Balkrishna Panday's Blog
July 8, 2015
SMILES,SCOWLS and SOBS...(1)
PREFACE – BALKRISHNA PANDAY.
Life is a zig-zagging graph of opposites and they love each other so much that a negative never leaves the positive alone. It is always lurking in the shadows. This one is a cycle of the triad, smile,scowl, some sobbing, tear drops or sighs and after the dark night, the sun rises adorned with smiles. Individuals, nations and the universe too, all do not escape the cycle as sure as the revolutions of mother earth.
I am worried, very worried. We are fully engaged, mentally engaged, physically bound to routines and the activities which get published day in and day out. Humans are not concerned as they ought to be, humans see it and shut their eyes, humans do not comprehend what is chewing up the resources of life, We are raising the devil from Alladin’s lamp. IT IS NATURE’s ATROPHY. We are drugged with our life style, warming up the earth’s temperature, lowering the warmth of LOVE in the same breath. Glaciers may melt, level of the seas may rise, who bothers. We, the political leaders, are dragging our feet. We shall not be there to see, what way or how vehemently our great grand children shall be sobbing over our omissions and commissions.
Forget it, as we usually do with insolence. Interesting scenarios are down here to make you smile or scowl, as you please.
CURTAIN – RAISER, 2016, Selection by Elections, WORLD’s TOPNOTCH EXECUTIVE – PRESIDENT, U.S.A.
From this far, the drums are sounding louder for, Bernie, Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton. The list is too long with also rans but they shall get shed like autumn leaves after aflutter for some sun-shine. Beware, some political Usain Bolt can make a dashing appearance. The debates, the dinner collections, the name calling, fireworks of candidates’ and supporters’ wealth make up the spectacle to watch.
Presidency 2016
President Obama is barred by constitutional term limits from seeking re-election in 2016. A large crowd of candidates will likely compete for the Democratic and Republican nominations. Plus there are LOTS of likely third party and independent hopefuls. So, if a person is running, or thinking of running – regardless of party, ballot status, or chances of winning — he/she has been listed by the News Papers.
Bernie Sanders US Senator Bernie Sanders (Vermont)
Campaign Site: BernieSanders.com
Government Site: Office of US Senator Bernie Sanders
Facebook: www.facebook.com/BernieSanders
Twitter: www.twitter.com/SenSanders
Socialist Sanders is creeping up on Hillary in US Presidential polls
Bernie Sanders
TNN | Jul 3, 2015, 09.56 PM IST
WASHINGTON: A grandfatherly 73-year old socialist has begin to draw large crowds in his run for the White House in 2016, electrifying the more liberal wing of the Democratic Party, whose nomination as the party candidate appeared to be a shoo-in Hillary Clinton.
It’s early days yet, but the kind of crowds that have flocked to hear Bernie Sanders, a self-declared socialist from Vermont who is bidding for the Democratic nomination (although he is technically an independent) has piqued a media that is now wary of outliers ever since a skinny, mixed race freshman took America by storm in 2007-2008. On Wednesday, Sanders drew a crowd of 10,000 people in Madison, Wisconsin, (a record in the US for a pre-primary rally) as he sought to challenge Clinton for the party’s nomination in the 2016 presidential election.
Donald Trump announces US presidential run with eccentric speech
Businessman directs wrath at Mexico, which he accuses of ‘bringing their worst people’ to America, including criminals and ‘rapists’
Tycoon’s highly quotable speech gives Twitter plenty to tweet about, from Mexico sending ‘rapists’ to US to questioning Trump’s claim he has friends
donald trump
And another thing: Donald Trump delivers faux pas after faux pas in presidential announcement. And the internet loves it. Photograph: Brendan Mcdermid/Reuters
In a rambling speech in New York on Tuesday, the world learned that the real-estate mogul is “really rich”, that he will “make Mexico pay” for a great big wall on the southern border of the US, and that you have to “get hit by a tractor” to use Barack Obama’s signature healthcare law.
Literally everyone was literally thrilled.
Hillary Clinton Former US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton (New York)
Campaign Site: HillaryClinton.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/HillaryClinton
Twitter: www.twitter.com/HillaryClinton
Hillary Clinton on course to win 2016 presidential election: Poll PTI | Jun 24, 2015, 05.02 PM IST.
WASHINGTON: Hillary Clinton is the firm favourite to be chosen as the Democratic Party nominee for 2016 US presidential polls and go on to be elected as the first woman president of America, according to a new poll.
A Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll taken in the days after Clinton held her first public rally earlier this month, showed the former secretary of state garnering broad support for being chosen the Democratic presidential nominee.
Three-quarters of Democratic primary voters said Clinton was their top pick to be the nominee, compared with the 15 per cent who selected Bernie Sanders.
Clinton, 67, enters the 2016 contest with unusually broad support from fellow Democrats with some 92 per cent of Democratic primary voters saying they could see themselves supporting her and just 8 per cent saying they could not, according to the poll.
