A Big Responsibility on Little Shoulders

“Do you need a guide?” A boy who looked like seven years old asked me.

I doubt your geographical and historical knowledge.

“What is your age?” I inquired.

“Thirteen years!”

His stunted physical growth astonished me. Neither he had proper nutritive diet to fill his little belly nor he had decent clothes to cover his undersized body like a professional guide. Although he would not be able to share something new with me as I have already visited many forts in the nearby area as well as I had a good knowledge of architect, Vastushastra principals and vegetation. Moreover, his accent was ambiguous and a face without a smile. A jhola chhap guide. To support him, I asked him to guide me through the narrow alleys of one of the most haunted forts of India- Bhangarh Fort.

As we strolled, he started narrating, “There used to be the bazaar on both the sides of the lane. The perfume bottle was purchased from the same bazaar by princess Ratnavati’s maidservant on which, the tantric did the black magic after she refused to marry him. Because Princess disliked him, she broke it as soon as she came to know about his plans. The tantric cursed the whole kingdom of Bhangarh before dying. It was deserted overnight.

“As you can see the chhatri (a shelter home/ small hut made up of stone) of the tantric who was in desperate love with the extremely beautiful princess.” He pointed at the far off place on the top of mountain.

As I have already read this on internet before visiting that fort, I was much interested in knowing about him rather than about the ruined building, which sang the songs of bygone, was now a desolate place inhabited by ghosts at night that nobody was allowed to stay inside this fort before sunrise and after sunset.

“Do you go to school?” I asked.

“Yes, today is Sunday. That’s why I am here to make some money?” He replied plainly.

“What did your father do?”

“All the time, he drinks tea.”

Further, he told me that he had a big family to support which includes his parents, four sisters and a younger brother and they reared five buffaloes however, they sold their milk to a nearby dairy to make their living.

Instead of him, I was telling him colorful tales, interesting folklore and mythological stories related to the deity, figure, animal or flower engraved on the on the walls of temples built in Nagara style in the compound of the fort. To break the all-pervasive spooky aura, I kept him engage in the sensational gossips on how to explain in detail to his prospective clients so that he could make some more money. Not only I taught him the art of clicking good photographs but also the skill to make boring places interesting with the magic of words.

After the trip, I paid him Rs. 200 as his fees, handed over my pair of gold earrings to him and asked him to present them to his elder sister at the time of her marriage. I was quite surprised to notice that no emotion appeared on his face, neither happiness nor gratitude but as he walked towards the main gate, I could sense that he had a big responsibility on his little shoulders.

Standing under a magnificent banyan tree close to the entrance of hauntingly beautiful fort, OSHO’s words rang in my ears, “Don’t think it as charity but share your things with others without expecting anything.”

Pic 1: Bhangarh Fort, Alwar district, Rajasthan

Pic 2 : Huge Banyana tree near Bhangarh Fort, Main Gate.

Guru Disciple Bond - The Purest of All Bonds

 In continuation of 'My First Spiritual Guru'

“A cyclone! Oh my God!” He stepped back a little as a scary thought arise in his mind.

On seeing so many scorpions hiding in freshly grown weeds adjacent to a water channel on a kachcha road, this thought surfaced his mind as he was about to step on them. This incidence happened when he was on his way to meet his Guru who was staying in his grapes orchid. On reaching there, his Guru inquired, “Kaushal, you got afraid of just tiny scorpions!”

“Ma, Om Swamiji has numerous siddhis. If somebody brought packed gift for Him, He already knew what was in it.” I was narrating incidents related to Om Swamiji to my mother.

“Kaushal chacha ji’s (my mother’s uncle and my maternal grandfather) Guru was also in possession of such siddhis.” She told me. “His Guru could very easily guess whether the steel tiffin box contain kheer or kadhi? Even steel was transparent for him!”

She continued further, “He used to serve his Guru with very much love and care. His Guru asked him to serve his mother like a Goddess and he obeyed his Guru’s command till she died.”

“Ma. Please tell me something more about his Guru.” I requested.

She narrated the scary scorpion incidence when his uncle got frightened on mere sight of a group of scorpions and surprisingly his Guru knew about it who was then a few kilometres away from that site. His Guru could easily sense about his slightest of emotion, how strong their Guru Disciple bond was, moreover, purest of all bonds.

“Like his Guru, my Guru who is kilometres and kilometres away from me also knows about each and every emotion arising in my heart.” I said.

Dear readers, I will love to gift ‘The Last Gambit’ authored by Om Swamiji to anybody who is interested in reading it. Please drop a mail to me at CHANDRIKASHUBHAMATGMAILDOTCOM.

Pic : Pexels

My First Spiritual Guru

It was a blessing but different!

My nanaji (my maternal grandfather) put his right hand on my head and murmured something, which was inaudible to me although I was standing in front of him just a foot away. I was looking straight in his eyes while my mind was wondering what he was blessing me with. I could not understand. I did not ask. He slowly turned around, strolled towards his room, which was adjacent to drawing room.

A few minutes earlier, my mother, my nanaji and I were standing in the drawing room. Ma, my mother was inquiring about his health as he has returned after a long hospitalization. He said that he was much better now and was able to perform his daily chores in a very slow motion.

