Krishna Seva

[Sital]

Jai Shree Krishna

Please read below a forwarded email. Illustrates how actions and words Impact one another for better and worse

One day, when I was a freshman in high school, I saw a kid from my class was walking home from school. His name was Kyle. It looked like he was carrying all of his books. I thought to myself, 'Why would anyone bring home all his books on a Friday? He must really be a nerd.' I had quite a weekend planned (parties and a football game with my friends tomorrow afternoon), so I shrugged my shoulders and went on.

As I was walking, I saw a bunch of kids running toward him. They ran at him, knocking all his books out of his arms and tripping him so he landed in the dirt. His glasses went flying, and I saw them land in the grass about ten feet from him. He looked up and I saw this terrible sadness in his eyes. My heart went out to him. So, I jogged over to him as he crawled around looking for his glasses, and I saw a tear in his eye.

As I handed him his glasses, I said, 'those guys are jerks. They really should get lives.' He looked at me and said, 'Hey thanks!’ There was a big smile on his face. It was one of those smiles that showed real gratitude. I helped him pick up his books, and asked him where he lived. As it turned out, he lived near me, so I asked him why I had never seen him before. He said he had gone to private school before now. I would have never hung out with a private school kid before.

We talked all the way home, and I carried some of his books. He turned out to be a pretty cool kid. I asked him if he wanted to play a little football with my friends, He said yes. We hung out all weekend and the more I got to know Kyle, the more I liked him, and my friends thought
the same of him. Monday morning came, and there was Kyle with the huge stack of books again. I stopped him and said, 'Boy, you are going to really build some serious muscles with this pile of books everyday!

' He just laughed and handed me half the books. Over the next four years, Kyle and I became best friends.. When we were seniors we began to think about college. Kyle decided on Georgetown and I was going to Duke. I knew that we would always be friends that the miles would never be a problem. He was going to be a doctor and I was going for business on a football scholarship. Kyle was valedictorian of our class. I teased him all the time about being a nerd. He had to prepare a speech for graduation. I was so glad it wasn't me having to get up there and speak. Graduation day, I saw Kyle he looked great. He was one of those guys that really found himself during high school.

He filled out and actually looked good in glasses. He had more dates than I had and all the girls loved him. Boy, sometimes I was jealous! Today was one of those days. I could see that he was nervous about his speech. So, I smacked him on the back and said, 'Hey, big guy, you'll be great!' He looked at me with one of those looks (the really grateful one) and smiled. ' Thanks,' he said. As he started his speech, he cleared his throat, and began

'Graduation is a time to thank those who helped you make it through those tough years. Your parents, your teachers, your siblings, maybe a
coach… but mostly your friends...I am here to tell all of you that being a friend to someone is the best gift you can give them. I am going to tell you a story.'

I just looked at my friend with disbelief as he told the story of the first day we met. He had planned to kill himself over the weekend.
He talked of how he had cleaned out his locker so his Mom wouldn't have to do it later and was carrying his stuff home. He looked hard at me and gave me a little smile. 'Thankfully, I was saved. My friend saved me from doing the unspeakable.' I heard the gasp go through the crowd as this handsome, popular boy told us all about his weakest moment. I saw his Mom and dad looking at me and smiling with that same grateful smile.

Not until that moment did I realize its depth. Never underestimate the power of your actions. With one small gesture you can change a person's life. God puts us all in each other’s lives to impact one another in some way. See God in others as well.

Hope you all liked this story; please feel free to add your own opinions

JSK
_________________
Madhurkomalkant padavali namami
Sital

[Sital]

Jai Shree Pyara Vaishnavs

Please read below:

There were a few villagers who were visiting New York City for the first time. Curious to know about the city, they booked themselves into a expensive hotel. It was a skyscraper hotel with a hundred floors. For the reason that it was their first experience, they wanted to do something extraordinary. So, they booked themselves on the hundredth floor and went out into the city

Upon their return, they found there was no electricity, hence were unable to use the elevator. Their only option was to climb the stairs. "Since that would take some time, each one of them along the way discussed some of their most horrible nightmares or the troubles, which they had experienced in the past."

One by one, they started describing and narrating their difficulties to one another. And as they passed their time, they were climbing up. First floor, second floor, ten floors, twenty floors, and after some time, they finally reached the ninety-ninth floor. All of them had practically finished describing their tales of woe and distress. Only one person was remaining. So the others requested him to speak, but he said, "No, it is too miserable. I can't say it." Disappointed they argued back, "No. No. You must say it. What is your problem?"

