HE has to SANCTION 

We may make plans, we may commit, we might put our whole hearted effort, we may try to implement our wills, we may try to execute our plans but ultimately is it in our hand?, NO. There is an ultimate controller who ultimately sanctions our will and our work.

I was about to take a video interview of a devotee on certain topics of spirituality. The topics were handed over to her before a week itself. She had made notes and thoroughly prepared from her side.

I charged the camera battery a previous day, formatted the 8 GB card to create space, prepared the tripod, mics etc for the next day morning assignment.

Next day, we decided to take a shot on terrace at about 12 noon. Postponing our prasad we went for shooting, the proper place was selected for shooting, the tripod was set up, camera was set up, mics were fixed and video was shot quiet nicely, for the three different topics. I was quiet joyous that some service was rendered.

When I came back home and uploaded the video for editing, I found that voice is extremely low, quiet inaudible, most probably the mic was not properly fit in the camera, the whole effort got wasted. The devotee was prepared, she spoke in the hot sun, I shot the video in hot sun, we even postponed our prasad but the result - a big ZERO. Now what was missing in the entire service?

The preparation was proper, the intention was good, the perseverance was there, hard work was there, proper set up was there, BUT one most important thing that was missing was the SANCTION of the Lord. We might be very accurate in our commitments, in our service but ultimately it is the sanction of the Lord that makes the service beautiful, worth and commendable.

By Ashish Kumar

ICC Bangalore

Can we get a SECOND CHANCE ??

It takes time to know each other, it takes time to commit to each other. I know a couple, who got married because of some avoidable or unavoidable circumstances but the boy could not gel with the girl later on. The boy was bit hesitant in going for this particular marriage but he ended up marrying that girl. The initial days were tough for the girl as she was feeling spaced out. The girl had initial feelings for boy but boy didn't respect those feelings and thus girl decided to move apart.

After few weeks, boy realized that actually he has the feeling for his wife, but he was not expressive enough, he calls her, he tries to get her back but all in vain. He was begging for a SECOND CHANCE, but girl said NO and finally they broke. Many of marriages and relationships break like this

When it comes to giving chances, when it comes to forgiving someone, its a tough call. People don't mind breaking the relationships, breaking the marriage, breaking the feelings than to agree for giving a SECOND CHANCE. Krishna has been giving us chance, after chance, to lift up ourselves. Krishna does not stop giving us opportunities, giving us chances. In Mahabharata, Durvyodhan was given ample number of chances to rectify his mistakes. In Ramayana, Ravana was given every chance to succumb to the will of the Lord but they were stubborn.

While others are stingy in giving us even a SECOND CHANCE, Krishna is ready to give us unlimited chances, so that we can ultimately develop selfless love for Him. When we accept Krishna's invitations for devotional service and when we appreciate His love towards us through these chances, then we also become merciful, tolerant and loving to other living entities and thus we also become willing to give other people ample number of chances to come to the platform of a Devotee.

By Ashish Kumar

ICC Bangalore

 ALL IS NOT WELL

The other side of the fence always looks green, when we see our life, we might feel that only I am suffering in the world, only I have problems and these problems are endless.

But when you peep in others life, we realize that we are not the only one who are faced with issues, there are many more, almost all.

Few days back, I got a call from a girl, sounding very confident, very cheerful, she was speaking in such a positive way, the confidence from her mood flew in my mind and I really liked the talk with her. After couple of days, again we spoke and this time, she was not the same girl. She was a girl with moroseness, full of anxiety, trying to find positivity in life. When she made me peep in her life, I realized she is living such a trouble some life with no proper goal in life, with no proper guidance, no thought of which way to go, what to do and what not to do, leading a completely bewildered life. Her parents' relationships are hollow, the property which they possess are catching the wrong eyes of relatives, her sister's marital life is almost getting to end, she herself has gone through the phase of molestation by her own relatives, she has the habit of taking to drinking sometimes and she is still maritally undecided, going through a phase of horrible confusion.

When we talk with more and more people, we realize that problems are everywhere and the outside glowing face and smile, which they show is so fake and unrealistic. It is just to convince their inner-self that All IS WELL, it is just to mitigate the trouble that their heart is going through. The package of problems are different but the solution is same. The solution is to transcend the problems and know for sure – that no one is spared here, everyone is victimized by time, today or tomorrow. We are so lucky that we are connected to such a beautiful philosophy, beautiful teachings and wonderful devotees. The only thing that we have to do is to develop faith that - Yes we are in such a safe hands of ISKCON.

By Ashish Kumar

ICC Bangalore

Spiritual Strength Comes By Others' PRAYERS

It never came in my mind, I never gave an attempt, I never thought of it. Recently, i went for Tirupati Yatra with devotee friends. We stayed in Tirupati and we had to go to Tirumala to take Lord Balaji's darshan. Only one day was remaining to take a glance at the Lord. Some devotees planned that instead of going by bus to Tirumala, they would prefer to go by steps, which is a journey of about 9 km, 2500 steps. I never wanted to go by steps because of health issues and just a day before that, I was going through quiet painful backache and joints ache. But all of my friends had decided to go by steps and one of my close friend was constantly pushing me to come by steps. Seeing the enthusiasm of old aged devotees,  I also wanted to climb the stairs but I was still doubtful. Then one incident happened that made me change my decision.