My naniji (my maternal grandmother) called my mother. My mother went out of the drawing room towards the kitchen area. My nanaji and I were left alone in the room; he blessed me leaving me somewhat bewildered, as I could not interpret what it was.

Years later, after reading many books on Guru disciple bond and doing various Sadhanas I came to know that he imparted his spiritual wealth to me before leaving this body.

This happened in 1997. For years, I did not share it with anyone. A couple of days back I shared this incidence with my family and now I am sharing it with my blogging family.

To be continued...

Next part is 'Guru Disciple Bond'

My Reading List and Giveaway of My Favorite Book on Chole Bhature Day! :)

From mid-August 2021 to the end of October 2021 I was totally absorbed in studying scriptures, reading books, listening audio books and watching videos to collect and absorb maximum knowledge about spirituality. During that time, I was experiencing bouts of spiritual crying quite frequently. This was the time when I was not crying then I was reading a book, when I was not reading a book then I was listening to an audio book and when I was not listening an audio book then I was watching a YouTube video. I was as busy as a second hand in a clock. 

Read these books…

If Truth be Told – A Monk’s Memoir By Om Swami (Reread)

Om Swami – As We Know Him by Ismita Tandon (Sadhvi Vrinda Om) and Swami Vidyananda Om

A Prayer that Never Fails by Sadhvi Vrinda Om

The Book of Faith Compiled by Sadhvi Vrinda Om

Bhakti and Sankirtan by Swami Sivananda

Guru Bhakti Yoga by Swami Sivananda

Laksmi Tantram Commentary by Shri Kapildev Narayan (Reread)

Geet Govind by Jaidev

The Gospel of Shri Ramakrishna

Hatha Yoga Pradipika Commentary by Swami Muktibodhananda

Nav Durga from Geeta Press Publications

Listened these books on Audible...

Swami Vivekananda by Gautam Ghosh

Essence of the Upanishads by Eknath Easwaran

The Guru Drinks Bourbon? By Amira Ben-Yehuda, Dzongsar Jamyang Khyentse

Draupadi by Pratibha Rai

Tantra Illuminated : The Philosophy, History, and Practice of a Timeless Tradition by Christopher D. Walls

Attended these online courses...

The Art of Meditation by Om Swami

Kundalini Meditation by Om Swami

I watched numerous videos and out of them, my favorite video is by Gautam Sachdeva  Gorakhnath's Rule (with Hindi subtitles).

Yesterday was my birthday and I am giving away gifts to my lovely readers. Unfortunately, Amazon do not deliver chole bhature so I am giving away my favorite book. Out of all books that I have read in two and a half month time, I liked ‘Om Swami – As We Know Him’ the most. Whoever is interested in reading this book, please send your address to me at CHANDRIKASHUBHAMATGMAILDOTCOM. I will send a copy of this book through amazon.in (Indian addresses only) to you. Hope you will also enjoy this book as much as I. :)

Tears Washed off all Negativity from My Heart

“Gandi Aurat (wicked woman)!” I thought as I looked out of windowpane of my moving car. I saw a not so elderly woman sitting behind a young guy on a scooter. We were in opposite lanes. Was it she? Her chubby cheeks glowing like oranges now resembled more like squeezed oranges. I saw her after one and half year of corona time. It seemed to me that from glowing beauty now she was a mere wrinkled diseased woman. Time changed everything. I had changed too. Like every other time, I did not feel any surge of negative emotions in me on a glimpse of her. There was neither hatred nor anger for her. I was neutral as I was feeling Swamiji dwells in all. This happened in mid Oct, 2021.

I moved out of my house locking all my emotions behind to meet an important client who was adamant to see me in person before finalizing the deal. During those days, I was confined to my house because of excessive spiritual crying. In a way, while going to my office this incidence took place.

Nobody utters her name out of her scare or her wickedness, everybody called her ‘Gandi Aurat’. She was notorious for tearing her own clothes and charging rape case against who ever tried to stop her from doing any wrong deeds. She had done this against a police officer, a politician and a reputed educationist. She misused the laws, which were made to protect a female, as poisonous weapons to injure others.  

Six years back, she tried to grab my property, I stopped her. As she could not play rape card against me, she played caste card against me, which resulted in numerous court cases. Although court cases were part of my business, but this became a real headache for me. No bureaucrat, no politician, no local leader, no neighbor, no known, not even a stranger was with me. I was all alone fighting for truth. When loneliness pierced me heavily, I could feel the presence of my deity holding my hand who now and then whispered in my ears, ‘Truth Prevails!’  

Tears washed off all the negativity from my heart. Excessive spiritual crying made me calm and serene. It could be a sheer coincidence. There was one more woman in my life on seeing her, my heart always filled with hatred and anger. A few days back, I met her, I was normal though she said something out of jealousy, but I was as calm as a full moon. After all, Swamiji dwells in all. There was no surge of negative emotions in me for her. He had filled my heart with His love that there was no space left for hatred, envy or any other negative emotion.

