Grateful Greetings to Swami Mukundananda on His Birth Anniversary!

A king thought that I wanted to honor a person who had contributed significantly to the development of my kingdom. The king called a cabinet meeting for this. The king asked the advice of the ministers, ``Whom should I honor?"

A minister stood up and said, "We should respect the writer because he teaches us all to live life through his ideas". Another minister said, "We should respect the artist because he brings us out of depression by providing entertainment". The third minister said, "We should respect the engineer because it is because of him that there has been so much development. These roads, big houses, various machines and physical facilities have come only because of the engineer". A fourth said, "We should respect the doctor because he gives new life". The fifth minister said, "According to my opinion, the industrialist should be respected because of this many people get employment and the state also gets income". The another minister raised his voice, "we should respect teachers. He teaches us all."

The king was confused after hearing the different suggestions of all the ministers. All these people really contributed tremendously to the development of the state so there was a big confusion as to whom to honor. The king asked the most experienced and senior minister of the state to give his opinion who was still sitting silently listening to everyone. Senior Pradhan said, "Maharaj, give me one hour's time for this. I will go out for an hour and then give my opinion". The king gave permission for this.

The state's senior-most minister left the meeting and returned after an hour.

He returned with a man full of effulgence, radiance and happiness in his aura. Yes, he came with a glorious and Holy Saint of the state. Most of the ministers sitting in the meeting smiled at the sight of this man. All these ministers stood up from their seats and bowed down to the old lady. The king started thinking that I am giving salary to everyone but no minister is paying me so much respect!!"

Looking to the Saint the king himself also stood up and bowed down to Him.

Now the senior minister clarified the picture. He said, all present here had their opinion and their opinions were right. But the contribution of scientists, engineers, teachers, authors etc. is limited for their respective fields. While the saint has a long-lasting contribution to our society. The saint is all in one!!

We cherish His positive impact and influence forever and we feel grateful when He shower His gracious blessings upon us. He gives a golden touch to society, turning it into a beautiful heaven on earth while minimizing the distress and hopelessness from people’s lives. His Devotional sentiments subtly cleanse the materialistic pollution from the minds of His followers. The aspirations and achievements of this human being cannot be recorded even in a colossal book. He has set himself as role model for the masses to follow. He has guided us to achieve peace of mind through spirituality.

The king looked at the senior minister and asked, "I understand whose contribution is the most important in the development of the state? Writer, artist, engineer, doctor or industrialist, all these have an invaluable contribution to the well-being of the state, but the work of shaping all these is done by the Saint, so the honor of the Saint should be respected."

This story reminds us of the dedicated life of Swami Mukundananda.

Swamiji doesn't work for one particular department; his services are multi-dimensional and expand to many departments and faculties of this world and beyond!! He serves not only to a particular community of limited class of the society, he serves the entire human kind.

He is an engineer, bridging the gap between soul and God.

He is a Professor, who elucidates the Vedic message to a wide range of students with different attitudes---from emotional young children to persons with highly logical brains.

He is a mathematician, who solves problems, doubts and confusions arising from apparently contradictory scriptures.

He is a scientist, discovering and simplifying the formulas for devotion in a changing world.

He is a geologist, mapping and guiding all towards the spiritual dimensions where many elevated souls reached in their lifespan in the past.

He is a preacher, promoting the Vedic lifestyle and spreading the words of Hari and Guru.

He is a singer, who sings the glory of God's divine forms, virtues, abodes, and pastimes.

He is an orator, who explains difficult scriptural principles making it easy to understand and practice.

He is a gardener, who nurtures the seed of devotion in the heart of people.

He is an advocate of the Sanatan Dharm.

He is a lawyer, clarifies the laws of God and inspires others to abide by them.

He is a guardian, protecting the Sanatan Vedic knowledge.

He is a doctor, who helps to uproot the bhav rog by healing infirmities of the body, mind and soul by inspiring them to walk on the path of Yog and God-realization.

He is an author, expressing the greatness and glory of the Divine in meaningful words.”

And the list goes on..
Swamiji is a dedicated follower of Hari-Guru.

He is an inspiration for thousands..

Friendly philosopher and guide to many...

A founder of Bal-Mukund and JKYog...

Parents often complain, "It is like trying to chew iron nuts when it comes to convincing their children to follow God's words." Not only children, it is a very difficult task to inspire even one or two close relatives to walk on the path of God-realization; we all have faced this at one or other stage of our life. But looking at Swamiji’s life, listening to his lectures and kirtans, many people, not only from India but even from other countries, wish and start to walk on the path of God-realization. Such contagious devotion he possesses.

Swamiji has been selflessly and tirelessly spreading the Divine message of Lord Krishna and Shree Maharaj ji throughout the world.

Swamiji, Your Birthday is a blessed day for all of us. You have set a brilliant example of selfless service and love for God and Guru!! In other words, this day has given birth to many spiritual births and opportunities to others! Our most humble greeting to You on this special day! This day, is an opportunity to express our gratitude for Your invaluable spiritual gifts distributed for free. Your kirtans, discourses and books are deeply inspiring, enlightening and continuously uplifting...thank you for everything that you have given us for our spiritual enlightenment.

