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शरणागतवत्सल प्रभु श्रीराम

सकृदेव प्रपन्नाय तवास्मि च याचते। अभयं सर्वभूतेभ्यो ददाम्येतद् व्रतं मम।। (जो एक बार भी शरण में आकर 'मैं तुम्हारा हूँ' ऐसा कहकर मुझसे रक्षा की प्रार्थना करता है, उसे मैं स...

The Bull (COVID-19) in a China Shop of the Global Village.

      Three distinct economic activities were initiated with much fanfare and surplus of hope in our country in the very start of nineties. These were conveniently called privatisation, liberalization and globalization. For a good reason these were referred to as three dimensions of our economic reform policy of 1991. In each passing year our economic capacity happened to expand by leaps and bound by making use of these forces of privatisation, liberalization and globalization.               We started feeling proud of being a part of global economic system euphemistically called "global village".      Our level of living rose phenomenally. Our income increased, purchasing power popped like any thing. We chose to travel abroad every now and then. Flights to a number of global destinations multiplied. England, America, Italy, China appeared to be just like a next door neighbors...

श्रीराम रावण संवाद.

बहुत सारी रामायण पढ़ने की कौन कहे सच कहें तो मुझे उन्हें देखने का भी अवसर नहीं प्राप्त हुआ है;किन्तु  कविकुलतिलक गोस्वामी तुलसीदास रचित सर्वसुलभ मानस को पढ़कर मुझे प्रत्येक बार ऐसा नीतिरुपी कनकबिन्दु मिल ही जाता है जिसपर मेरा ध्यान पहले कभी गया हीं नहीं. रामचरितमानस में एक स्थल पर जाकर अनायास रुक गया. ध्यान में आया कि यह तो भगवान् श्रीराम और रावण के बीच हुआ एक दुर्लभ संवाद है.रामचरितमानस के अतिरिक्त और कहीं यह अप्राप्य है. राम और रावण के मध्य कोई सीधा संवाद का वर्णन आदिकवि बाल्मीकि ने भी अपने रामायण में किया हो मुझे इसकी ठीक-ठीक जानकारी नहीं है. गोस्वामीजी ने अपने अलौकिक कवित्वशक्ति से जो इसका वर्णन किया है उसका सूक्ष्मांश भी यह गद्यात्मक वर्णन नहीं हो सकता जिसे मैने करने का धृष्टतापूर्ण प्रयत्न किया है. वैसे भी बहुतों का मत यही है कि गद्य में वो भाव और प्रभाव कहां जो पद्यरुपी चंद पंक्तियां अपने में समेटे रहती है. अस्तु. *******        *******      *******         ******* लंका...

Who am I? I wish I had known.

The journey of life is progressing with experiences of pains & pleasures; trials & tribulations. Despite having felt to have travelled nearly half of the distance (if life could be imagined to be a distance to be traversed) it baffles me a lot when I find myself clueless as to who am I and what is the purpose of this travel? Study of religious books and scriptures has also not been so fruitful to provide me the answer in full to the question what occurs in the mind at every opportune moment when I am at peace with myself. Nor are the fellow travellers traveling with me in the person of mother, father, brother, wife, son or daughter, friends and relatives in the position to satisfy this inner urge of mine. Also, nor are those known to have gained expertise, fame and glory in the field of solving knots of ignorance by their spiritual attainments proving of any help to me to let me know who am and what for am I. Am I the 'name' with the help of which my friends and rel...

A word of advice for Students in India.

It is generally said that no advice should be given unless it is called for. But the atmosphere of violence and riot that our capital New Delhi witnessed a week ago is a grim reminder that political parties are misguiding youths. A major part of this youth community happens to be the students. It is quite unfortunate that students today take part in violent protests. Sometime political parties exploit seamless energy of these young students to their petty political gains. No movement can be seen to succeed sans support of student community. For this political parties resort to wooing the youths who in search of employment and job or government service meet with frustration. Political parties now a days feed on their frustration. They happen to influence  callow and tender mind of these young students. They don't even hesitate to employ youths to incite violence by provoking their immature mind and needs. Have students ever thought what have they gained out of this meaningle...

Mahashivratri

O Lord Shiva! I,too, like many need your blessings but unlike many don't have the character or quality worthy of attracting your attention. But see my selfishness that when all are rivelling, celebrating and enjoying in full on your marriage ceremony taking place today with mother Annapurna Parvati, I am busy seeking something from you in the form of your Unceasing Blessings. Also;since Your Lordship is known for  becoming pleased almost instantaneously  without too much mulling or musing;my selfish character drives me to encash this compassionate characteristics of Yours on this Auspicious Day of your Union with mother Annapurna Parvati as You,with this Union, must have been highly and extraordinarily happy today. I believe You would just forgive me for all the time greed and demand driven conduct of mine. But I have no alternative. R.R.Prabhakar. 21.02.2020. (Mahashivratri).

How to see God in all that we see ?

