Sarkar Swami

Wayne Dyer has said many times, that, when he sits in his sacred place to write, he feels that he is being guided by a higher power.When he puts his pen to paper, thoughts become very fluid and he can easily convey his ideas ,as if they are being channeled through him. As I begin this process, I notice that sometimes it happens to me as well, only when I am fully present, though!!

Today, I am going to introduce to you Sarkar Swami a learned scholar of the Ramayan, a saint who lived in a tiny village called Bithore. He had renounced all worldly goods and lived on the shores of the holy river Ganges, along with his three 'Chelas' or disciples. A man of few needs, he devoted his life singing the praises of Shri Ram. He had a powerful melodious voice with witch he did' Kirtan' (chanting) . It went like this;

Jai Sia Ram Jai Jai Sia Ram
Jai Sia Ram Jai Jai Sia Ram

His discourse of the Ram Charitra Manas' , which started at 5 o'clock sharp, every day in the evening, preceded the Kirtan. His recitations were so powerful that, Hanuman jee the God of wind came to listen. It is said, that where ever the stories of Ram are being told Hanuman jee is present, as he is his prime devotee

To set the stage, how my family started listening to the renderings of Sarkar Swami comes as no surprise. After our family's Guru Paramhans Narain Swami, died suddenly in Badrinath, my father became very disillusioned. He started missing 'Maharajjee' (a respectful title for a saint) a lot, and started a search for another saint. So one day my father took all of us to Bithore, which is not far from Kanpur (my hometown) and met with Sarkar Swami. From that day onwards, every Saturday evening was spent in Bithore. It was a half day at work for Daddy. He came home for lunch at 1 o'clock, took his afternoon siesta, and then Mummy and him would leave around four. We the kids, my brother Rakesh, sister Rashmi and me were always roped in (my older brother Vijay Bhai was studying in England and my oldest brother Kuldeep Bhai Sahib) was working in Bhilai by then. My Dad always liked to take his kids with him for any outing. Only if the kids had another engagement were we allowed to stay home.

This is how I was initiated into Ramayan. I must have been 12 years old when I sat in the small hall, listening to the strains of music accompanied by the Harmonium and the Tabla. I remember the time when I looked at my watch and day dreamed, not knowing the seeds were being implanted all the same. Growing up, in that atmosphere (others, I will talk about later) I started reading a few pages of the epic every day. That was in my twenties!! I have never left that habit since!

The Ramayan intrigued me fascinated me, as Sarkar Swami asserted that it had all the answers for life and death. He unabashedly proclaimed that if one only recited the appropriate 'chaupai'(couplet) then any problem in our daily lives could be solved, thus leading to a happy and contented life.

Hence the birth of my Ram Rajya. Reading the pages of Ramayan got me this far !! So just before you go to bed tonight say Jai Sia Ram and then we will have Ram Rajya!! Jai Ho Again!!!

Laborious Newer Beginings

Here we are again!!! This time however, I find myself sitting at the junction of several crossroads. As if, my whole life (past, present, future and all) is staring in my face; mockingly asking me, if I am going to take any action, or wilt away like a coward once again. A gamut of questions are racing through my mind." Oh!! why can't you stop your chatter and let me be", I instruct my mind. So, yes, the mind quietens and I am still. That is when I hear this voice, almost an echo vibrating through my veins. At first, I do not hear it, the echo is very faint to my ears, believe it or not; but then I get it!!! I totally get it. How could I have procrastinated for ever so long - for over a year?

Well, I am not going to make excuses for what has happened in the last year, for, lots has happened.Only thing at this present moment, I can do, is accept it, as it was meant to be. I do feel that I consider the past year to be my teacher, learning valuable lessons, along the way. I am almost grateful, I dare say!!!

So, the beguiling questions are gone for the most part. This, is the answer to them. As for the crossroads, well, I have opted the road of the present!! Thus, I choose to make the best of this moment, not meander in the past or the future. To grasp the NOW is very simple. Life is so simple, forget about complicating it!!!!

Truly, I feel so blessed!!! Unknowingly, I took upon myself to write about one of the greatest epic 'The Ramcharitra Manas' as if it is child's play. Maybe it is, only time will tell.. I do know, it is a daunting task, and ask myself the reason for doing this. Is it for my children, for progeny? The answer comes right away this time!! Of course, it is for them, but their is even more to it than that! However good my intentions may be, another reason I am doing this, is for my selfish self! I feel, I can share my thoughts not only with my family, friends and loved ones, but, with those who might fall upon this document unwittingly, or for those who will be driven to this, by the blessings of Shri Ram. Whatever the case may be, this experience will define all our lives, making it richer, fuller, beyond belief!!!

