social service is a;lso part of shakti sadhana....

[Guest guest]

If all the Upanishads and all the other Scriptures

happened all of a sudden to be reduced to ashes, and

if only the first verse in the Ishopanishad were left

in the memory of the Hindus, Hinduism would live

forever"

said Mahatma Gandhi

 

the first verse of Isha Upanishad

 

 

IshAvAsyam idam sarvam

 

yat kinca jagatyAm jagat

 

tena tyaktena bhunjIthA

 

mA gRidhah kasya svid dhanam

 

 

Meaning of this verse

 

 

"Everything animate or inanimate that is within the universe is

controlled and owned by the Lord. One should therefore accept only

those things necessary for himself, which are set aside as his

quota,

and one should not accept other things, knowing well to whom they

belong."

 

Everything in this universe belongs to The almighty Lord- the 'air'

we breathe, the land we walk on ,the water we drink, ....... but

still we human beigs fight over eveything - property, land, wealth

etc....

 

If only all of us could see the eternal truth in this first verse

of

isha upanishad- since everything belongs to God, then all of God's

children are entitled to the necessities of life... there is enough

of 'wealth' to go around.... to fulfill everyone's needs

but 'greed'

and coveteousness on the part of some makes it impossible for those

in 'need; to even survive.

 

TIn third world countries, children are dying from 'mal-nutrition'

and hunger and disease. in affluent countries children are dying

from

diseases caused by affluence like obesity and environmental

pollution.

 

God feeds the voracious appetite of an Elephant. God also takes

care

of the needs of an 'ant' who can survice on a few grains of rice.

 

but human greed makes it impossible for all to enjoy god's

bounties.

so the rich remain rich and the poor poorer... there is great mal-

distribution of wealth and resources...

 

hence there is misery and suffering. ...

 

WE forget God IS THE OWNER and supreme enjoyer and we are here

> to 'please' him but OUR 'EXPOITATIVE' NATURE PREVENTS US FROM

SEEINGS

> THINGS IN ITS PROPER PERSPECTIVE.

>

ONCE WE REALIZE THAT WE ARE ONLY 'CARETAKERS' and not owners of

god's

bounties, we will be less 'greedy', less 'self-serving'

 

REal renunciation does not mean giving up everthing

because 'nothing

is yours to give up in the first place.... everything belongs to

God

including this physical body... but what renunciation means is to

use

the 'body' and the resources in the loving service of god and his

children. this is what great men like mahatma gandhiji and swami

vivekananda talked about. jana seva janardana seva ; nara seva

narayana seva. ( serving the poor is serving the lord)

 

OM shanti! om shanti! om shanti!

 

 

*********************************************************************

 

PAROPAKARAYA IDAM SHARIRAM- this body is for service to others!!!!

 

love u all