The Secret of the Sacred
Today is October 15, the birthday of Dr APJ Abdul Kalam (1931-2015). Upon being elected the President of India in 2002, he decided to spend this day, away from Delhi, at a sacred place. For the five years of his Presidency, I was with him on every occasion—at the Twang Monastery in Arunanchal Pradesh (2002), with Acharya Mahapragya at the Terapanth Bhavan in Surat (2003), at the Sri Suttur Math near Mysore (2004), with children from Tanzania brought in for their heart surgeries in Hyderabad (2005), and at the Sri Adichunchanagiri Math in Mandya, Karnataka (2006).
There are many ways to define sacred—both as a noun and as an adjective. When used as a noun, sacred refers to a higher power that is bigger than we are. If we use it as an adjective, it can mean something that is spiritual or holy. By deciding to meet Tanzanian children in 2005 in Hyderabad, instead of going to a religious place, Dr Kalam had integrated both these meanings. What I find a common theme in the five different places that I visited successively on this day with Dr Kalam was that he was setting aside time or setting aside a space and sanctifying time for his own experience in touching divinity in order to be mentally clear and emotionally calm.
I studied mechanical engineering at the G.B. Pant University, where I could get deep into the techniques of perspectives about how to see things in imagination and draw them on paper. We had a sprawling lush green campus and vast open skies with hardly any feature on the horizon except for the distant mountains in the north that appeared blue. There were long power cuts and we could see the night sky in its full splendor including the Milky Way band a few times. I used to imagine God beyond them, overseeing everything.
It was at Pantnagar that I discovered the beautiful connection between man, nature, the spiritual world and the Universe. There is a cavity inside your physiological heart, where God resides as consciousness, watching our every breath, whether pure or tainted with passion. Anytime we are feeling adrift, we can connect back to the Infinite Source Energy or Spirit. In fact, the truth is, we are never disconnected.
In almost all ancient cultures, a lot of emphasis is placed on directions. The direction where the sun rises is the east; where it sets is the west. The Pole Star defines the north, and opposite to that is the south. The east is renewal, the giver of energy. If we are looking at the east, we are reconnecting to our visionary selves, our destinies, learning to fly and soar like a bird in the morning. We look at the west to learn the ways of the luminous warrior—the Sun goes down to return without fail. The North is eternal, permanent, that which never changes, never decays, and never dies—the abode of Lord Shiva. The south is for releasing what no longer serves us, and shedding our skins just as a serpent does, all at once. During the last rites, a dead body’s head is turned towards the south.
Again, in all cultures, the earth is the mother, and the sky is the father. To feel gratitude, to find support, we prostrate as if to embrace Mother Earth, the provider of food and abundance, and the great diversity of life—the two-legged, the four-legged, the finned and the furred, the winged ones, and the creepy crawlies. We request the earth to mulch all of the denser, heavier energies that are too great and too intense for us to handle. Looking up to the sky with our arms and hands raised and open, we beg the Supreme Spirit, the Infinite, the waxing and waning moon, stars as the guides, angels, ascended masters, and benevolent luminous beings for help.
While life on the earth is billions of years old, mankind is recent in comparison. Human evolution reached the goal of becoming Adam (in Hindi, the word for human being is Adami), possessed with free will, capable of inculcating divine qualities, able to use the physical forces for his own benefit and that way, the crown and the acme of all creation. But this unique gift of free will, not enjoyed by any other creature, also makes us capable of becoming the opposite of the divine by giving up self-control and succumbing to choose immorality, selfishness and rebellion.
When we access the sacred, inside or outside, we connect with our original ground, the source code, the innate truth, consciousness, bliss (Sat-Chit-Ananda). We connect with the sacred to disconnect from the ever-changing world, our haughtiness, our selfish desires working against the collective good, our feeling of superiority, enmity, lust, greed, enticement, ill thoughts, immoral desires, negative emotions, lewdness, plotting evil, and a thousand other facets of evil.
When we go out and connect with nature—feel the wind, look at the moon and stars, bask in the sunshine, visit a garden or a water body – we indeed connect with the divine. Sometimes, it may be difficult to do so. We can see the sun shining, but the rays don’t seem to touch us. The moon seems to be just a shining disc and the stars, distant dots. The burdens of our lives have obscured our divinity. During these times, accessing the ‘sacred’ helps us to appreciate that life is to be experienced, rather than solved. It is a journey. There are no destinations.
