"A Bitter Reality" …..Written by An Indian Software Engineer

As the dream of most parents I had acquired a degree in Software Engineering and joined a company based in USA, the land of braves and opportunity. When I arrived in the USA, it was as if a dream had come true.

Here at last I was in the place where I want to be. I decided I would be staying in this country for about Five years in which time I would have earned enough money to settle down in India.

My father was a government employee and after his retirement, the only asset he could acquire was a decent one bedroom flat.

I wanted to do something more than him. I started feeling homesick and lonely as the time passed. I used to call home and speak to my parents every week using cheap international phone cards. Two years passed, two years of Burgers at McDonald's and pizzas and discos and 2 years watching the foreign exchange rate getting happy whenever the Rupee value went down.

Finally I decided to get married. Told my parents that I have only 10 days of holidays and everything must be done within these 10 days. I got my ticket booked in the cheapest flight. Was jubilant and was actually enjoying hopping for gifts for all my friends back home. If I miss anyone then there will be talks. After reaching home I spent home one week going through all the photographs of girls and as the time was getting shorter I was forced to select one candidate.

In-laws told me, to my surprise, that I would have to get married in 2-3 days, as I will not get any more holidays. After the marriage, it was time to return to USA, after giving some money to my parents and telling the neighbours to look after them, we returned to USA.

My wife enjoyed this country for about two months and then she started feeling lonely. The frequency of calling India increased to twice in a week sometimes 3 times a week. Our savings started diminishing.

After two more years we started to have kids. Two lovely kids, a boy and a girl, were gifted to us by the almighty. Every time I spoke to my parents, they asked me to come to India so that they can see their grand-children.

Every year I decide to go to India… But part work part monetary conditions prevented it. Years went by and visiting India was a distant dream. Then suddenly one day I got a message that my parents were seriously sick. I tried but I couldn't get any holidays and thus could not go to India ... The next message I got was my parents had passed away and as there was no one to do the last rites the society members had done whatever they could. I was depressed. My parents had passed away without seeing their grandchildren.

After couple more years passed away, much to my children's dislike and my wife's joy we returned to India to settle down. I started to look for a suitable property, but to my dismay my savings were short and the property prices had gone up during all these years. I had to return to the USA...

My wife refused to come back with me and my children refused to stay in India... My 2 children and I returned to USA after promising my wife I would be back for good after two years.

Time passed by, my daughter decided to get married to an American and my son was happy living in USA... I decided that had enough and wound-up everything and returned to India... I had just enough money to buy a decent 2 bedroom flat in a well-developed locality.

Now I am 60 years old and the only time I go out of the flat is for the routine visit to the nearby temple. My faithful wife has also left me and gone to the holy abode.

Sometimes

I wondered was it worth all this?

My father, even after staying in India, Had a house to his name and I too have the same nothing more.

I lost my parents and children for just ONE EXTRA BEDROOM.

Looking out from the window I see a lot of children dancing. This damned cable TV has spoiled our new generation and these children are losing their values and culture because of it. I get occasional cards from my children asking I am alright. Well at least they remember me.

Now perhaps after I die it will be the neighbours again who will be performing my last rights, God Bless them.

But the question still remains 'was all this worth it?'

I am still searching for an answer.................!!!

START THINKING. IS IT JUST FOR ONE EXTRA BEDROOM???

LIFE IS BEYOND THIS …..DON'T JUST LEAVE YOUR LIFE …….. START LIVING IT ……. LIVE IT AS YOU WANT IT TO BE

In search of God

God is not outside the world. God is within us. Live a Holy, Healthy, Happy Life. God does not Micromanage our actions. I used to believe that prayer changes things, but Prayer changes us and we change things.

Questions Human have asked in the past and continue to ask!

·         What is God? Does He really Exixt> Why do we search for God as part of a religion?

·         Is there really a place such as heaven or hell ?

·         Also ask: Is there really a Soul? What happens to the soul after death?

·         What was our past Life? What will be our future Life? Is therereally such a thing as past life or future Life?

Words of wisdom about God.

·         God is opening a new door in your Life that no one can shut.

·         FAITH (in God) is seeing light with your heart when all your eyes see is darkness.

