Purpose of “LIFE”

Purpose of “LIFE”

Before we define the purpose of life lets understand what we do in our life.

We always search / aim for something in our life.  May be for wealth, beautiful wife / handsome husband, good job, more salary, lovable relationship or even salvation / liberation and so on……..

We keep trying something throughout our life to achieve and will never settle down.

It is nothing wrong in setting ambitions in life that’s what keeps you alive and ticking.  But no one can ever taste the real happiness when we achieve what we set, because the moment you achieve then the next and it will go on forever. This everyone would have experienced in life. Say for example, when you are terribly hungry you want to eat the food first and then everything. The moment you put the food and quench the hunger your mind starts focusing on the next thing to get satisfied. The mind wants something else now.

Please watch this vlog for wonderful sharing about Life  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xiojpfzRjgc&feature=youtu.be

I can end this chapter by highlighting two statements. One from my Hero Swami Vivekananda and second is my perspective about life.

1.       Swami Vivekananda says- “Neti , Neti “  meaning -   “ Not This, Not This”. We can only experience that this is NOT but never be able to clearly say this is what the purpose of Life.







2.       In fact, the purpose of life is – “NO –THING”

• Anything you bring / define will not really satisfy or meaningful and it is an effort to carry a PURPOSE. In fact, Life is Effortless and everything happens on its own.  

Just try the following with an effort. You will not be able to succeed.

1.       Try to meditate …..

2.       Try to Sleep …….

3.       Try to be happy ……

Perspective - Marriage

Marriage:

This is a compilation of Prof. Morrie’s experiences in his life shared in the book “Tuesdays’ with Morrie”.  In this book, Morrie talks about Death, Marriage, Forgiveness, Aging, Fear, Greed, Society etc. to his ex-student called Mitch.

This blog is a continuation of blog series on Life.

 Let’s first hear from Professor Morrie about Marriage and my views on marriage follows.

“Well, I feel sorry for your generation,” Morrie said. “In this culture, it’s so important to find a loving relationship with someone because so much of the culture does not give you that. But the poor kids today, either they’re too selfish to take part in a real loving relationship, or they rush into marriage and then six months later, they get divorced. They don’t know what they want in a partner. They don’t know who they are themselves—so how can they know who they’re marrying?”

Mitch (his Student) asks “Is there some kind of rule to know if a marriage is going to work?”

Morrie smiled. “Things are not that simple, Mitch” he said. “Still, there are a few rules I know to be true about love and marriage”. We will look at those rules at the end of this chapter.

Almost everyone has a problem with marriage. Some are unable to get a partner for marriage, while, some are unable to cope-up with it. For any relationship to get-going there must be some values common to the partners. Some of those values are:

1.       Institution of Marriage

o   Belief

o   Duty

o   Trust

2.       Thoughts on Money

Institution of Marriage: I personally feel that marriage is important. In the animal kingdom, there is no concept called marriage. They act in accordance with nature’s destiny. Script cannot be altered. But in case of Humans, there are certain sets of values, which include the Institution called Marriage. Unless there is a strong belief in this institution, mutually concerning duties and trust on each other, the relationship may not sustain. In lay man language, Institution of Marriage is like a pillar around which kids play. If the grip is lost, its effects will be awful. So, guys, hold on to the pillar come what may, end result would always be joyful.

If the spouse gives importance to money over all other aspects of life thinking that money will do “EVERYTHING”, then it is a trouble. I don’t say money is not important. But, we cannot build relationships through money. The relationship will not long last or it will be a pain to keep that relationship going. The point is to strike a balance between money and life. To decide HOW MUCH IS TOO MUCH is important.

If you have money for your needs and requirements, then the money will save / protect you. If you accumulate wealth just to show off your status, you have to protect the money. Subsequently, you will lose the mental peace.

According to Professor Morrie following are the important rules for Marriage.

o   If you don’t respect the other person, you’re gonna have a lot of trouble.

o   If you don’t know how to compromise, you’re gonna have a lot of trouble.

o   If you can’t talk openly about what goes on between you, you’re gonna have a lot of trouble.

o   And if you don’t have a common set of values in life, you’re gonna have a lot of trouble. Your values must be alike.

According to Hindu Marriage the following are the factors and Attainment of the following are the main object of a married life:

1.       Dharma – Righteousness

2.       Artha –Wealth

3.       Kama – Desire and  

4.       Moksha – Salvation or liberation

A man is only half of a whole unless he is married. Marriage is also essential according to Hindu scriptures because only by entering a matrimonial alliance with opposite sex, a man can enter into Grahsthaskram (Meaning “Family life”) and it is only this Asharma where he is allowed to practice Dharma, Artha, Kama and Mokhsa.

According to me everything / everyone who comes to this Earth will perish one day. But, the question is, what is the path to be followed? We have many paths (live in relationship or marriage). But I personally prefer / suggest that the above said Family Life is the path.

I end this chapter with the statement made my Jesus

“…so they are no longer two, but one. Therefore, what God has joined together, let man not separate” - Jesus.

Man of the Century

I am sharing this blog about the Greatest Human Being of this Century and my Country India.

 I dedicate this blog to my Hero Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi.

But, before I talk about that person, I want to give a brief recap of India’s journey from the foreign rulers to starting to self rule in 1947. Let’s look at the Indian history in brief.

The southern state of Kerala had maritime business links with the Roman Empire from around 77 CE. Islam was introduced in Kerala through this route by Muslim traders. Muslim rule in the sub-continent began in 712 CE when the Arab general Muhammad bin Qasim conquered Sindh and Multan in Southern Punjab in modern day Pakistan, setting the stage for several successive invasions from Central Asia between the 10th and 15th centuries, leading to the formation of Muslim empires in the Indian subcontinent such as the Delhi Sultanate and the Mughal Empire.

