Me, my Guru – Bhagavatam – Bhaktha Prahlad and Hiranyakashyap

 

Me, my Guru – Bhagavatam – Bhaktha Prahlad and Hiranyakashyap

“Guruji, how can a parent be bad?” asked Swathi. When people asked such questions they didn’t mean it in a general sense at all. They ALWAYS had their relationships in mind. Here it was clear Swathi was questioning the way her parent was, but didn’t dare openly voice it.

When we found a parent ‘wrong’ our question would be “How can a parent be so?”

But, as a kid, we had reasons to justify our actions. There, “How we as kids are supposed to be” doesn’t seem to fit. So it was with every relationship. We always said, “But a “X” is supposed to be…” but our actions well, ….isn’t that odd?

But our Guru always answered in a general way – just as today.

“During Satyayuga, the first of yugas of Earth, lived a very powerful Daitya king – Hiranyakashyap” started our Guru. Most of us knew this story and yet we listened with rapt attention. That is the power of a story – just any story I suppose. We felt like kids – those who knew all the bedtime stories and yet asked for them to be told – again and again. There was a difference though. Here, our Guru didn’t lull us to sleep. If anything, she woke us from our slumber of ignorance and made us more ‘awake’ to life!

Contd....

# Me my Guru series, Prahlad and Hiranyakashyap, Bhagavatam, Bhaktha and samsari, materialistic and spiritual person, devotee, devotion, God protects those who trust him, God's grace, 

also read suggested https://kantipadam.blogspot.com/2015/01/can-i-give-only-bad-in-exchange-for-bad.html 

Feedback required!

 

Feedback required!

 

I have been giving “Pointers to understand the blog post” for quite some time now.

Did it help you to understand the post in a better way?

You must have got the hang of it by now.

So, do I understand that you don’t need it anymore from now on.....

Can I stop giving you “Pointers to understand the post” from now on?

If any of you want me to continue writing it for some more time, let me know so I can do the same for you.

If I don’t receive any feedback on this, I’ll discontinue this part henceforth!

Either way, it would be the least you could do to come back with your feedback.

*****

also read suggested https://kantipadam.blogspot.com/search?q=feedback 

Milestone reached – The penultimate one 304 posts!

 

Milestone reached – The penultimate one 304 posts!

We have reached the penultimate milestone of 304 posts for the year 2021.

The only milestone to be reached that is left out yet is of the year 2020 – 329 posts!

If we can reach that target, we would have reached the highest till date (since 2009 when the blog was started).

Excited?

Worried?

Tensed?

Doubtful?

Hopeful?

What are your emotions regarding this last milestone?

Now, you may not feel much for this blog – for it is not personal for you.

But, learn from this exercise.

Each one of you do surely have your own milestones which you are year marked to reach – the milestones that you have already set for yourself.

These milestones could have been the ones that you have already reached once before.

Maybe, they are the ones that others (in your life) have reached.

Or, simply you have set a target for yourself.

Whatever, the way, the journey is the same for everyone and for every kind of milestone to be reached.

We get excited at the start, apprehensive in the middle and relieved when we vreach the finish line!

Look and learn how the blog milestones were reached.

Apply the same for your milestones.

Go the same way.

Reach your targets – effortlessly.

There is no shortcut to perseverance and patience.

The other names for success are just these two attitudes.

Inculcate them. Apply them.

Be it in physical well being, emotional well being, financial success and spiritual journey. Everywhere it is the same.

Enjoy!

****

 read https://kantipadam.blogspot.com/2016/12/new-record-in-blog.html 

and

https://kantipadam.blogspot.com/2020/09/on-choosing-enemy.html 

and

https://kantipadam.blogspot.com/2017/12/bidding-good-bye.html 

Each link given has something beautiful to say.......read it, enjoy it, smile and cherish the moment!

 

 

 

 

Me, my Guru – The Blacksmith in heaven

 

Contd....

Me, my Guru – The Blacksmith in heaven

“When finally blacksmith became old, frail and unable to do any more work, he prayed to God “Dear God, if you still have a place for me in heaven, I am ready to come”.” – You can understand two main things from this.

One, he prays to God to take him when he is finally old and frail and is of no use to others. What selflessness!! He is not bitter. He is not saying “I helped all and yet no one to take care of me blah blah blah….”

Second, he asks God if there is still a place for him in heaven. He doesn’t take God’s invitation as his ‘entitlement’. He doesn’t consider it his right. He is not boastful of his invitation before. He is not arrogant and demanding of his invitation now. He is humble. He says he is ready to come if God still allows him to.

He is not demanding a place in heaven stating “I helped others. I sacrificed heaven for others. I am above temptation etc etc”

Many times people say “I did Pooja/sadhan/charity how come I am still suffering?”

We demand results conducive to our taste in exchange for any ‘small acts of good’ that we do.

See the difference!

Know what is right and what is what!

POL is not something that needs to be chased away from our normal life. It can be found in the mundane routine of our lives. Intent and purity of thought is all that takes to make a simple act of living into the noble purpose of life!

Concluded....

******

# Me my guru series, blacksmith in heaven, heaven and hell, sacrifice, seva, on helping others, purity of intent, selflessness, honesty, humility, 

also read suggested https://kantipadam.blogspot.com/search?q=Me%2C+my+Guru+%E2%80%93+Full+moon+and+the+monk%21 

A few of you have been reading the blog regularly....so it is possible that you have already read the links given here. Yet I suggest you read it again - to refresh the post, to see if you are able to understand it better now, to be able to find your answers in those old posts this time.....

come back with your experiences....