A touch with the sacred connects us to the basic pillars of well-being: wholesome food, quality sleep, living in the present moment, and in harmony with the people around us. We can nourish ourselves and let go of any expectations. We can remind ourselves that what will be, will be, and at the same time, all will be well. The emphasis shifts from my own good to the good of all – ॐ सर्वे भवन्तु सुखिनः, सर्वे सन्तु निरामयाः – May all sentient beings be at peace, may no one suffer from illness. We no more seek comfort; we seek and relish peace.
The timeless sacred is there to teach us—unmoved behind the ever-moving flux— everything that matters, everything that is truly important, the ground on which everything moves. The family, co-workers, neighbours, friends, even the birds, dogs, and all seminal beings for that matter—these are the foundation stones of our happiness. We start seeing everything else—work, money, reputation—like a game. They are fun, but they are not really the issues of life or death. The secret of the sacred is that there is no secret. It is so obvious.
Dr Kalam was a wise man to avoid the flowers and bouquets brought to him on his birthday by the high and mighty of the society and connect with the sacred distant and secluded instead. He would have been 89 today, but again that is this world’s count. He is now immortal, part of the sacred.
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Dear Sir, The blog, “The Secret of the Sacred” , was written by you on 15 Oct 20, on the birth anniversary of our Former President of India Dr APJ Abdul Kalam. Though it is too late to comment on the blog but I am expressing my comments as they say, “it is never too late for a good cause”. It is a memorable and landmark day for me and my family as well, as I got married on 15 Oct 78.
Like other blogs, it is also an inclusive and wholesome blog. A beautiful way to define what is Sacred and what is the secret of it. You have explained it by bringing out many unknown and interesting aspects of Dr Kalam’s life and journey as witnessed by you personally. Your love for nature has been reflected well in many of your blogs. You have related the spirituality and the universe with nature and how one complements the other.
A very interesting aspect of the direction and flow of energy from Sun has been described with the rise and setting up of the Sun. It is really enriching to know that a knowledgeable Professor like you is among us to give directions on the various aspects of Indian culture, philosophy and ancient knowledge of Science and Technology.
You have beautifully attached the free will of the mankind capable of inculcating the divine qualities. You have described that it is the free will which also leads to immorality, selfishness and rebellion.
The sacred leads us to connect with our inner self through innate truth, consciousness, and bliss. When we connect with the Sacred, our EGOs some of which are Lust, Anger, Laziness, Greed and attachment are disconnected from us. As brought out earlier, as we go out and connect with nature, we are connected with divine. In today’s world, we have burdened our lives to the extent that it has obscured the divinity. It is therefore important to access the Sacred in these times to help us appreciate life to be experienced rather than solved. You have rightly said that life is a journey and there are no destinations in it.
Sacred leads us to the basic pillars of well being : Peace of mind, a balanced environment around us, away from selfcenteredness, no illness and happiness for all. The Sacred leads us from ACHETAN to CHETAN (Darkness to light). The foundation stone of our happiness are basically all the beings (Life) around us. You have very well said, “The secret of the sacred is that there is no secret”. It is so obvious.
Sir, you have very appropriately connected Dr Kalam with the Sacred because he had over come and detached himself with most of the worldly attachments. I also wish he was alive today but you said rightly he is now immortal and his teachings will continue to influence generations to come. In my opinion, Dr Kalam is the most sacred human being, having been born after Mahatma Gandhi who influenced and impacted the lives of common people most.
Dear Sir, This 15th Oct’s extraordinary (Only ordinary can perform extraordinarily : Hope it reminds you your talk with General Gurmit Singh Saab.) lucid and articulate blog encourages me to embrace, enact, imbibe and learn from all ubiquitous natural creation and practices which are catalyst to emotionally clear and calm the mind and bring harmony in society.
Everyone on this planet completes orbit in a year around sun. Thus getting the opportunity to realise, relish and introspect their completion of cycle around sun, celebration and life’s journey so far. It is one’s free will whether S/he wants to celebrate by binging on materialistic way or by uniquely experiencing sacred space and time of their creation.
The wisdom of this blog which you got from great companian of yours, books and life itself, is like reflected rays of shining moon which helping in trying to uncover divinity inside us and penetrate all layers of obscurity.
The way you explained 4 directions, for me is completely new way of looking towards it . And it ignites in me one more perspective of directions. Whenever our scientist launches satellite they looks east which gives initial boost of acceleration. West reminds us what is west to us will be east at other moment, complete cycle of life, north which consistently emanating magnetic flux will be absorbed by south.