But it is not that Clinton just emerges as the strongest contender in the primary vote but the poll shows that she is looking set for a successful November 2016 election bid to become the first woman president of America.
The poll asked 1,000 likely voters about their opinions on potential presidential candidates, both Republican and Democrat.
It showed Clinton polling at 48 per cent to 40 per cent against her closest Republican contender, former Florida governor Jeb Bush, the brother of former president George W Bush and son of former president George HW Bush.
Against the Florida senator Marco Rubio, Clinton polled 50 per cent against 40 per cent. And against Wisconsin governor Scott Walker she polled 51 per cent to 37 per cent.
The survey found that Americans are divided on whether they want the next president to be a Republican or a Democrat. But among many key demographic groups, Clinton outpaces the support for her party.
“The poll underscores Clinton’s strength as a candidate, both among Democrats and key constituencies that could tip the balance in a general election. But the results also show a clear desire among Democratic voters for a rival to emerge and hint at potential cracks in her support,” the Wall Street Journal said.
NOTE:- This feature (Smiles,Scowls and Sobs ), under sub – titles of multiple interest, shall be serially continued. Being served piece-meal for remaining reader’s convenience friendly.
Life is a zig-zagging graph of opposites and they love each other so much that a negative never leaves the positive alone. It is always lurking in the shadows. This one is a cycle of the triad, smile,scowl, some sobbing, tear drops or sighs and after the dark night, the sun rises adorned with smiles. Individuals, nations and the universe too, all do not escape the cycle as sure as the revolutions of mother earth.
I am worried, very worried. We are fully engaged, mentally engaged, physically bound to routines and the activities which get published day in and day out. Humans are not concerned as they ought to be, humans see it and shut their eyes, humans do not comprehend what is chewing up the resources of life, We are raising the devil from Alladin’s lamp. IT IS NATURE’s ATROPHY. We are drugged with our life style, warming up the earth’s temperature, lowering the warmth of LOVE in the same breath. Glaciers may melt, level of the seas may rise, who bothers. We, the political leaders, are dragging our feet. We shall not be there to see, what way or how vehemently our great grand children shall be sobbing over our omissions and commissions.
Forget it, as we usually do with insolence. Interesting scenarios are down here to make you smile or scowl, as you please.
CURTAIN – RAISER, 2016, Selection by Elections, WORLD’s TOPNOTCH EXECUTIVE – PRESIDENT, U.S.A.
From this far, the drums are sounding louder for, Bernie, Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton. The list is too long with also rans but they shall get shed like autumn leaves after aflutter for some sun-shine. Beware, some political Usain Bolt can make a dashing appearance. The debates, the dinner collections, the name calling, fireworks of candidates’ and supporters’ wealth make up the spectacle to watch.
Presidency 2016
President Obama is barred by constitutional term limits from seeking re-election in 2016. A large crowd of candidates will likely compete for the Democratic and Republican nominations. Plus there are LOTS of likely third party and independent hopefuls. So, if a person is running, or thinking of running – regardless of party, ballot status, or chances of winning — he/she has been listed by the News Papers.
Bernie Sanders US Senator Bernie Sanders (Vermont)
Campaign Site: BernieSanders.com
Government Site: Office of US Senator Bernie Sanders
Facebook: www.facebook.com/BernieSanders
Twitter: www.twitter.com/SenSanders
Socialist Sanders is creeping up on Hillary in US Presidential polls
Bernie Sanders
TNN | Jul 3, 2015, 09.56 PM IST
WASHINGTON: A grandfatherly 73-year old socialist has begin to draw large crowds in his run for the White House in 2016, electrifying the more liberal wing of the Democratic Party, whose nomination as the party candidate appeared to be a shoo-in Hillary Clinton.
It’s early days yet, but the kind of crowds that have flocked to hear Bernie Sanders, a self-declared socialist from Vermont who is bidding for the Democratic nomination (although he is technically an independent) has piqued a media that is now wary of outliers ever since a skinny, mixed race freshman took America by storm in 2007-2008. On Wednesday, Sanders drew a crowd of 10,000 people in Madison, Wisconsin, (a record in the US for a pre-primary rally) as he sought to challenge Clinton for the party’s nomination in the 2016 presidential election.
Donald Trump announces US presidential run with eccentric speech
Businessman directs wrath at Mexico, which he accuses of ‘bringing their worst people’ to America, including criminals and ‘rapists’
Tycoon’s highly quotable speech gives Twitter plenty to tweet about, from Mexico sending ‘rapists’ to US to questioning Trump’s claim he has friends
donald trump
And another thing: Donald Trump delivers faux pas after faux pas in presidential announcement. And the internet loves it. Photograph: Brendan Mcdermid/Reuters
In a rambling speech in New York on Tuesday, the world learned that the real-estate mogul is “really rich”, that he will “make Mexico pay” for a great big wall on the southern border of the US, and that you have to “get hit by a tractor” to use Barack Obama’s signature healthcare law.
