Somvar ki Kahani-I

This story is connected with Monday fast. Monday fast is practised to propitiate Lord Shiva. it has special significance in the month of Shravan. Meals are taken only once a day, generally after midday. It is believed that Monday fast results in happy family life and acquisition of knowledge.

Once upon a time, there was a poor Brahman. He had nothing to sustain his family. One day his wife said to him, My Lord, cant you go out for earning money? We are in need of food. The Brahman said, It is my pious duty to feed you all. I have no income. I shall go out to make some income. Give me my iota (brass pot) and string.

The Brahmans wife gave him his Iota and string and he started on his journey. There was a big peepal tree. It was beside a cross-road on the Kachcha path. He raised a small platform around the tree and mediated there for twelve long years. The passers-by offered him food.

Lord Shiva was pleased with his prayers and Monday fasts. He disguised himself as a Swami, an ascetic, with a dandi (staff) in his hand. He came near the peepal tree where the Brahman was meditating. The Brahman opened his eyes. A Dandi Swami stood before him, blessing him with his raised hands. The Swami said, What is your desire? You can ask for some boon.

The Brahman was overwhelmed and said, I have nothing to support my family. I need money. The Dandi Swami said, Worldly possessions are temporary. I shall give you a valuable Mantra. It will help you fulfil all your desires. The Brahman said, What is that Mantra, O Swamiji?

The Swami said, The Mantra is Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday, all are related with one or the other deity. Lord Shiva is the deity of Monday. Whosoever knows this secret gets nine treasures of Kubera, the Lord of Wealth, as also all the Riddhis and Siddhis i.e. prosperity, wealth etc.

Having got the Mantra, the old Brahman was happy. His sisters village was nearby. He thought of going to her. The sister was surprised to see her brother. She said, You have given me a pleasant surprise. What brings you here? You have visited my house after a long time. The Brahman said, Let us sit down and talk about our family matters.

The sister replied, I have no spare time to sit and talk. There are a lot of things to be done. I shall borrow a handful flour from my neighbour and cook food for you. The brother said, Clean and plaster your house with the cow dung first and light the holy lamp. Invite your neighbours. Put on new clothes, 1 shall tell you a valuable Mantra.

The old lady went from door to door to invite her neighbours. Many women gathered there to listen to the valuable Mantra. The old Brahman said, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday. Friday, Saturday and Sunday are related with one or other deities. Lord Shiva is the deity of Monday. Whosoever knows this secret gets nine treasures of Lord Kubera, the lord of wealth, as also all Riddhis and Siddhis7

To the great surprise of all gathered there, as soon as the Mantra was used, the Brahmans sister house got filled with a variety of household articles and enormous wealth. It was a pleasant surprise for the Brahman also, because he had tested the Mantra for the first time.

The Brahmans wife gave him his Iota and string and he started on his Journey. There was a big peepal tree. It was beside a cross-road on the Kachcha path. He raised a small platform around the tree and meditated there for twelve long years. The passers-by offered him food.

Lord Shiva was pleased with his prayers and Monday fasts. He disguised himself as a Swami, an ascetic, with a dandi (staff) in his hand. He came near the peepal tree where the Brahman was meditating. The Brahman opened his eyes. A Dandi Swami stood before him, blessing him with his raised hands. The Swami said, What is your desire? You can ask for some boon.

The Brahman was overwhelmed and said, I have nothing to support my family. I need money. The Dandi Swami said, Worldly possessions are temporary. I shall give you a valuable Mantra. It will help you fulfil all your desires.

The Brahman said, What is that Mantra, 0 Swamiji? The Swami said, The Mantra is Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday, all are related with one or the other deity. Lord Shiva is the deity of Monday. Whosoever knows this secret gets nine treasures of Kubera, the Lord of Wealth, as also all the Riddhis and Siddhis i.e. prosperity, wealth etc.

The Brahmans sister was now happy. She said, Take your meals and have some rest. The Brahman said, I will not take my meals in your house because you are younger than me. I shall take my meals at my family priests house. On his way back home, he met his Baniya friend. He repeated the same Mantra there also. The Baniyas house also got filled with wealth.

The Brahman returned to his village. His wife was surprised to see him empty-handed. You are here after twelve long years and still you have nothing with you, she said. What is the matter? The Brahman said, I have learnt a valuable Mantra from a Dandi Swami. The Mantra is more valuable than wealth.

The Brahmans wife got infuriated but the Brahman made her listen to the Mantra. As the Brahman recited the Mantra, by the grace of Lord Shiva, his house got filled with wealth. The Brahmans wife was surprised to see such an immense wealth. What shall we do with all this wealth? She remarked.

The Brahman replied. This wealth should be spent for the good of others. Let wells be dug all along the road-side to facilitate the travellers quench their thirst. Let marriages of all the poor unmarried girls be arranged by us.

You don't actually have to take the quiz. Just read straight through, and you'll get the point :)

Take this quiz:
1. Name the five wealthiest people in the world.
2. Name the last five Heisman trophy winners.
3. Name the last five winners of the Miss America contest.
4. Name ten people who have won the Nobel or Pulitzer Prize.
5. Name the last half dozen Academy Award winners for best actor/actress.
6. Name the last decade's worth of World Series winners.
How did you do?