Dear Arun, wonderful reading.
The spiritual emotional and personal connections have flooded back in memory about my and our times spent with him. He will forever live in the hearts of our fellow countrymen wherever they are. It is difficult to define him. I truly appreciate the way you have put into words his divinity. I must also thank your role in bringing me to his proximity. GOD BLESS YOU.
This overwhelming piece brought back fresh memories of your 60th birthday where our late Dr. Kalam spoke fondly of you through online. You are one of the most fortunate people to associate closely with Dr. Kalam. It is amazing to know your perspective on Dr. Kalam’s pursued of giving time and space to others, which is a rare trait nowadays.
Your viewpoint on spirituality and sacred made me reflect upon the fact that if God takes care of the moon, stars, birds and lilies in the field, how much more would he care for you and me. I am deeply touched by your last paragraph. May God bless you with good health and contentment Prof. Tiwari Ji.
Respected Sir,
Thanks again for informative article on former president Dr. Kalam.
Dr. Kalam was way of life and those who interacted him really enjoyed the journey of life.
Lots of respect to him.
Thank you for this wonderful blog Sir! I had the privilege of meeting Dr Kalam once and that meeting will always be remembered as one of the best moments of my life. I wholeheartedly agree with every single word that you have so beautifully expressed here. Its more important and peaceful to feel the divine and the sacred around us as opposed to running after things that perhaps guve only momentary plrasure. I myself long to connect with nature and spend some time away from the madness of our daily city life. Sometimes being away in the midst of nature gives one a perspective and a clarity that is otherwise difficult to find in the chaos of our daily routine.
This makes.me remember your work- ‘Transcedence: My spiritual experiences with Pramukh Swamiji’. Dr. Kalam was the one who was loved and respected by one and all. I was blessed to have met him through you and will always and always cherish those moments.
Spirituality doesn’t mean you give up home and family and rush to the forests. Observing you and Dr. Kalam talk, brought out the spiritual essence in the environment around whether in actuality or reading through your books. I was always in an awe of you both whenever you had a conversation and now whenever you talk about him. Respect!
Thanks for the beautiful article sir. I get goosebumps every time I read about your association with Kalam Sir. Precious moments to relish for a lifetime 🙂
Also as you rightly pointed out, such greatness can only be achieved with a fine moral fiber rooted in spirituality.
Totally enjoyed reading the article. Especially the part where you described stargazing from your hostel window was so vivid and pictorial !
I took some time to write my comment Sir because it took me to some old memories when I was working in the U.S. The general perception is the U.S. is a very modern country and people are very tech savvy and futuristic. But on the contrary, Americans are very rugged and realistic people, deeply rooted to their past and a profound sense of respect for the unseen.
The vastness of the country, open spaces, mountain ranges, large water bodies, and clear skies, especially in the South and West, make you feel indeed small and I would say putting you in the place. People in general respect earth and are respectful to the spiritual. I had a professor, who would, as your wrote, “Looking up to the sky with our arms and hands raised and open, we beg the Supreme Spirit, the Infinite, the waxing and waning moon, stars as the guides, angels, ascended masters, and benevolent luminous beings for help.”
I was stuck up in traffic earlier this week after what is called “impact rain” but is actually caused by every free space that was naturally draining excess water turned to make buildings and roads. I think it is too late to “request the earth to mulch all of the denser, heavier energies that are too great and too intense for us to handle.” In the name of development we have really become a burden that would eventually be doomed.
I indeed consider myself fortunate to meet Dr APJ Abdul Kalam during his several visits to Care Foundation. Once I even gave him a demo of our radiology Picture archiving and communication system (PACS). We were actually ahead of our times and lost the initiative when technology actually matured.
Sir, it is indeed important to be connected to the sacred. I always keep Srinathji’s picture you gave me many years ago, you brought from Nathdwara, Rajasthan, on my computer system. I have no doubt that I am protected and at the right time in my life Srinathji would call me to His temple with my family. Thank you for grooming us in the right values.
Thank you Sir for once again sharing this wonderful article. The way you described the 4 directions and their meaning really enlightened me. I have been reading the book ‘the secret’ to generate some positivity inside of me. And that book truly resonates with what you have said. There is no secret, but only to send out some positivity into the universe.
I feel that is my way of staying connected with the sacred. Also, as the Bhagwat Gita rightly says, let go of everything in the hands of god and you will feel more connected to him than ever. I am still practicing this way of staying connected with the sacred and your article has also shown me a way to do it. I look forward to reading more of such articles and experiences on your blog.