Literally everyone was literally thrilled.
Hillary Clinton Former US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton (New York)
Campaign Site: HillaryClinton.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/HillaryClinton
Twitter: www.twitter.com/HillaryClinton
Hillary Clinton on course to win 2016 presidential election: Poll PTI | Jun 24, 2015, 05.02 PM IST.
WASHINGTON: Hillary Clinton is the firm favourite to be chosen as the Democratic Party nominee for 2016 US presidential polls and go on to be elected as the first woman president of America, according to a new poll.
A Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll taken in the days after Clinton held her first public rally earlier this month, showed the former secretary of state garnering broad support for being chosen the Democratic presidential nominee.
Three-quarters of Democratic primary voters said Clinton was their top pick to be the nominee, compared with the 15 per cent who selected Bernie Sanders.
Clinton, 67, enters the 2016 contest with unusually broad support from fellow Democrats with some 92 per cent of Democratic primary voters saying they could see themselves supporting her and just 8 per cent saying they could not, according to the poll.
But it is not that Clinton just emerges as the strongest contender in the primary vote but the poll shows that she is looking set for a successful November 2016 election bid to become the first woman president of America.
The poll asked 1,000 likely voters about their opinions on potential presidential candidates, both Republican and Democrat.
It showed Clinton polling at 48 per cent to 40 per cent against her closest Republican contender, former Florida governor Jeb Bush, the brother of former president George W Bush and son of former president George HW Bush.
Against the Florida senator Marco Rubio, Clinton polled 50 per cent against 40 per cent. And against Wisconsin governor Scott Walker she polled 51 per cent to 37 per cent.
The survey found that Americans are divided on whether they want the next president to be a Republican or a Democrat. But among many key demographic groups, Clinton outpaces the support for her party.
“The poll underscores Clinton’s strength as a candidate, both among Democrats and key constituencies that could tip the balance in a general election. But the results also show a clear desire among Democratic voters for a rival to emerge and hint at potential cracks in her support,” the Wall Street Journal said.
NOTE:- This feature (Smiles,Scowls and Sobs ), under sub – titles of multiple interest, shall be serially continued. Being served piece-meal for remaining reader’s convenience friendly.
October 20, 2014
LOVE
LOVE
Image
JESUS CHRIST
The acid test of our love for God is
obedience to His Word.
I wish to quote two sayings of a Sufi saint of recent times, Sai Baba of Shirdi.
“Love and Service are two wings by which man can soar to higher levels of consciousness. If you have the spirit of Love and Service, divine grace will follow you like a shadow, wherever you may be.”
“Share your love with birds, animals and fellow beings, Absolute love is true liberation.”
Image
SAI BABA OF SHIRDI (1836-1918)
” If you look to me, I look to you.
If you cast your burden on me, I shall surely bear it “.
Human personality is a social entity. It lives in love just as a fish lives in water. See love in a wider sense like a gesture of cognition, just a look with an attitude, an extended hand, an initiative to give and receive, familial and social interaction, and so one might as well be a log of wood without love.
The need to expect love at all times is so ingrained, obviously because one is so assured and habited of the warmth of love in the mother’s womb. Probably that is why a human being keeps striving for material as well as psychological security, all one’s life. It is love or its equivalent received that accords security to exist.
A smile is exchanged and we know the simple happiness of having met or the complexity of relations. A glance can mean so much more than what is apparent. The body language would show whether you may expect service to your wants or one has to ready oneself for an assignment. A hand-shake means both of us are there just for the pleasure of being together or to solve a problem which is an obstruction to our purpose which we love. Parents’ love is the strongest of pillars to a balanced personality and contrarily parents’ rejection can cause fathomless damage to the nature of developing persona of the child. A game played with love of knowing each other as a friend yields so much of satisfaction or is an introduction to the variety of inter-personal relations. If a teacher is able to gain from his ability, a regard that is a form of love, being educated is a pleasure to the student. Participation in activities like dramatics, lecture sessions, debate sessions and such other extra-curricular activities is a valuable step to mature a personality for useful contribution to the society.
An individual is a product of hereditary factors that provide the physique and its temperament, which forms the foundation.
Their constant interplay with the society, its sub-groups, the culture thereof including religious influence and the government policies define the uniqueness of individual personality. In all social relationships existence of Love can be discerned like warmth in a body that is alive. Whether it is functional or dormant but it is very much there.
