31st December 2019
New year Eve Party
Sanjay and Abha Sood, our local friends and Executive members of Sood Sabha, had invited us for the dinner cum group chat to celebrate the New Year. It was going to be a pool dinner. There were around six couples who were to pool a dish or two for the dinner. I was assigned to make some fresh snacks and some sweet. But for some last minutes changes, I was waived off the pool. However, I had some fresh butter cookies baked at home by me and fresh organic grapes which I purchased from a super store. It is very rare to fine such good quality grapes in the market. I also prepared the small sweet nectar-holy prasad of five ingredients ( Panch Amrit). I soaked around forty almonds in the morning, removed the peel. I mixed the almonds in a thick mixture made with half spoon each of honey, yogart, milk, ghee and jagree.
Other couples brought dishes. Host served the drinks. The eating and chatting went well with some political arguments on Modi and anti Modi. The dinner was served by 11ish. Just a few minutes before 12, I suggested that a desi ghee lamp be lit, and some incense sticks be burnt. Th atmosphere became very auspicious, waiting eagerly to the shift of time zone into 2020. It was sharp 12 midnight. We greeted each other and wished for 2010. Wow… We were directed to the home temple room. We all sang glory of the lord in form of prayer…Aarti-Jay Jagdish Hare. The prasad was served. Everyone enjoyed the food, drinks, cookies and the prasad which was followed by hot tea. We left the venue by past 1.
I avoid going to bed right after the heavy dinner. So, I sat down in my common room to watch Tv, checking WhatsApp/ Messenger messages. One of my childhood primary school friend from Hoshiarpur, Mr. A noticed me online. His wife called me to exchange the initial warm up and handed over the phone to her hubby. I was very excited to talk to him. On his enquiry, I explained to him the reason of my late-night chill. We talked on family, change in lifestyle over the time, how children grew up to be independent and so much… I realised that he was feeling holed up with me longer than he wanted to be. So, I bid goodbye. As a courtesy, I normally do not hang up the phone first, would let the other party cut it off. But this time, I over heard my friend complaining to his wife, Mrs A, about me,“ He is so loquacious (chatter) and hooked me on the phone for such a long time unnecessarily.” The wife promptly cautioned him to be slow in voice and make sure first the phone was turned off properly. O my God. This was my childhood friend which means we had maintained this relationship for 60 years.
Initially, I felt a sharp knife stabbed in my chest. But sooner I recouped. I took a deep breath and closed my eyes. I remembered the duality of the universe. We maintain a dual personality, inside (mamkara) is different from what we present to the external world (ahankara). I let the pain go and took another deep breath in and out…longer.
In a fraction of a second, the longest ever relationship of 60 years got kind of over. Nithyananda taught about the completion (Sampurnta). We should stay complete in all our relation ship. One should be courageous and frank enough to tell a friend to shorten up and finish off the conversation soon. Completion keeps your inner core bold and strong. Understand the meaning of following hymn (mantra or shloka) to stay complete and rejuvenated:
ॐ पूर्णमदः पूर्णमिदं पूर्णात्पूर्णमुदच्यते । पूर्णस्य पूर्णमादाय पूर्णमेवावशिष्यते ॥ ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः ॥
Om Puurnnam-Adah
Puurnnam-Idam Puurnnaat-Puurnnam-Udacyate |Puurnnasya Puurnnam-Aadaaya
Puurnnam-Eva-Avashissyate ||
Om
Shaantih Shaantih Shaantih ||
Meaning:
1: Om,
That
(Outer World) is Purna (Full
with Divine Consciousness); This (Inner World) is also Purna (Full with Divine Consciousness); From Purna is manifested Purna
(From the Fullness of Divine Consciousness the World is manifested),
2: Taking Purna
from Purna,
Purna indeed
remains (Because Divine Consciousness is Non-Dual and
Infinite),
3: Om,
Peace,
Peace,
Peace.
Relationships are not to be taken seriously at heart. We all meet here and leave the relationship here. All friends and relations are our soul mates who are sent to our lives to accomplish the journey. My friend, Mr.A, the time is there to depart now. As we bid goodbye to 2019, I say goodbye to you too while reciting the following hymn in my mind:
न मृत्युर्न शङ्का न मे जातिभेदः I पिता नैव मे नैव माता न जन्मः ।
न बन्धुर्न मित्रं गुरुर्नैव शिष्यं
I चिदानन्दरूपः शिवोऽहम् शिवोऽहम् ॥५॥
Na Mrtyur-Na Shangkaa Na Me Jaati-Bhedah
Pitaa Naiva Me Naiva Maataa Na Janmah |
Na Bandhurna Mitram Gurur-Na-Iva Shissyam
Cid-Aananda-Ruupah Shivo[a-A]ham
Shivo[a-A]ham
||5||
Meaning:
5.1: Neither am I bound by Death and its Fear, nor by the rules of Caste and its Distinctions,
5.2: Neither do I have Father and Mother, nor do I have Birth,
5.3:
Neither do I have Relations nor Friends, neither Spiritual
Teacher nor Disciple,
5.4: I am the Ever Pure Blissful
Consciousness; I am Shiva, I am Shiva,
The Ever Pure Blissful Consciousness.
HAPPY 2020 TO ALL