I couldn’t agree more with Prof Tiwari. The ‘sacred’ place humbles you resulting in peace of mind. All positive actions bring in inner pleasure and make a person better human being.
Your enlightenment at Pantnagar discovering connections between man, nature, the spiritual world and the universe brought you closer to Dr Kalam. It was a wonderful coincidence.
बहुत ही सुंदर लेख प्रोफेसर अरुण तिवारी जी । ईश्वर ने तो हमें सरल बालक बना कर पैदा किया आदमी बनने के लिए, लेकिन हम खुद को उलझाते गए और उलझते गए। अपनी छटपटाहट के जिम्मेदार हम खुद हैं।
डा. कलाम सरलता बनाए रखे और आदमी बने, बाकी सब कर्मचारी बने रहे।
आप ऐसे ही मार्ग दर्शन मानवता का करते रहें। ढेरों शुभकामनाएं।
Dr Kalam was really a spiritual man. He understood well what were the core values of human life. HH Shri Pramukh Swami Maharaj said to Dr. Kalam that “You are a Rishi ..” like in our scriptures our sages were all scientists . Dr. Kalam was also a scientist and Rishi, if we look at his way of life. No material luxuries could impress him.
Most people today are so much obsessed with either collecting material wealth or trying hard to cope with their responsibilities that they have lost the real meaning of life. At the end they would feel “Where is the life we have lost in living ? “
Dr Tiwari, you also connected to nature from your youth days and did not miss the marvel of God/Nature which made you a Great personality. You are always connected to the Nature and that way to the Divine.
People don’t realise how much of a benefit there will be to be in touch with such spiritual matters which will also enhance the quality of their lives. If majority of people understand this concept and start living like this, the world will become a better place for everyone to enjoy it in its true sense.
What better commemoration of such an elevated and noble soul on his birthday, than tell us about how he spent his birthdays – wherein, again, lies a lesson for us! Dr Kalam without doubt, continues his ‘work’ through you, Dr Tiwari! Many thanks for this write-up.
A touch with the sacred indeed connects us with the pillars of well-being. This retreat into solitude and ‘Satsang’ not only acts as a much-needed circuit-breaker, but also each time, we move tangentially to the ‘next-level’ of Being, of Understanding and Strength. Anyone would want to grow and become a better person in this manner.
Doing this on the day one was born implies making one’s life truly meaningful — towards achieving the very purpose of human birth! Thank you for sharing these ideas with us — they are worthy of emulation.
Thanks Arunji, for sharing these lofty and noble vignettes of Dr Kalam. You are blessed to have had over 3 decades of close association with this great soul. I consider myself fortunate, thanks in large measure to you, that I had the opportunity to interact with him, however brief those encounters were, for a couple of years before he departed to his eternal adobe in the firmament.
The smooth transition of your ideas from the simple and quotidian (like the idyllic environs of Pantnagar, ancient cultures and their faith in and worship of nature, the basics of existence like food, sleep and focus) to the exalted concepts (of free will, the surrender of our heavier, denser and baser vibrations to Gaia, our original ground and source code) is reminiscent of the sense of innocence, wonder and childlike enthusiasm surrounding Dr Kalam like a benevolent aura that, no doubt, morphed into the hard nosed engineering and rocket science needed to send missiles to target and put satellites in orbit!
Dr Kalam was a man in his own mould stepping to a different drummer. No burden obscured his dignity! We owe you Arunji, as his alter-ego, for helping spread his light to the world at large, and to future generations
There are scientists (and philosophers) who say there is no free will and even offer proof by way of brain scans of subjects (given experimental choices to decide between) that show the choice the subject will make before the subject becomes conscious of his decision (which also shows up in the scan)! And they say that just as we feel that animals are instinct driven, or programmed, and have no free will while it is probable that the animals themselves don’t feel thus constrained, it is also possible that higher beings see us as deterministic while we labour under the chimera of free will!
There being at least a few amongst us who have or had clearly evolved to become enlightened souls while still of this earth, and humankind in general patently seeming to have gotten ‘better’ over the millennia (beyond physical evolution of which we appear to have reached the acme ages back) it may be ok that such progress be deterministic or led by free will. And maybe some evolved soul can volunteer for the brain scan experiment to see if it yields a different result.