·         Prayer is when you speak and God listens and meditation is when God speaks and you listen.

·         People hurt you. God will heal you. People humiliate you. God will magnify you. People judge you. God will justify you. People hate you. God will LOVE you.

·         I am a citizen of the world (Under one God). The Earth is my country. And humanity is my Nation.

·         Do you want real peace! Peace has never come from dropping bombs. Real peace comes from enlightenment and educating people to behave more in a diving manner .

Power of PRAYER

·         PRAY hardest when it is hardest to pray.

·         I used to believe that prayer changes things, but prayer changes us and we change things. How does prayer change us? By providing hope or by accepting laws of nature.

WHY Religions Need God to Pray?

·         Religions of the world fall in two Categories: Prayer-Orientedreligions andmeditation-oriented religions.

·         Christianity, Mohammedans, Hindus, Sikhs, and other popular religions of the world are prayer-oriented. For prayer we need higher power to pray which is God.

·         Buddhism, Taoism, and Jainism are meditation-Oriented.

God is within Us.

God is not outside the world. God is within us. Live a Holy. Healthy, Happy Life. Your gateway to Happiness.

Conscious is the VOICE of God in the SOUL. Thus Soul is part of God within us.

SOUL/GOD and Man

Recognition of one’s soul is recognition of God within us.

Mun tu jot saroop hai, apna mool pashaan …(Guru Granth, p441; meaning: O’my soul you’re the image of Divine Light: so know your source.

What is that recognition! What is that state of mind with awakened spirit! That state of mind is without fear. Without enmity, immortal without the fear of death or Birth. Completewithin itself-timeless, ageless, and formless (Akaal Moorat). We know that only physical body, ages spirit is not affected by time or age or birth or death. A few blessed ones realize that state of mind (Nirbhau, Nirvair,Akaal Miirat, Ajooni Saebhang, Gur Prasad! Mul-Mantra or Basic Principle, Japuji, Guru Granth, p ho realize are not afraid of 1) (Those who realize are not afraid of getting old or dying young)

What is God for Scientist!

·         There is one Universal Energy (E=mc2) that we call God, Allah, Ram, Parmatma, Hari, God of Universe, or any other name we choose. Energy can convert into matter can convert into Energy, but total energy never changes and is constant, that is the ultimate truth. Everything is created out of this energy and goes back into this energy. Tat is why: The creation is in the Creator, and the creator is in the creation (Guru Granth p.1350; khalik khalak khalak meinkhalik….Kabir Ji).”

·         God (Energy of the Universe) is everyehere in all forms as well as formlessness (saragun as well as nirgun) All matter is a form created from formless Energy including humans and then souls. So Energy is creator and matter created from energy is creation.

·         Soul/Energy/Mother Nature’s Universal laws/God are different representations of the same concept in view of Scientific Logic.

·         God (Parmatma) and Soul (atma)  is explained by Guru Nanak as the ‘Jot’, which is scientifically “Energy”. The God is in us, the God is in sangat (congregation) “If we can’t see God in all, we can’t see God at all”. “Conscious is the VOICE of God in the SOUL. Thus Soul is the part of God within us.” God is not sitting somewhere in the sky watching our action.

WHY Can’t Religion Achieve Peace!

If all religions teach peace in the name of GOD, Why can’t all religions achieve PEACE?

How Religions created Concept of God! It’s not about achieving Peace.

Life on earth was created through the nonhuman laws of Nature. Strands of Chemicals (DNA) were created in the process of origin of Life, and further in the process some DNA strands became encased in protective shells which increased their survivability dramatically, creating the first unicellular organisms such as first bacteria. From simple unicellular organisms more complexity  was added until a myriad of multi-cell creatures were produced. Through this slow process of evolution over billions of years there was never any need for god, except perhaps idea of religion to unite humans of one religion against the other. That helped for survival with limited resources for food (Karen Armstrong A History of God)

The Creator!

·         God created Humanity, We created religions!

·         God created (Universe including) earth, we created boundaries!

·         In the name of our creations, we continue to destroy His creation!”

·         How can we claim to live in His “Will”!!

Recognizing Real Concept of God.