He said, "The key to the room was in my pocket and I left it down below."

Moral:

All of us are climbing up our corporate ladder in various ways, we want to achieve things in life. In spite of the increased number of achievements, in terms of career, academics or family, we are all unhappy, because we have left the key to happiness down below.
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A person who neither rejoices upon achieving something pleasant nor laments upon obtaining something unpleasant, who is self-intelligent and who knows the science of God, is to be understood situated in Transcendence. Such a self-realized person enjoys unlimited happiness, for he concentrates on the Supreme

JSK
_________________
Madhurkomalkant padavali namami
Sital

[Sital]

Jai Shree Krishna

Once upon a time there was a man who had a big garden. He had planted many fruit trees and cared for them. Now he wanted to pick up the fruits and sell them to make money for his family.

One fine day while picking fruits with his son, the man saw a stranger sitting on the branch of a tree picking the fruits. This man became angry and shouted, "Hey you! What are you doing on my tree? Aren't you ashamed of stealing?" The stranger on the branch just looked at the gardener but didn't reply, and continued picking the fruits. The gardener was very angry and shouted again, "For a whole year I have taken care of these trees, you have no right to take the fruits without my permission, so come down at once!"

The stranger on the tree answered, "Why should I come down? This is the garden of God and I am the servant of God, so I have the right to pick these fruits. And you should not interfere between the work of God and his servant." The gardener was very surprised at this answer and thought of a plan. He called his son and said, "Go bring a rope and get this man down from the tree." His son brought the rope and the gardener ordered him to tie the stranger to the tree. The gardener then took a stick and started to beat the stranger. The stranger began to scream. "Why are you beating me? You have no right to do this."

The gardener paid no attention and continued beating him. The stranger screamed, "Don't you fear God, you are beating an innocent man? The gardener answered, "Why should I fear? This wood in my hand belongs to God and I too am the servant of God, so I have nothing to fear, and you shouldn't interfere with the work of God and his servant." The stranger hesitated and then spoke, "Wait, don't beat me, I am sorry for stealing the fruits. This is your garden and I should seek your permission before taking the fruits. Please forgive and set me free."

The gardener smiled and said, "Since you have now realized your mistake, I will forgive you but remember that God has given all his servants freewill, so every person is responsible for his actions. We experience happiness and distress according to the moral and spiritual quality of our activities. We are responsible for what we do." Then the gardener untied him and let him go free.

JSK
_________________
Madhurkomalkant padavali namami
Sital

[Trusha]

Jai Shree Krishna

The Three Trees

Once upon a mountain top, three little trees stood and dreamed of what they wanted to become when they grew up. The first little tree looked up at the stars and said: " I want to hold treasure. I want to be covered with gold and filled with precious stones. I'll be the most beautiful treasure chest in the world!" The second little tree looked out at the small stream trickling by on it's way to the ocean. " I want to be travelling mighty waters and carrying powerful kings. I'll be the strongest ship in the world! The third little tree looked down into the valley below where busy men and women worked in a busy town. I don't want to leave the mountain top at all. I want to grow so tall that when people stop to look at me they'll raise their eyes to heaven and think of God. I will be the tallest tree in the world.

Years, passed. The rain came, the sun shone and the little trees grew tall. One day three wood cutters climbed the mountain. The first wood cutter looked at the first tree and said, "This tree is beautiful. It is perfect for me." With a swoop of his shining axe, the first tree fell. "Now I shall make a beautiful chest, I shall hold wonderful treasure!" the first tree said.

The second wood cutter looked at the second tree and said, "This tree is strong. It's perfect for me." With a swoop of his shining axe, the second tree fell. "Now I shall sail mighty waters!" thought the second tree. " I shall be a strong ship for mighty kings!"

The third tree felt her heart sink when the last wood cutter looked her way. She stood straight and tall and pointed bravely to heaven. But the wood cutter never even looked up. "Any kind of tree will do for me." He muttered. With a swoop of his shining axe, the third tree fell.

The first tree rejoiced when the wood cutter brought her to a carpenter's shop. But the carpenter fashioned the tree into a feed box for animals. The once beautiful tree was not covered with gold, or treasure. She was coated with saw dust and filled with hay for hungry farm animals. The second tree smiled when the wood cutter took her to a shipyard, but no mighty sailing ship was made that day. Instead the once strong tree was hammered and awed into a simple fishing boat. She was too small and too weak to sail to an ocean, or even a river, instead she was taken to a little lake. The third tree was confused when the wood cutter cut her into strong beams and left her in a lumberyard. "What happened?" The once tall tree wondered. " All I ever wanted was to stay on the mountain top and point to God..."