Life is indeed to be lived and there is no goal or destination to life. All goals are in the future while life is always now & here. The sacred is our innermost self and it is an inner journey of realisation that the kingdom of the divine is within us. The secret of the sacred is indeed that, on realisation , one sees there is no secret: we are delusional waves assuming independent agency till we fall back to realise we are the limitless ocean!
Sir, Thanks for reminding the power cuts of our University and experiences of night sky. Beautiful sky withholds many gifts within. The Almighty has not left the sky empty. The interactive twinkling sky showering peace and calmness ….. Is itself a treat. We also have the privilege to know more about Dr Kalam …most respected person of our Life. Just recollected, once he came for Sanskrit University convocation organised in BHEL auditorium.
Dr Kalam was scheduled to leave by chopper around 6 pm in the evening. After programme he was scheduled to interact with the students for an hour. He was so involved in the discussion and continued to be with kids for nearly two and half hour. By that time the choppers could not take off as it was night. He went to by road to Sarsawa and then from therby plane but didn’t disappoint the kids. His every act gives us some learning to us.
Arunji, this is a most enlightening article. It is perhaps inevitable that whenever you think of Dr Kalam, you would contemplate the profound.
Thanks for your lovely thoughts and the ways in which you cherish the days spent with Dr Kalam makes me wish I could go back in life. As you’ve known him, Dr Kalam was all about finding the sacred in everyday life. Therefore, he honoured duties and obligations towards himself, other humans and every living being as his primary duty to serve God.
Dr Kalam’s idea of godliness was about cultivating physical and mental purity with whatever knowledge, intelligence and mental clarity he was blessed with. To him God existed in everything beautiful and he found Him through good deeds – in a beautiful flower, a bird song, a smiling child, a noble person, a kind heart, and the like. As a result, he had no difficulty in understanding the notion of God, the divine and sacred. Feeling familiar and relatable to the sacred in terms of happenings, people, places or objects was Dr Kalam’s strength.
He was vocal about the Almighty’s presence in his life and “the Almighty within”, was however probably omnipresent in what he did and said. What is sacred and what’s not should never be a complex phenomenon for any of us if we can differentiate between the good and the evil, true to our conscience.
Knowing Dr. A.P.J Abdul Kalam now, much more than knowing him after walking on this earth for over 64 years of my mortal life, courtesy you Arun ji is a revelation in itself. I have no qualms in accepting that only lately after realizing your closeness to him, reading you through his autobiography Wings of Fire or A.P.J Abdul Kalam – A life, have I the privilege and honour to know him of a person he was in and out. That you chose this blog, ‘Secrets of the Sacred,’ is an appropriate accolade to this righteous soul on his Birthday – October the 15th. He the person who inspires reverence has to be sacred, and Knowing secrets of the sacred should surely imbibe in us some of the finer points of this great person’s life and style which makes the man perfect.
I would agree no less with you Sir, being your one year junior in Mechanical Engineering at G.B.Pant University, life at the campus was a song. Though it was a hard grind, especially for an average student like me, but being at the right age at the right place was bliss. With seniors like you to hold hand and guide, we excelled in several activities. You the orator, the stand alone comedian (unheard of then) with ‘Pinto’ jokes making the entire auditorium laugh, our jointly being editors of college magazine besides our interest in cricket is still very vivid. During this period with nothing else around but the university – eat, sleep, study and create ruckus was life then. Amidst all this hullabaloo, unknowingly but true, at the back of our agile and fertile minds did register, the presence of a force to which we ran for asylum in all those umpteen quizzes, Hourly and final semester exams. This in a way forced us to remember the almighty. God helps those who help themselves kept ringing in our minds a day prior to the exam, probably His way of making us sit and prepare. The seeds of the connection between man and the spiritual force were sown there in its true sense, though realized much later.
Setting time aside for self, what in this modern era is coined as ‘Me Time,’ is actually what one should have and is a must, more during these troubled times. It could be some moments daily, maybe weekly, monthly or even once a year – duration to ones choice. Detoxification of self occasionally for clarity of mind, reflecting, purifying, connecting to God or the worldly powers whatever one believes in or gets motivated with definitely does one good – believed Dr. Kalam. Touching divinity in order to be mentally clear and emotionally calm as you put it, to pursue life ahead is what drives our engine of life, full throttle?