·  Our collective survival lies in recognizing new realities about God, and its positive relationship to science and spirituality. We must recognize the path of secular humanism, based upon the principles of logic and reasom.

·         Right understanding about the concept of God can provide us with new realities.

New Perspective on Concept of God.

VISION OF GOD;Meet God and Live with it 24 hours a day. The God is not in Church or Mosque or Temple or Gurdwara only that appears every Sunday. God is also not sitting somewhere in the sky watching our actions. The God is in us, the God is in congregation. “If we can’t see God in all, we can’t see God at all.

SUGGESTIONS: Instead of Searching for God that is tangled up with violence and survival, today we should search for God of Spirituality. We need to search for what lifts us out of depression and into being in good spirits. It is this search that will lead us into a new era.

Searching for God of Spirituality

There are 5 rules for enhancing your Spiritual power:

1.    Free your heart from hatred.

2.    Free your mind from worries.

3.    Live Simply.

4.    Give More.

5.    Expect Less.

In Search of God “Summary and Conclusions.

·         There is common Creator as the only God who sustains all people of all faiths.

·         All human are capable of cultivating their religious intuition and God-realization without any intermediaries (Guru Granth)

·         It’s lack of God-vision that leads us to believe in polytheism, idolatry, superstitions and blind rituals.

·         Proper understanding about the concept of God and God-realization, will remove our ignorance about life after death. This human life is our only opportunity to realize the Divine. The religious scriptures such as Guru Granth encourages   all human beings to realize the Divine spark within them.

·         Proper understanding about the concept of God will lead to a plural, free, open and progressive society that is God-Oriented.

·         Proper understanding about the concept od God and God-realization, will make us realize that we should not divide people into Hindus, Muslims or into any other faith. We are children of the same God whom, we can Love by any Name. Allah, Ram, Gobind, Niranjan ( a word used by Yogis for God.) Anyone, who loves God by ny name, realize Him.

·         God is our common Parent: therefore people of all faiths have equal rights on Him. He Loves all of us. Anyone who Loves God by any Name realize Him.

·         God could have any Name. God does not belong to one religion. God is for all.

·         An integral congress of all minds and souls operate on the same spiritual vibration. Our aim is to realize the glory of the One Reality.

·         Creator is His Creation. He is  the One-in-all  and the All-in-one.

Mind – A Thought Factory

Your mind is a “thought factory.” It’s a busy factory, producing countless thoughts in one day. Production in your thought factory is under the charge of two foremen, one of whom we will call Mr. Triumph and the other Mr. Defeat. Mr. Triumph is in charge of manufacturing positive thoughts. He specializes in producing reasons why you can, why you're qualified, why you will.

The other foreman, Mr. Defeat, produces negative, depreciating thoughts. He is your expert in developing reasons why you can't, why you're weak, why you're inadequate. His specialty is the "why-you-will-fail" chain of thoughts.

Both Mr. Triumph and Mr. Defeat are intensely obedient. They snap to attention immediately. All you need do to signal either foreman is to give the slightest mental beck-and-call. If the signal is positive, Mr. Triumph will step forward and go to work. Likewise, a negative signal brings Mr. Defeat forward.

To see how these two foremen work for you, try this example. Tell yourself, "Today is a lousy day." This signals Mr. Defeat into action and he manufactures some facts to prove you are right. He suggests to you that it's too hot or it's too cold, you may get sick. Mr. Defeat is tremendously efficient. In just a few moments he's got you sold. It is a bad day. Before you know it, it is a bad day. But tell yourself, "Today is a fine day," and Mr. Triumph is signalled forward to act. He tells you, "This is a wonderful day. The weather is refreshing. It's good to be in Krishna Consciousness." And then it is a good day.

Now the more work you give either of these two foremen, the stronger he becomes. If Mr. Defeat is given more work to do, he adds personnel and takes up more space in your mind. Eventually, he will take over the entire-thought-manufacturing division, and virtually all thoughts will be of a negative nature.

The only wise thing to do is fire Mr. Defeat. You don't need him. Use Mr. Triumph 100 per cent of the time. He'll show you how you can succeed.

Now to begin to turn your life around? The very first thing is to start making a list of things to be grateful for.

Man has an eternal question.

