By William Blake

p.s.: do you think of this poem as Pessimistic or Reality?!

I have recurring dreams going on now for years. In this particular one, I'm flying to different places and countries. This time I'm in Cambodia and when I land there, a man is waiting to take me to wherever I need to be on foot. We travel over vast lands overflowing with good things and food. The cows are so fat I can see them, even now. After a long time we get to our destination. Here we are greeted by hungry mothers and malnourished children. There are only two nursing sisters dealing with this impossible situation. I then ask the old man why these people are so hungry and dying of diseases, while we just passed those farms with everything. He then says that's why he brought me there - all those rich farms we passed, belong to me. He wants me to help those people. I got such a shock and a fright all at the same time that I cried uncontrollably. I woke up in a cold sweat, still sobbing. Can you please tell me what's the meaning of this? Nosipho in South Africa

Hello Nosipho, You've just been given a message from your Higher Self, or soul. This is a rare kind of dream that Carl Jung called a "big dream," one that has the power to transform your life, and one you'll remember forever. The "tour guide" in the dream may be a spirit guide in another dimension, or perhaps he simply embodies your calling to help those less fortunate. His telling you that the farms belong to you signifies your gifts in this life, which you've been called upon to share with others. So what is the gift you have to share? Do some soul-searching about how you'd like to help those in need, listen to what your inner voice tells you, and go for it! Sweet Dreams! Cortney GOOD NIGHT AND DREAM GREAT!

Social reforms:
Savitribai was not only involved in educational activities of Jyotirao but also in every social struggle that he launched. Once Jyotiba stopped a pregnant lady from committing suicide, promising her to give her child his name after it was born. Savitribai readily accepted the lady in her house and willingly assured to help her deliver the child. Savitribai and Jyotiba later on adopted this child who then grew up to become a doctor. For the women who were exploited and deserted delivery home called "Balhatya Pratibandhak Griha" was set up.

Jyotiba and Savitribai were also opposed to idolatry and championed the cause of peasants and workers. They faced social isolation and vicious attacks from people whom they questioned. After his demise, Savitribai took over the responsibility of Satya Shodhak Samaj, founded by Jyotiba. She presided over meetings and guided workers. In 1868 she welcomed untouchables to take water from her well.

Death:
She worked relentlessly for the victims of plague, where she organized camps for poor children. It is said that she used to feed two thousand children every day during the epidemic. By a strange irony, she herself was struck by the disease while nursing a sick child and died.

Legacy:
Savitribai's poems and other writings are still an inspiration to others. Two books of her poems were published, Kavya Phule and Bavan Kashi Subodh Ratnakar.

Recently the Maharashtra government started an award in her name for Women Who Work for Social Causes. On her death anniversary in 1998, a postage stamp was released by the Department of Post and Telegraph to honour Savitribai's contribution.

Women education and social reform:

Jyotirao is regarded as one of the most important figure in social reform movement in Maharashtra and India. He is most for his efforts to educate women and the lower castes. Jyotirao, then called as Jyotiba was Savitribai's mentor and supporter. Under his influence Savitribai had taken women's education and their liberation from the cultural patterns of the male-dominated society as mission of her life. She worked towards tackling some of the then major social problems including women's liberation, widow remarriages and removal of untouchability.

