Prayers with Burning Desires

In Sripuram,Goddess Rajarajeshwari was sitting on a Golden Throne ( rathna simhasana) with her feet immersed with crores of flowers.

Sage Thurvasar came to take darshan of Goddess.On seeing her feet covered with plentiful flowers, he asked Goddess," Which King had prayed you with crores of flowers"? He also commented that you must have definitely got happy by his act.

Goddess replied,Sage,"If you want to see how happy I felt with his act,remove the flowers and see my feet."

Thurvasar did as she said and got shocked to see pearl like boils all over her feet.

Who did this injustice to you, Mother?

How your feet got wounded, asked Thurvasar?

Goddess replied, it is Lord Indra who prayed me in this way.The blistering heat of the flowers he offered wounded my feet.

Thurvasar asked,"How flowers can be boiling, Mother"?

Goddess replied, He never offered flowers for me..With crores and crores of desires,he prayed me.On every flower he kept a desire and offered me.So they are not flowers..they are his burning desires.

Message:

Devotion and prayer mustn't be for fulfilling one's own desire.. It is an selfish act.
 Pray for world's well-being and goodness of all creatures.

Bad thoughts and burning desires creates agitation in mind.
Desires can create positive energy and motivation,until it is good.But greediness and trying to hold/possess thing or a person will make our mind toxic.

So everyone must try to develop good thoughts and do good deeds to stay cool,calm and peaceful.

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Your Character is your Race - Moral story

This is a short story about "Senthan Amutharar" who is a great devotee of Lord Shiva.

Approximately 1200 years ago, "Senthan" lived in Chidambaran, in India.He is a woodcutter.His daily income was not much.But, inspite of that, daily he offers food strictly to one Lord Shiva devotee,  before he partakes his food.

Once there was a heavy rain and he lived in utter poverty.That time a sivan-adigalar(a Lord Shiva Devotee) with dripping clothes in rain came to Senthan in hunger requesting for food.But Senthan himself was living in empty stomach for many days.

To his surprise, he had some rice flour and jaggery with him.So he happily mixed both and made it into small balls(which is called kali in Tamil) and offered him.

The delighted sivan-adigalar ate it happily with content and  packed the leftover kali in a towel and took with him,

The next day, King Chola  visited Lord Nataraja temple.He got shocked on seeing God's mouth smeared with kali, spilled all over the body.That night God himself came in King's dream and told proudly about Senthan's act of giving kali to him.And he also added that King could understand the greatness of Senthan in chariot festival.

The next day, thousands of people jointly tried to move the chariot but they couldn't. That time a Godly voice from sky informed 'If Senthan sing's "pallandu song" chariot will move'.Accordingly Senthan started the song saying "mannuga thillai" and at the same time chariot also started to move.King immediately felled in Senthan's feet and worshiped him.

The day Senthan offered kali to God is "Thiruvathirai" festival(also called Arudra Darisanam) which comes in Margazhi month.And that's the reason even today we are offering kali to  Lord Shiva on that day.

Through Senthan God conveys "Your Character is your Race" moral to the world.

A person cannot belong to inferior/superior race, just because he/she born in a particular ethnic group.It is only his/her character which decided his race.

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The Lion and the Mouse

Once when a Lion was asleep, a little Mouse began running up and down upon him. This soon wakened the Lion, who placed his huge paw upon him and opened his big jaws to swallow him.

"Pardon, O King!" cried the little Mouse, "Forgive me this time. I shall never repeat it and I shall never forget your kindness. And who knows, but I may be able to do you a good turn one of these days?"

The Lion was so tickled at the idea of the Mouse being able to help him, that he lifted up his paw and let him go.

Sometime later a few hunters captured the King and tied him to a tree while they went in search of a wagon to carry him on.

Just then the little Mouse happened to pass by, and seeing the sad plight in which the Lion was, ran up to him and soon gnawed away the ropes that bound the King of the Beasts.

 "Was I not right?" said the little Mouse, very happy to help the Lion.

MORAL: Little friends may prove great friends.

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The Monkey and the Dolphin

One day long ago, some sailors set out to sea in their sailing ship. One of them brought his pet monkey along for the long journey.

When they were far out at sea, a terrible storm overturned their ship. Everyone fell into the sea, and the monkey was sure that he would drown. Suddenly a dolphin appeared and picked him up.

They soon reached the island and the monkey came down from the dolphin’s back. The dolphin asked the monkey, “Do you know this place?”

