A foggy Sunday

Like everyday of this month, last Sunday was a foggy Sunday. Dense fog with a heavy cold wave welcomes us when we open the door in the early morning. Around eight in that morning I started for a local short trip with my camera to take some snaps of this foggy morning. My 13 years old daughter was also with me. She is a good photographer (according to my opinion and considering her age). Earlier, she captured some memorable moments. Jointly we took some natural photographs ignoring the fog and cold waves. Both of we enjoyed our weekend tour very much.

We are presenting some photographs for the Honorable readers of this Blog.

An Appointment Diary

Like every year, last Saturday, I have purchased an appointment diary for 2012 by only Rs 30. It is an ordinary diary but very useful. Every year in November / December, I used to go to market to purchase an appointment diary for myself. I record all my appointments and `work to be done` in that diary. I have no idea regarding this. I have learnt the art of recording appointments from Revered Swami Saradatmanandaji Maharaj, the then President of Ramakrishna Math, Midnapore in the year 1988. It was the month of May. I went to market to purchase an appointment diary just after returning from the Math. But, it was very difficult to get a new year’s diary in the month of May. However, somehow I managed one. From the year 1989, I never forget to purchase an appointment diary.

This is a small diary and you can easily carry this in your journey. Nowadays, for appointments or `work to be done`, we use our mobile phone. But, diary, in written form in your own handwritings has no alternatives. As I told you earlier, to execute every appointment, diary is important in our daily life. We are leading a very busy life. We have to do different types of work for myself and for my family members. If we record our work earlier in the diary, it will give us alarm well in advance. If you seriously try to follow this diary, you can easily execute at least 80% of work in proper time. You can record your important work for the coming year. You can also manage your time; plan your coming holiday trip etc. If you like, you can record your appointment or coming work by purchasing an appointment diary today by paying a nominal amount.

Make an appointment to purchase your Appointment Diary for 2012. Happy New Year.

159th Birthday of Holy Mother Sri Sarada Devi

Today is the 159^th Birthday of Holy Mother Sri Sarada Devi

Some sayings of Holy Mother Sri Sarada Devi.

I am the Mother of the virtuous, I am the Mother of the wicked. Whenever you are in distress, say to yourself: `I have a mother`.

Holy men are born on earth to show people the way to God. They teach differently. There are many paths leading to the same goal. Therefore the teachings of all the saints are true.

The aim of life is to realize God and remain immersed in contemplation of Him. God alone is real and everything else is false.

Misery is truly a gift of God. I believe it is a symbol of His compassion.

One must not speak unpleasant truths unnecessary. By indulging in rude words one’s nature becomes rude. One loses sensitivity without control over one’s words.

Only through work can one remove the bondage of work. Total detachment comes later. One should not be without work even for a moment. Work helps one to fend off idle thoughts.

If one sits alone without any work, various thoughts may come into the mind.

When a man sees defects in others his own mind first gets polluted. What does he gain by finding faults in others? He only hurts himself by that.

One should not trifle with a thing, though it may be very insignificant. If you respect a thing, the thing also respects you. Even a broomstick should be treated with respect. One should perform even an insignificant work with respect.

My child, if you want peace, then do not look into anybody’s faults. Look into your own faults. Learn to make the world your own. No one is a stranger, my child, the whole world is your own.

Brajarajpur

Brajarajpur in Bankura District (West Bengal) is famous from the ancient period for the temple of Sri Sri Shyamsundar Jiu. The main deity is Sri Shyamsundar and Sri Radhika. The literally meaning of Brajaraj is `the king of Braja`.  Brajadham is a place near Mathura where Sri Krishna passed his childhood days. The king of Braja is Sri Krishna. Sri Shyamsundar is the other name of Sri Krishna.

The temple of Sri Shyamsundar Jiu is the main temple of Brajarajpur. It is locally known as `Shyamer than` - The holy place of Shyam (Sri Shyamsundar). The temple is nearly 400 years old. Last renovation of the temple was done nearly 101 years ago. The main festivals of this temple are Rassyatra and Dolyatra (Holi festival). Sacred Bhog Prasad is available in the temple during noontime daily.

Brajarajpur is one of the Gram panchaytas of Indpur Block under Khatra subdivision of Bankura district. Brajarajpur is a prosperous village. Goswamis are the main inhabitants of this village.

How to reach: From Bankura Gobinda Nagar Bus stand, take buses towards Khatra via Indpur. Bus Stoppage - Dangarampur. From Dangarampur, Rickshaws and Cars are available towards the temple (nearly 3 km).  The distance from Bankura town to Brajarajpur is nearly 20 km. Hired cars are also available from Bankura Railway station.

Main entrance of the Temple

Natmandira

Kirtan Mandapam

Front view of the Temple

Do your own work yourself

We love to give orders. From morning to night, we are giving different types of orders to our near and dear ones including our parents. We want that all will follow my orders and nothing else. But, when others are asking me to do something, my attitude is negative. This is the daily picture in our family life.

From this moment, try to do your own work yourself. Do not give any orders to anyone. Train your mind to be self-sufficient. This is one of the good qualities of human character. Do your all work and at the same time serve more to your old parents and junior brothers and sisters. As a Youngman, why will we give orders to anyone? God has given us physical strength and mental energy. Why will we depend on others? Why will we take the services of others? Build a positive mind from the early childhood to serve more to others rather taking services from others.