There were some buses which were meant to drop some 45 devotees to the foothills from where they would have started their journey to Tirumala by steps. Because of some mis–communication from my side, these buses instead of halting at foothills, directly proceeded towards Tirumala and by the time, devotees realized this, it was too late. Because its a one way route, so now these buses had to go to Tirumala and then come back from top carrying these devotees back again so that they can restart their journey from foothills. So the walking journey which they could have started at 6.30 am was delayed by about 2 hours because of extra travelling. I was repentant as it was because of me that they had to start the walk about 2-3 hours late and that too in hot sun. I decided to go by walk and started in the last batch with my friends with the bead beg in my hand. Constant whats-app messages from other devotees about their reaching at the top was filling me with enthusiasm. I raced ahead and crossed 500 steps and then 1000 steps and then 2000 steps and very soon I was on top, I begged forgiveness from some devotees but they were so joyous and forgiving that they didn't mind the extra travelling.

I had never imagined that I would reach to Lords' place by walk. I had thought that its not possible at least in this life time but if a devotee desires something positive for you then who can stop you. It was my friend desire that I should go on top by walk and ultimately that is what happened. Sometimes, things come to us in a very amazing and unwanted ways but still they are relishing and pleasing to the heart.

By Ashish Kumar

Appreciation by HEART

Appreciation is an important element of our life. Everyone likes to be appreciated for the work they have done, everyone likes to be praised for the effort they have put for the show, everyone wishes to get acknowledged, everyone longs to get noticed. Appreciation from others boosts our confidence, it helps us carry on with our committed work with more vigor and more enthusiasm. Appreciating others for their look, for their dress, for their performance, for their service, for their timely help is one of the highest attribute because its not easy to appreciate others.

I usually dont have the habit of appreciating others until it has really touched my heart. But when we genuinely appreciate others, it brings in the feeling of joy and contentment, it brings out the best of the person. True appreciation does not necessarily puff up the ego of the other person while false glorification or flattery can prove to be detrimental.

Appreciation along with the suggestion for the betterment of service is more laudable. If we are appreciated for what we have done and also given a positive/negative/corrective feedback, then that will be a healthy appreciation. Thus, not acknowledging others' service or falsely glorifying someone, both are extremes and both are bad as it is like a two edged sword, it is neither good for the speaker nor for the listener.

By Ashish Kumar

There is a Magic in Tragic

We run away from tragic. Tragedies are the last things we want in our life. We feel we are the worst hit people in the world, we curse God, we curse the situations but as we talk to people, as we get closer to them, as they open their heart to us, we get to know that life presents each of us with different degrees of tragedies and traumas, no one is spared.

Someone is going through relationship problems, someone is sweating for daily bread, someone is sweating for more money, someone is going through health issues. We might feel that our present tragic moments are more tougher to cross over than that of others but as we peep deeply in others life, we start feeling that we are in much better position than them. Hospitals and Crematorium grounds are the best examples to get to know ourselves properly. This world is a suffering place – this cant be realized at malls or theatres and even at home. When we see the patients in hospitals suffering, when we see the dead bodies being taken to the crematorium ground, that instantly takes us to the mood of self-realization – Who am I and what I am really doing, what's happening now and what will happen next.

The same realization is achieved when one deeply jumps into the scriptural injunctions presented by Bhagvad-Gita, Srimad Bhagvatam. Every word and sentence of scriptures like Bhagvad-Gita and Srimad Bhagvatam make us realize the futility of material world and prosperity of spiritual world. When we get to know how the great souls went through material sufferings and still remain attached to the devotional path, then that give us inspiration. Thus tragic moments in life work like magic for soul and it creates the ground for further interaction of soul with Supersoul through the life saving manuals like Bhagvad Gita and Srimad Bhagvatam. 

By Ashish Kumar

ICC Bangalore

www.iccmitra.blogspot.in

DUPLICITY IN SIMPLICITY

In the complex world of today, where things are so complex, personalities are so complex, relationships are so complex, there is complexity involved even in simplicity. One might pose as simple but there might be lots of complex things going inside him and a person might seem complex but he may be simple by heart. Its very easy to pose as simple but be simple.

What do we mean by Simplicity. It means to be being outwardly rich, being materially opulent, being materially well off but in spite of that being humble, down to earth. In short Simplicity is to have everything outwardly but still feel grounded. There are many examples where we find the people to be in good command of their material prosperity but still very humble by heart. These kinds of people instantly win the heart of others. People get attracted by these personalities not because of their opulence but because of their humility and simplicity. Showing off simplicity may not last long. If the personality is complex, its very difficult to be simple at heart and a day comes when our mask of simplicity sheds off. 

In Krishna Consciousness simplicity means accepting that we are servant of Krishna and also servant of devotees of Krishna. Simplicity means keeping the meaning of servitude in all respects and in all circumstances. Servitor-ship is the underlying principle of devotional service and in the complexity of material world, we will surely be forgetting that but circumstances and situations in our devotional life will keep us reminding that we are meant to be servants and not the masters or controllers. Till the time, we understand this principle our simplicity is nothing short of duplicity but the association of those who are dedicated to the mission, those who are ever enthusiastic, those who are simple both inwardly and outwardly, can take us out of these duplicitous nature.

By Ashish Kumar