Many days and nights passed. The three trees nearly forgot their dreams. But one night, golden starlight poured over the first tree as a young woman placed her newborn baby in the feed box. "I wish I could make a cradle for him." Her husband whispered. The mother squeezed his hand and smiled as the starlight shone on the smooth and sturdy wood. " This manger is beautiful." She said. And suddenly the first tree knew he was holding the greatest treasure in the world.

One evening a tired traveller and his friends crowded into the old fishing boat. The traveller fell asleep as the second tree quietly sailed out into the lake. Soon a thundering and a thrashing storm arose. The little tree shuddered. She new she did not have the strength to carry so many passengers safely through the wind and the rain. The tired man awoke. He stood up, stretched out his hand, and said, "Peace." The storm stopped as quickly as it had begun. And suddenly the second tree knew he was carrying the king of heaven and earth.

One Friday morning, the third tree was startled when her beams were yanked from the forgotten wood pile. She flinched as she was carried through an angry jeering crowd. She shuddered when soldiers nailed a man's hand to her. She felt ugly and harsh and cruel. But on Sunday morning, when the sun rose and the earth trembled with joy beneath her, the third tree knew that God's love had changed everything. It had made the third tree strong. And every time people thought of the third tree, they would think of God. That was better than being the tallest tree in the world.

The next time you feel down because you didn't get what you wanted, sit tight and be happy because Thakorji is thinking of something better to give you.
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Jai Shree Krishna
Vraj Bihari ki banu me vrajnaar
Trusha

[Prashant]

Happiness is an attitude.

The 92-year-old, petite, well-poised and proud lady, who is fully dressed each morning by eight o'clock, with her hair fashionably coifed and makeup perfectly applied, even though she is legally blind, moved to a nursing home today. Her husband of 70 years recently passed away, making the move necessary. After many hours of waiting patiently in the lobby of the nursing home, she smiled sweetly when told her room was ready. As she maneuvered her walker to the elevator, I provided a visual description of her tiny room, including the eyelet sheets that had been hung on her window. "I love it," she stated with the enthusiasm of an eight-year-old having just been presented with a new puppy. "Mrs. Jones, you haven't seen the room .... just wait." "That doesn't have anything to do with it," she replied. "Happiness is something you decide on ahead of time. Whether I like my room or not doesn't depend on how the furniture is arranged ... it's how I arrange my mind. I already decided to love it ... It's a decision I make every morning when I wake up. I have a choice; I can spend the day in bed recounting the difficulty I have with the parts of my body that no longer work, or get out of bed and be thankful for the ones that do. Each day is a gift, and as long as my eyes open I'll focus on the new day and all the happy memories I've stored away ... just for this time in my life."
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Life can be lived in several ways but the quality of your life depends on the things to which you give priority

- Prashant

[Trusha]

Jai Shree Krishna

That's God!

Have you ever been just sitting there and all of a sudden you feel like doing something nice for someone you care for? THAT'S GOD... He talks to you.

Have you ever been down and out and nobody seems to be around for you to talk to? THAT'S GOD... He wants you to talk to Him.

Have you ever been thinking about somebody that you haven't seen in a long time and then next thing you know... you see them or receive a phone call from them? THAT'S GOD... There! is no such thing as "coincidence."

Have you ever received something wonderful that you didn't even ask for? Like money in the mail, a debt that had mysteriously been cleared, or a coupon to a department store where you had just seen something you wanted, but couldn't afford? THAT'S GOD... He knows the desires of your heart...

Have you ever been in a situation and you had no clue how it is going to get better, but now as you look back on it, you got through it? THAT'S GOD... He passes us through tribulation to see a brighter day.

Hope more vaishnavs will share their stories with us.
_________________
Jai Shree Krishna
Vraj Bihari ki banu me vrajnaar
Trusha

[Dattubhai]

JAY SHRI KRISHNA.
TRUSHAJI. You have shown best ways to realise presence of God with us,how much HE cares about us.
If opposite situation happens consider how much we are away from Shri Thakurji.We are lacking in our efforts to please Him.
Dattubhai Purohit.
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Jay Shri Krishna.

[jagdish]

Jai Shri Krishna,

The following may already have been shared in an e-mail

An interesting article...

A professor was delivering lectures on the Vedas to a few students. One day, in the course of their studies, they came across a line which said, "The truly evolved person is one who continues to smile in the midst of the greatest of difficulties."