The interaction of LOVE is one to one or many to one and vice-versa. Finally it is very charming either way, whether the meaning is worldly or divine. The way this word is loosely, used could just mean, “I love XYZ ice-cream”. Then, there are the individuals and groups who for the love of a different dogma are ready to smash the ‘establishment’. For the love of what, they know better, the human body would be trained to transform into a human bomb and blast other human beings into smithereens. A group would conspire to burn the other group travelling in a railway compartment for the love of their faith. A mob has individuals who form a mob for the love of retaliation and would burn up a colony of innocent civilians because they name God almighty in a different way which they happen to believe in. Love of faith can make a group so die hard that they would fly planes in a suicide attack to strike down sky-scraper buildings of a prosperous nation whose faith happens to be different to theirs. Look at this strife for love. Look at war being fought for the love of one’s interest, part for self and part for a wider cause. In any case, what one destroys, is creation of nature.
Another angle, Love supposedly is used to create a new morality, abandoning the principles of goodness and moral standards in society. In the name of Love they use drugs and narcotics to bring them artificial pleasure during which they exploit the natural and innate instinct of sex.
LOVE OF CHRIST
Image
The word Love is used so loosely that it signifies to them anything other than its real meaning and content. The content of Love got perverted when it means nothing more than satisfaction to sexual arousal. Love in its very basic meaning is understood primarily in relationships between persons. It is an expression of ardent attachment through a refinement of human emotion. It is, in its genuineness, put across through devotion, loyalty, intimate knowledge and responsibility. Love is the total righteous understanding of a mutual relationship between persons. Love is not subjective; it is devoted to the object. It has intrinsic joy as its essentiality. If sorrow is experienced, it has as its cause, the separation from the object of Love.
It is true that in past centuries, Love has been exploited by individuals and groups, but it always was found that this kind of Love was wrong and needed correction and refinement. Love has had an ideal to keep progressing, refining, upgrading itself through the years in the expression of concern for all peoples. The Christian concept of love is mentioned in the divine declaration,
“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second one is similar. You shall love your neighbor as yourself. (Matthew 22: 37 – 39 f). God is Love. God, as the source of Love, possesses great mercy and compassion. Out of Love God sent His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ to save mankind. Out of Love Christ humiliated Himself and even died on the Cross to atone for man’s sins. Out of Love, Christ offers “fallen” man a second chance to attain his salvation through His church. Out of Love, God offers everlasting life to those who obey His commandments as His heirs. This is supreme Love, a Love for the man whom He created, even though He disobeyed Him through arrogance. The tender mercies of God for man whom He created are over all His great works. God reveals Himself to those who walk in His footsteps in the path of humble service to their neighbor. The profound message that permeates Scripture revolves around the love of God and love of man.
In Islam the concept of love is exemplified in the Love of God for the Prophet Muhammad and the Prophet’s love for God. The prophet is known as ‘Habib Ullah’, the beloved of God. Over the centuries the Muslim saints have experienced divine love through this concept.
Human love for Allah, His creations, deeds and human beings play a crucial role in Islamic world view, especially in theology, ethics and mysticism. Indeed knowledge of religious truths builds up faith but is not reducible to knowledge alone. The belief and faith arise from commitment to the articles of faith and from the fact that one does not refuse to follow them. Faith is there when one loves the religious beliefs and not just by virtue of knowing them. Study of the Quran, its narrations (‘hadiths’) shows that the meritorious and ethical properties are to be loved and the converse is to be hated e.g. justice is to be loved and injustice is to be hated. Thus, one person may be loved for his good deeds and at the same time he may be hated for the bad deeds. Love and Hatred are like two sides to a coin, functionally for the sake of Allah. Islam recommends compassionate dealings and sincere relationships with others even if they do not believe in Islam or God.
Love of God has to be complete above all else. One should not think that one is directing the course of love. Love for God itself directs the course of your love. Love has to be unstinting as it was in the case of one of the earlier prophets, Noah. Inspite of the taunting and insults by locals as well derision for his family, Noah remained faithful and loyal to the words of God. He built a boat even though no clouds were to be seen anywhere. As per God’s instructions he collected a pair of every animal. It did happen that the floods came and Noah’s faith was proved true. No others could survive but the family of Noah. There were heavy rains for forty days and nights and everything was destroyed. The unshakeable faith In Him paid off.
Image
LOVE OF SHIRDI SAI BABA
The following narration is from the scriptures in the words of devotee Nasser Lallji (Mumbai). It is best if you put God’s wishes before your own, and wonderful if both are one. In the Bible Hosea 6 v 6 “I don’t want your sacrifice. I want your love. I don’t want your offerings. I want you to know me.” Says the Lord. Sai Baba of Shirdi (Indian saint of recent times) said, “Carry me in your hearts.”
For our relationship with God to grow there is a responsibility to obey – not from a sense of fear but fear of hurting him. We know that he is our creator and that His purpose and plan for us is for our good. Our path, which is laid out before we are born is following our Karma. This cannot be changed, but it is our faith in our Creator born out of our love, that will guide us through unscathed and stand us in good stead in the future.