Vinoba was a great saint. He was imprisoned in Dhule Jail in 1932 for his participation in freedom movement. All inmates of the prison found in him an extraordinary character of highest order of spirituality, knowledge, wisdom and selfless actions. It was upon the request of inmates of the prison that Vinoba accepted to deliver talks on the Gita. These talks were subsequently published as ' Gita Pravachan' or the "Talks onThe Gita". The way Vinoba explained the Bhagwadgita is uniquely simple yet outstandingly influencing in effect.Those who want to practise it can do it with great ease and appreciation. In his talks on the Gita to fellow prisoners Saint Vinoba resorted to simple examples  that could be understood and appreciated even by the common men having some urge to tread the path of spirituality and action combined together. An easy way to learn to see God In his said talks on the Gita, I have found him explaining as to how to see God in all that we see aroun...

भावग्राही जनार्दनः

जीवनपर्यंत हम कुछ न कुछ करते हीं रहते हैं. यह भी सच है कि कुछ किये बिना रह भी नहीं सकते. प्राणयात्रा से लेकर शारीरिक यात्रा भी बिना कर्म किये असम्भव है. कहना अतिशयोक्ति नहीं होगा कि स्वार्थ से लेकर परमार्थ तक हमारी सारी गतिविधियां प्रायः स्वयं को केन्द्र में रखकर ही होती है. किन्तु ईश्वर को हमारे इन कर्मों से कोई मतलब नहीं है.  उनको यदि सरोकार है तो हमारी उन क्रियाओं के पीछे छुपे भाव से. वे ये भी नहीं देखते कि उन्हें भजने वाला मूरख है या विद्वान. वे तो केवल प्रेम देखते हैं, भावना देखते हैं,समर्पण देखते हैं. तभी एक श्लोक है कि व्याकरणज्ञान से रहित कोई मूर्ख शुद्धश्रद्धाभावेन 'विष्णवे नमः' के बदले 'विष्णाय नमः' का भी पाठ करे तो फल की दृष्टि से कोई अंतर नहीं होगा; कारण भगवान् क्रियाग्राही हैं ही नहीं, वे तो भावग्राही ठहरे. मूर्खो वदति विष्णाय धीरो वदति विष्णवे। तयोः फलं तुल्यं हि भावग्राही जनार्दनः।। वे तो इतने भावग्राही हैं कि प्रेमपूर्वक अर्पित पत्र, पुष्प, फल वा जल को खा तक लेते है. इसे देखने का न तो हममें सामर्थ्य है न हीं सारग्राहिणी-सूक्ष्मदर्शिणी बुद्धि. पत्...

भगवन्नाम की महिमा

आज के भौतिकतावादी युग में भी शायद हीं ऐसा कोई चेतन हिन्दू होगा जो कि ब्रह्मलोकवासी स्वनामधन्य पंडित मदनमोहन मालवीयजी एवं हनुमानप्रसादजी पोद्दार के नाम से कम से कम परिच...

दुःख से सभी झिझकते हैं और सुख की इच्छा सभी करते हैं

उपरोक्त शीर्षक दुःखादुद्विजते सर्वः सर्वस्य सुखमीप्सितम जो महाभारत शांतिपर्व का एक श्लोकांश है, का सरल सीधा अनुवाद है। आज सभी सुख सुविधा जुटाने में पागल हुए जा रहे हैं। सुख को पाने के लिए दुःख उठाये जा रहे हैं। सुख है कि मिलता नहीं। बस हाथ आते आते फिसल जाता है। अगर कदाचित् मिल भी गया तो दूसरे हीं पल इसका मोल तुरंत घटता मालूम पड़ता है। फिर मन दूसरे सुख की ओर उन्मुख हो मचलना शुरू कर देता है। मतलब मन को शांति मिलती हीं नहीं, सुख से बंचित मन सदैव चंचल एवं क्षुब्ध! यही तो हर व्यक्ति की कहानी है। इसी मनोव्यापार में मौत कब बिना बुलाये आ धमकता है, पता ही नहीं चलता। सुख-दुःख शाश्वत है, इससे कोई अछूता नहीं रहा है चाहे कोई संत हो, सन्यासी हो, गृहस्थ हो या फिर ब्रह्मचारी। जब जीवन है तो सुख और दुःख भी लगा हीं रहेगा। जीने की कुशलता इसमें है कि न सुख को आदर दिया जाय न हीं दुःख को।यह दिन और रात की तरह है, आप चाहे या न चाहें जब तक हमारा जीवन है इनका क्रम से आना जाना लगा रहेगा। सुख या दुःख है क्या? यह मन का बाहरी दुनिया के प्रति किया गया व्यापार है। इस व्यापार में घाटा होता देख मन दुःखी होता है और...