If there is a God? Who is this Supreme Being? Who is God? Can we know about God? And if knowing God is possible? How do we comprehend Him: by reason or only through an ascetic epiphany of faith? If so, how can He be realized? Is it necessary to have so many Gods? How can I find God?

These questions have tormented theologians and mystics in the 4000- year history of monotheism. And does it serve the real purpose some ask? But whatever methods used to invoke their blessings. The basic source is only one Supreme Being and other derives authority from Him. Each group call, Him by a name of their preference. There is no conflict in uttering the names but God is one

ईश्वर है क्या ?

सुना है ईश्वर है ! किसी किसी ने ईश्वर को देखा भी है । जिसने उन्हें देखा है उनसे मिलने का सौभाग्य आज तक नहीं मिला । सुनते हैं ईश्वर को तुलसीदास ने देखा, सबरी ने देखा, मीरा ने देखा, स्वामी रामतीर्थ ने देखा, सुदामा ने देखा, राधा ने देखा, रेदास ने देखा, कबीर ने देखा, नानक ने देखा, लेकिन कुल मिलकर गिनती के कुछ लोगों ने ही देखा ।

इन सबसे मिलना हो नहीं पाया, ना ही उनसे मिलना हुआ जो इन महानुभावों से मिले हों । फिर भी बात बात में हर कोई उसी ईश्वर की दुहाई देता है । मुश्किल में पडा आदमी ईश्वर को पुकारता है, भविष्य अन्धकार में दिखे तो भी व्यक्ति ईश्वर को बुलाता है । कोई उससे डरता है, कोई उससे रूठता है, कोई उसके नाम की ताली बजाता है, कोई उसका गुणगान करता है, तो कोई उससे रो रो के उससे फ़रियाद करता है । यानी वह अव्वल दर्जे का डाक्टर है, जज है, हितेषी है, मुनीम है, दोस्त है, मुहमांगी इच्छा पूरी करने की क्षमता रखता है । वह गजब का हरफन मौला है ।

पर कमाल है, इतना सब होते हुए भी किसी को ईश्वर नज़र नहीं आता । जो नज़र नहीं आता उस पर इतना विश्वास, इतनी श्रद्धा क्यों ? क्योंकि किसी को स्वर्ग चाहिए, किसी को मुक्ति, किसी को इस जीवन से जूझने की युक्ती चाहिए तो किसी को मुक्ति या परम आनंद । श्री कृष्ण कहते हैं, अपनी योगमाया में छिपा हुआ मैं सबके लिए प्रत्यक्ष नहीं होता, इसलिए यह अज्ञानी लोग मुझे जनम रहित अविनाशी परमेश्वर को नहीं जानते। लो जी अब तो बिल्कुल साफ़ हो गया है ईश्वर सबके सामने आना ही नहीं चाहता । जान बूझ कर अपने और हमारे बीच परदा डाल रखा है उसने, माया का परदा ।

ईश्वर को ढूंढने के लिए सात चीजों को छोड़ना जरूरी है - शब्द, स्पर्श, रस, गंध, रूप, सुख और दुःख । शब्द सुनना है तो उसी के नाम का सुनना, स्पर्श करना हो तो उसी के चरणों का करना, रस लेना हो तो उसी के प्रसाद का या चरणामृत का ही लेना, रूप देखने की इच्छा हो तो उसी की छवि देखना, गंध लेनी हो तो तुलसी माँ की लेना, सुख चाहिए हो तो उसकी याद का, उसके सत्संग का सुख लेना और दुःख हो तो केवल इस बात का कि मिला क्यों नहीं अब तक । तरीका तो पता चला, मगर स्थान ?