After the flood water had receded, God told Noah to enjoy the creation and replenish the earth. He was’nt told to follow the rituals but enjoy life. The steps of the godly were barely directed by the Lord. He delights in every detail of their lives.”Psalm 37 v 23. God is pleased when we go about living our lives to please Him but this is only possible if we obey Him completely and that cannot come without trust, and that again can come only with faith, which is based upon love.
Prophet Abraham’s belief in God came after much thought. In the Quran in Chapter 6 verse 75 (006.075) it is said “So also did we show Abraham the power of the laws of heavens that he might (with understanding) have certitude. When the night covered him over, He saw a star: He said, “This is my Lord.” But when it set, “I love not those that set.” (Again in Chapter 6 verse 76) When he saw the moon rise in splendour, he said, “This is my Lord.” But when the moon set, he said, “Unless the Lord (saves me), I shall surely be among those who go astray.”
(Chapter 6 verse 77) When he saw the sun rising in splendor, he said, “This is my Lord, this is the greatest (of all).” But when the sun set, he said, I am indeed free from your (guilt) of giving partners to God.” (Chapter 6 verse 78) “For me I have set my face, firmly and truly, towards Him, who created Heavens and Earth, and never shall I give partners to God. “(Chapter 6 verse 79) In these Chapters some light is thrown on the mental experience through which Abraham (peace be on him) passed in the beginning and which led him to an understanding of Truth before Prophethood was bestowed on him.
Certainly he was as familiar as anyone else with nightfall and ensuing daybreak. The Sun, the moon and stars, all had risen before his eyes in the past and disappeared from sight. But on one particular day his observation of a star was to stimulate his thinking in a direction and to lead him in the end to perceive the truth of God’s oneness.
Prophet Abraham’s faith was so perfect that even though thrown in a raging fire, he came out unscathed, just as Prophet Daniel remained alive in a den of hungry lions. Little wonder then that Prophet Abraham is called “Father of the prophets “by the Jews, Christians as well as Muslim.
TAOISM
For the love of life, your own self and the world around you, I find the following selected QUOTES FROM TAOISM very interesting to be kept in view.
Do you really want to be happy? You can begin by being appreciative of who you are and what you have got
Accept everything the way it is.
Do not seek pleasure for its own sake. Do not, under any circumstances, depend upon a partial feeling.
Think lightly of yourself and deeply of the world.
Be detached from desire lifelong.
Do not regret what you have done.
Never be jealous.
Never let yourself be saddened by a separation
Resentment and complaint are appropriate neither for
oneself nor others
Do not let yourself be guided by a feeling of lust.
In all things, have no preference.
Be indifferent to where you live.
Do not pursue the taste of good food.
Do not hold on to possessions you no longer need.
Do not act following customary beliefs.
Do not collect weapons, or practice with weapons beyond what is useful.
Do not fear death.
Do not seek to possess goods or fiefs for your old age
Respect Buddha and the Gods without counting on their help.
You may abandon your body but preserve your honour
Never stray from the Way.
(These specified above are to be viewed against the intended context. Modern life would need adjustments without alteration of the basic ethical content.)
Those who do not know how to suffer are the worst of. There are times when the only correct thing we can do is to bear out our troubles until a better day.
Shape clay into a vessel, it is the space within that makes it useful.Cut doors and windows for a room: it is the holes that make it useful. Therefore benefit comes from what is there; usefulness from what is not there.
Grappling with fate is like meeting an expert wrestler; to escape, you have to accept the fall when you are thrown. The only thing that counts is, whether you get back up
WHO KNOWS WHAT IS GOOD OR BAD?
The Taoists realized that no single concept or value could be considered as absolute or superior. If being useful is beneficial, the being useless is also beneficial. The ease with which such opposites may change places is depicted in a Taoist story of a farmer whose horse ran away. His neighbor commiserated only to be told, “Who knows what is good or bad?” It was true. The next day the horse returned, bringing with it a drove of wild horses, it had befriended in his wanderings. The neighbor came over again, this time to congratulate over his windfall. He met with the same observation, “Who knows what is good or bad?” True this time too. Next day the farmer’s son tried to ride one of the wild horses and fell off, breaking one leg. Back came the neighbor, this time with more commiserations, only to encounter for the third time, the same response, “Who knows what is good or bad?” And once again the farmer’s point was well taken, for the following day soldiers came by commandeering for the army and because of his injury, the son was not drafted.
According to the Taoists, yang and yin, light and shadow, useful and useless are different aspects of the whole and the minute we choose one side blocking out the other; we upset the nature’s balance. If we are to be whole and follow the way of nature, we must pursue the difficult process of embracing the opposites.
PRAYER
When you find yourself in one of those mystical/devotional frames of mind or in an emergency and you feel you want to pray, then pray. Don’t ever be ashamed to pray or feel prevented by thinking yourself to be unworthy in any way. Fact is whatever terrible thing you may have done; praying will always turn your energy around for the better.
