Toiling upward.

I've just read a wonderfully inspiring truth:
"The heights rich men reached and kept, were not attained by sudden flight; but they, while their companions slept, were toiling upward in the night.

"Happy Birthday"

It is a great priviledge to be born as a human being and greater istill is the priviledge when, in this human life time, we get to meet and associate with great masters. We meet many people throughout our lifetimes. Many leave their mark on our minds and life. However, the meeting of Great Masters is such that they give us lessons of Life which live with us, which guides us long, long after the Great Masters even leave the mortal plane. One such Master is, Param Pujya Swami Nisreyasanandaji Maharaj, whose poetic outpourings we have on this blog.

We celebrate the birth of this Great Son of India, who traversed countries, showering his pearls of wisdom on all who came in his contact. This sharing lives on, although the mortal coil has dropped over a decade ago. Today is 108th birthday of this noble saint. His own words, written in 1976 say: "From Lunar position, I started 78 on the 3rd of September. From Solar position, 78th will begin on 14th. Mother Earth has been carrying me on a free ride 77 times round the Zodiac . . . food, boarding, lodging, everything FREE. Yet I started thanking her only recently."

What a great lesson we learn from reading this. Have we ever thought about our life in this way? Our board, our lodging, our food. . . everything FREE?

Happy birthday Swamiji. May we continue to celebrate Thy "birthday" recounting our blessings too...

WEALTH IN DIFFERENT VIEWS

Our progress comes when thoughts are moved
In ways to make New Values rise.
The world in front makes strange demands
To gain from them new skills we need.

From inside too strong drives emerge
To get new wisdom, strength and joy
For right response as problems come,
We must, with speed, adopt fresh view.

When people share their rooms in love,
Pet notions, freely voiced, may clash.
Divergent views that MUST appear,
Should they ENHANCE or WEAKEN LOVE?

RIGHT LOVE inspires in others thoughts
Progressive change that leads to God.
Invoke His Grace; fresh views welcome;
As they EVOLVE, LET LOVE EXPAND!

Swami Nisreyasananda: January 1979

UNIQUE DRAMA AND VIEWER

The mind is like a stage unique;
Here actors come along with stage!
When drama ends and actors go,
The stage too goes, as Viewer knows!

To hear and touch, see, taste and smell,
To plan, revise, acquire and thank,
To tune to Truth are graded scenes
This stage provides when managed well!

Reflection shows that Viewer stays
Unstained, when waking, dream and sleep,
By turn rotate, --each rising state,
No doubt, excludes remaining two!

This Viewer's Freedom firmly grasped,
Thoughts, feelings, deeds in accord kept,
Its Divine Glory stands Revealed;
It transforms Life and showers Peace.

- Swami Nisreyasananda (July 1979)