Women's education:
Jyotiba who was working for women's education had started the first girl's school and required women teachers to assist him. Jyotiba educated and trained Savitribai, his first and ideal candidate for this job of a teacher. Savitribai and Jyotiba faced fierce resistance from the orthodox elements of society for this. They had to separate from their in-laws family under this pressure. Jyotiba sent her to a training school from where she passed out with flying colours along with a Muslim lady Fatima Sheikh. When Savitribai completed her studies, she along, with her husband, started a school for girls in Pune in 1848. Nine girls, belonging to different castes enrolled themselves as students. Leaving the house in the morning and going to the school was an ordeal for Savitribai. Orthodox society was not prepared for this `misadventure`, as women's education was frowned upon. It was believed that if a woman starts writing she would write letters to all. People claimed that the food, her husband ate would turn into worms and she would lose him by his untimely death. However, apart from all these oppositions, Savitribai yet continued to teach the girls. Whenever Savitribai went out of her house, groups of orthodox men would follow her and abuse her in obscene language. They would throw rotten eggs, cow dung, tomatoes and stones at her. She would walk meekly and arrive at her school. Fed up with the treatment meted out to her, she even decided to give up. But it was because of her husband that she continued with her efforts. Jyotiba purposely gave her two saris. He told Savitribai to wear the coarse sari on her way to the school to receive all the filth that society heaped on her, whereas the other one was to change before her classes. She would then, again wear the same dirty sari while returning home. The ordeal continued for a long time till Savitribai had to slap a person who tried to molest her. That slap brought to an end her ordeal and she continued her job of teaching. Slowly and steadily, she established herself. Jyotiba and Savitribai managed to open 5 more schools in the year 1848 itself. She was ultimately honoured by the British for her educational work. In 1852 Jyotiba and Savitribai were felicitated and presented with a shawl each by the government for their commendable efforts in Yishrambag Wada.

(TO BE CONTD...)

(EXTRACTED FROM WIKIPEDIA)

The masses needed two kinds of knowledge:

• secular knowledge to improve their economic condition, and spiritual knowledge to infuse in them faith in themselves and strengthen their moral sense.
• The next question was, how to spread these two kinds of knowledge among the masses? Through education this was the answer that Swamiji found.

1902 -the darkest year in Nivedita's life. Though it was a heart break to her the message instilled in her by her Master is not feeble. She went ahead with whatever service she could do to uplift the indian women. That was her spirit and more over its the respect and great regards she had for The Guru.

LET US ALL GET INSPIRED THE WAY MANY GOT INSPIRED BY HIS MESSAGES AND GO AHEAD TO SERVE THE PEOPLE WHO REALLY DESERVE. AS HE SAYS,

"AWAKE!"

THE BEST WAY OF SERVICE TO THE GREAT MASTER IS

TO LOVE INDIA

TO SERVE INDIA

TO WORSHIP INDIA

JAI BHARAT

"India, my little one, is seeking her destiny. She called me once, and will perhaps call you, too, some day. Always be ready for her call."

These stirring words thrilled the little girl's heart and lighted up her eyes.
Margaret's father, Samuel was just thirty-four when death claimed his precious life. At the last moment he called his devoted wife and whispered in her ears,

"When the call comes from Heaven, let Margaret go. The little one will reveal her talents and do great things."

1895 the momentous year that changed the very course of Margaret's life. Lady Isabel Margesson, a friend of Margaret, invited her to her home to meet an Indian monk on the following Sunday... His serene face, his dignified bearing and his divine voice cast a spell upon the listeners, who felt electrified by his frequent utterance of the name of "Siva, Siva!"

Margaret, however, who had already delved deep into the sacred lore of the East, found nothing quite new in what she heard on this occasion. What was new to her was the personality of the swamiji himself. Margaret found out that this rare Swamiji with his magnetic personality was none other than Swami Vivekananda who, two years before in 1893, had attended, uninvited, the Parliament of Religions held at Chicago. His inspiring address at the Parliament had captured millions of American hearts.

Margaret at first remarked that there was nothing new in what the Swamiji had said. But in her own heart of hearts she knew that it was not so. The sayings of the Swamiji kept returning to her mind and haunted her. "God alone is the Truth," he had asserted. This assertion might not be new, but the Swamiji's conviction was indeed quite new. And he had made another assertion:

"Every religion is a highway to God."

And the radiance of His personality! There seemed to be a veritable halo about him. He had given up everything for god. His sayings were not mere repetitions from books. They were living words, which sprang from the depths of his soul, charged with the Truth he had seen and experienced.
One day, in midst of his discourse, the Swamiji said in a thundering voice:

"What the world needs to-day is twenty men and women who dare stand in the public street and declare that they have nothing to call their own except the God. Who is there among you that can say so?"

Margaret's heart seemed to whisper,

'Here I am!'

But her tongue was yet too timid to utter those words.

One day, speaking about the woman of India, the Swamiji said,

"Our girls over there have not even seen the face of a school. That land of ours cannot advance unless they are educated."