Pray to, whomever, whatever or whenever you choose. Pray to the mountain, pray to ancestors, pray to the earth, pray to Tao(but it would not listen), pray to Jehovah, pray to the Great Mother, Allah, Buddha, Jesus, Lakshmi, Shiva, pray to the Great Spirit, it makes no difference. Praying is merely a device for realigning the mind, energy and passion of your local self with the mind, energy and passion of your universal self. When you pray, you are praying to the god or goddess within you. This has an effect on your energy field, which in turn translates into a positive charge that makes something good happen.
The lines above took us through the light thrown by religious philosophy on the subject of Love. Ideals in relationships are good to be kept in mind and they should form the foundation of interaction with the world around us. Pragmatic moderation would be necessary to live through the ups and downs of life with the passage of time.
{Excerpt from the book PERSONALITY. Website, http://www.apickmeupguide.com. Availability at Amazon and other web sellers. Author – BAL KRISHNA PANDAY c/o Google – search}
POSTED ONMAY 3, 2014
AUTHORBKPANDAY32
LEAVE A COMMENT
Bal Krishna Panday A FINE WORDPRESS.COM SITE
Bal Krishna Panday A FINE WORDPRESS.COM SITE
Bal Krishna Panday A FINE WORDPRESS.COM SITE
Image
JESUS CHRIST
The acid test of our love for God is
obedience to His Word.
I wish to quote two sayings of a Sufi saint of recent times, Sai Baba of Shirdi.
“Love and Service are two wings by which man can soar to higher levels of consciousness. If you have the spirit of Love and Service, divine grace will follow you like a shadow, wherever you may be.”
“Share your love with birds, animals and fellow beings, Absolute love is true liberation.”
Image
SAI BABA OF SHIRDI (1836-1918)
” If you look to me, I look to you.
If you cast your burden on me, I shall surely bear it “.
Human personality is a social entity. It lives in love just as a fish lives in water. See love in a wider sense like a gesture of cognition, just a look with an attitude, an extended hand, an initiative to give and receive, familial and social interaction, and so one might as well be a log of wood without love.
The need to expect love at all times is so ingrained, obviously because one is so assured and habited of the warmth of love in the mother’s womb. Probably that is why a human being keeps striving for material as well as psychological security, all one’s life. It is love or its equivalent received that accords security to exist.
A smile is exchanged and we know the simple happiness of having met or the complexity of relations. A glance can mean so much more than what is apparent. The body language would show whether you may expect service to your wants or one has to ready oneself for an assignment. A hand-shake means both of us are there just for the pleasure of being together or to solve a problem which is an obstruction to our purpose which we love. Parents’ love is the strongest of pillars to a balanced personality and contrarily parents’ rejection can cause fathomless damage to the nature of developing persona of the child. A game played with love of knowing each other as a friend yields so much of satisfaction or is an introduction to the variety of inter-personal relations. If a teacher is able to gain from his ability, a regard that is a form of love, being educated is a pleasure to the student. Participation in activities like dramatics, lecture sessions, debate sessions and such other extra-curricular activities is a valuable step to mature a personality for useful contribution to the society.
An individual is a product of hereditary factors that provide the physique and its temperament, which forms the foundation.
Their constant interplay with the society, its sub-groups, the culture thereof including religious influence and the government policies define the uniqueness of individual personality. In all social relationships existence of Love can be discerned like warmth in a body that is alive. Whether it is functional or dormant but it is very much there.
The interaction of LOVE is one to one or many to one and vice-versa. Finally it is very charming either way, whether the meaning is worldly or divine. The way this word is loosely, used could just mean, “I love XYZ ice-cream”. Then, there are the individuals and groups who for the love of a different dogma are ready to smash the ‘establishment’. For the love of what, they know better, the human body would be trained to transform into a human bomb and blast other human beings into smithereens. A group would conspire to burn the other group travelling in a railway compartment for the love of their faith. A mob has individuals who form a mob for the love of retaliation and would burn up a colony of innocent civilians because they name God almighty in a different way which they happen to believe in. Love of faith can make a group so die hard that they would fly planes in a suicide attack to strike down sky-scraper buildings of a prosperous nation whose faith happens to be different to theirs. Look at this strife for love. Look at war being fought for the love of one’s interest, part for self and part for a wider cause. In any case, what one destroys, is creation of nature.
Another angle, Love supposedly is used to create a new morality, abandoning the principles of goodness and moral standards in society. In the name of Love they use drugs and narcotics to bring them artificial pleasure during which they exploit the natural and innate instinct of sex.
LOVE OF CHRIST
Image
The word Love is used so loosely that it signifies to them anything other than its real meaning and content. The content of Love got perverted when it means nothing more than satisfaction to sexual arousal. Love in its very basic meaning is understood primarily in relationships between persons. It is an expression of ardent attachment through a refinement of human emotion. It is, in its genuineness, put across through devotion, loyalty, intimate knowledge and responsibility. Love is the total righteous understanding of a mutual relationship between persons. Love is not subjective; it is devoted to the object. It has intrinsic joy as its essentiality. If sorrow is experienced, it has as its cause, the separation from the object of Love.
