khalsalife

Self made business men have the knack of recognizing the existence of money pots in opportunities around the world. Opening opportunities in third world countries brought a swarm of opportunity investors in the form of venture capitalists and latter as owners of service facilities in the developing world. Objectives at both ends were met satisfactorily, till the time when growing competition started reducing the profits. The policies of hire and fire were introduced in the developing countries without a change in the social fabric which required forgoing allegiance and fighting layoffs without a backup mechanism. Sanity gave way to greed, incompetence of onshore sought scapegoats elsewhere and deceit became widespread. Undeclared prolongation of work hours unaccompanied by wages brought stress and strain on the already delicately balanced social fabric of the developing countries. The abstract from of corruption has now gained a discernible form, it has sucked in one and all and witnessed the death of self-evaluation of right and wrong in all segments. The Businessman's chest grew broader with the millions earned but the space for the heart to beat got reduced. The desired big heart associated with a generous being was being fossiled. The gains of prosperity were for the already enriched, those that fueled them stood little to gain. Savings made during employment would serve for survival during leaner or unemployment periods, attracting a lot of body imbalances which need continuous medical care. Is this the price we need to pay?
Corruption rests majorly with those that hold power of money or decisions, its fallout on humanity if enormous and is baffling. How can misappropriations by the entrepreneurs be justified. they creep into society to spread the epidemic and unless this is cured no campaigns or passing of law will ever halt this plague.

Our campaign should be towards making the individual understand the need to follow a righteous path, refrain from siding with social malpractices and not seek malafied self-gains. Strengthening the social fabric in such a manner would automatically lead to isolation of corruption and from there its destruction. Can we achieve this? Yes we can with a little will and practice. Hope we can spread this around.

Corruption practiced by the powerful, rich and the poor alike. Mankind and Truth's nemesis begins from the home. It can be sown, fertilized and nourished without much effort and ado. In my career I have seen this being practiced with aplomb starting with simple untruthful comments to the much sophisticated business practices. The practitioners practice this 'science' with aplomb and in return invite the dread of deceit and fear falsely trying to secure themselves only to be uprooted in their own game.

Can this practice be shooed away? Perhaps it can be, but not without an honest introspection, by the business man who is always interested in speedy profits sacrificing ethics and social obligations, by the employee who has only one interest to win laurels to maintain continuity of job doesn't matter if he is maligning a co-worker in order to cover-up his failures, by the politician who is always power hungry always trying to win a second round, by the bureaucrat who doesn't shy in colluding for monetary benefits and by the society which cannot practice simple day to day practices without shortcuts.

I believe the correction starts with self and therefore does not require any representations by individuals or masses. What it does require is an effort of the individual to honestly practice living with the tenets of religion and beliefs for they only advise purity in thought and deed.

My family took charge of abandoned kittens twice. Each time these were three in number and comprised of males and females. Unlike pups or dogs, kittens and cats are not attached to humans, a cat is very moody and may or may not respond to you even if you provide her food and a protective corner in the home. All it does is eat-drink and vanish. However here I write of my experience with two kittens, a male and a female. Both were born apart in time from the same mother cat, but had one thing in common. They were weak and frail, often they lost the battle to suckle their mom because of their healthier siblings and continued to remain weak. As the milk dried with the mom, these kittens would tread a long and dreary path of weaning. We watched them wait for their mom to be near, and when she would come, she would his and bare her teeth to keep them at a distance. We could feel the longing in the eyes of the kittens to be near her and suckle her, but fear kept them at bay. At this stage they would adapt to being hand fed by us. Ill health could never be won by them and slowing the inevitable would result. What was strange was that both came close to all the family members, and as cats do would rub their flanks with our legs and if we were sitting would sit in our laps and expect us to stroke their soft coats and then when they had their fill they walked away never to be seen alive.

I am awestruck with this, it has happned twice and I often am able to recall their being around us. I miss them more than some of known beings and wonder if they knew their end was near and it was a way of bidding adieu.

What ever the case if entering in and out of 84lakh joonhi's is the theory, then I pray to God that these spirits should get out of this cycle and lead a good human life to achieve moksh or mukty and be free from this cycle of birth and death.

Labels: Joonhi

My first contact with the institution has been through one of the volunteers who regularly travel outside Amritsar to Gurudwara's in Delhi, at Gurudwara Bangla Sahib way back in the eighties. Often educated simply dressed youth from Pubjab would carry out the duty of collecting donations from the visitors to the Gurudwara; with folded hands they would acknowledge money deposited in the sealed black box carrying the name of the institution. They would also present you articles on humanity and Sikhism. Donors may also pick up books, pamphlets and handouts from those exhibited on a tin plate placed alonwith the collection box.

One cannot fail to appreciate the fact that all the material, specially handouts, pamphlets and sometimes 2-3 page articles are printed on recycled paper or perhaps the term reused paper would be better. I am sure the donations do not limit the access of the Pingalwara to use fresh stationary, but there is a conscience effort to save and elongate the use of almost every resource so that maximum benefit can be provided to needy relying on the relief from the Pingalwara.

An advice given by Bhagat Puran Singh Ji to the volunteers was to work in an eco-friendly manner and deter the spread of pollution. I therefore believe that this use of stationary is exemplary and should be emulated by one an all, a very silent and simple manner to acknowledge and honour the founder of this esteemed institution. Conservation often releases resources that can be shared amongst the community, and nothing comforts better than a sense of sharing. Happiness shared is doubled whilst sorrow shared is halved.

May the lives of such true Sikhs continue to guide us to follow the teachings of Guru Sahibs in thought and deed.

Wahe Guru Ji Ka Khalsa Wahe Guru Ji Fateh!

How true!

It is with the blessings of the true Guru that one is able to meditate and seek the blessings of the One True Lord.

Many a times I had the opportunity to hear the recordings of learned sikh philosphers and preachers. Gurbani has provided answers to difficult questions that no science has been able to. Later real sciences have endorsed these many a time, and often remain bewildered with miracles reported by the god fearing. The self experience of Vasu ji is well known and has left the medical community spellbound.

Having said that lets absorb the teachings of Guru Sahib where humility is paramount. Should we then seek this bliss from him? Yes, and with our heads bowed in reverance and hands folded we seek the wealth of humility to cherish and revere our Guru and through him God almighty.

May the pride of worshipping him never overpower our thought and lead to a decietful fulfillment, so that we remain forever thirsty of his love and blessings and ultimately become one with him, through him only.

Drop the external vision and look internally, the first step would atomatically call for self cleansing and getting rid of the vices that always destroy us. So let us together seek his blessings and always have Waheguru in our mind, soul and speach.

Waheguru ji ka Khalsa Waheguru ji ki Fateh

Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh!

to fellow khalsa. I have been a sikh by birth, fortunate to have very loving and caring parents and being brought-up with principles and discipline. Although I accepted amrit paan only lately none-the-less Guru Sahibs have always been dear to me and so has been their teachings. This first post on the blog is to thank all my friends and well wishers. Very specially to the khalsa family of Faqir Singh Khalsa ji who welcomed my wife and eldest daughter on amrit paan.

The experience of being a sikh and a khalsa is unique. Guru sahib blessed us with a natural identity and in doing so also safe guarded our character, life and mission. Blessed is the being who cherishes this richness and follows the teachings of Guru Sahib.

Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh