Background

 

Sanitation is a key issue for women, consistent with their need for privacy, dignity, safety and self respect. Lack of basic sanitation and safe water significantly impacts the health and safety of women and leads to low enrollment and high drop out particularly for adolescent girls at puberty in schools. Menstruation, pregnancy, and postnatal recovery also become problematic if there are not adequate sanitation facilities to properly manage them.

 

The issue of poor sanitation and hygiene impacting women becomes even more critical when we look at the alarming status of sanitation facilities in the world. It has been estimated that 2.6 Billion worldwide out of which 1 billion women have no access to sanitation facilities. With around 60% of all open defecation in the world being in India and manual scavenging still prevalent in about 8 lakh insanitary latrines out of which around 5 lakh are in rural areas and around 3 lakh in urban areas alone as per census 2011 the sanitation scenario in India is rather poor.

 

Clearly we must pay greater heed to women’s voices in our development thinking, planning and action and give sanitation higher priority. There are many examples of the key role which women have played in bringing about better environmental awareness and health in different parts of the world. This issue is not of resources alone but of purposeful and genuine community participation and management in which the central role of women is recognized.

 

The importance of involving both women and men in the management of water and sanitation has been recognized at the global level, starting from the 1977 United Nations Water Conference at Mardel Plata, the International Drinking Water and Sanitation Decade (1981-90) and the International Conference on Water and the Environment in Dublin (January 1992), which explicitly recognizes the central role of women in the provision, management and safeguarding of water and sanitation. The close interlinkages between gender equality and women’s empowerment (goal 3), and target 10 on access to water and sanitation are illustrated in the table below:

MDG relevant targets	Ensure environmental sustainability (Goal 7 ) Halve by 215 the proportion of people without sustainable access to safe drinking water and basic sanitation (target 10)
	Contribution of domestic water supply and sanitation	Contribution of sound water resources management and development
Promote gender equality and empower  women ( Goal 3)	Reduced time, health and care –giving burdens from improved water services give women more time for productive endeavors, adult education, empowerment activities, leisure Convenient access to water and sanitation facilities increase privacy and reduce risk to women and girls of sexual harassment/assault while gathering water. Higher rates of child survival are a precursor to other demographic transition to lower fertility rates; having fewer children reduces women’s households responsibilities and increases their opportunities for personal development.	Community based organizations for water and sanitation management can improve social capital of women by giving them leadership and networking opportunities and building solidarity among them.

1. Source: Millennium Project Task Force on Water and Sanitation, Health, Dignity and Development: What will it take? Stockholm, Stockholm International Water Institute, 2005.

The sanitation challenge that rural India, with its large population size & different hydro-geological regions faces and traditional cultural practices in the area of sanitation is unique and unparalleled in the world. To address this challenge, for over a decade, the Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation, Government of India has been running a Total Sanitation Campaign (TSC). TSC seeks to provide access to individual toilets to all rural households, toilet units in all Schools and Day care Centres “Anganwadis” and waste management to ensure clean environment in the villages. To give a fillip to the TSC, Government of India also launched the Nirmal Gram Puraskar (NGP) that sought to recognise the achievements and efforts made by Gram Panchayats in ensuring full sanitation coverage.

 

The TSC has been recently revamped as the Nirmal Bharat Abhiyan(NBA), “Clean India Campaign”.    The NBA has key objectives as the acronym suggests- First it aims at making Gram Panchayats (GPs) “Nirmal” which means each and every individual in the village has a good quality toilet which is usable and sustainable, all people have access to water and each village has a self sustainable solid and liquid waste management system so as to ensure clean and healthy living environment. The second is that it sets time bound targets to ensure that “Bharat” becomes Nirmal which means that NBA entails creation of awareness and provision of sanitary facilities to entire communities in a phased, saturation mode with creation of ‘Nirmal Grams’ as outcomes. Under the Nirmal Bharat Abhiyan women have been given a central role in planning and implementing of the sanitation programme.

 

Role of women in Nirmal Bharat Abhiyan

 

The Nirmal Bharat Abhiyan (NBA) gives a special focus to address the sanitation needs of women who play a key role in planning, implementation, monitoring of the programme. Women as change agents in the Nirmal Bharat Abhiyan (NBA) have had a tremendous impact in many Panchayats. They have been involved not only in mobilizing communities to create a demand for sanitation facilities but also actual construction of toilets and managing production centers and rural sanitary marts for provision of affordable sanitary ware.

 

Women as change agents for promoting sanitation

 

Women play a crucial role in taking up community mobilization and awareness generation in rural sanitation programme. The major themes have been women’s dignity, comfort, status, operation and maintenance, cost effectiveness, technological options etc. which are being used. Women as mothers can influence the practice of using sanitation facility among young girls and boys. The awareness building covers the entire community but is targeted more specifically at women since the absence of water and sanitation affects them more dramatically and more immediately. Sustained discussions compel women to examine the hardships in their lives and lead them to understand that most can be directly linked to the lack of access to convenient safe water sources, sanitation systems and hygiene. Once women become powerful stakeholders they are powerful advocates within the family to push for implementation of Water and sanitation (WATSAN) projects in the village.   IEC strategies need to be more gender sensitive keeping in view that women are less mobile and literate than men and use different communication strategies.

 

Recently a national communication strategy framework under NBA has been developed by Government of India in coordination with UNICEF giving emphasis on Inter Personal Communication (IPC) at the grassroots level. Women are envisaged to play a key role in rolling out this communication strategy at the grassroots.  In order to strengthen communication machinery at the village level with participatory social mobilization, guidelines for engagement of village level motivators (Swachchhata Doot / Sanitation Messengers) have been issued separately. As part of this strategy, in addition to Swachchhata Doots, field functionaries like Bharat Nirman Volunteers, ASHA, Anganwadi workers, School Teachers, majority of whom are women are being engaged at the village level for demand creation and taking up behaviour change communication. The motivator can be given suitable incentive from the funds earmarked for IEC.  The incentive will be performance based i.e. in terms of motivating the number of households and Schools/ Anganwadis to construct latrines and use them. Even in a patriarchal State like Haryana, an innovative IEC tool of taunting the male chauvinism that if they do not provide for a toilet how can their women be safe and healthy. Women also have formed Vigilance Committees to monitor sanitation promotion. Slogans like “No toilet No bride” has become the launching pad for the IEC campaign there.

 

Women sanitary complexes

To address the sanitation needs of women NBA has the provision of setting up Women’s Sanitary complexes comprising an appropriate number of toilet seats, bathing cubicals, washing platforms, wash basins in a place in the village acceptable to women and accessible to them. These Complexes apart from providing easy access to sanitation and bathing facilities but also provide spaces for women to discuss their problems and organize themselves to undertake several of their common issues.  The operation and maintenance of these facilities may be undertaken by Women’s Self Help groups/Village Panchayats. User families may be asked to contribute a reasonable monthly user charge for cleaning & maintenance. Maximum unit cost prescribed for a community sanitary complex under NBA is up to Rs.2 lakh. Tamil Nadu has pioneered in setting up Women’s Sanitary Complexes. However issues of operation and maintenance of these facilities has limited its expansion in other States where women’s SHG are not playing a key role

School sanitation and hygiene education (SSHE)

Considering the debilitating impacts of poor water and sanitation facilities on children’s health and learning ability, particularly for girls, SSHE component is an integral component of the NB A. The programme provides incentive of Rs. 35,000/- (Rs. 38,500 in case of hilly and difficult areas) for provision of child friendly toilets, urinals, handwashing facilities and health hygiene Education in all Government and Government aided schools. In this component separate toilet units for girls and boys are to be provided in all Co-educational schools, which are to be treated as two separate units. Under NBA 12,48,771 school toilets have been constructed out of which

The challenge now is to make SSHE component a gender sensitive programme, the key features of the which  are given below:

Gender Sensitive School Sanitation Programme

• A minimum package of water and sanitation facilities with appropriate , child friendly and gender – sensitive designs are available in all schools.
• Provision of separate toilet and urinal facilities for girls: Safe location and lock
• Appropriate location of toilets for girls to ensure security and access
• Adequate ratio of toilets and urinals with more facilities for girls to reduce waiting time
• Privacy and security: Every cubical with doors and latches, walls at least 6 feet high
• Education on use and maintenance of facilities in schools : students clubs /committees. All children , all ages , all groups , are actively involved in school sanitation and hygiene education and both boys and girls share the responsibility of maintenance
• Urinals with foot rests to support squatting
• Sanitary napkin vending machines
• Safe disposal of sanitary napkins by setting up incinerators
• Menstrual hygiene and health education programmes.

Role of Women’s Self Help Groups (SHG) – Sanitation for Education, Health and Economic Empowerment

Women Self Help Groups are at the fore front of NBA. They are not only involved in  construction of toilets as masons but also utilize group savings / bank linked finance as revolving fund for toilet construction. They act as a channel of communication at village level by becoming  behavior change leaders through education and motivation to other women and by living within community, generating demand for sanitation facilities through communication and peer pressure, organizing  discussions on sanitation related issues within their groups. SHGs operate Production Centres and Rural Sanitary Marts and provide both an alternative delivery mechanism for low cost, sustainable and easily available sanitary ware facilities in rural areas and create a sense of economic and social empowerment for the women. The sanitary napkin production units set up in some of the States of Tamil Nadu and Haryana not only address the special sanitation and health needs of women but also are providing employment. Recently NBA is being converged with the social development scheme of National Rural Livelihood Mission,  implemented by Ministry of Rural Development wherein SHGs are being involved in undertaking sanitation promotion activities.

The making of a Nirmal village by Womens SHG

A unique public- private- community partnership between the SSHE programme of the NBA undertaken by the Panchayati Raj Members and the State Government, Tamil Nadu, TVS Motors a local Corporate company and the dynamic youth, children, girls, women SHGs and village community of Thiruvidandai Panchayat and Nemmeli Village Panchayat of Kancheepuram District of Tamil Nadu. The Tiruvidenthai Sanitary Napkin Unit was set up as a joint venture Unit with tripartite investments from Shri Cheema Foundation the Corporate Social Responsibility of a local company- TVS Electronics with the Government of India and women SHG .  The unit was started with a twin objective of providing low cost high quality napkins to the rural women and adolescent girls in their vicinity itself and providing livelihood and income generation opportunities for women.  The basic training for the unit was provided by Ms. Nagalakshmi of the Mother Teresa Group while the support for setting up unit, managerial and production facilitation is by TVS electronics. The unit has also innovated in producing a variety of models ranging from beltless, belt model, maternity special wings model, baby diapers, adult diapers all made from simple locally available materials like cotton, cloth etc.

To make these napkins easily available in schools and enhance their usage an innovative concept of vending machines was developed and these were set up in secondary and higher secondary schools wherein girls can purchase napkins by dropping a two rupee coin in an automatic vending machine as easily as they purchase a toffee or a snack!  For safe disposal of the napkin a cost effective user friendly, simple manually operated technology of incinerators was developed and installed for composite waste disposal of sanitary waste in schools and women’s sanitary complexes. A comprehensive Menstrual Health Hygiene Education programme is also being undertaken in not only the schools of this village but several other villages of Tamil Nadu.

In just a year this innovative and successful women’s enterprise for addressing women’s sanitation needs and integrated menstrual health hygiene Education programme has not only transformed this small temple village of Tiruvidenthai into a women led Total sanitation Village “Nirmal Gram” but also become a role model for many other villages across several states in India to upscale SSHE programme for addressing the  women’s sanitation needs during menstruation  through public private partnership.  As Amrita, a young college girl who has been at the forefront of the programme since her school days sums up “ My dream is to become  doctor and to take care of the health of my village women . These simple sanitary napkins made by the self help group women has made me feel confident and helped many girls in my village to continue with their studies without being shy.   I wish that all girls in India are able to use these napkins and feel confident both socially and economically.”

Woman Panchayat leader leads sanitation movement

 

Women Panchayat leaders have played a significant role in giving impetus to the NBA primarily because they are the ones who are primarily  responsible for addressing the water and sanitation needs of their family specially the young children and understand both the problems and the practical solutions to providing safe sanitation in their home and village community.  Smt. Varalakshmi Vijayakumar the President of the Thirukalukundram Panchayat Union is one such dynamic woman leader of Tamil Nadu and who has made a lifelong commitment to make her village and Panchayat Union a role model of best sanitation technology and practices in the country.

The sanitation journey for this young 35 year old woman, a mother of 10 year old daughter started when she left the comforts of a larger town at the age of 22 to get married and come and settle down in this small and remote village of Periakattupakkam. The village had almost nonexistent sanitation facilities and most people were defecating in the open. Women specially pregnant and older people faced special difficulties when they had to go far away to the field in the darkness of the night or early morning to defecate.

 

Realizing that many of the funds for development of her village lie with the Panchayat she decided to stand for elections for the post of President and got elected for her commendable work with the community and specially women.

 

When the incentive scheme of Nirmal Gram Puruskar (Clean Village Award) was announced she took up the challenge of motivating and mobilizing all the women’s groups, village community members, elders, Principal, teachers, youth, Health workers, anganwadi workers and other Panchayat members to  take up the construction of toilets every individual households and Schools and Anganwadis. With door-to-door meetings and intensive and sustained awareness programmes on importance of toilet construction and use, within a short period of two years not only were all the households, Schools and Anganwadis were provided toilet but other environment friendly measures alike rain water harvesting, segregation of garbage, were also provided in the village. Another significant aspect was the huge amount of community contribution a total of Rs. 49,400 through individual contribution and Panchayat and SHG funds that was generated in construction of toilets Viz. Rs. 26400/ for household construction, Rs. 2000/ for schools and Rs. 1000 for anganwdis, Rs. 20,000 for Mini Power Pump.  Her Panchayat also initiated 10 Solid and liquid waste management initiatives and 3 liquid waste management projects. The village also has a Womens Sanitary Complex built with a Government grant of Rs. 2,40,000 the operation and maintenance of which is done by the Women’s Self Help group. Proudly displaying the Momento she received from the President of India last year in the awards function held in Delhi she says she has announced that apart from this rain water harvesting systems have been provided in houses and the village also segregates its waste into biodegradable and non-biodegradable.

 

Woman presidents like Varalakshmi have proved that as long when Panchayats specially led by aware and empowered women work with commitment and passion they can transform the NBA into a mass movement and lead India far ahead on its march toward a Open defecation and disease free country.

Women in solid and liquid waste management projects 

Women’s Self Help Groups have been actively involved in setting up Solid Liquid Waste Management initiatives in the village.  Under NBA upto 10% of the project cost can be utilized for meeting capital costs incurred under this component. The activities include construction of common compost pits, low cost drainage, soakage channels/pits , reuse of waste water system for collection , segregation and disposal of household garbage, Biogas generation  etc

Conclusion

 

I Building a gender sensitive sanitation policy and environment

 

• Any change in the appalling statistics of access to sanitation in India, particularly by the poor will depend on brining women in the Centre of planning and decision making. Women as managers of family health are the most important influence for change. Yet their voice is often suppressed and their role in planning and implementing sanitation programmes is thus by-passed. Efforts may be made to evolve policies that focus on women’s equal access to and full participation in decision-making at all levels. The Women leaders for Water Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) are championing the role of women in decision-making, capacity building, educating children on sanitation and hygiene, and mobilizing political will around other priorities such as the linkages between water, sanitation, hygiene and HIV/AIDS. These leaders constitute the critical mass needed to get gender integrated into water and sanitation policies and programmes.

 

• It is crucial, first, to involve both women and men in water resource management and sanitation policies and to ensure that the specific needs and concerns of women and men from all social groups are taken into account. Second, it is vitally important to determine what people (consumers of water and sanitation) want, what they can and will contribute and how they will participate in making decisions on the types and levels of service, location of facilities and operation and maintenance. For reaching this second goal, it is indispensable to analyse a given target group from a gender perspective. Only then can efforts be truly effective and sustainable.

 

• As highlighted above some of the key components under NBA have specific and focused components for involvement of women and in the planning, and implementation of the sanitation programme. However the policy and implementation framework currently does not have a specific and detailed guidelines for including the gender perspective. A focus on gender differences is of particular importance with regard to sanitation initiatives, and gender-balanced approaches should be encouraged in plans and structures for implementation. Some of the simple measures that may be included are detailed guidelines on providing schools with water and gender sensitive latrines, and promoting hygiene education particularly menstrual hygiene in the classroom, design and the location of latrines to be decided by women close to home may reduce violence against women. Desegregated data on gender with respect to sanitation facilities also needs to be developed.

 

II Capacity development

 

• Building capacity means bringing together more resources, more people (both women and men) and more skills. Yet, when looking closely at capacity building in water supply and sanitation in developing countries, it becomes clear that most of the training is aimed at water resources and water supply specialists. Very few programmes and projects are aimed at expertise in social development, sanitation, or hygiene education that emphasizes a gradual scaling down to those responsible for operation and maintenance of water supply and sanitation, who are primarily women. Targeting women for training and capacity building is critical to the sustainability of water and sanitation initiatives, particularly in technical and managerial roles to ensure their presence in the decision-making process.

 

• NBA has revamped the communication and human resource development strategy. Several new institutions like Key Resource Centres, State Resource Centres, Block Resource Centres are being engaged to provide training of Village Water Sanitation Committee (VWSC) and Panchayati Raj Institutions(PRIs) members, block and district functionaries and grass root workers.

 

• The crucial aspect now is to build in a gender perspective in these institutions both in terms of number and level of participation of women in decision making positions of these institutions and developing a gender focused training programmes for specific targets groups.

 

• Capacity building may be undertaken at the level of policy makers, among institutions, local communities and women. These would include development of gender sensitive tools for the national sanitation programmes, generate gender disaggregated data, gender analysis, gender sensitive indicators, gender budget initiatives and training. Capacity building programmes may be designed for Women Panchayat leaders, SHG members, Women’s groups, NGOs, and other stakeholders in the areas of policy making, sustainable sanitation technologies, management and financial skills, monitoring and evaluation.

 

III Participation and equity in decision-making

 

Women are under-represented in the ‘water and sanitation world’, with careers and training in water and sanitation management dominated by men. Many women are leading efforts in their communities to gain access to adequate sanitation. The recent increase in the number of women appointed as water and environment ministers is an exciting trend which may provide an impetus to gender and water programmes. In late-2005, there were 40 women ministers of water or environment, representing every region and level of development in the world.  As women get involved in the technical operations and management of water and sanitation services, they are increasingly seen as skilled workers capable of achieving high levels of training and expertise. Along with increased status, many women find themselves in a position to generate income as either a direct or indirect effect of improved sanitation. The International Water and Sanitation Centre studied 88 water and sanitation projects in 15 countries and found that

projects designed to run with the full participation of women are more effective and sustainable than those that are not. (2)

 

The service delivery institutions implementing various component of NBA must have equal if not more representation of women. The State Water and Sanitation Mission(SWSM),  State Water and Sanitation Committees(SWSC), District Water and Sanitation committees, (DWSC) and importantly the cutting edge at the grassroots level the Village Health  Water and Sanitation and Nutrition Committees. (VHWSNC) must have reservation for women who can play a very active role in giving focus on the gender perspective of the policy.

 

In many cases, showing that water  and sanitation projects work better when women are involved has a greater impact on mobilizing finance for gender-biased projects than showing that access to water has an impact on gender equality. A study by the International Water and Sanitation Centre (IRC) of community water and sanitation projects in 88 communities in 15 countries found that projects designed and run with the full participation of women are more sustainable and effective than those that do not. This supports an earlier World Bank study that found that women’s participation was strongly associated with water and sanitation project effectiveness.

 

1. Resource mobilization

 

• Considering the limited external financial assistance for sanitation Governments will have to continue to be primarily responsible for raising and using public funds for sanitation infrastructure needs. Formal and informal women’s organizations and networks can play important and stimulating roles in mobilizing resources for sustainable and equitable sanitation projects. The Women’s Self Help Groups in Tamil Nadu and Kudumbshree in the southern State of Kerela, in India are vibrant and self sufficient women’s institutions which are mobilizing financial, and technical resources for not only sanitation promotion but al so linking this with women’s empowerment.  While their potential contributions are considerable, women in developing countries often lack access to tools such as computers and Internet to disseminate their ideas and apply for funds. Instructing women in project management and fund raising may empower them to launch new projects and to contribute to poverty alleviation independently. Ensuring that women are heard and are able to lead a sanitation movement will require institutionalizing women’s’ role and authority by identifying agents of change within communities. The experience on the ground (such as the Self Groups now operating in Tamil Nadu that offer experience that can be taken to scale, provided the capacity – building supports are made available to women leaders.

 

• Prioritizing women’s need will also mean changing the top-down models rather than a range of models that can respond to a variety of demands, requirement and financial capacities. Dignity , privacy and the importance of spaces for bathing and washing are all demand elements that need to be utilized . Technology and financial backups for a menu of options are therefore essential. Women’s knowledge and perspective must be central while drawing on local knowledge in choosing technologies that are suitable from both an environmental and cultural perspective. It is also important to training women in the new technologies like Ecosantiation, Solid Liquid Waste Management use of Non Conventional Energy sources in sanitation.

 

• Entrepreneurship opportunities to women’s Groups – Engagement and training of women and their federations to provide sanitation products and services are growing not just in numbers but is system of management and accountability. There are many business opportunities coming up in sanitation programmes like vermin composting and solid waste management, construction of public and school latrines, management of public latrines, production of sanitary napkins, managing Rural Sanitary Marts and production units.

 

 

1. Convergence of programmes that work through women.

 

Most of the development programmes work through institutions and organizations and trained women volunteers. If these are converged at appropriate manner and level resources would not be wasted and impact would be greater. The coordinated approach from such functional units would help avoid duplication, greater value for investments. Public Private Partnership and Networking with Resource institutions and external support agencies like UNICEF, World Bank NABARD is crucial in the context. Recently NBA is being converged with the social development scheme of National Rural Livelihood Mission, implemented by Ministry of Rural Development wherein SHGs are being involved in undertaking sanitation promotion activities. Under NBA funds and technical support is being leveraged through convergence initiatives with the Integrated Child Development Scheme (ICDS) and ‘Kishori Shakti Yojana’ (Women’s Empowerment Scheme) implemented by  Ministry of Women and Child Development, Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan, (Education for All),

 

Way Forward -Building a gender sensitive Policy Framework

 

To ensure that the gender perspective is successfully incorporated into the global and national sanitation agenda, it is essential to advocate for the direct involvement of both women and men at all levels: national governments; regional/local governments; communities and civil society organizations; donors; and international organizations.

National Governments

• Mobilize resources to improve access to safe water and sanitation
• Strengthen legislation
• Promote access to sanitation
• Develop capacity and encourage participation

Regional/Local Governments

• Encourage gender mainstreaming in local Government and community levels including indicating gender sensitive budgets;
• Promote hygiene education messages through women’s groups, schools and health clinics;
• Design and implement capacity building to consider the needs of women and men in the design of
• Sanitation and hygiene education programmes;

 Communities and Civil Society

• Lobby for better services targeted towards women and children;
• Assist in collecting information on men and women’s roles, access, needs, priorities and perspective on sanitation issues;
• Support equality for women in decision-making process at a local level;
• Enable women and girls to acquire access to information, training and resources related to sanitation initiatives.

Donors and International Organizations

• Engage women leaders, to serve as role models in the effort to mainstream gender into sanitation management at all levels;
• Promote gender mainstreaming in water and sanitation through linking with MDG 3: ‘Promote gender and empower women’.
• Compile and disseminate examples of good practices and develop norms and guidelines for gender mainstreaming;
• Invest in the capacity building of the sanitation sector, with emphasis on empowering disadvantaged women and men;

 

Urvashi Prasad,   is a former Consultant, Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation

 

A HOMAGE  TO  KIMATRAI BAHARMAL KHUSHALANI

 Bringing to you the Late Shri Kimatrai Baharmal  Khushalani’s  essay UTILITY OF HONESTY IN TRADE. Priced two annas, published in 1936, this essay was awarded a Gold Medal  based on an All India competition held in 1934. Readers will find that the essay is as relevant today as it was then. We begin with a foreword which was published along with the essay – Editor

A  Foreword  by
S. G.  Sastry Esq.,  B. A.t  M. Sc.  (Lond),  F. C. S.,
Director of Industries  and  Commerce  in  Mysore.
THE DHARMA  SAMAJA
BANGALORE   CITY., 1936.
Price: Annas 2
[All Rights  Reserved.]

FOREWORD

I welcome the opportunity afforded to me by. the Secretary of the Dharma Samaja, Chickpet, Bangalore City, to write a foreword to the Prize Essay on the subject of “Utility of Honesty in Trade”  by Mr. K. B. Khushalani. BE

The Dharma Samaja is being conducted by an enthusiastic group of young men who feel that there is an ever growing need for conducting trade and commerce of the country in the true and ancient spirit of the “Vanik Dharma.” This harkening back to the old traditions and ideals is a good sign amongst the youth of the country and should be welcomed and encouraged in all ways

Owing to changes in the political and economic conditions of the people, traditional and time-honoured ways of carrying on trade and commerce of the country  have   undergone many changes, alas, for the worse.

Now-a-days the spirit of fair-play in commercial transactions is lacking. The mutual trust that ought to exist between the buyer and seller is absent. As of old, the buyer and seller make offers and counter-offers but in many instances bargaining degenerates into cheating. Either the buyer or the seller always tries to take a mean advantage over the other. Once upon a time, the motto of commercial transactions used to be ‘ Good value for money – This is no longer the rule.

One often finds in transactions between two countries especially if one of them is more advanced than the other the former country exploits the ignorance and helplessness of the latter country to the utmost and charges unconscionably high rates for goods supplied. Importers of machinery and other equipment in India know this too well.

One of the most regrettable forms that this cheating has assumed is the adulteration of goods offered for sale. I do not state that this is peculiar to India only but so long as it does exist in this country, it must be taken note of and attempts made to eradicate the evil. Once upon a time this evil was rampant in all our staple exports to foreign countries but it is gradually on the decline owing to legislation in some cases, owing to the realisation on the part of the exporters that it does not pay to adulterate commodities, and also owing to inferior position allotted to such commodities in International markets along side with similar commodities from other countries. There is also an increasing moral pressure being exercised by those who believe in a fair deal.

But nearer home, in all our markets – small or great – the evil of adulteration of foodstuffs is on the increase. This is nothing short of a criminal practice and ought to be put down ruthlessly by legal and other methods. Whereas the mixing of cotton with woollen goods or cotton with silk goods or mixing silk and Rayon and pass off the articles as real 100 per cent woollen, real 100 per cent silk, etc. may not have such consequences, the adulteration of foodstuffs  strikes  at

the  health  of the community itself.  Whatever may  have been the genesis of this situation, so long as it exists it is high time that the Government took early steps to put down the evil-   It  is  unnecessary  to  enumerate  cases  of  such adulteration as every householder will  be able  to prepare a long list.

One special field in which adulteration becomes a positive sin should be mentioned. This relates to drugs and medicines. Anybody who is inclined to go through the Drug Enquiry Committee Report will find ample recorded evidence of so called medicines sold in the markets not being medicines at all. It is regrettable that scientists have abused their knowledge in some instances and are committing the unforgivable sin of tampering with and adulterating medicines which are meant to alleviate human distress and save human lives. Such deceit could be, to some extent, controlled by drastic legislation but that cannot be expected to prevent fraud in trade for ever as man-made laws cannot be fool proof. But even here, unfortunately, India is lagging behind the other countries which have enacted stringent legislative measures to punish such people by award of deterrent sentences. Unscrupulous foreign merchants knowing full well that their crime goes undetected in India for lack of laboratories and further goes unpunished for lack of legislation in the matter have been running “amock” as it were, in Indian markets and label all sorts of fraudulent preparations as potent medicines which not only do not cure the disease but impoverish the poor and ignorant public.

The best security against such practices is a high sense of morality among the manufacturers and traders themselves. If “Honesty as a faith” does not appeal to one and all, at least “Honesty as a policy” ought to be the guiding factor in all our economic transactions. The Trade Guilds of our country and the Graff and Merchant Guilds of mediaeval Europe exercised a powerful influence on their members dealings and one would wish for the revival of this “Guild’ Spirit” through the modern trade organisations. Enlightened public opinion based on a high sense of morality is the best guarantee for the protection of the public against commercial frauds. The members of the Dharma Samaja have in this direction a rich field for effective and enduring social service.

I do not want the foreword to be longer than the text itself and I should draw a line at this point. I wish the Dharma Samaja and all the enthusiastic workers connected with it every luck and success in their endeavours. Their work is not easy but they must carry on with a missionary spirit and try their level best to see that the trade and commerce of the country are carried on in the true spirit of ancient “Vanik Dharma“.

S. G. SASTRY,
Director Of Industries And Commerce In Mysore.
Bangalore, (21st September 1956)          

UTILITY OF HONESTY IN TRADE
HONESTY THE BEDROCK OF SUCCESS
An award winning essay by K.B. Khushalani

1. Honesty, more natural than dishonesty

The fundamental principles of Human Existence are Truth and Honesty, for, everybody is more honest than dishonest; the   greatest liar utters more truths than lies. This is part of the general fact that there is more goodness in the World than badness or Evil, though occasionally we find appalling crimes, which are rather aberrations or freaks and do not proceed from the intrinsic nature of the World. In fact, a perfect liar is really a ‘ truthful man”, for, we can then always. say that truth must be other than what he speaks. By a liar we mean an occasional liar, and he is really a dangerous man. So is it in the case of Honesty- By a dishonest man we al­ways understand one who is occasionally dishonest. Thus honesty is more natural than dishonesty, and that is why it betrays its nature from beneath the darkest cloaks, and we can’t once suspect that the man is dishonest. It is exactly because of the same reason that crimes are detected, for, every hap­pening leaves its traces, and, try as we may, we will not be able to hide them. Again that which is natural is beneficial, for it works in a graceful manner; and honesty, when allowed its free play, works wonders, specially in the long run. In trade; one has to depend on the good-will of many, and honesty is the best means to the end. Honesty should be practised in all walks of life; it is a strength and a support in all matters of routine; it has all advantages and only one apparent dis­advantage, that sometimes one feels that there is loss, but really that  is temporary and   in   many cases only apparent.

There are often trials and, when one successfully stands them, he comes out nobler and brighter. Every trouble means a fur­ther rise, and the greater the opposition it offers in surmounting, the better are its results. The fruit is simply delayed, but never denied, and if and when withheld longer, it is paid with in­terest. One has only to be patient and watching; he should muster up courage and should never be disheartened. All obstacles are meant for training; they are cleverly designed and intentionally set, each for its purpose, and each variant in design, and different in colour to suit the particular case. All this is for Honesty generally; in trade, its results are direct, cheap and comparatively earlier than elsewhere.

2. Trade differentiated from other occupations as regards honesty.

Trade is different from other occupations, in that its, adherent is independent. It is his merit alone that counts; he is the master of the situation, controlled only by market rates. It is a profession peculiar in it­self. In spite of the trader’s dealings with many people of different temperaments, for whose pleasure and custom he has to strive constantly which he can do better by honesty rather than by dishonesty, he can remain independent and can main­tain his self-respect fully well. Of course, there are some people always and everywhere, who can never be pleased by any means, honest or dishonest. As they are few and far between, they should never be bothered about, and it is always preferable to ignore their custom rather than hanker after them.

 

3. Businessman   should fulfill   his part of   duty

The relationship of the customer and the merchant is one in which are involved  the interests of   both.   The  former wants   supply of good articles  at a reasonable price,   while the latter is after the custom  of the former; and the maintenance of the tie depends upon both   the reasonableness of the one and the honesty   of the   other.    The   businessman, who   wants to establish himself well, should fulfil his   duty and the customer will automatically do his.    Granting that men are   unreasona­ble,  yet it in no  way   pays   the   dealer to   be   dishonest with them, though  we   should   consider the   average   buyer who is seldom unreasonable in his demands.    In case a purchaser ex­pects too much concession,   it should be explained to him for an amicable deal, as few would grudge the fair profits of a dealer. It is only when a dealer   sets   his   prices unreasonably   high that he does not like to explain his   position.    Explaining the position is not disposing   trade   secrets, which   are as dear to  any  one else, and principles of honesty  do not their  revelition.    The   position of the buyer is slightly superiot to that of the   seller in the respect   that the choice of choosing his suppliers is in his hands; and this is a further rea­son for the seller to   adapt his behaviour in accordance with the likes and dislikes of the buyer.    None will or can say that any purchaser ever wants his supplier to be dishonest to him. From the time he enters the   shop or   negotiates by   corres­pondence, his pleasure   is to be considered   supreme, and it is the duty of the dealer to see that   he gives no   cause for any suspicion.    But, as the face is the index to the mind, he can­not successfully do it unless he practises honesty.   Customers are free birds, they cannot be tied down to one shop unless-there is something to attract them, and the best that the-owner of the shop can offer is his sincerity.

4. Dishonest tricks practised by the Seller and their detrimental effects.

The kind of honesty  expected  from   the trader is :—

                     (i) Honesty in talk

(a) While recommending his articles to his customer he should neither exaggerate their qualities, nor assign to them any­more qualities than they possess, and

(b)    He should   not at   the   same time,   speak low of others’ articles,  but   should restrict  himself only to praising his own.

                     (ii) Honesty in rate

He should keep his rates fixed   once and for all.    The tendency to snatch   as much from the other party as possible is counterproductive and creates suspicion in the mind of the customer

A prudent businessman should avoid flexible rates, he should  see that the rates are in fair  level with the market price. Of course no two traders can keep the rates of all articles the same; it is just like saying, that no two watches tally exactly, and if they do at all, they cannot continue to do so for long; yet as much of standardization as can possibly be attained should be aimed at.

                       (iii) Honesty in samples.

Dishonesty- in this   can   be of   two kinds. Some dealers show samples from the best lot, they want to sell but quote prices   for   the    inferior  articles;   others choose as their sample  the best of the  lot they want to  sell,

but the sample does not represent the average of the stock. Both practices are decidedly not good and should be discouraged; it is only a question of  degree as between them, the former being worse, and the latter bad.

                       (iv) Honesty in Supply

(a)     It is a practice   with   many   dealers   to   show one article as a sample and supply   another an inferior one. Some of them maintain great differences in the qualities and some keep less. The former are ruled out at the first stroke by the purchaser in his choice and they seldom continue as traders for long, whereas the latter carry on, but cut no good figure. Thus, the latter class of people exist for exigencies only.

{ b ) Some of the dealers again put in a few bad things in the lot; they either take undue advantage of the purchaser’s weakness, or think that he would not take the trouble of returning the articles. If at all he does try to return, they reserve to themselves the choice of accepting them, and, in almost all cases, refuse to take back. This audacious abuse of confidence is very bad and detrimental to the interests of the dealer.

 

The kind of honesty  expected  from   the trader is :—

5. Honesty in maintaining books

 

It is a habit with many merchants to maintain duplicate books, vouchers, bills etc. Duplicate books vouchers are maintained to cheat either the Income Tax Authorities or debtors and creditors, the debtors when they are illiterate and the creditors at the time of insolvency; whereas duplicate bills are shown to customers as a proof of quoted cost prices. These’ bills are prepared either by the merchant or his supplier who-is requested to show higher prices than actual. Another trick is sometimes played, the supplier being asked to show true prices but not the commission on the bill. This is justified by some people on the ground that commission is meant solely and entirely for the trader, and the purchaser has no-business with it. But in the true sense of the word it can be justified only when the trader plainly tells his customer that he receives a certain commission, the extent of which he cannot disclose. -The act of cheating the Income Tax Department puts Government to heavy loss, which is usually counteracted by revision of rates by Government, and the burden is. borne ultimately by these who do not, or by both. Besides, if once caught, they are heavily penalised.

The fact of anybody declaring himself insolvent, after setting aside certain properties for himself and having prepared false books for submission to Court, never remains a secret. and is often proved in the Courts of Law. In those cases, however, where sufficient evidence is not available to pin the dishonesty, there is a definite judgment against him in the business world, where each individual weighs his action the balance and finds himself wanting. Such a man  loses the confidence of the mercantile class, and everybody tries to keep him at a distance and hesitates to deal with him.

6. Honesty in general not covered by the above five cases

All these practices are bad; they are enumerated in the order of increasing importance and should be avoided by every businessman who .wants to expand his business. The traders who practise them are shortsighted, for they look to the immediate and not to the

 permanent gain. They do not understand that it is not a day’s business. If the public are  prejudiced against any dealer, the prejudice lasts for years, and may stand as a permanent  and indelible stain against his firm even though he be dead, and his posterity have to drudge heavily to wipe it off.

Remember: Dishonesty is detected always

All malpractices, deceitful tricks and other acts of dishonesty are bound to come to light some time; some are known on the very day and others later on. If one has praised his article too much and given it fictitious qualities, the truth will be known after use, when it will not stand the test. Dishonesty in the quality of materials, in samples, and in quantity is known the very moment the goods are received by the purchaser. One can

Befool one at all times

Or all at one time

But not all at all times.

Now-a-days the World has advanced considerably. Scientists are after speed; and are  providing all kinds of facilities with the result that the entire world is connected by Telegraph, Telephone and Wireless systems. Telepathy, and Television are abstract subjects no more. Every merchant worth the name keeps a Telephone instrument in his office, and market prices are being communicated to him every moment; therefore the chances of a big dealer’s cheating and being cheated in rates are remote. Besides, the present age is the age of specialization, and everybody knows the ins and outs of his field. He keeps up a thorough acquaintance with the rates and other information connected with  the commodities he deals in, and seldom allows himself to be cheated, if at all, and much  less by the same man twice. People do not hesitate to form opinions from a single instance, and that is what is being done. They do not want even to wait and defer judgment until a repetition occurs. If even from a distance they smell dishonesty, they would cut off their connection at once.

6. Efficacy of Low Profits

Every dealer should believe in low charges, ie. less profit and more custom (small profits and quick returns) and never in high profit which is bound to result in the long run in less custom – But whatever be his rates, they should be uniform, and then only can he be said to be honest.

7. Dealer should not play in quality

No dealer should play with quality; neither in toto nor in part, as the opposite party, failing to understand the dishonest intentions of the sender, forms an opinion, wrong though, that the general quality of his entire stock is bad.  This is detrimental to the reputation also of the manufacturer, who should see that no bad stuff leaves his factory. All the inferior output- should be forthwith sorted out and sold definitely at a low rate, not to the big merchants, but to the retail sellers. Better still would it be if each factory should create one or more shops, according to need, for the  purpose of selling such stuff under its direct guidance, so as to reduce the chances of  marring-its reputation-

8. In regard to the purchaser, the following are the acts
           of dishonesty performed by him.

(i)       If he sends for goods from two people dealing in the    same commodity, and perchance gets bad stuff from one who refuses to take it back, he tries to dump it on the other. This is a mean practice and is simply taking advantage of somebody’s goodness and reliance. In case the fact becomes known to him through the concerned supplier, as it generally happens, he is pained  at the trick of his customer, which naturally deters him from affording such facilities thereafter.

  (ii)      In the process of bargaining with a dealer he may falsely state that he is getting the same stuff cheaper, or better stuff at the same price from some other dealer, in order to compel him to reduce his rates. It is evident that the same trick cannot be repeated, and that it breaks the faith of his supplier.

(iii)    When the sample shown to him is really good, he generally disapproves of it or approves of it after higgle haggle, this is unfair. If he does not want to praise the article lest he should hear a high bid from him, he should keep silent. Such lies, like many other ones, can be avoided without any disadvantage, and, when one does not do so, he simply burdens his conscience for no gain.

9. Do as you wish to be done by.

Every trader is a purchaser and a seller at the same time, and should observe honesty in both the capacities. Unless he is an honest seller, he cannot be an honest buyer and vice versa. He should always keep in mind the maxim ‘Do as you wish to be done by ‘. This will guide him in both the lines, and when he feels that he has satisfied himself accord­ing to this test in both the ways, then only can he be called a successfully honest trader.

10. Quick rectification of bonafide mistakes increase confidence.

The trader should be honest in his accounts; if he has perchance committed a mistake in dispatching goods or preparing a bill,he should ,immediately he comes to know of it, correct it without waiting for its being   pointed out by   the other party.    Similarly, if   he   receives   any article   extra   or discovers a mistake in   account to   his   advantage,   he should forthwith point it out to his supplier.   Again, if perchance and through mistake, i.e. he has unintentionally charged some one higher rates, he should communicate the fact to that customer and credit the balance to his account or be prepared   to remit in   cash.       All    these    acts,    and    specially   the     last,   in­crease the   confidence   of his    supplier and   purchaser,   who-repay his goodness by advertising him among others.    This-evidently   brings him greater profit than he   would   otherwise have realized, for, in many cases, if he does not himself point it out , the other party does it, and claims the balance as a right..

11. The manufacturer and the consumer

There are two more classes of people who have dealings in trade, but are not traders. A trader necessarily is one who purchases certain goods and sells them at a profit. He is the middle man between the manufacturer and the con­sumer, the two classes of people under consideration. Both these have one sided dealings, the one sells and the other only purchases, and, because of their restricted dealings, they are not so tactful as the trader

The manufacturing class includes the artisan who prepares articles with his own hands on a small scale.  He is generally poor, and his business, like that of the manufacturer, depends upon the quality of the manu­factured articles.   He can retain his customers only if he continues using good raw materials and producing good stuff.

12. Psychology of the consumer

The consumer is a purchaser on a very small scale, but because of his existence in large numbers, he is the most important member of the trading circle, and, because every article has ultimately to go to him, his pleasure, and, choice is considered supreme. Both the manufacturer and the trader try to adopt their policy according to his taste. He purchases articles for his or his friends’ and relatives’ use. He wants good stuff and at a reasonable price; he frequents only those places where both these conditions are satisfied; and thus he always prefers an honest shopkeeper. He is reliant and will continue attending the same as long as nothing happens to break his faith which, if once broken, requires a very great effort to restore.  To make new customers, they say, is difficult, but to retain them is still more difficult.

Thus perpetual honesty is required to attract new customers and to retain old ones. Carelessness in this matter never pays the dealer, but will rather harm him. One may give away anything of one’s own accord or on demand, but never when he knows he is being cheated; he then feels much pain and many are actuated to revenge, when they know that they have been cheated. Further the consumer likes to make purchases from such shops as maintain fixed rates, for he is not a trader and naturally not so well versed in the line. Therefore be may not know the current prices of articles, especially of those that he occa­sionally requires. In a fixed-rate-shop he may have to pay a slightly higher price, but he feels sure that lie will not be cheated for a big sum, which is generally the case in shops where no uniform rates are charged, and where the shop-keeper tries to snatch as much as he can from the customer, the more so when he gets the clue that he has no definite knowledge of prices of the article.

The shopkeepers are usually clever enough to understand this at once from the manner of his enquiring. From what has been said above, it is absolutely clear that the shopkeeper can cheat the same man only once. A dishonest dealer can make successful business, when he gets every day new faces to deceive, and has to deal daily with different men not known to one another and not expected to meet one Another; or, if at all they meet’ they should not speak about the purchases made by them on that day or any of the previous days, so that everybody else remains in the dark and never knows about the dishonesty of the man unless he gets a chance to be cheated himself. This however, is an utterly impossible condition to realize. Or dishonesty may pay, where people are suppressed due to pres­sure of one’s superiority or where heads are corrupt; but such conditions do not exist in the business world, and where they exist, they never last long.

13. Honesty the best of all Qualities of a trader

As in other fields it is hard work and intelligence that establish a recruit, so in trade it is Honesty that can establish him. Cheerful temperament, a tendency to accommodate the customer in his choice and demand, agreeable manners, respect for the customer, self-respect and, last but not least. honesty in dealing are some of the qualities required for successful business, and, among them all, honesty stands Supreme, and makes up for all the deficiencies and defects of the trader. One needs to realize how difficult it would be if all people were dishonest; one could not then move an inch. One cannot then trust anyone with anything even for a  moment, nor can he pay him anything in advance.

14. False fears due to lack of self-confidence & experience

There is a general cry that the time for honesty is over, and that it is not valued now-a-days. There may be a grain of truth in the .statement, which amounts but to an acknowledgement of the struggle between honesty and dishonesty, or between truth and untruth which appears eternal, though. victory in the long run is never in doubt for honesty and truth. Under no case can dishonesty over-power honesty. Our fears against honesty are often merely theoretical, un- grounded, baseless and false. Our troubles are either; imaginary, self-created or self-invited. None of them that grumble against honesty has ever practised it, and never has he tasted the sweetness arising from it. His opinion is the opinion of others, who in turn cannot claim it as their own. Thus an idea, emanating from a few unworthy individuals, is passed on by several lips to several ears and obtains a strong grip over a large majority. A votary of dishonesty, when asked to state if he has put in serious efforts to follow up his trade by honesty or given a fair trial to it would certainly answer in the negative. People adopt the easiest course, they would like to go by the shortest route, they want to be rich in a day, and that is why they adopt dishonest means. The path of the honest dealer is weary in the beginning but joyful in the end, troublesome at the outset but easy in the long run, and tedious at the start but sure in due course. It is, of course, certain that he who starts his business on the lines of honest dealing will meet with opposition, but he should stand it bravely and every difficulty will melt away in due course leaving the way-clear for him. Generally every one who starts a new business meets with certain difficulties and obstacles: the success in the enterprise depends on the grit and tact of the actor. It is said that an honest man is offered more difficulties, but we should not at the same time forget that he has behind him, as an outcome of his honesty, a greater force to support him. This force is sure to succeed. The honest dealer may take long to establish, but when once established none can dislodge him. His success is lasting; the customers secured by him are permanent, and his profits regular, sure and more definite.

15. Honesty promotes, dishonesty impedes all business

Never can anyone lose in business because of his honesty, and when such a report is received, one can take it for certain that there must be some other defect or defects in the organization, and that were it not for honesty, the concerned party would have incurred greater loss and at a much -earlier date than otherwise, for, as said above, that which takes long to establish takes long to dwindle. Honesty in fact makes up for many defects in staff, in management, in organization and individual abilities; it protects from grave fears. Weak administration, careless management, deficient organization, expenditure disproportionate to income incurred for unnecessary show, squandering of money by responsible persons connected with the concern, improper investment, defective accounts and dishonesty on the part of some one or other are the salient causes of failures of business, heavy losses and bankruptcy. A majority of failures occuring in petty concerns are due to defective accounts, but a still higher proportion of failures in both petty and big concerns can be attributed to dishonesty. Dishonesty is a termite, a canker, a pest that can eat up the very tissue of any undertaking, retard its growth and finally destroy it in toto. It needs to be guarded against from the beginning to the end

 

16. Dishonesty – its effects on the employees

Dishonesty of the master induces the servant to be dishonest: it becomes a vicious circle ever widening itself by absorbing freshmen every day, and like an infectious disease catching hold of every one coming in contact- Every act of cheating by the employer produces a reflex effect on the employee, who, by his intimate contact with the former, is enamoured of the alluring gains easily got by the cut-short methods, and is tempted to adopt them for his personal benefit. He has none else to rob except his master; and he starts with double vengeance to make up for the time ‘uselessly passed in honesty’, he feels least for his master whose profession is cheating; and he knows that he has his share in the earnings of his master, which he wants to have over and above his pay as a reward; for sharing his sins and consequent smothering of his own conscience. The poor employer is doubly affected: his tricks-being sufficiently known by this time, his customers have started leaving him, and he finds his business on the wane on one hand, and on the other he is being robbed at home. He realizes his folly too late, or he may not realize it at all throughout his life. The vice invented by him has caught and entangled him. Similarly many partnerships have been ruined by dishonesty, If the same trader had put in all his efforts to prosper by honest means, he would surely have done better.

17. Causes of Occasional Thriving of Dishonest Men and Losing of Honest Men

 We have often seen a dishonest man thriving and honest man   losing.    We then   get   perplexed.  But let it be clear, that under such circumstances the dishonest man flourishes for his ability and skill and never for his dishonesty, while the honest man loses not for his professing honesty but for his incapacity, inefficiency and general weakness. If the former were to adopt honesty, in addition to his other qualities, he would thrive still more, and if the latter takes to dishonesty he would fall further. For fair comparison, either the same man or two equally competent men, or say nearly equal in qualities, should be made to start similar business under similar circumstances, but by different means, honest and dishonest, and it needs no prophet to say that honesty will bring betterprofits. Unfortunately the capable men are not. guided and trained in the honest methods with the result that they adopt the unnatural ones – which by its usage has become natural and easy or so-called easy course while weaklings who are really unfit to adopt any method, adhere to honesty for fear of being exposed, caught, or sent to gaol.

18. Honesty in Trade compared with Honesty outside

There is a vast difference in professing honesty in trade and elsewhere.  In trade it is easy. without complications, never harmful but always beneficial, whereas when followed outside trade, it invites opposition, entails trouble and requires greater nerve on the part of its adherent to stick to it. Though, even in the latter case, it is bound to lead to pros­perity, it may be a little later than expected. In trade it is in the interests of all those who have dealings with one another that everybody should be honest. Those who practise dishonesty do it for their sole personal gain which they wrongly think results from dishonesty. But, outside trade, there are certain spheres in which those having dealings with each other want one or the other party to be dishonest for their own personal and selfish benefit, and because of their pressure, some people are led into dishonesty. In trade it is entirely different, for, all the customers without a single exception will undoubtedly be pleased by their supplier’s honesty.

19. Extent of probable saving to the business world from wholesale honesty

To realize the utility of honesty it will be worth while to consider, what an amount of misery would be saved to the World, if dishonest men were removed from it. Of course, it is an Utopian idea, but is taken up here simply for argument’s sake. All auditing would then be unnecessary; accountants may remain, but auditors as a class would cease to exist. All watch and pro­tection against theft would be unnecessary. The World is spending millions merely and solely on watchmen and guards. Every individual has to adopt means to protect his property, and this too would be unnecessary. Dishonest men are a drag on the world, they are a drag on individuals and a drag on the merchant class as a whole.

20. Honesty the best policy

It is said that honesty is the best policy, and no­where is the significance of the saying so fully realized as in trade The Proverb is very expressive and important in the respect that it treats with the material side of honesty and lays no stress on its moral aspect. The enunciator of the proverb has made honesty stand on the merits of its use­fulness, and states it as a profitable policy, and all that has hitherto been stated is simply in expounding this maxim. Besides, all great men have emphasised its usefulness and they cannot all be wrong.

21.Scope of Honesty in moulding the future

Viewing things broadly we cannot help coming to the conclusion that our World is connected-with other lokas or worlds and that lives do not terminate here.  Each individual leads an eternal life of which the present one is but one out of many phases; its length or duration is but a tiny part of the Infinite whole. This is the scientific view of life and is not only accepted but propagated by great Scientists like Sir Oliver Lodge, the late President of the Royal Society of Science. That being so, it is but a logical conclusion that our actions will not only bear fruit here, but will mould our career in future births and effect our economic life there, as is the present moulded by the past Thus, even with a view to improve our future business career, we are required to be honest.

 

22. Honesty enhances social status and expands business

A dishonest man is held very low in the esteem of the society, and intimately connected as human beings are, we cannot for a moment disregard its opinion. Society can set aside any individual, it can non-co-operate with or do away with any undesirable fellow, but an individual cannot do so even though he may not like a particular society. Has not everybody seen the effect of social pressure in bringing round and moulding the worst type of people? Individuals have to submit to the social will, even though it be wrong; much more so, when it is right.  An honest man, who has established himself in the opinion of the public by his honest methods, finds himself safe in the hands of society, and his customers increase day by day. Every man attending his shop will bring a few more. Every trader has to depend upon the goodwill of his class and the general public, for the very word ‘trade’ means free transaction in commodities for mutual benefit. Thus honesty raises social status, which in turn expands one’s circle of acquaintance and increases his business.

23. National reputation affected by dishonesty

As individuals have to care for public opinion, for gaining which they put forth the most strenuous enorts that sometimes cost them their lives, so do nations have to care for and establish international reputation. Observance of honesty in international trade dealings is one of the most efficacious methods for maintaining such a reputation. A few fraudulent merchants are a blot on the nation ; they not only spoil their own case but prejudice all those who have dealings with them against the entire trading community of the nation they belong to. Besides, they create wrong impressions and false notions about their people, which, apart from affecting the international reputation of the country, gives a definite set-back to its trade with the consequent loss of revenue to Government and income to the people.  It is beyond the scope of this essay to suggest the methods necessary to be devised to guard against such dangerous people, but it will be sufficient to state here that all possible means should beadopted to prevent successfully any kind of dishonest tricks with outside merchants, and specially the habit of cheating in quantity or quality.

24. We should extend our vision to other classes of trading circles

The merchant or the shop-keeper spoken of so far is but typical of the business world. From wholesale dealers to the hawkers and pedlars, there are all grades and sorts included in this class. We have to think not only of him but extend our vision so as to include all business men from frequenters of stock exchanges to agents, brokers, touts, contractors and canvassers of every description, and from big hawkers on to the village ryot^[1] who is also seller and buyer.

 

25. Divine punishment^[1]

Folk stories about honesty and its benefits are told in every language. Poets and prose writers have eulogized on the one hand its charming effects and, on the other, censured dishonesty. The average man believes in them, but forgets them when the time for action comes. Nature adopts its usual methods and reminds him by some punishment; she has no power of speech, but has greater power to act, and so she teaches man by action and never by words. Every one of us must have heard of several cases of sudden fires, thefts, earthquakes and such other heavy calamities to individuals or classes or locali­ties. Sometimes one fails to unearth the cause, but often it is so apparent, manifest and definite that none can ever mistake it, and it is from such instances alone that men understand. Dishonesty, like all other bad qualities, brings its results and the punishment is as sure as Death. Man may for the time being rob others, and amass many treasures by thousands of tricks and dishonest methods, but nature snatches them with one stroke in a moment, exposing him and his acts mercilessly. The reason that honest dealers are also sometimes subject to such calamities deprives in no way honesty of its beneficial blessings, for it may be that they may have been penalized for some other crime of theirs, belonging to the past. It may also be that the punishment has been lightened, because of his professing honesty. lt should then be taken as. an admonition.

26. Religious injunction

Besides, there are commandments in every religion prohibiting cheating of others. Honesty talked of by all. religious books is really speaking honesty in trade, for all dealings in money and goods come under trade and we will not be far wrong in saying that general honesty means honesty in trade.

Summary

In a few words, honesty establishes business, helps in maintaining and expanding it; it leads to prosperity and peace of mind, enhances social status, international reputation and is sure in its effects though seemingly slow

THE END

An excellent film has been made by Director Cameraman Satya Prakash Sabharwal on the Dangers of posting on the social media without taking care of Privacy. That is setting up your Facebook account so that private pictures can only be seen by close friends. The Channel TVNF is producing films on Social Issues and the content of the films are indeed idealistic

 

Once, a man was going through a forest, when three robbers fell upon him and robbed him of all his possessions. One of the robbers said, “What’s the use of keeping this man alive?” So saying, he was about to kill him with his sword, when the second robber interrupted him, saying: ‘Oh, no! What is the use of killing him? Tie his hand and foot and leave him here.” The robbers bound his hands and feet and went away. After a while the third robber returned and said to the man: “Ah, I am sorry. Are you hurt? I will release you from your bonds.” After setting the man free, the thief said: “Come with me. I will take you to the public high way.” After a long time they reached the road. At this the man said: “Sir, you have been very good to me. Come with me to my house.” “Oh, no!” the robber replied. “I can’t go there. The police will know it.” This world itself is the forest. The three robbers prowling here are Satva, rajas, and tamas. It is they that rob a man of the Knowledge of Truth. Tamas wants to destroy him. „Rajas‟ binds him to the world. But Satva rescues him from the clutches of rajas and tamas. Under the protection of Satva, man is rescued from anger, passion and other evil effects of tamas. Further, Satva loosens the bonds of the world. But Satva also is a robber. It cannot give man the ultimate Knowledge of Truth, though it shows him the road leading to the Supreme Abode of God. Setting him on the path, Satva tells him: “Look yonder. There is your home.” Even Satva is far away from the knowledge of Brahman. (2)

(Tales and Parables of Sri Ramakrishna )

Devotion and love, of course, remain so easy and yet so difficult an achievement at once. Real devotion has no tinge of affection in it and goes hand in glove with enlightenment. In the initial stages the devotee may be conscious of his feeling towards the object of his love; but at higher stages the foam and fury is dimmed to the extent of an almost total loss of its awareness at the Ultimate stage.

Ram Chandra, Complete Works of Ram Chandra, Vol. 1, p. 353

If we understand it (love) correctly, we find love is giving, and the more one gives, the more one loves, and we can therefore say with confidence that one gives totally when one loves totally. And this is what the master gives. He comes to us totally Himself and gives Himself totally to us in an endeavour, in an effort, to make us like Himself.

Taken from the book “The Role of Master in Human Evolution”, Chapter “Vorauf – June 29, 1986”, pg. 15, by Revered Chariji

A son took his father to a restaurant to enjoy a delicious dinner. His father was of advanced age, and therefore, a little weak, too. While he was eating, a little bit of food fell from time to time on his shirt and his trousers. The other diners watched the older man with their faces distorted in disgust, but his son remained totally calm.
Once both were done eating, the son, without being remotely ashamed, helped his father by taking him to the restroom. He cleaned up the leftovers from his wrinkled face, and tried to wash the stains of food from his clothes. He lovingly combed his hair gray and I finally got his glasses cleaned. On the way out of the restroom, a profound silence reigned in the restaurant. The son was going to pay the bill and get ready to escort his father out of the restaurant. Just then a man rose from his chair among the diners, and asked the son ” don’t you think that you’ve left something here? “The young man replied, “No, I haven’t missed anything”. Then the stranger said to him, ” Yes you’ve left something! You left here a lesson for each child, and hope for every parent!” The entire restaurant was so quiet, you could hear a pin drop.
One of the biggest honors that exists, is the ability to take care of those older adults who cared for us. Our parents, and all those elderly who sacrificed their lives, with time, money, effort and unconditional love. They deserve our utmost respect. If you also feel respect for older adults, share this story with all your friends.

Q:- What precautions should be taken during spiritual practice?

Shri Ramakrishna:- Those who wish to attain God or make progress in their devotional practice should particularly guard themselves against the snares of lust and wealth. Otherwise they will never attain perfection.

For the attainment of the objective, we have to create in us intense longing or extreme impatience, which forces our passage on to it just as the latent motion did at the time of creation.

Ram Chandra, Complete Works of Ram Chandra, Vol. 1 (1st Indian edn., 1989), p. 217

Salient Thought for the Day.
The sign of life’s fulfilment is in softness and
mellowness.

Lines to Memorize.
Soul in search is never at rest.
Soul in slumber knoweth not the precious
peace.
Soul in wakeful communion is at rest and hath
found its peace.

Lesson.
One feels• suffocated within the boundary line of
dogmatic religion. We must avoid fanaticism.. A
fanatic never has clear vision. We need a balanced.
attitude of mind. The greatest mellowness and gentleness
are to be found in those who have realized most.
A man has nothing to give until he has learned to
shut the door and commune with his own soul.

Prayer.
0 Thou All-knowing One, free me from the
anguish of doubt and calculation.
May I never close my being to Thee.
May I open every channel to receive Thy Divine
inspiration.
May I find my home in Truth
And rest my life and happiness in Truth alone.

– Parmananda
Book of Daily Thoughts and Prayers

No one can have a monopoly of spirituality.
No one can claim exclusive right to it. It is not
something cut and dried. Spirituality means getting
away from all that is calculating, cold and hard.
No one can rob us of it except when we ourselves
yield to our lower instincts.

Swami Parmananda
Book of Daily Thoughts and Prayers (BDTP)

The desire for happiness (sukha prema) is a proof of the ever-existing happiness of the Self. Otherwise how can desire for it arise in you?
If headache was natural to human beings no one would try to get rid of it. But everyone that has a headache tries to get rid of it, because he has known a time when he had no headache. He desires only that which is natural to him. So too he desires happiness because happiness is natural to him.
Being natural, it is not acquired. Man’s attempts can only be to get rid of misery. If that be done the ever-present bliss is felt.
Ramana Maharishi
TWSRM

Salient Thought for the Day.

It is a great blessing when we are struck. If
there is anything in us, the blow will bring it out.

Lines to Memorize.

These dark shadow that fall upon the path of
my life,
Causing me sadness, distress and pain :
I have learned to welcome these through Thy
holy grace.
They show me how I lack wisdom ;
How failing and faltering is my strength.

Lesson.

Be brave and hold fast. Patience conquers everything
in the end. Our moods and feelings are only
momentary—they come and go, being fleeting in
nature; therefore we must try to endure them and
look upon them as a witness. Never tear down your
peace and happiness unnecessarily. Never lose faith
in yourself. Pray that Mother may make your faith.
ever stronger and stronger and give you joy, selflessness
and true devotion.

Prayer.

Do Thou, 0 Eternal One, awaken in me such
wisdom
That I may find safety in Thee alone.
Grant unto me true fortitude and spiritual
strength.
May I be enduring and unaffrighted by pain
and trouble.
If I fail or stumble, may I always turn to Thee
for help,
And find renewed courage and life in Thy
Blessed Presence.

Swami Parmananda
Book of Daily Thoughts and Prayers

Solitude is in the mind of man. One might be in the thick of the world and maintain
serenity of mind; such a one is in solitude. Another may stay in a forest, but still be unable to
control his mind. He cannot be said to be in solitude. Solitude is a function of the mind. A
man attached to desire cannot get solitude wherever he may be; a detached man is always in
solitude.

Ramana Maharishi

A Disciple asks Ramana Maharishi a few questions and the Maharishi answers:
D.: They say that there are many saints in Tibet who remain in solitude and are still very
helpful to the world. How can it be?
M.: It can be so. Realisation of the Self is the greatest help that can be rendered to humanity.
Therefore, the saints are said to be helpful, though they remain in forests. But it should not be
forgotten that solitude is not in forests only. It can be had even in towns, in the thick of
worldly occupations.
D.: It is not necessary that the saints should mix with people and be helpful to them?
M.: The Self alone is the Reality; the world and the rest of it are not. The realised being does
not see the world as different from himself.
D.: Thus then, the saint’s realisation leads to the uplift of humanity without the latter being
aware of it. Is it so?
M.: Yes. The help is imperceptible but is still there. A saint helps the whole of humanity,
unknown to the latter.

Talks with Sri Ramana Maharishi

A Disciple asks Ramana Maharishi some questions and the Maharishi replies
D.: Jesus Christ cured people of their diseases. Is that only an occult power (siddhi)?
M.: Was Jesus aware at the time that he was curing men of their diseases? He could not have
been conscious of his powers. There is a story related as follows: Jesus had once cured a man
of his blindness. The man turned wicked, in course of time. Meeting him after some years,
Jesus observed his wickedness and asked him why he was so. He replied saying that, when he
was blind, he could not commit any sin. But after Jesus had cured him of blindness he grew
wicked and Jesus was responsible for his wickedness.
D.: Was not Jesus a Perfected Being possessing occult powers (siddhi)?
M.: He could not have been aware of his powers (siddhis).

From: Talks with Sri Ramana Maharishi

An examination of the ephemeral nature of external phenomena leads to vairagya. Hence enquiry (vichara) is the first and foremost step to be taken. When vichara continues automatically, it results in a contempt for wealth, fame, ease, pleasure, etc. The ‘I’ thought becomes clearer for inspection. The source of ‘I’ is the Heart – the final goal.

If, however, the aspirant is not temperamentally suited to Vichara Marga (to the introspective analytical
method), he must develop bhakti (devotion) to an ideal – may be God, Guru, humanity in general, ethical laws, or even the idea of beauty. When one of these takes possession of the individual, other attachments grow weaker, i.e., dispassion (vairagya) develops. Attachment for the ideal simultaneously grows and finally holds the field. Thus ekagrata (concentration) grows simultaneously and imperceptibly – with or without visions and direct aids.

In the absence of enquiry and devotion, the natural sedative pranayama (breath regulation)
may be tried. This is known as Yoga Marga. If life is imperilled the whole interest centres round the one point, the saving of life. If the breath is held the mind cannot afford to (and does not) jump at its pets – external objects. Thus there is rest for the mind so long as the breath is held. All attention being turned on breath or its regulation, other interests are lost.

Again, passions are attended with irregular breathing, whereas calm and happiness are attended with slow and regular breathing. Paroxysm of joy is in fact as painful as one of pain, and both are accompanied by ruffled breaths. Real peace is happiness. Pleasures do not form happiness. The mind improves by practice and becomes finer just as the razor’s edge is sharpened by stropping. The mind is then better able to tackle internal or external problems.

If an aspirant be unsuited temperamentally for the first two methods and circumstantially (on account of age) for the third method, he must try the Karma Marga (doing good deeds, for example, social service). His nobler instincts become more evident and he derives impersonal pleasure. His smaller self is less assertive and has a chance of expanding its good side. The man becomes duly equipped for one of the three aforesaid paths. His intuition may also develop directly by this single method.

Ramana Maharishi
TWSRM

In order to clarify the relationship of “atma-Paramatma” we comp a re Paramatma with an infinite ocean, a limitless ocean, and the atma as a drop in this ocean. The atma is never out of this limitless ocean ( P a r a m a t m a ) . The atma can never be out of Paramatma because Paramatma is infinite and unlimited. How can the atma come out of, or have a place beyond, the limitlessness of the limitless? Therefore the a t m a is in P a r a m a t m a

Meher Baba

After establishing the primary fact that the atma is in Paramatma we go a step further and say that atma is Paramatma. How ? For example, let us imagine an unlimited ocean. Let us also imagine that we separate or take out one iota of ocean from the limitless expanse of this unlimited ocean. It follows then that this iota of ocean, while in the limitless ocean, before separation is ocean itself, and is not there in the shoreless ocean as an iota of the ocean, because every iota of ocean, when not limited by the limitations of a drop, is unlimited ocean

— Meher Baba

There are yogis (those who practice a systematic course of esoteric knowledge) who can of themselves suspend their physical bodies in mid-air during the time they are in a temporary samadhi (trance). There are some who can bodily walk on water or fly in the air without the aid of external means, and yet all this is no sign or p roof of their having experienced divine love. Weighed on spiritual scales these miracles have no value whatsoever. In fact, miracle mongering by the average yogi is not only poles apart from the spiritual path, but is actually a hindrance to the individual’s evolution towards spiritual progress

— Meher Baba

The following incident in the life of a Hindu Master shows the disregard in which it (occult power or Siddhi) is held by Perfect Masters, who are Truth personified: The Master was one day by the river’s edge waiting for one of the little ferry boats that take passengers across the stream for the diminutive fare of one anna. A yogi seeing him thus waiting, came up to him, literally walked across the river and back, and said, “That was much easier, was it not?” The Master smilingly replied, “Yes, and had less value than that of the boat fare—one anna.”

— Meher Baba

The ability to exercise constant control over one’s low desires is no mean achievement. Success in establishing a lasting sublimation of all desires is indeed a greater one. But the greatest is the burning away of all one’s desires once and for all, which divine love alone can do. As there is never any show about divine love, this “ burning” in love is always without “smoke,” i.e., without show. There are times when an outward expression of God-love may amount to heroism, but to make at any time a mere show of one’s love for God, for the sake of show, amounts to an insult to God. That is why Kabir says that in the act of meditation when one assumes an asan ( posture) to meditate upon God, one should at that time learn to avoid making any display such as the swaying motion of one’s body, even if it is only for one’s own gratification.

— Meher Baba

States of Consciousness by Meher Baba
ALL souls (atmas) were, are and will be in the Over-Soul
(Paramatma).
Souls (atmas) are all One.
All souls are infinite and eternal. They are formless.
All souls are One; there is no difference in souls or in their being
and existence as souls.
There is a difference in the consciousness of souls;
there is a difference in the planes of consciousness of souls;
there is a difference in the experience of souls and thus
there is a difference in the state of souls.
Most souls are conscious of the gross body (sthul sharir);
some souls are conscious of the subtle body (pran);
a few souls are conscious of the mental body (mind or mana);
and
a very few souls are conscious of Self.
Most souls have experience of the gross sphere (world);
some souls have experience of the subtle sphere (world);
a few souls have experience of the mental sphere (world); and
a very few souls have experience of the Over-Soul.
Most souls are on the gross plane (anna bhumika);
some souls are on the subtle plane (pran bhumika);
a few souls are on the mental plane (mano bhumika); and
a very few souls are on the plane beyond the mental plane
(vidnyan).
Most souls have great binding; some souls have little binding;
a few souls have very little binding; and a very few souls have
absolutely no binding.
All these souls (atmas) of diff e rent consciousness, of diff e re n t
experiences, of different states are in the Over-Soul (Paramatma).
If, now, all souls are in the Over-Soul and are all One, then why
is there any diff e rence in the consciousness, in the planes, in the
experiences and in the states?
The cause of this difference is that the souls have different and
diverse impressions (sanskaras).

Meher Baba
God Speaks

The Ascending Soul

I died as mineral and became a plant,
I died as plant and rose to animal,
I died as animal and I was man.
Why should I fear? When was I less by dying?
Yet, once more, I shall die as man, to soar
With angels blessed; but even from angelhood
I must pass on; all except God doth perish.
When I have sacrificed my angel soul,
I shall become what no mind e’er conceived.
Oh, Let me not exist! For Non-existence
Proclaims in organ tones, “To Him we shall return!”

—Rumi

The better (Shreyas) is one thing, and the pleasanter (Prayas) quite another. Both these of different nature, bind a person. Of these two, well is it for him who takes the better; he fails of his aim who chooses the pleasanter.

Kathopanishad

Salient Thought for the Day.
When we consult our inner being in everything,
we begin to hear the voice of God and perceive His
Presence.

Lines to Memorize.
Lo ! a perfect cave in the utmost depths of my
heart was awaiting, ever ready and ever still.
It was afar, yea, out of reach of all our ills.
Now I sit with Thee in unbroken peace—in rain,
storm and wind.
They come and beat against my outer life, but
have no access to where my heart’s treasure
lies.

Lesson.
The ultimate vision of Reality far surpasses all
that we can picture. When we attain it, we no longer
think whether we are worthy or unworthy, rich or
poor, happy or unhapy. We gain a new spirit. We
seem to breathe the real oxygen of life, we find fresh
hope and courage. As we have certain hours for our
outer duties, so we must have a time which we devote
to our soul culture. When day after day we strive
to cultivate this inward sight, we cannot fail to
unfold it.

Prayer.
0 Thou in-dwelling Spirit,
May I learn that my own strength is never
sufficient,
But that my strength lies always in Thy strength.
May I so offer up my life that all my thoughts
and actions may have their source in Thee.

– Swami Parmananda

Thanksgiving prises opens in your consciousness
the way for spiritual growth and cosmic energy supply to come to you.
Spirit pushes Itself into visible manifestation as
soon as a channel is opened through which It can flow.
You should be thankful for everything at all times.
Realize that all power to think, and speak and act
comes from God, and that He is with you now, guiding
and inspiring you. (re-edited)

—Paramahansa Yogananda, “Thanksgiving Message”

Jesus answered and said unto her, Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again: But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.

The Holy Bible John 4:13, 14

My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand. I and my Father are one.

Holy Bible John 10:27-30

I will prepare for the coming of the Omnipresent
Baby Christ by cleaning the cradle of my consciousness,
now rusty with selfishness, indifference, and sense at-
tachments; and by polishing it with deep, daily, divine
meditation, introspection, and discrimination. I will re-
model the cradle with the dazzling soul-qualities of
brotherly love, humbleness, faith, desire for God-real-
ization, will power, self-control, renunciation, and un-
selfishness, that I may fittingly celebrate the birth of the
Divine Child.

Paramhansa Yogananda

Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.

The Holy Bible Matthew 7:7,8

Hanuman Chalisa translated in English
श्रीगुरु चरन सरोज रज बी
In the Lotus feet of my teacher/Guardian
निज मन मुकुर सुधारि।
I purify the mirror of my heart
बरनउँ रघुबर बिमल जसु
I illustrate the story of immaculate Rama
जो दायकु फल चारि॥
which bestows four fruits (The 4 Purusharth : desire, prosperity, righteousness, liberation)
बुद्धिहीन तनु जानिकै
Considering myself as frail & unwise
सुमिरौं पवनकुमार।
I contemplate Son of Wind (Hanuman)
बल बुद्धिविद्या देहु मोहिं
to impart power, knowledge & civilization
हरहु कलेश विकार ॥
& to eradicate all the miseries of life.
जय हनुमान ज्ञान गुन सागर।
I glorify lord Hanuman, the deep sea of knowledge & virtues
जय कपीस तिहुँ लोक उजागर॥
I glorify The Monkey man “Vanara”, who lightens the three worlds (earth, atmosphere & beyond)
राम दूत अतुलित बल धामा।
I glorify the faithful envoy of lord Ram,
अंजनि पुत्र पवनसुत नामा॥
who is also known as son of anjana (anjaniputra) & wind’s son (pavansuta)
महाबीर बिक्रम बजरंगी।
You are the distinguished warrior, the courageous & possess strength as “Indra’s vajra”
कुमति निवार सुमति के संगी॥
You demolish despicable mind and befriend fine intellect
कंचन बरन बिराज सुबेसा।
being gold complexioned he dwells in his handsome form
कानन कुंडल कुंचित केसा॥
You adorn earrings & curly hair.
हाथ बज्र औ ध्वजा बिराजै। You hold “Vajra” in one hand & flag in the other
काँधे मूँज जनेऊ साजै॥
You adorn the sacred thread “Janeu” prepared by “Munja grass” on your shoulder
शंकर सुवन केसरी नंदन।
You are the delight of Shiva, the son of Kesari
तेज प्रताप महा जग बंदन॥
You possess a majestic aura & are admired by the whole world
बिद्यावान गुनी अति चातुर।
You are the laudable abode of the eighteen types of Vidya
राम काज करिबे को आतुर॥
You are always willing to serve lord Rama
प्रभु चरित्र सुनिबे को रसिया।
You adore listening Lord Rama’s legends
राम लखन सीता मन बसिया॥
You reside in the heart of Rama, his wife Sita & his younger brother Lakshman.
सूक्ष्म रूप धरी सियहिं दिखावा।
You searched Sita by adorning the miniscule form
बिकट रूप धरि लंक जरावा॥
And you set gold made Lanka ablaze by appearing in an outsized form
भीम रूप धरि असुर सँहारे।
You destroyed all the demons by taking horrendous form
रामचन्द्र के काज सँवारे॥
And that is how you performed all the deeds of Sri Rama.
लाय सँजीवनि लखन जियाए।
You carried the Dronagiri Mountain from Himalayas, which contained Sanjeevani to Lanka and saved Lakshman.
श्रीरघुबीर हरषि उर लाए॥
Elated by this act Sri Rama embraced you.
रघुपति कीन्हीं बहुत बड़ाई।
Rama applauded many times.
तुम मम प्रिय भरतहि सम भाई॥
Rama even said that you are dear to him just like his brother Bharat.
सहस बदन तुम्हरो जस गावैं।
Thousands of people will pay tribute to you
अस कहि श्रीपति कंठ लगावैं॥
Saying this; Rama again embraces you
सनकादिक ब्रह्मादि मुनीसा।
Many saints like Bhramha & Munisha
नारद सारद सहित अहीसा॥
Narad & Sarad have blessed Hanuman.
जम कुबेर दिक्पाल जहाँ ते।
Yama Kuber & Dikpal
कबी कोबिद कहि सकैं कहाँ ते॥
Kavi & Kovid, none could elucidate Hanuman’s glory.
तुम उपकार सुग्रीवहिं कीन्हा।
You were extreme benevolent to Sugreev
राम मिलाय राजपद दीन्हा॥
Befriended him with Rama & acquired him his Kingdom Kishkindha
तुम्हरो मन्त्र बिभीषन माना।
Even Vibhishan endorsed your mantra, as a result, became king of Lanka
लंकेश्वर भए सब जग जाना॥
Ravan, former king of Lanka, was scared of you.
जुग सहस्र जोजन पर भानू।
Sun, which is at thousands of distance from Earth
लील्यो ताहि मधुर फल जानू॥
You swallowed it believing it to be a syrupy fruit.
प्रभु मुद्रिका मेलि मुख माहीं।
Placing the ring in your mouth
जलधि लाँघि गये अचरज नाहीं॥
Its not astounding that you leaped the ocean
दुर्गम काज जगत के जेते ।
The obscure tasks of the world
सुगम अनुग्रह तुम्हरे तेते॥
were achieved by your grace
राम दुआरे तुम रखवारे।
You are the concierge & guardian of Rama’s court
होत न आज्ञा बिनु पैसारे॥
No one can enter in his court without your consent
सब सुख लहै तुम्हारी शरना।
All pleasures are attained by your refugee
तुम रक्षक काहू को डर ना॥
No fear can abode the one whom you protect
आपन तेज सम्हारो आपै ।
Once you commemorate your powers
तीनौं लोक हाँक ते काँपे॥
all three world’s start trembling with fear
भूत पिशाच निकट नहिं आवै।
Evil spirits can not disturb
महाबीर जब नाम सुनावै॥
when one sings your hymns & remembers you.
नासै रोग हरै सब पीरा।
you destroy all the ailments & take away all the pessimism
जपत निरंतर हनुमत बीरा॥
of those who regular remember you.
सब पर राम तपस्वी राजा।
Though Rama is the Supreme Being
तिन के काज सकल तुम साजा॥
you accomplish all his tasks.
और मनोरथ जो कोई लावै।
If anyone ever desires for something
तासु अमित जीवन फल पावै॥
You fulfill his desires manifolds
साधु संत के तुम रखवारे।
You are Saints & the one who meditates protector
असुर निकंदन राम दुलारे॥
You slay demons & are dear to Rama
अष्ट सिद्धि नौ निधि के दाता।
You possess eight supernatural powers & nine treasures
अस बर दीन्ह जानकी माता॥
and this has been granted to you by Rama’s wife Sita.
तुम्हरे भजन राम को पावै।
Whoever sings your hymns directly possess the Supreme Being, Rama
जनम जनम के दुख बिसरावै॥
and gets rid of all the adversities & negativities of life.
अंत काल रघुबर पुर जाई।
The one who is y our devotee, goes to the Supreme being’s abode after his body death
जहाँ जन्म हरिभक्त कहाई॥
And when they are reborn after that, they are always known as God’s devotees
और देवता चित्त न धरई।
Anyone who does not prayer to any other God
हनुमत सेइ सर्व सुख करई॥
but only to you, even he attains all the treasures of life ( generally it is said that every god imparts something or the other)
संकट कटै मिटै सब पीरा।
All the ailments vanish & one is relieved from all the adversities
जो सुमिरै हनुमत बलबीरा॥
once when someone becomes your devotee & remembers you.
जय जय जय हनुमान गोसाईं।
I praise the victorious , the master of all senses, Hanuman
कृपा करहु गुरुदेव की नाईं॥
just like guru showers his blessings on his disciple, shower me with your blessings
जो शत बार पाठ कर कोई।
The one who recites this hymn 100 times
छूटहि बंदि महा सुख होई॥
All his troubles vanish & he gains all the life’s treasures.
जो यह पढ़ै हनुमान चालीसा।
Who ever recites this Chalisa
होय सिद्धि साखी गौरीसा॥
obtains all the powers & lord Shiva is the witness of this.
तुलसीदास सदा हरि चेरा।
Tulsidas, who is the writer of this Chalisa, will always remain you disciple
कीजै नाथ हृदय महँ डेरा॥
and he prays to the lord enshrine in his soul always.
पवनतनय संकट हरन मंगल मूरति रूप।
I call upon son of wind, an auspicious form to remove all miseries of my life
राम लखन सीता सहित हृदय बसहु सुर भूप॥
I pray to you to reside in my heart with Rama, Sita & Lakshman.

Tulsidas

In the depths of the human condition, in the total acceptance of your humanity lies the ocean of divinity. The clear sky, the pure waters are not far away but in the middle of the struggle of human life. The yogis say, “The lotus grows in the mud.” This great compassion comes when one acknowledges one’s human condition, faults and failings, and learns to love greatly one’s own humanity, even one’s weaknesses and failings.

When one can have great compassion for oneself, one learns compassion for others. When sadhakas come together, these struggles come too, but they are part and parcel of the path and development of human kindness. Be kind to yourselves and to one another.

In the ocean of Brahma, on the shores of eternity, leave all baggage behind and give yourself over to the sea. Then like the salt doll that enters the ocean, let all that has been you return to its source. Let the grace of Bhagavan enfold you in the ocean of beatitude. Dissolve into the heart cavern of the universe where time has no beginning and no end, where mind ceases and you are finally home.

Anandamurti

n order to find our point of contact with God,
we must find our point of contact within. All ideals
are first conceived in that inner being ; and as they
are applied in the life, our life becomes fruitful or
unfruitful. Every one has some ideal, but all do not
live up to it. We must work it out. Those who from
the outset deny their power to do this, they accomplish
little ; but those who strive for it, their life is
productive. We must not leave our ideal indefinite.

Swami Parmananda
Book of Daily Thoughts and Prayers

All-radiant Light of the Universe !
Make my heart so harmonious, so free from
alien and unworthy impulses,
That I may ever feel Thy infinite and all-loving
Presence within me.
Sun, moon, stars, all express Thy Divine radiance
Thou art my life ; Thou art the Light of my soul.
Shine brightly within me
And may I never veil Thy glory.

Swami Parmananda
Book of Daily Thoughts and Prayers

Awakener, Thy robe of many hues
Hath transformed the dull sky into a lustre of
loveliness.
I never tire of Thy wondrous light ;
I am never sated by Thy ever-fresh beauty.

Swami Parmananda
Book of Daily Thoughts and Prayers

He who is ever content and
meditative, self-subjugated and
possessed with firm conviction,
with mind and heart dedicated
to Me, he who is thus consecrated
to Me is dear to Me.

Bhagavad-Gita

We bring Thee our humble hearts.
No merit have we save our faith in Thine
infinite compassion.
Do Thou make of us Thy tools that at all
hours, in work and play,
We may revolve in Thy safe-keeping.

Swami Parmananda
Book of Daily Thoughts and Prayers (BDTP)

The desire for happiness (sukha prema) is a proof of the ever-existing happiness of the Self. Otherwise how can desire for it arise in you?

If headache was natural to human beings no one would try to get rid of it. But everyone that has a headache tries to get rid of it, because he has known a time when he had no headache. He desires only that which is natural to him. So too he desires happiness because happiness is natural to him. Being natural, it is not acquired. Man’s attempts can only be to get rid of misery. If that be done the ever-present bliss is felt.

Ramana Maharishi
TWSRM

You start dying slowly – By Pablo Neruda
You start dying slowly
if you do not travel,
if you do not read,
If you do not listen to the sounds of life,
If you do not appreciate yourself.
You start dying slowly
When you kill your self-esteem;
When you do not let others help you.
You start dying slowly
If you become a slave of your habits,
Walking everyday on the same paths…
If you do not change your routine,
If you do not wear different colours
Or you do not speak to those you don’t know.
You start dying slowly
If you avoid to feel passion
And their turbulent emotions;
Those which make your eyes glisten
And your heart beat fast.
You start dying slowly
If you do not change your life when you are not satisfied with your job, or with your love,
If you do not risk what is safe for the uncertain,
If you do not go after a dream,
If you do not allow yourself,
At least once in your lifetime,
To run away from sensible advice…
Pablo Neruda,
(THE Spanish poet won Nobel Prize for Literature in 1971)

Help me to give myself to complete spiritual
union with the Source of strength and
illumination.
Lift me above all bondage and weakness.
Make my mind so free and one-pointed that it
may be full of strength.
May I turn towards the Light,
That Light which reveals, the Light that
redeems ;
To that Light which restores and replenishes.

Swami Parmananda
BDTP

Mr. Evans-Wentz: Is solitude necessary for a jnani?

Master.(Raman Maharishi): Solitude is in the mind of man. One might be in the thick of the world and maintain serenity of mind; such a one is in solitude. Another may stay in a forest, but still be unable to control his mind. He cannot be said to be in solitude. Solitude is a function of the mind. A man attached to desire cannot get solitude wherever he may be; a detached man is always in solitude.

Disciple.: So then, one might be engaged in work and be free from desire and keep up solitude. Is it so?

M.: Yes. Work performed with attachment is a shackle, whereas work performed with detachment does not affect the doer. He is, even while working, in solitude.

D.: They say that there are many saints in Tibet who remain in solitude and are still very helpful to the world. How can it be?

M.: It can be so. Realisation of the Self is the greatest help that can be rendered to humanity. Therefore, the saints are said to be helpful, though they remain in forests. But it should not be forgotten that solitude is not in forests only. It can be had even in towns, in the thick of worldly occupations.

D.: It is not necessary that the saints should mix with people and be helpful to them?

M.: The Self alone is the Reality; the world and the rest of it are not. The realised being does not see the world as different from himself.

D.: Thus then, the saint’s realisation leads to the uplift of humanity without the latter being aware of it. Is it so?

M.: Yes. The help is imperceptible but is still there. A saint helps the whole of humanity, unknown to the latter.

D.: Would it not be better if he mixed with others?

M.: There are no others to mix with. The Self is the one and only Reality.

