On the advent of New Year 2008
My Dearest Shanu,
On the advent of new year, my dearest Sanidhya, lets start this letter with lines from a very common and simple Buddhist prayer –
“
May you have happiness and the causes of happiness.
May you be liberated from suffering and the causes of suffering.
May you never be separated from the happiness that is free from sorrow.
May you rest in equanimity, free from attachment and aversion.
“--- Traditional Tibetan Buddhist prayer
Well’ last year also went away, it was not a greatest of year from my point of view as a father’s plea to see his beloved son and his son’s mute rights to have childhood with a space for fatherhood were eroded by darkness of selfishness, ego, arrogance and obtuse behaviors. Humanity was at its lowest point, and for a moment lies prevailed over truth. But as they say ultimately sun shines and truth prevails and we will with God’s grace together see the same rainbow as we saw the last time we were together. Only this time it will be much brighter and sky will be much clearer. During this year both of us went thru our ordeals which still continues for me, it has shaken me; depressed me; pained me; truth is that it has affected me from every aspect mentally , emotionally, physically ; But it has not broken me. It has not diverted me from fundamental human values of love, respect, self-respect and most important truth and righteousness. My dearest Shanu, my day starts in pain, with a search for your tiny hands on my chest and my day ends with pain as my arm feels empty without your head caressed on it. During the evening my shoulders feel hollow as you are not there to ride them. My supper feels tasteless as you are not there in front of me to taste the first bite. My prayers are tearful as I pray for you but you are not there for aarti and tilak. I see you but you are not there, I feel you but I can’t touch you; I love you but I can’t shower it on you; Truth is that pain has become an integral part of my life, now only time and lord know in future whether and when it takes me to my logical and righteous path. But today I’m still breathing and thus I’m writing to you and will continue to do so. On this joyous occasion and the advent of new year recite and enjoy the “Lord's Prayer”, also known as the “Our Father” and is probably the best-known prayer in Christianity.
“
Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins
as we forgive those who sin against us.
Save us from the time of trial
and deliver us from evil.
[For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours now and for ever. Amen.]
“
Thus lets hope that this year, we will be able to touch each other fingers and see that rainbow together; play a game of soccer together; run marathon with you on my shoulders; tell stories to each other; draw and paint together; laugh in peace where there is no fear of disturbance or impurity. On this note, below is the prayer of peace by one the great saints, Saint Francis:
“
Lord, make me an instrument of your peace:
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
Where there is injury. Pardon;
Where there is doubt, faith;
Where there is despair, hope;
Where there is darkness, light;
Where there is sadness, joy.
O divine Master,
Grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console,
To be understood as to understand,
To be loved as to love,
For it is in giving that we receive,
It is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
It is in dying that we are born to eternal life.
“
So my dearest Sanidhya, let fear not touch you, let sorrow not affect you, may you make your own destiny, may the impure manipulation never take away the human values, may you grow up into a strong, healthy and happy man who has discipline of Shiva, bravery and values of Vishnu and brain of Brahma. May godess Gayathri, be your director and provide you happiness and righteousness. Here is a great poem by our national poet, Tagore Da!
“
Where the mind is without fear and the head is held high;
Where knowledge is free;
Where the world has not been broken up into fragments by narrow domestic walls;
Where words come out from the depth of truth;
Where tireless striving stretches its arms towards perfection;
Where the clear stream of reason has not lost its way into the dreary desert sand of dead habit;
Where the mind is led forward by thee into ever-widening thought and action;
Into that heaven of freedom, my Father, let my country awake.
“-- Rabindranath Tagore
As always I believe and wish, may mine and your Dadaji’s and Dadiji’s prayers for you reach you, protect you and fulfill your body and soul with bliss. My God who is my Lord will be with you as your savior, protector and director. He will help you to accomplish what you are destined and will bring prosperity to you and bliss to your soul. May this new year take your destiny to heavenly heights and you blossom like a lotus filled up with beauty, values and strength. To welcome this new year for you what a better way but to remember Goddess Gayatri and recite the Gayatri mantra :
“
Om bhoor bhuva swahah tat savi tur varenyam bhargo dey vasya dhi mahhi dheeyo yoh na pracho dayaht
“
Om!
Your Father,
Ravi
