Study Circle Series 1 : Bhagavatha Vahini - Chapter 3 and 4

Sai ram Everyone ! 

We have just completed our second Study Circle and we had a very serious and deep discussion this time. We also have some fabulous news. Bro Raju Samtani has graciously agree to take notes during the sessions that we can share on this blog. We would really like to thank him for taking up this seva that would help all of us to remember our discussion so that we may ruminate on it and put it into practice.The following is Bro. Rajus summary.

October 18,2016
Moderator: Sis. Roshini

CONTENTS ON THE TOPIC RELAYED BY MODERATOR 

CHAPTER 3 - CHILD PARIKSHIT AND THE PROPHECY

DOUBTS OF YUDISTHIRA:

Inauspicious deaths-those whose deaths are such, become ghosts and have to suffer.

He is in the fear on his injustices that may come to his newborn child.

THE BRAHMINS CONSOLED YUDISTHIRA:

Maharaja, not to worry!

This is a great child will never meet with such a tragedy.

His horoscope - the positions of the planets, clearly notice two happy conjunctions; Vajra (thunderbolt) Yoga and Bhakthi Yoga (path of dedication to God), both are Shakti (powerful) & promising

He will not be born again, for, through Bhakti Yoga, he will attain oneness with the Lord of All, Purushothama.

During the naming ceremony - TURNING TO YUDISTHIRA LORD KRIUSHNA SAID:

I did not believe when I was told that this child stared at everyone who came before him and examined their facial features. I thought it was a new explanation given by these priests, to the usual prank and play of children. Now, this is really a wonder. He has started examining even Me!

THEN THE LORD TRIED USING TOYS TO DISTRACT THE ATTENTION OF THE CHILD, THE LORD WAS HIDING FROM THE CHILD’S EYE VIEW.  BUT WITHOUT ANY DISTRACTION THE CHILD ADAMANTLY KEPT LOOKING ON THE LORD.

Krishna declared; this is no ordinary child. He has won through My tests. So, the name “Parikshit” is the most appropriate name for him.

This weeks study circle focused on chapter 3 and the following are the areas we discussed with the questions as our guide.:

1. If Krishna already knew that Parikshit was full of devotion why did he distract him or "test"him? 

This was an interesting question to start off with. there were several thoughts from the discussion that arised. Firstly, some of us thought that Krishna was just testing Parikshit to see if he was focused enough or would he get easily distracted. Another point of view was that Krishna knew Parikshits devotion and was merely "testing: him to showcase the little babies devotion as a leela for everyone else to see. There was also a very divergent thought where some of the youth thought that this might also be positive conditioning. conditioning the baby that he was indeed divine and full of love and devotion for the Lord thus setting the course of his life on the right path.

2. When did you realise you fell in love with God or when did you feel that first connection with your higher self?

There was amazing sharing by everyone and we realised that everyone had felt an intense connection with God but in various forms and in various situations. NO 2 people are alike and hence we should never compare or judge. 

3.What distracts you from this path we take towards God? 

Here was where intense discussion happen. We spoke about trivial things that distracted us on our path but also went on to ask ourselves about deeper seeded distractions that stop us from believing we are divine, like self doubt, ego, believing that only we have all the answers,Knowledge. 

Bro Suresh Saminathan explained the difference between knowing something and being so attached to that knowing that we do not experience anything. We discussed the life of saints and how from the outside it looked like they were suffering so much on this path of divinity, however Swami tells us like the life of Meera what we looked at a suffering was nothing but Joy and Bliss to Meera. So our preconceived notion of a difficult path to divinity might not be true. To each aspirant Swami carves out a specific path,and that is the path we take. The choice of how we go through life, our emotions and our feelings are our free will. 

Post views- take home message:

1.   Don’t be distracted by the distractions,pray to Swami to change distractions to stepping stones for progress. 

2.   This study circle is like a reminder to the TRUESELF - the purpose we are born.

3.   Sometimes we think why do good people have to suffer, but we do not know if a person is suffering or going through life situations in bliss accepting it as a prasadham from the lord. 

4.   Swami keeps reminding us we are GOD, but we still do not believe.We need to introspect and see what is stopping us from believing Swami. 

Our study circle ended with 3 Oms and will resume next month with Chapter 5 and 6 . 

Jai Sai Ram 

Study Circle Series 1 Bhagavatha Vahini : Chapters 1 and 2 September 2016

Om Sri Sai Ram,

Firstly allow me to thank you for taking the time to view this blog.Before we begin let me clearly state the vision of this blog and the inspiration of where it came from. People say that sometimes we learn best from our children. I am taking a leaf out of the efforts of our own Bangsar and Brickfields teens who maintain their own blog to log their learning and Insaights from every class and discussion. Check out their blog at https://ssehvteenyouth.wordpress.com/ I figured it was a good idea for us , to also begin one for ourselves. Hence the following are the objectives of our study circle blog.