Sri Raman Maharishi’s Discussion with a Disciple
Dated: 30th January, 1935
(Book of Daily Thoughts and Prayers)

O Thou Infinite Deity, in this silent hour May I feel Thy love and protection. May I rest in that love and lose all fear and weakness. In both my sleeping and waking may I have the consciousness of Thy Presence, And may that consciousness destroy in me all self-interest and self-importance.

Swami Parmanand
Book of Daily Thoughts & Prayers (BDTP)

If a man thinks that his happiness is due to external causes and his possessions, it is reasonable to conclude that his happiness must increase with the increase of possessions and diminish in proportion to their diminution. Therefore if he is devoid of possessions, his happiness should be nil. What is the real experience of man? Does it conform to this view? In deep sleep the man is devoid of possessions, including his own body. Instead of being unhappy he is quite happy. Everyone desires to sleep soundly. The conclusion is that happiness is inherent in man and is not due to external causes. One must realise his Self in order to open the store of unalloyed happiness.

Sri Raman Maharishi

Go not to the temple to put flowers upon the feet of God,
First fill your own house with the Fragrance of love…
Go not to the temple to light candles before the altar of God,
First remove the darkness of sin from your heart…
Go not to the temple to bow down your head in prayer,
First learn to bow in humility before your fellowmen…
Go not to the temple to pray on bended knees,
First bend down to lift someone who is down-trodden.
Go not to the temple to ask for forgiveness for your sins,
First forgive from your heart those who have sinned against you.

‘Go not to the temple’
~ by Rabindranath Tagore

At the morning hour of ten, one day after the body
of Lahiri Mahasaya had been consigned to the flames,
the resurrected master, in a real but transfigured
body, appeared before three disciples, each of whom
was in a different city.
“So when this corruptible shall have put on
incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality,
then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written:
Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy
sting? O grave, where is thy victory? (I Corinthians
15:45-55).”

—Paramahansa Yogananda, “Autobiography of a Yogi”

You must do your work with a sense of sanctity
and not feel that it is work. Do it in silence and
without noise. We must not talk of it and make
much of it. We must never bring a critical attitude
towards it. Better not to work at all than to work
with wrong spirit. Nothing is more purifying than
unselfish work.

Swami Parmanana
Book of Daily Thoughts & Prayers (BDTP)

If we keep our mind free, clear and open, then
there is no crisis in our life. We must never leave
our inner house in darkness ; we must ever keep
the light of consecration burning there. Where
there is light, God comes and no sense-robbers can
enter. If we keep our life in harmony, evil will
stay far from us. Some people pray only when in
trouble. If we pray continually, then when trouble
comes, our prayer will go on of itself.

Swami Parmanand
Book of Daily Thoughts

We must inform our minds that no one in this universe depends upon us; not one beggar depends on our charity; not one soul on our kindness; not one living thing on our help. All are helped on by nature, and will be so helped even though millions of us were not here. The course of nature will not stop for such as you and me; it is, as already pointed out, only a blessed privilege to you and to me that we are allowed, in the way of helping others, to educate ourselves. This is a great lesson to learn in life, and when we have learned it fully, we shall never be unhappy; we can go and mix without harm in society anywhere and everywhere.

Swami Vivekananda

He who, with devotion offereth to Me a leaf, a
flower, a fruit and water, that love-offering
I accept, made by the pure-hearted,
Even if the most wicked worships me with
undivided devotion, he should be regarded
as good, for he is rightly resolved.

Bhagavad-Gita

Compassionate One, I pray unto Thee to purify
and spiritualize my whole life.
I have no power to do aught of myself,
But Thou art an inexhaustible Storehouse of
power.
Inspire me to noble thought and action ;
Lift my aspiration and make me steadfast in
seeking and manifesting only that which is
lofty and up-building.
May I never fail to serve Thee with unfaltering
faith and devotion.

Swami Parmanand
(BDTP)

As rivers flow into the sea
and in so doing lose name
and form, so even the wise
man, freed from name and
form, attains the infinite.
— Mundaka Upanishad

The wise man does not rest by the roadside inns. He marches direct to the illimitable domain of eternal bliss, his ultimate destination.

Swami Sivananda

If a man thinks that his happiness is due to external causes and his possessions, it is reasonable to conclude that his happiness must increase with the increase of possessions and diminish in proportion to their diminution. Therefore if he is devoid of possessions, his happiness should be nil. What is the real experience of man? Does it conform to this view?

In deep sleep the man is devoid of possessions, including his own body. Instead of being unhappy he is quite happy. Everyone desires to sleep soundly. The conclusion is that happiness is inherent in man and is not due to external causes. One must realise his Self in order to open the store of unalloyed happiness.

Raman Maharishi

Meditation is not a state of concentration; it is not a state of mind at all. It is a state of
total mindlessness — and not a state of sleep either. No mind, no sleep; no mind, but total
awareness. Out of that awareness you bring a different quality to music, to painting, to
poetry. And out of that meditativeness you can bring a totally different quality to science
too. But before that can happen we will need large numbers of meditative people around
the earth.

Osho

If you try to reconcile Meditativeness and Science, it is not only difficult but impossible. It cannot be done. You will go mad — the very effort to reconcile them will drive you crazy. Avoid such an effort. Rather, on the contrary, simply watch.Life is paradoxical. It is already a synthesis of paradoxes; the opposites are already meeting in it. All that we need is a pure mirror-like consciousness, so that whatsoever life is it is reflected. And you will see in that reflection the meeting of the opposites: the meeting of East and West, the meeting of religion and science.

Osho

We cover all things with the Lord by perceiving the Divine Presence everywhere. When the consciousness is firmly fixed in God, the conception of diversity naturally drops away; because the One Cosmic Existence shines through all things. As we gain the light of wisdom, we cease to cling to the unrealities of this world and we find all our joy in the realm of Reality.

Isa Upanishad
Interpretation: Swami Parmananda

If one should desire to live in this world a hundred years, one should live performing Karma (righteous deeds). Thus thou mayest live; there is no other way. By doing this, Karma (the fruits of thy actions) will not defile thee.

If a man still clings to long life and earthly possessions, and is therefore unable to follow the path of Self-knowledge (Gnana-Nishta) as prescribed in the first Mantram (text), then he may follow the path of right action (Karma-Nishta). Karma here means actions performed without selfish motive, for the sake of the Lord alone. When a man performs actions clinging blindly to his lower desires, then his actions bind him to the plane of ignorance or the plane of birth and death; but when the same actions are performed with surrender to God, they purify and liberate him.

Isa Upanishad
Interpretation: Swami Parmananda

After leaving their bodies, they who have killed the Self go to the worlds of the Asuras, covered with blinding ignorance.

The idea of rising to bright regions as a reward for well-doers, and of falling into realms of darkness as a punishment for evil-doers is common to all great religions. But Vedanta claims that this condition of heaven and hell is only temporary; because our actions, being finite, can produce only a finite result.

What does it mean “to kill the Self?” How can the immortal Soul ever be destroyed? It cannot be destroyed, it can only be obscured. Those who hold themselves under the sway of ignorance, who serve the flesh and neglect the Atman or the real Self, are not able to perceive the effulgent and indestructible nature of their Soul; hence they fall into the realm where the Soul light does not shine. Here the Upanishad shows that the only hell is absence of knowledge. As long as man is overpowered by the darkness of ignorance, he is the slave of Nature and must accept whatever comes as the fruit of his thoughts and deeds. When he strays into the path of unreality, the Sages declare that he destroys himself; because he who clings to the perishable body and regards it as his true Self must experience death many times.

Isa Upanishad
Interpretation: Swami Parmananda

That One, though motionless, is swifter than the mind. The senses can never overtake It, for It ever goes before. Though immovable, It travels faster than those who run. By It the all-pervading air sustains all living beings.

This verse explains the character of the Atman or Self. A finite object can be taken from one place and put in another, but it can only occupy one space at a time. The Atman, however, is present everywhere; hence, though one may run with the greatest swiftness to overtake It, already It is there before him.

Even the all-pervading air must be supported by this Self, since It is infinite; and as nothing can live without breathing air, all living things must draw their life from the Cosmic Self.

Isa Upanishad
Interpretation: Swami Parmananda

I know now that I am a lion of cosmic power.
Bleating no more, I shake the error forest with
reverberations of Thine almighty voice. In divine
freedom I bound through the jungle of earthly
delusions, devouring the little creatures of vexing
worries and timidities, and the wild hyenas of
disbelief.

O Lion of Liberation, ever send through me Thy
roar of all-conquering courage.

— Paramahansa Yogananda, “Whispers from Eternity”

Why do you consider non-essentials so important?
Most people concentrate on breakfast, lunch, and
dinner, work, social activities, and so on. Make your
life more simple and put your whole mind on the
Lord.

—Paramahansa Yogananda, “How You Can Talk With God”

Mystic Trail, which started with the name Spiritual Diary in 2010 Completes 5 years on 22nd November 2015. We made efforts to see that none of the quotes are repeated. They were all different.

Sometimes it is also good to re-look at the quotes and pick out the ones you didn’t understand, or the ones you want to re absorb. So this time I am not giving you a new quote. I suggest you go to the Mystic Trail page and browse through the Masters, their quotes and their pictures.

Make it an occasional habit to visit the page. Sometimes a second look reveals something new you might not have noticed earlier. Also try to contemplate in silence on the quotes that affected you. You will discover a new dimension of experience.

Om Asato Maa Sad-Gamaya |
Tamaso Maa Jyotir-Gamaya |
Mrtyor-Maa Amrtam Gamaya |
Om Shaantih Shaantih Shaantih ||

The Upanishad

Meaning:
1: Om, (O Lord) Keep me not in the Unreality (of the bondage of the Phenomenal World), but lead me towards the Reality(of the Eternal Self),
2: (O Lord) Keep me not in the Darkness (of Ignorance), but lead me towards the Light (of Spiritual Knowledge),
3: (O Lord) Keep me not in the (Fear of) Death (due to the bondage of the Mortal World), but lead me towards theImmortality (gained by the Knowledge of the Immortal Self beyond Death),
4: Om, (May there be) Peace, Peace, Peace (at the the three levels – Adidaivika, Adibhautika and Adhyatmika).

Path presupposes distance;
If He be near, no path needest thou at all.
Verily it maketh me smile
To hear of a fish in water athirst!

Sant Kabir

Ordinary love is selfish, darkly rooted in desires and satisfactions.
Divine love is without condition, without boundary, without change.
The flux of the human heart is gone forever at the transfixing touch of pure love.

Swami Sri Yukteshwar Giri

…….“Be like the divine leech and suck up a lot of wisdom even though torn to bits.
A smooth life is not a victorious life.”

………..”And I will give you lots of good karma so you will get through.
I will not only ever forgive you, but ever lift you up no matter how many times you fall.
Keep unceasingly trying to conquer. Not only will I invisibly help you,
but visibly through many disciples here”…………………

“I am not building a mansion for you to give you riches which will perish,
but I am making an imperishable home with all riches in my Divine Mother’s mansion.”

Paramhans Yogananda
(From a letter to a disciple)

The fact remains that man has become God and man can become God for the simple reason that, knowingly or unknowingly, man is God. Only so long as man’s ignorance lasts will there seem to be no end to the plural diversity of illusory things. When divine knowledge is gained he realizes that there is no end to the indivisible oneness of God.

Meher Baba

The last message that was sent to you was message no. 800 this is message # 801. The 700th message was sent With this we complete yet another milestone in the history of Mystic Trail (Originally known as ‘Spiritual Diary’) Since you have been receiving these quotes for so many years (Since November 22nd 2010), perhaps you could recommend those you love or care for to join this group so that they too can avail the benefit of these Divine Quotes from the greatest Master in History of Mankind
_______________________________________
The Supreme Entity is the vastest entity; the ultimate source of all cosmic emanations. The Supreme Entity, which is difficult to conceive, is the subtlest of the subtle. He is farther away than any other entity, but again He is nearer than the nearest. Only the one who looks into the innermost recesses of himself can realize the Supreme Entity.
Human society is one and indivisible. Don’t try to divide it. Each and every individual should be looked upon as the manifestation of the Cosmic Entity.
He is infinite. He has no beginning and no end. He is the unbroken flow of pure and serene bliss, stretching from beginninglessness to endlessness.

– Sri Sri Anandamurti

When any supposedly ill behaviour
of your Beloved the Great Lord
will not agitate your mind
upsetting your temperament
thus making you maintain
unbreakable constancy
to your Beloved the Great Lord
beware! It is a test of adherence
which is goading you on
in a modest manner
so that your character gets consoled ;
and that is indeed the way to be a heavenly man.

– Thakur Shri Shri Anukul Chandra

Kabir, referring to the removal of the seven folds of the veil, says:

Tere ghukghata ke pata khola tujhe Rama milega.

“Open the folds of your veil, and you shall find God.” The ghunghat literally means the covering that a woman extends over her head and face in a number of folds; in spiritual parlance it re p resents the heavy folds of ignorance that keep man hidden f rom his real identity. The lifting of it, fold by fold, corresponds to the stage-by-stage journey of a pilgrim from the first through the fifth plane of the divine path.

– Meher Baba (God Speaks)

Under the illusion of cosmic duality the apparent separation between man and God is invariably re f e rred to by masters in terms of the intervenient “veil” and “curtain.” Hafiz, who was a Perfect Master as well as a great poet, says:

Miyanah ’ashiq o m’ashuq hic hayal nist
Tu Kvud hijab-i Kvudi, Hafiz, az miyan barKiz.

“ There is no barrier between the lover and Beloved; Hafiz, lift yourself aside, you are yourself the covering over Self.”

– Meher Baba

Dar asitan-i janan asman biyandish
Kaz auj-i sar bulandi ufti biKak-i pasti.

“On the threshold of the Beloved, beware of the allurements of the heavens, lest you bring about your fall from the heights of progress and greatness to the depths of degradation and ruin.”

Hafiz

If a gift is to be real, then both the giver and receiver of the gift must forget the transaction comp letely. To forget completely would mean that the giver should not feel he has given, and the receiver should not know he has received. If the giver does not forget, then he has obligated the receiver; and if the receiver does not forget, he experiences a sense of obligation towards the giver. The real gift of love bestowed on man 12 comes from God alone, and remembrance is absent in both the One who gives and the one who receives. Because of this complete forgetfulness man can strive eternally to love God, and God remains the eternal Beloved for mankind.