All the children of Bal Mukund along with their parents and teachers are grateful to You for Your grace and guidance!

Kindly keep shining as a lighthouse guiding wayward souls toward their destination.

Sambhavami Yuge Yuge.

People often ask where is God? Especially during this time when humankind is facing and fighting  with  the strange Corona virus, the God is often remembered through this famous shlok of Bhagwad  Geeta- either for seeking protection or out of curiosity due to unending adversity:

 

यदा यदा हि धर्मस्य ग्लानिर्भवति भारत |

अभ्युत्थानमधर्मस्य तदात्मानं सृजाम्यहम् ||

परित्राणाय साधूनां विनाशाय च दुष्कृताम् |

धर्मसंस्थापनार्थाय सम्भवामि युगे युगे || 

   Bhagavad Gita:4-7,8

Jagadguru Shree Kripaluji Maharaj says, "HE is waiting for us with wide, open arms."

So, why is He delaying His descendance on the earth when we are facing so many challenges simultaneously?

This is the time when we need to go beyond our selective memory and remember Shree Krishna's words once again. He also said, "I will come to annihilate adharm and to protect dharm". He stated that He will be on the side of Dharma!!

Now these words suggest the need of introspection!

Are we on the path of Dharma? Once we have reflected on this question, our curiosity to seek clarification on His apparent absence or the so called unending adversity will get answered.

Knowingly unknowingly, to attain small gains, to fulfill our mundane desires many times we deviate from the principles of dharma. As soon as we face the consequences of these deviations, we seek God to redeem us.

Not only that, many times we ignore the unrighteous approach just out of our preferences! And how we find leeways! We call it duty, need, helplessness and what not and end up victimizing ourselves for siding Adharma. Bhaishma Pitamah, Dronacharya and Kripacharya are the examples of this. They knew that Kauravas had malicious intentions and that Pandavas were virtuous and deserving. But under the pressure of their respective duties, they knowingly or unknowingly, happily or unhappily supported, encouraged and pampered Kauravas. And it is also known that these are the reasons why Shree Krishna was not in that side! 

On the other side, Pandavas who were entitled to a kingdom, continued to stick to Dharma even in the face of grave adversities. They were enough capable, powerful and intelligent to respond back to each act of injustice done by Kauravas, but they chose not to leave their Dharma.

 Looking to the straightforwardness and  righteousness, humility and God-seeking attitude, Shree   Krishna came to support them. At that stage also He gave them choice to select God or His mighty   army. But The Krishna-loving Pandavas chose Shree KRISHNA against His mighty army.Their love   for God, their righteousness attract God's grace.And we know that Shree Krishna didn't even redeem   them, but worked with them like their Sakha...parabhrama Parmeshwar became a charioteer of Arjun's   chariot!

Shree Krishna is kind. He is Dayanidhi.He is Karunasindhu. He cannot wait for a moment to rush to help His devotees but the need is to purify ourselves. 

 Here the role of Bhagavad Gita comes.
 It is not merely a book on which you put your hand in the courts and take the vows! 
 It is not merely a book to put on the altar and to offer incense sticks to. 
 It is not a thing to highlight as your favorite book on your facebook page alone to show how religious minded you are.

 Bhagavad Gita is DIVINE WORDS of SHREE KRISHNA HIMSELF!
 It is divine guidance.
 It is for a person to live his day-to-day life fulfilling and for the soul to decide its journey further.
 It is a complete package for physical, mental, emotional and spiritual wellness.

 It teaches to have a candid dialogue with God regarding the problems. If you do not talk to God then who else can guide you? It teaches that in dilemma or difficult conditions, seek divine guidance from God instead of doing gymnastic according to own limited intellect.

It teaches Bhaktiyog, Karma yog and Gyan yog. 

It reveals the opulence of Shree Krishna and though we do not have that divine vision to see God's cosmic form, through this Holy scripture and its words, we can visualize the great opulence of ShreeKrishna's cosmic form!!

It shows the karmic connection and the journey of a soul according to those karma.

In this holy scripture Shree Krishna has clearly shown the way to reach Him.

Finally, it teaches the ultimate lesson...."सर्वधर्मान्परित्यज्य मामेकं शरणं व्रज" - Surrender to Shree Krishna only!!  The ultimate Dharma of jeev as well as the soul!!

These are the lessons of Bhagavad Gita and we need to absorb them in our life.

Swami Mukundananda has nicely put this by giving an example in his lectures.."somebody came to me and shared, "Swamiji! not a day passes without me chanting the verses of Gita. Swamiji responded, "It is Good. but what do you chant?" "mamekam sharanam vraj?? Swamiji then shared that when we only chant without understanding the meaning, we do not get the essence. The devotee was chanting surrender to me only", which originally were the words spoken by Shree Krishna.

So, according to Gita, 

Stay on the path of Dharma,

Do not be on the side of Adharma 

In a dilemma,  seek the divine guidance of God,

Know His wish.

Completely surrender unto Him and ACT according to HIS Guideline.

God is all ready to meet, but He will definitely see the receiving capacity!! He is continuously waiting to reach us, receive HIM by following and implementing HIS Teachings.