First post: http://www.ganshani.com/2006/09/12/faith/

Ever observed a flower grow? It blooms as a tender bud and with time, it matures itself. Its petals, that at first are close life a cocoon, open up with the rays of sun. And as this transition occurs, the flower starts spreading fragrance all around. People gift this flower to their closed ones, enjoy fragrance, and preserve it for few days until the flower loses its beauty.

One fine day, people then throw the same flower (for which they might have also paid), just because the flower has dried up – lost its charm. When it mixes with the earth, it loses its existence. And tomorrow in some other garden, you see one more such beautiful bud.

The flower does not contain any wishes of its own, yet it sacrifices itself for someone’s love. Such should be a man. Just as a flower keeps no wishes of its own and surrenders itself to the destiny (as decided by its master), we should also surrender ourself to the divine. Surrender is the only tool that can help us energize us with his blessings and can sail us through the storms.

As the flower mixes with the earth(soil), our body will get burried inside the earth and our soul shall meet the divine. But this is only possible if we let go the ‘I’ – our ego. As a human, we are tied to materialistic things – which do no benefit to us. They rather keep us engaged in themselves, making us forget the sole way to success: ‘Surrender’

If we keep faith in Almighty, he will himself make sure that we stay good, eat good and live happily. But once, we wish to customize the way we want to stay, eat or live, he shall set us free from himself and his grace.

With faith (in him), surrender!

Related posts:

• Faith…!
• Aapae Ranjhan Hoe

Mahee, mahee kookdee, maiy aapay ranjhan hoee
Ranjhan ranjhan sab koee, heer na aakhoo koee

I am not sure about the exact story of the two lovers: Heer and Ranjhan – but have heard this couplet a hundred times. Unlike others, I would not compare Heer-Ranjhan with Romeo-Juliet. Because in Heer-Ranjhan story, I find their surrender to each other.

My beloved, My beloved I call out incessantly, that I myself became Ranjha
Ranjha, Ranjha call me just that, No one dare call me Heer

Heer gets so much devoted to Ranjhan, that she finds him in herself. By uttering Ranjha-Ranjha, Heer has lost her own identity and she pleads people not to call her as Heer. Now, Heer and Ranjhan are not seperate identities – the two souls are now ONE.This is true love.

This reminds of one more such couplet:

Mera Mujhme kuch nahi, Jo kuch hai so tera,
Tera tujhko saupn-dun, To kya laage hai mera.

Sant Kabira is so humble to surrender whatever he possesses to his Lord. He considers, whatever he has received as blessing from God. He believes that if he returns back whatever he today possesses, he will not have a single thing to count as his own!Such is the love of Sant Kabira…

Related posts:

• Faith – II
• Faith…!

John was small when his father left for the heavenly abode and he was brought up by his mother. He used to spend day in and day out with behind caring for his mother. With God’s grace, he sought success in whichever profile he touched but till the end, he used to take advise from his mother on every small issue concerning life. And not a single decision taken, proved to be wrong! Amazing but the truth is that his mother was an illiterate and he was formally educated. Still he used to respect his mother’s decisions and have blind faith on them. He was successful. What was it? A coincidence or the boundless faith that moved the mountains?

In India, we pray carved stones that we consider God and we often see miracles happen in our life. I am inspired to write this blog by one of friend’s mother who recently saw such miracle happen at her home. One of her relatives was suffering from Blood Cancer- a disease uncurable, a disease that could prove lethal. Doctors could not cure the same and lost the hopes of curing the young lady. The family was in utter disappointments and there was this boy- my friend who’s sheer faith in God made her drive out of this disease. Some days later, she was as fine as she was before the disease carved its signature in the body.

Yes, I am talking of the faith in God! We humans consider ourselves to powerful and try to achieve everything on our own. For this, we put in lots of efforts – some go waste, while some are fruitful. And later we bear the consequences of the efforts put in. If we fail to achieve our preset targets, we blame God that he did not help me and if we succeed in reaching to the summit, we praise ourselves for what we did. Isn’t this politics?

90% of the general mass has the same attitude and the rest 10% are those who believe that God is the supreme authority behind every success and failure. Believing in God doesn’t mean to agree to the fact that God is there. To agree or to disagree will not change the existence of God. Believing in God means to assert oneself that I am a part of God and God shall be with me forever. In tough times, he shall give me patience and my faith in him shall increase even then.

In the good times, he shall dance with me. In times tough we should practice leaving everything on God; however intense the matter may be.

We sing a shabhd from Gurbani,

Jiske Sir Upar Tu Mera Swami, So Dukh Kaisa Paave…

(One who has your blessings will never face any problems!)

If we closely look into this shabhd, the God himself has said that if you leave anything entirely on me, I shall help you out. Krishna himself said to Arjuna that one who will have entire faith in me and will come in my abode, shall be definately helped by me. Nothing remains unsaid if one realizes that God is with him.

I have many experiences when God has himself helped me. The toughest things have also become the easiest. Once I put the matter in front of God, I realize that my problem shall be solved sooner and then I do not ponder whether the matter has been solved or is pending. If it is pending, the right time to consider the matter has not yet arrived.

God fulfills each and every wish of his child but the child has to bear the consequences of the wish. The time when his wish is fulfilled is again decided by God and is again one of the best possible time. The faith in God that the wish will be fulfilled will help you see the wish getting the proper shape.

A faith can move mountains! If you have any such experience, please feel free to write them down in Comments!

Related posts:

• Faith – II
• Krishna’s existence – difference in mythological perceptions!
• Childhood to adulthood: a blink of eye!

This poem symbolizes love of a fictitious character called ‘Peterson.’ I have created this fictitious to bring a liveliness to emotions, characters and life. May be you may see many poems written by the name ‘Peterson’ in future as I evolve into this character.

Last time when I met her,
I felt she was mine,
She could open the doors to me,
Even when it was mid night!

She understood me,
And never shouted the way she did,
She made me understand,
The goof ups that I did.

She held my hand tight,
To make me feel comfortable,
And when I sought her shelter,
She was very humble.

She scolded me, hit me hard,
Tears dropped from my heart,
And at the dawn, she made me feel,
Improvements are part of life.

She never said, words so harsh,
Like a mother, she was so great at heart,
A baby runs behind that warmth,
She made me feel, dear at heart.

Last time, I met her,
She smiled at me,
I was important, she made me feel,
But why is this change today?

She looks at me, she cares,
But there is a hard man standing today,
She hits me hard, says harsh words,
But never returns back and says magical words.

I wish she could touch me again,
Her feather touch, could make me happy again,
Where is that confidence, I look for,
The faith, woven, why is it lost?

I wait for her eyes, to speak to me,
They see me, but remain within thee!
I wish things were different,
I would be like she, and she would be different.

I still have those feelings in me,
Hoping to give the best from me,
Why doesn’t she understand, my frustrations if I tear on her,
Why does she cry?

Whom do I have to tell the truth?
After showering frustrations, I bear the fruit,
Who will make me unearthed,
If she understands this, I wont let her be hurt.

Today, I wait for her to turn around,
Smile, Laugh and Cherish the moments spend around,
I have few weeks more to go,
But she will leave me before.

If I had some magical wand,
I would touch her feet and make myself grand,
My heart is crouching to let her sway,
To me, she is, my only way!

Turn around and look who’s there,
Your hubby, is waiting for a sweet hug!

Punit Ganshani

Related posts:

• Aloof in thoughts!
• Two Moments