Beginning, mid-18th century and over the next century, large areas of India were annexed by the British East India Company. Dissatisfaction with Company rule led to the Indian Rebellion of 1857, after which the British provinces of India were directly administered by the British Crown and witnessed a period of both rapid development of infrastructure and economic decline.

There were few people who shaped-up the entire human race, left a message and influenced whole mankind. One of them was MK Gandhi.

He fought the British with non-violence and civil resistance. Around the same period, the world was witnessing other extreme personalities like Hitler, who were killing thousands and thousands of human beings.

Albert Einstein said, “Generations to come will scarce believe that such a one as this ever in flesh and blood walked upon this earth”

I want to present some of my view as in the eyes of MK Gandhi.

Leadership:

I have never come across a person with such a high level of leadership like Mahatma Gandhi. The following statement by him shows what leadership is all about.

“Leadership I suppose at one time meant muscles but today it means getting along with people”

 Economic Development: ‘India’ lives in its villages. But today’s progress seizes lands from the villagers for industrial development. I am not against industrial development. But, the lands that were used for agriculture few decades back have now been converted to commercial development. This shows that agriculture is slowly dying and the back bone of our country is losing its strength. I just want to quote what Mahakavi Bharathi said “even if one person doesn’t have food to eat, the entire world will be destroyed”. Despite having food stored in government go-downs, people go to sleep with half filled stomach.

Spiritual / Religion: Gandhiji considered Hindus and Muslims as his two eyes, but today the level of tolerance and understanding amongst various religions is at question and is threatening the very fabric of this great nation. Political parties are also using religion as a means to divide people for their narrow political gains.

Violence: Today, we are all revealing violence through words, deeds and actions in some way or the other. We are becoming a highly intolerant society. Mahatma beautifully quotes on non-violence as below:

 “When I have become incapable of evil and when nothing harsh or haughty occupies, be it momentarily, my thought-world, then, and not till then, my non-violence will move all the hearts of the entire world. I have placed before me and the reader no impossible ideal or ordeal. It is man's prerogative and birthright.

 Re-calling seven deadly sins mentioned by Gandhiji:

1. Intolerance is a personal failure to accept reality

2. Intolerance is a failure of intelligence

3. Intolerance is an error of judgment about Ultimate Truth

4. Intolerance is an error which breeds psychological disorder

5. Intolerance is an error which breeds social disorder

6. Intolerance is an error which breeds political disorder

7. Intolerance is a pragmatic failure: it doesn’t work

Mahatma Gandhi silently took the entire man-kind to a different level of consciousness through non-violence.

I am listing some of his thoughts here and I feel they will be applicable till such time the human race exists in this planet.  

1.    Change yourself.

“You must be the change you want to see in the world.”

“As human beings, our greatness lies not so much in being able to remake the world – that is the myth of the atomic age – as in being able to remake ourselves.”

“Nobody can hurt me without my permission.”

2.    Forgive and let it go.

“The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong.”

“An eye for eye only ends up making the whole world blind.”

3.    Everyone is human.

“I claim to be a simple individual liable to err like any other fellow mortal. I own, however, that I have humility enough to confess my errors and to retrace my steps.”

“It is unwise to be too sure of one’s own wisdom. It is healthy to be reminded that the strongest might weaken and the wisest might err.”

4.    Continue to grow and evolve.

”Constant development is the law of life, and a man who always tries to maintain his dogmas in order to appear consistent drives himself into a false position.”

Perspective About Life - Part 5: "Values"

Values:

 In this blog am sharing my experiences and observations with the youngsters of this century.

Where we, youngsters, are heading in life? What do we know about life? Are we placing our values in the right aspects?

For example, if we place our value on Money, our life will be determined by Money and money related aspects. We may end up buying big property, car, etc., I don’t say you should not buy property, car etc., but basically the idea of MORE IS GOOD is not the right way of living. It is a very disillusioned life.

Recently, I saw a program on a TV channel. It was a money based quiz program. The question was, “From which city did Mother Teresa serve the most in India?” The contestants had no clue, despite the options. Second question was, “Where in India is the place Jalianwalabagh where the massacre happened?” Absolutely no clue for this either.

 My pain, in the above mentioned incident is not, about, not knowing the answer, but, about, not knowing the life of such great human beings and our very own Indian History.  Their lives give us great insights.

Let me quote what Professor Morrie stated to Mitch in “Tuesdays with Morrie”

“Devote yourself to loving others, devote yourself to your community around you, and devote yourself to creating something that gives you purpose and meaning”

“I don’t mean money, Mitch. I mean your time. Your concern. Your storytelling. It’s not so hard.

“Do the kinds of things that come from the heart. When you do, you won’t be dissatisfied, you won’t be envious, and you won’t be longing for somebody else’s things. On the contrary, you’ll be overwhelmed with what comes back.”

In my opinion, if I am not making difference in somebody’s life, I am not living my life to its fullest. It gives me fulfillment when I complete the self-set social responsibilities like blood donation, contributing time and money for the senior citizens’ homes and trust that support the under-privileged children. Am not saying don’t enjoy your life but spend some time for others who are in need. We spend a lot of time for ourselves and why not for others too.

 “There’s a big confusion over what we want versus what we need,” Morrie said. “You need food, you want a chocolate sundae. You have to be honest with yourself. You don’t need the latest sports car, you don’t need the biggest house. “The truth is, you don’t get satisfaction from those things. You know what really gives you satisfaction?” What? “Offering others what you have to give.”

Let me give my idol man, Mahatma Gandhi’s words to finish this chapter, “Each night, when I go to sleep, I die. And the next morning, when I wake up, I am reborn.”










                                              Will come back with my next topic on " Marriage"