Keep Trying

We try to avoid sports analogies since - well they are used all the time and seem cliche. Sometimes however they really do hit the button. We start a series of post looking at purush prayatna - the idea that we need to keep trying. Enter Derek Redmond and his dad at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics. Hailing from UK Redmond was favored to win the 400 meters. He did not win a medal but he won the hearts of everyone around the globe - he finished with his dad.



Many people remember this moment as part of olympic lore. This is the essence of purush prayatna - to keep trying even if you know you are not going to win. When we read all the niyams in the Shikshapatri and contemplate all the vasana we have to overcome as listed by the Vachnamrut - it seems daunting. Maharaj has said that he does not want us to have an imperfection even as small as a sesame seed in order to attain Akshardham. So why even try? The idea here is that Maharaj and Swami will help - we just have to keep trying.

So what of Derek Redmond? Well he was featured in a Visa Commercial and part of Nike Courage commercial. Two years after the Olympics he was told by a surgeon he would never run again or represent his country in sport. However after coming to terms with the loss of track and field as a career, he turned his attention to other sports he enjoyed. After several trials at basketball clubs, he secured a place on the Great Briton basketball team. He sent a signed photo of the team to the surgeon that had assured him he would never represent his country in athletics again. After playing basketball professionally, he turned his attention to rubgy and managed to reach division 1. He represented his country in three different disciplines of sport. He simply kept trying. He always had the help of his father.

In order to attain Akshardham, become brahmroop, attain Maharaj's raajipo - all we have to do is keep trying. There will be set backs, we may fall down - but just like Derek Redmond, we have our father and Guru to help us back up and move forward.

Coke, Soda, Pop, or Cold Drink?

Where you grew up really influences what you call a refreshing aerated beverage. The following map was created using crowdsourcing to discover what the majority of people say when offering a drink. There is a site dedicated to this with really interesting information. We find it fascinating (maybe too much so) that sugar water can be so universal, have so many different labels, and cause such passion in so many people.

During the month of January Yuva syllabus is exploring the basics of Akshar. We thought a great unexpected way to start such a talk would be to poll everyone and see how they would label sugar water in a can - Soda? Pop? Coke? Cold Drink? - depending on where your audience grew up any of these may come up as an answer. You can show this infographic to show that the same thing can be called multiple names - but it is essentially one entity. A great way to introduce Akshar - one entity with two different forms - sakar and nirakar. Moreover the sakar form has several different names: Gunatitanand Swami, Bhagatji Maharaj, Shastriji Mahraj, Yogiji Maharaj, and Pramkh Swami Maharaj. In this case it is not where you grew up, but when you grew up that determines what name you associate Akshar with. Try starting sabha with this idea and you will notice at least for the next ten minutes more people paying attention to your next point.