The young students had a problem in accepting this statement at its face value. "If we are truly in difficulty, how is it possible for us to smile under such conditions?" they asked the professor.

The professor took off his spectacles and looked at his young pupils thoughtfully. "To be perfectly honest with you," he said, "I myself cannot answer that question. The truth is that I, too, cannot smile when I am in the midst of difficulties. At such moments, I seem to forget how to smile."
Silence prevailed in the class, as the teacher and the students pondered over the issue.

The professor continued after a pause, "However, I believe there is someone who can give you the answer." He proceeded to tell his students of an old sage who lived in their city, not far from the college. He had been an abandoned child - an orphan. When he grew up, he had lost both his legs in an accident. His life had been a series of struggles, a saga of pain and suffering. "And yet," concluded the professor, "he always wears a lovely smile! He is a wonderful human being. You must go to him and ask him to answer your question."

The students were amazed to hear of this brave man. In a group, they went and knocked at his door. The door was opened by the man himself - moving briskly on a wheel-chair. He welcomed the young students cordially, and asked them the purpose of their visit.

"Sir, it's this text we are discussing in the class," said one of them hesitantly. "It's all about how one must continue to smile amidst the greatest of difficulties in life. The professor told us that you were the best person to talk to."

"Tell us please, sir," added another. "How do you continue to smile amidst so much pain and suffering?"

"I'm afraid you've come to the wrong address!" replied the old man, with genuine surprise. "I am 73 years old, and in all these years I have never had to face any difficulty!

The Lord has always been good to me, and protected me in His mercy. How can I teach you how to smile in the midst of difficulties?"
The students were stunned with this answer.

On probing further, the sage revealed his secret. He quoted Lord Krishna instructions to Arjuna in the battlefield of Kurukshetra,

"O son of Kunti, the nonpermanent appearance of happiness and distress, and their disappearance in due course, are like the appearance and disappearance of winter and summer seasons. They arise from sense perception, O scion of Bharata, and one must learn to tolerate them without being disturbed."
_________________
Best Wishes
Jagdish

[jagdish]

Found on a website:

" People often say that God is Just and Merciful. If one analyses the
two adjectives, one will realise that if one relies on justice, one
cannot always be merciful and if one shows Mercy, one probably cannot
exercise proper justice. The theory of karma is based on justice.
Forgiveness is a gift of Mercy. If you will only bear with me, I would
like to explain to you a theory which explains the above a bit better.

On the earth and for some miles around it we experience the Law of
Gravity. The Law of gravity does not exist (not the way we experience it
on earth) in Space. Similarly while we are bound by human knowledge,
the Laws of karma apply. Once we transcend through love and/or faith, we
break the barriers and we enter the Law of Grace, compassion and mercy.
We have then entered the realm of miracles.
Now we can use our thoughts, feelings, words and actions to co-create with God our own reality. "
_________________
Best Wishes
Jagdish

[Sital]

Jai Shree Krishna,

Thanks Jagdisji, those were wonderful stories, a real uplift

JSK
_________________
Madhurkomalkant padavali namami
Sital

[zankhana]

Beautiful stories! Thank you to all dear Vaishnavs for sharing them.
_________________
Sarvada sarva bhaven bhajanio vrajadhipah

Jai Shri Krishna
Zankhana

[Sunita Punjabi]

Jai Shri Krishna,

All this time I was just reading but now let me share one too
Always remember what we do or say GOD is always watching.

Always remember God is at the window .
A little boy was visiting his grandparents on their farm.
He was given a slingshot to play with out in the woods.
He practiced in the woods; but he could never hit the
target.
Getting a little discouraged, he headed back home for dinner.
As he was walking back when he saw Grandma's pet Duck.
Just out of impulse, he let the slingshot fly, hit the duck Square in the head and killed it.
He was shocked and grieved!
In a panic, he hid the dead duck in the wood pile, only to see his sister watching!
Sally had seen it all, but she said nothing.
After lunch the next day Grandma said, "Sally, let's
Wash the dishes."
But Sally said, "Grandma, Johnny told me he wanted
To help in the kitchen."
Then she whispered to him, "Remember the duck?"
So Johnny did the dishes.
Later that day, Grandpa asked if the children wanted
To go fishing, and Grandma said, "I'm sorry but
I need Sally to help make supper."