It is true that in past centuries, Love has been exploited by individuals and groups, but it always was found that this kind of Love was wrong and needed correction and refinement. Love has had an ideal to keep progressing, refining, upgrading itself through the years in the expression of concern for all peoples. The Christian concept of love is mentioned in the divine declaration,
“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second one is similar. You shall love your neighbor as yourself. (Matthew 22: 37 – 39 f). God is Love. God, as the source of Love, possesses great mercy and compassion. Out of Love God sent His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ to save mankind. Out of Love Christ humiliated Himself and even died on the Cross to atone for man’s sins. Out of Love, Christ offers “fallen” man a second chance to attain his salvation through His church. Out of Love, God offers everlasting life to those who obey His commandments as His heirs. This is supreme Love, a Love for the man whom He created, even though He disobeyed Him through arrogance. The tender mercies of God for man whom He created are over all His great works. God reveals Himself to those who walk in His footsteps in the path of humble service to their neighbor. The profound message that permeates Scripture revolves around the love of God and love of man.
In Islam the concept of love is exemplified in the Love of God for the Prophet Muhammad and the Prophet’s love for God. The prophet is known as ‘Habib Ullah’, the beloved of God. Over the centuries the Muslim saints have experienced divine love through this concept.
Human love for Allah, His creations, deeds and human beings play a crucial role in Islamic world view, especially in theology, ethics and mysticism. Indeed knowledge of religious truths builds up faith but is not reducible to knowledge alone. The belief and faith arise from commitment to the articles of faith and from the fact that one does not refuse to follow them. Faith is there when one loves the religious beliefs and not just by virtue of knowing them. Study of the Quran, its narrations (‘hadiths’) shows that the meritorious and ethical properties are to be loved and the converse is to be hated e.g. justice is to be loved and injustice is to be hated. Thus, one person may be loved for his good deeds and at the same time he may be hated for the bad deeds. Love and Hatred are like two sides to a coin, functionally for the sake of Allah. Islam recommends compassionate dealings and sincere relationships with others even if they do not believe in Islam or God.
Love of God has to be complete above all else. One should not think that one is directing the course of love. Love for God itself directs the course of your love. Love has to be unstinting as it was in the case of one of the earlier prophets, Noah. Inspite of the taunting and insults by locals as well derision for his family, Noah remained faithful and loyal to the words of God. He built a boat even though no clouds were to be seen anywhere. As per God’s instructions he collected a pair of every animal. It did happen that the floods came and Noah’s faith was proved true. No others could survive but the family of Noah. There were heavy rains for forty days and nights and everything was destroyed. The unshakeable faith In Him paid off.
Image
LOVE OF SHIRDI SAI BABA
The following narration is from the scriptures in the words of devotee Nasser Lallji (Mumbai). It is best if you put God’s wishes before your own, and wonderful if both are one. In the Bible Hosea 6 v 6 “I don’t want your sacrifice. I want your love. I don’t want your offerings. I want you to know me.” Says the Lord. Sai Baba of Shirdi (Indian saint of recent times) said, “Carry me in your hearts.”
For our relationship with God to grow there is a responsibility to obey – not from a sense of fear but fear of hurting him. We know that he is our creator and that His purpose and plan for us is for our good. Our path, which is laid out before we are born is following our Karma. This cannot be changed, but it is our faith in our Creator born out of our love, that will guide us through unscathed and stand us in good stead in the future.
After the flood water had receded, God told Noah to enjoy the creation and replenish the earth. He was’nt told to follow the rituals but enjoy life. The steps of the godly were barely directed by the Lord. He delights in every detail of their lives.”Psalm 37 v 23. God is pleased when we go about living our lives to please Him but this is only possible if we obey Him completely and that cannot come without trust, and that again can come only with faith, which is based upon love.
Prophet Abraham’s belief in God came after much thought. In the Quran in Chapter 6 verse 75 (006.075) it is said “So also did we show Abraham the power of the laws of heavens that he might (with understanding) have certitude. When the night covered him over, He saw a star: He said, “This is my Lord.” But when it set, “I love not those that set.” (Again in Chapter 6 verse 76) When he saw the moon rise in splendour, he said, “This is my Lord.” But when the moon set, he said, “Unless the Lord (saves me), I shall surely be among those who go astray.”
(Chapter 6 verse 77) When he saw the sun rising in splendor, he said, “This is my Lord, this is the greatest (of all).” But when the sun set, he said, I am indeed free from your (guilt) of giving partners to God.” (Chapter 6 verse 78) “For me I have set my face, firmly and truly, towards Him, who created Heavens and Earth, and never shall I give partners to God. “(Chapter 6 verse 79) In these Chapters some light is thrown on the mental experience through which Abraham (peace be on him) passed in the beginning and which led him to an understanding of Truth before Prophethood was bestowed on him.