-Meher Baba

If anyone hurts you and you forgive him, you are leading yourself to the kingdom of God. If anyone is quarrelsome and you give understanding, you are taking yourself to the kingdom of God. If someone is suffering and you reach out with aid and compassion, you are moving into the presence of God.

– Yogananda

Have patience with all things, but chiefly have patience with yourself.
Do not lose courage in considering you own imperfections
but instantly set about remedying them – every day begin the task anew.

– Saint Francis de Sales

Someone asked, “Why is there suffering?” Meher Baba gave this succinct reply: “Suffering is essential for the elimination of the ego, just as it was necessary for you to scrub and scrub in order to wash the stain from my coat.”

To learn the secret of the Unseen is only fitting for that one who can seal her lips and keep silent.
– Rumi

“Happiness is an inside job”
People go through their whole lives chasing everything in the material world, and they fail to discover the greatest treasure of all, which is within them.
Shut your eyes to the outside world. Direct your thoughts and words to the inside of you. The Master within you is the key to all the treasures in the world.
~ from the book ‘The Secret’ by Rhonda Byrne

Grow old along with me! The best is yet to be,
The last of life, for which the first was made:
Our times are in His hand
Who saith, “A whole I planned,
Youth shows but half; trust God: see all, nor be afraid!”

– Robert Browning

He who binds to himself a joy
Doth the winged life destroy.
But he who kisses the joy as it flies
Lives in Eternity’s sunrise.

– William Blake

I kept searching for meaning and then love embraced me, all search disappeared.

~ Buddha

Lord, the night is gone. The dawn has lighted the sky. How I long to know if You accepted or rejected my prayers. Comfort me, Lord, for only you can comfort this state of mine.
You gave me life and nurtured me; Yours is all the praise. If You would ever drive me away from Your door, I would never abandon it for the sake of Your love, which I carry in my heart.-

~ Rabia Rabia the Mystic

The best remedy for those who are afraid, lonely or unhappy is to go outside, somewhere where they can be quiet, alone with the heavens, nature and God.

Because only then does one feel that all is as it should be and that God wishes to see people happy, amidst the simple beauty of nature.

– Anne Frank

It doesn’t take much inner listening to know that ” in there ” are many voices: speaking, singing, shouting and whispering.

*********************
What the inner voice says
Will not disappoint the hoping soul.

~ Friedrich Schiller

Prayer is not asking. Prayer is putting oneself in the hands of God, at His disposition, and listening to His voice in the depth of our hearts.

― Mother Teresa

Who dares impede my progress? Who presume
The spirit to control which guideth me?
Still must the arrow wing its destined flight!
Where danger is, there must Johanna be;
Nor now, nor here, am I foredoomed to fall;
Our monarch’s royal brow I first must see
Invested with the round of sovereignty.
No hostile power can rob me of my life,
Till I’ve accomplished the commands of God.

Freidrich Schiller
(The Maid of Orleans) (1801), Act II, Scene 4 (as translated by Anna Swanwick)

Never destroy your own happiness through impatience and thoughtlessness. The same thing can produce both happiness and unhappiness. We can make ourselves so uncontrolled, so unworthy of the blessings that surround us that we are not able to take good opportunities when they come. Truth is a light, a glowing spiritual light. When that light shines, there can be no darkness. Heaven is not a vague, visionary thing. It is something we create within ourselves. We make it out of the exuberance and radiance of our own soul.

Swami Parmananda

Prayer.
0 Thou All-abiding Spirit, make Thy care and guidance a reality to me.
May the consciousness of Thy Presence become so vivid
That I may find all my rest and strength in Thee alone.
May I walk by Thy light only and never turn away to follow darkness.

Swami Parmananda
(Book of Daily Thoughts and Prayers)

Our happiness depends on the happiness of others. We should expand our little nature. There is no such thing as selfish happiness in political life ; there is no such thing as selfish happiness in social life ; there is no such thing as selfish happiness in spiritual life. Unhappiness means that we close our hearts to the higher avenues of true joy. True happiness is contained in the Infinite and Eternal.

Swami Parmananda
(Book of Daily Thoughts and Prayers)

Prayer.
May the Divine Spirit protect me from selfishness and pettiness.
May I never yield to dejection or discontent.
May He grant me brightness of spirit and cheerfulness.
May I find all my happiness in Him, not in the things of this world.
May He bestow His peace and blessing upon my life

Swami Parmananda
(Book of daily Thoughts and Prayers)

If the door shuts, do not go away.
Be patient, even if every possibility seems closed.
The friend has secret ways known to no one else.

—- Rumi

He wept when they appointed him judge. The deputy asked, “Why do [you] cry? This is the time to rejoice.” “How can I who does not know decide between two who know?” “Accept no bribe,” the deputy said. “Then you will know. Do not give in to desire; it will make you blind. Since I turned from vain desires, my heart has become like a mirror bright. It recognizes truth from untruth.

-Rumi Mathnawi

Not allowing a day to pass without doing some good is a boulder that will block your passage on the path to rebirth. Only virtuous deeds abound in true joy. All other deeds are empty and devoid of distinction.

Tirukkal.

The degree of freedom from unwanted thoughts and the degree of concentration on a single thought are the measures to gauge spiritual progress.

Raman Maharishi

Lover, sit still and wait ;
Whom thou desirest will come.
Being alone is not lonely.
And how wilt thou receive Him if thou art
not alone ?
Waiting is for preparing ;
Watching with longing is sweet ;
And when He comes all this will end
And thou thyself will be lost in love.

Swami Parmanand

It is necessary to open the deeper side of one’s
nature by patience, humility and obedience before
one can take spiritual teaching. That is why the great
sages of India were so insistent in their discipline.
Those who cannot bear reprimand, it shows they are
shallow and empty. Discipleship is a very sacred
thing and it cannot be given to one who is not fully
prepared for it.

Swami Parmanand
(Book of Daily Thoughts and Prayers)

The Infinite is the source of joy. There is no joy in the finite. Only in the Infinite is there joy. Ask to know the Infinite

– Chandogya Upanishad..

The time of business does not with me differ from the time of prayer,
and in the noise and clatter of my kitchen, while several persons are at the same time calling for different things, I possess God in as great tranquility as if I were upon my knees at the blessed sacrament.

– Brother Lawrence

Don’t mentally review any problem constantly.
Let it rest at times and it may work itself out; but see
that you do not rest so long that your discrimination is
lost. Rather, use these rest periods to go deep within
the calm regions of your inner Self.

–Paramahansa Yogananda, “The Law of Success”

The East has lived religiously — that is one pole — and because it has lived religiously it
has not been able to produce science. The West has lived scientifically, and because of its
science it has lost track of religion. Now for the first time, the East is no more East and
the West is no more West. The earth is becoming one: the earth is becoming one. global
village. This is the time when the reconciliation can be seen, can be understood.
Man is entering into a new phase; a new consciousness is to dawn. For at least ten
thousand years, as far as consciousness is concerned, nothing new has happened. There
have been Buddhas and there have been Albert Einsteins, but we are still waiting for a
Buddha who is also an Albert Einstein or an Albert Einstein who is also a Buddha. The
day is coming closer and closer. Albert Einstein in his last days was very much interested
in meditation, in religion. His last days were full of wonder. He said in his old age, “I
used to think when I was young that sooner or later all the mysteries of existence would
be solved, and I worked hard. But now I can say that the more we know, the more
existence turns out to be mysterious. The more we know, the less we know and the more
we become aware of the vastness….”

Osho Rajneesh

Twelve Words of Wisdom by Baba Fareed

1. Do not follow a truth which resembles a lie
2. Do not degrade yourself to achieve a rank
3. If you want the position of a saint, remain away from the kings family
4. Always find an excuse to do something good
5. Do not fight with anyone in a way leaving no chance to come back
6. Do not quit your activities because of other’s cold shoulder
7. Look the way you are, otherwise your true face will be unveiled automatically
8. Beware of a wise looking foolish man
9. Don’t buy a slave who is ready to be sold
10. A person should perform such deeds which keep him alive for ever
11. Truthful in love is a person who has only love and nothing else in his heart

Loghman of Sarrakhs cried: “Dear God, behold
Your faithful servant, poor, bewildered, old–
An old slave is permitted to go free;
I’ve spent my life in patient loyalty,
I’m bent with grief, my black hair’s turned to snow;
Grant manumission, Lord, and let me go.”
A voice replied: “When you have gained release
from mind and thought, your slavery will cease;
You will be free when these two disappear.”
He said: “Lord, it is You whom I revere;
What are the mind and all its ways to me?”
And left them there and then — in ecstasy
He danced and clapped his hands and boldly cried:
“Who am I now? The slave I was has died;
What’s freedom, servitude, and where are they?
Both happiness and grief have fled away;
I neither own nor lack all qualities;
My blindness looks on secret mysteries —
I know not whether You are I, I You;
I lose myself in You, there is no two.”

Farid ud-Din Attar
From the Conference of Birds,

Lost in myself
I reappeared
I know not where
a drop that rose
from the sea and fell
and dissolved again;
a shadow
that stretched itself out
at dawn,
when the sun
reached noon
I disappeared.
I have no news
of my coming
or passing away–
the whole thing
happened quicker
than a breath;
ask no questions
of the moth.
In the candle flame
of his face
I have forgotten
all the answers.
In the way of love
there must be knowledge
and ignorance
so I have become
both a dullard
and a sage;
one must be
an eye and yet
not see
so I am blind
and yet I still
perceive,
Dust
be on my head
if I can say
where I
in bewilderment
have wandered:
Attar
watched his heart
transcend both worlds
and under its shadow
now is gone mad
with love.

Farid ud-Din Attar
English version by Peter Lamborn Wilson and Nasrollah Pourjavady
Original Language Persian/Farsi

Do not lament if you see no lights or images in
meditation. Go deep into the perception of Bliss; there
you will find the actual presence of God. Seek not a
part but the Whole.

—Paramahansa Yogananda, “Sayings of Paramahansa
Yogananda”

Not through a desultory life but through a regular
and balanced life will you receive the blessings of the
Masters. Then evil will never use you as an instrument.

—Paramahansa Yogananda, in a talk to disciples

Christ came and lived among men to awaken the Christ-consciousness within them. Christ should be born in each one of you. Then alone you will understand spiritual life. Then alone you will try to live a perfect, divine life. Then alone you will realize the spirit of Christ, which is within each one of us. Every day should be a Christmas Day for us. So bring the spirit of Christ into your daily life. Behold Christ in everything, in all beings. Cultivate sympathy and mercy for all beings. Expand your heart and embrace all. Greet the Christ everywhere. Remember, Christ is in the saint and the sinner. Christ is in the dog and in the laborer. Christ is in all. And Christ is in you!

– Swami Sivananda

Glory to God in highest heaven,
Who unto man His Son hath given;
While angels sing with tender mirth,
A glad new year to all the earth.

-Martin Luther

If this is to be a Happy New Year, a year of usefulness, a year in which we shall live to make this earth better, it is because God will direct our pathway. How important then, to feel our dependence upon Him!

– Matthew Simpson

Told to Sarada Devi: Just as Chanda Mama (`uncle’ moon) is the uncle of all children, so God is everybody’s Own. Whoever calls on Him will be blessed with His vision. If you call on him, you also will see Him

– Ramakrishna Paramhans

God can be realized; one can see and talk to Him as I am seeing and talking to you. But who cares? People shed torrents of tears for their wife and children, for wealth or property, but who does so for the sake of God? If one weeps sincerely for Him, He surely manifests Himself.

Swami Ramakrishna Paramhans

Even if it is agreed that Radha was not a historical personality and that the episode is imagined by some lover of God, why not fix your mind on the intense yearning of Radha and the Gopis for the Supreme? Why dwell on the expression? This may appear human to you, but the yearning and vision you must take as divine.

Swami Ramakrishna Paramhans

Anything that is secret and mysterious in these systems of yoga should be at once rejected. The best guide in life is strength. In religion, as in all other matters, discard everything that weakens you, have nothing to do with it.

Swami Vivekananda

All who have actually attained any real religious experience never wrangle over the form in which the different religions are expressed. They know that the soul of all religions is the same and so they have no quarrel with anybody just because he or she does not speak in the same tongue.

Swami Vivekananda

Be empty of worrying…. Why do you stay in prison when the door is so wide open?
Move outside the tangle of fear-thinking.

~Rumi, (as interpreted by Coleman Barks)

The secret of health for both mind and body is not to mourn for the past, not to worry about the future, or not to anticipate troubles, but to live the present moment wisely and earnestly.

– The Buddha

Parvardigar the Preserver and Protector of all!
You are without Beginning, and without End,
Non-dual, beyond comparison, and none
can measure You.
You are without colour, without expression,
without form, and without attributes.
You are unlimited and unfathomable,
beyond imagination and conception,
eternal and imperishable.
You are indivisible; and none can see You,
but with Eyes Divine.
You always were, You always are, and
You always will be;
You are everywhere, You are in everything;
and You are also beyond everywhere
and beyond everything.
You are in the firmament and in the depths;
You are manifest and unmanifest, on
all planes and beyond all planes.
You are in the three worlds, and also
beyond the three worlds;
You are imperceptible and independent.
You are the Creator, the Lord of lords,
the knower of all minds and hearts;
You are omnipotent and omnipresent.
You are Knowledge Infinite, Power Infinite,
and Bliss Infinite.
You are the Ocean of Knowledge, all-knowing,
infinitely knowing, the Knower of the past,
the present, and the future, and You are
Knowledge Itself.
You are all-merciful and eternally benevolent;
You are the Soul of souls, the One with
infinite attributes.
You are the Trinity of Truth, knowledge, and
Bliss,
You are the Source of Truth, the Ocean of Love;
You are the Ancient One, the Highest of the High;
You are Prabhu and Parameshwar, You are the
Beyond-God, and the Beyond-Beyond God also,
You are Parabrahma, Allah, Elahi, Yezdan,
Ahuramazda, and God the Beloved.
You are named Ezad the only One
worthy of worship.

– Meher Baba (Universal Prayer )

The friendship that exist between guru and disciple
is eternal. There is complete surrender, there is no
compulsion, when a disciple accepts the guru’s training.

—Paramahansa Yogananda, “Man’s Eternal Quest”

The ability to exercise constant control over one’s low desire s is no mean achievement. Success in establishing a lasting sublimation of all desires is indeed a greater one. But the greatest is the burning away of all one’s desires once and for all, which divine love alone can do.

– Meher Baba (God Speaks)