I desperately needed a shot of His love so that my heart starts overflowing with love towards all beings especially for those whom I hated earlier.

Dear readers, I will love to gift ‘Japa Meditation- The Easiest Way to Calm the Mind’ authored by me to anybody who is interested in reading it. Please drop a mail to me at CHANDRIKASHUBHAMATGMAILDOTCOM.

Pic : Pixabay

I Made a Mistake and Om Swamiji corrected me

I made a mistake.

I realized it after reading these paragraphs from the book ‘The Rainmaker- Miracles and Healing Stories of Om Swami’ on p163.

Now, getting back to the Four Seasons story. A waiter attended to us, and Guru Maharaj gave the order explaining to him how he would like his breakfast to be served, placing emphasis on no eggs, etc. He gave very detailed, specific instructions. However, when the food came, he wasn’t happy with it, so he let the person know gently, yet firmly. I couldn’t help but notice the preciseness of his speech. But they still couldn’t get it right. Maharaj Sri remained firm and asked for the chef. He showed the chef what was lacking in the meal. The chef, in return, apologized profusely and offered a free meal. When the bill came, his item was not charged. Guru Maharaj sent the bill back and requested that his meal also be charged.

“It’s very simple, Swamiji,” he said to me. “I’m dining here as a customer. And therefore, I expect a certain quality of service. And therefore, I expect a certain quality of service. Anything to the contrary is just not acceptable.”

A couple of days back I bought a half kg packet of semolina of a reputed company. On opening it, I found it infested. I removed the infested portion and utilized in making halwa for stray dogs. When I told the shopkeeper that semolina was infested, he deducted Rs.30/- from my total bill. In other words, he gave that infested semolina packet free of cost to me.

The book was an eye opener for me. I realized my mistake that I did charity from that infested packet and did not paid the cost of that packet. Swamiji paid the bill of a free item. I should also pay the amount of that packet. Although Rs. 30/- did not mean much to the shopkeeper or to me but it was about following his teachings strictly. Next time, I visited the shop I paid the price of the semolina packet.

Dear readers, in the same book it was mentioned that Swamiji said, “We’ll all address her as Shamata. Though I’ve initiated her today, I gave her my darshan many years ago. This body was 24 years old then.” I had a keen desire to follow His teachings very seriously, because He also blessed me with a spiritual experience when he was 24 years old.

I will love to gift this book through Amazon (Indian addresses only) to whoever is interested in reading these stories in detail. Just drop a mail to me at CHANDRIKASHUBHAMATGMAILDOTCOM or fill up the contact form on the side bar.

From Fussy to Unfussy About Food

“Nani ji, I am feeling hungry.” I told my maternal grandmother when I was near about nine years old.

“You can eat hot chapattis with freshly prepared dal. See your younger brother is having his meal.” She suggested.

I peeped into his plate and noticed that the color of dal was not yellow but greenish brown. “Which dal have you prepared? I eat only yellow color dal.” I replied.

“You can eat matiri (watermelon) vegetable.”

“I love to eat water melons but I do not like the vegetable made out of it.”

“Bitter gourd vegetable, I can prepare for you as they are ready to be fry after salting.”

“I hate it, it is too bitter.” I squeezed my nose to show my disapproval for it.

“Ghiya (Bottle gaurd).”

“ I will eat ghiya vegetable when I will grow old. It is the best vegetable for elderly people.”

“If you eat ghiya now, you will never grow old.” My brother who was a man of few words spoke while filling his spoon with dal.

I never argued with my brother because I knew I would never beat a genius.

My maternal grandmother offered me twelve more options, which I refused with one or the other excuse. When my mother came back after doing shopping from the market, my naniji complained her, “The nature of your two children is totally different. One has finished his meal without making any excuse and the other one is too fussy about food. I have asked her to eat so many things but she did not like to have anything.”

“She does this before having her every meal. She will not say that I want to eat this. But I have to keep jumping from one option to another till I reach what is in her mind.” My mother replied while putting down huge shopping bags from her shoulder. She took out two packets for each one of us. She gave first one to my brother who was an adventurous eater, “I brought a new dish, stuffed tomato pakoda for you. You will love it.” Even after finishing his meal he could eat a snack, after all he was a foodie.

And I brought fresh jamuns (Indian berries) for you.” She handed it to me. On opening it, I exclaimed, “Oh! I love that!”

While progressing on my spiritual journey, I found that my food habits were a big hindrance. It was hard to cope with them. I was too fussy what to eat and what not to eat. A thought that always worried me was that saints have control over their tongues and I should have control over my taste buds if I wish to be like them. Swami Sivananda says, “Control of tongue means control of all Indriyas.”

In early Sept, 2021 my mother asked me, “Should I prepare rajma chawal for you?”

I shook my head.

“Should I prepare dal roti for you?”

Again, I shook my head.

“Would you like to have idli sambhar?”

Once again, I shook my head.

“Anything else?”

At that time I was strictly on diet that includes fruits, salad, nuts, curd, milk, soup, sometimes roasted papad and rarely saute vegetables.

When it comes to food, I was a difficult daughter for my mother and I am still a difficult daughter for her.

Pic : Pixabay