One may be a theist, an atheist or agnostic, an anarchist or a socialist but the sun will always rise from the east and set in the west. The universal cycle will go on unabated irrespective of the human belief and thought. What is born has to die. It’s the individual’s karma which lingers on and is remembered, nothing else stays. Human memory is short lived; good or bad is easily forgotten but not the spirit. Let your spirit soar, fly like a free bird, take a flight akin to the bird Godwit flying nonstop from Alaska to Auckland, covering 12000 KM in 11 days. (HT 15th Oct.) What a record…what a flight…what a feel….I wish I was Godwit, flying as if there is no tomorrow.
Doing what I feel good for self and mankind, believing in the inner strength, the power, the energy and the zeal in me beyond the realms of heart which beats for family, friends and the known. The heart is weak, soft and vulnerable, stores happiness, grief and is slippery. Mind is influenced by ones upbringing, ones gurus starting from ones mother, the society, the hardship and the comfort of surroundings. It is a heady mix of mind and heart which guides or misguides a person. If one is able to channelize ones desires, one’s mind – the human hard disk which stores and directs, and can control one’s susceptible heart, I can say with authority one has purified one’s mind body and soul. Has conquered the invincible, has attained nirvana. That in-fact, in my opinion is the secret of the sacred – mastered by Dr. A.P.J Abdul Kalam.
No man is an island. No one walks his path alone. What we put into the lives of others comes back into our own. The sacred part of life is what we give to others, whether it is succor, food, or love. Obviously Dr. Kalam gave much to others, and his way of celebrating his birthday was yet another manifestation of that outstanding character trait. It was your good fortune to have known Dr. Kalam so well, and your blog is a very appropriate tribute to the life of that giant.
Very thought provoking article sir. I really amazed every time I read about Dr. Kalam. More than a scientist its the person/ideas he will be known forever. The idea of sacred and the ways to reach that point separates Dr. Kalam from other individual. Surely as a youngster there are several points for me especially “Life is to be experienced, rather than solved”, “We have to nourish ourselves and let go of any expectations”.
As an individual I must say if we start thinking about this way definitely we will become happy person. I feel that theory of everything must originates from this scared thing which will be “PURE” in every sense. Discovering happiness, smile in other person’s life surely will be the most amazing discovery. Thanks again for this article.
Thank you Prof. Tiwari for once again a beautiful post. You were indeed blessed to have had the relationship you had with Dr. Kalam. And we the readers are blessed to learn more about you and Dr. Kalam from your writings. Your story of how Dr. Kalam chose to spend his birthdays reveals so much about him. The world would be a better place if more people embraced spirituality and humbled themselves as Dr. Kalam did. He was and is indeed sacred!
Your point that when “we connect with nature … we connect with the devine” reminded me of my father who was quite the spiritual person. Often when he would be outdoors and see a beautiful view – whether a gorgeous sunset, colorful trees in the Fall or the grandness of the largest great lake, Lake Superior – he would say something to the effect of “look at the beauty of what God has done”. As a teenager, those comments didn’t make an impact to me, but I did remember them. And I now find peace within when I find myself thinking or saying the same when I connect with nature.
Respected Arun Tiwari ji, While reading your blog -The secret of The Sacred, I felt that salient secrets of sacredness of Dr Kalam are being unfolded. “DELIGHTED TO VISIT GVKEMRI 108…..EXCELLENT CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE PEOPLE IN PAIN’ – the comment he made when he visited our main campus at Hyderabad long years back. May be he had the very unique quality of finding solutions to different kinds of pain mankind suffer, when given an opportunity to be with the team which gets involved with such responsibilities.
Today being 89th birth anniversary of a great soul, who even today continues to inspire 55000+ of our Associates. Emergency Management in India is for sure benefited by his gracious association as Chairman Emeritus.
We used to receive simple questions, but all of them used to be very sacred. Best example to remember … How ambulances staff saved themselves and continue to save others during the June 2013 cloud burst disaster in Uttarakhand? It took us almost two months to collect facts, document the pain and pleasure of those who have gone beyond the call of duty and saved lives in such distress . He insisted to hear about such pious work directly by the paramedics and ambulance Pilots. He used to listen them with rapt attention with a bliss on his face. All of us used to enjoy those sacred moments.
Tiwari saab, thank you for putting those beautiful paragraphs on ‘all directions, mother nature, timelessness and basic pillars of well being’ along with the narrations on noun and adjective forms of SACREDNESS and SACRED SOUL. It is no exaggeration, to mention that you being co-author of book ‘Wings of Fire’, will be considered as a true torch bearer and legacy of Kalam sir for ever.