Certainly he was as familiar as anyone else with nightfall and ensuing daybreak. The Sun, the moon and stars, all had risen before his eyes in the past and disappeared from sight. But on one particular day his observation of a star was to stimulate his thinking in a direction and to lead him in the end to perceive the truth of God’s oneness.
Prophet Abraham’s faith was so perfect that even though thrown in a raging fire, he came out unscathed, just as Prophet Daniel remained alive in a den of hungry lions. Little wonder then that Prophet Abraham is called “Father of the prophets “by the Jews, Christians as well as Muslim.
TAOISM
For the love of life, your own self and the world around you, I find the following selected QUOTES FROM TAOISM very interesting to be kept in view.
Do you really want to be happy? You can begin by being appreciative of who you are and what you have got
Accept everything the way it is.
Do not seek pleasure for its own sake. Do not, under any circumstances, depend upon a partial feeling.
Think lightly of yourself and deeply of the world.
Be detached from desire lifelong.
Do not regret what you have done.
Never be jealous.
Never let yourself be saddened by a separation
Resentment and complaint are appropriate neither for
oneself nor others
Do not let yourself be guided by a feeling of lust.
In all things, have no preference.
Be indifferent to where you live.
Do not pursue the taste of good food.
Do not hold on to possessions you no longer need.
Do not act following customary beliefs.
Do not collect weapons, or practice with weapons beyond what is useful.
Do not fear death.
Do not seek to possess goods or fiefs for your old age
Respect Buddha and the Gods without counting on their help.
You may abandon your body but preserve your honour
Never stray from the Way.
(These specified above are to be viewed against the intended context. Modern life would need adjustments without alteration of the basic ethical content.)
Those who do not know how to suffer are the worst of. There are times when the only correct thing we can do is to bear out our troubles until a better day.
Shape clay into a vessel, it is the space within that makes it useful.Cut doors and windows for a room: it is the holes that make it useful. Therefore benefit comes from what is there; usefulness from what is not there.
Grappling with fate is like meeting an expert wrestler; to escape, you have to accept the fall when you are thrown. The only thing that counts is, whether you get back up
WHO KNOWS WHAT IS GOOD OR BAD?
The Taoists realized that no single concept or value could be considered as absolute or superior. If being useful is beneficial, the being useless is also beneficial. The ease with which such opposites may change places is depicted in a Taoist story of a farmer whose horse ran away. His neighbor commiserated only to be told, “Who knows what is good or bad?” It was true. The next day the horse returned, bringing with it a drove of wild horses, it had befriended in his wanderings. The neighbor came over again, this time to congratulate over his windfall. He met with the same observation, “Who knows what is good or bad?” True this time too. Next day the farmer’s son tried to ride one of the wild horses and fell off, breaking one leg. Back came the neighbor, this time with more commiserations, only to encounter for the third time, the same response, “Who knows what is good or bad?” And once again the farmer’s point was well taken, for the following day soldiers came by commandeering for the army and because of his injury, the son was not drafted.
According to the Taoists, yang and yin, light and shadow, useful and useless are different aspects of the whole and the minute we choose one side blocking out the other; we upset the nature’s balance. If we are to be whole and follow the way of nature, we must pursue the difficult process of embracing the opposites.
PRAYER
When you find yourself in one of those mystical/devotional frames of mind or in an emergency and you feel you want to pray, then pray. Don’t ever be ashamed to pray or feel prevented by thinking yourself to be unworthy in any way. Fact is whatever terrible thing you may have done; praying will always turn your energy around for the better.
Pray to, whomever, whatever or whenever you choose. Pray to the mountain, pray to ancestors, pray to the earth, pray to Tao(but it would not listen), pray to Jehovah, pray to the Great Mother, Allah, Buddha, Jesus, Lakshmi, Shiva, pray to the Great Spirit, it makes no difference. Praying is merely a device for realigning the mind, energy and passion of your local self with the mind, energy and passion of your universal self. When you pray, you are praying to the god or goddess within you. This has an effect on your energy field, which in turn translates into a positive charge that makes something good happen.
The lines above took us through the light thrown by religious philosophy on the subject of Love. Ideals in relationships are good to be kept in mind and they should form the foundation of interaction with the world around us. Pragmatic moderation would be necessary to live through the ups and downs of life with the passage of time.
{Excerpt from the book PERSONALITY. Website, http://www.apickmeupguide.com. Availability at Amazon and other web sellers. Author – BAL KRISHNA PANDAY c/o Google – search}
POSTED ONMAY 3, 2014
AUTHORBKPANDAY32
LEAVE A COMMENT
Bal Krishna Panday A FINE WORDPRESS.COM SITE
Bal Krishna Panday A FINE WORDPRESS.COM SITE
Bal Krishna Panday A FINE WORDPRESS.COM SITE
