Striving for constant factor

Priya Tandon

Change is the only constant thing in life. But there are somethings that should not be subject to change in our lives. Like, your mom... She will always be your mom and nothing can change that. Let me elaborate…

Ek panth (one religion)

There are many paths to God. Each has its own form and format. All of them lead to one destination i.e. God. God is one and only one. His names are countless. You may address Him as Rama, Krishna, Sai Baba, Jesus, Allah, Mahavira, Waheguru or any other name that appeals to you, but He is one and the same. I wonder why people ask others to change or convert to another religion. I think converting to another religion is like disowning your mother and finding a new one. Every religion is complete in itself. Why look outside it? Religion is no less than a mother. How can we change it?

This is one of my favourite quotes of Sai Baba – “I have come not to disturb or destroy any faith, but to confirm each in his own faith so that a Christian becomes a better Christian; the Muslim, a better Muslim, and the Hindu, a better Hindu.”

No Religion can ever preach violence or hatred. It’s a pity as well as a hazard that the interpretation of religion has gone wrong in the hands of its so called protectors.

Ek granth (one holy book)

There are many holy scriptures. Do read a bit of them to find out which one resonates with your thoughts. There are many to choose from- the Bhagavad Gita, Ramayana, 18 puranas, Guru Granth Sahib, Bible or Koran. There is nothing greater than loving and serving all. The world is one large family. The doctrine of "Vasudhaiva kutumbakam’ is about the fatherhood of God and the brotherhood of man.

Ek sant (one guide)

Do choose a guru for yourself. The word guru is made up of gu+ru. "Gu means darkness or ignorance, and ru means dispeller." So guru means the one who dispels ignorance or darkness. A guru is the connecting link between you and God. The guru introduces you to God. In the course of life we do come across evolved souls. Before you decide and choose who you want as your guru, do a thorough check about him. There are many quacks and fraudsters around. A true guru is one, who never asks for money for giving initiation or of blessings. He is the one in whose presence you feel at utmost peace; you forget the questions you had come to ask; your heart overflows with love; you are at a loss for words; time stands still and you just drown in the moment of being with the guru.

Saint Kabir says, “Guru Gobind dono khade, kake laagu paayen;

Balihaari guru aapne, Gobind diyo bataae.”

(The guru and the Lord are standing before me together; whose feet should I bow first? I choose to bow to the guru first, for he has made me meet the Lord. I am indebted to him.)

Ek mantra

Choose any mantra, be it Om Namaha Shivaaya, Om Sri Sai Ram, Gayatri Mantra, Mahamrityunjaya Mantra, Ek Omkar Satnam, Allah Ho Akbar, or the chanting of any name of the Lord that appeals to you. Do find what soothes your soul. Do understand what elevates you and brings you solace. Do find out and once you have, then stick to it! If you keep chanting one mantra and contemplating on its meaning, you shall slowly but surely start getting connected.

To keep yourself grounded, keep these things constant in your life and devote some time to them each day. They are important for the sanity of the mind that has a hundred distractions. When a child cries, the mother leaves all her work and comforts him, because she knows that she is the only one the child would turn to. Similarly, if you are connected to one form of God, your mind would automatically remembers Him and the connection would be instantaneous.