Sally just smiled and said, "Well that's all right because Johnny told me he wanted to help."
She whispered again, "Remember the duck?"
So Sally went fishing and Johnny stayed to help.
After several days of Johnny doing both his chores and Sally's, he finally couldn't stand it any longer.
He came to Grandma and confessed that he had
Killed the duck.
Grandma knelt down, gave him a hug and said,
"Sweetheart, I know.
You see, I was standing at the window and I saw
The whole thing, but because I love you, I forgave you.
I was just wondering how long you would let Sally make a slave of you."
Thought for the day and every day
Hereafter . . .
Whatever is in your past, whatever you have done
. . . And the devil keeps throwing it up in your
Face . . (lying, cheating, debt, fear, bad habits,
Hatred, anger, bitterness, etc.) . . .

Whatever it is, you need to know that God was
Standing at the window and He saw the whole thing.
He has seen your whole life.
He wants you to know that He loves you and that you are forgiven.
He's just wondering how long you will let the devil make a slave of you.
The great thing about God is that when you ask for forgiveness, he not only forgives you, but he forgets.
It is by God's grace and mercy that we are saved.

Share this with a friend, and always remember :
God is at the window
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Sunita Punjabi

Mero to Aadhar Shri Vallabh ke Charnarvind
Mere gale ko haar Shri Vallabh ke Charnarvind
Mero to shinghar Shri Vithal ke Charnarvind
Ga-o Varamvar Shri Vallabh ke Charnarvind Shri Vithal ke Charnarvind --------!!!!!!!

[Sital]

Jai Shree Krishna

Wow, what a lovely story Sunitaji, thank you for sharing

JSK
_________________
Madhurkomalkant padavali namami
Sital

[Vasant Punjabi]

Jai Shri Krishna,

A short story that carries a lot of feelings-------.

Little girl and her father were crossing a bridge.
The father was kind of scared so he asked his little daughter,
'Sweetheart, please hold my hand so that you don't fall into the river..'
The little girl said, 'No, Dad. You hold my hand.'
'What's the difference?' Asked the puzzled father.
'There's a big difference,' replied the little girl.

'If I hold your hand and something happens to me,
chances are that I may let your hand go.
But if you hold my hand, I know for sure that no matter what happens,
you will never let my hand go.'

In any relationship, the essence of trust is not in its bind, but in its bond.

So hold the hand of the person who loves you rather than expecting them to hold yours...
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Vasant Punjabi.

"Shri Vallabh Shri Vithal Sukh-kari naa-me nishpap thai nur-nari,
------Nitya Lila nitya nautam shruti na pame par."----

[Vasant Punjabi]

Jai Shri Krishna,

God is everywhere and also watches everything. There is nothing He cannot do. He is the ABSOLUTE TRUTH. There are 3 phases of the Absolute Truth Brahman, Parmatma and Bhagwan.

These three features, known technically as Brahman, Paramatma and Bhagavan can be understood as follows.

Brahman is the all-pervasive impersonal form of God; Paramatma is the localized form of God within the heart of every living entity; and Bhagavan is the personal form of God who resides in His spiritual abode.

"These three divine aspects can be explained by the example of the sun, which also has three different aspects, namely the sunshine, the sun's surface and the sun planet itself.

Lets us illustrate a simple story to understand more easily!!!

There once were three brothers who lived in a village. They had never gone to the city before, and they had no understanding of what a train was. One day they went to the city to see for themselves what a train was. As they waited they heard the sound of the train's whistle, and they turned to another man and asked, "Is that the train?" And the man answered, "Yes." Hearing this one of the three brothers returned to his village and told everyone that the train is the sound of a whistle. The other two brothers, not being convinced with the answer, waited, and soon they saw the head light of the train in the distance. They turned to another man and asked, "Is that light the train?" The man replied, "Yes." Hearing this, one of the brothers was satisfied, and he returned to his village and explained how actually a train is not just a sound, but a bright light as well. After waiting some more time, the third brother saw the train pull into the station, and he was surprised at what he saw. There were doors and compartments, and so many people getting in and going out! There were food vendors, and ticket collectors, old men and young children! There was so much variety. After seeing this he was satisfied and he returned to his village to inform everyone what a train actually was. It wasn't just an impersonal sound or a localized light. It was complete variety.

Thus the Supreme Person The Absolute Truth, possesses three unique features, one impersonal and all-pervading, one localized within the hearts of all living entities, and one as a supreme individual residing in His spiritual abode. To understand the Absolute Truth, one must comprehend all three of these features simultaneously.
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Vasant Punjabi.

"Shri Vallabh Shri Vithal Sukh-kari naa-me nishpap thai nur-nari,
------Nitya Lila nitya nautam shruti na pame par."----