1. To log the findings and discussions that had taken place during the actual sathsang 
2. To provide an avenue for people who did not get a chance to attend the study circle to get updated and enjoy an online version 
3. To carry on the discussion and further contemplate on Swamis teachings and how it applies in our lives.
4. To encourage us to consolidate our learning at the end of each sathsang

So let us get right to it. 

The book that we are currently studying is the Bhagavatha Vahini, A beautiful book on the life of Sri Krishna Avathar written in the nectarine words of our Beautiful Sai Krishna. If you stil do not have a copy feel free to download the whole book for free here 

https://www.sathyasai.org/sites/default/files/pages/discourse-writing/vahini/bhagavatha-vahini/bhagavatha-vahini.pdf

In Chapter one, Swami gives a beautiful introduction to what the book entails and how the book should be read for maximum benefit. When I read chapter 1, a few ideas stood out for me. 

Swami explains first the reason why Avatars are born and clarifies that while we think avathars come to punish the evil and restore Dharma, these are but side effects of the Avathars birth, The Avathar comes merely to satisfy and give joy to the devotees who are pining for Him. 

He then explains how we need to train our mind so that we understand the sweetness of Bhakti and hence have the opportunity to derive joy from it. The following excerpt is very poignant.  

The infant doesn’t know the taste of milk. By taking it daily, it develops an attachment for it, which is so deep that when milk is to be given up and rice substituted, it starts to protest. But the mother doesn’t despair; she persuades the child to take small quantities of cooked rice daily, and by this process, the child starts liking rice and gives up milk. Milk was once its natural food; by practice, rice becomes its natural food —so natural that if no rice is available for a single day, the child becomes miserable. So too, though sense pleasures are “natural” at first, by means of practice and training and listening to the commendation of the wise, slowly the greater and more lasting pleasure derivable from the glories of the Lord and their recapitulation is grasped. Thereafter, one can’t exist without that atmosphere even for a minute; one feels that there is nothing as sweet as the experience of listening to the splendour of the Lord. The company of the worldly, who chatter about the senses and the sense objects, will no longer attract; the company that exults in praising the Lord will draw and hold.

Swami then goes on to explain how Sathsang propels us forward in our Sadhana and makes it easier for to strive together to understand and experience his love. 

Chapter 2

In Chapter 2 the story begins with the birth of Prince Parikshit. Here is where our study circle discussion took place.The scene is of the reading of the horoscope of Parikshit and the reaction of Yudhistra to it. The following were the questions we discussed.Please note that these are not the "RIGHT Answers" merely discussion points that were brought up 

1.  What do you observe in the state of mind and emotions of Yudhistra throughout the reading of Parikshits chart? 

Answers discussed

• Yudhistra felt fear that his Grandson would go through the difficult life that he had and therefore asked questions about the kind of King that Parikshit would be, would he have enemies? What would go wrong 
• Yudhistra is very analytical and therefore asked questions from all angles 
• Yudhistras emotions were unsteady, being extremely jubilant  when there were good things spoken and sinking into sorrow at the mention of death of Parikshit

2. Why are we intrigued by what the future holds holds for us? Why do we go to astrologers?

Answers discussed

• To gain certainty about the future 
• To avert negative things that would happen in the future 
• Because we are lazy to use our own effort to change our future
• To make informed decisions 

3. Do we believe in FATE or Free Will 

Answers discussed 

There was much debate in this area and we summed up with a story from an experience of a devotee with Swami. Please read the story in the link below 

http://aravindb1982.blogspot.my/2014/01/destiny-or-freewill-third-option-Sri-Sathya-Sai-Baba.html

4. What do we normally worry about? Why do we worry 

We stated many things that worried us in our everyday life and concluded that the common thread that ran through all our worries were that they all existed only in the future which was not certain. Hence worrying is extremely useless. If we surrender the outcome of all our actions to Swami and know only the best will happen for us, we need not worry. Yet worry exist in all of us even with this knowledge. 

5. How do we overcome worry? 

"When your house is on fire, do not go looking for insurance" Bro Raju, September 2016 :)

This insight stated by Uncle Raju summarized our entire study circle. The muscle of faith and surrender needs to be built. Just like an insurance policy we need to invest into it. Not because Swami needs the investment, but because our mind needs the training. Swamis Grace is with abundance on all of us always but, we forget the method of tapping into it because of lack of practice. The Ever compassionate Lord however does not give up on us, he continues to coax us like a mother to work out a little more, to taste Bakthi to taste the joys of surrendering to Him so that when we need it, when we worry, we are reminded that it is pointless because HE Always Has our Back!

We concluded the night understanding that Swami is the greatest Insurer and all we need to do is build that muscle of surrender to be able to have a worry free life. 

Jai Sai Ram 

Love n Light 

Roshini

Please feel free to comment and continue the discussion :)