I have seen many teenagers who are fully dependant on their parents. The father is taking them to the tuition daily on his bike; the mother is washing their school uniform and Cades. Most of the school-going students are unable to arrange their school bag or cover their books and exercise copies properly without the help of their parents. Even they do not know how to fill up an application form, how to fill up a Railway Reservation Slip, how to fill up the pay-in-slip or withdrawal slips of banks, how to fill up the Money Order form etc.

Learning is a continuous process. There is no end of learning. Try to learn all with an open mind from the early childhood. From the early childhood, take care of all your belongings. Arrange your books and copies in your study table properly and neatly. Cover properly your all books and copies in your own hand. On every Sunday, wash your garments and school uniform and Cades in your own hand. Learn how to press the garments. On every Sunday, clean your own bicycle in your own hand. Help your parents in domestic work as far as possible. Go to the market and purchase some commodities for your home. You will be acquainted with the prices of different commodities in the market, which are gradually increasing. Then only you can try to control your family wastage. At the same time, as a student, you must learn your study materials properly to make your academic foundation strong.

A story

Place: A Railway station in Bengal

Time: Evening

A passenger train was slowly entering in a station. `Porter, Porter` - A Youngman was shouting from the window. But, at that time there was no porter in the platform. A middle-aged person with a simple dress was standing in the platform near the train. He proceeded to the door of the train. The Youngman gave his light luggage treating him as a porter. When both of them crossed the area of Railway platform, the Youngman asked the middle-aged person about the portarage. The person said, `I am not a porter. My name is Ishwarchandra Vidyasagar. My dear son, when you are able to carry this light luggage, why are you asking help from someone? Do your own work yourself. ` ‰

Learn from parents and seniors

I

t is our general tendency to disobey our seniors. We are not ready to accept or respect them. We are not ready to follow their instructions. We think, our decision is enough. In our family life also, we disobey our parents and other senior members of our family. Even we do not show the courtesy in our daily life. Being a highly educated person, we think our knowledge is superior to our parents and seniors. We are passing a very busy life! We are not helping our parents in the domestic works.  Both of them are toiling hard from the early morning and as a son or daughter, we are watching this as a spectator.

Try to learn from seniors. Obey them. Respect them. They have enough and long experiences. They are the old soldiers, who are still fighting in the battlefield of samsara. Pay respect to their long experiences. You may have some academic degrees in your bag, but experiences are totally different thing. As we are older day by day, we are gaining different types of experiences. Learn from these experiences, as experiences are our teacher.

For learning anything from anyone, an open mind with willing to learn is necessary.

When you are going to take any decision in your life, ask your parents or seniors for their valuable suggestions. Your parents or seniors are always pray welfare for you. They will give you correct suggestion. If it is not according to your choice, you can use your own analysis power. But, obedience must be there. If you want to make your home a sweet home, you must be obedient. What we are observing nowadays? In our own family, there is unrest and unhappiness. We may have management degrees but we are unable to apply the theories of management in our own family.

The first condition is obedience. When my father is telling me to go the vegetable market, my first duty is to go the market. When my mother is asking for a glass of water, my first duty is to give her a glass of water. No excuse. First, train your mind to be obedient. The result will come. If you want peace in your life, the blessings of your parents and seniors are necessary.

Learning is a continuous process. We must learn from the life of our parents and seniors. We can enrich our knowledge from their long experiences. Best result will come through the experiences of seniors plus the enthusiasm of juniors. 

`Knowing that mother and father are the visible representatives of God, the householder, always and by all means, must please them. If the mother is pleased, and the father, God is pleased with the man. That child is really a good child who never speaks harsh words to his parents.` Swami Vivekananda C.W. 1:43

Positive Thoughts from Early Childhood

Give your children positive thoughts from their early childhood. Otherwise, it is very difficult for you, as a guardian or parent, to rectify their old habits in their future life. Time is going on day by day. Your children are also growing day by day with some habits. These habits are may be good (positive) or may be bad (negative). These habits will make a shape in the near future. Repeated habits will make character, as human character is nothing but the bundle of habits. You are giving your children proper education in the school. Your child is scoring excellent marks in examinations year after year. But academic education is not sufficient. Academic education cannot solve the problems of real life. In the present scenario, Man-making and character-building education is not only necessary but also essential.

As a parent or guardian, give them proper education from their early childhood so that they can make their human life beautiful and meaningful. Give them positive training from their early childhood so that they can grow some good habits. At the same time, as a mentor, you also make your life beautiful. Otherwise, only vocal tonic and suggestions will not make any fruitful result.

Today all we are worried about the future of our children. All we want to see the brighter future. We are investing lakhs of rupees for their education every year. But we are not worried about their human life, which is precious. We are not worried about their bad habits. We are not worried about their character, which is the main structure of human life.

From the early childhood, give them proper education. That education, which makes your child as a MAN. Give them the idea of unselfishness. Give them the idea of self-confidence. Give them the idea of wide outlook to love the neighbors, to love the near and distant relatives. Give them the positive thought to love their Motherland. Train and guide them from their early childhood so that they can make their human character beautiful.

If you can, then you are a real teacher. You will be hero in the life of your children. Your children will only remember you for this positive direction. They will also guide their children as you are guiding them today.