The Musk-Deer

Daily Divine Digest Philosophical Thought for Everyday 

The Musk-Deer

         Our senses are so constituted that we seek for substances extraneous to us. They are of no use for self-analysis.

      The musk-deer produces musk in its own body. But in search of the fragrance of that stuff, it wanders about. Man’s position is akin to it. He has divinity enshrined in himself. But seeks for it in regions other than himself.

Lord, when shall I clarify my understanding realize your presence in me?

-          Tayumanavar

 

 

 

 

Little Children

Daily Divine Digest Philosophical Thought for Everyday

Little Children

       This old world ever looks new. The constant coming in of the little children is the mark of its being new.

      This world is not free from miracle. The presence of a little child is the presence of Divinity. There is no miracle greater than this. The wicked man puts off his wickedness in presence of a little child and resumes his original bliss. So, does everyone when one comes to the august presence of the little one.

            When one becomes a sage that one re-becomes a little child mentally.

                                                Vedanta

A Person Thrives Only in The Presence of a Challenging Environment

       

     However, the Japanese could taste the difference between fresh and frozen and they did not like frozen fish. The frozen fish brought a lower price. So, fishing companies installed fish tanks. They would catch the fish and stuff them in the tanks, fin to fin. After a little thrashing around, the fish stopped moving. They were tired and dull, but alive.

      The Japanese have always loved fresh fish. But the waters close to Japan have not held many fish for decades. So, to feed the Japanese population, fishing boats got bigger and went farther than ever. The farther the fishermen went, the longer it took to bring in the fish.

      If the return trip took more than a few days, the fish were not fresh. The Japanese did not like the taste. To solve this problem, fishing companies installed freezers on their boats. They would catch the fish and freeze them at sea. Freezers allowed the boats to go farther and stay longer.

       Unfortunately, the Japanese could still taste the difference. Because the fish did not move for days, they lost their fresh-fish taste. The Japanese preferred the lively taste of fresh fish, not sluggish fish. So how did Japanese fishing companies solve this problem? How do they get fresh-tasting fish to Japan?

      To keep the fish tasting fresh, the Japanese fishing companies (still) put the fish in the tanks. But now they add a small shark to each tank. The fish, in an attempt to run away from the shark, stay constantly alert and hence, fresh. The shark may eat a few fish, but most of the fish arrive in a very lively state.

Lessons From The Story:

Like the Japanese fish - "A Person thrives, oddly enough, only in the presence of a challenging environment."

Challenges are what keep us FRESH! Instead of avoiding challenges, jump into them. Beat the heck out of them.

Enjoy the game. If your challenges are too large or too numerous, reorganize the challenge, team up, be resourceful and do not give up. Failing makes you tired.

If you have met your goals, set some bigger goals. Once you meet your personal or family needs, move onto goals for your group, the society, even mankind.

You HAVE the resources, skills and abilities to make a difference. 
Put a shark in your tank and see how far you can really go!!!

 

Fear of Disease

 

Daily Divine Digest Philosophical Thought for Everyday 

Fear of Disease

    

              Disease is an unavoidable factor of life. Birds and beasts quietly put up with it while man gets upset when it develops.

     A disease like fever comes to eliminate the bad matter in the system. Instead of giving it scope to do its scavenging work man out of fear hastens to suppress it with medicine. It reappears as some other disease. Fear of ill health is on the increase.

Refusing to be mentally affected by the disease of the body is the sure means of healing it quickly.

        -Mahābhārataa

Invocation

Daily Divine Digest Philosophical Thought For Everyday   

Invocation    

 

                                     

           We rouse up the inert matter by polarization, magnetization, electrification and so on. We rouse up the living beings by invocation.

        The forces of nature are invoked by mechanical means. The unknown persons are invoked into friendship. The gods are invoked by propitiation. God is invoked by prayer and devotion. Invocation is the

means of creating link with the good and the great.

When invoked the dormant spiritual power in man becomes dynamic and vibrant.

                                                                                 - Vedānta

Greatest is LOVE

Greatest is LOVE

A story is told about a soldier who was finally coming home after having fought in Vietnam. He called his parents from San Francisco.

"Mom and Dad, I'm coming home but I've got a favour to ask.  I have a friend I'd like to bring with me."

"Sure," they replied, "we'd love to meet him." 

"There's something you should know," the son continued, "he was hurt pretty badly in the fighting. He stepped on a land mined and lost an arm and a leg. He has nowhere else to go, and I want him to come live with us."

"I'm sorry to hear that, son. Maybe we can help him find somewhere to live."

"No, Mom and Dad, I want him to live with us."

"Son," said the father, "you don't know what you're asking. Someone with such a handicap would be a terrible burden on us. We have our own lives to live, and we can't let something like this interfere with our lives. I think you should just come home and forget about this guy. He'll find a way to live on his own. "

At that point, the son hung up the phone. The parents heard nothing more from him.

A few days later, however, they received a call from the San Francisco police. Their son had died after falling from a building, they were told. The police believed it was suicide. The grief-stricken parents flew to San Francisco and were taken to the city morgue to identify the body of their son. They recognized him, but to their horror they also discovered something they didn't know, their son had only one arm and one leg.

 

Practical Wisdom

Daily Divine Digest Philosophical Thought for Everyday 

Practical wisdom

     Some are born with practical wisdom. Others acquire it by right living. But it never comes to the calculator and the disputer.

     Gaining the practical wisdom is very easy. Man must divert himself of all complexities. He ought to resume the baby’s simplicity. The promptings of conscience alone should be spoken. A cheerful calmness is to be maintained always. Then the native genius sprouts. It is called practical wisdom.

   Those that sanctify their thought, word and deed with holiness and truthfulness evolve spontaneously in wisdom.

-Mahābhārataa