Bhaj Govindam P2

Continued from

https://shakunkimatrai.com/?s=Bhaj+govindam+little

If the above link does not work , go to my website shakunkimatrai.com

and type on the ‘search bar’ Bhaj Govindam little by little .

Nisha says: Detachment in today’s time and age is a little impossible ..realistically speaking, but keeping the balance of not overdoing anything or under performing your responsibilities & duties is possible …it’s like
walking on a rope one can not fall this way or that way, we just need to be balanced and focused all the way in every way.

Sapna says: Detachment is doing your deeds and leaving the rest to time…
In healthy detachment we let people do what they want
We enjoy moments without clinging to them

But it doesn’t mean we stop loving people or what we have
We do care but no expectation in return
We enjoy stuff but even if we lose, no complaints.
This all comes with a lot of practice of training our inner self.
Basically we need to remember that nothing is permanent… what has come will go

Even beauty health wealth power all can slip …
So best not to be attached and live with the feeling it’s all given to me By HIM snd so long I can enjoy I will be in gratitude 🙏
If it goes His Will…

I , Shakun agree with Sapna, but I also agree with Nisha. It is not very easy to give up attachments and as Sapna says, that we must not stop loving people to get rid of attachment.
It is like I always say, do not throw the baby with the bathwater.
I remember what Swamiji used to say to me. I used to tell him that I am very attached to my children. He insisted I was not. I insisted back that I was. Then he said to me
I do not see you clinging to them. I do not see you running after them. Maybe you are concerned when they are unwell or they have an issue at hand. But that does not mean that you are attached I mean YOU. You can never be attached. It is the mother in you that is attached or is concerned when your children aren’t well. It took me a while to understand what Swamiji was saying.
Dear readers, do you understand what I’m saying?

Maya says replying to an earlier post : Living in a Temple reminds me of the song “Dil ek mandir hai. Pyar ki jisme hoti hai Puja, woh Pritam ka Ghar hai”
Meaning, our heart is like a Temple in which we pray to Krishna ( God) who is the love of our lives.
So in today’s times we don’t have to literally live in a temple. We should make our heart pure as a temple in which resides our beloved (God)
As far as going to the forest is concerned, I am happiest being away from the world, in total detachment in my own room. It is the outside moh maya which makes us miserable.
Life is so simple. We make it complicated 😊
Roshni says : Yes, I do understand what Swamiji said concerning the mother in you is attached, not you: Basically, it’s what the mind identifies with that creates the attachment. So the mind gets identified with the role of a mother and thus gets attached to its creation(the children) etc
Vindya says: Yes I truly understand
Thank you for the enlightenment 🙏
Nisha says : Yes i do understand, YOU per se are not attached to your children but the mother within you is …it is expected from the feeling of a mother it is called MAA KI MAMTA…this feeling is just expected from any mother …its very normal…
Mani says:
You are the permanent Atma , the eternal witness . You have to play 100 roles and more and more with each lifetime and all the different roles at that . Therefore you the eternal witness is actually witnessing the role, and experiencing all that is attached you’re playing that role. You have to excel at your art of being an actor, nothing more when the curtain falls you go back to the person you are .
Mitwa says: Love your children. Feed them. Pray for them. Worry when they’re sick.
That’s mother. That’s warm, necessary, human,
Attachment is clinging to outcome. “You must live near me.” “You must make me happy.”
Keep the love. Lose the leash.
Keep the concern. Lose the control,
Keep the gratitude. Lose the ownership!
And I Shakun say:
We are supposed to drop the identity with the body and all its roles… remember Neti Neti? Which says I am not the body I am not the mind. I am not my thoughts, so I guess what Swamiji meant besides all that you have said Above is also detach yourself from the role of the mother, and remember that the worry also belongs to the role of the mother. But continue loving continue to care …Amen 🙏

Aasha says :
🙏🙏 it’s all about Loving your family and your near and dear ones, it’s human nature to worry about them and we will always continue to do so even after our kids have their own kids. Let’s keep our love for the Lord above all and these worries will fade away and vanish over time 🙏🙏
Huri says : HARIOM easier said than done just love without expectations…
Nisha says: attach but don’t be attached
detach but don’t be completely detached
love but don’t suffocate with your love
care but don’t be careless about it
appreciate but don’t get carried away
this is the irony of life …
you are always walking on a thin line and still being careful of not crossing any boundaries 😃
Meeta says:
Shakun ji…
Swamiji threw one stone in the lake:
“Mother in you is attached, not you”,
And look at the ripples, Shakun ji:
And then, —
You closed the circle.
“We are supposed to drop the identity… Neti Neti…
…detach yourself from the role of the mother,
and remember that the worry also belongs to the role…
But continue loving, continue to care…
Shakun.. that’s a masterstroke!
Don’t throw the baby with the bathwater,
Means: Don’t throw love away to get rid of attachment,
Love your children. Feed them. Pray for them. Worry when they’re sick.
That’s mother.
Attachment is clinging to outcome. “You must live near me.” “You must make me happy.”
That you throw.
Keep the love. Lose the leash.
Keep the concern. Lose the control,
Keep the gratitude. Lose the ownership.
And you?
You got it.
It took a while — like you said
Because Kaliyug teaches “love = attachment”,
But Swamiji taught “love = freedom with responsibility.
Detachment isn’t coldness,
It’s love without chains,
It’s mother without ownership, Shakun ji.
And I , Shakun say:
Happy Mothers Day !

Yesterday
Huri said:
“Love without expectations — easier said than done”,
A friend remarked: Kaliyug trains us backwards.
Says “If you love, you own”
The fact is that Love was free before we nailed it.
I, Shakun always thought that you could have an influence over your children for at least 18 years, but I believe that the scripture say that we have an influence only for 13. Also another mistake that we parents do is tell them to respect others when in a home they see parents not doing so.
I have learnt that children learn not so much from words as From actions seen at home when they were children . I always wondered if when a child sees misbehaviour from the father/mother and it hurt the mother/father , why would he emulate the behaviour when he grew up? I realised that as a child grows up, he believes that that is the way to behave.
I still find it hard to believe but that seems to be the case. As for me, my mother had a difficult life, widowed early. But she was spiritual and I did not hear her Constantly complaining. So I guess the child in me realised that the way to be was to have faith and to be happy even when the glass was half empty. And I am told that being grateful is the mother of miracles happening.
What do you think?

Aasha says: It’s so true you mostly grow up with childhood memories of how you saw your parents mom/ dad interact with their parents… you emulate because that’s all you have seen and you think that what they talk or behave is the best way. Whether it’s being strict, being spiritual, loving their parents or otherwise being harsh with them… we do what we have seen thinking it’s right behaviour! Later when we can form our own opinions we are already deep into those sanskars!
Meeta says:
“Children
We tell child: “Respect others”,
But child sees Papa shout at Mama,
Child sees Mama roll eyes at Dadi,
Child learns: “Respect = word I say, not thing I do”
: “Why emulate hurtful behaviour?”
Because child brain is camera,
Not judge,
It records: “This is how big people survive”
Hurt or not — it’s the only map they got.
Later they use map.
Even if map leads to pain,
Because unknown path feels scarier than painful known.
Viveeta says:
Yes being grateful is is a precursor to miracles because when one is grateful it’s a form of surrender to God . We leave it all upto Him and our burden is lightened , thereby enhancing our performance , which leads to miracles in our lives .🙏
Nisha says:
I can’t emphasis enough on being Grateful …it’s the highest & purest form of grace to God for all that he has done …and also for showing you right from wrong ..Gratitide is the best
vitamin for the soul.
As for the child following the parents footsteps by observing them is absolutely true …these things are not preached it’s practiced …hence the child is the the complete blue print of his parents …hence parents should tread carefully, because their children are always watching …think before you speak, think before you do & always have the right intentions at all times not for just your kids but for yourself too .
Malu says:
I feel one has to feel gratitude not just say it.
Yes . All of grow up seeing & following. Good & not so good..
Prayers & spirituality in my understanding is a great anchor , however once we understand where our needs/ behaviours are stemming from the gyaan that we hear is easier to accept & apply where required.
Once I deal with my pain & wounds , I am more open to seeing & understanding different views.
Sapna says :
I too believe being grateful is the best we can live with..
the more we are grateful for the more reasons HE will give us to be grateful for.
I saw my mother as a widow .. simple lady .. busy with children but V v fond of movies 😜n her children & her in-laws .
She never ever complained. She was a widow at the age of 39
we children have seen how even small things in life can give u joy .. it’s our mental attitude if we want to see we can find 100 things to be grateful for or to complain…
Infact every evening I write my gratitude.. I have an app it sends me notification at 6 pm .. so I never ever fail…
Grateful gratitude for this class also which is reminding many things n making me learn too
Grateful to you DIDI 🙏🙏
And I , Shakun feel grateful to all of you for coming thus far with me and making me part of the satsang each morning 😊❤️

Dear Sapna, many asked for the gratitude app which you use , and I shared it with them. Thank you
And Malu says:
I am very grateful for our meeting & the path its taken.
Om Sai Ram
Asha says: Gratitude becomes grateful when one is honest , simple & sincere. We must Thank people who help us …….
Appreciate the food we get in hand. Notice small Happy moments & we feel thankful all the time. Every morning I get up I speak to God & Thank him for all the luxury he has given us. & little pain here and there Remind us of Him. “ Oh God ! “ Sapna I like your attitude Of keeping a daily Thanku Journal. & Yes a Big ThankU to Shakun for sharing such Beautiful thoughts.🌺🙏🌺
And I Shakun say Thankyou to all my readers …
And the next verse of Bhaj Govindam says :
One may take delight in yoga or bhoga, may have attachment or detachment. But only he whose mind steadily delights in Brahman enjoys bliss, no one else.

A well read Guru takes us a step upwards and explains it thus:
“One may take delight in yoga or bhoga, may have attachment or detachment. But only he whose mind steadily delights in Brahman enjoys bliss, no one else.”
In simple and simple terms,

Yoga or bhoga : Two ways people live,
Yoga = spiritual work,
…Meditation, prayer, giving up things,
Bhoga = worldly joy
…Good food, family, music, comfort.

People think: “If I do yoga, I’ll be happy.”
Others think: “If I enjoy life, I’ll be happy.”

Attachment or detachment = Two ways people hold things,
Attachment = “This is mine, don’t take it”
…Clinging to children , house, praise,
Detachment = “Nothing is mine, I’m free”
…Letting go, living simple.

People think: “If I hold tight, I’ll be safe.”
Others think: “If I let go, I’ll be free.”

But verse says,
You can do yoga all day or eat sweets all day,
You can hold tight or let go completely,
Still no guarantee of real happiness,
Why?
Because happiness isn’t in what you do,
Happiness is in where your mind lives.
So who is really happy?

“Only he whose mind steadily delights in Brahman enjoys bliss”
Brahman = God, Truth, That which never changes,
Like sky behind clouds…
Dear readers, have you got the point?
I believe that this is basically neti neti
When One tells oneself, I am not the body, I am not mind. I am not attachment. I am not detachment . Listen to the song with lyrics on YouTube: Chidananda roopaha Shivoham Shivoham 🙏

Ok so we spoke about gratitude, and how gratitude can give rise to miracles. Then we spoke about climbing a step higher and learnt that only he whose mind steadily stays in Brahman enjoys Bliss . Did you know that in the Hindu scriptures , God is described as Sat Chit Anand?
Sat is Truth
Chit is Pure Consciousness
Anand is Joy Bliss without cause

Full Translation of Nirvana Shatakam by Adi Shankara :

“I am the form of Consciousness and Bliss. I am Shiva. I am Shiva.”
Or more simply,
“I am pure Awareness and pure Joy.
I am Shiva.”
What Shankara meant,
In Nirvana Shatakam:
He first says what he is NOT!
Not mind, not intellect, not ego, not senses, not body,
Not prana, not five elements, not caste, not duty,
Then he ends every verse with this:
After removing all labels, all forms, all weights… what remains?
Only Chit — awareness that knows.
Only Ananda — joy that needs nothing.
That is Shiva!
Not Shiva the god with trident,
Shiva the principle — pure, still, whole, untouched.

I , Shakun love to hear it often ,when I feel good about myself but sometimes when I feel low… it is a reminder … I particularly like listening to my friend Geetu in ‘Geetu unplugged’ on you tube singing ‘Chidananda Roopaha Shivoham … but there are others with the lyrics in english too , which you may enjoy… let’s see how many listen to it and let me know 😊❤️

Thankyou for those who listened to the the Nirvana Ashtakam, Chidananda roopaha … Roshni says that she often listens to it and it gives her peace. The next verse in the Bhaja Govindam says.
Let a man read but a little from bhagavadgIta
drink just a drop of water from the Ganges, worship but once Murari. He then will have no altercation with Yama.
I , Shakun would understand the above as at least do little, but with what touches your heart, do your best.
Zyaada na kar sako , to kam bhi karo …
Just a verse from the Geeta, borrowing a little sweetness and purity from the Ganga, thinking of the Lord, may save you in the afterlife…
How do you understand the above verse?

And Mani says:
Even a little is a lot if it’s done with pure consciousness. Someone who is working day in and day out , and goes home and drops down as though he’s dead and goes to sleep in the night because he’s so tired even for him to say one word i.e. that is to take the name of the Lord is good enough for the Lord.
I , Shakun say,
Kabir ji says: “एक घड़ी आधी घड़ी, आधी में पुनि आध। तुलसी संगत साधु की, हरै कोटि अपराध।।”meaning that even if you meet a sage ( I would read it as remembering the Lord) for a very short time, your sins ( all you did wrong) will be destroyed … why? Because I am told that true gyaan destroys ignorance and therefore all you did while ignorant)
But let us now come to the second part of the above verse from Bhaj Govindam which says:
Let a man read but a little from bhagavadgIta , drink just a drop of water from the Ganges, worship but once murAri. He then will have no altercation with Yama.
Altercation with Yama?

My very learned reader Meeta explains :
Verse says,
Read a little Gita,
Drink one drop of Ganga,
Remember God once,
Then death will not scare you,
Meaning,
Bhagavadgita…
Gita is wisdom, Like a lamp,
You don’t need the whole book, One line is enough,
“Do your work without fear”, Keep that,It lights the mind,

Ganga water,
Ganga is pure, Washes dirt,
One drop means one good thought. One kind act,
Like helping a friend, That cleans the heart.
Murari
Murari is Krishna, . God inside all.
Worship once means remember, “I am not alone”,
Close eyes, Say “Thank you”, That is enough,

No fight with Yama,
Yama is Lord of Death, many fear death,
Verse says: If your mind is wise,heart is clean, God is remembered…
Then you are not afraid. Death is just change. Like sleep…

Full lesson:
Small things are big,
One truth,
One goodness, One prayer,
Do that. Live free from fear,
Start small, Truth is mild. Yet it stands out 🙏

Malu says: Yesterday a friend & I were talking about these difficult times ( this period ) & what she said is that her Guru said increase your Sadhana.
We take out time for all kinds of activities, take out time for the Lord .
Japa , manan nidhidhyaasan , anyway . But take out time for the Almighty. 🙏🏻🙏🏻.
That stirred something in me right away. When we do daily sadhana, it lifts veils which maybe covering our vision.
Ive seen that. 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻.
I , Shakun say: In the last verse that we studied it said : if we devote even a little time remembering the Lord we will have no altercation with Yama.
Do you know who Yama is ? He is believed to be the Lord of Death,
Meeta says: “Yama is not monster, He is just change. Like a bell between periods, bell meaning the bell that rings between different subjects, when we were studying in school …
I , Shakun say: Actually there are so many books/ videos that tell us how beautiful the afterlife is … so why fear death…. Probably because it ‘unknown ‘ or maybe because we will face a report card of the rating of how we lived our life? But Bhaj Govindam gives us a very easy solution. Just devote a little time to studies to practice what the scriptures prescribe. Shri Morari Bapu says: Nem se prem hota hai , meaning if you do something regularly you get to love it. Think about it when you first exercise or learn any skill, it is hard it is not so easy. But later when you become proficient at it, you will love it.
When I learned to drive a car it took me awhile to be able to manoeuvre the clutch the brake the gears, but now it is such a pleasure to drive to be independent to put the windows down and feel the breeze. Do you know what I’m talking about?
Does what I say make sense?

Aasha says:
Yes we must practice not fear death, live each day as if it’s our last day in this life. Then we can embrace it fearlessly, yes we were fearful when younger but now most of us have understood it’s a change of ‘chola’ ( dress) and thus do not feel it’s like going into darkness but to a brighter world of Heavenly Light 🙏😇
Mani says:
I have read that in KALYUG , the most important means to achieve Godhead is to take the name of the Lord !! Naam Smiran!
I , Shakun say : I have heard :
Kaliyug kewal naam aadhara, simar simar nar utaraye paara ,
Which is from the Bhakti tradition, often attributed to various saints, but especially to Guru Nanak in Sikhism and other saints in the Vaishnava traditions. It means that in Kali Yuga, the current age, the only dependable support is the remembrance of the divine name.
Bottom line:
Spirituality is less about dramatic experiences and more about steady remembrance.🙏🙏🙏

The following verse from the Bhaj Govindam is in my mind, one of the most often quoted. This time I am going to give you the original in Sanskrit and then the translation.
Here it is:
punarapi jananaṃ punarapi maraṇaṃ
punarapi jananījaṭharē śayanam ।
iha saṃsārē bahudustārē
kṛpayā’pārē pāhi murārē ॥ 22 ॥
Translation:
Born again, death again, again to stay in the mother’s womb! It is indeed hard to cross this boundless ocean of samsara! Oh Murari! Redeem me through Thy mercy.
I Shakun say:
In my mind , after having told us about the value of the constant remembrance of the Lord , here is a supplication to the Lord to be redeemed from the cycle of births and deaths by His mercy!
What do you think ?

Asha says : Yes Shakun ! It’s time to Pray hard as it is our Finals. The good we do now will bear fruits in next life & So We should not B Scared 😱 Of dying.
I say, dear Asha , let us look at the door as a new destination , a new adventure and where we meet lost loved ones, but yes it is our ‘finals’ now , at our age and stage so let us do the best we can 😊
Mani says:
It is not easy to break the cycle of birth and death. No matter how much tapasia , we do ultimately it is only the grace of the Lord , that can redeem you finally , and give you release from the cycle of birth and death .
Meeta says : punarapi jananaṃ punarapi maraṇaṃ is Adi Shankara at his most raw. No philosophy, no debate. Just exhaustion. The endless revolving door: born, die, womb, repeat. Bahudustāre — this ocean of samsara is “hard to cross.” Not hard like a math problem. Hard like swimming with stones in your pockets.
Your insight, Shakun, is dead on.
Shankara spends the first 21 verses shaking us: Don’t waste life. Wealth won’t save you. Youth flees. Remember Govinda. He gives us the medicine — constant remembrance of the Lord.
Then verse 22 drops. It’s the moment after the sermon when the disciple breaks down and says: “I hear you, Acharya. I want to remember Him. But I’m tired. I’ve been here before. Thousands of times. Kṛpayā’pāre pāhi murārē — by Your boundless mercy, Murari, pull me out. I can’t swim this anymore.”
It’s not contradiction. It’s completion. Effort + surrender. Do the remembrance, yes. But know that the crossing itself? That’s grace. That’s kṛpayā.

So what do I think?
I think you caught the heartbeat of the whole text. Bhaj Govindam isn’t just “chant God’s name.” It’s “chant God’s name, and when you realize how deep the water is, cry out for His hand.”

Roshni says:
In the Sri Guru Granth Sahib there is a line that says Baba jug patha maha jal. We are caught in the most intricate web where not even the tiniest fish can escape. Only by Grace. Even in the Bible it is said ye are saved by Grace alone, not by your works.
I truly believe we do our best but ultimately it is all His Grace.
Also the Sukhmani says tin dekhiya jin Aap dikhaye. Only he sees to whom You reveal Yourself.
Meeta says:
Bhaj Govindam starts as an admonition “Wake up, fool!” — and ends as a sob
Murari, kṛpayā pāre.” From instruction to invocation. From “do this” to “help me.”
And I, Shakun say :
All those who are reading my notes every morning and probably thinking about it and already devoting at least a little time. Please continue to do it until you love it and until you grab the scriptures yourself.
And the rest will be done by His Grace alone 🙏🙏🙏

Viveeta says:
🙏 it is only surrender to God that will help us but even getting to that stage we need help and that’s where you hve come in Shakun . Thank you for leading the way 🙏
And I Shakun say:
That’s a huge compliment, but with one correction I am on the way along with you 🙏
We are all humsafar, the only difference being that I feel inspired to share and you feel inspired to read …shravan,manan, nidhidhyaasan…
So if you notice , the Grace of the Lord is already at work in this chat 😊🙏

The next verse of Bhaj Govindam says:
There is no shortage of clothing for a monk so long as there are rags cast off the road. Freed from vices and virtues, onward he wanders. One who lives in communion with god enjoys bliss, pure and uncontaminated, like a child and as intoxicated.
The above verse implies :
A true monk does not worry about comfort, possessions, or appearance. Even discarded rags from the roadside are enough clothing for him. He lives with very few needs.
I, Shakun would say that it means, to live content and in gratitude , nothing wrong with drinking a glass of water when thirsty , the problem arises when we want a coke, gin , whisky and then drugs which ultimately bring us to trample on others to achieve our desire… as goes the saying ‘much wants more’

“Onward he wanders” suggests he moves through life freely, without being tied down by greed, status, or fear.

A person deeply connected with God feels a quiet inner joy that is:

pure,innocent,untouched by worldly worries.
That is why he is compared to:
a child — simple, carefree, natural, without pretence.
Why an intoxicated person? It means not literally drunk, but so absorbed in divine joy that worldly concerns lose their grip on him.
The passage points toward freedom, simplicity, and inner bliss rather than poverty for its own sake.

Aasha says: Yes… let’s enjoy but not get attached . Let’s give but don’t expect returns. Let’s listen but not judge. Let’s love but not depend. Let’s accept but not settle. If we live by applying these simple principles in daily life we may achieve pure conciousness 🙏😇
But I , Shakun ask: is it that simple?
But yes! We can at least try to be like a child that laughs with a balloon but lets it go…
“Let’s give but don’t expect returns.”
Like the sun. It doesn’t send a bill after sunrise,
“Let’s listen but not judge.”
Shravan…in Sindhi there is a saying : Aj Humaan subhaane tamaan’ which means that what is happening to someone else today, can happen with you tomorrow…(so don’t judge)
“Let’s love but not depend.”
Because real love says “I’m here”, not you’re mine“
“Let’s accept but not settle.”
Accept what is —
Accept the moment, not the cage.
If we live by these simple principles…
Then Bhaj Govindam stops being a verse and starts being our day.
Then “pure consciousness” isn’t in Vrindavan — it’s in the glass of water we drink gratefully when thirsty, without needing the coke.
Then Grace isn’t coming. ‘the Grace of the Lord is already at work in this chat…
Was that too flowery ? Or did it make it easier to understand and follow what Aasha said?

Sapna says :
It was easy to understand
Do your best leave the rest as you say too Didi Shakun,
Certainly I would say not easy to be in this stage
But honestly as we continue learning and practicing it’s not that hard too…
I feel if when i do something for someone it also gives me joy and i feel no one is forcing me to do it,
I have a choice to say no too..
but if I do l like to do it with all sincerity and no expectation in return !!!

Similarly love is the key in this life .. give love get love, respect .. if it doesn’t come back God is love
Love is God
So we love God n all his creation!
Atleast we can start with family
Friends
Fellow workers
Our staff…
We need to be the change we want to see in others ..

And I , Shakun agree with the above, dear Sapna,
Let’s us take,
One step at a time, one glass of water at a time… for most of us enlightenment is not instant, but let us not despair, it is like a muscle it aches at first when you exercise , but then it carries you… right?

Deepika says:
Miracles happen everyday
Today when I was observing the plant which grew into a tree i realized….nothing is impossible…..and I could feel the presence of the Almighty everywhere…
Find new ways to be happy within…
Nobody is forcing anybody to do anything …
I find wonderful things to do every moment and also I’ve got no excuse to not venture according to the weather conditions.
Everyone is complaining about the heat…but I say I Iove the hot weather it doesn’t bother me.
It Blesses me .
So I don’t feel the heat…and I’m able to go about my routine normally.😘🤗🙏
And I, Shakun say:
Miracles do happen every day , we are just too busy looking at what is ‘wrong’ in our lives !
And busy complaining….one doesn’t feel the heat when one’s heart is cooler than the weather…
While the world complains one makes friends with the fire…
In one of our chats like this, we also had a discussion on Miracles, which we called ‘God‘s presence’. Do look it up on my website …as I upload everything that I do here on it. Just type on the search bar what you would like to search for 🙏

https://shakunkimatrai.com/gods-presence/

And to continue speaking about complaining about the heat in our life…
Aasha says:
🙏 we need both heat and cold and rain also …. Our ancestors used to say how will mangoes ripen without the heat in summer!…
And I , Shakun say: how will we strengthen our muscles if we did not have to jump over the obstacles that come in our way…
Let me share an article of mine that got published in the Femina:
Life is NOT a constant fire-works show. Whichever way one looks at it, there are regular doses of joy and sorrow meted out to All OF US. Hence life is fair.
Has it ever occurred to you why all of us love the Cinderella story? It is because things fell into place for her, with very little effort on her part. Fairy God mother appeared, carriages materialized, and Prince Charming arrived.
All this can happen in our life. But for this we have to partner with God. We have to put in our efforts. We have to at least BUY the lottery ticket if we want to win it.
Human nature in insatiable. Clever advertisements state: ” Unless you are completely satisfied with what you have, give us a call!” No-one is completely satisfied.
Say to yourself: “I can be happy with what I have, even though I am not satisfied with it…
🙏🙏🙏

Asha says: Sometimes I feel : isn’t this all a dream Shakun *** We come with nothing , We leave everything behind ,& whatever we have now is temporary , Isn’t life a dream. Ek Mahal Hai Sapno ka…

And I want to say we Enjoy Winter & Monsoons But why not Summer which gives us lovely fruits like MANGOES 🥭 King Of Fruits. & ripens our millets etc etc. & d warmth that brings people together specially during morning walks Swimming 🏊

And I, Shakun say:
Heat isn’t punishment. It’s the price of sweetness.
“This isn’t a heatwave. This is God’s mango factory.” 🙂
Nietzsche says : “what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger”
In the Cinderella story , I say:
Prince Charming doesn’t come to the couch. He comes to the karma-yogi.
God is not your errand boy. He’s your business partner.
Yes? 🙂

Asha says:
Shakun when you say that God is your business Partner . Reminds of a Beautiful story I read it to on “ Readers Digest “
There was Once a Tailor who was not doing well at all. He started Praying Sincerely every day. & asked God for Help. God said to Him. Don’t worry work hard But make me your Partner. In short he became famous known as “ Lord & Taylor ! “. If we work Sincerely & Pray 🙏 to God , One Will never be alone If God is with You…
Mani says:
Everything is a dream. Indeed.Maya is a dream. One is a sleeping dream and One is waking dream. BUT it is a dream.
I say: Dear Asha, the tailor didn’t sit and say “God, stitch these clothes for me.”
He stitched. Hard. Sincerely.
And maybe he kept one chair empty in his shop stating : For my Partner. 😊
Dear Mani ,
Asha says yeh duniya , mahal hai sapnon ka but,
Even in the dream, we have a Shop to run.
And the Shop is never empty if the Partner is there.
Do your best , and your partner will do the rest, right?

Aasha says: Yes we do our karma as Krishna has said, let’s not think about the fruit, it will follow for sure 👍 yes about making him our partner it is said we must give some % of our income to Him. .

I Shakun say: I believe that it is said that we should give 10% of what we earn every month in charity…
it is said. In many traditions.
Where does “10%” come from?
Sanatan :Dashansh
Could be seva of time, food, knowledge , charity …
Sikhism : Dasvandh
10% of income for community langar seva. Guru Nanak Devji started it.
Christianity , Judaism, Tithe
10% To church , synagogue, charity,
( From Abraham in the Bible )
Islam : Zakat
2.5 % of savings yearly plus sadaqah anytime…
So 10% shows up again and again. Not because God needs money. Because we need to remember we’re not the owners. We’re just the managers.

But Krishna also said this:
“Patram pushpam phalam toyam yo me bhaktya prayacchati” — Gita 9.26
“If one offers Me a leaf, flower, fruit, or water with love, I accept it.”
If you have 10% — give it…Langar, gau seva, education, medical help.
If you have 0% that month — give your time.
Can you give 10% cash? Do it. Quietly. No receipt needed from God.
Can’t this month? Give 10% of something:

10% of your time …listen to someone …
Never give from fear. “If I don’t, God will punish.”
Give from “I have so much, let me Give 10% if you can. I try not to bargain for fruits vegetables most kinds of service … I give my price, then I either buy it or I don’t …
If you can’t give daan, be the kind eyes for someone else.
He’ll ring that up as paid in full.”
Some people wonder, what if I give, and it is misused in buying drugs or alcohol? I don’t have an answer. I listen to my intuition …and sometimes I try to make sure that it goes to the right Source.
Remember, compassion and empathy one can always give 🙂
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The next verse of Bhaj Govindam says :
Who are you? Who am I? From where do I come? Who is my mother, who is my father? Ponder thus, look at everything as essence-less and give up the world as an idle dream.
Adi Shankaracharya’s Bhaja Govindam.
This verse cuts like a sword,
and heals like balm.
“Who are you? Who am I? From where do I come? Who is my mother, who is my father? Ponder thus, look at everything as essence-less and give up the world as an idle dream.”
“Who are you? Who am I?”
Shankaracharya is asking: “Strip the labels, What’s left?”
You lived this,
You were/are “daughter/son
You were /are wife/ husband
You were/are “mother / father
You were/ are decades behind the counter of life, earning, getting married , having children …
The world says “you are your roles,”
Shankara says “you are not your roles,”
Live each role , but still be… know that you ARE without those roles …
“From where do I come? Who is my mother, who is my father?”
Shankara isn’t saying “forget your parents,”
He’s saying “don’t stop there!
….your source is not the womb, and your death is not your end!
Scriptures say that in essence you are God , you are the wave that is part of the ocean …
Your source is the Hand.
The One who you should Partner through life….
Give up the world as idle dream and find the dreamer!
“Look at everything as essence-less and give up the world as an idle dream”
This sounds harsh, Cold.
“Essence-less” doesn’t mean “worthless,”
It means that
Dreams feel so real while you’re in them,
The pain. The duty. The “against wishes.”
But when you wake up,
You don’t mourn the dream.
You thank the Waker.
Here is the secret Shankara knew —
He didn’t say “hate the dream,”
He said “give it up !
That’s not “giving up” like defeat.
That’s “giving up” like offering.
Like handing Partner the flowers after the puja,
“I used them, Lord. They were beautiful. Now they’re Yours.”
The
world is an idle dream,
Not because it’s bad.
But because You are real.
And He is real.
“The dream was real while you walked it,
But now time to wake up!
The above verse enters into Vedanta!
Difficult ? Yes! But time to practice and persevere as Lord Krishna says! 🙏
Tell me, did you at least understand it intellectually
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Sapna says;
What I understand is live in this world yet out of it.. just like lotus flower .. who is there in water yet above…
Don’t get attached to anyone
Life is here and not there …
We thank God for all as gratitude but shld also know this all can be taken away !
We feel this is all real but it’s actually like a dream…
Once the dream is over all the reality we thought it was while dreaming is over too…
It’s fine to live this life but do your duties n stay without expectations n attachments
Mani says :
For Vishnu , a whole epoc , it’s like the opening and closing of the EYES. He dreams, he projects, between his dream and his creation , is the curtain of Maya. You cannot tear this curtain, you cannot penetrate and be behind it. Only when the time is right for you the Divine , itself will lead you to the dreamer, the Parmatma , the Lord within.
I , Shakun say: both Sapna and Mani are right in the broad Sanatan way!
But I think in the above verse Adi Shankara is asking who are you? Who am I , at the very core…
See, as a child is born , he is taught , this is your name , this is your papa , this is your mama, this is your religion and on and on. Earlier we learnt that when we say ‘my hand’ it is obviously not me. Even when I say my mind, my thoughts it is obviously not me then who am I first? Let’s look at what Vedanta says and then maybe we look minutely at what Sapna and Mani says.
Vedanta says :
A very simple way to understand Vedanta is this:
Vedanta says that your deepest nature is not the body, not the mind, not your emotions, and not even your personal story. Your true nature is pure awareness—the consciousness that experiences all these things.
Think of it this way:
Thoughts come and go.
Emotions come and go.
The body changes from childhood to old age.
Circumstances change.
Yet there is something in you that is aware of all these changes. Vedanta asks: Who is the one that knows these changes?
Its answer is that this awareness, is your real Self. And this Self is not separate from Brahman, the infinite reality that pervades everything.
Why do we suffer according to Vedanta?
Because we mistake ourselves for what we are not.
For example:
“I am only this body.”
“I am my success or failure.”
I am my fears.”
“I am my past.”
Vedanta says these are temporary identities. Suffering comes from clinging to them.
In one sentence
Vedanta teaches that your true nature is pure consciousness, one with the infinite reality, and that lasting peace comes from realizing this truth directly.🙂🙏
A tough lesson today, isn’t it? 🙂🙏
Go to Bhaj Govindam P3
https://shakunkimatrai.com/?s=Bhaj+Govindam+P3