Vaishnava Janato

One of the most popular and enchanting Hindu Bhajans is “Vaishnava Jana To” which was included in Mahatma Gandhi’s daily prayer. It was written in Gujrati during 15th Century by poet Narsinh Mehta. The bhajan tells us about the life, ideals and mentality of a Vaishnav Jana (The follower of Vishnu or Krishna). The bhajan mesmerizes us with its simplicity and purity

Idiomatic Translation

A person of God is the one, who understands the pain of others.
Such a person helps those in need, and does not boast about it.

This person is polite to all people and does not condemn or criticize anyone.
He/She is pure in speech, deed and thought, glory to the mother who gave birth to such a virtuous person.

He is equanimous, has given up all desires and looks at other women as mothers.
He does not speak untruth and does not covet others' wealth.

Delusion and attachment can never pervade in her, her mind is firm in detachment.
She is ever engrossed in God's name and meditation, and she embodies all holy places.

Such a person has no greed and deceit; and has overcome lust and anger.
Narsi says: Seeing such a person gives liberation to the entire family lineage.

Though the bhajan tells us about the life, ideals and mentality of a Vaishnav Jana the traits prescribed here are essential in  any “good human being”.

Mahatma's indelible words

The one book that is always with me is Mahatma Gandhi' s autobiography, My Experiments with Truth. It’s my Bhagwat Gita. Gandhi has conveyed so many prophetic and inspirational ideas and notions. Several quotes of his seem pertinent for today’s times. For all the flaws in me I go to Gandhi for redemption. Whenever I am in the hold of anger, greed, guilt, and cowardice I go to him and he prescribes the medicine:

Guilt: Be courageous to confess your guilt.

"This sort of sublime forgiveness was not natural to my father. I had thought that he would be angry, say harsh words and strike his forehead. But he was so wonderfully peaceful, and this was due to my clean confession. A clean confession, combined with a promise never to commit the sin again, when offered before one who has the right to receive it, is the purest type of repentance. I know that my confession made my father feel absolutely safe about me, and increased his affection for me beyond measure." 

Cowardice: “Fear has its use but cowardice has none.”

“Cowardice is impotence worse than violence. The coward desires revenge but being afraid to die, he looks to others, maybe to the government of the day, to do the work of defense for him. A coward is less than a man. He does not deserve to be a member of a society of men and women.”

Gandhi was courageous enough to confess his guilt to his father when he was young. He was courageous enough to refuse to take off his turban when the judge of the court in South Africa ordered him to do so. He was courageous enough to refuse to move from his first class seat. He wanted to know the conditions of poor peasantry. He went to them and the people crowded around him by hundreds. The police ordered him to leave but he refused and when he was taken to court he explained why he disobeyed the police then courageously and very wisely asked the judge to punish him. The court did not know what to do with him so they released him.           

Anger:
"I have learned through bitter experience the one supreme lesson to conserve my anger, and as heat conserved is transmuted into energy, even so our anger controlled can be transmuted into a power which can move the world." 

Greed:  Earth provides enough to satisfy every man’s need, but not any man’s greed.

Holy Place

Another reason

to fight.

Another place

to store weapons.

Another issue

in the parliament,

Another spot

to blast,

Another structure

to dissipate

It’s a holy place:

Divinity has gone astray.

Brutality has come to stay.