Dear Arun Ji, Your blog is an inspirational article that connects the fields of knowing, doing, and being. Today, the 15th of October (Dr, Kalam’s Birthday) is a perfect occasion for this blog.
Dr, Kalam was a beautiful amalgamation of Knowledge, Action, and Spirituality. He was an embodiment of simple living and high thinking. Rather than being self- centered, he always worked for the greatness of India and for human welfare. Luckily, Dr. Kalam was born in India, and you had the opportunity to work so closely with him. Thank you so much for sharing this educational blog with us.
Dear Arun, What a piece of writing you have written – simply marvellous! Indeed, you are a great thinker and have become an author extraordinaire. You have learnt the art of brevity magnificently, you candidly express your feelings so well, it unpretentiously touches the heart of the reader.
You mentioned that ‘when we access the sacred, inside or outside, we connect with our original ground’, is very much true. You have also mentioned that Kalam was a wise man to avoid flowers and bouquets on his birthday instead he preferred to meet children or seek the company of sacred in sacred places. Probably-to explore his inner and give best to the country.
You studied mechanical engineering at Pantnagar and I studied agricultural engineering. You discovered the beautiful connection between man and nature. One of the things that I learned, I would like to narrate here –
Redwood trees are the largest trees on the planet. Redwood and Sequoia trees are found in the forest of USA. These trees are hundreds and thousands years old. Interestingly, their roots do not grow deep. But these trees are standing for centuries and centuries enduring massive windstorms, frigid blizzards, devastating earthquakes. How did they keep standing without deep roots? A very logical question that comes to mind, isn’t it?
The underground secret of redwood forest is that the roots of these trees reach outward (horizontally) seeking the roots of other redwood trees. And when the roots meet they intertwine making a permanent bond with each other. In this way, all the redwood trees in the entire forest are either directly or indirectly giving support to each other. Simple message is-Unity is the strength. They reach out to care and give support to each other. Nature is giving humanity a very crucial lesson, that our real strength is, in our willingness to care for and support each other. We are caretakers of divine property. Wisdom is to understand this simple universal principle that in giving, we receive.
By getting things, we make a living; by giving we make a life. The spiritual evolution of society can be understood, when people love people and use things. But all too often in today’s world, it is just the opposite; people use people, and they love things. To avoid this, let us remind ourselves, time and again, that we are the caretakers of divine property, we need to follow nature’s universal principle-in giving, we receive.
Please accept my compliments for writing again a superb magnificent blog. Wish you the best time ahead.
A great soul, who transformed not only himself but all those around him. Yes, had he been around he would have transformed more.
He led a simple life and he was simplicity personified. We remember that as Director of DRDL, he had high thinking which enabled him to think, correct and guide and lead all of us ever so subtly.
To remember him on his birthday is to follow what he did and make more to do the same. In the situation, we are today, we would definitely have clearer mind to solve all the issues before us and lead humanity towards better days.
It is a sweet thing to remember those who have positively influenced our lives, especially on their birthday…be they with us or elsewhere. I never personally met or interacted with Dr APJ Abdul Kalam. My connection to him was through the pages of his book – ‘Transcendence’, which I read after he passed away.
I was deeply moved by his spiritual journey, which was intertwined with his efforts towards the socioeconomic development of India. He was an actual example of what a good human being, in a leadership position. By the end of the book, it truly felt like he had discovered and imbibed the innate truth, consciousness, bliss (Sat-Chit-Ananda).
Sir, Reading this blog is a privilege and a pleasure.
Knowing about Dr Kalam’s way of celebrating his birthday on his birthday is fabulous. True, he is immortal and a part of sacred, your writings make him more so.
The para on the Pantnagar university campus resonates as profoundly as a poem. There is so much to learn and imbibe from you.
Dear Arunji, Thank you for sending the blog today on Dr Kalam’s birthday. What a coincidence. I have been thinking of him and his teachings since morning such as Asking Questions, Be grateful to your teachers, Be humble, etc., You are really blessed to have spent with the Sacred on his birthdays. I also experienced the touch with the Sacred connects us to the basic pillars of well being.
We are always seeking in this world, but the seeking of the spiritual seeker signifies a metaphysical step in our evolution. It is this we should silently yearn. Dr Kalam was a living example of “be of this world, yet not of it”, as another spiritually awakened person said, for our benefit, nearly two thousand years ago. This beautiful article reminds us of the inner space, to which we must return after our many physical adventures.
