Handmade card

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I am posting some pictures of my recent handmade cards. Please have a look and give your valuable feedback.

Help arrives in hopeless situation

Hi Readers,

Today, Morning I got up too early, I must not hesitate to admit, I almost ended up not taking rest all throughout the night. It was morning 5 Am and I was feeling quiet suffocated even though it is mid of winter. I prepared a cup of tea and switch on the TV to make my mind not wander in troubles, for which I can not do anything.

I have several times felt when I feel helpless, then help comes on it's own which helps me to calm down my mind. This again happened today. I watched a program, where a spiritual Guru spoke up about 'Atman' the soul. She explained nicely, that when we confine our-self to just the body, then we start to reason everything that bother us. When we try to think from a broader prospect that our soul is wearing this body for the current birth and my aim should be to attain all the good aspect(Sanskara) from this perishable world, then our aim to solve the problems of everyday life, does not bother us too hard. We realize the good aspect of every situation and take it along with us while leaving behind the bad.

Soon, the program ended and was followed by another Spiritual Guru who spoke of Nishkam and Sakam Bhakti and the way Bhakti helps us not only in this life but in all the births that we will take after this birth. He spoke about the story of Gajaraja (elephant) & Kumbhira ( crocodile). Below, is few lines from the Odia Bhajan by Bhakta Salabega on this,

" Gajaraja Chinta kala thai Ghora Jalena, Chakra pesi nakra nasi udharila apana... ahe nila saila...."

I am describing the brief story about this below.

Once open a time, when a elephant entered a river to drink water, suddenly it was attacked by a crocodile and the crocodile captured the elephant's trunk. He made all his attempts, to pull his trunk from the crocodile's mouth. However, it was a difficult task. He started to roar and all his fellow mates came running for his help. However, they could not help him. In this helpless situation, suddenly, Gajaraja or the elephant remembered Vishnu(as he was a devotee in his earlier birth). When he remembered Vishnu, the Lord sent his Sudarshan Chakra to kill the crocodile and save his devotee. Here, you can question, how come a form devotee was born as a elephant in his succeeding birth? This is because, when a devotee does wrong or falls from his spiritual awakening, he gets the result according to his deed. However, god still listens to him and help him when he is in need.

Below, is a beautiful quote from Mahatma Gandhi on spirituality.

“When every hope is gone, 'when helpers fail and comforts flee,' I find that help arrives somehow, from I know not where. Supplication, worship, prayer are no superstition; they are acts more real than the acts of eating, drinking, sitting or walking. It is no exaggeration to say that they alone are real, all else is unreal.”  - Mahatma Gandhi

There are many slokas on the 12th chapter of Srimad Bhagavad Gita (Bhakti Khanda) about Nishkam and Sakama Bhakti. Nishkam bhakti is one in which we pray to god to make him feel good. We are not praying for our needs but to appease our lord. And Sakama Bhakti is one in which we pray to God to get something in return. It may be wealth, health, recognition, love ...etc. God listens to all his devotees and he fulfills their desires. It could be that he will fulfill the desire in next succeeding birth. Nishkam Bhakti is something that God loves the most. The person doing Nishkam Bhakti is born in a family where he can get good Sanskara and these people, show Bhakti towards the Lord without even having any Guru to guide them. The people engaged in Sakama Bhakti is born in a family where he can get what he wanted. If it is wealth, then he is born in wealthy family. In this way, god comes for every kind of devotee, be it Nishkam or Sakama. When in need God saves all his devotees, like the elephant in the story.

I felt good after hearing this and also the Guru spoke about the Natya or acting skill of God. Sometimes, God portrays himself as an innocent child and sometimes as the wisdom himself. In same way, we all are acting in the perishable world and we need to hone this acting skill in such a way that we could help our-self in need.