February Monthly Round Up – Spiritual Wisdom

Jai Sri Hari, and loads of love to my Os.me family. I am not giving you a warm hug because summer is creeping into Hyderabad, and you will run away from anything warm. 

I recently purchased Sing, Dance, and Pray by Srila Prabhupada. I wanted to read it and write about his life. As I held it in my hand, a laugh erupted within me.  

Till when will you keep writing about other people’s devotion? When will you stop writing and start dancing like him?” So today, while setting up my Pooja Room in the evening, I played this song, winked at Sri Hari and Swamji, and did a small jig. Life is short and unpredictable. We should not die without telling the lord how much we love them. So spend a few minutes listening to this song. 

Another beautiful thing that happened recently is my son had a rousing debate with me about Lord Rama. He stated how he could never forgive Sri Rama for leaving Ma Sita in the jungle even after she did the Agni Pariksha. I talked about how it’s not Sri Rama but us who should take the blame. We, the society, gossiped and created this situation where he had to do his duty as a king. It killed him to do his duty, yet he suffered because we have loose tounges. We did during that yuga, and we still need to get better. I also told him I didn’t have this question anymore. I have seen Swamiji melt as he talks about Sri Rama. My guru is the most perfect and ideal person I could have imagined. If he worships Sri Rama, then how perfect would Sri Rama be? So as I read a more devotional Ramayana by Vanamali Devi, all these questions ceased to matter. Sri Rama is Sri Hari and Sri Hari is perfect. He does not make mistakes. I loved it when my son gave me a puzzled look and said, “I cannot talk to you anymore if you cannot see Ma Sita’s position.” He processed to change seats and sit with my wife, who fully supported his arguments. Here are a couple of interesting videos about this subject. The first one accepts the Uttara Kanda as a part of the Valmiki Ramayana, and the second one rejects it. You can choose your own answers or simply drop the question when the time is right.

Let’s now highlight a few fantastic posts around Spiritual Wisdom. 

We begin with Sowmya, who talks about how there are no coincidences in life. A little child got back a chance at life because of a series of serendipitous events. 

Next, we have Niraj, who gives a beautiful and poignant description of how a family vacation gave him a sneak peek into human nature and highlighted the value of gratitude. 

Dr. Varsha gives us a glimpse into the different obstacles we encounter daily and a simple mantra to overcome them. It’s a simple yet profound post that helps underline the value of the spiritual path.

Ravi Trivedi shares poetry that with help you look through the duality of our everyday existence in Tum Ek Gorakh Dhanda Ho. 

He who is lost in your love, only that lost person has found something. Blessed are those who are lost in thy love, as only that lost person has found something.

Rashmi Sharma starts her post with this beautiful couplet. 

Tulsi ya sansar mein sabse miliye dhay,

Na jane kis vesh mein narayan mil jaye.

(O Tulsi, meet everyone with respect and affection in this world

You never know in whose guise the divine may come to you.)

She talks about the different women that surround us and contribute to the joy in our lives. The Devi’s presence surrounds us, and in our obstinacy to see her only in the temple, we miss out on experiencing her every day. 

Thank you so much for writing and sharing your stories with us. You made February beautiful, so accept this small couplet by Rumi. I would recommend translations of Rumi’s poetry by Farrukh Dhondy to everyone. 

I was once dead
But then I came alive
I once was full of tears
Now laughing, I survive.

Only when Love came to me
And embraced me in its whole
My eye was full of visions
And everlasting my soul.