13. SATSANGAM by Sri P Gopi Krishna

[Guest guest]

13. SATSANGAM

(Read, Understand, Appreciate, Internalise and Assimilate to reach

the Ultimate)

 

Story - - Hearing God

 

The young man had lost his job and didn't know which way to turn. So

he went to see the old preacher.

 

Pacing about the preacher's study, the young man ranted about his

problem. Finally he clenched his fist and shouted, " I've begged God

to say something to help me. Tell me, Preacher, why doesn't God

answer? "

 

The old preacher, who sat across the room, spoke something in reply -

- something so hushed it was indistinguishable.

 

The young man stepped across the room. " What did you say? " he asked.

 

The preacher repeated himself, but again in a tone as soft as a

whisper. So the young man moved closer until he was leaning on the

preacher's chair.

 

" Sorry, " he said. " I still didn't hear you. "

 

With their heads bent together, the old preacher spoke once

more. " God sometimes whispers, " he said, " so we will move closer to

hear Him. "

 

This time the young man heard and he understood. We all want God's

voice to thunder through the air with the answer to our problem. But

God's is the still, small voice...... the gentle whisper.

 

Perhaps there's a reason. Until my head is bent together with His.

And then, as I listen, I will find my answer. Better still, I find

myself closer to God.

 

FAITH (Take a deep breath before reading this!)

 

There was an atheist couple who had a child. The couple never told

their daughter anything about the Lord.One night when the little

girl was 5 years old, the parents fought with each other and the dad

shot the mom, right in front of the child.. Then, the dad shot

himself. The little girl watched it all.She then was sent to a

foster home. The foster mother was a Christian and took the child to

church. On the first day of Sunday School, the foster mother told

the teacher that the girl had never heard of Jesus, and to have

patience with her. The teacher held up a picture of Jesus and

said, " Does anyone know who this is? " The little girl said, " I do,

that's the man who was holding me the night my parents died. "

 

If you believe this little girl is telling the truth that even

though she had never heard of Jesus, he still held her the night her

parents died, then you will forward this to as many people as you

can. Or you can delete it as if it never touched your heart. Funny,

isn't it? Funny how simple it is for people to trash God and then

wonder why the world's going to hell.

 

Funny how we believe what the newspapers say, but question what the

Bible says. Funny how everyone wants to go to heaven provided they

do not have to believe, think, say, or do anything the Bible says.

(Or is it scary?) Funny how someone can say " I believe in God " but

still follow Satan (who, by the way, also " believes " in God). Funny

how you can send a thousand 'jokes' through e-mail and they spread

like wildfire, but when you start sending messages regarding the

Lord, people think twice about sharing. Funny how the lewd, crude,

vulgar and obscene pass freely through cyberspace, but the public

discussion of Jesus is suppressed in the school and workplace. Funny

how someone can be so fired up for Christ on Sunday, but be an

invisible Christian the rest of the week. (Are you laughing?) Funny

how when you go to forward this message, you will not send it to

many on your address list because you're not sure what they believe,

or what they will think of you for sending it to them. Funny how I

can be more worried about what other people think of me than what

God thinks of me. (Are you thinking?)

 

Pass this on only if you mean it! Yes, I do Love God. He is my

source of existence and Savior. He keeps me functioning each and

everyday. Without Him, I will be nothing. Without him, I am nothing

but with Him I can do all things through Christ that strengthens me.

(Phillipians 4:13).

 

Upanishads and Strength

 

Swami Vivekananda has dealt extensively with the concept

of 'Strength' in the Upanishads. All of them explicitly deal with

positive characteristics of strength. It is suggested that the

original Sanskrit words be referred to, for a better understanding

of the verses.

 

First, a most inspiring quote from Swami: 'The Upanishads are the

great mine of strength. Therein lies strength enough to invigorate

the whole world; the whole world can be vivified, made strong,

energized through them. They will call with trumpet voice upon the

weak, the miserable and the downtrodden of all races, all creeds and

all sects, to stand on their feet and be free; freedom, physical

freedom, mental freedom and spiritual freedom are the watchwords of

the Upanishads. ' (III.238)

 

These excerpts are taken from the invocation prayers at the start of

the Upanishads. The invocations present the 'gist' of the

Upanishads. The Upanishadic students are asked to keep the spirit of

the invocation in mind, while they learn the Upanishads. Hence the

invocations have great importance.

 

1. Om. May my limbs and my strength become fully developed, so also

my senses including sight and hearing. Everything in the world is

the Upanishadic Brahman. May I become strong. May I not deny the

Brahman. May I never deny myself. Let the truths of the Upanishads

become manifested in me, who am ever devoted to the Atman. May the

truths become manifested in me. Let there be peace everywhere.

 

2. Om. May WE be protected by this knowledge. May the knowledge

uplift US. May this knowledge give US strength. May this knowledge

make US Tejaswis*. May we not cavil at each other. Let there be

peace everywhere.

 

3. Om. May our ears hear only the beneficial (bhadra). May we see

only the beneficial (bhadra). May we worship him with steady limbs

and body, as long as we live. May all Gods give us Strength. May

there be peace everywhere.

 

* It is difficult to give accurate translations to these words in

English.

 

 

Sri P Gopi Krishna

# 706 Fancy Apartments

19 Vasundara Enclave

Delhi 110096.

Mobile: 09899929066