘Thank you’ and left.
His sishya who was with him was really hurt and couldn’t accept his Guru’s insult. So he burst out asking “Why did you not retort back at that woman? She doesn’t know your greatness. Why didn’t you let her know who you are?”
Buddha simply gave his Kamandalam (small pitcher to carry water) to his student and said “please carry it on my behalf” and started walking. After sometime, he suddenly stopped, looked at his student and asked “whose Kamandalam is that?” Student said ‘it is yours of course Guruji”
“Is it? Then how come you are carrying it?” asked Buddha lost.
“Because you asked me to carry it on your behalf” replied his student.
“Then it is yours from now on. I give it to you” said Buddha and started walking again.
Few minutes passed. They had walked a few hundred yards too! Suddenly, Buddha stopped pointing at Kamandalam and asked his student “whose Kamandalam are you carrying?”
“Mine, of course!” replied his student perplexed at his Guruji’s ways.

While you keep wondering whose Kamandalam was that, let me find out and tell you tomorrow...!

Me, My Guru...!

14.09.2011

It happened many times before. But still, I couldn’t take it. But to my Guru, it never seemed to bother. Today, we had gone to an exhibition. We were going through the stalls that had beautiful artifacts. My Guru was lost admiring few of the works. “You are a spiritual person. I am surprised you are here. You preach that one should be detached and yet you go around looking at these things? Don’t you think you are being hypocrite? Teaching one thing and following something all together different?” boomed the cynical voice from behind. There was a distinct taunt and contempt in that voice. There was no way anyone could have missed that, more so my Guru.
But, it seemed my Guru was totally deaf to all these. She smiled and replied “Hope you’ve a wonderful time! See you later…” and just simply walked out of the stall.
She had already entered the next stall that touched her fancy and was lost admiring saris there. I couldn’t hold back any more. I said “how come you don’t get angry when people say such things about you? Doesn’t it bother you?”
“Once Buddha” started my Guru and continued

While Guruji begins to talk, I begin to end for today…!

Hum - Tum

Pia : Apni chirkut kaha rahi thi ki paisa sab kuch hota hai?

Rahul : then ask her to show me ek aisa amir insaan jo apna past khareed sake aur ek aisa gareeb insaan jo apna future na badal sake….

Hum - Tum

Pia – Why are you making all those faces in public?Log kya sochenge? (what would people think?)

Rahul – Log mere bare mein kya sonchthe hai agar yeh bhi mein sonchtha hoon tho phir log kya sonchenge?

(If I start thinking as to what people are thinking about me, what will they have to think?

Hum - Tum

Rahul and Pia – Two common names of two equally common people. You may never single them out in the crowd. Yet they shared a bond so uncommon that it was never known – to exist.

Their conversations were short yet complete. When one questioned, the other’s answer sealed it – completed it.

It was friendship day and the whole lot in that group were excited about it. Everyone was talking on the topic of friendship.

Pia turned to Rahul and asked “Do you really think today’s a special day?”

Rahul said “1 universe, 8 planets, 204 countries, 809 islands, 7 seas and 6 billion people. Yet WE MET! Kuch tho baat hogi! (there really must be something special in it!) yes, today’s certainly special for ME!”

Me, My Guru

On Destiny

…………contd…….
 

She was calm as ever. It was as if she already knew where I was trying to get her and she was feeling amused because she was ready with an answer.
 

“You asking me a question is Destined! How I deal with this question is my free-will. Otherwise called my “Karma” that is going to decide my next stop of Destiny. I can deal with this question by “ shouting at you for asking all irrelevant questions and being dumb not to understand what I say –ever I can just ignore your question and move on be patient enough to answer your question. Yes and I can see you already have few more ways of dealing with your question – right?” I nodded in affirmative. The way I answer is ‘free-will’ or my ‘present karma’. Free-will is like a path. The moment you chose your path, the next stop in that path is ‘pre-destined’. Still confused? Fine…... Let me give you an example. To travel to Madras from Hyderabad, there are three possibilities. If you take a train to Madras via Guntur route, you would be at Nalgonda station after traveling approximately for 2 hrs in that route. That’s Destined. It is destined so because of the path chosen. 

If the train taken is the one going via Kurnool, we would get Mahaboobnagar station after traveling for 2 hrs. That’s destined again.
 

If the choice made is the train traveling in Vijayawada route then we’ll have tea in Warangal after 2 hours.
 

Choosing a certain path is in our hands. Here, it’s train for eg. But once selected, the station that we would get after 2 hours of travel is Destined.

Reaching the final destination for all of those traveling by various trains is also ‘Destined’.
 

Since the train is chosen by us, we are making our destiny. Once chosen the stations are fixed – that’s Destined. Clear?”

As I was about to open my mouth, my Guru started laughing and then replied” forget it…..i just gave an example from day to day life to explain……and here you are getting confused thinking of various other possibilities like “what if I boarded a wrong train? “what if I wanted to travel via Kurnool but because of non-availability of tickets had to travel by Vijayawada bound train?” etc. her laugh hadn’t stopped yet. With that mischievous smile, she added “forget it. Me explaining is ‘free-will or is the choice I am making’ and you not understanding is Destined”…she walked away laughing and I stood there confused…yes I had still few more questions to ask but that had to wait……….

concluded.......