The monkey replied, “Yes, I do. In fact, the king of the island is my best friend. Do you know that I am actually a prince?”

Knowing that no one lived on the island, the dolphin said, “Well, well, so you are a prince! Now you can be a king!” The monkey asked, “How can I be a king?”

As the dolphin started swimming away, he answered, “That is easy. As you are the only creature on this island, you will naturally be the king!”

Moral: Those who lie and boast may end up in trouble.

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Lord Rama : Stories for children

Whoever surrenders, Râma accepts

God is so merciful that He will come ten steps towards you, if you but take one step towards Him. Vibhishana , the brother of Râvana, inquired from Hanumânwhether Râma will accept his homage and take him under His protecting shade.


Vibhishana said: "I am the brother of His worst enemy, whom He has vowed to destroy; I am a member of the demonic race; I am unacquainted with the Vedas or Sastras or the rituals of the Âryans". Then Hanumân replied: "O you fool! Do you think He cares for ritual correctitude, or family status or scholarship? If so, how could He accept me, a monkey?" That settled the matter. Vibhishana was assured of grace. 

Lord Rama

When he went to Râma later, He asked the elder monkeys around Him whether He could accept Vibhishana into the fold. Of course, He did not need any counsel from anyone. He was never influenced by others. But, still, just to bring them into the picture, He consulted them and made a pretence of not having made up His mind yet. When Sugriva  said "no", Râmareminded him that he too had come to Him, first, giving up his elder brother! When Lakshmana said that the only treatment he deserved was to be thrown back into Lankâ, Râma said, "Yes! I am resolved to crown him as the emperor of Lankâ, after the demise of Râvana". 


Whoever surrenders, Râma accepts, on the spot, without reservations. When someone suggested that Vibhishana should not be promised a throne, for, Râvana may fall at the feet of the Lord and earn pardon for his iniquity, Râma replied, "In that case, I will hold both hands of Bharata and beg him to make Vibhishana Emperor of Ayodhyâ, our ancestral domain; we both, Bharata and I, will spend our time happily in the forests".

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Lord Krishna :Stories for children

Selfishness will never work in matters relating to God

There is a small story in the Mahâbhârata. With a view to get Krishna on her side,Satyâbhama,  one of his consorts, went to Nârada and requested him to tell her some way, a short-cut by which she can achieve her objective. Nârada knew that Satyâbhama was very selfish and that selfishness will never work in matters relating to God.

Nârada wanted to teach a lesson to Satyâbhama and said he knew of a method which would get Krishna on her side, a ritual in which she gives away her husband as a gift to someone and then buys him back by paying money, equivalent in weight to the weight of the Lord. Nârada said that Krishna will belong solely to Satyâbhama under all circumstances if she went through this ritual. 

Satyâbhama was lured into the plan. Therefore, she did the ritual of gifting Krishna to Nârada and then getting Him back. In one pan of the balance, she made Krishna sit and she put all her jewels in the other pan but it was no match to the weight of Krishna. Nârada saw an excellent opportunity in the situation and told Satyâbhama that since she is not able to give gold needed to equal her husband's weight, he was taking away Krishna and that from that day, Krishna would not belong to her; He would belong to him.
In that situation, Satyâbhama thought of Rukminî and went in search of her. She found her performing Tulasî puja. 

Lord Krishna

Rukminî went with a few Tulasî leaves in her hand. She was astonished to find that Satyâbhamawas trying to outweigh the Lord himself with gold. She knew that this would never be possible. She said that gold will never outweigh God and only God's Name can match Him in weight. Nârada did not agree with this and asked that since Krishna has a form which can be seen, He must be weighed against something which can also be seen. 


Rukminî immediately grasped the situation and she told herself that whether it is fruit, a flower, or a leaf or even a spoon of water, if given in full faith, God will surely respond. If there is any truth in this, she expected Krishna to respond to what she was going to do and in full faith, she placed a Tulasî leaf in the other pan of the balance, uttering the name of Krishna. It is only with affection, love and pure heart that one can get God. She won. 

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Lord Ganesh: Stories for children

Vinayaka - The leader of all

On one occasion, a competition was arranged among the gods for selecting the leader of the games (troops of demigods who are attendants of Siva). Participants had to go round the world quick and come back to the feet of Lord Siva. The gods started off on their own vehicles; the elder son of Siva also enthusiastically entered the competition. He had an elephantine head; his vehicle was a mouse! Therefore, his progress was severely handicapped: He had not proceeded far, when Narada appeared before him and asked him, "Whither are you bound?" The son was very much annoyed; he fell into a rage.