रामकृष्ण कहते थे उसे ड्राविंग रूम में ढूंढो । ड्राविंग रूम यानी हृदय ! घर का सबसे सुंदर कोना । हृदय सुंदर तब होता है जब उसमें ना काम हो न कंचन । अपने हृदय में झांका तो क्रोध मिला, इर्ष्या मिली, राग द्वेष द्वेष, मद -मोह सब कुछ दिखा पर ईश्वर नहीं दिखा । रामकृष्ण ने कहा, पहले हृदय को साफ़, स्वच्छ निर्मल कर डालो । धो लो, मांज लो । असत्य बोलने से हृदय मैला हो जाता है । ऐसा सत्य बोलो की इन्द्रियाँ झूट स्वीकार ही ना कर पायें ।

वे कहते हैं कि क्रोध मत करो, हृदय मैला हो जाएगा । फ़िर ईश्वर को कैसे ढूढेंगे? किसी ने कहा क्रोध तो अचानक आ जाता है, क्या करें ? वे बोले कुछ मत करो । ईश्वर की तरफ़ जाओगे तो दुर्गुण स्वयं दुम दबा कर भाग जायेंगे । पूर्व की तरफ़ बढोगे पश्चिम स्वयं पीछे रह जाएगा । कबीर ने कहा ईश्वर, न मन्दिर में मिलेगा न मस्जिद में, सब नाराज हो गए तो फ़िर जीव कहाँ ढूंढे उसे ? कबीर बोले चाहत मिटा दो –

चाह गयी चिंता मिती, मनुवा बेपरवाह ।

जिन्हूं कुछ नहीं चाहिए, सोई शहंशाह ।

न रहेगी चाहत, न मिलेगी चिंता । चिंता हो, चाहत हो तो बस उसी को पाने की । जैसे मीरा को हो गयी थी चाहत । बदनामी हुयी। सडयंत्र रचे गए मारने के, देश निकाला हो गया, पर चाहत लगी रही उसे पाने की । नानक बोले ईश्वर का नाम सत्य है, बांकी सब झूट है । हर कार्य करने वाला वही एक है । ईश्वर निर्भय है, निर्वेर्री है, हर काल परन्तु ईश्वर, अजन्मा है ।

हमें परमात्मा का साक्षात्कार हो सकता हैं । परन्तु इसके लिए एक भेदी की आवश्यकता होती है। जो बता सके कि वस्तु कहाँ है और उसकी प्राप्ती कैसे होगी ? भक्ति के क्षेत्र में यह भेदी एक पूर्ण सतगुरु है जो हमारा मार्ग दर्शन करके हमें अंतर्मुखी करके मानव तन के भीतर ही आकाश का, पर ब्रह्म स्थान में ही परमात्मा का साक्षात्कार करवा देते हैं ।

इसी विषय में कबीर दास जी कहते हैं : बाहर के आसमान से ईश्वर को किसी ने नहीं पाया । जिसने भी पाया मानव तन के भीतर ही पाया । अतः आवश्यकता है अंतर्मुखी होकर खोजने की, ईश्वर वहीं मिलेगा भीतर के आकाश में । यह मानव तन ही मन्दिर है, मस्जिद है, गुरद्वारा है और गिरजाघर है ।

गुरुवाणी में कहा गया है - ‘बाहर मूल न खोजिये घर माँ ही विधाता ।’

बाइबल कहती है - इंसान परमात्मा को बाहर तलाशता है । उसे बाहर स्वयं से दूर खोजता है, जब कि वो हमारे भीतर, हमारे निकट निवास करता है ।

कबीर कहते हैं की इंसान की दशा कस्तूरी मृग की भांती है, जिसकी नाभी में कस्तूरी छिपी होती है । वह उसकी खुशबू से सरोबार हो बाहर जंगल में उसे ताउम्र तलाशता रहता है, परन्तु प्राप्त नहीं कर पाता और उसके जीवन का अंत हो जाता है ।

इंसान इस तथ्य से अनभिज्ञ है की जिस प्रकार तिलों में तेल होता है, चकमक पत्थर में आग होती है, दर्पण में अक्ष होता है, पुष्प में सुगंद्ध होती है, उसी प्रकार परमात्मा हमारे भीतर है । अज्ञानतावश हम मृग की भांति ताउम्र उसे खोजते रहते हैं, पर प्राप्त नहीं कर पाते । परमात्मा तो कहता है –

मोको कहाँ तू ढूंढे रे बन्दे मैं तो तेरे पास में,

ना मैं मक्का ना मैं काबा ना काशी कैलाश में ।

लेकिन हम मूढ़ जन इस संदेश को सुन नहीं पाते । सुनते हैं तो समझ नहीं पाते ।