प्रबल प्रेम के पाले पड़ कर प्रभु का नियम बदलते देखा

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यह निश्छल प्रेम और समर्पण हीं है जिसके वशीभूत होकर भगवान् अपनी समस्त मान-मर्यादा को त्याग अपने भक्त के मान की रक्षा के लिए कुछ भी करने को आतुर हो उठते हैं. भक्त के प्राण,मान, प्रतिष्ठा और टेक की रक्षा में वे अपना कुछ भी ख्याल नहीं रखते हैं. ऐसा हो भी क्यों न! आखिर भक्त भगवान् का हीं तो अंश है! भक्त और भगवान् का वही सम्बंध है जो अंश और अंशी का है. इस तरह अंशी यदि अपनी महिमा का विस्तार अंश की रक्षा के लिए करे तो यह सर्वथा अनुकूल बात हीं कही जायेगी. तभी कहा गया है - प्रबल प्रेम के पाले पड़ कर प्रभु का नियम बदलते देखा। अपना मान भले टल जाय भक्त का मान न टलते देखा।। जी हाँ; भगवान् की प्राप्ति न ज्ञान से, न ध्यान से, न यज्ञ से न दान से सम्भव है;यदि यह सम्भव है तो एकमात्र उनके प्रति समर्पित प्रेम से. अर्जुन का भगवान् के प्रति प्रेम हीं था जिसके वशीभूत हो उन्होंने अर्जुन को अपना दुर्लभ चतुर्भुजरुप तक का दर्शनलाभ प्रदान कर दिया. वरना जन्म-जन्मान्तर तक की तपस्या से भी क्या कोई इनके चतुर्भुजरुप का दर्शन बिना इनकी कृपा के प्राप्त कर सकता है क्या? भगवान् तो स्वयं कहते हैं - सुदुर्दर्शमिदं...

The Importance of Imagination in Life.

 Napoleon had once said ' Imagination rules the world." Likewise, I must say that imagination also rules our life. We all are here because we had imagined to be so or conversely we may have failed to imagine that which may have left us here to face the providence not to our liking. What is Imagination? Put simply, Imagination is seeing things with mind's eye. It is seeing the situation which is matter of past for the purpose of taking lesson to improve the present. It is looking into the future with the insight gained from the analysis of the past. It is also the superior quality of visualising future that we wish to construct with the current knowledge, skill, experience and resources in hand and their effective planning and deployment. Imagination produces images of things which are not present before the physical eyes. It is, in fact, the psychical eye which enables us to perceive objects far away from us or otherwise hidden from our view. We know that creation is ...

Inspection - Is it only a fault finding tour of the Boss?

No definitely not. But yes it is, particularly where the bosses happen to be driven by the urge to display their authority and subtle hubris over the field employees. The purpose is also to let people in the field see them in awe and know how powerful they are in the Organization. This category of officers, during their tours of inspection, cannot not resist the temptation to issue orders like suspension, termination or transfer from the very site of their field visit under the pretext of dereliction of duty or other lapses found by these bosses to be instantaneously punishable! This fault finding exercise in the name of inspection defeats the very objective of inspection.   The above insinuation is sufficient to drive home the point that fault finding should not the purpose of inspection, though for the most part of it, it happens to be so.  What is Inspection and how should it be used in the interest of the work, staff and the organization? Before we dive deep into the ...

How to be an honest government servant and remain as such.

This sounds rather strange and prescriptive too. Some may even hold this piece of writing unduly sermonizing since they may feel that nothing new has been put forward save some precepts in respect of service related conducts and organizational behaviour. They believe for valid reasons that government servants of all classes and categories already happen to know this set of rules of ideal conducts. Generally speaking, government servants by their very nature do not want to be taught. This is for obvious reasons that they feel mature enough on their jobs they do. Their attitudinal stiffness militates the requirements of a responsive and responsible government service. When issues like honesty or probity are formally  discussed this stiffness is more pronounced by the demonstration of interestlessness on the subject. Hence, this peace of writing is certainly not of any use to one who is not interested in bringing about a change in oneself due to stiffness of thought, belief or act...

Integrity in Public Services: Difficulties in ensuring it.

Today integrity in Public/Government Service, it appears, has become merely a desirable entity not to be stressed beyond a point. It is simply for reasons of expediency born by near general corruptibility of all institutions of public life. This situation shouldn't surprise us in view of the fact that government or public servants, too, belong to the same society which is impatient to cherish such values as opportunism, utilitarianism and many other subtle forms of unprincipled behaviors serving as mother of corruption. Our social-economic and political transactions happen to be increasingly corruptible before the greed of money and lust for power. Moral turpitude and decay in character have damaged those values which were held dear in the past with passion. Honesty and probity are prominent among them. So it is an over expectation that a government servant should remain honest simply because he gets salary for the service he renders. His honesty cannot compensate for the imbalance...

Problem of Overwork

Ask any person whether an Officer, Executive or Assistant in any organization or any establishment or an office he would say he is badly overworked. He is just unable to discharge even his social and familial obligations that emanate from expectations of his wife, children and other relatives surrounding him. He would elaborate his engagement with a range of expressions showing his helplessness to handle the situation born out of such overwork. He is often found to say he has no time to spend with his near and dear ones for reasons of workload and other official engagements. He is down with the workload heaped upon him by his boss or superiors. While the complain of this sort is genuine given the design of prevailing work culture that leaves scope of being off the work shrinking day by day. Application for leave is frowned upon by the bosses. Demanding leave even under emergent circumstances is whiningly sanctioned by bosses who are by and large incompetent. The outcome of this ap...