Today, is a very good day!!!! By His Supreme Grace my vision is clear, I can see my mission. So, as we say in our family," Jai Ram Jee Kee " every morning when we wake up, and every night before going to bed, I humbly suggest you to do the same, then,we will have Ram Rajya! JAI HO again!

Saga continues

Chithwati Chakit Chahun Disi Sita

Kahan Gayay Nripkisore Manu Chinta

Sita, while still out with her friends in the garden, suddenly looses sight of the two brothers, and starts wondering where they went. Where ever the fawn eyed princess casts her gaze, to look, white lotuses, rained from the sky. Upon being told to look behind the bush, for them, Sita beheld the two princes beauty as if by greed, later showing pleasure after finding some long lost treasure. As she stared, the functions of the eyes was gone, and the eyelids forgot to blink. Taking in the beauty of the moment, Sita 's love for Shri Ram made her body go limp as she just stood staring at the Lord, just like the Chakori bird stares at the autumnal moon. Soaking in his loveliness, Sita finally shut her eyelids, thus capturing the picture in her heart. All this, while her friends waited coyly, not wanting to disturb.

Soon, however, the two brothers emerged from behind a cascade of flowers, seeming as if, a set of clear moons, had come out from behind the clouds. With an aura of perfection, blue bodied with yellow attire, the two gallant princes were beautifully adorned with peacock feathers on their heads and bunches of flowers strewn on their clothes. Tulsi Das describes their facial and sartorial attributes and then says that, their are no words for the amazing beauty of the Lords and his brother's countenance. With beads of perspiration glistening on their brows, luster of earrings as big as pendants, string of pearls on their chest, necks as conch shells in spiral shape, arched eyebrows, curly hair, red limpid lotus eyes, firm chins, long noses, full cheeks, muscular arms looking like a baby elephant's trunk, the look was very enthralling to the soul, an incarnation of Cupid himself.

Beholding the dark coloured prince in yellow clothing, the jewel of the solar race, with a slender waist of a lion's, an embodiment of beauty and grace, Sita's girlfriends were floored!!!

The saga of the Lord Shri Ram and Sita's love and indescribable beauty has continued. I, have wondered, how often Tulsidas has touched this subject and continues to do so. Don't you think he wants us to understand the meaning of true beauty and true love? It is not only the outer beauty that he wants us to focus on, but he wants us to look inward, and find our inner self, that is inundated by His love and beauty. Be still for a few minutes today , look inward, then, you will have Ram Rajya! JAI HO!

The Egoic Mind

To attempt, to write about this ancient Hindu epic the Ramayana, or the Ram Charitra Manas by Tulsi Das is a daunting task. I have spent a long time reading, and then studying this tome for 30 years and then some. In this same time period I was also trying to discover myself. Their was this urge within me to find out what I was good at, and what was the purpose of my gift of life on this earth. The more I thought about it, the more confused I got. In many ways I would say, this journey of befuddlement, took me further away from the truth. I guess what I am saying here, is, that sometimes, truth stares you in the face but you are a million miles away and cannot see it. I will talk about my revelation in more detail another time. The point however, that I want to make is simply this. Even when one knows what to do with one's life and one starts making inroads, the mind still takes you in different directions.

In my recent wanderings of the mind, I did some readings and discovered that I have to harness the thought process and not keep listening to the ramblings of the mind. For the mind loves to chatter, and keep one in the past or in the future. That is how it keeps us identified with our egos so that we cannot stay in the present and never discover our true selves. The ego gets it's feed and therefore inflation from the past. The present though, is where we can be, but, we live in it, for short periods, because, the ego cannot survive in it. Thus, the importance of the past, and the hope for the future, is, what we are constantly being fed by our minds.

In this battle between me and myself, I find, that, I have wandered away from the true calling of my Ram Rajya. Maybe, Lord Ram tests me from time to time, whether, I will ever finish this enormous task, of completing His saga, as I understand it, for the present times. I am no expert, the only thing going for me, is my love for this epic. I think, we can create a Ram Rajya today, just as it was in His reign.

So as the famous line in the Tao Te Ching " A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step" I will endeavour to sing the glories of Ram Rajya, to you my beautiful readers, one day at a time. We shall surely be in Ram Rajya then. JAI HO!!!!!!

Ram's First Glimps Of Sita

The clinking of her bangles, the tinkling of little bells, tied around the anklets and the waist, alerted Ram, as if Cupid himself was sounding his horns, to conquer the whole world. As He turned around to see, where the sound was coming from, He found Himself directly gazing into the beautiful limped eyes of Sita. So awe struck was He, that he kept on staring, His eyelids got stuck for a while. Actually, Nemi the God for the eyelids, was abashed, so he left his domain for a bit, giving Ram and Sita their privacy, so that they could have eye contact, with no barriers. Ram's ecstasy new no bounds. "The creator must have made her by his own hands, and was showing off his work of beauty, to the world", Ram said. Ram was dumbfounded by her charm and beauty, a beauty that was a beacon to all beauty. It was difficult for Ram to liken the beauty of the daughter of the king of Vedeha. It seamed that all illustrations of beauty done by poets in the past, could not do justice to hers at this time.