Me, my Guru – The Blacksmith in heaven

 

Contd....

Me, my Guru – The Blacksmith in heaven

“He was overjoyed that he had been assigned heaven by God himself. And yet, he said “I seek God to give me a few more days to live for my neighbor is very serious and there is no one to take care of him. Let him get well and then I’ll come”.” – Everyone would be pleased to hear that God approves of his way of living. So did the blacksmith.

He didn’t ask for an extension of life as presumed by many.

He didn’t want to live long.

He was given HEAVEN. Understand this clearly and correctly. Heaven is the place everyone wants to go. There is no pain or suffering there. Who doesn’t want to go there? And that heaven is not “grabbed” by the blacksmith even when it is given to him by the God himself. See the greatness and purity of his character in this one act of his. His choice reflects his noble quality.

He wanted to help his neighbor and hence chose to stay back away from heaven. If you get this straight you’ll understand his ‘great’ quality.

“But each time the Angel came, the blacksmith had a reason to stay back to help someone in that village. Once it was that someone was sick, the other time it was marriage in someone’s house and so on.” – He wanted to stay back to help those in need of his services. He chose to serve others over heaven. That is selflessness. That is the purity of intent. That is a noble quality that pleases God!

He does this not once or twice but many times.

Just imagine – he is tempted with an offer of heaven so many times and yet, he chooses serving others over his stay in heaven. How would you rate him as a person? How would you see his character? Do you know anyone of that character?

Contd....

# Me my guru series, blacksmith in heaven, heaven and hell, sacrifice, seva, on helping others, purity of intent, selflessness, honesty, humility, 

also read suggested https://kantipadam.blogspot.com/2015/04/paths-to-reach-truth.html 

Me, my Guru – The Blacksmith in heaven

 

Contd....

Me, my Guru – The Blacksmith in heaven

In whatever we try to be of service to others we can make the Purpose of life out of that. The Blacksmith had a job that was a very basic one. But he always thought of it as a means to ease others’ lives. He lived his life servicing others through his profession. He led a selfless life that way. That was heaven! That is the “devotion” God expects from one and all – this is told in every scripture!”

When our Guru completed this story there was pin-drop silence for some time to come. Our various questions were answered.

Is there heaven and hell?

How to qualify for heaven?

We are afraid of going to heal. How to avoid going there?

How to lead a life that would please God?

What are the qualities of a true devotee?

What is the Purpose of life in our life? How to find it? Where to look for it?

When we look out for people in our family, does it count as a selfless act? Certainly not! Many times, people want to put up an act of selflessness - when in fact all they did was fulfill their duties. Know the difference and act accordingly!

The answer was simple and straight. But something in that answer disturbed us. Was it the simplicity of the answer?

We couldn’t exactly know what disturbed us. Yet with the answer received we left for good!

Pointers to understand this post:

“He lead a straight and simple life. God was very pleased with the way he followed God’s teachings. So, at the right time, God sent one of his best angels to fetch his devout devotee. He was just in his early 50’s.” – So you see, God loves those who are simple and pure. He doesn’t want all the “expensive rituals” that we follow to please him and find His Grace. Right attitude is all that God expects from us.

We don’t have to market ourselves as “good people” or “spiritual ones” to others of this World. It is totally useless. How you market may make a impact on your “image” but to God it is the purity of intent that matters.

If the attitude and intent are good, God would choose you to shower His Grace on you – even without you asking for it!

Contd....

# Me my guru series, blacksmith in heaven, heaven and hell, sacrifice, seva, on helping others, purity of intent, selflessness, honesty, humility, 

also read suggested https://kantipadam.blogspot.com/search?q=heaven+and+hell 

read the link given to understand how we all create our own heaven and hell

Me, my Guru – The Blacksmith in heaven

 

Contd....

Me, my Guru – The Blacksmith in heaven

The Angel smiled and left him undisturbed for a few more months.

But each time the Angel came, the blacksmith had a reason to stay back to help someone in that village. Once it was that someone was sick, the other time it was a marriage in someone’s house and so on.

When finally, the blacksmith became old, frail and unable to do any more work, he prayed to God “Dear God, if you still have a place for me in heaven, I am ready to come”.

Immediately the Angel appeared in front of him. The Blacksmith was very pleased. He said, “Dear sir, if God still permits I am ready to come and stay in heaven. I want to come home”.

The Angel laughed and replied “Where do you think you were all these years? This is heaven where you were living all these years. You are HOME!”

So you see heaven and hell are the places that we live every day of our life. When we live for others, it is heaven. When we are selfish, we are choosing hell for ourselves.

The Purpose of life and contentment in life are interwoven. When we share what we have with others for they need it, that itself becomes the ‘Purpose of life’. The Purpose of life is not found by many because they search for it out of ego. We want the name, fame, money or some benefit out of Purpose of life goo!

In whatever we try to be of service to others we can make the Purpose of life out of that. The Blacksmith had a job that was a very basic one. But he always thought of it as a means to ease others’ lives. He lived his life servicing others through his profession. He led a selfless life that way. That was heaven! That is the “devotion” God expects from one and all – this is told in every scripture!”

Contd....

# Me my guru series, blacksmith in heaven, heaven and hell, sacrifice, seva, on helping others, purity of intent, selflessness, honesty, humility, 

also read suggested https://kantipadam.blogspot.com/2020/08/me-my-guru-on-purpose-of-life_7.html