இன்று இப்போது மட்டுமே நிஜம்!

முதிய ஜென் குரு ஒருவர் மரணப் படுக்கையில் இருந்தார். ‘‘இன்று மாலைக்குள் இறந்துவிடுவேன்’’ என்று தன் சீடர்களிடம் தெரிவித்துவிட்டார். இதைக் கேள்விப்பட்ட அவர் நண்பர்கள் பலரும், சிஷ்யர்களும் ஆசிரமத்தை வந்தடைந்தனர்.

மூத்த சீடர் ஒருவர் திடீரென கடைவீதிக்குப் புறப்பட்டார். ‘‘ஏய்... என்ன மடத்தனம் பண்ணுகிறாய்... குரு மரணப்படுக்கையில் கிடக்கும்போது அப்படி என்ன அவசரமாக வாங்க வேண்டியிருக்கு?’’ என்றனர் மற்றவர்கள்.

மூத்த சீடர், ‘‘குருநாதருக்கு நாவல்பழம் என்றால் அத்தனை பிரியம். அதை வாங்கத்தான் போகிறேன்!’’ என்று சொல்லிவிட்டுக் கிளம்பினார்.

எல்லோரும் கவலையோடிருந் தனர். குரு கண்களைத் திறப்பதும் யாரையோ தேடுவதும் பின் மூடிக் கொள்வதுமாக இருந்தார்.

மூத்த சீடர் வந்ததும், ‘‘வந்து விட்டாயா... எங்கே நாவல்பழம்?’’ என்றார்.

அவர் கையில் நாவல் பழத்தைக் கொடுத்ததும், சற்றும் நடுக்கமின்றி அதை வாங்கிக் கொண்டார்.

ஒரு சீடர் குருவிடம், ‘‘குருவே... தள்ளாத வயதிலும் உங்கள் கைகளில் நடுக்கமில்லையே?’’ என்றார்.

குரு சிரித்தபடி, ‘‘என் கைகள் ஒருபோதும் நடுங்கியதில்லை. ஏனென்றால் எப்போதும் எதற்கும் நான் பயந்ததே இல்லை!’’ என்று சொல்லிவிட்டு நாவல் பழத்தை ருசித்து தின்னத் தொடங்கிவிட்டார்.

இன்னொரு சீடர் குருவிடம் பணிந்து, ‘‘ஐயா, தாங்கள் சீக்கிரமே இந்த உலகை விட்டுப் பிரியப் போகிறீர்கள். நாங்கள் நினைவில் வைத்துக் கொள்ள வேண்டிய தங்களின் இறுதிக் கருத்து என்ன?’’ என்று கேட்டார்.

குரு சிரித்தபடி, ‘‘இந்த நாவல்பழம் என்ன அருமையான சுவையுள்ளதாக இருக்கிறது’’ என்று சொல்லிவிட்டு இறுதி மூச்சை விட்டார்.

அந்தந்தக் கணத்தில் வாழுங்கள். கடந்து போன நிமிடமும், வரப் போகும் நிமிடமும் நமக்கானதல்ல. இன்று இப்போது மட்டுமே நிஜம்!

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A Lesser Known Story From The Ramayana

After a long journey, Sri Ramchandra and the army of monkeys, reached the southern coast of our vast land and beheld the expanse of water separating them from Sri Lanka. The search for Sita was over; Rama now knew where she was; it only remained to redeem her from Ravana, by peaceful persuasion if possible or by war, if necessary. In line with our tradition of seeking Divine help, before commencing any work, Sri Ram desired to consecrate and offer worship to Shiva. Arrangements were soon completed, except finding a suitable priest to guide the function. Sri Ram thought for a while and then decided on the best person available nearby - Ravana the king of Sri Lanka. Without hesitation he bade Hanuman to fly to Ravana’s palace and request him to conduct the pooja. There was considerable shock and dismay among the assembly; to invite an enemy to conduct a pooja, specially meant to conquer and destroy him! Will Ravana accept such a preposterous invitation? But Hanuman as a loyal sold

DESTINY is not created by the SHOES we wear but by the STEPS we take...

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The advice to God

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The mantra Aham Suryosmi (I am the sun) given by Baghavan Ramana Maharishi

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Weakness

10-year-old boy decided to study judo despite the fact that he had lost his left arm in a devastating car accident. The boy began lessons with an old Japanese judo master. The boy was doing well, so he couldn’t understand why, after three months of training the master had taught him only one move. “Sensei,”(Teacher in Japanese) the boy finally said, “Shouldn’t I be learning more moves?” “This is the only move you know, but this is the only move you’ll ever need to know,” the sensei replied. Not quite understanding, but believing in his teacher, the boy kept training. Several months later, the sensei took the boy to his first tournament. Surprising himself, the boy easily won his first two matches. The third match proved to be more difficult, but after some time, his opponent became impatient and charged; the boy deftly used his one move to win the match. Still amazed by his success, the boy was now in the finals. This time, his opponent was bigger, stronger, and more experien

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A rich king is looking for a man to marry his daughter. He sets a challenge – each man who wants to qualify, must wear the royal metal armour and climb 500 stairs to the top of the mountain where the king’s castle is located. Many men from around the world come to take on the challenge. But as soon as they put on the armour, the men realize that it will be an impossible task. The first man takes 1 step, then looks up at the remaining 499 steps and gives up. The second goes up 2 steps and also drops down. The same goes for the third, and the forth, and the rest of the men. Except for the last one. The last man sees that its an impossible task, but decides to give his best any ways. He steps on the first step, then take a deep breath and goes to the second step. He takes another breath, the goes to the third step. By the forth step, he barely lifts his shaking feet, yet he makes it to the forth. He feels that he is about to drop, but he decides to push one more time. As he a

Lord Rama's Ring

One day, Rama was informed that it was time for him to die. He had no problem with that. He understood that creatures who take birth have to experience death. “Let Yama come to me. It is time for me to return to my heavenly abode, Vaikuntha,” he said. But Yama dared not enter Ayodhya. Yama, the god of death, was afraid of Hanuman who guarded the gates of Rama’s palace and was clear no one would take Rama away from him. To allow Yama’s entry, it was necessary to distract Hanuman. So Rama dropped his ring into a crack in the palace floor and requested Hanuman to fetch it. Hanuman reduced himself to the size of a beetle and entered the crack only to discover that it was no crack but the entrance to a tunnel that led to Nagaloka, the land of serpents. Hanuman met Vasuki, king of serpents, there and informed him of his mission. Vasuki took Hanuman to the centre of Nagaloka where stood a mountain of rings! “There you will surely find Rama’s ring,” said Vasuki. Hanuman wondered how he wo

Comparison AND Competition is the thief of JOY!

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Ego sometimes misjudges a person!

A lady in a faded grey dress and her husband, dressed in a homespun suit walked in timidly without an appointment into the Harvard University President's outer office. The secretary could tell in a moment that such backwoods, country hicks had no business at Harvard and probably didn't even deserve to be in Harvard. "We want to see the President "the man said softly. "He'll be busy all day "the secretary snapped. "We'll wait" the lady replied. For hours the secretary ignored them, hoping that the couple would finally become discouraged and go away. They didn't and the secretary grew frustrated and finally decided to disturb the president. "Maybe if you see them for a few minutes, they'll leave" she said to him. The President, stern faced and with dignity, strutted toward the couple. The lady told him "We had a son who attended Harvard for one year. He loved Harvard. He was happy here. But about a year ago

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