CHARITY- DR SHRINIWAS KASHALIKAR
A great eye surgeon turned to charity; after his recovery from a serious kidney disease; thanks to his mother, who donated a kidney to him.
Another philanthropist tuned to charity after his recovery from a near fatal accident which left him unconscious for several weeks; thanks to the help of completely unknown people!
We find several people all over the world; turning to charity; in several fields of life; after such events. Actually; it is very difficult to find an individual without involvement in charity in one form or another.
Charity is acclaimed as a great virtue in all the religions! In fact if we recognize that pregnancy, delivery, beast feeding and rearing of new born; as an example of great charity, then even the animals would be credited for the charity!
Charity appears to be a physiological need!
But charity has another angle also!
For the beneficiaries; charity can nurture indolence, lethargy, irresponsibility, dependence and parasitic mentality and the overall evil within; instead of blossoming; the conscience.
For the philanthropist; it can nurture condescending attitude, arrogance, justification of exploitative activities and a system that suits/breeds the inequality and injustice.
Apart from this; there are several so called charity activities, which are actually meant to be umbrellas to hide antisocial activities; or serving other ulterior motives.
In addition; there is yet another angle! A vast majority of us have become cynical about charity; with doubt of “our charity” going down the drain or being misused!
In view of these three aspects; we tend to vacillate between two conflicting positions; viz. persistent proponents or ardent opponents of charity!
To overcome this conflict; we have to improve the quotient of satisfaction (QOS) or quotient of fulfillment (QOF) of by metamorphosing our ‘charity’!
How can we do it?
Apart from basic and unavoidable ‘charity’ activities such as; pregnancy, delivery etc; our activities of choice; have to be such that; they cannot
1. Nurture indolence, lethargy, irresponsibility, dependence, parasitic mentality, condescending attitude, arrogance, justification of exploitative activities and a system that suits/breeds the inequality and injustice;
2. Be misused as umbrellas to hide antisocial activities; and misused to serve other ulterior motives; and
3. Go down the drain!
The choicest activity that fulfills all these criteria is a process of self realization. But most of us; cannot live only with self realization! Hence the best way is; combining the process of self realization with every ‘charity activity’ that suits us! Thus; while treating a patient, teaching a student, feeding a needy, helping a helpless; we should practice NAMASMARAN; the simplest and easiest procedure for self realization!
What is true for ‘charity’; is actually true for every activity in life; so as to increase the QOS or QOF; in our overall life!
We need not believe in this; but verify!

नामस्मरण आणि अस्वस्थता: डॉ.श्रीनिवास कशाळीकर.
अस्वस्थता हा जीवनाचा अविभाज्य भाग आहे. कारण शरीर आणि मन ही दोन्ही काळ
आणि अवकाश यान्च्या आधीन आहेत. सुख आणि दुख्ख ही देखील अवकाश आणि काळाच्या
आधीन आहेत. विचार देखील अवकाश आणि काळाच्या आधीन आहेत. ही एक प्रकारची
असहाय्यताच आहे. त्यामुळे हिन्सा, अहिन्सा, प्रेम, राग, द्वेष, खिन्नता,
उन्माद, निराशा; ही द्वन्द्वे देखील एक प्रकारची अपरिहार्यताच आहे.
कोण्त्याही एका भावनेत शान्ति नाही. समाधान नाही. कोणत्याही एका
मुल्यांमध्ये व तज्जन्य कृतीमध्ये समाधान नाही.

पण तरीही आपण एका कारणाने स्वस्थ बनू शकतो. ते म्हणजे; आपले गुरू आपल्याबरोबर असतात या वास्तवतेने. नामस्मरण करीत राहिल्यास या वास्तावतेचा अनुभव देखील येतो. हा अनुभव नामस्मरणाचे प्रमाण आणि उत्कटता जशी वाढतात तसा अधिकाधिक आंतरिक होतो; आणि जीवनाचे सर्वस्व बनतो.

One of the worst kinds of STRESS; results from imminent death. We feel stressed even with the thought of our death; or that of our near and dear ones. Usually we remain occupied in something or other; and keep on escaping from such thoughts, calling them “negative”.

We are not only afraid of death, but we are afraid of rebirth; as it forces us into; an unknown, unforeseen and possibly painful life!

The fear of death is actually a sensation that results from autonomic outflow (impulses) causing visceral activities; such as pain in the chest, throbbing of heart, sinking of stomach, cold clammy extremities, and giddiness due to reduction in blood supply; causing terrible sensation. We suffer from this fear; because; ‘we’ are inseparable from body and the various sensory experiences associated with it!

Actually; our body cells are ‘dead’ and new cells are ‘born’ from time to time. Even our passions, emotions and thoughts are ‘dead’ and ‘born’! But we remain the same individuals!

Thus; in spite of our association with the changing existence, we are actually; the changeless backdrop, background or substratum, on which the changing cells, tissues, bodies, and feelings are born, grown and perished. The consciousness is constant and the cycles of death, birth, death and rebirth continue on and within it! In fact; the birth and rebirth; as we see and perceive; are the product of our physiological senses, our cerebral cortical capabilities and their limitations; and hence are ‘subjective relative reality’ i.e. MAYA. The consciousness i.e. true ‘I’; however “exists” beyond even the concept of ‘existence’!

The death and birth per se; need no proof; as “we” talk about the “death or birth” of “bodies” of others, which “we” witness every now and then!

But we seek experimental or laboratory proof of the birth, death and rebirth; of the same ‘I’, ‘she’ or ‘he’!

This needs an accurate identification, definition and understanding of that ‘I’, ‘she or ‘he’ i.e. individual consciousness; as a separate entity! So far; we do not have such a gadget. Moreover; ‘our consciousness’ i.e. ‘we’; cannot capture or comprehend ‘our consciousness’ i.e. ‘we’; in its entirety. “Our consciousness” cannot identify or demonstrate “our consciousness”; as a separate entity; to “our own consciousness”! Hence currently; it is not possible to “prove”; “our” birth, death and rebirth!

However; can “we” identify ourselves; and witness these otherwise mysterious and esoteric aspects of birth, death, rebirth and immortality; within “ourselves”; through the practice of NAMASMARAN? Even though this is a conviction/experience; of many saints and seers; it is better not to believe or disbelieve in it blindly; but verify!