The point is, none of us remember the headliners of yesterday. These are
no second-rate achievers. They are the best in their fields.
But the applause dies. Awards tarnish. Achievements are forgotten.
Accolades and certificates are buried with their owners.

Here's another quiz. See how you do on this one:
1. List a few teachers who aided your journey through school.
2. Name three friends who have helped you through a difficult time.
3. Name five people who have taught you something worthwhile.
4. Think of a few people who have made you feel, appreciated and special.
5. Think of five people you enjoy spending time with.
6. Name half a dozen heroes whose stories have inspired you. Easier?

The lesson: The people who make a difference in your life are not
the ones with the most credentials, the most money, or the most awards. They are the ones that care.
Pass this on to those people who have made a difference in your life.

Butterfly

A man found a cocoon of a butterfly. One day a small opening appeared. He sat and watched the butterfly for several hours as it struggled to force its body through that little hole. Then it seemed to stop making any progress. It appeared as if it had gotten as far as it could, and it could go no further.

So the man decided to help the butterfly. He took a pair of scissors and snipped off the remaining bit of the cocoon.

The butterfly then emerged easily. But it had a swollen body and small, shriveled wings.

The man continued to watch the butterfly because he expected that, at any moment, the wings would enlarge and expand to be able to support the body, which would contract in time.

Neither happened! In fact, the butterfly spent the rest of its life crawling around with a swollen body and shriveled wings. It never was able to fly.

What the man, in his kindness and haste, did not understand was that the restricting cocoon and the struggle required for the butterfly to get through the tiny opening were God's way of forcing fluid from the body of the butterfly into its wings so that it would be ready for flight once it achieved its freedom from the cocoon.

Sometimes struggles are exactly what we need in our lives. If God allowed us to go through our lives without any obstacles, it would cripple us.

We would not be as strong as what we could have been. We could never fly!

GENEROSITY

Mahatma Ghandi went from city to city, village to village collecting funds for the Charkha Sangh. During one of his tours he addressed a meeting in Orissa. After his speech a poor old woman got up. She was bent with age, her hair was grey and her clothes were in tatters. The volunteers tried to stop her, but she fought her way to the place where Gandhiji was sitting. "I must see him," she insisted and going up to Gandhiji touched his feet. Then from the folds of her sari she brought out a copper coin and placed it at his feet. Gandhiji picked up the copper coin and put it away carefully. The Charkha Sangh funds were under the charge of Jamnalal Bajaj. He asked Gandhiji for the coin but Gandhiji refused. "I keep cheques worth thousands of rupees for the Charkha Sangh," Jamnalal Bajaj said laughingly "yet you won't trust me with a copper coin." "This copper coin is worth much more than those thousands," Gandhiji said. "If a man has several lakhs and he gives away a thousand or two, it doesn't mean much. But this coin was perhaps all that the poor woman possessed. She gave me all she had. That was very generous of her. What a great sacrifice she made. That is why I value this copper coin more than a crore of rupees."

Change

If you are willing to search your own heart and confess any wrong discovered, then you can feel at peace, even though you are not particularly happy with the situation at hand. You then can be a positive force for change, rather than compounding the problem with your attitude.

Sandy

Guardian Angels

All the major faiths include reference to angels as intermediaries between humanity and God. Everyone is assigned Guardian Angels at birth in order to:

1. Love them unconditionally.
2. Help them fulfill their life task.
3. Help them find their true life mate, if they are ready.
4. Rescue them or warn them of danger (e.g. not to take a certain plane flight)
5. Help them find their way back to God.

In the normal course of human life, most people have intuitions, dreams of a special quality, bright ideas, a sense of whether someone is a potential friend or enemy, etc. All of these are messages from Guardian Angels.

Quality Time

Quality time is more than mere proximity. It’s about focusing all your energy on your mate. A husband watching sports while talking to his wife is NOT quality time. Unless all of your attention is focused on your mate, even an intimate dinner for two can come and go without a minute of quality time being shared.

Quality conversation is very important in a healthy relationship. It involves sharing experiences, thoughts, feelings and desires in a friendly, uninterrupted context. A good mate will not only listen, but offer advice and respond to assure their mate they are truly listening. Many mates don’t expect you to solve their problems. They need a sympathetic listener.

An important aspect of quality conversation is self-revelation. In order for you to communicate with your mate, you must also be in tune with your inner emotions. It is only when you understand your emotions and inner feelings will you then be able to share quality conversation, and quality time with your mate.

Quality activities are a very important part of quality time. Many mates feel most loved when they spend physical time together, doing activities that they love to do. Spending time together will bring a couple closer, and, in the years to come, will fill up a memory bank that you can reminisce about in the future.
Whether it’s sitting on the couch and having a brief conversation or playing together in a tennis league, quality time is a love language that is shared by many. Setting aside focused time with your mate will ensure a happy marriage/relationship.