Then, turning at once towards Margaret, he said,

"I have certain plans relating to the education and the welfare of the women of my country. I believe that you can be of great service to me in translating them into reality."

Margaret felt overwhelmed by the Swamiji's faith in her. Yet she had misgivings whether she was equal to such a mighty task. Sensing her mind, the Swamiji reassured her:

"You have the making in you of a world-mover, and others will also come.Awake, awake, great one!"

Margaret took the heroic resolve to leave her own dear homeland and make the Swamiji's far-off homeland her own, and render her utmost service there.Teaching, reading, discussion everything had now lost its interest for Margaret. The Swamiji's voice was always ringing in her ears. It seemed to her that India was calling her, unceasingly, insistently. She felt that it was darkness all around and only in the east there was a streak of light. And that streak of light seemed to be reaching out to her and beckoning her.

"Your place is there in India," the Swamiji had said, "but that can be only when you are ready."

But was it so easy to make herself ready? The Swamiji himself had graphically spoken of India to her. He had made her see India in all her squalor. Poverty, ignorance, jealousy, filth - these had free play everywhere in that country. The British would look down upon her. The Indians would treat her with suspicion and dislike; they were people who treated their own fellow countrymen as untouchables. It was to serve the women and educate the girls of such a country that Margaret was being called. And they were women, so conservative, so narrow-minded, that they would not let her even cross their orthodox thresholds. As for education, would they ever allow their precious daughters to be taught by a woman of an alien faith?

It was at such a moment of doubt that she received from the Master this heartening message:

"It is not a man we need but a woman; a real lioness, to work for the Indians, women specially..

"India cannot yet produce great women, she must borrow them from other nations. Your education, sincerity, purity, immense love, determination, and above all, the Celtic blood, make you just the woman India needs.

"You must think well before you plunge in, and after all your toil, if you fail in this or get disgusted, on my part I promise you I will stand by you whether you work for India or not, whether you give up Vedanta or remain in it. 'The tusks of the elephant come out but never go back'; so are the words of a man never retracted.''

The boat bringing Margaret to India reached Calcutta on January 28, 1898. Swami Vivekananda came in person to the port to give an affectionate welcome to her.

[to be contd...]

In science, in view of inadequate usual power of human eyes, we have to depend on our imagination to help us visualize the structure of atoms, the movement of celestral body, transmision of electrc waves etc.

In the same way, in LIFE we have to depend on our imagination to help us visualize the perceptions of the society taking into account the past and present events. Meditation is the means of higher degree of imagination. Practice of meditation on LOVE FOR THE MANKIND AS A WHOLE allows us to do things in a reasonably steady pace avoiding any possible negative impact on the society. When there is no negative impact peace and harmony prevail in the society. Perfection in complte sense may not be possible but striving for perfection brings a BETTER QUALITY OF LIFE.

SIMILARLY,

• Customs which are rational: Some customs can be easily accepted like, the marriage rituals in our country are very touching and are of great significance because therein lie the ex-pression of sentiment for the bond of a male and female who has to bear children and run a family as a UNIT.

MARRIAGE INSTITUTION IN INDIA

IS

VERY POWERFUL AND HEART TOUCHING..!

• Customs which are irrational: The people who introduced customs like sati, animal slaughter etc. have their own logic to explain its significance; but still, can we accept them?! Surely the answer will be NO!!
• Customs which are imaginary: The people who have great importance and regards for paractices like telepathy, metaphysics etc. are included in this society.

INDIA EXCELS IN THIS PHENOMENA

There can be no Mathematics if we want to exclude any one among rational, irrational and imaginary. Surprisingly, the same applies with the Customs of any society. The Truth is that even those irrational customs cannot be eradicated; but they can be transformed to other forms of acceptable customs.

• Real includes
  • rational
  • irrational
• Imaginary is neither rational nor irrational... It is the square root of a negative number.

In our society, Faiths/Religions can be classified in the same manner.

• Some religions possess Rational Thinking. These are closer to Science or Reality.
• Some possess Irrational Thinking. These usually carry some fantasy but are closer to Science.
• And other possess Imaginary Thinking. They are tough nut to crack. But the concept is not wrong. It can be undertood only by an Intellect.