Sir, thank you for connecting me to the scared with your blog. The picture of the statue of Dr Kalam playing Veena with Bhagavad Gita by his side is the destiny of India that Dr Kalam internalized and ascended to a level where very few people in this world could ever reach.
I am amazed by the simplicity with which you defined the directions. “In almost all ancient cultures, a lot of emphasis is placed on directions. The direction where the sun rises is the east; where it sets is the west. The Pole Star defines the north, and opposite to that is the south.”
I am going to follow from this evening itself your powerful and yet simple prescription: “If we are looking at the east, we are reconnecting to our visionary selves, our destinies, learning to fly and soar like a bird in the morning. We look at the west to learn the ways of the luminous warrior—the Sun goes down to return without fail. The North is eternal, permanent, that which never changes, never decays, and never dies—the abode of Lord Shiva. The south is for releasing what no longer serves us, and shedding our skins just as a serpent does, all at once.”
Keep guiding Sir. Thank you once again.
Sir, Today’s blog is a wonderful tribute to Dr Kalam, and you have done it for all of us. I recall meeting Dr Kalam a few times at his Rajaji Marg residence when you were there. He spoke to me like he knew me for years, inquired about my parents, my work and what I want to do in my life. No one really talks like that to young people. He was indeed a saint who lived like a scientist.
Hari Om Sir. Thank you for this beautiful post on a very special day for India. The photo of Kalam sir with his Veena is perfect for he himself was a symbol of wisdom and much revered like Maa Saraswati.
Birthdays are considered to be spiritually important occasions when a person is most open to the giver of all births – the divine. That Dr Kalam chose to spend his time in spiritual company and also that you were present with him in all these ocassions only underscores the axiom – Divinity attracts Divinity.
This article was like a cool breeze in a green meadow that touched somewhere inside the heart connecting the reader with the one who set all the hearts to beat. The significance of directions perfectly resonates with all across the world for its perspective has beautifully merged the traditions.
There is no secret for the divine has already gone all out in the open and yet we miss the divinity as we extrapolate everything to material objectives..
Spiritually one needs no extrapolation or interpolation for we can witness the divine in moments of joy and sorrow too.. The Pain might be there but the suffering disappears in the light of the trinity described by you Sat Chit Ananda.
It reminds me of a beautiful poem “WHO” by Sri Aurobindo
“In the blue of the sky, in the green of the forest,
Whose is the hand that has painted the glow?
When the winds were asleep in the womb of the ether,
Who was it roused them and bade them to blow?
He is lost in the heart, in the cavern of Nature,
He is found in the brain where He builds up the thought:
In the pattern and bloom of the flowers He is woven,
In the luminous net of the stars He is caught.
In the strength of a man, in the beauty of woman,
In the laugh of a boy, in the blush of a girl;
The hand that sent Jupiter spinning through heaven,
Spends all its cunning to fashion a curl.”
Ty again sir. Hare Krishna!
Sir, since morning I was remembering Dr Kalam and I am truly delighted to see your blog with his beautiful picture. In Dr Kalam I personally felt the divine, and whenever I met him, I felt blessed and at peace with myself and everything around me. I fondly recall the day when first time you took me to Dr Kalam for his blessings.
I used to be a collector of Reader’s Digest magazines for the articles in its ‘Classic Reads’ section. I must say that your blog perfectly fits into that and arrives like a fresh breeze every fortnight.
I am amazed how simply you have written, “We request the earth to mulch all of the denser, heavier energies that are too great and too intense for us to handle.” In my childhood, once when I was unwell, my grandmother told me to place a dry coconut filled with sugar in an earth pit to feed the ants. I did it without knowing the reason, today I could appreciate the wisdom of the ritual.
Very insightful and thoughtful blog. Discovering the beautiful connection between man, nature, the spiritual world, and the Universe really matters. Looking forward to having such thoughtful blogs from you sir.
Dear Sir, We all miss Dr.Kalam on his 90th birthday today. I am speechless with awe to say anything about this great personality on this auspicious occasion. Each and every moments of his life is a lesson for people like me. When I compare, what he achieved in his life with my life till date, I find myself at a loss. The only achievement for me till date is that I am your student. This is the only identity I am carrying for me.
I am just trying to prepare myself as an important tool of God to choose me for the highest purpose of my existence in this world. I think great people are born great, things started happening towards greatness since beginning. A common man can’t become Dr.Kalam when he starts thinking in his middle age. But still I believe something has been planned for me as well, trying to observe the natural sign. Let’s see. Warm Regards,