Thus, Ram totally enthralled by Sita, started reflecting his state, to his brother. Innocently He told him how Sita was none other than the daughter of the king of Janakpur, the bow-sacrifice was being held for her to find a suitor, and that she was going to the temple of Gauri. Further, he added, that her radiance had touched His naturally pure heart, that had quickened it's heartbeat and his right limbs were throbbing, which was a sign of upcoming good fortune." God only knows what He is doing, for men in the Raghukul (dynasty) never set their hearts on wayward courses". The Lord went on to explain to His brother, how He was very confident of His mind, which had never even dreamed of another man's wife." Their were very few men in this world who run away from battle, he said, cast a glance at another woman, or ever give alms to a beggar" He explained.

Even when Ram was confiding in His brother, His gaze was soaking in Sita's beauty, just like a bee was sucking in, the nectar of a lotus flower.

This segment of the 'Bal Khand' in the Ram Charitra Manas is quite profound. The Lord is showing feelings of His heart and revealing to us, the inherent inner beauty that we all have. Their is a lot to be said of love, and that is why, we shall keep talking about it a lot longer. Meanwhile, be in a state of Ram Rajya! JAI HO !

Sitas's Yearning

Tehi Avsar Sita Tehan Aaee

Girija Pujan Janani Pathaee

While the brothers were gathering flowers, Sita arrived in that garden. She was sent by her mother to pray to the Goddess Girija. She was accompanied by her smart and lovely girl friends, who happily sang along. Besides the lake, stood a small alluring sacred temple, dedicated to the universal mother Girja. Sita, after taking a dip in the lake, prayed to the Goddess so that she would find a suitable husband. One of her friends, however, strayed away, where she chanced to have a glimpse of the two brothers. Seeing how overwhelmed she looked when she returned, all the girls were eager to know, what was the reason for her ecstasy.

She answered that, she had just seen two handsome and charming men, who were tender in age, one dark and the other fair. She said that, she could hardly describe the two, because suddenly, her speech had no sight and her eyes were mute. Then, the damsels started discussing the fact that, the whole city was enamoured by the two princess who had arrived with the sage Vishvamitra. They had apparently captivated the hearts of all the men and women, and, that is all everyone was talking about. They decided, that they all must see them. When, they saw the longing and restlessness in Sita's eyes, they quickly made their way in search of them. Sita followed suit, wondering if it was her old love that had been triggered off.

Sumiri Siya Naarad Vachan, Upjee Preet Puneet

Chakit Bilowkati Sakal Disi, Janu Sisu Mrigi Sabheeth

Remembering, what Narad Muni had told her and her family, about her marriage, her heart was filled with innocent love. With anxious furtive eyes, she gazed hither and thither, like a startled fawn, who had come upon something

Was Sita already falling in love? Was this moment, the answer to her prayers ? Who is she going to see next? We all want to know. However we shall see. For today though, feel the love that is burning in Sita's heart, then you will have RAM RAJYA. JAI HO!

The Celestial Garden Of Janakpur

For a couple of hours and late into the night, the sage Vishvamitra, narrated old legends to the boys, as they did their nightly devotional rituals. Then, as the sage retired to bed, the two brothers pressed his feet. That Lord and His brother, whose lotus feet are sought by men who have done immense sacrifice, are lovingly rubbing the feet of their Guru. Upon insisting, the Lord then, went to bed while the young brother caressed His feet, with much reverence and love. Only later, did the younger brother go to sleep.

The Lord of the universe and His brother woke up right before dawn, just before their guru. After doing their morning chores, and daily ritual of puja(devotion) they came to bow before the sage. Upon going to pick flowers, they discovered the radiant royal garden. Old nurtured trees stood resplendent with beautiful leaves and fresh fruit. Creepers blooming with flowers of different hues, were hanging from trellises. It seemed that nature in all its glory, had taken permanent residence in these gardens and was putting celestial beauty to shame. A serene lake in the center, had gem covered stairs, leading outwards. It's limped waters held colourful lotuses. With peacocks dancing, birds chirping and bees humming, it was truly a sight to behold. The Lord Himself, who delights one, along with his brother, were delighted at the beauty that lay in front of them.

Natural beauty truly soothes the soul.It is true, beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder, but when true beauty is mingled with the beauty that lies within, then we have Ram Rajya! JAI HO!