 Lord Ganesh

For, what happened was a bad omen, doubly unpropitious for those going on a journey. It is inauspicious if the first person you come across when you are on a journey is lone Brahmin. Though the foremost among the Brahmins (He was the son of Brahma Himself):, Narada was a bad omen! Again it is a bad omen if you are going somewhere and someone asked, "Whither are you bound?" Narada put him that very question! Nevertheless, Narada was able to assuage his anger. He drew forth from Siva's son the cause of his predicament and his desire to win. Narada consoled him, exhorted him not to yield to despair, and advised him thus: Rama -the name-is the seed from which the gigantic tree called the universe has emanated. So, write the name on the ground, go round it once, and hurry back to Siva, claiming the prize." He did so and returned to his father. When asked how he returned so soon, he related the story of Narada and his advice. Siva appreciated the validity of Narada's counsel; the prize was awarded to the son, who was acclaimed as Gana-pati. (Master of the Ganas) and Vinaayaka (Leader of all).

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The story of Food:Stories for Children

Your Thoughts affect the food you cook:Stories for Children

To purify the mind and the intellect for the correct reflection of the truth, the first caution is in regard to food. Instead, this is a very serious matter of Sadhakas. There lived in Mallur, Mysore State, and a pious Brahmin who was a great scholar. He had an equally pious wife. He was always intent on Puja and Japa Dhyana and was known far and wide for his virtuous character.

 One day, a sanyasin called Nityananda came to his door seeking alms; so, he was happy beyond measure. He invited the monk to take dinner with him the next day so that he might honor him with due hospitality. He hung green festoons over his doors and made elaborate arrangements for the reception. But, at the eleventh hour, physical impurity rendered his wife unfit to prepare food for the honored guest or for any one else. 

Cooking

A neighbour volunteered to cook the meal and she was brought in and introduced into the kitchen. Everything went off well and all were as happy as they could be, under the circumstances. Only, the sanyasin was wrong during meals by an overpowering desire to steal the silver cup, which the host had placed near the plate. 

In spite of his best efforts, the evil idea won and the sanyasin hurried to his abode with the cup hidden in the folds of his robe. He could not sleep that night, for his conscience pricked him so. He felt he had brought disgrace on his Guru and on the Rishis whom he invoked by the mantras he recited. He could not until he ran back into the Brahmin's house and, falling at his feet, restored the article with tears of repentance trickling down his cheeks. Everyone wondered how such a saint could stoop so low. Then someone suggested it might the person who cooked it transmit the fault to the food he ate. 

And when they examined the history of the neighbor thy found that she was an irrepressible thief! The thieving tendency had, by subtle contact, affected the food she prepared. This is the reason why Sadhakas are advised to live on fruits and tubers only, when they reach a certain stage of spiritual achievement.

Lesson for children

Sai Baba

We should partake food with a Sathwic mind. Our ancestors recommended the offering of food to God before partaking. Food so partaken becomes "Prasad" (consecrated offering). Prayer cleanses the food of the three  impurities; caused by the absence of cleanliness of the vessel, cleanliness of the food stuff, and cleanliness in the process of cooking. It is necessary to get rid of these three impurities to purify the food; for, pure food goes into the making of a pure mind. It is not possible to ensure the purity of the cooking process, since we do not know what thoughts rage in the mind of the man who prepares the food. Similarly, we cannot ensure the cleanliness of the food ingredients as we do not know whether it was acquired in a righteous way by the seller who has sold it to us. Hence, it is essential on our part to offer food to God in the form of prayer, so that these three impurities do not afflict our mind. 

Prayer From Bhagavad Gita

Brahmaarpanam Brahma Havir
Brahmaagnau Brahmanaa Hutam
Brahmaiva Tena Gantavyam
Brahma Karma Samaadhinaha

Aham Vaishvaanaro Bhutva
Praaninaam Dehamaashritha
Praanaapaana Samaa Yuktaha
Pachaamyannam Chatur Vidam 

Harir Daatha Harir Bhoktha
Harir Annam Prajaapatih
Harir Vipra Shareerastu
Bhoonkte Bhojayathe Harih.

"The food thus offered to God is digested by 'Vaishwanara" in the digestive system. Since God exists in the form of fire as Vaishwanara, He digests the food along with the impurities. So, man will not be affected even if  the impurities enter the food." - Baba

Eating outside food is not avoidable now a days.Recite this food mantra before eating and the food you eat will become prasad and kills all impurities in it.

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